About a month ago, I shared with a dear friend a small dream that has been growing on my heart to share on my blog my journey to some unconventional, definitely not mainstream, choices for me and my family. I confided my nervousness at facing some possibly hostile opinions and my excitement at sharing what I've learned in my journey.
Almost immediately I began seeing confirmations, as though speaking the dream aloud had released something. Facebook posts, messages, phone calls, books! Everywhere I looked, God was encouraging me to go for it. I was ready to go!
And then I got sick. I spent some time distracted. I celebrated when a much-prayed for baby was born to a friend (SO many answered prayers in that birth story and precious little one! Praise God!!). And then I was sick again! So for nearly a month, I had very little quiet time. I felt so disconnected.
So a couple days ago, for the first time in weeks, I spent some solid time in scripture. (I was feeling a little self-judgmental, finger shaking at myself. Shame, shame, no scripture reading in how long?!)
First I read in Isaiah and these words filled me up,
Isaiah 43:1,4 "But now, this is what the Lord says— He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine... You are precious and honored in my sight... I love you.” "
and then I read 1 John,
1 John 2:1 But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
First, He assured me of His love and then assured me of His grace. I am loved. I am always forgiven. I am in awe of His abundant, extravagant grace!
Now, God willing, I will begin writing about my journey of unconventional choices in my next post. I am praying there will be no more distraction and no more sickness! Pray with me?
Thank you for reading. Leave a comment?
May you rest in His extravagant grace and overwhelming love!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mothers, You are Mighty
Mother's Day Video: Mighty
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there. :)
This is Kingdom work, shaping the precious little souls God has entrusted into your care! Please know that you are beautiful, amazing and strong, and doing something of infinite, eternal value!
Thank you for shaping our future.
Thank you for loving and loving and loving.
Thank you for giving of yourself every day, feeding those hungry mouths, clothing those precious little bodies, caring for every need, kissing boo-boos, cleaning up messes, correcting and disciplining, teaching and playing.
All these daily tasks, all this daily loving and giving, all of this matters. What you do for these little ones echoes in eternity. You are doing sacred work. You are changing the world, one precious life at a time.
God bless you! Be encouraged!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there. :)
This is Kingdom work, shaping the precious little souls God has entrusted into your care! Please know that you are beautiful, amazing and strong, and doing something of infinite, eternal value!
Thank you for shaping our future.
Thank you for loving and loving and loving.
Thank you for giving of yourself every day, feeding those hungry mouths, clothing those precious little bodies, caring for every need, kissing boo-boos, cleaning up messes, correcting and disciplining, teaching and playing.
All these daily tasks, all this daily loving and giving, all of this matters. What you do for these little ones echoes in eternity. You are doing sacred work. You are changing the world, one precious life at a time.
God bless you! Be encouraged!
Friday, May 9, 2014
Be Still. A Prayer for Peace.
Be Still - Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger & Bethel Music
The last few days, I've been thinking a lot on the phrase "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10) and this morning I was listening to the above song from Bethel. It's been in my head as I've been pondering on this verse and really longing in my heart to truly be still.
This was my prayer this morning that I wrote in my notebook and I felt nudged to share it here...
Yes, God, teach me to look into Your eyes, to be still and rest in You, to be still and KNOW that You are God alone, to stop trying to "do" it all but to "be still" in my heart and watch You work. Teach me to release my worries and cares into Your hands and let You resolve it, let You carry me through, to do my assignment only, to listen and know my part and leave the rest to You. God help me to have the wisdom to live skillfully! Let me be known as someone who can fix anything!
Jesus, HELP! Help me to release the burdens that are not mine to carry, let me put them back in Your capable, strong, loving, tender hands. You've got this. I can rest (Ps 62:1). It's not for me to do it all, but let me do my part well and then rest and trust in you. Thank You, Jesus, for Your burden is easy and light (Matt 11:30). It is what I was made to carry and You make it comfortable and easy. I can do this with You, for You take most of it, all of it really, and You support me in my tasks and lead and guide me (Ps 31:3).
Yes, let me walk in Your Presence. Let me soak and rest in Your Peace (Eph 2:14). Let it cover me. Let it fill me. Let it surround me. Let it ooze out of me and slop onto all those around me. Peace, peace, peace, PEACE. No fear, no worries, no anxiety. Just You. Just Peace. You've got this! You are with us (Ps 23:4) and nothing is too hard for You (Jeremiah 32:17)! Nothing is impossible with You (Luke 1:37)! So I bind fear, anxiety, worry, and in their place I bless PEACE, trust, and rest, overwhelming and overflowing, transcending all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7). AMEN!
The last few days, I've been thinking a lot on the phrase "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10) and this morning I was listening to the above song from Bethel. It's been in my head as I've been pondering on this verse and really longing in my heart to truly be still.
This was my prayer this morning that I wrote in my notebook and I felt nudged to share it here...
