relationships

The One

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I have noticed something lately that seems to be a theme all throughout scripture, but especially in the gospels. That theme is that God is always seeking out the individual. From the beginning, He chose to have a relationship with Adam, and then a little later with Eve. He sought out Noah, Joseph, Daniel, Moses, and David, just to name a few.

Sometimes, if you are anything like me, you might think of yourself as just a face in the crowd. Why would an all powerful, all knowing God, care about little, insignificant me? Oh, how wrong we are when we think of ourselves in that way. Think of some of the most impactful sermons you have heard. Often, those sermons are related to people who would have been thought of as lower class and worthless in the day that they lived in. For example, I have learned so many things from Joseph. He was a very insignificant person in his culture. He was the 11th out of 12 sons. He became a slave and a prisoner, even in our world those two things alone are enough to disqualify him in many of our circles of influence. Yet, God used him for mighty things (See starting in Genesis 37). Another person who was an outcast was the woman with the issue of blood. This woman wanted to remain anonymous, but Jesus wanted her faith to be known. This is a go-to story at women’s retreats everywhere. We all want that kind of faith. Her story is only a couple of verses and happens within the midst of another miracle but it is in 3 of the 4 gospels. (See Matthew 9:20-24, Mark 5:25-34, or Luke 8:43-48). We all know the parable of the lost sheep (See Matthew 18:10-14 or Luke 15:3-7). How many books, songs, and sermons have been penned around this parable? In that parable we are the sheep. It demonstrates how God (the shepherd) is willing to come after the one who has gone astray.

Those are just a couple of examples where God is willing to use people who are less than desirable or who have been lost, for His kingdom. Why are we any different? As an individual, we may not change the entire world, but maybe we can change the world for one person. As a teacher, that thought helps me through the hard days. Those days when I have fought culture in the form of cell phones, earbuds, distractions, defiance, laziness, or any other myriad of things a teenager may throw my way, I try to remember that. Maybe my entire job that day is simply to show that I can be loving when I don’t want to be. Maybe the same is true for you. Perhaps you aren’t called to be Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, but you are called to love your neighbors and pray for your enemies.

 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 NLT

We are not a face in the crowd to God. He has us exactly who we are, where we are, and exactly when we are, for a purpose. Our job is to seek out that purpose. We are not to be victims of our circumstance or waller in self pity from our past mistakes. Instead, we are to step out every single day seeking out what it is God has for us. I love how it is put in Esther 4:14 “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” God will do His work, whether it is with you or without you. However, He has invited us in to be a part of it. Who knows what if you were made ___________________ for such a time as this?

Back to the Classics

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It’s funny, in my life I have gone through many changes. Job changes, life changes, relationship changes, family changes, and most recently, a big and exciting upcoming location change. It seems like anytime I am going through a big change, regardless of the circumstances. I seek the comfort of some of my favorite stories in the Bible and often find myself listening to podcasts that “coincidentally” touch on the same things I am working through.

Several years ago, when I went through the things that drove me to write Finding God in the Wilderness, I found great comfort in the stories of Joseph and Moses. As I enter into this new phase, I find myself back in the same stories again. This time through, I am seeing them from a whole different perspective. The last time I really spent time in these stories, I focused on the plights of the main characters. However, this time, I am starting to see how God used both people and circumstances to guide His will. 

For Joseph, God allowed his brothers to turn against him in the most vicious way, some even desiring to kill him. Fortunately, rather than kill him, they sold him into slavery. As discouraging and depressing as that had to have been, that action of brotherly betrayal, was the very action that got Joseph to where God needed and wanted him to be to save an entire nation. God will even use the evil acts of others to work his perfect plan. Joseph said as much to his brothers when they realized that he could have them killed on the spot for what they did. “But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:19-20 NIV. That attitude could not have happened overnight. He had years and years to think and contemplate on what his own flesh and blood had done to him. I am certain that he probably went through so many scenarios in his mind for how he would get back at his brothers when he was locked in a dungeon. However, clarity can often come when you look through a rear view mirror. The instant he was taken from the dungeon to the palace (see Genesis 41), everything had to make sense. God used all of the frustrations, disappointments and discouragements to build something into us, if we will let Him. 

