Pressing Onward

Most evenings or early mornings, when my sleepy head finally hits my pink pillow, I sigh and the last words from my lips are a prayer that God will redeem time that was lost today.  Now, this is not out of a feeling of failure (on most days!), but rather for me, it is a cry of my heart to rely solely on the power God holds to transform my family.

I cannot do it all or have it all.  Yes, I said it out loud.  I cannot do it all or have it all.  My day is full of choices and when I make one choice, I leave behind the other.  Philippians 3:13-14, "One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining forward toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Although, I am fully aware of the magnificent grace and mercy of God to allow us second chances in life, I am always teaching by young men that they have ONE chance to do it right and do it well.  My prayer is to instill in them the mindset to always put their best foot forward in all they do.  After all, it is for God they work and not men. God isn't looking for the fancy, but rather for the faithful.

Today is a special gift all in its own right.  I will not get a do-over and no other day will be like today.  So I wake up in prayer before my feet hit the floor, crying out to God for the wisdom and patience I will need to maneuver through the elusive "to-do" list.  I must be in sync with His leading voice, so I can walk in the way He has prepared for us.  Time can be redeemed by His power, however, I would like to be found faithful to the call the first time. 

As a I watch my boys write a paper and fill it with sentences that leave much to be desired, I learn that the process is part of the journey.  The process is important to work out all the kinks. They love the sentence because it's hilarious, not because it is the most well-written. But then, as I help them choose better words and format, it develops into a well written and hilarious sentence.  And my eyes are a little clearer to see that I too am not always in the best form, but as I bend my will to His, He fills in the gaps and allows me to be at my best for them, through Him.

As I move through my day, I can forget what is behind me and continue pressing forward to the ultimate goal.  I can find successes in day 13,590 of this marathon I am running. I can keep pressing forward toward the goal. 

Perhaps my prayer at the start of each day should also be.... "Oh Father, redeem me in today's process and journey."

Good Intentions

A Wise Woman Builds Her House....

Well, it appears that I am in the habit of posting once a year, around this time!  I always seem to have "good intentions" of blogging more and getting back in the groove, however life enters and here I am one year later.

I came across the above FB page and Proverbs 14:1, just happens to be one of my favorite verses..."The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands."

Now again, we are here at the idea of intentions.  None of us wakes up in the morning and purposely intends to tear down our own house. I love that this verse speaks to the inner, hidden part of me~ my heart.  God knows my heart and He sees my thoughts and knows if I am intentionally aligning them with Him or if I am haphazardly going through my day on my own "good intentions."

"For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." Matthew 12:34b

I didn't intend to speak quite so harshly.  I didn't intend to anwser e-mails for that long.  I didn't intend to get caught up in the phone conversation for 45 mins.  I didn't intend to forget to take out the meat and now have to pick up something quick for supper on our way there.  

 Please don't hear me saying that occasionally we forget or some things must temporarily take priority over others.  I am trying to communicate the importance of being intentional with my intentions and aligning them with God's purpose for me each day.  He has been incredibly gracious in giving me a husband and three sons to care for, serve and love each day.  In this calling,  I long to do well and glorify God. Therefore, I must be checking my heart and what motivates me.  I should be finding my love for God at the top of the list, along with my desire to serve and love my precious family.

We are a busy people, filling up our lives with nearly anything that comes knocking on the door.  I think about women of the early 1900's and how much they were required to do in order to just simply provide the daily needs for their families.  I also think about how they did not have near as many distractions.  They did not have blogs, FB, Pinterest, twitter, Bunko club, shopping, the fitness club,  etc...

They woke up with the purpose of meeting the needs of their family.  In Genesis 2:18 God says, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Survival in that day kept them from being distracted by self-fulfilling enjoyments.  I am assuming that each woman fully walking in the will of God was fulfilled by living out her God-given purpose of meeting the needs of her family. Of being that suitable helpmate...

