Who's Hands?

In our world, there are so many things that try to define us as women and especially as moms.

So many books, blogs, shows, tweets and people trying to make us into their definition of motherhood.

Good moms have their kids in every sport.

Good moms homeschool.

Good moms let their kids go to public school.

Good moms don't let their kids watch TV.

Good moms feed their kids organic food.

Good moms...

Our identity can easily be defined by a million different things.

Our hands can feel like they are being directed by the push of what "good" moms should do.

The reality is that our identity is defined by God and that, as His called and dearly loved child, He will equip you to be the woman that He has created you to be.

He will direct your hands to be the mom, the wife, the friend and the person that you should be.

He defines what kind of mom you need to be for the children that He asked you to raise.

If we allow our identity to be determined by any other source, we will only feel failure, discouragement and struggle.

I'm challenged daily to let my identity as a woman be defined by my Creator and allow His hands to guide my way.

My prayer is that when other people look at me, they won't see me trying to create an identity of my own, but that they will see Him through me.

*linking in with The Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday - Today's word is Identity


 

God is Enough

I recently wrote this post, thinking about the question, "Is God enough?"

no matter what.

every day.

Well, although I can't tell you the specifics of this sweet note...

I can tell you that it declares that God is enough.

He is alive and moving and directing the steps of those who love Him.

I may not know the details, but God does.

I might get stuck on the seemingly impossible tasks ahead, but God is not stuck or confused or unsure.

He is working out the details, leveling the path as we continue to walk in obedience to His voice.

Let me tell you with all certainty that God is clearly enough!

He is enough for me, for our situation and He is enough for you, for your situation.

 

Time Away...

Time away...

to rest. to think. to pray. to write. to dig deep. to evaluate. to prioritize.

to think over the past and look to the future.

to be still.

to experience silence.

no schedule. no plans. no busyness.

just me. my Bible. a pen. a notebook. some music.

And, God.

January is the perfect month for some time away. I'm so thankful to have had that time...

It is priceless.

Blessings

Let me tell you a story about how God showed my girls His faithfulness.

How He blessed them and spoke to them in physical ways that they can understand.

A few days ago, Build A Bear ran a $12 coupon. You may have even gotten the same email...

Well, Jeremy showed it to me and he printed it out but we weren't sure what we were going to do with it. We weren't sure how to use just ONE coupon for THREE girls. Yes, we could have just bought the other two bears, but that wasn't in our budget right now.

How do you use just one coupon? How can you let $12 free go to waste?

My husband came up with a great plan.

He ran it by me quickly and then told the girls.

"Hey girls... what do you think of going to the mall and finding another kid to give this coupon to?"

At first, they were not really excited about this plan. In fact, Annalise even cried.

But, we pushed the idea that Christmas is more about giving than receiving. We reminded them that they have a few bears already. We encouraged them that this could really bless someone else. We told them that God blesses us when we give to others. Sometimes, the blessing is just the joy of seeing someone else being blessed.

Abby left home singing, "We're going to share our coupon..."

I had some things to do so I stayed home while Jeremy took the girls to the mall. We met up a few hours later at church.

"Elayna, how did it go at the mall?"

"GREAT!!! We saw this little girl and asked her if she wanted a bear. Her step-dad said yes and we all went to the store. She picked out a brown bear. Mom... she is 7 years old and she had never had a Build A Bear before!! We gave her her first one!"

Annalise said, "Mommy, she was 7 like I'm going to be and she didn't have a Build A Bear... she'd never even been in the store before!"

Abby was excited too because "the little girl was so nice and she picked out a cute bear!"

"Girls, do you realize you gave away your bear coupon and you probably made this little girl's day? You might have even made her Christmas?"

Elayna smiled and said, "That was really fun. I'm glad Daddy took us to do that."

I was a proud Mommy at that moment. It was sweet to see my girls happy and smiling about giving to others. Giving not just money but giving something of theirs to someone who had none.

Well, on Sunday, Jeremy had found some Bath and Body Works coupons. (He is the king of coupons.)

The coupons were for a free 2 oz. bottle of lotion.

Again, he took the girls to the mall (Is he not the best dad ever?)... this time to get a free lotion for themselves. They arrived at the mall right at closing time. They were just in time...

But they were too late to get the 2 oz. bottle of lotion.

"I'm sorry," the girl at the store said, "we are all out of that size of lotion."

I can just imagine my girls' faces falling...

"But," she continued, "since we are all out of that size, would you like a bigger size?"

