We all go through hard things. We hate going through them. We question why we have to go through them. And it stinks for a long time. I think that long time is called time on earth.

Because there is rejoicing in Heaven. Oh how I can’t wait to be there rejoicing.

But, in the mean time, we have to be thankful for the cross because even Jesus did not despise the cross. The thing that killed Him. He saw what was on the other side.

I think we have to do the same.

We have to look to the other side.

Tough times are gonna come, if they haven’t already, but we have a hope that is greater than our pain. We have Jesus.

In that hard day, look to the other side. See the joy waiting for you when you get out. See the smile on your loved ones when you finally arrive.

I think of the Angels in Heaven praising our God for every day He gave us. I think of my family in Heaven thanking God for the miracles He made in their lives. And I think of Jesus, waiting to come back to us.

Take hope today, there is good ahead. There is another side to this pain you simply can’t see yet. And there is Jesus.

Think of how a sunflower constantly follows the sun. Where the sun goes, so does the sunflower. Because it knows the sun will provide what the sunflower needs.

So follow Jesus, He has what you need. He knows what’s ahead.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ 

During November, people reflect on what they are thankful for. When Daisy asked me to write this month, I began to pray that God would lead me to a super uplifting post of thanksgiving. I have to chuckle because in true God fashion, He directed me in a way that I was not going. After a few days of praying, God gently reminded me to be thankful for the difficulties. In our seasons of thankfulness, we should be thanking Him for the trials, the difficulties, the sufferings. Ouch! Those are not things we consider in our time of thanksgiving. Have you stopped to thank God for those? 

The trials are just that-trials. They are hard. They get us down. The past several weeks have been difficult for me. Yet, God says to be thankful for these times. He is working out a perfect plan that is eternal. These times are building and strengthening me to become what He wants me to be. I have to remind myself to stay focused. I have been through far greater difficulties in life than these recent weeks. During those times, my father reminded me to “not miss what God has for me in the difficulties”. When I go through hardships, I try to remember those words. You see, God’s plans are incredibly beautiful, even in the sufferings, the trials, the difficulties. When we are thankful in and for the afflictions, we are allowing God to do His beautiful work in us. 

As we consider the hard times, instead of focusing on the pain, let us focus on what God is doing through the pain. James 1:2-4 tells us that we should “count it all joy when you fall into various trials”. The reason we can count the trials as joy is because God is doing a work of perfection in us. He is wanting us to “be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”. Part of that work is accomplished through trials. During this season of thanksgiving, let’s not forget to be thankful for the hard times. God is working out a glorious masterpiece!

“Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.”

Psalms 97:12

This time of year is a season where we will be reflecting on the past year and all that we are thankful for as well as looking ahead to what the next could hold. It’s a great time to do exactly as this verse states: give thanks at remembrance. In the past month, I’ve noticed God cultivating in me a heart of thankfulness through reflection.

I’ve reflected on how He has brought along desires and answered prayers; gratitude and awe fills my heart. Hope that seemed deferred has been fulfilled and it’s a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12) to my faith, a thing I can continually point to as reference of His sovereignty and faithfulness.

Thank you, Jesus!

I’ve reflected on healing — the difference of where I was just a year ago versus today. The way the hope I thought was gone forever has been re-established. Faith restored. He makes us new.

Thank you, Jesus!

I’ve reflected on how I used to be so fearful of things that today I’m doing on the regular. The growth that is evident. The growth that is still happening. He strengthens and establishes.

Thank you, Jesus!

I’ve reflected on His provision; how He always supplies my every need. I could be stressed out and worried one moment and later find He made a way and has worked it out. He is a way maker and a miracle worker.

Thank you, Jesus!

Each notice to His goodness, kindness, and faithfulness creates a song in my heart.

His gentle, steady hand in it all. His timing perfect. Delays used for my good. He has always been so good to me — in everything! The only obvious thing to do is give thanks.

And when I take that moment to let thankfulness be in my heart, it shifts the atmosphere. I may, for a moment, be focused on lack, dwelling on past hurts, worried, or fearful but then He brings something to my remembrance of how far we’ve come — thanksgiving and praise breaks forth! My mind and my heart then steer toward Him and looks ahead with expectancy for all the ways He will do it again in the future.