I am convinced that I too will be fulfilled in living out the purpose God has called me to in serving my family with the right intentions. The intention of building my house, and not tearing it down. The intention of building up the lives of those in my home, rather than tearing them down. There are noble callings that God gives each of us that may call us out of our home, but I know in my heart that my husband, children and home come first.  Ministry can happen with my home as the hub, making my ministry linear and not a list that leaves no time at the end to serve others.  All of my life is a ministry and my home is the place in which I start and finish each day, so I long to give my best there and not my leftovers.

Isn't it tempting to give others the best and then rest on the "grace" my family offers when I give them the tired, worn-out, spread thin rest of me?  Isn't it easy to want to give the right impression to others and rest in knowing that my family loves me no matter what?  Since, my family and my home are good gifts from God, I am certain that He longs for me to give my best there also.

Too much in the world tells me to empower myself and seek out what makes me happy and fulfilled.  The job of telling me what I need to do with my time and resources belongs to God alone. Married, single, divorced, widowed, a mother, an aunt, a sister~ each of us has a "home" in which we can build and invest.  May each of us be careful to live wisely and find our fulfillment in Christ alone. I pray that building your house will be enough to fill your cup!

Collision

There are moments in life that feel like a collision.  One of those ran a red light, came out of nowhere kind of collisions.  It hits, but instead of sitting still in the silence that follows after a real-life car collision, you keep moving at a pace that doesn't seem to fit. Nothing seems to slow down. 

The collision itself should have taken you out for a bit.  It shook you and it hurts.  When you actually have a little time to think about it, the tears begin to fall.  It's real and raw, but somehow you keep finding the strength to put one foot in front of the other.

You lie in bed as the sun begins to awaken all that fills this side of the earth and you see the orange and pink rays.  You smile, thinking about the beauty created in these mere seconds before the sun completely reveals itself.  All of its glory reflecting The One who deserves all the glory.

A heaviness weighs on you in these moments of the morning.  One that feels as though it will keep you from even getting your feet to hit the ground.  The warmth and safety of the blankets seem better, maybe even easier, than what may be waiting for you through-out the day.  You linger.  You wait.  Wait to see if maybe this day can just pass on by without you.

As you close your eyes you remind yourself that actually staying in the darkness cannot be an option.  The light, THE ONE TRUE LIGHT begins to shine into the crevasse of your heart and you begin to choose the way of life.  Your heart gently says to your mind, "HIS mercies are new every morning. Great is HIS faithfulness."  

But you cry to Him, that it feels like HIS faithfulness to you is running thin.  Although, you know that is not true.  The very breath you exhale is a gift. A "just for today" kind of gift.  

Life.  It is an on-going series of collisions.  Emotions, experiences, circumstances, people, trials, questions, joys, pain.  They all collide at different moments, but you keep moving forward.  Honestly, at times this movement is beyond your own comprehension, but deep in your soul you know you move because HE is making it possible.  In and through you.  Despite you.  

The hardest part comes in the choosing.  Not so much because you don't want to choose, but just because choosing the right way seems really hard some days.  It seems that the mundane of every day life or the overwhelming reality of the trial wins at that moment.  That collision of truth and reality.  The grace of the Father and the harshness of the world.  
  
But soon you're on your feet and engaged in life, moving forward.  And HE, the ONE is engaged in every detail of your life.  He sustains when the collision takes place.  That's how you choose and how you keep moving forward.  How you find the joy and hope in breaking through the heaviness.   

You know that this too will shape you and sanctify you and it will be worth it.  You also know that it is hard and real and requires of you a choice. A trusting kind of choice in His will over yours.  

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.  Psalm 30:11-12

 

    

The Beatitudes

Following is the memory work for the Clubhouse class.  Your students/children will be reciting this in August, so please practice a little every day!  Thank you :)

Your child should also have received a nine card packet with each verse, concept and photo.  If you did not receive one, please let Mrs. Marcia Whitehorn know!

A Snapshot...

Okay....well hello there!  When I logged on tonight I saw that it had been about 3 months since my last post and I felt disappointed.  It is not that I really feel like I have great things to say, but writing and expressing my thoughts helps me process and be creative.  As I look back over the last seven months, I probably should have blogged more and it would have helped the process!  Anyway...more on that later :)

Tonight I got the rare chance to check-up on some blogs that I haven't read in a long time and a few of them had "A Day in the Life" posts.  I thought it was so fun to see how they do the daily on-goings of life, so I thought it might be a fun re-entry post to blogging.  So, here is the most recent day that is still fresh on my mind, here goes....

