Tag: God

Build and Live
I have never looked at a paved road and saw any beauty in it. To me, it intrusively breaks through nature, through God’s creation. This isn’t to say I do not travel on roads. Traveling is a part of life. Nevertheless, it is always an unsettled period of time, even if it is a mere five miles down the road. It is temporary. It is not where I want to be or stay.

What is especially on my mind as of late, are the times we end up stuck in places we do not want to stay. The temporary does not fleet, it slows to what feels like a halt. We live our moments watching down the road, searching for the place where the paved road ends, only to find a bend in the road blocking our view.

I recently had a conversation with a friend about this after reading Jeremiah 29:5-6, “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiple there, and do not decrease.” These words were given to the exiles. Imagine being in exile and hearing that God wanted you to settle in.

God wanted them to live their lives where they were. He did not want them waiting until they were taken out of exile. Build the house, plant, and yes even multiply. It was not meant to be a time of pause. It was meant to be a time to continue living and trusting God.

God wants this for us today as well. Truly we can and should trust where we are because God’s power is strong enough to move and work through His people regardless of the circumstance…and regardless of our stubbornness and sinful nature or the stubborness and sinfulness of those around us.

I know, I know, the ugliness of the sin-filled world, of the intrusive paved road remains. The unsettled feeling lurks and hovers. Yet, we can recognize the beauty of the wildflowers that bloom in the most unlikely places, and remember God is still at work. We can see the cracks that continuously emerge regardless of the strength of the material used, and know the road is temporary but God’s plans and promises are not.
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August 1, 2026

bible, christianity, faith, God, Jesus
The Storms
This morning’s bible study ended with the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders. I began thinking about some words I had written in my bible next to these verses. I remembered why I wrote them and knew these words would always be a reminder of the personal significance of this parable. My words were this:

The wise still experience the storms.

Matthew 7:24-27 says:

²⁴“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

(I once had a teacher who stressed that when scripture repeats itself, I should pay attention. Just as my wise teacher taught me, I urge you to pay attention to the repetition.)

If you read the first parts of both verses 25 and 27 you will see the words, “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house…” You see, both the wise man and the foolish man still experienced the same storm. Although the repetition here is not the full big picture meaning of this parable, it makes me pause and remember the struggles I had as a kid.

I believed, as a Christian, I should not feel the storms. It was as though being a Christian should take away all my struggles. I also felt shame for feeling the brokenness that remained in me and yet I could not stop myself from feeling it…and from seeing it in me and everyone else. I could share the reasons why I believed all of that, but it would take too long. What I will share is that I am grateful, so incredibly grateful, I had people teach me about God’s grace and to also affirm that I was indeed correct about the brokenness in each of us. It is the reason we need a Savior (duh).

So yep, we all feel the storms in life. We all have struggles. As Christians, when the winds beat against us, we can lean into our faith knowing we have a God who will never leave us or forsake us. We can tightly cling to the hope and truth that nothing in this broken world can ever take away.
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April 13, 2025

bible, christianity, faith, God, Jesus
The Road to Forgiveness
I cannot help but to fully believe it was part of the journey God needed me to be on. I don’t know if I could have grown any other way. The grudge was my desert. Only He knew how long I needed to thirst and struggle and endure the weariness of the desert life. Little did I know during those years He was molding me into a shade tree. God gave me the gift of mercy and it was cultivated by learning what it felt like to yearn for the very shade I would become.

I was entangled by the consequences of the grudge. It consumed me, my peace, and halted my faith in many ways. I didn’t know if I could ever get back to the child-like faith I once had.

My biggest obstacle was I felt as though my anger was justified, although it wasn’t me personally that was hurt. How could someone pretend? How could someone not feel guilty for hurting another? How can someone put up with another’s poor choices? How weak could one be?

Maturity guided me. Life opened my eyes. Pain released my misconceptions. Forgiveness came in layers. I knew it would not be easy. But, I also knew the path of releasing myself from the grudge would strengthen me.

This is what I found on my journey:
- In order to truly feel God’s forgiveness you must forgive others.
- Do not expect others to live up to the expectations you have for them. You never know what desert God is leading them into. You never know what failures will strengthen them.
- We are all hypocrites. That is why we need God.
- No one is perfect. We are all weak. Again, that is why we need God.
- Be patient. God is there, always!
- You may forgive someone to find they screw it all up once again. You must forgive them again and again.
- You have to work at forgiving others. It doesn’t always come naturally, but it does get easier.
- You hurt people too. Someone may be struggling to forgive you.
- And lastly, always remember the cross and you will see the light.
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February 25, 2022

christianity, cross, faith, forgiveness, God, Jesus, life, peace, trusting God
The Love For Your Family
I was weary for quite some time. I was a heartbroken momma wanting to know how to help my boy. I was impatiently waiting for God to answer my prayers, not wanting to trust what He was doing behind the scenes to prepare us.

