Passionate Parenting

I read an article this morning about the word passion. Although it is a great word and the perfect word to describe our emotions for God, the author questioned its intent in some situations. He very accurately suggested that the word leaves one feeling a need to "always" be tingling with anticipation and to "always" be in a state of rapidly heart-beating worship. He called it the spiritual life on caffeine.


I think we sometimes suggest that kind of passion to our children. The kind of spiritual intensity that makes us feel like they are doing the right thing or making the right decisions. We forget that God is at work in their souls. The part that we cannot see. The part that is just between them.


I think one of the biggest lies that Christian parents believe is that if one of our children does not appear to be doing the right thing then we panic. Or if they are obviously making bad choices we assume that they are lost and going down the wrong path. We tend to let others opinions and thoughts drive how we see our own children.


We can make our families and ourselves and our children look any way we want to on paper. In a blog. On Facebook. In a Christmas card. We can passionately be the picture perfect parent. But when the screen goes dark and the end of the day is here, the caffeine wears off. That is when the real passion comes.


The passionate part of parenting can't always be seen or written about. It comes in the time spent on our knees. In the gap pleading for protection. In the middle of the night wrestling with the doubts and the worry. In the unconditional love given to the child that wants to do it their way. In the standing firm with unwavering faith. In the trusting that the promises are true. In the waiting for God's timing. In the believing that He works all things together for good. In the allowing our Anchor to hold in middle of the storms. In the passion that finds Jesus even in our darkest hour.


I love when my children are passionate about something. Especially when they show passion for their faith. That kind of passion that is found in youth. But I pray that the passion they end up with is the kind that gives them an anchor for a lifetime. The kind of passion that awakens their souls as they find their way through this world. The kind of passion that asks questions. That seeks answers. That searches beyond what others think and moves outside of the box.


I want to parent with that passion. The kind that loves even when I don't agree. The kind that prays instead of preaching. The kind that pursues into the darkness. The kind that awaits patiently for the path to appear. The kind that believes with every part of my being that each of my children are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of Jesus with a plan and a purpose for their future. The kind of passion that makes Jesus smile. The kind that sometimes requires caffeine!

"Lord, I pray my children’s souls would pant for you

 as the deer pants for streams of water." 

Psalm 42:1 

He never lets go...

Today is another one of those days when no words seem adequate. The last year has been filled with sadness and death and tragedy. So many friends are hurting. So much really hard stuff. With some really good stuff mixed in.


Where do you put it all? How do you process the hurt alongside the good? The phone call that says a child has died and then the next phone call that says your friend does not have cancer. The intense pain with the overwhelming relief. All in the same day. All at the same time.


Our sermon yesterday was about Resurrection Power. That truth that reminds us that even at our darkest hour God is still in control. That truth that we can hold tight to the One who never lets go. That in our time of need He is there. Even when we cannot feel or see, we can know.


My prayer today for all of my sweet friends is this:

May the Peace that passes all understanding engulf you. 

May you drown in His Mercy. 

May you sink in the ocean of His Grace. 

May the arms of His strength be felt so tightly around you 

that you can hardly move. 

May you rest your head on His heart. 

May you feel His fingers gently as you allow Him to lift your chin 

to look full into His face. 

May you feel His gaze pierce your hurting heart with pure Love. 

May you stay still as long as it takes to fully know that you 

are being held in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Dwell there for a while and rest. ~ Amen.

No words. Just prayers.

Learning to Listen Well

It has been one of those weeks. The kind that has been filled with big, heavy circumstances. Not mine necessarily. But I have heard lots of stories of heartache and sadness this week. I have heard voices of anger and frustration. I have heard voices of pain. I have heard voices of despair. I have heard voices of desperate need. I have heard voices claiming healing. I have heard voices of reason. Voices of Hope. Voices of Love. Voices of discernment and wisdom.


Sometimes we can hear all of those voices in the same conversation. What we hear depends on how well we listen. The way we listen. With what perspective we choose to hear.


As I sit here this morning, listening, I hear a voice that tells me to listen with His ears. To learn to listen beyond the words. To follow the lead of Jesus and listen to the heart.


I have learned over the years to seek wise voices. When I am not sure of what to say or what to think or how to respond, I have learned to seek and not speak. Seek first His voice. Seek the voice that seeks His word. Seek the voice that speaks Truth no matter what. Seek the voice that loves because they know how to listen well.


