Anything Changes Everything

I like to sleep and sleep likes me. Once I'm out, I'm usually out for the night, and waking me is about like waking the dead. Mornings generally bring on a kind of sleep-induced hangover, causing me to need to slowly ease into my day (something my husband teases me about endlessly). I have been this way for as long as I can remember.

For this reason, if I ever suddenly jolt out of a deep sleep and am wide awake in the middle of the night, I suspect that it has to be the Lord. After praying for whoever He brings to mind, I might fall back to sleep, but if the Lord is really trying to get my attention, well...sleep is over! In those times, I get up, grab my Bible, pray, and try to listen to that "still, small voice". It never fails. He always has something important to say.

Last year, He had something important to say. It was just before 5am, and sure enough, I was aroused out of a deep sleep. Being that it was our last day on vacation, I honestly tried hard to ignore the urgency thinking I needed the extra rest for packing up and heading home, but the sense that I needed to get up was very strong. I put on some clothes, tiptoed out of the room, and was quiet as a mouse as I opened the beach house door.

I had never seen the sunrise over the ocean, so I figured if I was up, I would go spend time with the Lord on the beach. This particular morning, it seems, God had both a sunrise and a word that He didn't want me to miss.

I had no idea what time the sun would actually come up.  Using the flashlight on my cell phone, I made my way down the little path out to the ocean. I was somewhat leery walking through the bushes and the shadows, but I reached the boardwalk soon enough.

Stopping to take a few pictures of the moon and stars in the faint light, I noticed a bench overlooking the ocean, so I sat down and slowly took in the salty air. I savored the cool breeze, thinking about how hot it would be in just a few hours. Looking around, I realized quickly that I was all alone. It was just me, the Lord, and the sound of the ocean waves rolling in. I knew right away that this was, indeed, a divine appointment.

There are only a handful of times in my life that I can say I have sensed such an undeniable, weighty, and overwhelming presence of the Lord. In the stillness of that moment, it sat heavy on me, blanketing me in the most amazing peace. It's almost like God was waiting for me on the beach that morning. It was surprising, unexpected, and caught me completely off guard, in the very best way possible.

Sitting in awe and reverence, I didn't say a word, but I felt both completely known and completely loved all at the same time. I also felt extremely vulnerable. Before I knew it, a slow trickle of tears cascaded down each cheek. Emotions from somewhere down deep soon turned into sobs that I couldn't control. It was evident that I had been carrying a burden for far too long, because it gushed out of me as the Lord's presence scratched the surface of a painful wound. That morning, alone on the beach, I couldn't hide behind busyness or distraction or complacency. He had removed all of those. He stripped away my every defense, engulfed me in His love, and feeling completely safe.... I..... let ..... go.

You see, for a few years, I had been fighting to fit in...to feel like I belonged in a place that was way too big and way too cold. The saying "bloom where you're planted" had played over and over in my mind, so, like a good soldier, I marched on. I kept my nose to the grindstone, knowing that God saw my motives and that He would honor them. Yet, every act of bravery to put myself out there ended in failure and I had basically thrown in the towel. I had not fit in from the moment I arrived, and I never would. It was one of the most utterly confusing times in my life and honestly, I was starting to doubt that the Lord had taken notice of any of it. In fact, it seemed like it was open season on me in many areas of my life. I felt like I was dying on the inside and no one knew it.

But God.

The One who woke me up and arranged one of the most beautiful moments of my entire life...He saw it all. And He cared. Deeply. Until that moment on the beach, I don't think I knew how much.

I held nothing back. All of the pain, confusion, and hurt came out. I confessed that I felt like one gigantic disappointment and then I prayed what I now understand is a very dangerous prayer. I told God, with every ounce of sincerity in me, that I surrendered to anything...anything that I needed to do...anything that I needed to say...anything that needed to be moved, switched up, laid down, let go, given away, or completely removed from my life...I was ready, for anything.

Anything.

As I sat quietly before the Lord after that, inhaling and exhaling, having poured out my heart to Him for quite a long time, I witnessed the most glorious sunrise I had ever seen! I started crying all over again, thanking Him repeatedly for such a magnificent sight. In the stillness, I felt like the Lord gently spoke these words to me, words I wrote down so that I would never forget them. I share them here, because maybe, just maybe, one of you needs to hear them as well...........

"You're a dreamer and that's no mistake. You feel deeply by design...just like I designed the sunrise you saw today. My love is powerful and constant. It's like the waves that change the shape of the shoreline according to My will. It is my masterpiece. So are you. It's okay not to fit in. It's okay to rest and not know the next step. It's okay to not 'feel' used by me. I make no mistakes. To say you are a disappointment would be to say that I have made a mistake. I make no mistakes. My love for you is powerful and constant. It will change you. Let it. Daily."

That morning, a different woman walked off the beach. My burdens were lifted. I had been profoundly changed in the presence of God.

Six weeks later, our world started to turn upside down in many ways, and while I can't tell you it was easy, I can tell you this...it was worth it!! My prayer of "anything" changed EVERYTHING. God literally moved us to a new city, put us in a new church, moved us into a new house, and even gave us a new-to-us vehicle. Nothing is the same, but all of it is better than we could have ever imagined! My life is far removed from every thought, feeling, or concern that I had that morning on the beach and I will be forever grateful that God woke me up.

_________________________________

My prayer for you today is this...that you would get alone with God and pour out your heart to Him like never before. Maybe He broke through the noise and distraction in my life that morning and woke me up so that He could, on this day, wake you up! He loves you!! You are not a mistake. You are not a disappointment. You are His masterpiece!!! And if you're brave enough to pray a dangerous prayer of surrender....to say to Him, "anything"...I promise, He will be faithful to come through on your behalf, both for your good and for His glory! Anything changes everything!!  

God Sent Us Dolphins

Just the other day...a much smaller version of myself sat across from my dad at the local Wendy's restaurant in our small town. I was probably about 10 or 11 years old. It was a Sunday night tradition to eat one of two places after church, there or at the Dairy Queen just down the street. Our topic of conversation was not pleasant, it was painful, in fact. I vividly recall questioning something I had heard in the sermon that night and remember my sweet daddy trying to set my incorrect thinking straight...

His words went something like this, "You misunderstood. God is not vindictive or angry, Becky. He is not waiting for you to mess up so He can squash you or point a finger at you and say, 'I told you so!'...He loves you so much and has good things planned for you."

