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May 20

He Carries Me

Posted on May 20, 2013 by admin

The words “burger” and “booger” are not interchangeable.   And yet, my kids have occasionally asked to eat a booger and had a burger up their nose.  They are oblivious to the “r” sound that differentiates between snot and food. However, it doesn’t matter what they say.  I know what they need.  I know if I should feed a hungry belly or get a kleenex. And even more, my Father knows what I need.

 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.                                         Romans 8:26 NIV

A year and a half ago, I begged  God to remove the depression and anxiety that had taken control of me.  My prayers were exhausted.  Worn.  And defeated.

But I praise God that He did not deliver me when I wanted.

If He had rescued me from my misery in that moment, I would have missed a pivital point in my life.  The part where my faith grew.  Where I learned to trust Him.  To depend on Him.  To abide in Him.

And eventually, as my dependency on Him grew, the misery that had descended on my heart lifted.

And yet, recently, the physical manifestations of stress once again descended on my body. Unwarranted.  Unexpected.  And with no known physical cause to my emotional or physical distress,  my mind raced to condemn my rolling emotions.

  There is nothing worse than being ashamed for feeling bad.  And then feeling worse.

But God doesn’t leave me there.

He restores hope, joy, and peace.

He carries me.

l carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.      Isaiah 46:4

Carry Me by Josh Wilson

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Apr 30

Mischeif

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin

DSCN7357-002The kids were all very quiet.  That should have been my first hint that trouble was brewing.

After awhile, I decided to investigate.  I opened Abby’s door as three children froze in their current position - obviously caught in some mischievous act.  Just then, though, I could not see trouble.

But I could smell it.

It had that distinct cosmetic smell.  But no one would volunteer a culprit or crime.

Finally, Abby opened her closet door to reveal a very fine portrait of baby shampoo and glitter spray.  And Eli revealed an additional portrait behind her other door.

With kids, mischief is always around the corner.  It is guaranteed.

But how do I react to their mischeif?

Unfortunately, it depends on my mood.  If I am tired, I simply get mad that they made a mess, have them clean it up, and execute some type of consequence.

But it doesn’t always end like that.  I have good moments too.  Moments in which my heart rests heavily upon Christ.  And His rest overshadows my physical exhaustion.   He gives me strength.

And I don’t react to their mischief.  At least not emotionally.

In these moments, the kids clean up their mess, pay the consequence for their actions, and then pray.  For forgiveness and the strength to wish stand temptation.

And as they pray, I also pray.

I pray that the next mischief will also be met with my heart focused on God.  That I would choose to make the moment one that glorify’s Him.   And that my children would rest in the arms of Jesus.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are                               walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4 NIV 

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Apr 29

Overabundance

Posted on April 29, 2013 by admin

My Grandma sent me the recipe for Ice Cream in a Bag.DSCN7374

After some milk, vanilla, sugar and some bag shaking, we each had a serving of vanilla ice cream.  The kids knew they were being treated to ice cream, but those little faces lit up again when I pulled out the chocolate syrup and cherries to add to their desert.

They asked for ice cream.  But they also got cherries and chocolate.

In the same way, God answers my prayers, many times, with an overabundance.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..    Ephesians 3:20 NIV

  There was one season in our life that was particularly amazing to watch God at work. And even more, there was one particular incident that left me in awe of Him.

We struggled financially when my husband went back to school to earn his teaching certificate.  But one year, just before Christmas, we had $100 in the bank for the next two months.  We had no groceries, no rent money, and no Christmas presents for our kids.   We had family that could help us some, but really, our situation was bleak.

But it wasn’t long before we saw God in action.

Our doorbell rang.  When I answered,  I was surprised to find a couple women from a church that we had once attended.  And behind them was an abundance of  groceries. They also gave us a deeper freezer – the food would not fit in ours!

The next day, I walked out to our mailbox.  And I found a letter from Waco, Texas – our prior city of residence.  I opened a card from our church familiy there.  And inside, they had given us a much needed gift certificate to walmart!

 With our family’s grocery and gas needs met, we still needed help with our bills.  God provided through our family, and also, some creative payment options.

But God did not stop with our needs.