As I share what I think I heard this week and try to pray for my sweet friends; I find myself hearing behind some of the words. I don't know how to describe it. It is that mystery. The groanings being interpreted in intercession. The words being formed for me. The hidden things of the heart being brought to light. The Teacher showing me how to listen well.

Listen carefully to my wisdom; 

take to heart what I can teach you. 

You'll treasure its sweetness deep within; 

you'll give it bold expression in your speech. 

Proverbs 22:17-18 the message

His Words

Some days the only words that can be formed are His. 
And they never return void...

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

You find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to Your word, you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through Death Valley,

I'm not afraid when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner 
right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me

 every day of my life.

I'm back home in the house of God

for the rest of my life.

Psalm 23  the message 

A Place of Safety

I got a text message at 6:30am. "Ding. Ding." That is the sound of my incoming text messages. It startled me. It was too early in the morning for someone to be texting me. I quickly grabbed my phone to check the message. It was one of my daughters. Sending me a picture of her outfit! Wanting to know if the shoes matched the new pants. Oh my goodness.


I got a phone call around 5:30pm. The ring tone indicated that it was another daughter. Of course I answered immediately. She just wanted someone to talk to while she waited for a meeting to start. She was there early. She didn't know anyone else so she needed to talk to me for a little while until she saw someone she knew. Oh my goodness.


I had a missed call at 7:10pm. It was still another daughter. I was in line paying for the booster club of the sport she is participating in. I had silenced my phone during the meeting. She went to the car with her daddy. It was a long line. She was hungry and wanted dinner. So she called my silenced phone. Twice. Oh my goodness.


As silly as those phone calls were, each one of my daughters knew that they could call or text me anytime for any reason. They have access to me. And they take advantage of that access. All the time. I usually always respond. Even if to just say that I am busy and can I get back to them. They do not hesitate to make that call because they know that I am a place of safety. No matter what the reason for the call.


My devotion this morning was on safety. God's safety. That dwelling place. The place that calms the fears. The place that wipes away the tears. That place where nothing can harm me. That place of peace. I call on that place often. I take advantage of that access. No matter what the reason is.


I never have to worry about not getting a response. He always has time for me.  I haven't always run there first, though. It has been a learned lifestyle. As I spend more time with Him and get to know His character better, my first instinct is to call Him. I know that He is my place of safety. No matter what the reason for the call.

But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. 

Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, 

and He hears my voice.  

Psalm 55:16-17

Blessings wrapped in trials...

I was invited to have dinner with two incredible women last night. One, a young mom and the other a soon to be grandmother. Both have experienced heartache. Both have experienced trials. Both are women who know from experience where their strength comes from. And I had the privilege of sharing a meal while they shared their hearts.


As we ate and laughed and talked about life, the conversation turned to God's goodness. We remembered together what brought us all to that table. The tapestry that only a loving and merciful God could weave together. We recalled how I received a phone call one day asking me to call a young mom who was new to the church and needed a place to learn and be loved on. The phone call came from my sweet friend who died suddenly a year ago. She was the definition of hospitality and loving well. She began the tapestry by making that phone call.


I then called the young mom and invited her to my home for Bible study. She came. She listened. She slowly began to share her heart and her hurt. The women in my den embraced her with prayer and love. She began to experience community. And she loved us well also. The door to freedom was slowly being opened.


A year or so later, I received another phone call. This one was a call of help and need. Things had escalated at home. She no longer felt safe there. She needed a break and needed somewhere to go. A name popped in my head. I made a phone call. My other friend's heart was open and so was her home. The connection was made and another door to freedom was opened.


My friend who opened her home had been in my Bible study years before. She had gone through a divorce after many years of marriage. She was on the other side of healing. She was allowing God to use her story to help young girls. Her heart and her home had been prepared over the last few years and she was in a place financially and spiritually to offer long term help.


The last few months have been full of healing and learning and blessings. None of it has been easy. Both of my friends would tell you that none of it has been fun. The reality of the situation is hard and ugly and painful. But the blessings are real too. They are illuminated among the darkness of the situation. Something only God can do. Beauty for ashes.


As I drove home in the damp fog last night, I was keenly aware of my headlights cutting through the mist. I could only see a few feet in front of me until my lights illuminated what was around the corner. I was overwhelmed by the privilege of being a small part of God's big picture. His faithfulness never ceases to amaze me. Both of these women have allowed me to pray for them and with them through their trials. And He has allowed me to see His faithfulness in action. 