In the story of Moses and the Israelites, we see over and over how God used tough circumstances to guide His people back to Him. He also uses those hard circumstances to continue to show His people that He will provide. I have seen the same thing time and time again in my own life. When I go through hard things, it always drives me to pray and seek the will of God that much more. It’s funny how that works. Regardless how we feel though during whatever we may be going through, scripture makes it clear that God is at work in our lives. One of the most famous verses, Jeremiah 29:11, says it well, but if you keep going it says it even better. “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV.

May we all seek and find God with all our hearts. May we all take our changes as doors opening rather than doors closing. Let us try to see through the rear view mirror even before we are taken from our dungeon to our palace.

The Fallen Nature of Man

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I love so many of the stories throughout scripture. There are some amazing heroes of the faith and their stories are just as incredible. However, one of the other things I love about scripture is the raw honesty and the fact that the good is presented along with the bad. It would have been easy for the early church to “clean up” the original stories to make them show God’s people in a much better light. However, that isn’t what happened. The dirty laundry is in there right along with everything else. I truly believe that the Word of God is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit and that all of that junk was left in there for a reason.

In my opinion, one of the biggest problems that the church (meaning all Christians as a whole, myself included) has is that we try to hide the not so appealing parts of our humanity. We so often put on a facade of perfection that attempts to hide our flaws. The sad part about it is, those flaws will eventually come out. Instead, we need to be able to admit our shortcomings. Sometimes those shortcomings can become our biggest witness. On the flip side though, when we hide our flaws and pretend everything is perfect, that can often hurt our witness more than anything else.

If you want to see a flawed side of humanity, read a few chapters through Judges. Starting in Judges 2 we see that after Joshua died, entire generations of God’s people grew up without knowing anything about the God who rescued them from the Egyptians. It also says that the people turned to false gods and did all sorts of evil. I see a lot of parallels with how our world is today. I think that is part of why those stories are in scripture. We aren’t supposed to make the same mistake the Israelites made. Maybe, if we are startled by a man chopping up his concubine (Judge 19) or by one of the judges ordained by God being deceived by an evil woman and who was also known to seek out the company of prostitutes (Judges 16), we might possibly seek a closer relationship with the one true God.

I pray for our world right now. There is so much evil and suffering. Too many people are ok with having nothing to do with God just like the Israelites were. My generation is a highly unchurched generation. We are reaping the harvest of that now in the acceptance of abortion, the celebration of sin, and the astounding number of single parent homes. If there was ever a time that we needed a divine interaction with God, it is today.

My challenge to us: let’s be the change that this world needs. Let’s not just accept the evils of this world but instead diligently learn to follow the will of God. Let us not put on a facade with others, but instead be willing to get in the trenches with others. Let us turn this nation back to God.

A Better Resolution

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It’s the beginning of January! As we ring in a new year, it likely means that you have made some new year’s resolutions. As a matter of fact, we are already more than a week into 2022, you may have already given up on those resolutions by now. I stopped making resolutions years ago. I decided that if there is something I want to change, I don’t need to wait until a new year rolls around to do them. That being said, I might just change my mind this year.

The past 2 years have been crazy for most of us, myself included. I have rejoiced in the new births in my family, as well as grieved at the loss of family members way too soon. I have made new friends, and seen the loss of friends. I, just like you, have had times where I felt on top of the world, and times where I felt alone in a pit of despair. If I had to get real honest, 2022 has already started off a little difficult. Many of the issues of 2021 have found their way into this new year as well. I want this year to be different.

If you know me very well at all, you would know that I am a podcast gal. I listen to several different podcasts, primarily ones with a Christian leaning. I often listen to them while doing housework (it makes the mundane more tolerable). Yesterday, I was listening to a sermon and was struck with something that has now been working on me for the past 24 hours. This wasn’t a new message by any means. I have heard similar things from dozens of ministers in the past. However, there is something about the space I am living in right at this moment that made it hit me a little different. The pastor was talking about a well known verse, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV). “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.“

Like I said, not an unfamiliar verse. However, he pulled out a church camp move and talked about replacing the word love with your name. If you have never done that, please do. Fill in the blanks with your name: __________________ is patient, __________________ is kind. __________________ does not envy, __________________ does not boast, __________________ is not proud. __________________ does not dishonor others, __________________ is not self-seeking, __________________ is not easily angered, __________________keeps no record of wrongs. __________________ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. __________________ always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

If that doesn’t mess with you just a little (or massively), you are either perfect or lying to yourself.

