Why Am I Discouraged?

This afternoon, I read this devotional and was compelled by its truth.  The familiar scripture at the end grabbed my attention.

Psalm 43:5, "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!" (NLT)

Something may have you down and discouraged.  Something may have your heart divided or sad.

But God is your Savior!  You can hope in Him!  You can choose to praise Him again!

Just thought someone else would be blessed by this reminder as well!

Love and Good Cheer {He Has Overcome!},

Jennifer

What I Wore Wednesday

It was off to fourth grade this morning, and off I went in an anchor top I got for my birthday this summer (growing up near Annapolis gave me a love all things nautical), an old gray skirt from the late 90's that I wore in college (we're talking Gap classic), and a pop of my very favorite color.

I tell you what, that skirt has served me well!  And yellow just makes me feel more cheerful!

Thankful for this day!

Choosing Gratitude {Gifts 1-14}

It's the choice we are faced with moment by moment, day after day.

The choice between gratitude or grumbling.

We wrestle with it because we are human.

The winds of change are always blowing, leaving us fearful.

Our expectations don't always determine the outcome, and all does not turn out like we had planned or hoped.

Yet we are blessed.

Blessed, blessed, blessed beyond measure.

And when we choose gratitude for those everyday blessings, our soul still sings.

Because amidst the change winds God is constant, and it is because of His unfailing love that we are not consumed.

So we thank Him, we choose the rejoicing, and it is beautiful to our God.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!

For praise from the upright is beautiful.

Psalm 33:1

Many of you have been making your lists for some time now, giving thanks for your 1,000 gifts, inspired by Ann Voskamp.  I have decided that it is time for me to join in the noticing, the documenting, the blessing, the worship.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  

O Lord my God, You are very great.

Psalm 104:1a

{Gifts 1-14}

#1 - a surprise gift on the piano bench that met a need and touched my heart

#2 - the anticipation of a visit from a dear friend

#3 - that the Lord is good to those who quietly wait on Him and seek Him

#4 - the blessed sound of silence

#5 - two little Students of the Month this autumn

#6 - that recent exquisite day spent in the sunshine when Jimmy and I made time simply to be together

#7 - open windows and cool sheets

#8 - strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

#9 - children tucked safe and sound sleeping peacefully in freedom

#10 - small but significant opportunities for our family to give together

#11 - God loving teachers who care for my children each day

#12 - that grace flowed down and covered me

#13 - dancing in breezes

#14 - covenant love

For these and more I am thankful...

High Five For Friday!

One: Stopping to notice and appreciate the simple beauty.
Two: The Taco Chili was fragrant, the cornbread hot, the produce fresh.
Three: Hard to remember such a sore throat. So sick. Thankful for what comforts.
Four: Pumpkin spice chai. Easy on the throat, good for the soul.
Five: Love her style.

*

Resting this Friday evening!  Thankful for doctors, medicine, comfy beds, helpful family, and God's grace to get me through the last two days of subbing in PreK-3 while better but not at full strength.  

Because if I hadn't been able to make it to PreK-3, I would have probably never been told I looked like Michael Jackson.  Which in any other setting might have made me a cry a little bit, except that I knew the sweet little fellow who said it (who is one of the cutest kids ever) happens to be a huge fan of MJ, so it was a compliment.  

Funny how perspective and context can change everything!

Lesson learned.

It still makes me laugh to think about it.

Though I find myself wondering if it was the leather jacket I was wearing...

Broaden your perspective.  Spend the day with twenty 3 year olds!

:)

Linking up with Lauren at High Five For Friday.

Why I Bought A Mug With A Question Mark On It

It was a month or so ago when I was heading towards the frozen foods aisle at Target and got sidetracked by this...

A simple mug with a question mark on it.

It perked my interest, but I left it on the shelf.

Then it caught my eye on the next visit...and the next one...

And then one visit I noticed the peculiar mug had been marked half off and was on sale for $2.50, so I bought it and use it often for my morning coffee.

Why would I want to buy such a mug?

Now, that's a good question!

(So sorry, I just couldn't resist. Haha.)

In all seriousness, it is because I can identify with that little mug.  There have been times where I have felt as if my life has been marked by a big, huge question mark.

