What are you looking at?

Ilove hearing people's testimonies. I love hearing the ways God has worked in their lives, be it small or huge, it doesn't matter.

I realize we all have a story, a testimony and its not only how we came to know Christ, but an everyday experience because God is alive and He is living within us and He is loving and faithful yesterday, today and forever! I also realize many times we need to be intentional at seeing His mighty hand in our daily lives. When we do this, we focus on His gifts and the blessings, not our circumstances.

Today I am sharing a part of my story over at Not Consumed. I would love for you to come on over and join me! C'mon now, what are you waiting for? Hurry up, while the coffee is hot :-)

Let them be boys

I watch them from the kitchen window. They are all three years apart. Two are mine, one is a friends.

These boys.

Rough and tumble playing warriors, with sticks as swords, hiding from the enemy in the tall grass or behind the fort.

The days are longer, but still cold. "Zipper up!" I shout as they run passed me out the back door. I am thankful for these days they are eager to get outside. I'm convinced video games are evil. Too much time in front of the TV with remote in hand changes them. They fight with each other more and listen to mama less.

It is these moments, as I watch them from the window that makes my heart happy, yet the girl in me feels a bit uneasy.

These boys being boys.

Sometimes its difficult for this mama to watch as they wrestle. I restrain from opening the back door and yell, "Be careful! Don't get hurt!" Instead I grunt out loud, "I just can't watch them sometimes!" My best friend hears me and says something like, "They are being boys, let them be."

And I do. I let them be boys. I know as a mama I need to let them be boys. I need to let them be who God created them to be.

Yup, these boys who love to wrestle, play loud and play hard.

I look out the window again and I see them running through the yard, rolling on the ground and swinging each other around. They are in battle conquering the enemy. I am grateful for this imaginary play, to stretch their imaginations and exercise their creativity. These little boys that someday will soon enough become men. I need to let them be boys, to let them play warriors that skillfully and tactfully defend their kingdom.

So, what is a mama to do? She prays.

I pray these boys will become warriors for God, who will stand up and defend their morals and values in a secular world where biblical values and the very standards our country was founded on seem less important every day. I pray these boys will serve God all their days, to listen to Him and walk the right path so they will successfully lead their own families and communities.

So, as I watch from the window I need to remind myself let them be boys.

Have a blessed day!

What are you wearing? {series}

I

t was one of those days where I just wanted to crawl back into bed and hide under my, oh so soft and cozy down comforter.

Before the sun was even awake, the boys were already annoying each other, wrestling, and bickering with the constant whines and tattle tailing, he did it first and I didn’t mean to’s. 

Somehow we made it through the morning, kids off to school and mommy off to work only to meet at home later for a repeat performance. As soon as I would turn my back they were at each other again, like a record that keeps on skipping. Everything I said and did had no effect and I couldn't wait for the glorious moment of bedtime!

This constant bickering didn’t end there. It wormed its way into the next day and the next and the next, and…I think you get my drift. A couple weeks straight with busy schedules and too many late nights was enough to make all of us on edge and a bit cranky.

Nerves rubbed raw, patience becomes a stranger and we become too tired to treat each other nicely? Can you imagine if God was too tired to treat us nicely, too tired to love us and give us grace and new mercies every morning?

As a mom I need to know how much busyness my family can handle. Right now I know it’s not much because I have experienced the cause and effect, which isn’t pretty! Continuous busyness without downtime and rest creates a huge snowball effect. We all need rest, God commands us to take an entire day to rest and boy, how I welcome that day!

But even though we may be tired, it is no excuse to treat each other harshly. So on top of everyone’s crankiness here is mama bear ranting on how we should treat one another. “You are brothers, we are to love one another” and then I find myself asking them, “Would you hit Jesus? Would you talk to Him like that?” and the boys just look back at me with blank stares.

Later as I am reading, the words in Colossians stir within me,

you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

And it doesn't stop there. We are told to make allowance for each other’s faults and to forgive one another, and above all else, clothe ourselves in love. These words, I read them over and over again, they take root in my soul. Just as we get dressed each morning, we should also clothe ourselves with these virtues…every…single…day. May I be so bold to ask you,

What are you wearing?