Wow! Oh, how I fail miserably when I put myself in those verses. So, I want to make a better resolution this year. I want to allow God to change me from the ground up to better fit the mold of those verses. I want to be a more loving person this year. It isn’t easy. I struggle with so many of those, specifically keeping record of wrongs. When I, or someone I love, are betrayed, that’s hard to let go of. It is also hard to be patient and kind during stressful times.

As we cautiously enter this new year, let us set aside our self-serving ways, and really make our goal to learn to love others better. Jesus himself said it best when He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV.

The Loneliness of Mary

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I love Christmas! However this Christmas felt a little weird. It has been so windy here that we weren’t even able to do much outside yesterday without being miserable. Instead, we had a pretty lazy day watching movies and just hanging out around the house. As I watched all the movies it occurred to me how romanticized Christmas has become. Either it is this magical thing that revolves around Santa and gifts, or it is almost presented as a fairy tale when it comes to the story of Jesus.

I don’t think either of those ends of the spectrum really do the holiday justice. I even worry about my own kids. I don’t want them to miss out on the fun parts of Christmas, but I also want to make sure that they know what the day really means. I have to work hard myself to not lose the real meaning in the mess of the hustle and bustle.

Reflection on Our Blessed Mother, Mary – Diocese of Orlando, Florida

It occured to me this year as I was reading back through the story of Jesus’ birth how lonely Mary must have felt. In the modern world we live in, we are so much more accepting of teenage, unwed mothers. However, in Mary’s day that would have been enough to get her stoned in the street. We tend to glaze over it calling her blessed among women, which she is, but she probably didn’t feel that way at the time.

*disclaimer: this is simply my thoughts and opinions on the issue, not necessarily stated in scripture*

Picture if a teen girl tried to convince you that her pregnancy was the Son of God, not the result of her indiscretions. I imagine that there was a lot of rumors, dirty looks, and down right cruelty from the people in town. I would also imagine that may be part of the reason that she went and stayed with her relative Elizabeth for 3 months (see Luke 1:56).

It is no secret that women can be cruel to each other. To be perfectly honest, I have struggled my whole life to have close, intimate female friendships that went any deeper than surface level. That is largely because women are sometimes vindictive and hold onto grudges. This isn’t to paint women in a bad light, it is simply something that I sadly have experienced too many times. As I think of Mary, I believe she endured a tremendous amount of cruel words and accusations. Mary really had no one but Elizabeth who could possibly understand a miracle pregnancy. It was probably a pretty lonely place to be. Now, I am sure that Joseph did his best to understand and listen to Mary, but I bet there were times where she just wept because she felt alone. I think that all of the frustrations she likely dealt with during her pregnancy are largely part of the reason she “treasured in her heart” so many of the things after Jesus was born (see Luke 2:19 and 2:49-51).

Although none of us are pregnant with the Messiah (he doesn’t come back that way), I believe that we all carry our own burdens and frustrations. In this world of social media and cell phones, we are more connected than ever but in many ways so much more alone. We all carry things that we feel no one really understands, and they likely don’t. It makes me so sad how disconnected we can become from each other. However, just like He did for Mary, God does have a greater plan. We are never promised a life with no frustrations. We can, however, take heart knowing that rather than repeating the cycle of pain, we can use our own pain as a catalyst to be more empathetic and compassionate to others. I imagine that Mary had a soft place in her heart for the rest of her life for women who were unwed and pregnant. I also imagine that she probably tried to give people the benefit of the doubt before passing judgement. The compassion of Jesus shows that his mother was a compassionate person.