3:00am  Luke comes to tell me he's hungry and he is going to get snack, then go back to bed.  (This happens about 3 times a week!)

5:30am   My alarm goes off and I hit snooze.  I sleep a few more minutes in my perfect bed and then the alarm goes off again. By the way, it is the sound of crickets chirping because I despise loud, annoying beeping alarms...like Wesley's  :0

5:50am   I hear Evan wake up and go walking down the hall.  He stops, then climbs in bed with Eli to "nuggle." This makes me smile in my warm bed.  I grab my devotion book and read today's encouragement.  James 3:17-18, The wisdom from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.  I love this verse, but I also love that I just studied the 7th Beatitude, blessed are the peacemakers~ so it has a new meaning to me this time.  The words on the pages encourage me to seek God's wisdom for the many decisions I have to make in one day.  It says that wisdom grows out of a long-time devotion to self-control and discipline. God is the one who upholds the ground I stand on, so I must plant my feet solidly with Him!

6:20am  Eli comes to make sure I am taking him to school.  I get up, brush my teeth, hair, put on make-up.  I get dressed, check the paint color in the boy's room I painted last night and come out to the kitchen.

6:40am  The kitchen is a buzz with my men~ making breakfast, talking to our baby turtles, finding belts, changing diapers, getting shoes on and practicing today's recitation, "A Slash of Blue" by Emily Dickinson.

7:15am  Miss Maggy arrives~ she stays the morning with Evan and Luke, so I can volunteer in Eli's class.  We are out the door and on our way!

7:55am  Arrive at school.  Listen to each of the kids recite their poem and record the grades.

8:40am   Leave school and stop at Target to pick up a few things.

9:30am  Meet Wesley at the gym to chat and work-out.  We visit for about 35 mins about life and some decisions we need to make.  Then work-out on the treadmill and thigh machine weights.  This is not my favorite, but I do feel better having done it and I like to be there with Wesley.


11:30am   Evan has an appointment, which takes about 15 mins~ then we go to lunch with Miss Maggy :) I have a salad and Lobster Bisque soup.  I see two friends there and catch-up a bit!

12:45pm   Drive to the auto-car wash and vaccum, the van looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 3 months!  Evan is not crying in the car wash, which is great!  This is NOT his favorite place. We drive to the post office and send my mom a happy box filled with fun things for her during her up-coming 4 day hospital stay & surgery.


1:30pm  Arrive home, change Evan's diaper and lay him down for a nap.  Unload the dryer and start a new washer cycle.  Fold clothes and listen to Luke read.

2:00pm  Luke goes outside to play since he is done with school work from this morning while Miss Maggy was here.  I lay down for a quick nap :) I am a huge believer in naps and have taken one almost everyday!  All of us love that time of day when it is quiet time and we settle-down and re-group for the rest of the day.

2:30pm   I go outside and play horseshoes and croquet with Luke.  This game is new to him and it is fun trying to teach him the right skill!

3:15pm  We go in to do house chores, book my rental car for when I go help my mom next week, laundry, kitchen floor, dining room table from school.  We get Luke's t-ball gear together and he gets dressed.

4:00pm  Evan wakes up.  He snuggles and then I change him and get him dressed.  He wants his "pri" (Capri Sun) and he is ready to go!  We hop in the car to go pick up Eli from Chess Club.

4:40pm  We leave school and drive to Red Robin to meet daddy for supper before Luke's t-ball game.  (*This is EXTREMELY rare that we eat out 2x in one day!)  I eat the Turkey Avacado croissant sandwich with fries and ranch.

6:20pm   Arrive at the ball field. I check e-mail and Facebook for a few minutes before we all get out. The temp gauge in my car says 78 degrees but the wind is blowing and I feel chilly, so I wear my fleece and think to myself that my dear friend will think I am so silly :)  Approximately 15 mins later I see her and she is grinning, then says "You and your polar fleece!"  Yep, she didn't let me down!  Luke does good, he tripped before 1st base at one point and took a nose dive, but he recovers.  On our way back to the game he says with grin, "That's the first time I've gotten hurt in t-ball!"

