beautiful things

our pastor is one of the most amazing women I've ever met.  she's doing a series right now called "beautiful things", and in light of where we are in life right now, its perfect.  sermon notes from today: 

ecclesiastes 3:11 (one of my FAVE verses ever) ~ "He has made everything beautiful in its itme.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Beauty is subjective.
Our ideas about beauty can be terribly flawed. 
Beauty is not always practical.
Beauty originates in God.
Beautiful things inspire honor and admiration.
Beautiful things touch the soul. 
Beautiful things are born of sacrifice (I LOVE this one...the 'ouchy' ones are the best!!!)
Beautiful things point to a Creator and a Redeemer.

my mind couldn't help but wander after each point to adoption...because it is such a beautiful thing.  it is such a beautiful thing to realize that our salvation begins and ends in adoption as God brings us into His everlasting family.  what a stunning act of sacrifice and love.  i also thought of my marriage, my family, my mess of a life that He makes beautiful each day...

.i am overwhelmed by beauty. 

i know i've been posting lots of songs lately, but this one has SO ministered to me.  i love the words in the song:  "remind me You take broken things and turn them into beautiful..." 

praying for beautiful days ahead for you, friends...

lacking nothing

*i have struggled for days with this post...wording and rewording to make sure that my heart is saying what it needs to say.  sometimes this blog gets more use than my journal...because its easier to delete and change!  so read gently, my friends* 

I woke up the other night, not being able to sleep.  So many things were being tossed around my head and my heart.  As I lay there, I felt like God was saying to me, "What are you lacking, precious one?" 

I felt like I could answer that in a thousand ways!  Sometimes, I feel as if I'm lacking everything...

.lacking faith.
.lacking courage.
.lacking trust.
.lacking finances.
.lacking hope.
.lacking perseverance.

And at the same time, I knew that the Holy Spirit was whispering to my soul: 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  ~James 1:2-4 

I was overwhelmed with the realization that, in Christ, I. lack. nothing.  God knows what he has called our family to.  God knows what we're up against.  God knows our hearts.  God knows our willingness.  God knows our tears.  God knows our struggles.  God knows our impatience.  God knows our trials.  God knows our family.  And so, even in my moments of doubt, I lack nothing. 

There is no lack of faith...for we have faith like a mustard seed. 

There is no lack of courage...for in Christ, ALL things are possible. 

There is no lack of trust...for our hearts don't lean on our own understanding.

There is no lack of finances...for we know and believe that God has called us according to His purpose and owns the cattle on a thousand hills. 

There is no lack of hope...for this is the very essence of Christ in me, the HOPE of glory. 

There is no lack of perseverance...for we are in this race until the end. 

I laid there...blown away at my unfaithfulness...ungratefulness...but, at the same time, reveling in His truth.  Our lives are the ultimate conundrum sometimes - but oh, how beautiful the mess we've made when we know that He reigns in the midst of it.  I have no doubts that I will cross some of these same bridges again, but know that God's grace covers me.  My faith is not yet mature and complete...but I strive to be more like Jesus each day. 

And what a better way to drift off to sleep, than to have my Abba Father whisper sweetly to my soul..."With me, precious one, you are lacking nothing..." 


Lord, I pray that my honest heart...no matter how ugly, raw, unbelieving or beautiful...is better than a hallelujah...

children of God

totally challenged this morning....

"run after the things that scare you the most.  God is in the deep end." 

what scares me the most right now?  stepping out of the boat to reach the outstretched hand of Jesus...meeting us in the midst of our greatest hope.desire.fear.dream. 

this: 

.amazing.

[this.is.the.church]



chosen people

I've been on a Jesus Culture kick lately...if you don't know...I have one word for you:  YouTube. 

As C and I were driving today, we were singing along to 'Show Me Your Glory'....the words were over and over..."We belong to You, We belong to You..." and I turned and said to him, "Aren't you glad that we belong to Jesus?" 

He said, with his little fist in the air, "YES!!  WE ARE GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE!!"  I love him.  Really. 

Friends, we are in the midst of beginning great change in our family.  I said to one of my dearest friends, Sarah, this is our battle cry.  No matter what, in this process, in everything...we ARE God's chosen people and we WILL see His glory. 

Pray for us...and as always, we'll pray for you. 

Colossians 3:12 ~ Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

honest heart...thoughts from a mom

so my little guy is amazing.  [so's my big guy, for that matter *smile*]  he challenges me on such a regular basis, i don't even know why i'm surprised by it anymore.  you can read about the latest one here: 

The Spiritual Ramblings of a 6 Year Old

as i've reflected on the situation, MY heart has really been messed up.  i think about c asking for permission for something he knew, more than likely, was not okay.  his response, even when the answer was "no", was so honest and pure.  i KNOW that i don't deal with many situations in my life like he did. 

~how often do i ask my Heavenly Father is something is permissible?  is this television show edifying?  is what i'm about to eat because i'm hungry, or is there a deeper issue?  do i not ask because i already know the answer...or because i'm afraid it will be an answer i don't like? 

and when God does answer, and that answer is "no"...do i respond with a grateful heart?  am i content with His answers? 

these are just a smattering of the questions that are rumbling inside of me as i search to know how honest MY heart really is.  pray for me and i'll pray for you as you do the same...

also blogging...

Because I knew I had to finally take people's advice and start writing this stuff down...we're now blogging also at: 

The Spiritual Ramblings of a 6 Year Old

And I swear.  I don't make this stuff up.  *wink*

[quiet moments]

This has been a season of great loss for so many people...by God's amazing grace, my family is rejoicing this holiday season in knowing that we are blessed with so much.  But ~ I can only imagine that this year certainly hasn't ended how many people pictured it. 

My grandfather is rejoicing in heaven this Christmas...a friend won a long battle with cancer [in heaven]...a series of unexpected losses have brought friends, co-workers and acquaintances to the feet of Jesus.  No, none of how this year has ended the way many people expected it to...and yet God alone is Emmanuel, God with us. 

I have often wondered in the days before my papa's heaven-going...if after 65 years of marriage, he and my grandmother held each other in bed and spoke of what was to come.  If in the quiet moments they remembered loss and love.  victories and defeats.  joy and sorrow.  What did they whisper in those quiet moments?  It is well with my soul?  My heart hopes so. 

This season, my mind has often been drawn back to those questions....and other moments.  Two thousand years ago, in a corner of a lambing cave in Bethlehem...there were other moments.  Holy moments where a mother cradled her son, Emmanuel, with more love than we maybe could ever imagine.  In those quiet moments of great joy, I cannot help but wonder what Mary whispered to Jesus.  What loss and love mingled together.  victories and defeats.  joy and sorrow.  beauty and pain.  I don't know if any of the rest of Mary's life is what she expected.  Maybe it was.  Maybe it wasn't.  But she always had the quiet moments with the King of Kings. 

I pray earnestly that however my year ends...how your year ends...that our quiet moments with Emmanuel are vulnerable. real. beautiful. honest. painful. fruitful. hopeful.  He IS with us. 

*love*