It doesn't always happen like that. We don't always get to see the blessings. But when we do, we need to recognize them and celebrate in the middle of the trial. That is what last night was about. The pain is not over. The situation is not resolved. The answers are still not clear. But in the middle of it all, we celebrated Who God is.


A young mom who is looking forward into an unknown future. An older mom who is looking back over a life of hard lessons. And a humbled mom who is blessed to have a glimpse into God's handiwork. He is faithful. He is merciful. He is the door to freedom.

I purchased this Peace for you with My blood. 

You receive this gift by trusting Me 

in the midst of life's storms. If you have the world's peace-

everything going your way- you don't seek 

My unfathomable Peace. Thank Me when things 

do not go your way, because spiritual blessings 

come wrapped in trials. ~ Jesus Calling

Reflections on a Rainy Day

I am having a hard time getting motivated this morning. I am sitting in my chair next to the window listening to the rain and just enjoying the quiet solitude of stillness. My mind has been wandering all morning. I have just been sitting in His presence listening. 


I hear the birds chirping. I hear the rain dripping off the tree outside my window. I hear the coffee pot downstairs beep as it turns itself off.  My dog is snoring. I can hear him all the way upstairs. The house is empty but my heart is full. I just got off the phone with my sweet husband. After a lengthy conversation about our opinions on several matters, the last thing I heard him say was that all he knew for sure was that he loved me very much. I hear God echo that He loves me very much too.


 My life has not always been like this. I have spent many years hearing other voices that drowned out the still small Voice. Danny and I were agreeing in our conversation this morning about some things that we want to change for our girls. Voices and things we heard that we want to break for the next generation. Not because the people or the voices were wrong or bad, but because we are looking back through a different lens. We are reflecting on the past as a tool to help us mirror the future. To shine the light of Truth and Restoration on the world around us. 


A year ago today I was preparing for major surgery. I was fearful. I was unsure. I was facing the unknown. I have been reflecting on the days that lead up to my surgery. I had been at the home of a dear friend and church member that had died unexpectedly. The shock and sadness were overwhelming. The only thing people could do was just be together. Be there for the children. Be there for the husband. My fears of being put to sleep were overtaking me in that place. Fear is not a fun place to dwell.


In the middle of a home filled with the shock of death, my pastor's wife asked if she could pray with me. Right there, in a bedroom upstairs, we prayed. She helped me to release some of my fears. To hear what God was telling me about why I was afraid. To hear that Voice assure me that all would be okay. In the middle of a place that was fresh with fear, He met me and stilled my fearful heart.


He will meet you too. Right where you are today. In the middle of a fearful circumstance. In the middle of a scary situation. In the middle of a fallen world full of yuck and hard stuff. He is there. His Voice is strong and full of compassion. Listen. He will speak. I promise.

Listen, heavens, I have something to tell you. 

Attention, earth, I've got a mouth full of words. 

My teaching, let it fall like a gentle rain, 

my words arrive like morning dew, 

like a sprinkling rain on new grass, 

like spring showers on the garden.  

Deuteronomy 32:1-2  the message

Rest in your blessings!

The last two days I have been on a cleaning frenzy. As wonderful as the holidays were around here, the aftermath was beginning to overtake us. I am feeling the need to simplify my home. A friend told me that each time another child left her home she went through a nesting period. You know, just like we did before they were born. Something about change and the need to get your house in order. I guess that is where I am.


So, as I did a room by room speed clean the last few days, I had time to reflect a little too. I literally shut down all distractions and focused on the task at hand. I left my phone in my room. I turned off the computers and turned on the music. It is amazing what you can get done and how much time you have when you get rid of all distractions. I just scratched the surface of my Operation Simplify but I am off to a good start and we are enjoying a wonderfully clean house.


This morning I was reading in Psalms. My devotion was about blessings amid the storms of life. It made me think about the last few days. As I went through the rooms of my home and cleaned, straightened and threw out; I did what most women do. I redecorated in my head. I made all kinds of plans of how I could change this room and update that one. I switched things around and made a pile of things to give away. I even debated completely redoing our family room with all new furniture. But, then the thought of the tight budget for this year snapped me back to reality.