7:30pm  Wesley leaves for a meeting.  We leave at 7:45 and head home.

8:15pm   I give Evan and Luke a shower and then dry their hair.  Evan gets in his pack-n-play to look at books, Luke goes to his bed to read.  I get jammies and a diaper.  Eli finishes up in the shower and then they take turns brushing teeth and getting a drink.  We gather on Eli & Luke's bed for prayers.  Evan prays, "God, tank you for t-ball and daddy. Uh....Amen."  Luke prays not to be over-excited and wild tomorrow when friends come over and Eli prays to be a good leader for his brothers.  :)

8:45pm  I tuck them all in with kisses and head to make a cup of tea.  Then I sit down to check out some blogs and decide to get back in touch with mine!

9:45pm  I am still writing and Wesley comes home.  He draws me a bath and I am about to sign off to go unwind and then climb into bed.  I would normally do a project until about 11, but I have a big day tomorrow and I have been battling a headache for most of the afternoon and evening.

That is it in a nutshell!  I may do another "at home" kind of day, because most of our week looks a bit different with school and regular house responsibilities, but I will leave that for another time!  

b"US"y

busy.....


It's a four letter word that can imply so much in one person's life.  But when you take that word and begin multiplying it by however many people live in your little house, WHOA!  It can seem to take over and begin running the train right off the track.


My discretionary time is very limited and so I always feel like I don't know what to choose when it comes, but spending some time on Pinterest is one of the ways I do spend my extra time.  It energizes me to see all those fun ideas and gets my creative juices flowing.  I am certainly one who functions better when my creativity has an outlet! While on the other night, I clicked on a picture that led me to a blog and her description read, "Living a simple, meaningful, hand-made life."  All those words struck me at my heart.  I could identify in one way or another with what that message portrayed.

Each year, Mr.Wonderful and I choose a word or words that will give us tracks to go on for that year.  This year they are intentional and diligent.  Our life is very full right now of many things....


young boys' busyness
school
prayer
uncertainty
ministry
unknown possibilities
love
laundry
struggles
growth
family
friends
cooking
cleaning


But, no matter what I find myself doing, those two words, intentional and diligent, are always looming out in front of me.  Jesus was so intentional when He was here on earth.  He took time for people and He was certainly busy! Always wanting to be found faithful doing the work of His Father.


Yesterday was a really hard day for me.  I was full of so many emotions and thoughts, that I finally had to quietly go sit on my bed and just be still.  My heart cried out for God to be God and to show Himself to me here in this hard place.  I knew that this ache in the depth of me would not go away or change by relying on anyone or anything else other than God.


He was, of course, faithful.  He filled my cup so that I could continue through my day.  


My whole day is full of motherhood and help-meet responsibilities and it can all seem like so much!  There is always a constant pull to find the most efficient way for our lives to blend and work and compliment one another.  I do not think I will never be busy.  But in that, I never want to take my eyes off the b"US"y right in the middle of that word.  To me "US" is God and I, Mr. Wonderful and I, all five of us~ it is the people in my life.


I want my life to be simple enough that I have time for the priorities that fill my heart.
I want it to be meaningful, so that it matters~ in the eyes of God.
I want it to be hand-made in the sense, that my hands are hard at work building my home and filling it with things that really say, "this is who we are and what we are about."


Those things will not happen unless I am intentional and diligent with my life each day.  Each set of 24 hours that God gives to me matters! What words do you find yourself/your family focusing on this year?  How are you making sure you live by them each day?  

Proverbs 14:1

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

Hello India!