Over the next several weeks I am going to concentrate on each of these virtues from Colossians Chapter three and I would love for you to join me!

Have a blessed day!

He will meet you

I sit here in the still of the night.

It is quiet.

The boys got into bed late tonight. Their rambunctious warrior fighting bodies now resting for tomorrow's new adventures. All snuggled up, all cozy in my bed and that's okay, I don't mind.  I know this time will quickly pass and they grow up way too fast. I love being sandwiched between them listening to their breathing and thanking God for these precious gifts. But, tonight I steal away from this mommy sandwich.

My heart and soul feels restless. I refuse to let fear and anxiety in. So, I fight this restlessness the only way I know how and I can feel Him drawing me to spend time with Him. I sit in the dark, in the quiet with my Bible and my notebook and He meets me. As I listen to worship music, with only the soft glow from the book light, I pen what is in my heart.

By writing I let go.

The music soothes me.

His presence wraps me in His peace. He comforts my soul.

When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.

I read today's devotional and it is the Lord speaking directly to me.  He tells me when I question the decisions I am making to cling to Him. He reminds me to let Him lead me. He is here right alongside me, never letting go of my hand. He is limitless and always working on my behalf.

And here it is again, this same Psalm. It has come up twice in my daily devotions in one week!

And I hear Him. I listen as He tells me...

to trust in Him always, to take delight in Him and commit everything I do to Him. The Psalm says everything, not some, not only the things I feel like, but all of it. That all of it is my entire life, my entire being, everything I do for all the days of my life! And He reminds me to be still and wait patiently on Him and not worry.

Trust in the Lord and do good.

Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust him, and he will help you.

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,

and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,

and wait patiently for him to act.

Don’t worry about evil people who prosper

or fret about their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:3-7 NLT

In the quiet of the night, I meet with Him and I am at peace and my soul finds rest in Him.

Have a blessed day!

Do you know who you are?

How do we go through life without paying much attention? You may be asking yourself, what does she mean? Maybe what I mean is, living without really 'living', to just go through the motions without much thought, care or feeling.

I used to live just like that. As I look back on my life sometimes its as if I am looking at someone else's. I don't look back with regret and I'm not holding onto the past in a punishing or hurtful way. Sometimes I just look back to see where God has brought me and all the time I am left in awe with an overflowing thankful heart for the One who saves, who saved me.

As I look back, yes it is as if I'm looking at someone else's life. Even though it was my life, that person who once was, no longer exists. The day I confessed and believed the Lord is my Savior that person died and I was made a new creature in Him. Hallelujah!

We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. So, I don't know why, but I feel as if I am being led to share a part of my story today.

I went through a time in my life as a young adult where I was completely lost. No longer in my parents nest I was trying to find my own way. My own way that took me down many dead ends and curvy winding roads. I looked to others to create for me that feeling of safety and I occasionally read self help books that only made me feel good for a very short time. I can see now how insecure I was. I really had no self confidence in knowing who I was, how important I was and that I was created for a purpose.

I didn't know or understand that someone much bigger than my parents created me and loves me more than they are even capable of.

It was in this time of my life when I made so many bad decisions because I lacked self confidence. I was a follower. I used to say I hated conflict, but most people do. Now I understand that I didn't know how to deal with conflict so I did whatever I had to do to avoid it. Add to the mix being insecure and the result is I did things I didn't feel comfortable doing and knew were wrong.

Also somehow along the way I got a really warped understanding of what love is. I always thought it was a feeling. It also didn't help when someone would say to me, "Well, if you loved me you would do this for me", even when I knew in my heart that it wasn't right.

Maybe you are saying that is me. I lack self confidence, I am insecure, I am a follower. Maybe when you walk you look down at your feet instead of holding your head high. I am here to tell you I have been there and I understand, my friend. We don't need to struggle with our identity when we know who we are in Christ. When we give our hearts to Jesus and when we allow Him to live within us, He is the only one we want to follow. In no time at all, you will begin to feel His showers of love and peace and understand that He created you for a purpose!

Today, as a follower of Christ, I can hold my head high because I know who I am in Him. I know He is with me, I know His joy is my strength, and I know He will carry me and I also know how much He loves me!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!