My prayer as we enter the new year, is that any pain, disappointment, or frustration that we may be dealing with, may be the very thing that in the year 2022, will lead us to the next level of what God has for us.

Marked Moments

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“Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond his control.”

This quote was spoken by Joni Eareckson Tada, one of the most unlikely people to speak such a thing because she has been a quadriplegic since the age of 17. This quote speaks volumes to me. I believe with all my heart that God is in control, I just wish I could get that through to my head sometimes. I know that I don’t always act like it, but I do know it’s true.

I believe that there are moments that can change the trajectory of our lives in an instant. Some of my own examples include asking a friend of mine to a college formal (I ended up marrying that friend), getting laid off from a job I thought I would have forever, making the decision to become a teacher, and having a sweet surprise 3rd child, just to name a few. Those moments may be exciting, or devastating, but they mark us in a way that we are never quite the same.

I absolutely love the story of Joseph (It starts in Genesis 37). He goes through so many things leading from the dreams to the palace. His troubles all started because of a combination of his bragging ways and his evil brothers selling him into slavery. This lead him to eventually end up in prison. However, all the sorrows he went through, became the catalyst to become the 2nd in command in the palace. He needed these experiences to refine him. To humble his ego, learn to submit to authority, and always do the right thing, even when it ended in wrong results.

I can’t help but think the same is true in our own lives. Every experience, every setback, every frustration, and every triumph are all designed to take us from where we are to where God wants us to be. However, it is up to us to push through the hard times with integrity. When we don’t, we may end up needing to learn those lessons again.

I teach a lot of juniors and seniors. In Texas, they have to take and pass a lot of tests to graduation high school. When they don’t learn the lessons needed to pass the first time, they have the opportunity to try again. In order for those kids to be successful they must be in tutorial classes and re-learn much of the information. God does the same with us. If we fail the pride lesson, he gives us more opportunities to learn humility before we are ready for the next lesson. He never gives us a test we aren’t prepared for. However, He may give us a test we really don’t want. That’s the part I don’t like.

I want to refer back to the quote I started with. “Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond his control.” Joni has now been wheelchair bound for over 50 years, yet has reached hundreds of thousands of people with her ministry and was also instrumental in helping the Americans with Disabilities Act get passed. I am sure she had no idea at the age of 17 the impact that she would have. I am also sure that 50 years from now, you have no idea what purpose the challenges you are going through are going to serve. Now, you may not be headed to 2nd in command of a kingdom or leading a worldwide ministry. But maybe you, like me, have a few kids, grandkids, or people who look up to you that see how you live your life and face your challenges. What they see from you will minister for generations to come, in good or bad ways.

We all have moments that mark our lives. Let’s use those marked moments to propel us into the next level of what God has in store for us.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Grafted

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Oreo and little orphan Buck

If this image looks a little strange to you, it’s because it is. We raise a breed of goats that are called Boer (they are the ones with white bodies and red heads typically). However, we also have a handful of Lamancha dairy goats that we inherited with some of the Boers that we purchased a few years ago. Lamanchas are an interesting breed of goat because they are some of the most gentle, even tempered goats you will ever meet. The drawback is that they are ugly as sin because they have no ears and they are not really a market animal (which is what we are in the business for). Well, this particular black and white Lamancha, Oreo, is such a sweetheart. Unfortunately, she had a hard time giving birth to her very first baby last weekend and ended up delivering a stillborn, that my husband had to help pull. Rather than her finding out that her kid didn’t make it, I quickly grabbed my little bottle baby, Buck, so that we could try to graft him onto her.

Little Buck couldn’t even stand up for over a week after he was born

Let me give you a little back story. Buck was born a little over a month ago and was the runt of a set of triplets. He was not able to stand up and his mother really didn’t tend to him. After trying throughout the day, unsuccessfully, to get her to tend to him and get him to stand up, we finally decided to get him inside and get him warmed up and fed. Since that time he has been my little bottle baby. He lived in a small water trough inside our house for about 3 weeks so that I could feed him (forcefully to begin with) and treat a nasty eye infection. Over time he healed and started standing, walking, running, and finally got well enough that we couldn’t even keep him in his little makeshift pen because he would just jump out. So we moved him to a little pen out in the barn with the other goats.

