Thanksgiving Morning

I set out this Thanksgiving break with a different goal than usual.  Because Thanksgiving is a bit later this year and we will only have three weeks of school between this break and Christmas break instead of four,  I decided I wanted to take down my beloved autumn decorations, do some cleaning and major catching up on laundry, and get my Christmas decorating done before Thanksgiving Day.  I don't think we've ever decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I must say I am so thankful we did it.

Because this Thanksgiving morning is so calm.  The house is (mostly) clean and sparkling, with lights aglow and wassail on the stove and quiet music playing.

We had a beautiful cold front come through and woke up to sunshine and brisk temperatures.  It won't be long before we gather around the table for a bountiful feast for lunch.  The day will be slow paced and spent with family.   This weekend will involve more time with family and friends and some Christmas celebrations.  Right now I am in my chair enjoying the music and twinkling lights and scent of oranges and cloves wafting in from the kitchen.  At 25 weeks pregnant, I am thankful to put my feet up for a few minutes and enjoy the simplicity of the moment, reflect and give thanks on day I love and look forward to each year, and rejoice in the beauty of a season that celebrates the birth of Savior who changed my life.

These lyrics just flooded my home and heart a few moments ago...

Christ is the Lord! Oh, praise His name forever!

His power and glory evermore proclaim!

What a thought for this gorgeous Thanksgiving morning.

Christ is the Lord! 

Today and every day we give Him honor, praise, and thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving Morning!  Wishing you a blessed and beautiful day!

When Christmas Collides

It's been a strange Christmas season for me in some ways.  I alternate between being caught in the wonder, then not really "feeling" Christmas much at all.

Why the latter?

Probably because calendars are full and I am busy spinning and jumping from role to role and the kids' first weekday off of school is not until Christmas Eve and my refrigerator desperately needs cleaning but I don't want to do it and what I really want to do is sit down with my family and watch Polar Express and White Christmas but we haven't gotten a chance to yet.

Or because I need to go the grocery store about every fifteen minutes.

Maybe because work collides with the wonder, hustle-and-bustle with the holy, rush with the reverent.

And I am caught somewhere in between.

Rushing here, there, and everywhere from Pre-K to the Retirement Home, up to my elbows in soapy water one minute, sitting peacefully at the feet of my Savior by the lights of the Christmas tree the next.

Don't you wish you could go back in time to Bethlehem that starry night?

I close my eyes and try to imagine the scene.

The grandest collision of all.  Heaven tearing into earth. God in human form.  His voice a baby's cry.

Angel song exploding, prophets proclaiming, kings journeying, shepherds kneeling.

A young girl becoming a mother in the most mysterious of ways, carrying both a baby and a burden.

The prophet told her a sword would pierce her soul.

Can you even imagine what she would live to experience?

I think of my own son, then I shudder to think.

But this holy mystery, this wondrous birth, this humble entrance of our Savior - the King of Kings and Lord of Lords - God coming right down to us to die in our place, it is what we celebrate.

So I find scattered moments amidst the rush to sit and ponder.  To worship Jesus and marvel at the wonder of it all.

Then I get back to work, my heart longing to stay in Bethlehem.

There is so much to do.

And it must be done.

But later I will find pause and kneel at the manger throne once more.

And one day I will spend eternity worshiping my Savior, kneeling at His heavenly throne.

Even so, come once and for all, Lord Jesus.

On Kings, Kingdoms, And Holding On To Grace

My husband and I experience something we call "Wednesday Night Syndrome." We've had this condition for years.  Historically, Wednesdays are very long days for us.  For him, he is preparing all day for his busiest night of the week in student ministry.  For many of our students, this is the only time of the week they will hear about Jesus and be part of any type of Christian community.  He puts a lot of effort, planning, and prayer into Wednesday nights.  Once he leaves Wednesday morning, I know he won't be home until about 9:00 or so that night.

For many years, Wednesdays have also been a high volume music lesson day for me.  Most years I have taught right up until we leave for church, the past several years even taking my last student with me.  I also teach collegiate/virtual school/home school students during the day on Wednesdays, and have to have my own kids fed and ready for AWANA somewhere in there too.

Once youth group begins, both Jimmy and I pour every ounce of physical, emotional, and spiritual energy we have into the students that come through the doors.  We absolutely love these students, and want to give them the very best we can as we share the love of Jesus with them.