Last night, Danny and I sat in our den next to the fire and talked about how we could simplify our surroundings. As we talked about each room and what we would change, it dawned on us that we really did not need to change anything. There was something in every room that told a story. Our story. That represented who we are and where we came from. We had the best time talking about our kitchen table that is the same one I grew up on. The table in our den that belonged to a grandmother. The dresser in our bedroom that belonged to another grandmother. The china plates in our dining room that represent generations and memories of great southern cooking. All the things that might not be the proper decorating choice but that represent our blessings. Our past. The good and the not so good.


I love something new as much as anyone. This is our third house since we have been married. But all the stuff has stayed with us. I cannot bring myself to let go of those things. I think that sometimes people think that simplifying and cleaning out gives them a chance to throw out the past. To get rid of the pain. And sometimes that may be the case. But I also think that God uses it all. And our blessings aren't always neat little packages tied up with picture perfect bows. Sometimes the things that represent the hard place or the sad place or the lonely place that we came from are the kind of blessings that remind us how great our God is. The things that remind us how far He has brought us. Remind us how much He has changed us. The things that speak volumes about beauty from ashes.


So, this morning I am counting my blessings. Even the ones that are outdated and not necessarily the show piece that will win a home decorating award. But they remind me that I can rest in my blessings. The ones tied up all pretty and the ones that came disguised in pain and heartache. My home tells a story. Our story of real life and real people and real messes. A story of redemption. Of purpose. Of hope. Of a Love that has carried us to this point. And a Love that will continue to shower us with blessings.

I said to myself, 

"Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings." 

Psalm 116:7 the message

Strength til Sunset

"We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken." 
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 the message


I am not sure who needs to hear this today but I feel like this verse is needed by some one. I hear from so many women who just feel like they cannot continue one more day in their current situation. Today is a new day. Grace abounds. Mercy is available. Protection is yours. Hold tight to the One who knows what to do. Do not believe the lies that are battering you from every side. Your circumstances are not what defines you. Even if they throw you down today, you will not break! God is on your side!


Praying for all my friends today who just need a little help holding their arms up. The battle is the Lord's. Lift your staff today and know that I am praying for and with you in the battle. He is faithful. Receive His peace and His blessing.

When Moses' hands grew tired, 

they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. 

Aaron and Hur held his hands up - 

one on one side, one on the other - 

so that his hands remained steady until sunset. 

Exodus 17:12

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Today we are celebrating my middle daughter's 19th birthday. She is so full of life and a joy to our family. She can lighten any situation with her sense of humor. She has a quick wit that usually nails the truth but somehow always manages to cut through a tense moment. It is one of her gifts. She gives the impression that she knows exactly who she is but underneath she tends to lean more towards insecurity. She is strong and resilient. She is a fighter and continues to push forward through any trial. I admire her for that. Even when things are unraveling in her life, she seems to rise above it and never gets stagnant in the trial. She is as comfortable in a crown and sash as she is wearing camo and holding a gun. But at the end of the day, she struggles with what most of us struggle with. She struggles to believe that she is fearfully and wonderfully made.


I think all my girls struggle from time to time to be who they were created to be. Just to be themselves without pretense or expectation to be like someone else. Honestly, I don't know a young girl or woman who at some point in their life has not tried to be like someone else or felt insecure around certain people or felt like they fell short. The world heaps such expectations on our young girls. It is almost overwhelming at times. 


But Jesus came to overcome the world. To set the captive free. To give us an example of living our lives to simply glorify the Father. We each were made in His image. We were created to be simply us. No one else. There is something so peaceful in that realization. We don't have to work to be us. We were knit together by the Creator of the Universe with a plan and a purpose. Jesus believes it. But most of us don't.


Why do we struggle so hard to except that Truth? To live each day knowing that we are loved with an everlasting, eternal love. Knowing that everything that touches us has been filtered through the fingers of an all-knowing God. Why is that so hard to believe?


I read a short devotion this morning that challenged me. This is what it said: "I think we should learn who we are. Discover the desires and the personality God gave you alone, and let those shine out as He intended when He gave them to you. In Psalm 4, David suggests 'when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.' Isn't that a lovely picture? Before you hitch your wagon to another 'example', go somewhere quiet and meet yourself."


Over the last few years, I have learned to listen better. I have learned to hear the Voice of Truth instead the voice that screams the lies. I have always struggled with insecurity. With worrying about what others thought of me or how I looked to other people. I grew up in an environment that taught me that you needed to fit in. To look like everyone else. To talk like them. To think like them. To be what they wanted you to be.