I remember His name is Faithful and True (Revelation 3:14, 19:11)!

My hope and encouragement to you all is that you find Him far more faithful and true than you realize this season; that in reflection of this year or even years past your heart can sing a spiritual song to the Lord. A song where you see how all the pieces are fitting together. Especially for those who may have lost their song this past year. May you find that hope deferred, when the desire comes, is a tree of life. That disappointments bring us closer to Him and His good plan for us. That waiting isn’t punishment but preparation. That healing or breakthrough can happen suddenly. That He meets us right where we are. That He works all things for good. That nothing is too hard for Him. That His promises are “yes and amen”. That His timing is perfect. And that He has not forgotten you. The journey and process of His faithfulness varies for us all but the result is the same: THANKFULNESS. Praise. Glory to God. A hallelujah on our lips…and in our hearts.

Reflect upon His past goodness and faithfulness this season, upon all He has done. Let your faith be stirred. Rejoice and give thanks in remembrance to His holy name!

“Everlasting or Barely Lasting?”

Has anyone else’s life at some point gone from one extreme to the other? Good to bad? Calm to absolute chaos? Rainstorm to hurricane?

No? Just me?

Life is busy – life can be HARD. And your hard may look different than my hard, but it’s still just – hard. Or maybe, just hard days, hard seasons, or hard moments.

When those days or moments hit, it’s easy to lose heart, right? It’s “easier” to focus on the overwhelming, the pain, the troubles, and stresses rather than God’s ultimate goal for our life. We let the chaos of our busy schedules, the “what ifs”, the anxieties, consume us.

My friend, don’t lose heart. Don’t miss every opportunity to take your burdens and heartaches to our perfect COUNSELOR. Placing your focus on the reward for our faith and true joy that is EVERLASTING. Taking your eyes off the troubles, worldly things, sins, and circumstances that are BARELY lasting .

That’s a tough one.

Where is your focus? My focus? Are we enveloped in His Spirit daily remembering that no matter what happens today or in this life, we have the assurance of eternal life? When all suffering ends and all sorrow flees away, are we putting our faith in His everlasting or the world’s barely lasting?

Brothers and sisters, don’t give up. Don’t give in to the “hard” of today’s pain or circumstances and forsake your eternal reward.

Your EVERLASTING.

Our very weakness, our very vulnerability, our very brokenness, allows the absolute power of the resurrection of Christ to strengthen us moment by moment. So LET HIM…. HE won’t fail you. 💛

Being a mother has been my job for the past 5 years. I have gone through many seasons of life with my children, both challenging and rewarding, but nothing hit harder than sending my son to Kindergarten this year.

He would now be spending more time with other people than ever, away from my watchful eye, comfort, and protection. This experience threw me into a time of reflection. I felt the Lord pressing upon my heart several questions:

How will my son respond when he sees behaviors that are not Christ like?

Will he understand the difference in living for Christ vs living for the world?

What can I do better to reiterate the values that we want to instill within him?

Our Church is in a study of Matthew where some of these points were directly addressed by Jesus.

Matthew writes about the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16, ESV

Reflecting on the words of Jesus helped me to understand that my children are bound to be introduced to influences outside of my control, BUT I need to continue to focus on my good works and being intentional in living a Christ-like life, to have the greatest impact on my children’s desire to glorify God.

I want my thoughts, words, and actions to reflect Christ in me to my children. I want them to know that I am critical of anything I give my attention to. I want them to see me in bible study, in prayer, and at church. I want them to look back on their time with me and know that I was walking with the Lord, giving them the confidence to do the same.

Our greatest testimony to our kids can be how we live our lives.

Pruning

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2, NIV.

Gardening is not my strength, but I love plants. I especially love flowering plants that bloom, like rose bushes. I have several rose bushes and I have learned that one of the most important parts of caring for them is pruning. Cutting the branches off, specifically where there are wilted flowers, helps the plant to flourish. When done well the bush will bloom more often and be fuller after a good pruning.