By the time we get home it is already past the kids' bedtimes, and we have to get them wound down and into bed as quickly as we can because they still have two more days of school left.  By the time we get them down we have been drained of nearly everything we have and are exhausted.

But we are also wired.  Our souls are stirred, our minds are racing.  We have tons to think and talk about. We are often starving.  We are tired, but we can't sleep and often stay up later than any other night of the week.  Sometimes we do our own thing, but often we talk and talk to each other late into the night.

This is the condition we call Wednesday Night Syndrome!

This past Wednesday was no exception.  With much on our hearts, we shared of this and that.  Deep matters.  Concerns for students, concerns for families, concerns for this crazy world and self-centered culture.

I'll admit, these are scary times we are living in.  If my hope wasn't in Christ I think I could be a fretful mess.  His peace overrides the chaos, but the condition of our world, state of our culture, and lack of integrity among our leadership is downright disturbing. My mind often recalls the book of Judges, how everyone "did was right in his own eyes." The result, of course, was disastrous for that generation...disaster is always around the corner when we choose to serve sin and self instead of a righteous and holy God.

That night after we talked and shared I went to bed in serious prayer for students and generations and our country and for people to humble themselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from their wicked ways so God would heal this land, this land I love.  2 Chronicles 7:14 was heavy on my heart.

The next morning I was doing my Bible study and was struck by this passage.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that 

cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace.  

By it, we may serve God acceptably with reverence and awe; 

for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Believers, we are receiving a kingdom.  Christ's kingdom.  And unlike earthly kingdoms, His kingdom cannot and will not be shaken.  Even if everything around us is ripping apart at the seams, His kingdom is firmly established.

We can hold on to grace, hold on when everything else is falling out from under us. We live each day held tightly in the grip of grace.

We can serve God reverently.  In a world that has little or no reverence for Him, we can stand in awe.  We can serve and worship Him.

We can trust that in the end, God will right the wrongs and injustices.  He is a consuming fire.  His Word has already predicted what is happening now, and His Word tells the whole story.  God wins.  Love prevails.  Heaven awaits.

And one day, one sweet day, we will live in complete and total peace and perfection with Him.  We will rest in the very presence and glorious light of almighty God.

I needed those reminders.  I needed those reminders.

Times are difficult.  God is in control.  His kingdom cannot be shaken.  His kingdom will reign.  Hold on to grace.

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were 

loud voices in heaven, saying, 

"The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

Revelation 11:15

Amen.

Beauty Was Just Around the Corner

Recently, I ended my 90 day journey with David and started another 90 day journey, this one with John, the beloved disciple.  I was sad to wrap up the final lessons on David.  Yes, he was flawed.  Yes, his life held great successes but also devastating failures, as well as mistreatment from people who should have known better. However, through it all his soul was knit to God's.  He was a worshiper.  I am a worshiper.  And I was moved to read of David worshiping, even in his final days when it had all been said and done.

I am now 16 lessons into my 90 day journey with John (written by Beth Moore), and there is already so much I could tell you.  Oh, how I sometimes wish you could all pile in my living room and we could drink coffee, eat scones, and share what we have been learning from God's Word with no time limit or duties awaiting us!  For now, I'll choose to share one thing that spoke to me the other day.

The text was Luke 22:7-13.  The assignment was a Passover meal, and Jesus chose Peter and John to prepare it.  If you know anything about a Jewish Passover meal of this time, it would involve having to slaughter a spotless sacrificial lamb.  Later on, both Peter and John would refer to Christ as the Lamb. Perhaps their preparations of this last supper together would make Christ's fulfillment as our perfect sacrifice even more poignant.  John refers over 20 times to the Lamb in the Book of Revelation.  Peter wrote in I Peter 1:18-19,

For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 

Beth pointed out that God can do anything he wants.  He could have prepared the supper himself.  Rather, "He sovereignly chooses to employ mortals to flesh out an invisible work in the visible realm."  

God uses people.

She went on to say, "If He gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work."

How true.  Philippians 1:6 immediately came to mind.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

She wrote of how as Peter and John prepared that Passover meal, they were privy to secrets that would become clearer to them as time passed.  God often works that way.  He doesn't always reveal everything to us immediately.  His work in us is often gradual.  