Those are words that have played over and over in my head for years. When I remember that conversation, it's almost like I'm an outsider looking in. I can see it, feel it...smell it even. I remember the intense eagerness to believe it with all of my heart, that night and many nights since.

It has been a fight my entire life to believe that there is grace for me, that God is "okay" with me messing up and making mistakes. Not only that, but I've had a hard time believing in His goodness...that He is just good to me, well, because it's His character and He simply wants to be! I fight the false thinking that I have to work for every reward and be good enough to avoid His anger. If you could listen in on my thoughts, they might sound like this -- "Am I doing enough for you, God? Am I disappointing You? You must really hate it when I ______ or _______. I'm so sorry I'm not living up to all I should be. I wish I could do better, BE better, blah, blah, blah." The rhetoric sometimes goes on and on.

On a recent day at the beach, much of the same conversation with God took place. We had taken an early vacation just before the craziness of our much-too-packed summer began. I was walking down the boardwalk, having similar thoughts, wanting so much to please God but not knowing how to do so...wanting to feel worthy of His love, I guess. And, just as He always does, God sweetly began reassuring me and loving on me and telling me over and over about His goodness. He began to tear down my excuses (see above list). He let me know that He delighted in showering me with good things, just because, and that every fear that I had was unfounded and NOT of Him.

And then He did something absolutely spectacular to prove His point.

We had heard that this particular beach was known for having dolphins nearby, and if you know anything about my middle child, you know she is mildly obsessed with the creatures. Well, this was the last day of our vacation and we still had not seen any, though we had looked and looked. The night before, I had quickly prayed, "God, will you please let Kylee see a dolphin before we leave?"

So there I was, walking along listening to God remind me about His goodness and by this point we had reached the beach. My husband and kids were still walking towards the water and I stopped, glanced out at the waves, and immediately my eyes fell on two dorsal fins gracefully breaking the surface.

NO WAY, I thought!

I quickly pointed and yelled for my family to look. Within minutes, they saw them, too. They excitedly ran along the water's edge, trying to get a closer look. Very soon it became apparent...there were not just two dolphins, but SIX!!

I jumped up and down, laughing out loud like a kid at Christmas, so very excited!! There was hardly anyone else on the beach. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The sky was bright blue with fluffy white clouds. The water sparkled all around the majestic creatures passing us by. It was picture-perfect, like a scene right out of a movie!

The intensity of that moment hit me like a ton of bricks.

In utter awe of my God I stood there and let His goodness overwhelm me, like waves crashing over my soul, as He brought my request to mind. I did not just let a single tear roll down my cheek. No. I sobbed like a baby on that beach, overcome with the awesomeness of Him. Who am I, that the Creator would command His dolphins to come, just because I very quickly requested them the night before? More importantly, what does that say about the heart of the One who cares so deeply about each one of us?!

In that moment, it is as if God simply wanted to give me a tangible, in real life, picture of His of GOODNESS. It didn't come because I had labored in hours of prayer, nor because I had given all my wealth to the poor. It didn't come because I had been a perfect wife and mother that day, nor because I had a global ministry reaching thousands. It didn't come because I teach an Sunday School class, tithe faithfully, or share the gospel message with 25 people per week.

No.

That moment came because God cared that I was struggling a bit with doubts about His character. Again. For the bazillionth time in my 37 years on this earth, even though I know the truth. And He didn't roll His eyes and say, "Here we go again" either.

He said, "My daughter is hurting and I'm going to fix it."

And He did.

Because that's what Fathers do.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." Psalm 37:23


Linking up at:
Missional Women

Why I Came Out as a Post-Abortive Christian Woman (Whitney's Story, Part 2)

*If you missed Part 1 and need to catch up, click here.

Moving on down the road, several years later I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. Our family experienced a painful and swift breakup within our circle of friends. The calendar I made sure was consistently full of dinners together, play dates, and morning coffees was now painfully open. My phone stopped ringing. There were no discussions on where to meet for lunch or carpool challenges to get us and all of our kids somewhere. Quiet. The one thing that I had worked so hard all my adult life to avoid had become reality. My greatest fear, the fear of rejection, had been dropped squarely in my lap and there was nothing I could do about it. True to my insecurity I tried to “fix” it, but the harder I tried the worse I made it. Eventually had to accept the fact that I had been rejected. The brokenness and self loathing I’d lived with for so long was now justified. This was the affirmation that I never deserved any of the good I had experienced. It had finally caught up with me and pressed down on me to the point I thought I would break.

But God…

Around this time I was listening to the radio and heard on my local Christian station a woman whose voice was infectious and full of life. As I zeroed in on the interview I heard the word post-abortive. After I caught my breath, I began to listen to her story of redemption and restoration. I even heard happiness and joy in her voice! I had never really known how to label myself, but as I listened she was telling MY story. I couldn't believe there was another woman “out there” like me. But, bless her heart, she was talking just like anyone else. As the interview went on I discovered that she had a post-abortive ministry! What?! I went straight to my computer and sure enough, there it was. That day began a series of communication that led to a friendship that led to a Bible study that changed my life. There are too many details to share here, but I had no doubt that God placed my new friend in my life at that particular time. She and I actually began scrapbooking together (love to scrapbook) every week or two for about a year, and she and I would meet at my house to “work”. However, what was really happening was God using her to mentor and pour into me the truth of His word. You see as I can look back now, the relationships with my circle of friends was not bad in itself. But because I used those relationships for my constant distraction, I’m convinced the Lord removed me so I would be open for this gift of restoration He was preparing. I would have never made room for that otherwise. Yes, the breakup was painful, and yes, sorting through my “mess” was painful and slow! But, as believers, when the rug is pulled out from under us we have to choose how to move through it. God does not forsake us, but sometimes He does have to re-order our lives so we can/will listen only to Him.