And it's been a journey.  Because on the one hand, carrying unanswered questions can be incredibly trying and feel like weakness or lack of faith, but on the other hand it is marked by perseverance and seems evident of authentic faith.  Still believing when you can't see all the answers right in front of you, but trusting that they are there.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

I have quite a few unanswered questions right now.  Actually, I have a few more today than I did yesterday.  Some are small and relatively minor; others are big and quite significant.  I am learning that God can handle my questions.  In fact, Jesus asked a question that has burned through my soul as I've thought about this subject.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27:46

He was suffering in our place on the cross.  He was in submission to the perfect plan and will of God the father.  We know he had asked God to take the cup of suffering from him, but had uttered those beautiful words of submission and surrender...not my will but Thine be done.

Ultimately, love overcame!  Death was defeated and victorious resurrection triumphed! Yet as Jesus hung on the cross in obedience to God as the sacrifice for our sins, literally giving his life and taking the punishment for those sins upon himself, he cried out to God with an agonizing question.  The Bible records the question.  It also records the sweat that became drops of blood.  The weeping in the garden.  

So I am learning to cry out honestly to God with my questions.  With my stress.  With my tears. And when nothing in life or this world seems to make sense,God's overcoming power and presence are just as sure as the morning sun.  I may not know all that will happen, but I know He is there.  He listens to my questions. And He loves me through them.

Sometimes He answers them quickly, and sometimes I wait and lean on His understanding.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God...

Deuternomy 29:29a

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

It's interesting how information stays in your brain.  How you can go years, even decades, without thinking of something and then one day it is right there.

As I type this, a song from my childhood in the 80's comes to mind.  I haven't heard it in ages.  Some of you may remember it.

When answers aren't enough there is Jesus

He is more than just an answer to your prayer

And your heart will find a safe and peaceful refuge

When answers aren't enough, He is there.

In life, some seasons are going to be identified by a question mark.  On this journey, until we finally make it home, we're going to have questions.  And when we have questions, we are going to want answers.

But when answers await, or when answers aren't enough...

There is Jesus.

Rest in that tonight.

I Have A Coral Skirt! I Have A Coral Skirt!

So, like many of you, I have been loving the whole pop of color thing this fall, especially the look of a trim coral skirt or pair of jeans.  I have little to no budget for clothes most months (hence the clearance rack and "from my closet" shopping you hear me speak of all the time), but love fashion and dressing to match the season, the occasion, and my mood!

I looked at a coral skirt on the sale rack at Target a month or so ago, but it just wasn't on sale enough. So I put it back on the rack for someone else.

The past few weeks as I've been putting together outfits to suit the unique and varying Florida fall weather (more posts on that subject to come soon), I have been wanting to wear one of those bright pops of tailored color that I keep seeing on fashion blogs.

Then it hit me.

I have a coral skirt!  I have a coral skirt!

It's definitely not the "latest and greatest" - in fact, here is a flashback photo of Jimmy and me from the spring of 2004 in our pre-kids, early ministry days.  I wore what was back then a brand new monochromatic outfit to an Evangelism Explosion banquet at church. A coral, linen skirt and top set I had purchased at good old Hecht's - did anyone else grow up shopping at that department store?!  Miss that place.

I hadn't worn this outfit in a couple of years, but hadn't gotten rid of it either.  I went digging in my closet, pulled out that skirt, and paired it with a lace top, my trusty nude heels, and some accessories to give it an "8 1/2 years later" makeover!

This is the kind of thing that energizes me! A beautiful, sunny, fall day and a "new" outfit made from everything I already had, including something very old!

Everything old is new again!  

Is there anything in your closet you can make new today?

The Battle Of The Mind

It's a new week.

Is anyone else extra thankful for that today?

I am home today, which is a huge blessing. I love being home.  I have taco chili cooking in the crockpot and the scents of fall burning, which adds to the comfort of this place I love.  I spent some much needed extra time in the Word and prayer this morning.  The rest of the week is going to be extremely full.  Today I sit for a few moments.  I am thankful for so much.  I am thankful it is a new day.  I am thankful for mornings.  His mercies are new every morning!  I am thankful that it is a new week, because last week threatened to drain the life right out of me.

Ever had a week like that?

I am a solid Biblical counselor (by study, not profession) and give myself free counseling sessions on a regular basis.  This weekend a friend suggested that I start charging, which made me giggle! (On the one hand I could make some extra money...but on the other hand I can't afford myself. Haha!  The conundrum of being your own therapist.)  Last week my "office" was busy with three demanding clients - me, myself, and I.  And let me tell you, it was exhausting!