Yes, God, teach me to look into Your eyes, to be still and rest in You, to be still and KNOW that You are God alone, to stop trying to "do" it all but to "be still" in my heart and watch You work. Teach me to release my worries and cares into Your hands and let You resolve it, let You carry me through, to do my assignment only, to listen and know my part and leave the rest to You. God help me to have the wisdom to live skillfully! Let me be known as someone who can fix anything!
Jesus, HELP! Help me to release the burdens that are not mine to carry, let me put them back in Your capable, strong, loving, tender hands. You've got this. I can rest (Ps 62:1). It's not for me to do it all, but let me do my part well and then rest and trust in you. Thank You, Jesus, for Your burden is easy and light (Matt 11:30). It is what I was made to carry and You make it comfortable and easy. I can do this with You, for You take most of it, all of it really, and You support me in my tasks and lead and guide me (Ps 31:3).
Yes, let me walk in Your Presence. Let me soak and rest in Your Peace (Eph 2:14). Let it cover me. Let it fill me. Let it surround me. Let it ooze out of me and slop onto all those around me. Peace, peace, peace, PEACE. No fear, no worries, no anxiety. Just You. Just Peace. You've got this! You are with us (Ps 23:4) and nothing is too hard for You (Jeremiah 32:17)! Nothing is impossible with You (Luke 1:37)! So I bind fear, anxiety, worry, and in their place I bless PEACE, trust, and rest, overwhelming and overflowing, transcending all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7). AMEN!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
You are loved. You are enough.
A couple weeks ago, on a particularly bad day, I was beating myself up about not getting enough done, not being productive enough, not being significant enough, whatever. So when N got home, I took S upstairs, fed him, and then just enjoyed his company, while he smiled and made his baby noises.
While I was watching S, teary-eyed and not liking myself much, God broke into my thoughts. What is S doing that you love him so much? Checking off that to-do list? Accomplishing lots? More tears. Because the answer in my heart was nothing. I don't love my baby for what he does or who he might be someday. I love him for the simple fact that he is mine. S is my child, and my love for him is so fierce and deep and nothing will ever change it.
In the midst of my hurt, God wanted to remind me that His perfect love is like that but even better. Not because of any good I'm accomplishing or any other nonsense that I come up with of what I should be or should do. He loves me because I am His. He loves you because you are His.
Today, rest in His love. Know that you are so loved and that you are enough, because you are His precious and beloved child.
<3
God bless deeper revelations and greater knowledge of His great love for us. Amen!
While I was watching S, teary-eyed and not liking myself much, God broke into my thoughts. What is S doing that you love him so much? Checking off that to-do list? Accomplishing lots? More tears. Because the answer in my heart was nothing. I don't love my baby for what he does or who he might be someday. I love him for the simple fact that he is mine. S is my child, and my love for him is so fierce and deep and nothing will ever change it.
In the midst of my hurt, God wanted to remind me that His perfect love is like that but even better. Not because of any good I'm accomplishing or any other nonsense that I come up with of what I should be or should do. He loves me because I am His. He loves you because you are His.
Today, rest in His love. Know that you are so loved and that you are enough, because you are His precious and beloved child.
<3
God bless deeper revelations and greater knowledge of His great love for us. Amen!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
My desert song...
Last week, I was listening to the free webcast of the Voice of the Prophets conference and Patricia King began speaking about being in a desert or wilderness season. A few minutes before I had changed into a Prepare Ministries t-shirt that says "Wilderness Walker" on the front. I laughed and started taking notes. God likes to do things like that to get our attention.
In that moment, I felt a huge YES in my spirit. Yeah, I am in a desert season. It's a season of relative solitude, as I stay at home with my young boys without a consistent schedule or a vehicle of my own. It's a little difficult to get out of the house sometimes.
But I feel like God is calling me to embrace it. I think this season of solitude is meant to be a personal Jesus retreat right in the comfort of my own home, in between changing diapers and feeding precious little mouths. Instead of feeling like I should be accomplishing great deeds, I feel a tugging on my heart calling me to lay that down and come away.
I have the impression that this will be an important season for my heart, refining and preparing, a time of prayer and building up and laying foundations. This blog will be my place to share what is on my heart as I walk through my wilderness season, knowing as I press in that He has promised it won't stay a wilderness.
"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt." - Hosea 2:14-15
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:18-19
"The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing." - Isaiah 51:3
In that moment, I felt a huge YES in my spirit. Yeah, I am in a desert season. It's a season of relative solitude, as I stay at home with my young boys without a consistent schedule or a vehicle of my own. It's a little difficult to get out of the house sometimes.
But I feel like God is calling me to embrace it. I think this season of solitude is meant to be a personal Jesus retreat right in the comfort of my own home, in between changing diapers and feeding precious little mouths. Instead of feeling like I should be accomplishing great deeds, I feel a tugging on my heart calling me to lay that down and come away.
I have the impression that this will be an important season for my heart, refining and preparing, a time of prayer and building up and laying foundations. This blog will be my place to share what is on my heart as I walk through my wilderness season, knowing as I press in that He has promised it won't stay a wilderness.
"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt." - Hosea 2:14-15
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:18-19
"The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing." - Isaiah 51:3
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