But I only need to be who I was created to be. That is enough. So today as you go through your everyday stuff and you find yourself believing the lie of not measuring up to those around you, just stop. Go somewhere alone and listen. Ask God who He made you to be. He will tell you because you are the apple of His eye. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Live in that Truth today.

I call on You, O God,  for You will answer me; 

give ear to me and hear my prayer. 

Show the wonder of Your great love, 

You who save by Your right hand 

those who take refuge in You from their foes. 

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; 

hide me in the shadow of Your wings.  

Psalm 17:6-8

Trials Today, Perspective Tomorrow

I have been reading the first chapter of the book of James this morning. As you may know, it is all about trials. It says very clearly that we will experience them. It states in no uncertain terms that we cannot live a life that is free from trials. But the chapter offers very clear instruction on how to handle the trials that we face.


Today is one of those days that I looked back over my journal. I was trying to figure out the date that an event occurred last year. As I looked over my journal entries from this time last year, I was reminded of what a hard time it had been. We were emerging from the winter storms that had shut down much of the Northeast. All of my children were making big decisions about their future. Katie had committed to her study abroad program in Italy. She was praying about the perfect host family. Ansley had decided at the last minute to submit her application to the University of Georgia. She was also praying about some painful things in her personal life. Maddie was trying to decide what classes she would take in high school. She was praying about which level classes to take. I had been told that I had to have major surgery that would put me out of commission for a minimum of 4 weeks. Danny had the flu. We had been dealing with the death of several friends and church members. A dear friend was in critical condition in the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm. And unknown to us, there was a tragic death of a friend and church staff member that was going to catch us all off guard.


What a difference a year makes. Looking back I can see God's hand of protection. I can see His peace and His provision. I can see how He was there in all of it. I have the knowledge now to see the answers and the paths that He gave us. But in the middle of it, my vision was not so clear.


I read a quote in one of my devotions this morning. It helped me to make sense of the last year and the trials that are ahead of me. "Rehearsing your troubles results in experiencing them many times, whereas you are meant to go through them only when they actually occur." How very true! But that is exactly what we do. We rehearse the scene we perceive to be coming. We talk about what we think is going to happen. We ready ourselves for what our human minds can conjure up. We write the script the way we see it before it ever happens.


But God does not want us to live that way. We need to draw on our experiences and not dwell on the unknown. It is a choice and a lifestyle. A transforming of our minds. A life of continual thanksgiving instead of predicting. When we can learn to rest in what we know to be true and trust in the perspective that we have from hindsight then we tend to face our trials a little differently. That fear that causes us to rehearse over and over the outcome that we have not even experienced yet is the same fear that forces us into living a trial more times than we have to.


The Lord is teaching me to rest in His plan and not create a scenario of my own. He holds the future and He offers to go along for the ride with me. It is my choice to let Him. As I read my journal entry for today's date in 2011, I had written this sentence at the bottom of the page: "If I could begin each day with the perspective that comes from looking back at the end of the day, I might live the moments in between differently!"


I want to live differently this year. Taking each day as it comes. Living each moment with intentional thanksgiving. Loving those around me well knowing that we can't rehearse the future. Focusing my gaze on Him so that I can learn to persevere. And living each day and each trial in such a way that I am not a stumbling block but a transparent example of a work in progress.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests 

and challenges come at you from all sides. 

You know that under pressure, your faith-life 

is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 

So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. 

Let it do its work so you become mature and 

well developed, not deficient in any way. 

James 1: 2-4 the message

Rest on the Run

I read a great article this morning on how the world has shaped the Church, especially in the west. We live in such affluence. Even the poorest of those around us sometimes have more here than those in other parts of the world. This current generation in the United States has been raised in comfort and opportunity and plenty. I fear that it has shaped their thinking, and ours, to believe that even as believers we can achieve the perfect life. Or at least the kind that keeps us happy and safe and content. But we forget that we are on a journey. That we are called to be salt and light. That we can do all things as long as we allow Jesus to be our strength.


I think that we believe that rest is all about sitting still. About not doing anything. About making sure that we get the all inclusive vacation or the theme park escape from reality or the weekly massage, facial and pedicure. Things that give us a chance to relax and regroup. And, all of those things are great. They do give us a chance to stop the craziness and focus on ourselves. But they do not give us the rest that our soul craves.