I knew that I had repented of my “sin” and that God had forgiven me, I just could not “forgive myself”. We hear that term frequently in our culture & I totally owned that mindset. It somehow felt like an adequate penance to carry around. But the truth is, the Bible says nothing about forgiving ourselves. As I dove into scripture to see how to sort through all of this, one of the most powerful truths I discovered was to not “forgive myself” was really saying to God that the work of the cross was okay for everyone else, but not for me. "My sin is too big for that," I thought. This self condemnation I beat myself with was really a lack of fully acknowledging who Jesus Christ was to me. If I could not move on from this self-inflicted spiritual and emotional isolation, I had to revisit everything I said I believed. Now, I didn’t consciously intend or feel I was elevating myself above Christ, but my years of distorted thinking had kept me from truly submitting myself to His authority. It was easier for me to internalize the condemnation piece of the gospel, but much harder to accept the grace because I didn’t deserve it and my story was so awful. That’s when it hit me. All sin is awful. All sin separates us from a holy God. I had confused the consequence of the sin with the degree of the sin. I did that – not God. Jesus died to cover my sin of abortion with the same fervor as covering the sin of omission, gossip, spinning the truth, or any other of the “small” sins. There is no high or low degree of sin. I could no longer say that I believed one part (condemnation) without also believing the part of grace and restoration. I wasn’t doing God any “favors” by holding on to my brokenness. What I was really doing was diluting what He had done for me and telling Him it was not enough!

That had to sink in with me for a few days. Did I really mean that? Could I really say to God that His plan for the redemption for mankind was a sweet attempt, but that was just not going to be enough for some of us?

Of course not.

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(Please stop in tomorrow to read Part 3 of Whitney's story, or Subscribe to Just the other day... by Email so that you never miss a post.)

Whitney Burrows is a North Florida girl raised on the banks of her beloved Suwannee River and Gulf Coast.  After 12 years in the world of banking, she moved into full-time- homemaker mode as mom to James and Pearce, and wife to Burges.  The last 18 years have been a fun flurry of sports, meal prep, scraped knees, room/team mom, chauffeuring, and volunteering.  Whitney lives for all things family, friends, southern, and outdoors.  She has been extremely blessed by God’s grace and loves encouraging women to embrace the abundant life promised to us by our Savior. She believes life becomes a wonderful (but not always easy) adventure when we stop running from the Lord, listen to His voice, and trust in His call on our lives. 

For His glory,

At the Whisper of His Name

Just the other day...I had every intention of having my husband walk in from a long trip to a clean house, kids that were bathed and ready for bed, and a wife that was ready to hang on his every word.

That is far from what happened.

The house was fairly clean.

The kids were in the process of bathing.

Then it all took a turn for the worst.

Princess #2 had turned the water off after her shower and realized that she didn't have her towel. She had begged to take a shower in my bathroom instead of hers and neither one of us had remembered to get it. I walked quickly to the other bathroom to get the towel and got back just in time to see her jump up, trying to clean off all the condensation that had formed on the inside of our shower door.

On the way back down, she let out a yell and I immediately saw the cut made in her fragile skin from the door handle.

It was deep and would need stitches, no doubt!

Immediately, we applied pressure and thank the Lord, it was not bleeding very much.

My mind raced..."Do I even know where the hospital is yet?" (We had moved into our house exactly 3 weeks prior.) More thoughts..."She is soaking wet and it's freezing outside. I have to find her warm clothes, fast. I have another child in the bathtub. How am I going to get her out also and all three loaded into the car? Is there anyone I know who can help me?"

"Jesus," I whispered.

I immediately thought of the neighbor I had met a few days prior and called her. No answer. Then it occurred to me, my sister in law just moved to the next town over! I called her and she was instantly on her way. While talking to her, I remembered having a conversation with another neighbor behind us about a nurse that lives in the neighborhood. "Maybe she could help," I thought.

I put my oldest in charge of watching the other two and promised to be back in just a minute.

I flew out our back door and was banging on the neighbor's back door in a matter of seconds. I'm sure they must think I'm nuts as I have no clue what I even said, but bless them, they immediately offered assistance (the neighbor that is a nurse was not home). My sweet new friend said she would be over in minutes to watch the other girls until my sister-in-law got to the house. They also told me about an urgent care place that was just minutes away and that they thought it was open 24 hours.

During the run back to my house, I whispered His name again, "Jesus".

My precious neighbor did arrive, just minutes later, telling me that she had already called the urgent care place to make sure they were open and that they could do stitches. What an angel! I had managed by this time to throw mismatched clothes on Princess #2 and dry her hair just a tiny bit, so out the door we flew.

On the way, we prayed, thanking the Lord for His provision already and then asking that He would help the doctors and nurses know exactly what to do. We also prayed for Him to help my sweet girl to endure the stitches without much pain.

Right after we arrived at the medical center, two people from our church showed up. I can't tell you what that meant to us to have them there! It helped to take our minds off of everything. And, not too much time passed before my husband was walking in the door, having returned from his first big trip with our church's youth group.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Princess #2 ended up with three stitches, put in place by the most wonderful doctor. The entire time, she did not cry or even whimper. What an answer to prayer! All she asked was that I keep my hand up close by her face so she wouldn't be tempted to look, so that's just what I did. She made me so proud!

And God? He made me even prouder, coming to our rescue as He did.

Sometimes, as Christians, we can be tempted to believe, "I have to pray elaborate, lengthy prayers before the Lord will listen to me or answer me."

What a lie!!!

I literally only had time to whisper His name and He faithfully worked on our behalf. He knew exactly what that word conveyed.

One of my favorite passages from Psalms says this:

"You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord." 139: 2 - 4

God was well aware of what was happening, and not just aware in the sense that He "knew"...He was so aware that, I believe, He was already lining up the exact people that I would need to help me. In the same way that I was busy caring for my little girl, He was busy caring for us!

Why? Because He loves His children, all of us, that much. He who is always with us is always ready to help us, so faithful in our time of need. He is our ever-present help...our constant, consistent, doting Father...

...the One Who comes to our aid even at the very whisper of His name.

For His glory,

The Miracle of Loneliness

I know, I know! I said I wasn't writing again until February something. But, I have to break my own rule.

I'm surrounded by chaos at the moment. To the right of me is a naked, unlit Christmas tree, weary from standing too long. To my left, a desk that shamefully shows my lack of dusting skills. In front of me there are boxes, a bare bookshelf, and a terribly empty wall.

And me...I'm sad.

This is harder than I expected...saying goodbye to friends who have become more like family...church members who have loved my kids like their own.

I have cried more tears than I can count since this year began...buckets, really.

You would never guess that a few years ago, I would have given just about anything to leave here. I share that in my testimony at other churches...how the loneliness here became so thick, I thought it would engulf me.