Buck in his new home in the barn when we moved him out of the house

My goal has always been to get him a real goat mom, but I was unsuccessful trying to get his actual mom to take him back. Goats are funny about that. Once they abandon a kid, they will not take them back. So I went along just feeding him several times a day. That all changed a week ago when I finally had a mom that needed a baby.

It has taken the full week but the picture at the top was the very first time she was letting him nurse without me having to be in there with her. It is an amazing feeling (even if it is a goat) to see an orphan gain a mom. And that got me to thinking about a few things.

I realized that every single person who calls themselves a Christian is also an orphan that has been grafted into a new family. “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.” Romans 11:17 NLT

Grafting is an interesting process in the plant world. It is essentially taking part of one plant and putting it with another to make it grow as one. As time goes on in the process, the plant being grafted on (called the cutting or scion) takes on the characteristics of the one it is being grafted too (called the rootstock). Grafting is not a simple, or painless, process. As a matter of fact it involves cutting, bandaging, and a lot of time. This is often done when a plant has rooted poorly, or not all, and would die otherwise.

WOW! Isn’t that an analogy for us? Our process of grafting into the family of God is not necessarily a painless one. Sometimes there are things that need to be cut away and lots of time for healing past wounds. Nonetheless, we are called Sons and Daughters of God. We have been adopted, but we are chosen as heirs to the very kingdom of God. “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” Romans 8:17 NLT

Did you catch that last little part? Yes, we are His children, but we are also not immune to suffering on this earth. So, while you go through the pains and frustrations that can come with your own grafting process, I want to encourage you with this: as you heal and are fully grafted, you will also grow closer to the source of life and with that you will also start to take on the characteristics of the rootstock. So no matter what you are going though, push through the pain and remember that you are already grafted and accepted just as you are.

But also remember this: just because you are accepted exactly as you are, that doesn’t mean God is going to leave you that way!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” Psalm 51:10-12 ESV

Impulsive Faith

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I am a chronic over-analyzer. I tend to absolutely overthink everything. I would not refer to myself as a perfectionist by any stretch of the imagination (if you want confirmation of that, just check out my lack of organizational skills), however, when I do something I want to do it well and feel like I owe it to myself and anyone else involved to do the best I possibly can. That tends to cause me a lot of lost sleep as I run through scenarios and conversations that have not even happened in the middle of the night. That quality also makes it difficult to take a step or a leap of faith when I feel called to do something. Rather than thinking about the possibilities of success if I take the step, I tend to think of what kind of ways I could fail.

Sadly, that way of thinking is the polar opposite of how we are supposed to really live out our faith. I don’t recall reading a story in the Bible where the characters had to “think and pray” about anything. They just did what they felt called to. Whether it was Rahab risking her life to protect the Hebrew spies (see Joshua 2), Noah building an Ark when he had never even seen rain (see Genesis 5), or my personal favorite, Peter stepping out of the boat (see Matthew 14), all of these giants of the faith took steps of faith, without hesitation.

News · Why did Jesus walk on water? · United Methodist Men

I especially love Peter, mostly because of his impulsive faith. Sometimes he gets a bad rap because he is impulsive. However, I have a different perspective. I think he is a giant in the area of faith. The man stepped out of a boat, during a storm!!! Who thinks that way? If you look at the story of Peter walking on water as a whole, the rest of the apostles reacted the way a lot of us would. They were fearful. They thought Jesus was a ghost. They had analysis paralysis and likely thought Peter was insane when he called out to Jesus and stepped out of the boat. The funny thing is though, that their hesitation made them miss out on another miracle (by the way, this happened right after Jesus miraculously fed a multitude).