Last Sunday evening as I was lying in bed, I prayed we were making the right decision. I mean, I already knew we made the right decision. God clearly revealed it to us. It’s just, sometimes my humanness makes me second-guess things. Through all my humanness, all my weakness, there’s one thing I never second-guess: the peace only He can give. In my moment of questioning, that lovely peace enveloped me and has carried me through this entire week.

Over Christmas break, Luke was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. Another diagnosis added to his list. It doesn’t seem right. It definitely isn’t fair. We weren’t surprised by it though. The symptoms described everything we had been noticing.

This year, school became hard. We realized he was spending so much energy trying to suppress his tics that he was unraveling at home. Add that to the energy it takes with his eye disorder and just the normal energy it takes to learn and so on. Plus through all of that, his grades were great. No wonder he was unraveling. On weekends, Luke was worn and anxious thinking about the coming school week. Kids were noticing his tics and were asking him questions. Most were not being mean, but it was pushing him further and further into a shell. He was sad and frustrated at the world. We were trying everything we could and nothing seemed to help him. I was losing my fun-loving bold kid. We had to do something different.

It’s crazy what the love for your family gives you strength to do. Never did I ever think I would homeschool. Yet, here I am. Our first week passed and went great. It felt so natural and right that there is no doubt God’s blessing on all of this. I feel strong and at peace. Thanks to God.

We do have a long road ahead. Luke will be starting a therapy that is known to be the most effective for Tourette’s. Please pray that it is for Luke. I want my boy back.
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January 13, 2019

Family, God, homeschool
Easy like Sunday Morning
I’m easy like Sunday morning…

That song popped up in my head this morning. I guess it goes to show how much sarcasm is simply wired in my brain. Oh boy, at least I make myself laugh. ‘Cause let me tell you, this lovely Sunday morning started out as anything but easy.

My youngest had a hard time staying in his Sunday school class. We eventually bribed him. Mom of the year award, right? He eventually walked in the classroom and plopped on the floor with his arms crossed. Just as sarcasm flows through my veins, stubbornness flows through Oliver’s. At least he isn’t crying, I thought and off I went to meet Matt to head to our bible class. After I checked on him a couple more times, that is.

After dealing with that, we weren’t eager to get to class. We went, of course. It took a few minutes and a few deep breaths to be able to focus. The subject was on slowing down, something I actually just blogged on recently. Gotta love the way God reinforces things for us. There is something about slowing down that sometimes leads us to feel guilty. We shouldn’t, but it’s as though we feel we can’t say no. We feel like we are being lazy if our calendars aren’t filled to the brim. Anyway, the leader even had all of us stop and sit silently for a full minute. Powerful to think of a room full of adults in complete silence.

After class and before worship started, Matt whispered how he was glad we went to class this morning. I nodded and added how funny it is that Satan works hard on those Sunday mornings when you really need to hear something. Satan sure is a jerk!

Like I have said before. Don’t just turn to God. Turn away to God. Turn away from the busyness, the distractions, and all the other noise of this world. When we don’t stop and sit at the feet of Jesus––when we don’t stop and study His word––just think of what we are really missing. His still small voice is what we are missing and that is what we need more than anything in this crazy world.
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September 24, 2017

christianity, church, faith, God, Jesus, life, peace, rest, slowing down
Freedom
Scattered heavy raindrops began to fall from the sky as I played in a nearby tennis court with my friends during our brothers baseball game. Slowly, the sporadic rain turned into a steady rainfall. My friends and I lifted our arms high and tilted our heads back as we allowed the rain to land in our open mouths. I remember the laughter that flowed from us and the glances that bonded us in that moment. Time slowed and we were nothing else but free.

Sitting here thinking of that moment, I can almost feel the same freedom I felt that day. I believe if it were to start raining right now I would want to run outside and try to relive it. I wouldn’t actually do it though. Well, unless my kids were with me. I would feel like an idiot standing in the rain by myself.

We all yearn for freedom. Look at the world around you. People are always seeking and fighting for it. Or, they’re in pain because they can’t find it or simply don’t have the strength to fight for it. What I see are people clinging to the the wrong kind of freedom or things that are not freedom at all. They just think or hope it is. Because those freedoms are always in exchange for something else. I wonder if deep down they feel a void knowing it isn’t what they really need to be seeking. Those freedoms are only temporary, they are shallow puddles that will soon dry.