My girls walked out of there with 3 oz. bottles of lotion.

This was a sweet and simple lesson of how God blesses us when we choose to bless others.

He was faithful to give back to my girls and show them that He sees the things they do and He cares about them.

He cared enough to bless them when the feeling of giving was fresh in their minds.

He didn't have to do that.

He doesn't always do that.

But this time He did.

We didn't know that the girls would end up with more lotion than they should have gotten. Only God could do that.

They gave away $12 from Build A Bear and gained $15 worth of lotion from Bath and Body Works.

God is SO good.

All the time... He is good.

A Tennessee Sunset

Beauty

Majesty

A display of our Powerful God

Time held in His hands

In His wisdom, He sets the pattern of our days

Magnificent 

Awesome in Splendor

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1

*Great Smoky Mountains, Clingman's Dome Trail, Tennessee, November 2011

The Hand of God

Yesterday was a big day in our house...

We had some church/ministry stuff going on in the afternoon and I had just finished telling my mother-in-law about all of that when I got a text from my mom.

My dad had been in a head-on collision but he was fine.

I sat right down and cried.

I cried because God is so merciful and I was in awe of Him.

You see, I had been up the night before.

I wrestled all night with feeling like I needed to pray for my family. My dad was on the front of my mind and I prayed and prayed for his safety, for others in our family, for health and relationships. I got up in the morning feeling like I hadn't slept at all.

I went in the bathroom that morning and told Jeremy that I had been up praying all night for my dad and my family. I felt quite miserable actually.

I called my mom around 9 or 10 just to check in but I didn't want to tell her that I'd been praying.

How silly is that? But, in our family, when someone is praying specifically for us, quite often, it is God's hand of protection on us because something is about to happen.

I could tell you story after story of answered prayer... prayer lifted on our behalf.

The power of prayer and the importance of obeying when the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray.

And, yesterday, I felt the weight of that prayer but I didn't know why.

Until my mom's text message around 4:45 yesterday afternoon.

I couldn't believe it.

About an hour later, we started finding news reports of the accident on Harrisburg, PA news websites.

Here and Here... my dad is the semi-truck driver.

My dad said that when the car first hit his truck, his coffee didn't even spill. He barely felt the impact and then his truck kind of just laid down. He said is was slow and easy and his seat belt didn't even tighten up.

God hand. His mercy and protection. I am incredibly thankful.

I got to talk to him around 8:30 last night and the girls yelled "We love you, Grandpa" into the phone.

It was wonderful to hear his deep voice.

I heard my dad's voice and then I could sleep. I went to bed last night knowing that God is watching over us.

What a wonderful thing to feel His hand.

And, I'm going to link this post up with Christina for Wednesday's Walk! She is hosting this weekly meme now and I know you are going to love getting to know her and linking up with her each week. She is a creative blogger and you will enjoy reading her posts. Head on over and say hello!

A new baby...

Isn't she just precious and beautiful and gorgeous and... well, sooo pretty?

Yes, she is! Her Aunt Jenilee is so thankful that she is here, healthy and happy!

Her birth story is a miracle and I'll be sure and let you know when my sister shares the events from today. I'll have more pictures to come!

Can I breathe out now?

I preached today.

Yep. Only God.

Only He has been opening the doors to stretch me in this way. It started a few years ago when Jeremy and I spoke at Ohio Family Camp. Then, a kids crusade in Nebraska. Then, kids camp in Ohio. Next, Ohio Girls Ministries Retreat and a Kids Camp in Indiana. Teaching Bible Study, now a Sunday morning service and soon to be another kids camp and then Ephesus, Turkey!

I am in awe of God. This is an area I never dreamed that He would grow and use me in.

Part of getting my license to preach is because I am saying to God, "Ok. I'm willing."

You see, I love sitting on the back row. I will take a back seat if there is one available. Someone else can have the microphone and the fear of saying the wrong thing has often kept me from stepping up. But, God has a different plan.

And, I'm willing. Scared, nervous, inadequate but willing to go somewhere I never imagined.

That is how big our God is and how much He wants to challenge us in Him. I'm nervous even typing this because I just don't see myself this way, but God does. And I want to obey Him more than I want to stay comfortable.

So, use me God however you want to. I'm willing.

And, because my mom couldn't be there and she is "patiently" waiting to hear me, you can download my message here.

I'm going to go breathe now...

Up to the challenge...