We can rest while on the run. But only if we have taken the time to renew our minds. To feed on God's Word. To listen to His voice. Only then do we know what path we need to be on. As our soul learns to rest; our crazy, busy lives take on a new meaning. We begin to see the world and the people and the needs around us. We don't just look for the thing that makes us comfortable. We don't just expect the perfect marriage, the perfect children, the perfect life. We begin to look at our comforts as blessings and gifts. As we rest in Him, we then use all of those things to point the people around us to the Gift-giver.


We live in a world of instant gratification. We have raised a generation that feels entitled to the good life. And we serve a God who graciously and abundantly gives us these things. When we seek first His Kingdom. And in that seeking comes the rest we need to move forward in the proper perspective.


Sometimes the hard things of life overwhelm us. We don't want to stop because then we have to feel and think. Sometimes we are in a place where we can't stop or we will sink. Sometimes when we finally do stop, we are so frustrated and overwhelmed that the last thing we want to do is listen to that still small voice. But that is exactly where our rest comes from. From knowing the One who gave us this crazy life in the first place.


"God’s rest is not essentially physical at all. Certainly, resting in God and trusting in His promises can relieve us of nervousness, tenseness, and other physical problems. But these are by-products of His rest. Many cults promise their followers happiness, wealth, and health in this life. The Bible does not. The rest God promises is spiritual, not physical. Whatever physical or earthly benefits the Lord may give us, His basic promise is to give us spiritual rest, spiritual blessing. Some of God’s most faithful believers are the busiest, the hardest working, and sometimes even the most afflicted people imaginable. Yet they are in God’s salvation rest." ~ John MacArthur


We can rest on the run. As long as we allow Jesus to go along too!


Resting with Him this weekend. I hope you do too!

Rest in His promises

I have not been sleeping well the last few weeks. It is actually one of those ironic things. I am spending my mornings learning and praying about rest, yet I am not sleeping at night. As I sat still this morning and struggled to focus, I realized that my body was tired but my mind was not. I have been waking up every night between 2am and 3am. Every time the last few nights I have woken up with a specific thought about one of my children or something that I had been praying about the day before. I have tried to focus and pray in my nighttime weariness for whatever the thought or fear is. I have been frustrated with myself because I just get more anxious or fall back asleep or get up and do something else besides talk to the Lord.


Last night, I woke up thinking about a decision that one of my daughter's has to make. I know what I want her to do. I know what she wants to do. I have an idea of what God's answer would be. I woke up with it all racing through my mind. As I lay there trying to pray for the situation and just wanting desperately to fall back asleep, it occurred to me that I was trying to impose my thoughts and opinions into a situation that already had answers. No, I do not know how this will turn out or what decision will be made but I do know what He has promised concerning my daughter.


Over the last few years, I have begun to mark verses and passages in my Bible as I prayed for one of my girls or a friend or a circumstance in my life. I mark the verse with the date and the name. I try and journal the prayer request or the situation but I am not very good at that. So, I have names and dates all over my Bible next to verses and scriptures. This morning as I looked through the ones with my daughters name on them, I realized that there was an answer in every verse I read for the decision she is making now. Some of the dates were four years ago. But the promises still ring true for today. As I learn to let my mind rest in the Truth that I have read and allow that Truth to be received in my heart, my body will receive the rest it needs too.


The promises are all there. Just waiting for me to discover them over and over again. That is the beauty of God's Word. Not only is it truth but it is new every morning. His Word does not change but it continues to change us. His promises are yes and Amen. I can rest in that promise!

Whatever God has promised gets stamped 

with the Yes of Jesus. In Him, this is what we preach 

and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, 

gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us 

a sure thing in Christ, putting His Yes within us. 

By His Spirit he has stamped us 

with His eternal pledge—a sure beginning 

of what He is destined to complete. 

2 Corinthians 1:20 the message

Rest in His Name

This morning I have been thinking more about God's character. Those things that make our God unique. Things like He is omniscient, omnipresent, all-knowing and sovereign. As I read my devotion, I was reminded that I allow myself to get worked up about things that are out of my control. But, nothing is out of God's control.


I talked to my friend again this morning who is struggling with her daughter. We had talked about concrete consequences to use regarding the behavior that needed to be addressed. Her husband had a "Come to Jesus" meeting last night with the daughter and imposed the consequences. He prayed with her and expressed to her that they wanted to help her find her way back to depending on Jesus and not the things of the world that she was grasping on to. She received the discipline well. Thanks to a lot of prayer before hand. As my friend shared the story with me this morning she said she wanted to thank me for reminding her that God is Able. I told her that I just reminded her what I knew about God's character. In the process of this difficult circumstance, we both were reminded that God is faithful.