But God...

He said to stay, dwell in the land, and cultivate faithfulness (Psalm 37:3-5).

Basically, He was saying, "Bloom where you're planted, baby girl. Obey, and I'll work it all out."

So I did. And He did. Because He's faithful like that, you know?

And now, He's saying, "Obey", again, "It's time to move on", and we are. I know...I know...it's going to all work out just fine, for our good and His glory. I have hope and peace.

But somehow, I just wish I could skip this hurt that stings so much right now.

My only conclusion is that these tears represent God's amazing answer to those dreadfully lonely days I knew a few years back. Not only did He miraculously bring people to my side...He brought some of the most wonderful treasures of friendship that I could have ever hoped for!! He showed up.

He surrounded me with a family.

The Lord has changed me profoundly in their midst and each step I take into the future, I will hold them in my heart. Heart treasures. Forever.

In my sadness, I choose to rejoice in knowing that God turned around what the enemy meant for evil and He made it good. Indeed, He did.

Loneliness prepared my heart for new possibilities. Loneliness opened my eyes. Loneliness taught me greater dependence on the One.

My pain set me up for a great blessing.

And my tears right now?

Well, they're doing it, too.

For His glory,

My Top Five

Am I thankful today? Oh, yes! For so many things, but none more important than these...

1. For God - that He is in my life, leading and guiding my footsteps, faithfully teaching me how to walk closer to Him each day. It is my greatest joy to get to serve Him in whatever way He deems. He keeps me on my toes, assured that the next adventure is just right around the corner (comfort is not a place He likes for me to find, and I love that about Him). He is my everything!!!

2. For this man, my precious husband - a man with a powerful love for me and our girls, and an even greater love for God. He keeps me grounded, makes me laugh, and has never once said my ideas were ridiculous. He gets me...although he would probably tell you otherwise;o) 

3. For my girls - each so different, each so amazing in their own unique ways. My life is full and rich and tremendously blessed because they are in it! I love getting to be center-stage, watching their lives unfold. They are already little ambassadors for the Lord and that makes me so proud!!

4. For my extended family - Mom & Dad, my "other" Mom & Dad, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces, and Nephews - I am so fortunate to have been born into an amazing family and to have married into an amazing (albeit, crazy) family (I'll let you guess which pic is at my in-law's house). God has built a glorious heritage of love, honor, and character among both groups...and most importantly, a heart for Him that will continue to be passed down throughout the generations!

5. For friends, my church family, other family members, and you! - I am surrounded by some of the most loving, caring, and encouraging people in the world! I wish I had pictures of ALL of you to include here. I am so thankful that you allow me to be a part of your life, whether that's in "real" life or here on the blog.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Linking up at:
Beholding Glory
A Little R & R

For His glory,

When Your Heart Hurts

Just the other day...I had a moment with God that I will not soon forget. I had a few minutes to myself and decided to relax for a bit on our hammock outside. The sky was bright blue, there was a warm wind blowing, and all was right with the world.

But God knew otherwise.

What I can hide from others, I cannot hide from my Father. He knew the stark truth of my condition. I was hurting. A relaxing moment wasn't my true need. What I truly needed was a conversation with Him!

So God drew close.

Lovingly, He spoke to my heart and the tears that rolled off my cheeks felt like a cleansing. He was so specific that it nearly took my breath away.

Moments like that change everything.

The sting of hurt was removed in an instant.

And later in the day, my heart was overwhelmed again as the Lord led me very specifically to this verse:

"I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul."

Psalm 31:7

He showed me in the Word what He had already proven to me...that He had taken note of my pain. He had rushed to my side. I, like the psalmist, rejoiced in His love!

Will you allow God to encourage you with this today...

HE SEES YOU.

He is not far off and removed! He is not distant and uncaring. He is near...nearer than you can imagine. If it concerns you -- it concerns Him! You are His child! He loves you.

He has not given up on you, nor has He thrown in the towel and proclaimed "hopeless" over your life! NO...it's quite the opposite!!

He is ready to meet with you and speak truth, life, healing, wisdom, and love. Don't worry! He has already taken note of your pain.

Will you get alone with Him?

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

James 4:8a

Linking up at:
The Better Mom
A Pause on the Path
Women Living Well
Raising Homemakers
Beholding Glory

For His glory,

The Why of It All

Just the other day...I closed the computer, went into another room, and let the tears flow. I knew that taking a blogging break might be hard, but until that moment, I had no idea how wrapped up in it I had been. The sweet presence of the Lord in those moments was tangible and I just knew His blessing was upon my decision.

I have had many, many defining moments since stepping away for a little over a  month and a half. I am so thankful that God, while unchanging Himself, is constantly changing us. I started the journey of blogging as one person, grew and became something different only months into the journey, and write to you today as someone completely different.

This blogging experience, for me, has been one of hearing His voice, stepping out on faith, and conquering paralyzing fear. And here's the deal...you can't trust Him, see Him move, and remain the same. It's impossible. There are things I've done since I listened to that still small voice first say, "write" that I never would have done otherwise.

However, I realized by stepping away that something evil had begun to creep into this journey and that was this...a feeling of needing to prove myself to those I deemed "better than" me. In actuality, when stripped down to it's core, it was really just heart-sickening pride (isn't it always?). I knew something was "off", but until I laid it down, I was so very blind to it.

The heart is deceitful and wicked. The Bible tells us that. Even when we think we are on guard, evil motives can creep in and tempt us to fall away from our purpose. That is why it is of utmost importance that we truly learn the voice of the Lord and after listening, quickly obey Him. If you start making waves, even ripples, in this world for Jesus, the enemy will be out to sideline you. You can count on it!

He has tried very hard to sideline me, to make me loose focus, and to tempt me to just throw in the towel. I have been knocked down, but not destroyed...all praise to God! Even last week as God was whispering, "It's time (to write again)", the enemy was whispering, "You don't matter."

That's when I received a message on Facebook telling me that this blog was used to open a door in someone's life. I can't share the specifics of it just yet, but just know this, I cried some big alligator tears and could not speak for a few minutes as the Holy Spirit graciously overwhelmed me with an answer I didn't know I even needed. I needed to step away because He needed to center me once again on the WHY of all of this.

And I'm not the why.

God is the why.