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.  (Psalm 25:14)

One of my favorite moments of insight was this.  Beth wrote,

"Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God makes everything beautiful in its time.  I truly believe that if we're willing to see, God uses every difficulty and every assignment to confide deep things to us, and that the lessons are not complete until their beauty has been revealed.  I fear, however, that we have such an attention deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty was just around the corner."

I was caught by that.  We settle for bearable when beauty was just around the corner.

We allow fear, hurt, anger, bitterness, distractions, discouragement, exhaustion, and a myriad of other possibilities to let us miss the beauty.  If we would have just held on a little longer, let God complete His work, we would have seen it.  

I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss the beauty.  Especially when it could be right around the corner.

Don't give up.  Hold on.  Let Him complete His work.  Then enjoy the view.

(images I captured on a recent visit to the gulf)

Transition

This morning the sky is gray and the house is quiet, except for the hum of the washing machine and the distant sound of birdsong.  I am enriched by my time in the Word, though a bit sad simply because there are only two lessons left in my study on David. It has been an amazing journey.  Those 400 pages are filled with notes, insights, prayers, and even a coffee stain or two.  God has enlightened me, convicted me, challenged me.

A few days ago, this study took me to I Kings 1:32-48 where David's kingly reign ends as he proclaims Solomon as king.  He is now an old man and it is time for his son to rule over Israel.  Solomon was now God's appointed leader.

Change was in the air.  A season was ending.  Yet when David received the news from his royal officials that the city was rejoicing loudly over the anointing of their new king, David bowed himself in worship on his bed and blessed God.


David met this moment of incredible transition with worship and praise to his Lord God.

This lesson opened with three questions to ponder...


What seasons of transition have you just come from?  Or which ones do you anticipate to be upon you in the near future?  What do changes like these tend to do to you?

I had to smile when I read those, because the last few years of my life could be defined by transition.  Geographically, financially, relationally, in motherhood, in ministry - transition has marked this season of my life.

In my notes I scribbled these words...


sometimes scare me to death - other times motivate me - these have thankfully made me more dependent and reliant on God

Thankfully, I can say that this season has also been one of praise of worship. Sometimes public, sometimes private, sometimes through songs of exaltation, sometimes in tears face down on the floor.  Sometimes at the piano, sometimes in a journal, sometimes spoken out loud to my Savior, sometimes typed and shared from an overflow in my heart that I cannot contain.  There has been transition, but it has certainly drawn me closer to the heart of the Father.

At the end of the lesson, Beth posed another question....


I know you want (like me) to meet times of change and transition with praise and worship to the Lord.  What can you do today to begin preparing yourself for having that kind of response to endings and new beginnings?

Again, my words scribbled in green ink...


be in the Word!
claim the Word!
quote the Word!
sing the Word!
sing songs of praise and worship
make them the soundtrack of our lives
determine to praise and worship!
choose praise and worship!
let me be singing when the evening comes

You may be in a season of transition.  If not, you may have just come out of one; or there may be changes lurking around the corner.

As I have been challenged to do, I hope that you, like David, will give worship and praise to God when everything changes.  Because God is unchanging.  And something amazing happens when we acknowledge His character and bless His name during life's transitions.

Take a moment to join me in singing this song to bless our God...


10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) by Matt Redman

The Power Of Praise

This morning I woke up at 6:30 am with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Perhaps it was because I am still not feeling very well.  Oh sure, I've been pressing on doing everything from school programs to field day to beach time to field trips and everything in between.  But I have still been feeling poorly, fighting sinus issues that are wearing me out.  Have you ever noticed when you aren't feeling well physically, you are more vulnerable emotionally?  When my eyes opened and my throat still felt sore and my body weary, my mind also felt cluttered and my heart overwhelmed. Questions without answers surfaced.  To do lists loomed.  Stress tugged at the covers.

After getting everyone off to school, I spent some extra time in Bible study. Interestingly, one of the passages my David study took me to this morning was 2 Samuel 22:1-51, a long chapter where David praises God for His deliverance from the Philistines.  David's song of praise calls God his rock, his fortress, his deliver, He who is worthy to be praised, who saved him from his enemies, who was his support, who is his strength and power, who is the one and only God.