I decided to write in my journal this morning all of the words that I could think of that described who God is. I began with You are and then filled the page with adjectives and words that describe Him. As I quickly filled up the page with every word I could think of, I reached a point where I had to stop and think. I started over with You are and sat for a minute grasping for another word. In that moment God reminded me of Moses when He asked God to tell him what His name was. God told him to tell Pharaoh that he was sent by "I Am".


It became very clear to me at that moment that there is not adequate adjectives or words to describe all that God is. As I was grasping for words to say who You are, He reminded me of this truth: "I know who I Am." I Am enough. I Am all you need. I Am able and trustworthy and faithful. I simply Am. 


Moses did not need any other explanation or introduction for His God. That name would do. Rest in that truth today. I Am goes with you. There is freedom in that Name.

God said to Moses, "I Am who I Am. 

This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 

'I Am has sent me to you.' 

Exodus 2:14.

Resting in His Peace

As I continue to learn about rest, the Lord continues to remind me of His character. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the stuff of live that we forget who God really is. We forget that He is the same as He was yesterday. He will be the same today and tomorrow He will not change. There is peace in that knowledge.


One of the things that can get me anxious faster than anything is worrying about one of my girls. I think as moms we have this vision in our heads of what we think our children should look like, act like and talk like. We often put that expectation on them without even realizing that we are doing it. As my girls get older, I find myself having to be very intentional to not assume or expect or want them to be a certain way. They are who they were created to be. When I allow them to be that person, then I allow them to live in that freedom.


I talked to a friend last night that is dealing with a rebellious spirit in her child. She too has three girls and is struggling with the fact that her sweet daughter is so different than the other two. She knows her heart and knows that she is desperately seeking attention from her behavior but the everyday shaping, molding and disciplining is beginning to wear on mom and dad. In the heat of the battle it is so hard to trust God's character.


I am learning that trusting God in my girl's lives is a lot harder than trusting Him in my own. I am learning to move up alongside my oldest who is about to become a wife. It takes intentional thoughts and words to affirm her as a friend and begin to let go of the authority of a mom. It actually hurts a little to cut the apron strings. But God is faithful.


I am learning to watch quietly as my middle daughter makes decisions about her future both in school and in her personal life. She is strong-willed and does not seek advice freely. As a young adult seeking her own way, I have to be intentional in my timing and in my words of advice. She actually has a great plan and will probably do everything on her bucket list before she is 30. She has great dreams and He has her heart so it should be fun to watch. From the sidelines. But I trust Him.


My youngest is in that stage where she is spreading her wings. She has a solid friend base and is learning where she fits and what she wants to do. I am again learning to be intentional with my suggestions and with my molding. She is different than her sisters. She has a lot of experiential knowledge from watching the other two. She has a mind of her own and is beginning to stretch out in her opinion and thoughts. We are loving having her home alone this year. I have the opportunity once again to model and share life with another daughter. Such a blessing. God is so good.


I am learning to rest in the peace that passes all understanding. That place where you know that He has a plan. That feeling of calm no matter what the world is telling you or your eyes are seeing or the enemy is whispering in your ear. That gap that you stand firmly in for your children knowing that He hears our cries and our hearts. I will rest in that gap for as long as I have breath to intercede for my girls. He meets me there. Every single time.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 

present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, 

which transcends all understanding 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Philippians 4:6-7.

Running into Rest

I feel like today is the first day of the new year for me. Today is the first day that I am back on a somewhat normal schedule. My older two have returned to school. My youngest begins her winter sports schedule this week. I am going back to work on a regular schedule. We finished all of the big wedding details this weekend. I feel like I am standing at the top of the hill ready to slide into 2012. But I am tired.


I have really been asking God what He has for me this year as I learn what it means to rest in Him. As I had my quiet time this morning, I read Psalm 42. I began to realize that the deer pants for water because it has been running. As well intended as my last few months have been, I have been running. Sometimes I have been running toward a goal. Sometimes I have been running to catch up to what I thought I needed to be doing. I have been running in all different directions for all different reasons instead of running to God. When I find myself panting for water then I am running without proper hydration.


