So Much Joy!

I find myself reflecting on the past 3 years and asking myself, "What do I really feel?"  Some may say a few things like sadness, heartbreak, brokenness, instability....shame.  But that is not at all what I feel.  I am reminded of the verse from Psalm 30:5 

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Taking a break from full time ministry and allowing God's redemptive work to weave its way through our family has brought so much joy, at times my heart may burst from the fullness it feels.  At first the pain seemed too much to carry; but as I have found when I truly allow myself to be completely emptied I am left only to be filled with something so much more. It was either to allow bitterness to fill me up or grace!  I choose grace!  I choose it a million times over...again...and again.


Grace heals, Grace forgives.  Grace loves. Grace sustains. Grace brings wholeness. Grace restores.
Grace is JOY!

As we begin this new season, this new journey there is so much excitement that is almost hard to contain at times.  Each day I am reminded that I get to do ministry.  It is a privilege. It is an honor.  I will never be tempted to take it for granted ever again. 

 There is so much joy in serving Jesus.  Joy in knowing that I am saved by grace.  I have been given this free gift of salvation from a God who truly loves me and my family.  His love is so deep and so wide.  And He has saw fit to use me and our story to be a hand that reaches out to those who are hurting.  So they too can feel that love of God who knows them by name!

Everyday... I get to be a children's pastor!  That is exciting!  It is a joy!  

We are so thankful, in this season of pondering the good things of God, for all the people God has placed into our lives.  Sometimes it seems they have come unexpectedly...but my God is very intentional.  Everyone who has entered into our story has been with such great purpose.  I am thankful for each and every one.  My heart has such deep love for the Church!  It has truly been a shinning light.  In a world that may say different,  the church has been the most beautiful to me more than every before.

 Our new church home is wonderful.  I am amazed once again how God has been involved with each and every step to Saginaw.  I remember the first day I drove into the church parking lot my first day. Tears of gratitude streaming down my face.  Lauren Daigle song streaming through my car to the depths of my heart.....

I am guilty

Ashamed of what I've done, what I've become

These hands are dirty

I dare not lift them up to the Holy one

You plead my cause

You right my wrongs

You break my chains

You overcome

You gave Your life

To give me mine

You say that I am free

How can it be

How can it be

I've been hiding

Afraid I've let you down, inside I doubt

That You could love me

But in Your eyes there's only grace now

Though I fall, You can make me new

From this death I will rise with You

Oh the grace reaching out for me

How can it be

How can it be

You plead my cause

You right my wrongs

You break my chains

You overcome

You gave Your life

To give me mine

You say that I am free

How can it be

How can it be

I am truly blessed.  My family is blessed. Our hearts are full this Thanksgiving Season!

GET JOY!

31 Virtues for Our Kids ~ Contentment

Contentment

Over the next few months we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!

Philippians 4:12-13 (New International Version)

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Here is another one of my favorite verses; but reading it again I feel I have a different take on it then I had before. I love it when God shows you something new and challenges you more in your walk with Him.

Verse 13, I quote all the time...throughout my whole life. It is just one of those awesome motivational verses that just keep you going. I kind of always looked at this verse as (hang in there with me) more of cheerleader type verse. I can do it...God gives me the strength. I don't think there is anything wrong with using this verse for that reason. But looking at it again, today I noticed something about it that I never had before.

Being content is one of my own personal struggles. When I think about contentment nothing pictures it more to me than my sleeping baby. My baby is a peace. He is feed. He is cared for. He is loved. His needs are met. He has no cares in the whole wide world…perfect contentment. But as you become an adult all that seems to slip away.

Here we see Paul sharing his heart about learning to be content. He talks about that he knows what it is like to live this life. He has experienced being in need and also having all his needs met. He shares that he has learned the "Secret" to being content in either of those situations. "Secret" caught my attention...I want to know the secret! I don’t have ANY problems being content when I have all I want. I want to know what I can do to be content when it seems like we don't have enough money, when the kids need new clothes, when our car breaks down, when kids are sick, when you are going through rough times. What is the "Secret"? What is the answer?

Then we see it right there in verse 13...you know that verse I quoted a million times...right there as plain as day in front of my face. The secret is it is only God's strength that will help me to be content. I need to call on the supernatural...the divine. Can I tell you the light bulb went one in my head just like that after all these years. So many times I think I can take care of these problems on my own or I worry about how things are going to work out. The point is I try to do it on my own. But really what can I do in my own strength… nothing really and I will only become frustrated and more worried.

When I find my strength in Christ then the God of the universe has control. I need to give Him that control and then He can help me learn to be content. Contentment is trust. Trust in a living God who has it all in His hands. Letting God be all who His is and all He has promised. When we allow God to be our everything and be our strength we will learn the secret of being content in any and every situation. The “Secret” to being content in this life is the strength that comes from God who gives it to us which then enables us to be content.

Oh Jesus, I want my kids to learn and understand what it means to be content.....

*"Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength."

*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids

Confessions of a 9 Year Old!

I love have alone times with my kids. Yesterday, I spent some time with my oldest child. We went to the grand opening of our new children's library here in town. They had yummy cookies (red velvet cookies...I was excited about that too), free t-shirts and a magician. My daughter is fascinated with magic. She likes to figure out how they are doing the tricks. The guy was pretty funny too. It was so much fun to watch her laugh. She got her very own library card after the show... that was pure excitement there.

We did a little shopping after and then decided to go to Burger King for and Icee. As she sat across from me, I began to wonder about what she thinks about her life...does she like it? Is she happy?

I asked her…

What do like about our town?

I like it because it is quiet and not to busy. I like the river and the Riverwalk restaurant there food is delicious. I like that we live close to our schools so we can walk to them. I like my friends and my church.

Why do you like our church?

My friends and because it is big....It has three floors. (This made me laugh because I don't think our church is very big at all)

What do you love about your life?

I love my family, friends and Jesus. I am glad that I have food and shelter to protect me from the rain and lightening.

What would you change?

I would change the time school start like 9:20 instead of 8:20. We both agreed on that idea. LOL

I sat there and then a God thought came to me.....Honey, you are pretty content aren't you?

Yep! She replied without even thinking much about it.

"Huh", I thought to myself. I began to think back to when I was a little girl. I am very thankful about my childhood; it was very good, no heart ache, no pain, just simple and pure. I remember that I felt the same things that my daughter just told me. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most children in the world for all too many sad reasons. Thankfully, my daughter is experiencing the same type of childhood. We are both very blessed.

But it made me think about being content and why does it change in adults so much. I started to ask God questions. Is it because a child doesn't know about all the things they can have? Is it because she doesn't have the adult worries? Is it because adults mess things up too much? Is it greed in us to always want more? Is it because she hasn't had bad things happen to her? Is it expectations we place on ourselves or let others place on us? Maybe, is it all these things?

God just said, "So what about these things"! What does it really matter why we are not content? We need to acknowledge when we are in a place of discontentment and find our simple contentment in Christ. What can not control every thing in our life, we can only control our reactions to those things. Christ provides our every need and that is good enough. My daughter has every need meet in her life and she is good with that.

God says in His word,
Philippians 4:11 (New International Version)I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances

God is asking us to be content no matter what is going on in our lives....kind of goes against the whole American way doesn't it?

Huh, something to chew on for awhile....



Side note I am reading chapter 3 in Primal....I read it that night and I think God was trying to say something to me. It was about your finances and your heart behind them. Once again God I am reminded about how much God is always trying to speak to us in so many ways. I will probably blog about it Friday.