Sometimes in life we have seasons of subtraction. For me, one such season was the time God asked me to not only stop leading a church Bible study, but to leave my home church altogether. It felt like a huge loss leaving behind so many relationships and years of dedication.

However, God brought me to a new church where I am growing in new ways and I can now see he wasn’t taking anything from me, he was pruning.

In John 15:2 Jesus says God prunes his branches that are fruit-bearing so they can bear even more fruit. We are the branches in this metaphor, sprouting off the vine of Jesus. We don’t always understand the purpose of pruning, but we have to trust the gardener. His perspective is far and wide when we see only our present circumstances. And he is a good, skilled gardener.

So, when you feel God calling you to step back from a dream you are pursuing, let go of a business, ministry, or vocation you have been dedicated to, or eliminate even the most enjoyable obligation, do it. His ways are higher and everything he does is for your good and his glory. The pain of pruning is temporary but the consequences of resisting the prune may be lasting.

Sometimes God knows the weight of a certain branch has become too heavy and needs to lighten it. Other times he is simply preparing a branch for a greater, more beautiful bloom. Always, he wants us to be fruitful. Sometimes that means water, sunshine, and nutrients. Sometimes it means pruning.

Being tended to isn’t always pleasant, but it is always beneficial when the gardener is God. Where have you felt a call to pruning in your life? What dead weight are you carrying? How can you lean into God and accept his pruning in this situation?

Prayer: God, you are the best gardener. May everything I do bring you glory, including being faithful in allowing your shears to strip away anything I am no longer to carry. Forgive me for trying to grow on my own and resisting your pruning. Help me to be quick to accept your instructions and to grow in the way you intend. Thank you for loving me enough to prune my life for your glory and my good. Amen.

Anybody else desperately and impatiently awaiting the arrival of fall weather?

I’m looking forward to chilly mornings, chunky sweaters…and not sweating during school morning duty. While the weather may not be fully cooperating, fall is already full of all the things.

Back to school. Homework. Practices. Classes.

Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Am I right?

This often leaves little time and space for Jesus.

As a teacher, fall is my starting line but has so often felt like the finish line.

Many seasons I have found myself too busy, burnt out, and breaking down before reaching Thanksgiving Break. This has little to do with life’s busyness and burdens, but everything to do with my boundaries.

I think we believe that boundaries are religious rules and restrictions.

We believe that boundaries make us disconnected or disengaged.

Yet so much of God’s work is based on boundary lines.

In the beginning, He separated light from dark.

He placed a gap between the land and the water.

Then, He gave Adam and Eve clear lines to live in.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Genesis 2:16-17

Like Eve did, we cross our boundaries in hopes of getting more,

achieving more, seeing more, and having more, but ultimately fail.

The more is found in the margin.

We must give God a place to come and be present.

We must give God space to speak and room to move.

We must give God a chance to have His will and way.

This can’t happen with packed schedules and piled-up plates.

This can’t happen with minds moving faster than our feet.

This can’t happen without well-defined boundaries.

It’s not that He isn’t able, it’s that we aren’t available.

You may be saying, “But I just can’t.”

“Everybody needs me. I can’t say no.”

“Everything is important. Nothing can go.”

Like Eve, we question whether the boundaries are truly for our good.

But time and time again, I go back to the beginning.

Where boundaries were the basis of creation.

Where boundaries created safe places.

Where boundaries were blessings.

Boundaries aren’t bad in nature.

They are lane lines for all drivers.

They are bumpers for the bad bowler.

They are fences for the dog that runs.

They set us in safe places.

They point us to our purpose.

They keep us close to Him.

I encourage you to not try to do it all this fall.

Say no. Set boundaries. Make room. Set aside time.

Go back to the beginning where boundaries were our blessings.

God is worthy of all praise. In every moment.

A few nights ago God found me in a moment of sadness. I was just going through it, really missing a member of my family. And then a worship song came on. It’s called, “The Story I’ll Tell.”

A few lyrics in and I’m tearing up, and then the chorus hits and I’m bawling my eyes out.

It goes like this, “and I’ll testify of the battles you’ve won. How you were my portion when there wasn’t enough. And I’ll testify of the seas we’ve crossed. The waters you’ve parted, the waves that I’ve walked.”