HE is why I push through doubts and fears and sleepiness, why I stumble and fall and ultimately stand back up - - all to get out a message of His redeeming love. Do you know how ashamed I am that it ever became about me and about proving myself?!

Lesson learned.

At the end of her message my friend said to me, "Stay encouraged. You may never know this side of heaven how many others there are out there that your blog is touching."

I have lived on that encouragement for days, quietly remembering it as I have prayed over "coming back". And do you know what? God wins. I surrender. If He can bring one to know about Him, He can bring two. He can multiply the tiniest effort.

Lives can CHANGE because of one simple act of obedience.

Here I am, Lord.

Send me.

"Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139:23-24

Linking up at:
The Better Mom

For His glory,

I'm Selfish. Are You?

Just the other day...my baby girl said to me, "Mommy, will you snuggle with me?" Of course, my heart melted. I happily complied! Cuddling her as I rocked her, I thought about motherhood and how it has changed me...how all I ever thought about it was completely wrong and somehow, right, all at the same time.

My biggest surprise was that motherhood revealed the selfishness of my own heart to a degree I had never noticed. It started the night my first was born and I was denied precious hours of sleep. It only took a few more nights of that for me to realize, life would never be the same and what I wanted no longer mattered...at least not to her!

That night was just the tip of the iceberg. The Lord, in His wisdom, sent all three of my children with ice picks in their hands! They have done a great job at chiseling away at the enormity of my self-love, but as much as I hate to admit it...it still remains. I would think by now that I should be the "perfect" picture of a sweet, giving, sacrificial mother...but I am reminded daily that although I have many moments of triumph (thanks be to God!), I'm still so stinkin selfish, it makes me sick.

A request to snuggle is a pleasant one. Snuggling is easy! It's all the gazillion other demands on my time that make me sometimes want to run out the door and just keep running (picture Forrest Gump).

"Mommy, can I have a drink? Mommy, I can only find one shoe! Mommy, how do frogs hop? Mommy, she  stuck her tongue out at me! Mommy, I'm bored! Mommy, I have a hang nail! Mommy, watch this! Mommy, can you read me just one more book? Mommy, can you watch this 2 hour show I made up for you? Mommy...Mommy...Mommy........".....all these requests while at the same time feeling the pressures of dishes and laundry and meal planning and homeschooling and ministry and.....

Wow! It's a lot!! But ultimately, I have had to realize that God presents me with something daily...a choice.

I can choose to yell at my kids for not doing what "I" want them to do (like leave me alone). I can stomp around my house in a huff, thinking how unfair it is that I have virtually no time to myself. I can make my kids feel guilty for asking me for help. I can shame them for not doing things "the right way". I can completely ignore them and leave them to fend for themselves while I hide away in a book or on my computer or on the phone or in the bathroom or in a dark corner of the closet (what? you've never done that?!)...;o)

I could do all of that and teach them, very effectively, who is the most important...

ME.

Or, I could choose to fulfill my role as mother and take the higher road paved with true love and self-sacrifice. It's the highway chosen by best among us. It's THAT road that I seek to choose daily!!

Please let me encourage you -- these years of snuggling and rocking and wonder and imagination...they'll be gone if you blink...so try to keep your eyes wide open! Like me, you may have an iceberg of selfishness looming just under the surface, beckoning you to give in. Don't get me wrong, there are times that you DO need to take time for yourself in order to be healthy and let's face it...emotionally stable(!)...I believe that. However, there are times that thinking only of YOURSELF has influenced you to give your children and your husband second best...the leftovers...the crumbs. Those tangible, precious gifts from the Lord DESERVE YOUR BEST!

There is a verse in Joshua 24 that says, "Choose for yourselves this day who you will serve...as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

I implore you to CHOOSE to serve the Lord, and not yourself, no matter how stressed out and "done" you might be. Please realize, the way you treat your husband and your children, IS an act of worship unto the Lord! First Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Did you really get that??? Do it ALL for the glory of God! 

When I choose my kids, God is honored. When I choose my husband, God is praised. When I lay down my desires for the sake of another, I look most like His Son!

I know mothering effectively and pouring yourself out day after day is hard...believe me. But oh, if you'll just stay the course, the joy to come at the end of this mothering journey will be SO WORTH every ounce that you give up! And the divine paradox is always this -- you will get back more than you ever imagined -- you will reap what you have sown!

Our culture tells us...do what feels best to you and don't worry about the consequences.

As a Christian, a wife, and a mother, that's a lie you can't afford to buy into! Often, what seems "right" in the moment is the very thing that causes the greatest destruction in a life. If it's your goal to leave a legacy that lasts for generations to come, you MUST and I repeat, MUST, learn to turn off the outside voices of our culture that scream, "It's all about you!"

Because it's not...

not now and not ever.

As a mom, it's about them. As a wife, it's about him. 

But over and above it all...it's about the LORD!!!

_______________

Will you CHOOSE to serve Him today, instead of yourself?


Linking up at:
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For His glory,

The Day We Could Have Died

Just the other day...we were traveling down the highway, exhausted and weary from a dream vacation that included our first family cruise. Overall, we had logged about 1,100 miles in our car, although at this time we were just about 45 miles from home. Suddenly, it started to rain...really rain...very hard and very fast. It was the kind of rain that made visibility scarce. We noticed a large 18-wheeler that had wrecked in the median and my husband started slowing down. Soon we were in a dead stand-still on the highway. We couldn't see it at that time, but there was another wreck up ahead.

All of a sudden, my husband said, "Hold on girls! Hold on girls!!" and started frantically driving our vehicle onto the side of the road. You see, in his rear view mirror, he saw what we could not see...another large vehicle barreling straight towards us at 70 mph. The driver obviously could not see the brake lights of all the other cars due to the torrential downpour. Thank the Lord, my husband saw him!! As our vehicle moved, the driver finally noticed that traffic had stopped. He came within a few feet of missing the back of our car as he swerved into the median to avoid making us and the cars in front of us into a literal metal sandwich.

As I realized what had just happened, I involuntarily started to shake a little bit...but it wasn't until I turned around to check on my girls that the true gravity of the situation hit me.

Our two year old, who had been riding in the car for the past two days and was more than ready to get out of it had somehow gotten her arms out of the top of her car seat. She was sitting in her car seat, unrestrained!! As I looked at that precious little face, my mind immediately raced through the "what ifs" and the tears started pouring. The reality of the hand of God protecting my family humbled me, bringing with it a deep and overwhelming sense of gratitude. I choked back tears for probably the next 20 minutes, especially when my husband stopped to pray and thank God for protecting us.