Like me standing in the rain. That free feeling ceased. My friends and I became bored and cold. I remember having no towel in the car and I couldn’t wait to get home to change into dry clothes. Dry socks never felt so good. The rain was a fleeting childhood freedom. Some of my best memories surround such freedoms. Childhood freedoms, although innocent and pure, will never give us what we need.

There is only one real freedom in this life and that is freedom in Christ. Many of us “adult” christians know this already. Yet, we hesitate like I do when the thought of playing in the rain crosses my mind. Why can’t we fully embrace this freedom? We’re all sinners, duh. I wonder though…what would happen if we started running and clinging to Him like a child, regardless of what sin was standing in the way? Childlike faith, I believe it’s called (wink wink).

Would we better sway people away from the false freedoms they are rooted in if they saw us clinging more to the truth our hearts hold so dear? I think about my kids and the type of faith I want them to carry throughout their lives. I picture them standing in the rain with their arms up high and heads tilted back because they know freedom, real freedom, never will cease.
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September 22, 2017

christianity, drugs, faith, Family, freedom, God, hope, Jesus, life, peace
Floating
One of the things I have taken from my life changing moments, the big and the small, is the realization of how tiny I am in the big picture. Yes, I know my tiny self can make a huge impact. I like to compare it to being a piece of the puzzle. One piece can close gaps and bring fulfillment. The thing is, until I see the other pieces being important as well, I cannot truly fit. I must be able to see beyond myself.

Sometimes, I try to wriggle my way in to find I don’t fit. I need to see that I may be trying to fit in the wrong puzzle. I want to fit where I want to fit. I see the place that makes the most sense. I see the place that is easy and comfortable. Maybe at one time I did fit in a particular puzzle, but something changed. I grew or simply changed…or the other pieces around me changed. I could go on forever with the possibilities.

Let me just face it. I am not carved piece of cardboard. The puzzle is simply a metaphor, a weak one if that. I don’t just belong to one puzzle. I am moldable and so is everyone else. Isn’t that beautiful? Inspiring? Scary? Yes, yes, and definitely yes.

For someone like myself, the transition from one place to the next is terrifying. It can feel as though I am floating around frantically looking for my safe place to land. I like having my place. Not just in the physical sense, of course. Even in friendships or other relationships, I need my place. I’m not thinking of any friendship or such right now, though. My point is that I seek purpose in all aspects of my life. Is it good or bad? Maybe it is both.

When I find myself floating around I must remember He is molding me or molding those around me. My safe place is not always in the purpose of today or where I fit into the puzzle, but it in the purpose of the days to come and where I may soon fit. It is in trusting His lead that my faith is strengthened. It is in the floating into the unknown that His power is shown.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
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August 29, 2017

faith, God, life, purpose, trusting God
What exactly is the good?
As I sat waiting for Luke’s game to begin, I played with blades of grass at my feet. My mind was as calm as a glassy lake; there was not a wave nor a ripple in sight. But then my phone rang. It was my dad. He never calls me on the weekend, I thought as I answered my phone.

In one second my frame of mind shifted. The pain of this world, oh the pain. I wasn’t surprised by the news, yet each word stung. Sometimes it is the unsurprising news that hurts the most. I always hope people will respond or do differently than what I see coming. I much rather the stories of people overcoming life. The bad in life, that is. I love when people prevail.

It is a strength and a weakness that I strive to find the good in all things. The problem arises when the pain of this world is deeper than the seemingly good it can bring. I hate to see people give up on life. They throw in the towel and don’t look back, and they don’t look forward either. They remain stuck unable to move. Maybe that is why I need Romans 8:28, we all need Romans 8:28.

Wait.

What exactly does that even mean? I just talked about pain and giving up on life. Now I am encouraging a bible verse that talks about “in all things God works for the good”? Yes, I just said that and that.

Yesterday, after I wrote my blog post about this verse, I walked into my kitchen and there on my table were mason jars full of carnations. They’ve been sitting there for almost a week, but I saw them as if they just magically appeared. I focused in on the pink ones. Romans 8:28 reminds me of my grandparents, it reminds me of my grandma’s death. Since the verse keeps popping up I have been thinking of her. Pink carnations were her favorite. They’ve been here in my house and yet it slipped my mind until that moment. As if that were not enough, I went to sit on my couch. My phone was in my hand because I was getting ready to clean and was going to put music on. (Who likes to clean without music?) I sat, thought about my grandma, pulled myself together, and then put Pandora on. I began to stand up when the song Homesick came on. It was the song they played at her funeral.