I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to miss out on the miraculous things God has planned for me, because of fear of failure. Or worse yet, I don’t want to let the fear of what others may or may not think of me stop me from stepping out in faith. I lived the first 2/3 of my life missing out on things because I was trying to please others or look a certain way. Whether it was trying to please my parents, teachers or friends, or trying to portray myself as a perfect little Christian, I let those things keep me from taking any bold steps outside of what was “pleasing to man”. I don’t want to live that way. I want to be more like Peter and take bold steps of faith.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 ESV

It is very hard to not want to please, or for some try to impress, those around us. We all want to feel like we belong and are accepted. What isn’t okay, is sacrificing our calling and our faith in order to be a part of that “in-crowd”. My prayer for all of us is that we would shed a little of that cautious nature, and start having a more impulsive faith like that of Peter, Ruth, Paul, Rahab, and countless others. When I leave this world, I want it to be said of me that I wasn’t afraid to take a step, or leap, of faith.

Leap Of Faith Pictures, Photos, and Images for Facebook, Tumblr ...

Tough Days

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Frazzled Mom Cartoon Clipart | Tired mom, Frazzled mom, Busy mom

We are living in a very strange time right now. I have to admit, I am a little bit of a hermit in my normal life (as much as is possible as a public school teacher surrounded by people all day). I cherish the moments I get alone with no one demanding of me, whether it is a high schooler needing help on a math problem, or my own 3 children. However, this is different. This “social distancing” isolation thing is not the same as me shutting my classroom door during the lunch period to get work done and have a few moments alone to listen to my podcasts. No, this world that we are in proves what God himself said in the very beginning, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him- a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.” Genesis 2:18 AMP

As humans, we need each other. We thrive when we are together and able to interact. On the other hand, when we are alone we tend to struggle. That is when depression and discouragement take hold. We need others to build us up.

Today was one of those tough days for me. I am fortunately not alone in my “social distancing”, I have my husband and 3 girls who keep me on my toes. However, I do miss the “outside” world. I miss my rare date nights going out with my husband. I miss having coworkers to talk to and joke around with without staring at a computer screen to do it. I miss going to the grocery store without feeling like you are in a war zone because everyone around you is wearing masks.

Today was one of those days where I looked around the house that I have cleaned 3 or 4 times already this week that looks like an explosion of crumbs, toys, shoes, and dirty laundry…again. It was a day that I have already done two loads of dishes, and probably need to do another. Today was a day where I should have been at church hugging friends and instead, I was stuck in the messy house staring at a screen pretending like it is the same thing. We all know it isn’t.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful for the technology we do have to be able to interact virtually. As a matter of fact, I have loved getting to “attend” other churches in neighboring towns because of the fact that everyone is now live streaming their services. I have really enjoyed that. I also appreciate that I have the means to text or call someone. But like I said, it’s not the same.

So what’s the solution?

I have no idea. To be honest with you, I am only writing this because I felt like I am probably not the only one feeling the same way. I think that we all now realize how much we have taken human interaction for granted. I never valued the interruptions I had when I was trying to get work done at school like I do now. I also never valued how good it felt to go to a grocery store or restaurant without feeling like I may just be swimming in a sea of germs (even though we always have been, just never thought about it).

If nothing else, I hope that we all come out of this appreciating each other a little bit more. I know that even though my kiddos are messy, I do appreciate the fact that I get to experience more little moments with them, like today when my sweet 4 year old finally mastered pedalling a bike. I have also loved seeing them learn more about reptiles because of the lizard, horny toad, and frogs they have found while playing outside. There are definitely blessings coming out of this pandemic.

My prayer right now is for every lonely person whether they are surrounded by family or don’t have anyone else around. I pray for the depressed and the discouraged. Know that even in your loneliest moment, God is there.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Giveaway Time!

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wilderness

During the last financial crisis, in 2009, I was laid off from my job. It was a scary time for me and my husband. It’s hard to explain the emotions you go through.

Now we are in a whole new era with a different kind of crisis. So many have once again been laid off or furloughed from their jobs. There is a lot of uncertainty. Because of that, I want to give away 5 copies of the book I wrote born out of my own time of crisis, Finding God in the Wilderness: Learning to Trust God During Times of Uncertainty.

Entering is easy, simply comment on this post for yourself or tell me about a friend who you would like to enter (you can definitely do both). Please share this post on your social media as well!.

I will pick 5 winners on my wedding anniversary, April 28th.

If you just can’t wait until then, you can order a copy here.