"I wish I could have seen the angels in action!" I said. No doubt, they were all around us!

Within the next day, the Lord would confirm His awesome hand of protection during that incident two more times. Let me tell you how...

After the near-wreck, we decided to stop just a little ways down the road, both to eat supper and to help get our minds off of what had just happened. I know that my parents pray for their children (all 4 of us) faithfully, so I stepped outside of the restaurant to call them. As I was telling them the part of the story where I turned around and saw our youngest sitting in her car seat unrestrained, I "happened" to look up in the sky and saw not one, but TWO rainbows...one right on top of the other. I have only seen a double rainbow one other time in my life. To me, it declared the Lord's supreme faithfulness and I felt as if I could melt into a puddle right on that sidewalk! Mom and I were both in tears and couldn't even find words for a minute. I stood there, utterly and completely undone.

As beautiful and affirming as the rainbows were, it's the "second" evidence of the Lord's protection that really blows my mind...

That night, my husband had a bit of a hard time going to sleep because every time he closed his eyes, he could see the scene replay in his mind...a large vehicle barreling towards us along with the reflections of our innocent girls starring back at him. I went to sleep praying for him and again, thanking God that we were all okay. In the morning, as soon as I woke up, I remembered something I had completely forgotten.

The week before, on the same morning that we left on vacation, I had woken up having just had a nightmare. The nightmare was this...we were traveling on the highway... and were a part of a terrible accident...in the rain. I didn't remember any real details except for rain, horrific crashing sounds, sirens, and the feeling that we were gravely injured. That morning that we left, I had immediately started to pray and ask the Lord for protection for our trip...and I remember praying fervently as a result of that horrific scene I had just dreamt.

Later on that morning, when we stopped to pray before leaving, I started to tell my husband about the dream nightmare but decided not to, as I rationalized to myself, "I only dreamed it because I was anxious about all the traveling we have to do today." Still, as we prayed, I remembered praying a little "harder" than normal that God would dispatch His angels to watch over us and see us home safely.

Was God trying to warn me about the plan of the enemy to destroy us? I'm not sure, although in retrospect, it's easy to see (isn't it always?). What I am sure of is this...He heard and answered my prayers...and the prayers of my parents and in-laws...and the prayers of the handful of people who told me specifically that they had asked for our protection! Praise God that He moves through the prayers of the righteous!!!

A lesson that this has also taught me to an even greater degree is that God is always in the details! I say it a lot and have found it to be true over and over and over again. The almighty living God still speaks today! He moves among us...wooing us...protecting us...loving on us...inviting us into fellowship...working through dreams...lining up circumstances...virtually sending us neon signs that say, "I'm right here with you!". There is so much PURPOSE for all of us that are His children!

One day, it will be time for all of us to go to our true HOME in Heaven...but not yet. If you have breath in your lungs and a beating heart, it's because God has declared, "Not yet" over your life...just as He did over ours a few days ago! Jeremiah 29:11 promises that He has amazing plans for your life! You walk around drenched in PURPOSE and calling and many reasons for still being very much alive on this earth. Don't merely let life "happen"...don't take it for granted! I am begging you to please open your eyes to see that there is a grand design and a Grand Designer! He who formed you in your mother's womb has a grand design FOR YOUR LIFE! Seek Him for it and when you find it, spend yourself completing the mission!!! Run the race before you with perseverance!

That's exactly what I plan to do...especially after last week's reminder that my family and I still have much purpose! I didn't think I needed a reminder of that, but maybe I did.

Maybe we all did.

______________________

"For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Psalm 91:11 & 12

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."

Psalm 91:14 

"He holds success in store for the upright, 
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones."
Prov 2:7 & 8 


"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."
John 17:15 & 16
(Jesus, praying for US!)

______________________

Linking up at:

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Testimony Week: Day 3

Born At The Dead End

by Heather Palacios

In Robert Schuller’s biography, he began with this: “I was born at the dead end of a dirt road…”  I’ll finish his sentence later.

Testimony Week: Day 1

The Best Thing to Ever Happen to Me

 by Leah Ferrebee

When I was 4 years old, my parents got divorced. My 2 brothers and I were raised by my mother, who is a believer. She brought us up knowing the things of the Lord. We were in Sunday school, church and youth group for years, however, I wanted nothing to do with God or church. I always knew deep down that what she was teaching us was true; I just didn't want any part of it. I rebelled against what my mom taught us, and was living a sinful life with no remorse.

A Mouse & A Lesson on Complacency

Just the other day...I decided it was time to do some cleaning out around here. It's been "time" for a while, but I think I just needed some motivation. An excellent dose of motivation came when nine family members decided to come for a visit. Yep, that'll do it!

Messy + Weak = Qualified???

Just the other day...I started changing and the Almighty took note. In my heart, I became serious about being a vessel for Him.

The Word says:

"For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His." 2 Chron 16:9a HCSB

How Will You Finish?

Just the other day...we buried our very own "Santa Claus", known to us simply as Mr. Al. Only a few weeks before Christmas, Mr. Al started not feeling well, so he went to the doctor. Diagnosis: Cancer. Just a few weeks later, the Lord called him away to his eternal home. It was a shock to our entire church and community. To my family, it was a huge blow because we had grown to love him immensely.

The Sweet Taste of Victory

Just the other day...I savored the sweet taste of victory. I can't explain in mere words the satisfaction it brought, the spiritual growth that occurred, and the way it deepened my friendship with the Lord. It was nothing short of amazing!

"God, My Will and Not Yours"

Just the other day...I sat praying, begging even, for God to give me something that I just knew was going to make my life amazing. It was certainly what He wanted me to have ("wink") because of the way little details kept falling into place...so, it just had to be a "of Him", right?!

Ah, how easily we allow ourselves to be tricked when we are blinded by our own desires!

I was praying for something that was out of His will for my life. I was dead set that He would answer my prayer just the way I wanted, though and determined that I would "just pray hard enough". And while God kept nudging me to move on, I kept going back to MY plan like a gazelle so full of thirst, it foolishly drinks out of a pond teeming with crocodiles.