Reflecting on the passage, Beth talked about how we need to celebrate old victories once more and new victories for the first time.  How we need to remind ourselves of God's faithfulness.  She asked us to ponder how we could make celebration a more regular part of our relationship with Christ, a more regular occurence in our life.

I took some time to journal some victories both past and present, some battles the Lord has won in my life.  I thanked Him for those.

Then I turned up the praise music.  I had sheets to wash and laundry to fold and a sink full of dishes to attend to, but I did so to the soundtrack of praise.

The first song my Kari Jobe Pandora station cranked out was her song You Are Good.  Over and over, I heard these words...

Every day, I'll awaken my praise

And pour out a song from my heart

You are good, You are good, You are good

And Your mercy is forever.

Your kindness is forever 

Your goodness is forever

Your mercy is forever, forever.

My mind settled down and became more focused.  My spirits were lifted.  The burden felt lighter.

My initial thoughts which overwhelmed were replaced with thoughts that overcame.

I continued my chores and my day with an intentional spirit of praise and celebration.

It's not that I listened to some worship songs and, zap, all my questions were answered, my body was healed, and my problems were solved.

No, it's not that at all.

What is true is that when I awakened my praise, my focus shifted from my hurts to His kindness.  From my stresses to His goodness.  From my failures to His mercy. From me to Him.

And that is the power of praise.

Speaking of Presence... (Another Song of My Heart)

In Your presence Lord

I will find my strength

You're the breath in Me

You're my everything

With my heart bowed low

And my hands held high

All consuming fire

You're my one desire

It's You, God it's You

It's You, only You

My husband has fallen in love with this song and now so have I.  One Desire by Kari Jobe.  A song of our hearts.  On repeat this morning.  God may you always be the highest desire of our lives.  May your name always stay on our lips.  May we ever seek You, only you.  May this ever be the song of our lives.

My heart will always sing... I love You, I love You.

Presence

You are all my heart longs for

The treasure and the hunger

I've tasted and I must have more

Of Your presence God.

You call me deeper than before

I'm falling further into you God

You are just so beautiful

I love Your presence God.

The lyrics from the song Presence, written by one of my favorite worship leaders and writers, Kathryn Scott.  Not a well known song but one I love; and one that was on repeat in my car and in my heart today.

Such a reminder to sit in the presence of God; bask in the presence of God; acknowledge the presence of God; honor the presence of God.

My dad has often said through the years that instead of praying God be with us, we should pray God make us aware of Your presence.  He is with us, omnipresent by nature.  We sometimes fall short in acknowledging or making ourselves aware of His presence.  We don't always meditate on it or sing about it.

At worship conferences where I have sat under Kathryn Scott's teaching, I have heard her encourage writers to write in the gap; pen worship songs that lyrically address themes that aren't as commonly sung about as others.  The presence of God is such a gift.  Sitting in it and acknowledging it is a discipline that brings about such peace and reward, a discipline that becomes such a joy that you do indeed long for more.  I love that Kathryn wrote about presence.

My heart connects with those lyrics.  Today I sing to God with tears in my eyes...

You are all my heart longs for.  You are just so beautiful.  I love Your presence God.

Amen.

You Are For Me

A few weekends ago we took some students in our youth group to a huge concert called Winter Jam.  The arena was literally packed to capacity...I'm talking 17,000 people....and we were among the last 1,000 to (thankfully) make it in!  It was a very uplifting time with the message of Jesus shared clearly, tons of good music, and a great lineup of bands and singers.  It was a treat to get to hear Sanctus Real live (don't you just love their songs?), as well as Building 429 and others.   But my favorite part of the evening was being led in worship by Kari Jobe.

She radiated joy as she sang, and her sweet adoration of Jesus seemed to spread through the room.  We enjoyed singing along to the energizing song We Are...love these lyrics so much!

So wake up sleeper, lift your head

We were meant for more than this

Fight the shadows conquer death

Make the most of the time we have left.

We are the light of the world

We are the city on a hill

We are the light of the world

We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine.

My husband just posted Matthew 5:14 on his facebook the other day...

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

Her song definitely conveys this message perfectly!

Another Kari song I have been listening to lately is You Are For Me.  As I listen, Scripture instantly floods my  mind...