Jesus says that He is the living water. Fully able to replenish a dry soul. Fully able to offer the hydration that we need to survive. Fully able to give us all we need to move in any direction that He directs us. As we learn to run to Him and stay there, He offers all we need to accomplish each day's task. I need to learn to live out of that place of rest and replenishment instead of running around until I am panting and parched. It is a change of perspective.


As usual, there was a word of direction in every part of my morning devotion as I listened to His voice. I read this in my Jesus Calling: "Instead of dashing head-long toward your goal, let Me set the pace. Slow down, and enjoy the journey in My Presence."


So today I am going to slow down. I am going to run to the Living Water and drink. I think that I will rest there a while and wait to see what His pace is for today. For this week. For this year. Want to join me?

As the deer pants for streams of water, 

so my soul pants for You, O God. 

My soul thirsts, for God, for the living God. 

Psalm 42:1-2

Prayer and Freedom

Our church has been holding a 24/7 prayer time. We started on Sunday at 12:00pm and we will continue through next Sunday at 12:00pm. There have been time slots to sign up for 1 hour at a time around the clock. It has been amazing to see the people who have embraced the idea. Especially those who have shown up in the wee hours of the night.


My youngest daughter was one of those that thought late night prayer would be fun. She is a part of a discipleship group of ninth grade girls. They all go to the same high school and most have been a part of the same church group since they were in elementary school. They have two adult leaders who are a true blessing. These women get the idea of pouring into the next generation. They are sold out on the truth that young people have a voice and an understanding of their faith. And they allow these girls to express it freely without judgement or "adult" expectations. It is a beautiful thing to watch as a parent.


So these teenage girls decided that they wanted to take the first midnight time slot last Sunday. Of course, if they were going to be up at that hour then they assumed it would only be right if they ended the night at the IHOP for breakfast. Sounded like the perfect plan to all of them. Except that none of them drive. And there were fourteen of them. But, every parent had their daughter at the church at midnight and every parent picked up their daughter at 3:00am at the IHOP. It was so worth the loss of sleep.


Those girls spent almost two hours in prayer together as a group and individually. They read scripture and drew pictures and played music and wrote prayers down. They prayed for their school and for their neighborhoods and for their generation. They prayed for other countries and for our leaders in this country. They prayed that God would reign in their own hearts as they made a difference in the world around them.


Prayer is such a gift. It is our opportunity to be in relationship with the God of the Universe. To actually talk things through with Him. To ask the questions. To argue our point. To cry out for help. To tell on the people who have hurt us. To fall on our face begging for forgiveness. To listen to that still small voice. To gain knowledge and wisdom and understanding to sustain us in this world. God invites us into relationship with Him through prayer.


Anyone can pray if they can talk and form a thought. There are no rules or special words or expectations. Just talk. Just ask. Just tell. Just communicate because He has given you access to Him. I have been learning a lot in the last year about prayer and listening. It has been a blessing to grow deeper and more effective in my prayer life. It has changed my perspective. It has changed my parenting. It has deepened my relationship with Jesus.


I think one of my biggest hang ups about prayer through the years was thinking I was going to do it wrong. As silly as that sounds, I would sit and start to pray and after a few minutes I would be done. I had been taught to repeat a prayer over and over as a child. We said the same prayer in church. We had a blessing that was repeated at meals. We had the nighttime prayer that I said before I went to sleep. I could do those because I knew the words. And those are all wonderful prayers modeled by Jesus himself but I needed to put my thoughts and feelings and hurts and fears into my own words. I finally started writing out my prayers. That led into more dialogue and then into more time in prayer and finally into actually listening for an answer. My prayer life has changed the life that I live everyday.


Since I have been writing so much about freedom this week, I asked the Lord what a tangible kind of freedom looked like in my everyday life. The answer came very quickly. The gift of prayer. We have the freedom because of Jesus to approach a Holy God boldly and with confidence that He will receive us and hear us and answer us. No rules. No restraints. No expectations. Just freedom to have a conversation with Someone who gets us. Who knows us. Who loves us unconditionally. Who has the answer. Who offers the healing. Who patiently waits for us.


Try it today. Just talk right now. In your head or out loud. Just tell Him what you are feeling. What you are thinking. What you are wondering. What you are mad about. What you are grateful for. What you are afraid of. Just tell Him. His throne room is open 24/7.

Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest 

with ready access to God- let's not let it slip through our fingers. 

We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality 

He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. 

So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. 

Take the mercy, accept the help.  

Hebrews 4:14-18  The Message