Looking back, I can admire one thing alone, my tenacity to go to God with my request again and again and again. Tenacity in prayer and seeing a 'result' through eyes of faith is a WONDERFUL thing and is something the Bible clearly teaches. But continuing to pray for something when it is against the will of God...that just keeps you stuck. Like, really stuck.

In my pride, I basically said to God, "I trust MY will, and not Your will."

Ouch.

Sounds a lot like the nation of Israel, right?! Stuck in the dessert. Going in circles. Unwilling to trust and surrender.

I stayed there for a while. Stuck. Wandering. Wasting time. Gaining lots of head knowledge, but not applying it to my life. I kept walls up, against God, as I insisted in going my own way.

Yeeeaaars later (that's a long time, people)...I finally got it. I let go. I surrendered. I obeyed. I finally said, "Not my way. Your way. Please God...I'm sick of being stuck".

And can you guess what happened next?

The dam broke. Life flowed...abundantly. His plan and His way engulfed my very small life. Imagine standing in a river at the bottom of a mountain in the middle of a monsoon...you WILL get swept away!

"...but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." Matt 16:25

"...I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Later on, even years after I surrendered and the "dam broke", my full-of-mercy God graciously showed me why He said no to my prayer. He doesn't always show us why. He doesn't need to show us why. In this case, I certainly didn't ask Him. But sometimes Daddies like to surprise us with gifts...especially the kind that teach us to walk in even greater freedom.

The night He showed me why my prayers went unanswered was powerful, to say the least. Life-changing. I ended up oozing tears as the truth washed over me and set me free and proved to me what I already knew but can stand to learn over and over...

My God is SOVEREIGN.

Those years I wasted, thinking He was withholding from me...

He was really just loving me.

Because that's what fathers do.

___________

You can trust the Father.

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails." Prov 19:21

For His glory,

Notches in My Mothering Badge

Just the other day…I overheard my middle child say to her older sister, “sometimes I wish we didn’t have a mom”. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach right where I was standing. The night before, we had let our older girls watch the beginning of the movie, “Mars Needs Moms”, against our better judgment. My husband had quickly looked at the reviews and had come to the conclusion that it had a positive message. In the end, it does have a good message, but getting to the end is the problem, as the entire movie is pretty scary for little ones. We turned it off about a quarter of the way through. Anyways, the above sentiment quoted by my sweet five year old was a direct result of watching that movie. Note to self: check movie reviews better in the future. Lesson learned.

But, for a moment, let’s get back to that statement…”sometimes I wish we didn’t have a mom”. She said it right after I had taken computer privileges away from her older sister for disobeying. She just turned five years old, people. I get it. Yet, it still stung to hear those words. I may or may not have cried for a whole ten minutes…because, well, she’s just never said anything like that before. Ever. In those moments though, I began to think of my own mom and how many times I didn’t say those exact words, but I certainly felt them.

I remember one time when I was a teenager, I was intent on being particularly bad. I was actually planning my rebellion on the phone with my friend. Little did I know, Mom's intuition the Holy Spirit had gently nudged my mom and she was listening in on my conversation from another phone in the house (something she never did, by the way).  As I voiced what I was going to do, she promptly said, “Oh, no you’re not!” in a very stern voice. I wanted to crawl in a hole. And you can be quite sure that I was “wishing I didn’t have a mother” at that moment!

Can I just say…thank the Lord for a mom who listened to Him?!!!

Do you know how much trouble that woman kept me from all because she walked with the Lord (and still does)?! Oh no, I didn’t like it back then. I slammed many a door in response to her “ruining my fun”! I cried many overdramatic tears. However, you can be sure, I love her for it now. Oh, how I love her!

Needless to say, after recovering from the sting of my five year old’s words, I realized I didn’t need to feel sad. I needed to feel honored. I had just earned a notch in my mothering badge, one of many I hope to collect.

Being a good mom does not mean I need to try to be my child’s best friend so that I can “feel” her love or hear her sing my praises at all times. That makes our relationship about me (selfish) and not about her at all. No, being a good mom means I’m going to take the higher road of loving at all costs, even if that means temporary pain and discomfort for my child. Why? Because I know that the end result will be a well-rounded adult who understands a healthy balance between justice and grace…and a whole lot about what true love is and what it isn’t.

But furthermore, it means I do the main thing first. I stay close to the Lord. I walk with Him. I lean on Him and ask Him to show me how to mother these precious gifts of mine every step of the way. Oh, He knows I’m faaaarrrr from perfect. He sees the times I’ve already messed up. But I have to believe and I have to trust that as I keep Him first, this journey through motherhood is not only going to work out, it’s going to garner some beautiful results in the end.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

 Prov 22: 6


Linking up at:
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For His glory,

It's Human Trafficking Awareness Day

WILL THE SILENCE WAKE YOU? (Repost from 5/2011)

Just last night, the lights went out. The house grew dark and my crusade on a computer screen came to an abrupt end. The silence after the power outage was almost deafening. In our house, we all sleep with "sound machines" on (you know, the ones that sound like a fan running) and because we live next to a highway that's full of trucks by early morning, we keep them pretty loud. Since I was the only one still awake at a late hour, that's the murmur I was typing to...sound machines:) As I sat in a pitch-black-hush, I listened to see what would happen next. Not thirty seconds later, I began hearing a moan from the back room followed by panic. One kid awake. Minutes later, crying from another room. Two kids awake. Footsteps down the hall. Husband awake. Nearly all of us, now in search of light. We all ended up piling in one bed, where we were soon joined by kid number three. We talked and laughed. But when we stopped, we noticed how intensely quiet it was. That's when I said, "The silence woke everyone up!" and as soon as I said it, I knew it was golden.

You see, just the other day, I saw something that will haunt me for the rest of my life. It was a documentary film played at the International Film Festival that focused on the sex trafficking industry. It contained raw, heart-wrenching interviews and some hidden-camera footage taken by a very brave woman journalist. The name of the movie is "The Price of Sex" and I encourage you to see it if possible. I will warn you...it is not a Christian film. There are a few images and a few words that really could have been left out, but overall it was tastefully done considering the subject matter. And if you do go see it, you may want to take some tissues!