Wow- yesterday felt like the longest day ever. We kept saying "when we got here yesterday" but actually it had been that morning! God was so good and we were upgraded to  business class on our flight from London and we all felt that we had rested well. Such a blessing- the flight from Dallas to London was over booked and packed like sardines. We have seen so much and the city is so very very busy I can't take it all in! The streets are full of cars, motorcycles, people, bikes, mini taxis and we've seen 2 cows! Everyone honks ALL the time and the driving "rule" is "the bravest one who guesses best wins!" I am the designated front seat rider.....whoa! It is wild :) The poverty of the peoples lives both physical and spiritual needs is overwhelming- although it has not been as shocking as I expected. Last night we walked to the restaurant and I did not feel unsafe- just very aware of the MANY vehicles passing less than a foot  from me! I ate spicy lamb and chicken with rice, corn that was great- cooked different than we do it and amazing naan, a flat bread. I am glad for the excitement to be here. God is very real and I feel Him close which such a comfort as I walk and ride through this city. I have not yet felt nervous or overwhelmed- We are going to a Telegu church this morning and then meeting to pray and plan this afternoon. We will head to the village in the morning. We heard from the team that was visiting this past week that the teachers are warm and receptive and the children are SO EXCITED to have them there. I am looking forward to the village and seeing them all.  The team before us had a medical clinic and saw every child as well as around 100 from the village. It is 6:45am Sunday morning here right now and the sunrise is  coming over the buildings. I slept all night well and feel "on schedule" so far, not too much jet lag, we will see what the day brings!

On the other side of the world.....

Aletheia Banjara School in Andrah Predesh, Inida is a place where seeds of hope are being planted.  Where the lives of over 300 children are being impacted with the truth that there is One true God that loves them and offers an unshakable hope for them and their future.  God is at work in this place!  Will you please join in prayer for me and five others as we travel and serve the teachers at the ABS school over the next 11 days?  I cannot wait to come home and tell the stories that I know will fill my heart after seeing what God will do with this small offering of sacrifice we make for Him in this place.  Thank you!  Below is a prayer guide~

From November 17-27, our team will be going to Aletheia Banjara School in Gurrapu Thanda, India, to conduct a teacher in-service.  Our hope is that God’s Word would come alive to the teachers through the Christian Character Qualities curriculum written by a dedicated member of our team.  Our prayer is that the teachers would develop a vision for reaching their students for Christ through teaching these godly virtues more effectively.   We would greatly appreciate your prayers for us as we minister to the Banjara people.

Our first and foremost request is that in all we do and say, we would be vessels used by the Lord for His glory; that we would be invisible and God would be the focus as we share His truth.(2Cor.4:7,10; 2Tim.2:21)

Pray for the Lord to multiply our time and energy, to thwart Satan’s attacks, and to enable us to keep His priorities. (Eph. 5:15-17; Ps. 90:12)

One way we are concerned that Satan may render us less effective is through health problems and fears. We would ask that you pray for the Lord to protect us in all ways.(Ps. 28:7-8; Ps.18:1-3)

Another request we have in the physical dimension is for our energy and stamina.  We have a grueling travel and ministry schedule, and it will only be the Lord sustaining us victoriously.  Pray that we can stay focused in spite of sleep-deprivation and missing families over Thanksgiving.(Isaiah 40:29-31; Phil. 4:13)

Our families at home will be doing everything from homeschooling to cooking Thanksgiving dinner while we are gone.  Please pray for protection on our families and for a special blessing on them for their willingness to sacrifice in order for us to minister. (Num. 6:24-26)

Pray that at all times we will have servants’ hearts, flexible attitudes,  unity, and sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading (Phil.2:3; Phil.4:11-12; Eph.4:1-3)

Lastly, we pray for the Lord to go before us and prepare the hearts of the teachers who will hear the information that we will present, and that it will be truly life-changing for them.  Pray that circumstances that they are going through will prepare their hearts in such a way that they will not be overwhelmed by all of the information, but will see it as the answer to many questions that have come to the surface in their teaching.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to speak just the right words through us to each person, and that we’ll encourage and show the love of Christ to everyone and each other.  (Col.3:14-17; 4:2-6; 2Thes.3:5)

Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness for our team.

Vulnerable

vulnerable ~ exposed, open, sensitive


These are not words we tend to gravitate towards in a positive way.  In fact, I am sure that each of us has a way of setting up boundaries so that we do not expose too much of ourselves to others.  Fear and uncertainty can plague us and in turn cause us to keep the "real us" at a safe distance.  