Earlier in the week, I was able to sneak away for 48 hours with a friend. We visited a beautiful retreat center for pastors and had the opportunity to getaway from real life and spend some healthy, needed quiet time with God.

It was a time of reflection. Reflection of the past ten years, of the current call on our lives and the coming ten years. What has God done? What is He doing? And, what am I doing to continue drawing closer to Him?

I rested... (We stayed in a room with two double beds... but believe me when I say their rooms for couples are truly amazing!)

Gazed out at this peaceful scenery...

I spent many hours on this couch reading, praying, worshipping and talking.

But, my favorite part of the whole getaway was the time spent in this chapel. Set back in the woods, it is a precious place to seek God. To pray and to listen.

It was incredibly cold inside so we didn't stay long, but the minutes spent in this country style prayer chapel were impacting and amazing.

God met me here...

I spent some time on this bench reflecting on the past ten years... In the last ten years I've graduated, went to college, gotten married, had three children and pastored with my husband at two churches.

I was able to pinpoint people in my life who have had a profound impact on my walk with Christ.

Christina - She was my youth pastor's wife; her coming right out of college and me about to graduate... We clicked instantly and have been close friends ever since. She was a foundation layer. She continues to challenge me and encourage me. She gave me my phrase "Get Joy". Her friendship is a blessing.

My Mom - She is a voice of wisdom in my life. She has given me words of wisdom that have helped guide the direction of my steps. Always giving me a solid perspective that I respect and love.

Christa - She has taught me by example how to live a pure and holy life. How to live with a godly perspective and to parent with godly principles. She is an amazing woman of God and I strive to learn everything I can from her and her life.

Jeremy - He has challenged me to know the why's of what I believe from the day we met. He is always challenging me to grow and to continue to be who God created me to be.

As I looked back over the years, I realized that they have been a refining process. God has been refining me through His word, through life situations, and through the first years of parenting and marriage.

Then, I saw this picture.

 "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;

try my reins and my heart." Psalm 26:2

Oh, that hit me hard.

I've been in this refining process. I've been growing in my walk with Christ.

Now, the time has come to be examined. To prove myself. To give God permission to "try the reins". To see if I've really grown.

The first part of the verse echoes the cry of my heart. "Examine me!" I want God to continue to examine my heart. Search me and make me more like Him.

But it is a scary thought to imagine the trying process. Every day, every moment is an opportunity to prove growth.

I felt challenged, once again, to have JOY in the process.

I felt challenged to flourish and grow more. To be up to the challenge of more refining.

To be still and know that He is God. 

"Do not fret... Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil." Psalm 37.

To me that means, stop worrying about life! Follow God everyday and see what He will do!

I left Innkeepers feeling refreshed yet strongly challenged. My prayer as I drove home was that God would solidify in my heart what He is doing and let Him direct my every step. As He continues to refine and try me, that I would be up to the challenge.

*the pictures were all from my cellphone... sorry some of them are dark! and, my mother-in-law said she is trying hard to hunt down a certain coffin picture. That does not even sound right. Oh boy...

More than a bird...

In January, I recorded my day and had a birthday party for my middle baby.

In February, I wrote about Africa and Elayna lost her two front teeth.

In March, Elayna was in a school play, I blogged about my hair and the story of how Jeremy and I met.

In April, I became diaper-free for the first time in 6 years and found worms in my fridge.

In May, I hung Sink Verses and I decided to homeschool my girls.

In June, God used me to speak to over 1000 girls in one week during 2 summer retreats, we brought home a new pet and we went on vacation to my mom's house.

In July, we went camping, I met Todd Smith from Selah, and we spoke at a Kids Camp in Indiana.

In August, we went to Iowa for Jason's birthday and I did my first cell phone pics post. Oh, and we had our first day of homeschooling!

In September, Abby was hospitalized for croup, and I blogged about hamsters and spiders.

In October, we had a week of broken things and fun fall moments.

In November, I raked and raked, God taught me about discipling children, and spent two weeks at Grandma's house. Oops. I forgot to mention that our Christmas tree fell off our van on the way home from the tree farm. True Story.

In December, I posted pictures of Christmases past, realized that I am no good on camera, and had the most memorable Christmas Eve ever.

So, as 2009 closes...

and, I hang up the calendar for 2010...



I am reminded that God really does mean it when He says, "I know every bird in the mountains..." and that "you are worth more than many sparrows."

My family is worth more than many sparrows and God knows our todays and our tomorrows. He is taking care of it all and we are safe in His mighty hands.

Happy New Year!