And I just love how it says the battle YOU’VE won. Because it is all God you guys. He is our portion!!

Later in the song it says, “and all that is left is highest praises. So sing hallelujah to the Rock of Ages.”

And that is where I was. I had nothing left in me. I knew that God is good, and that He had a plan & purpose for these trials, but I was just so sad. And in that moment, the Holy Spirit called me to worship. To just praise God. Because he is the Rock of Ages. And again in that moment the peace of God washed over me.

Maybe someone is going through the same thing I am. You don’t know what to do next?

Just praise God.

He is worthy of every moment of worship we can offer. He is worthy of each tear, laugh, smile, and He wants your heart.

Keep singing Hallelujah to our Rock of Ages.

Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

He saves the crushed in spirit friend.

My prayers go out to you.

I get a lot of questions about Bibles, devotionals, and studies for teenage girls. I truly love seeking out great ones that will impact these young girls for many years. Y’all, I love a good devotional. I mean – hello!

Being a teenager is hard, y’all.

No doubt.

They need all the help they can get especially in this social media driven world. After all, what goes in is what comes out. We need to feed them all the good, wholesome food that we can, and it starts with us. We are their first source of nutrition.

If we can teach our girls to be Kingdom-focused then we can rest assured that they are going to be just fine in anything and everything that this ol’ world throws their way.

Because if they are truly Kingdom-focused then they are God-focused, and they have a best friend that’s never going to steer them wrong. Now I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy, but I am saying that they will never be alone. I am saying that they will have true joy as they sojourn on through the path that is placed before them.

They won’t have to worry about what college or what career or what friends or what guy because they will be in constant communication with their creator – the one that planned their future in the womb. The one that loves them more than anyone else. Even more than you do – let that sink in. It’s the truth.

We have to teach them to listen. We have to show them how to obey.

God will guide them through the small steps and the big steps and all the messy mundane steps in the middle.

We just have to show them how, Mamas. We have to model this way of life, and we have to be real about it. There’s gonna have to be a lot of conversations. A lot of praying. A lot of praise and worship – and a lot of holding your own tongue when you really wanna let it rip.

So, Mamas, let’s do a self check:

▪️How are you?

▪️Are you truly trusting in God for the big and the small?

▪️Are you Kingdom-focused?

▪️Are you modeling this out loud and on purpose?

It starts with you, Mama. It starts with you.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

“We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.”

Hebrews 6:19

An effective anchor is unseen. It goes down into the deep to grab hold of the secure ground in order to hold the boat steady. If the anchor is seen, it is likely not doing its job and the boat is bouncing around and drifting. An effective anchor is also securely attached to the boat. If the anchor is not attached securely, it will come loose again causing the boat to bounce around and drift. Bouncing and drifting in uncertain waters can be very dangerous, so it is imperative for that anchor to work.

Life is filled with choppy, dangerous waters. I remember with great detail a few years ago when our lives seemed to be in complete chaos. We didn’t know how we were going to pay for our daughter’s last year of college as my husband was without work. We didn’t know how we were going to manage rebuilding after a major flood destroyed our home and took our cars. We didn’t know where we were going to live if/when we managed to rebuild. We didn’t know how we were going to continue to help our son who was in seminary. Basically, we just didn’t know a whole lot except that we were in turbulent waters, and life was hard. My husband told me, “This is when our faith is lived out. Because of Christ, we have hope.” We had to make sure our lives were securely attached to the Anchor we could not physically see but that we professed to believe in. We had hope because of our Anchor. As we held on, all of the answers to those questions we didn’t have answers to were answered in ways we could not even have imagined. That Anchor held us steady through one of the most difficult and tumultuous times of our lives.

It’s easy to have faith in the good times, but what about those hard times? Do we have that Anchor that holds us? We cannot physically see God, but we can trust in His secure holding of us when we are firmly attached. That Anchor is what gives us hope when things seem hopeless. When those choppy, dangerous waters are present, and they will come, stay securely holding onto the Anchor that you may not physically see. In that Anchor lies our hope for life no matter what turbulence we face.