First, I want to say that I believe it is incredibly important to first filter everything through God's word, so we can be within the guidelines He has given us to follow. Our thought life, our speech and our actions must be motivated by our love and desire to please Him.  


So, with that said, freedom should follow.  


Freedom to follow the call that God has placed on our life.  Yes, there are absolutes in God's word that apply to all of us.  The beauty in His master design of each of us is that we will flesh that out differently.  For one example, this afternoon I had a wonderful discussion with a young woman about having children.  She was saying how she was really wanting to search our her own answer, according to God's word, in regards to married people having children. Is it an absolute?  Is in required?  Commanded?  What about those that are unable to have children due to medical reasons?


I said that I believe God tells us to raise up generation after generation for HIM and for HIS glory.  We need to be obedient to that command.   But to me, here is the beauty of it all.  It is fleshed out in a unique way in homes all over the world.  


I have a friend who has adopted four children and has two of her own, a friend who has only adopted even though she is capable of having her own children and one who adopted after trying for 10 years.  I have friends that only have biological children and friends with no children who are investing in those children around them.  I also just recently heard the amazing story of this young woman, Katie.  Talk about having the freedom to live your life to what God is asking!  

This is where it becomes important that we become vulnerable.  Where we are open to share what God is doing in our life and stand boldly on the foundation of His master plan for our lives.  It is so easy to begin to "mark" our lives by those certain success "markers" that the world so easily places on us.  


college....check
a good job.....check
marriage.....check
a home of our own.....check
children......check
great family vacations.....check
successful children.....check


None of these things is bad.  However, I do believe there are things that carry a great significance on which to build one's life. The list of "markers" goes on and on. I think the list could be much shorter.....


Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind.  Love & serve others.  


vulnerable


exposed to let others see your heart burning with passion for God
open to letting Him use you in the ways He created you to be used for His glory
sensitive to His call on your life in whatever form that may take


Not all of us will be called to serve a people group on the other side of the world, but I know that whatever God calls you to do for Him, it is a high and holy calling, so do it well.  Do it for Him with all your heart!


motherhood
ministry
teaching
financially supporting
adopting
writing
sacrificing
building
mentoring
creating
fatherhood
friendship
submission
obedience
serving


You can add your own to this list and if you don't know what it is that He has called you to at this season of your life.....stop right now and go before Him.  Do not move forward with your own plans until you have heard from Him about what His plans are for you!  If you have not surrendered your life to Him, then stop and do that now.  Don't wait, time is short and there is much to be done for Him.  


If we are moving forward with God, then we are moving in the right direction!  Let Him show you the "markers" by which to mark your success in this life.  Oh how different they will be than what we imagine!  

The Bigger Picture

We all have something that we said we would never do. You know that list that includes things like..... get married, have kids (definitely not more than two!), go to Africa as a missionary, go back to school, pay off all your school debt, adopt a child, learn a foreign language, run a marathon.... The list goes on.

But, unfortunately, most of the time so do we. Life moves forward at a rate faster than most of us can keep up and we keep adding to the list, but we don't take anything off. They stay there because we unconsciously have made the choice to NOT do it, rather than mark it off because we have done it! We don't actually do anything on the list so it keeps growing.

Now, I am not saying that we view all things in life as a list, but in our head it's on THAT list.

The "Abraham" list ~ the one where you see nothing but impossibility in that one thing really happening
The "Mary" list ~ the one where circumstances would have to be different for that to work out
The "Moses" list ~ the one where you are certain that you are not equipped to do this or that certain thing

Well, so far, the above lists would include the father of many nations, the mother of the Christ child and the man who led the Egyptians out of the land of slavery. They all thought they were incapable or that what was revealed to them seemed impossible, but they, like us, were only looking at the small picture called "right now." The biggest hurdle called "me."

We know people and we hear stories of things happening in which only the hand of God could have made it happen. We are moved and may even thank God for his amazing work. But, we fail to see how we too can be used in His bigger picture.