The tears flowed, I pictured my grandma’s face, and then peace came. My grandma was touched by the pain of this world, just like us all. Her pain is no more, though. She’s home. It got me thinking. That’s it, I’m homesick. We are all homesick. That is why it hurts so bad. We yearn for a world without sin.

We are touched by our bad choices, other people’s bad choices, unexpected news, disease, death, and etc. We must remember our hope and truth lie in the fact that sin or anything that happens as a result cannot ruin God’s plan. His mind is set on our eternal salvation. His mind is set on bringing us home. That is why He sent His son Jesus to die for our sins. Stop and brew on that for a minute. That is powerful stuff. Nothing can stop His plan and nothing can stop His purpose of eternity.

The challenge lies not in my knowing this. It lies in my sharing this. It lies in you sharing this. How can we show people the good in God’s purpose? How can we show them that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not prevail?
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April 28, 2017

christianity, death, faith, Family, God, hope, Jesus, life, peace, struggles
Finding the Joy in Parenting
Choices. As a parent you are always making choices. Sometimes your brain is dizzy with all the things you need to decide. You want what is best for your kids and many times it is hard to measure the results. You make a choice. You hope and pray it was the right one. You wait. You breathe a sigh of relief when you find you did the right thing. You feel ill when you find you did the wrong thing. Sometimes you wait years to see if it was the right choice. Sometimes you will never know.

You have information thrown at you from all directions. It is as though everyone knows how to be the perfect parent. Well, until it is your own child that you are parenting. Because, once you look your child in the eye and feel the overwhelming love, you just know there is too much at stake to even try to pretend you know what to do all the time. Once you see your child struggle or mess up, you know there is no cookie cutter way to parent your imperfect and unique child…

How do you ease your weary mind and embrace the joy of parenting? The answer is a little different for everyone. Again, there is no cookie cutter way.

I feel like I do a decent job (most days) at enjoying this sometimes arduous journey. Here are some tips I have picked up along the way:
1. If it isn’t broke, simply leave it alone. If something works for you and your family then screw what everyone else thinks.
2. Do listen to advice, though. Some people know more than you. But don’t forget, it is your choice on what advice you follow.
3. If you don’t follow someone’s advice, don’t feel guilty. Seriously, don’t. You know your child the best. You also know your own limits. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.
4. Honor your limits. Honor your spouse’s limits. Honor your kids limits. Enough said.
5. Don’t judge other parents. You are not in their shoes. You do not know their child as they do.
6. Don’t compare and don’t ever compete. No one enjoys being around those who try to compete or get their kids involved in such nonsense.
7. Allow your child to be who they are, not who you think they should be. This may be hard, but, your kids know themselves better than you know them. (I have to thank my parents for doing a great job at this one.)
8. Forget the rules sometimes. Just have fun. Sing loud, dance, and get a little goofy with them.
9. Love them. Figure out how they feel loved. Give it to them unconditionally.
10. Let them love you. Accept the way they show love and appreciate it.
11. Most importantly, trust God and His will for your kids. God’s got this, guys. He really does.
Feel free to share any tips I may have missed.
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March 21, 2017

christianity, Family, God, life, love, parenting
This Thing Called Grace
I think of the crushing weight that pressed on His beautiful soul. The beauty He held, I can never fully grasp. I try to comprehend. I close my eyes and picture the cross. I picture the events leading up. I skim over the hard parts. My body clenches at the very thought of trying to endure even one lashing. The driven nails are pulled out by my selfish need to fend off pain before it ever really begins.

The purpose of His dying was so I could be free from the yoke. Yet, there are times I forfeit the lightness that was so freely given to me. Why do I trample on my clean soul? Why do I worry, I fear, and I forget? I hold a beautiful opened gift and I sometimes wrap it back up and tuck it away for a rainy day. Maybe not always, maybe not as much as I used to, maybe not as much as others…but enough to feel the chains that bind.

Now, here’s the thing that gets me every time. I do not need to shed any blood or endure any of what He did. I do not need to earn His love or His approval. All I need is faith. He sees me as me. Not as the world portrays me to be…not what I portray me to be either. He…loves…me.

Whenever I tuck this thing called grace away, he gently helps me unwrap it. He reminds me of my worth. He places His finger under my chin and lifts my head. It is because of this I am led to never stop striving to love as He loves me.
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March 10, 2017

christianity, faith, God, hope, Jesus, life, love, peace