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let our conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.  So we must boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

This song was born out of her journal entries during a tough time, and is absolutely beautiful. Take a moment to listen and sit in His presence.  Sing to Him.  Let Him write upon your heart.  He is for you.

You Are For Me by Kari Jobe.

On Waiting

A couple weeks ago I read some very interesting information about the growth of certain types of Chinese bamboo.  I came across this info in the last lesson of the Women of Faith Bible study Listening For The Voice of God: Growing in Faith Everyday, then did some other reading online about this interesting process.

The study told how to grow Chinese bamboo, you plant a seed and then water and fertilize it.  However, you don't see results right away.  In fact for the next few years, you have to wait, watering and fertilizing the soil while nothing happens above the surface.  In the fifth year, a shoot of bamboo will pierce the soil and then all of a sudden, a Chinese bamboo tree will grow rapidly to nearly 90 feet tall in just six weeks.

It seems that the tree grew remarkably fast; however, the process leading up to this rapid growth took years.  The necessary process for growth was actually happening under the surface for a long time before the tree shot up and visible, measurable growth and results were seen.

My husband and I have been seeking God intently regarding some areas of our lives for quite some time now.  We've asked Him some serious questions, had some difficult conversations, and have asked God for specific and clear answers.  And we've been waiting.  I feel like our lives have been "in process" if you will.  It has been painful at times and other times easier, but I know one thing.  We have, in a unique way, been growing.  God has been working under the surface as He has allowed us to sit in one of the "waiting rooms of life" as I like to call them.

*photo credit google images

Here's the thing.  I have a strong feeling that many of you out there are in one of those waiting rooms as well.  You are waiting for answers, direction, results, healing, wisdom, information, clarity, relief, leading, or something else.  You may be waiting for something exciting -  the birth of a child, an adoption to go through, a new job, a big promotion, a special vacation.  You may be waiting for something unknown - God to bring you a spouse, or allow you to conceive a child, or to give you some hint of His plan for your life.  You may even be waiting for something difficult - an upcoming surgery, medical test results that could change everything, someone to pay you a debt you are owed, a court date.

You, like us, may know that those who wait up on the Lord renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).  You may believe that we are not to grow weary while doing good (Galatians 6:9).  You may trust that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).  You may be claiming those Scriptures, but still finding the waiting room to be an uninviting place.  I want to encourage you this day to let God grow you in the waiting.  Like the bamboo seed that germinates under the surface for years before rapid growth is seen, we can patiently surrender as God work out His growth process in us over time, and continue to be faithful to Him until our sprouts take root and shoot to the sky.

As I have been pondering all of this, I couldn't help but think of the song While I'm Waiting from the inspiring movie Fireproof.  If you have three minutes, take the time to go to the link for this song and listen carefully to the lyrics.  They are so poignant; I am inspired as the artist sings that while waiting on the Lord is not easy, we can still move forward in obedience to Him and confidence in Him.  We can serve God while we're waiting. We can worship while we're waiting.

And we can let Him grow us, even if it is in quiet ways under the surface of our hearts, while we wait on His perfect will and plan to be accomplished in our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

James 1:4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

For These And More I Give Thanks

The kids are in bed, we have said our goodbyes to visiting family members, and I have found a quiet moment to sit down to write a post of Thanksgiving, something I have been pondering all month.  In the quietness of the night before Thanksgiving and early that morning, I made a Thankfulness Tree.  As I used alphabet stamps to record what my heart is particularly thankful for this year, I prayed and thanked God for each specific thing.  I realized that this quiet time of crafting was actually a personal time of worship.  It was a sweet time.

I thought I would take the time to list the words and phrases that came to my heart this season as reasons to give thanks.  This is not an exhaustive list, and I realized as I stamped that I could go on and on and on....but these give a window into my soul and why I stand in such gratitude for my God and Savior for all He has done.


My Salvation - It is the greatest gift of all.  The sacrifice of the cross, the payment for my sins, my redemption.  Thanks you Jesus.

Marriage - What a gift to share life with someone.  What a way to learn and grow and get over yourself and figure out how to sacrifice and accommodate.  What opportunities and discoveries and memories.  What a journey.

Music - It has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  With music I enjoy, I teach, I share, I listen, I worship.  It is a language all of its own, one I am thankful I know.