So, how do we do that? We open ourselves up and we grow. We let God work in us and change us and mold us into His hands and feet. We seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first. We stop building our own little lives and we ask how He wants us to help build His Kingdom. Then, one day without warning we are on a plane across an ocean to serve another people group, we are trusting in Him sustaining us as we train for the marathon to help make a difference. We are preparing for a home study in the process of adoption, we are hitting the books each night getting through school with His grace.  

growth

The list is getting smaller because of His work in us.

Of course we have all heard the expression ,"Never say never!" Certainly with a God like our God, we should never say never. First, because He is capable, but also because "never" is a selfish expression of what we think is possible or not possible. So, shame on us for reading about the great possibilities in His word, for listening to the stories of His amazing work in others, but not really believing. Not really taking the possibility, that He may want to use us, seriously.

We are all someone to Him.
We are all a possibility to Him.

Let Him see in your heart an authentic desire to grow and be used for things that you have always said you would never do.

Chiseling Away

God has been at work in me, refining and chiseling away all that is not good. (A lifelong process!) I am amazed at the many different ways He chooses to open our eyes to new truth, or rather truth packaged in a way we have not seen it before. His Truth is never new, it is timeless and never-changing, how wonderful to really count on something in this crazy world!

Right now, this book is making a huge impact on me.....


If you need a book that will encourage you, inspire you, challenge and change you.  Give this one a try! You can also find daily encouragement with Ann

SHE

She knows your heart.
She knows your shortcomings.
She knows your kids...really knows them!
She knows why you make the kind of choices you make.
She knows what you need even when you may not be sure.
She knows she can say that "one" thing to you, because, well...it's her and she can!
She knows how to pray for you.

She sometimes remembers your birthday. (Which you actually love about her!)
She might know your favorite cookies.
She might remember where you were born, or she might not know at all.
She never asks you those kind of questions that get under your skin, because she knows they get under your skin.
She doesn't doubt you, even when you sound crazy!
She never sees you as an inconvenience.

She tells you if you have too much on your plate, because she loves you.
She calls from a long way away at an odd time, but you talk anyway, because that is a treasured moment to get to chat.
She knows what makes you fearful,even if you haven't said it outloud.
She nods her head and finishes the sentence when you can't quite get the words out.
She will listen to the "real" you talk openly and honestly without judgment, harsh questions or accusations. 
She will take your child with her on her family vacation if it means that she can help you do something you can't yet believe yourself, that you are going to do.

She is there.
She is available.
She is trustworthy.
She is strong.
She is truth-driven.
She is walking alongside.
She is encouraging.
She is honest. 
She is authentic.

She is.......
   the kind of friend that really makes a difference in your life every time you spent a    moment with her.  

I hope that you have this kind of woman in your life.  I also hope that we are all striving to be this kind of woman in someone else's life.

Devotion? {s}

I remember a few years ago, as I was listening to a radio-talk show interview a Christian author about motherhood she re-told one of her favorite "real-life" learning moments.

One morning she was awoken early and decided to get up and spend some much needed time with the Lord. It had honestly been a few weeks since she really spent some time before Him. She quietly walked to the kitchen and made some tea, then settled down in her chair.

She began praying when she heard slippered feet coming down the hallway. "LORD! Why on earth is one of my children up this early? I got up and am going to spend time with You and one of them is awake! This really doesn't seem fair!"

As her child approached her, he excitedly said, "Mama, were you waiting for me?" Gentle tears began to fall down her cheeks as she realized deep in her heart that each morning, God was waiting for her, but she did not consistently get up to meet Him. Oh what a sweet moment that encouraged her to be just as eager to get up for her waiting Father!





The word "devotions" always seems to bring up an array of ideas in conversation. I love how Jess so simply puts into honest words our need and desire to spend time with the Lord. Not time in a "well I checked that off my list for the day" kind of way, but really BE with and before the Lord.

Our Creator.
Our Savior.
Our Peace amidst the storm.
Our Comfort.
Our Guide.
Our Provider.
Our Protector.
Our Healer.
Our Ever-present help.
Our Emmanuel.

Yes. THAT God, sovereign over the entire universe! He longs to hear from us, so that we may hear from Him. Let Him, "wake you morning by morning." (Isaiah 50:4)