Even days after viewing the film, I still find myself trying to wrap my brain around the images I saw, the pain that I heard. It seems surreal and unimaginable that at this moment, there are literally MILLIONS of women, children, and even some men who are living evil's perverse nightmare. Truly, it makes me sick to my stomach...and outraged...that any human being can enslave another and think that it is permissible. Our daughters...sisters...mothers...brothers...uncles...aunts...nieces...nephews...friends...all over this world are trapped in rooms that have become literal prison cells of hopelessness, torment, and utter despair. And listen to this, out of the MILLIONS who are living this nightmare, only 1% percent ever manage to escape. ONE PERCENT.

What does this mean? It means simply this, those who are enslaved today have no voice. They are literally used and abused in SILENCE...in closed-off rooms...in dark basements...in filthy brothels all over this world...suffering, thinking no one cares and that they would be better off dead. Thus, it is my prayer that as you read this...

THEIR SILENCE BECOMES LOUD ENOUGH TO

JOLT YOU OUT OF YOUR SLUMBER (much like the story above)

  SO THAT YOU BECOME FULLY AWAKE AND AWARE

THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ALL AROUND US.

We cannot let this happen on our watch!!! Is this the legacy of our generation? Is this to be a part of what we will leave behind? God forbid.

Please watch the following videos and then scroll down to read about ways that you can begin to pray for SLAVES around the world.

You have a voice. 

Please use it to pray.

• Pray for a worldwide awakening to this problem. An eyes-wide-open-we-will-not-allow-this-to-happen-on-our-watch kind of awakening!
• Pray that the victims of human trafficking realize they are not alone and that they find hope in Jesus Christ.
• Pray for those who work in the trafficking industry...that they experience a shocking slap of reality that somehow clearly shows them the evil they are committing. Pray that they can no longer stand to see women, men, and children abused.
• Pray for the Lord to protect any who are being recruited (lied to/drugged) at this very moment.
• Pray for governments to enact tougher laws against traffickers and all who help them.
• Pray for an end to the high level corruption in governments around the world. Pray that they can no longer profit from allowing this crime to be committed.
• Pray against the lust and greed that fuels the sex-trade industry in the first place.
• Pray for organizations/non-profit agencies who are working feverishly on all aspects of this problem.
• Pray for the abolition of slavery in our generation.
• Pray that the Lord will continue to remind YOU to pray for His will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

May the silence forever remind you of those who have

no voice.


P.s. You can help fight trafficking by purchasing your own "BECAUSE" bracelet (pictured above) at The A21 Campaign. Click here -->Bracelet ($10)

For His glory,

Will the World End in 2012?

Just the other day…I heard that 2012 is the year that the world is going to end. Have you heard that? It's funny that I keep hearing that because the Bible says that no man knows the day or the hour (Mark 13:32)…not even the Son himself, so I don’t get too wrapped up in anyone saying that the world is going to end on this day or that. But, if you will, let’s just suppose that the world does end sometime during the next year. You know what I say?

Bring it on!!! Let’s get the party started!!!!!


I'd be doing the happy dance all the way up to heaven:)

You see, there is nothing in this present world that fills me up like the Almighty God. Try as I might, nothing here is ever going to satisfy the deepest longings in my heart...no relationship, no hobby, no material thing, no vacation, no drug, no food, no experience. It would all just leave me empty. I was made for Him and therefore, my God is the only one who satisfies the deep aching of my heart. I admit that sometimes, I get weary of the divide between heaven and earth. Don't you??? I want to see my Lord...to stand face-to-face with the my Love. At times, my heart simply longs to be at home…my home there, not here...my TRUE home. 

And you know what, I know He wants me there with Him, too.

But not yet.

You see, there's a reason, many reasons, why I'm left here...why He hasn't come yet. If you’re reading this, you’re still here because you have yet to fulfill His purposes as well! Perhaps you're still here because you don't yet know Him...and He's waiting on you. I pray with all that I am that this will be the year you run to His loving arms and give your life over to Him!!! (Please head on over to the "Just Jesus" tab at the top of this page to explore this topic if you know you are without Christ in your life.)

If the world does end in 2012 (ya know, hypothetically)…there are billions who have not yet given their lives over to the Lord!!!! A quick search of google puts the number of Christians worldwide at 2.1 billion, out of 6.9 billion people alive on the planet. Can you believe that there are still 4.8 BILLION people who know nothing of the amazing and awesome love of Christ?!? That makes my heart ache…but even more so, it makes His heart ache. The darkness that pervades this world is so evident right now...and He is our one HOPE. It is His desire that all people come to Him. I am determined that if He can use this tiny life to somehow help spread His message, then by all means, I’m willing to live with the longing for heaven in my heart for years on end, until He calls me to my real home. Christians, there’s so much work to do!

It is time to quit talking about it and just do it!!!!

 It's time for us to be the light we were created to be!!!!

Matthew 13:44 says…..

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field."

If you have given your life over to Christ, you have found a treasure…the treasure above all treasures!!! But burying it and keeping it to yourself is not the right response. I challenge you this year...

when the Holy Spirit puts words in your mouth...speak them. 

When God prompts you to do something out of love for another..do it.

Quit doubting that you are good enough, or righteous enough, or pretty enough, or smart enough, or any of the other thousands of excuses you might come up with. The fact is...you're not enough...but He is!!! And if He lives in you then just by that fact alone you can rest assured that you carry Him with you into any situation you might face this year. He's going to be there for you. You just make sure you show up for Him and by that I mean...LIVE IT. SPEAK IT. SHOUT IT. SHINE IT. DO IT. BE WHO HE MADE YOU TO BE!!!!! Let Him have all of you, even if that means stepping out of your comfort zone.

In this journey of mine, I've considered um, sitting down so-to-speak and being a little less vocal about my passion for the Lord...cause I know there are some out there that must think I'm a little over the top. However, I have recently come to the realization that I don’t think I could shut up if I tried. If I try to shut up I will either burst or rot away…and neither one of those sound very appealing.

So excuse me while I blog on and on and on about JESUS this coming year!  He has captured and captivated this heart of mine and by all means, I am determined to serve out my days in praise of Him…whether those days are spent here on earth in 2012 or in His presence.

I’ll leave you with a song that I’ve been playing a lot in recent days. It speaks a little about what I have shared here.

"Sovereign God" CFNI 37

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! MAY A NEW BOLDNESS IN THE LORD OVERWHELM YOU IN 2012. THAT'S MY PRAYER FOR MYSELF AND FOR ALL OF YOU!


Linking up at:
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For His glory,