When the truth hurts then heals
I remember praying out loud with one of my little boys asking God to develop the fruits of the Spirit. As I prayed I listed them individually. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I also used the term long-suffering, which some translations use for patience. He stopped me mid-prayer, “What is long-suffering?” I responded, “It’s the ability to forebear or endure something well.” Immediately, he exclaimed, “Oh, I don’t have that one. Wait a minute. I don’t think I have any of these.” We closed our eyes and continued praying.
I chuckled as I thought back on this memory. But God brought to mind a story from the Bible that really impacted me several years ago. Join me for the full post where I share what God began speaking to me several years ago.
Wash your hands and wash your heart
What if I washed my heart with the same fervor I’m washing my hands? Like my hands, which carry invisible germs, my heart carries and holds what can live hidden from the naked eye.
Do I take inventory of what my heart holds? If I’m following CDC guidelines, maybe I should also follow God’s even closer? I found quite the link between clean hands and clean hearts. Join me for today’s post.
But He Gives Greater Grace
I read James 4:6 and couldn’t move beyond the words greater grace. He gives greater grace. Greater than what? So I opened my journal and allowed God to speak. When I set down my pen, I saw Him with fresh eyes. Join me for a few short words I hope will help you see with fresh vision today. You are so deeply loved.
Sadness, Social Media, and Social Distancing
We all have a different reality from which we view and experience life. The Lord has given each of us individual grace to a walk through our own personal reality. I don’t have the grace for your reality. You don’t have the grace for mine. But should the Lord merge our realities, we can rest assured we’d each have the grace necessary to manage and rise above the challenge.
Today, I poured out my sadness to God. Naming the sadness helps. And today I explore with you how we can care for our own souls and others in the face of social distancing and a social media world that feels at war.
May God be glorified through us.
Rise up, Don’t Crumple to Fear
Fear is more contagious than any virus. It’s deadly. It kills all that could be. So it’s time to kill the fear.
Fear is crippling. Fear is a liar. Fear is a bully. I hate fear because fear is born in the pit of hell.
Just as fear is contagious, I believe courage and hope are equally contagious. I hope after today you join me in spreading a message of courage in the face of fears running rampant in our world.
An easier parenting solution to the try hard life
I’m a fixer. When I see a problem, I go into fix mode. This quickly morphs into the try hard life, and before I can say grace, my independent spirit and self sufficiency pushes God aside. Thankfully, He’s patient and kind. Recently, we had a situation that required a family meeting. It was only after that meeting God showed us there was a better solution, a simpler way, and one that would remove the burden off our parenting shoulders and allow us to walk in freedom. Join me for today’s post where I share a story of God’s kindness as He offered to take back the burden we attempted to carry.