Open Windows - It is during Fall and Winter here in Florida that we get to enjoy these the most.  I am energized and revitalized when the house is filled with fresh air.

Mornings - The older I get, the more I appreciate each new dawn.


Grace - I think most of us shudder to think where we would be were it not for grace.  The undeserved, unearned favor of God.  I have experienced grace upon grace.  Thanks be to God.

Breezes - As they rush through the orange groves as I walk through my neighborhood or through my windows as I care for my family and home, I can't help but praise!

Daily Bread - I am learning to pray for it.  To trust God for it, in all areas.  Some days are more challenging than others, but I am learning to rely on God to sustain me in every way for every day.  Give us this day our daily bread.


Forgiveness - I am grateful for both forgiveness received and forgiveness given.  I have been forgiven much.  I am humbled as I reflect on that.  And as God has gently walked me through the process of forgiving others who have caused my heart and my family pain, I realize how much freedom is found in letting go.   Forgives us our debt as we forgive our debtors.

The Beach - My favorite place to visit.  I love the colors, the sights, the sounds, the salty smell of the air. The peace I feel when I'm there.


New Mercies - They truly are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness.


Family - The constants in our lives.  Our safe place to land.  Home.


A Few Good Friends - They know who they are.  I used to think I had dozens of friends.  Now I realize I am blessed to know a lot of wonderful people and have many fabulous acquaintances, but as for true friends I can trust with my heart, I only have a few.  And I love them dearly and thank God for each one of them.

Our Youth Group Students - I learn from them as they learn from me.  They keep me laughing.  They keep me praying fervently for the next generation.  They keep me passionate. They keep me on my toes.  They keep me young.

Trev's Smile - I've seen it light up a room, the wrinkled face of an elderly friend, the eyes of a lonely stranger.  It lights my heart daily.


Madi's Dimple - It was one of the first things we all noticed about her when she entered the world.  It is deep, and so is she.  She is a thinker and a feeler, but I love when she has the time of her life and that dimple shows up.


Trials - It has taken me some growth to be able to thank God for these.  And growth is a sometimes painful process.  In the midst of a lot of beauty, I have to say honestly that the past several years have been some of the toughest of my life.  I cannot always share my struggles openly because as a pastor's wife, some things must be kept private in order not to dishonor others.  Those of us in ministry must sometimes bear a lot of burdens for others and try to carry ours very quietly, which can be excruciatingly difficult.  But I will say that some of the struggles of the past few years have brought me closer to my Savior than I ever dreamed possible.  While there are still unanswered questions and loose ends in my heart, I can say without reservation that my heart is fixed on God.  My heart is fixed.  He is my rock,  and I love Him so.  I have found that trials do indeed bring us closer to His heart.

Breath and Life - Every day, every moment is a gift from God!  I realize that more and more.  This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!  I am more motivated than ever to live with intention.  To be present.  To be purposeful and positive.  To acknowledge each day as a gift from God and live it for Him.  Thank you God for this day.


Belly Laughs - Whether I am hearing them or experiencing them, these have to be some of the greatest joys of life!  To laugh so hard it hurts is a gift.


TGIF - God used these girls to help heal my heart.  We are joined together in Him, and uphold each other in laughter and love, in confidence and in prayer.  These women are my friends.  They are my True Girlfriends In Faith.  And I love them.


Simplicity - The more I find joy and treasure in simplicity and simple things, the greater freedom I experience.  Simplicity is like a breath of fresh air.


Jimmy - I share life with an honorable, godly man. We enjoy life together.  We are tightly knit.  I am a blessed girl.

Dessert - Desserts are happy endings!  And I like happy endings!


Comfy Bed - I am all too aware that many do not sleep in such comfort and provision as I do.  Thank you God for the place I lay my head.  I do not take this for granted.


Brokenness - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and rescues the crushed in spirit.  My heart has been broken and my spirit has been crushed a few times in recent years, but the Lord has been ever close.  He is near and dear to me.


Disney - What a blessing and retreat for our family!  We have made magical memories together in a place designed for safe and wholesome family fun.  Every time we go I have to pinch myself to believe we are there.

My Parents - They have done so much for us.  They give their time and help and availability in a way that shows me Jesus.  They bless our lives daily, and are tremendous examples for us to follow.