I'm not proud of this, but I had a few days where I was tempted to resign any roles of responsibility, leadership, and influence, and crawl into a corner where I could be anonymous, average, and apathetic.  That self-protective corner looms in front of me at times, luring me with lies that it would be easier to hide there.

However, God desires leaders to shine as lights and stand strong for Him.  So I press on in the name of Jesus.  But sometimes my flesh is weak, and I have to fight a battle of the mind.

I've been thinking about that battle a lot.  Often we automatically assign the term "battle of the mind" to issues of purity and lust, and those are absolutely areas where we must remain on guard.  But there are more issues than those in this battle.

Sometimes in life we get a little beat up; we get a little torn down; we have to process words thrown out about us that are unfair or untrue; we have to deal with circumstances that we just plain don't understand; we have to stand strong in a culture that mocks God and could easily weigh our hearts down, or tear our families and faith apart.

During these times it is easy for all that to get in our head.  And we replay words, and wonder why on earth someone would say or do that, or feel like we just can't take this anymore, or feel we don't have the strength to stand strong and endure.  And the enemy of our souls would take the greatest delight if we took our ball and went home.  If we found that corner and cowered in fear and self-protection, extinguishing the light that threatens his darkness.

But the Lover of our souls has the power to renew our minds.  He gives us a plan of action.  His Word, our source of life and strength, tells us where to set our thoughts.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

Philippians 4:8

Sometimes we want to meditate on the harsh realities of life that threaten to drain us to the point of ineffectiveness.  Our minds race with these thoughts, but we need to replace them with things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy.  Things that will be honorable and profitable to our spiritual lives.  

The battle of my mind was so intense this week that I literally made out a chart of some harsh realities that my mind was dwelling on (that threatened to drive me into that corner) versus a chart of some truths I know from God's Word that I needed to replace the other thoughts with.  It looked like this...

Leadership is lonely.  I had a dear, sweet pastor's wife recently tell me she was battling serious isolation and trust issues.  She didn't need to say more.  I get it completely.  I cannot describe to you how lonely it can be as a leader but if you are one, than you know this already. But in the loneliness I often ask myself, what am I going to do? Throw in the towel?  Be anonymous, average, and apathetic?  Or embrace the truth that God is always with us - He will never leave or forsake us - He is El Roi, the God who sees.  He knows - He will defend and have the final say.  We must saturate our minds in truth, because truth trumps feelings every time.

People are manipulative.  There's really not much more that is necessary to say, except that manipulation hurts and drains.  But God is truth - His Word is truth - and He knows the truth, the whole story!  The Bible says we can know the truth and the truth will set us free! (John 8:32)

Life is not fair - often the righteous suffer.  Oh, some of the suffering I have seen among the righteous lately has brought me to my knees on behalf of others and what they are going through.  It doesn't make sense to our earthly minds.  But God is just and all knowing - it will all be sorted out in eternity - and He calls us to faithfulness regardless of our circumstances.  That is a high and honorable but difficult calling.

We have some faraway friends who have been enduring an incredible trial for some time now.  This couple has four beautiful teenage/young adult children.  They opened their home and were sweet mentors to us and several other couples when we were newlyweds.  They are godly people grounded in the Word who have served Jesus faithfully.  And right now Tim is fighting a very serious battle with brain cancer.

They have been actively posting about their battle on facebook and a blog titled We Choose To Believe.  I am amazed how much they are relying on and claiming Scripture during this battle.  It is humbling and inspiring.

The other day Melinda posted this on her facebook page...

Gal. 6:9

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

Thank you for the encouragement of keeping on!

My God be glorified today!

Right smack dab in the middle of their intense physical, mental, and spiritual battle, she chose truth.  And shared truth.  And the truth she shared encouraged my weary heart to not give up.

So if your heart is weary today, may I encourage you to not give up.  If your mind is in the middle of a full fledged battle, may I encourage you to set your mind on those things Philippians 4:8 instructs.

Just this morning I was brought to this verse.

"and be renewed in the spirit of your mind"

Ephesians 4:25

Nine words that offer renewal when we think we're just about done.

Claim the truth of God's Word today.  It will renew the spirit of your mind!  It will help you keep going!  It will breathe life into your weary soul!  God's Word is the most powerful weapon we have in this battle.

Blessings for this new week and whatever it may hold,

Jennifer