Healing - In many ways, but specifically in my shoulder.  Two years ago on Thanksgiving I was in tremendous shoulder pain and had no idea why.  The pain was exhausting and excruciating and would go on for some time.  It would cause nerve damage and muscle loss.  It would be life changing for a season.  But God has brought so much healing to my shoulder and I praise and thank Him for it!  He is the Great Physician.


Coffee, Chaos, Contentment - I enjoy my morning coffee so much I sometimes think about it the night before.  Life's chaos keeps us real.  And contentment is where I want my heart to rest for all of my days.  As for this blog, it has been a dear and fun companion, a necessary outlet, a journal of life.  It has meant more to me than I would have known when my mom encouraged me to start it.  Thank you for those who read for taking the time to be a part of small and simple life.  You help motivate me.


The Word - Never have I been in God's Word for personal study like I have been the past few years!  I have realized its sustaining power.  In a crazy, broken world I want to set my heart on Truth.  I find it nearly every morning in my green chair.  I love God's Word more passionately than ever.

Creativity - Such an outlet for expression!  A good distraction, a welcome relief, a positive energy.  Creativity makes me smile.  It makes others smile.


Food - I have never had to go without sustenance and provision.  I get excited about tastes and flavors. Thank you God for this gift.  Thank you for each meal.

Good Books - I have read thousands through the years.  And one day I hope to write one.


My Two Little Loves - Madi and Trevor have changed my life for the better.  I love them with everything in me.  They help me understand God and His love more.  They make me laugh daily.  They reveal the best but also the worst in me.  I am still learning.  I am growing as they grow.  I am loving each day with them.  I don't even have the words for the gratitude I feel to God for my children.


Heaven - It is this hope that sustains me as I travel through this broken world.  God is preparing a place for believers, a place for me.  In that place there won't be pain or tears.  There will be magnificent light because of God's glory.  There will be perfect peace and beauty.  One day we will be in His presence.  It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! I long to be in His presence, but that is also what motivates me to share His love here on earth with as many people as I can.  I want everyone to know His love and spend eternity with Him.  I am thankful that as believers in Christ we can hold onto and share Heaven's hope.  Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

For these and more, I give thanks.

On Her Knees

The Sunday before last, I was heading up to my spot on the keyboard bench before the worship service started when I noticed something.  There was a woman on her knees, head bowed in prayer.  She was somewhat hidden between the seats and I just happened to see her.  The sight stirred something within me. I don't really know this woman.  In all honesty, I can't remember her name.  I do know a few things about her though.  I know she is a new believer, because last year when I was standing alongside some teenage girls from the youth group who were being baptized, she was being baptized as well.  I remember the joy on her face when she came up out of the water.  I also know that from where I sit on stage behind the keyboard, she is always in the back of the sanctuary on my left.  She is there faithfully week in, week out.  There are usually some of her family members in her row.  And she sings to Jesus with a radiant, unashamed gratitude on her face.

This past Sunday when I was heading to the keyboard bench I looked to my left and there she was again.  On her knees.  Head bowed in prayer.  I wondered if she does this before every service and I had just never noticed.  Again my heart was stirred, convicted by a woman who takes time to kneel before God to talk to Him quietly before a time of worship through song and teaching of His Word.  I wondered why I don't get on my knees more.  I pray frequently each day; but how often do I humbly bow?  How often do I take quiet, hidden moments to prepare my heart for worship?

I'm thankful God let me notice a woman on her knees.  

I Have Found Myself A Hiding Place

I heard this song by New Life Worship on the radio on Sunday.  I think I may have heard it once or twice before, but this time I heard it from start to finish and felt like bawling my eyes out, sort of like I do now after listening to it a couple of times in a row.  Certain songs do that to me, particularly certain worship songs.

I love the lyrics. They melt my heart.

I have found myself a hiding place

I have found myself a secret space

In the shelter of Almighty's love

In the safety of the Savior's arms.

I will run to the hiding place

I will run to the hiding place

Draw me ever closer

to look upon Your face

I will run to the hiding place.

I have found myself a hiding place

I have found myself a secret space

In the refuge of the Father's care

In the cleansing blood of Jesus there.

They make me think of my green chair, where morning after morning, day after day I sit in the shelter of Almighty's love and the safety of the Savior's arms.  Where I open my Bible and sip my coffee and get to know and fall in love with Jesus more.  It is my hiding place of sorts in this very crazy world.  It is a spot where I go to hide my heart further in His.  Where he draws me ever closer to look upon His face.

I recently finished the study on Ruth that my friend gave me for my birthday.  It was pretty in depth, and what I realized was how the story of Naomi and Ruth and Boaz is not so much a romantic story, but a story of hesed which is devotion that is loyal, committed, merciful, enduring, faithful, and filled with covenant-keeping love.  This kind of hesed is a key theme in the Book of Ruth and also describes the character of God, who shows that kind of devotion to us.

I pulled out a Women of Faith study that I started last year but put on hold when I did the 90 day studies on Jesus and Paul.  It delves into the extravagance of God's love, and how that is seen in Scripture in and our lives personally. I am enjoying reflecting on this.

The other day my dad came by and gave me the devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  I have heard a lot about this on several blogs, and was excited to add this to my mornings as well.  It is filled with passages that share the words of Jesus and hopeful promises from Scripture.

I hope you have a place where you meet with Jesus and get in His Word.  I hope you have found His heart to be your hiding place.  Rest there.

Was It A Morning Like This

When I came out of the bedroom this morning, this is what I saw...

A Daddy and a Butterfly playing Rummikub. It was still quite early, with Trev still asleep.  We had gone swimming last night and went to bed worn out and freshly bathed, and I think we all slept soundly.  I put a Breakfast In Bed coffee pod in my Keurig and stepped outside to see what the weather was like.  And oh my goodness...

The morning was pristine.  The air was so fresh and the breeze was coming strong off of the lake.  The sky was blue with only a few clouds and the sun was bright.  Though the day would get warm, it was probably not quite 70 degrees outside.  It was the kind of morning that takes your breath away, where you want to close your eyes and soak it all in, letting the breeze invigorate you and the sunshine keep you warm.

So that's what I did.  I set a chair on our front stoop and brought out my coffee, ice water, Bible, Paul Bible study, a biography, and the latest issue of Southern Living magazine (which I observed is a combination that could sum me up pretty well).  I had a few moments of quiet, and my mind kept going to the Resurrection, as we are celebrating it tomorrow on Easter Sunday.

As the cool breeze blew and the warm sun shone, I imagined what it would have been like to be one of the women at the empty tomb.  I pondered those powerful words, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"  I read through I Corinthians 15 and Luke 24.  I tried to contemplate the tension that must have been present during those three days before Jesus arose as the battle between God and Satan, life and death was fought.  I thought of the power that must have ripped through the earth as the grave was overwhelmed and Christ conquered sin and death.  Song lyrics from an old Sandi Patti song, Was It A Morning Like This, came to mind...

What is a morning like this, When Mary walked down from Jerusalem? 

And two angels stood at the tomb, Bearers of news she would hear soon. 

Did the grass sing? Did the earth rejoice To feel you again? 

Over and over like a Trumpet underground, Did the earth seem to pound: “He is risen” 

Over and over in a never ending round “He is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia!”

I wondered if that morning that the tomb was found empty and the stone was rolled away, was it a morning as clear and glorious and perfect as the one that found me sitting on my porch surrounded by books, sipping coffee as the breeze blew my hair?  Where the birds chirped and the sun shone and the earth seemed at peace? In my imagination, it was.  Of course, I don't know for sure what it felt like that day.  But I do know this...He is risen! He is risen, indeed.  

Of course my moments of solitude and contemplation were short-lived.  It seems wherever Mommy is, the rest of the family soon follows!  One by one everyone came in and out to join me on the stoop.  It turned into a sidewalk chalk and pinwheel morning, followed by a dig in the dirt, back porch sunshine early afternoon.  

Later in the afternoon Jimmy took the kids swimming again while I ran errands, and the rest of the evening has been a blur of cooking and baths and laying out everyone's Sunday best and preparing Easter baskets. Tomorrow is sure to be a glorious worship celebration and wonderful day of family.

All because on a morning like this, an empty tomb revealed that Jesus conquered the grave.  He is mighty to save.

Blessings this Easter,

Jennifer