Every parent cringes at the thought of not providing Christmas presents for their children.  And we had three little blessings.

We scrounged up some change and headed to the Dollar Tree where we bought the kids a couple gifts.  And then, we spent hours on some creative homemade items.  On Christmas morning, our tree full of gifts dazzled their little eyes – more than any other year since.  And the homemade gifts were a huge hit!  Abby and Eli spent hours playing with a styrofaom ball, golf tees, and plastic hammers recycled from the baby toys.

Honestly, that season of our life was difficult.     We had three kids under the age of four.  We were busy and exausted.  And we never knew how we were going to pay the next bill.

But I look back on that season and realize that because we could not provide on our own, I had to trust God.

We didn’t get any of the credit.

It was all God.

And through our lives, His glory shone bright.

 “But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight”, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:24

 

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Apr 26

Friday in the Psalms | Psalm 3

Posted on April 26, 2013 by admin

DSCN7360
Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.”

 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.

I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.

 Arise, Lord!
    Deliver me, my God!


Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth of the wicked.

From the Lord comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people.

                                                                   Psalm 3  NIV

To read more about God’s deliverance, click here.

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Apr 25

My Deliverer

Posted on April 25, 2013 by admin

One chocolate brownie.  Four drooling kids.  And one lie.

Abby claimed she had not eaten a brownie yet.  But I knew better.  And eventually, her story crumbled.

And I crumble.

Not because I ate a chocolate brownie.  But because the pressure of life eventually exposes my weakness.

In my “better” moments,  peace is so near that I can almost feel the breath of God against me.  

I would like to say that this spiritual high is an everlasting mountain that my heart unceasingly resides on.

But eventually, circumstances change.  Exhaustion sets in.  Stress increases.

And I crumble.

In those everyday moments, I still have a choice.  I can choose to lean on my Father.    Or I can choose despair and frustration.    But more often than I would like to admit,  I don’t actively pursue God.

And the battle goes on.

But with God, there is always hope.

He never leaves me.

I may be tired from the constant battle within my heart, but He isn’t tired.  He isn’t worn down.  And He isn’t defeated.

IMG_0012 He is my Deliverer.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

                                                                                                        Psalm 18:2 NIV

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Apr 23

A Blessed Day

Posted on April 23, 2013 by admin

Spilled juice, broken glass, temper tantrums, and whining can easily transform quiet into chaos.  And some days, the stress of raising small children compiles.  The disasters multiply until I feel out of control.

DSCN7403

And I have a choice.

I can surrender and have one of THOSE days – where all the disobedience and disasters squeezes the patience out of my heart.  And the urge to snap overrides all emotion.

OR

I can surrender my heart to God.  And He may not change my circumstances, but I know that He changes me. 

This morning, my patience was tattered.  Zaiah threw countless temper tantrums over minute details about his breakfast and clothing.  Dishes, laundry, and bills were piled high.  And Leesy was tired from a poor nights sleep.  She spent most of the morning crying, whimpering, and slamming her head against the floor.

But the stress didn’t ruin me.

I was tempted.   Tempted to yell at my kids.  To stomp in frustration.  To be bitter over a compromised day.

But at the onset of temptation, I surrendered my heart.  And the peace that He has been cultivating in my life conquered the impending emotional snap.

And my children were blessed by a mother who could cherish and cultivate their little hearts.  It could have been one of THOSE days (and I am sure that I still have many coming) but it wasn’t.

It was a blessed day.

  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  

                                                                                             Romans 8:6

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Apr 22

My Rock

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin

When our kids go to their Granny’s house, their little mouths are watering in anticipation.  They know that grape juice and chocolate candy waits inside her refrigerator.  Always.  It never changes.

But even more reliable - God never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.                                                                              Hebrews 13:8 

But I didn’t appreciate God’s stabilbity until He revealed to me my own constantly changing perceptions and stability.

I constantly cycle through tears, frustration, joy, and hope.  Constantly.  My mood is a relapsing mushy cycle of emotion.  Always changing.  And with that, my perspective changes.  My reactions change.

But even in my weakness, God’s power remains constant.

When bitterness creeeps into my heart, God’s love never fades.

When frustration rips through my soul, God’s peace forever flows.

When condemnation stings, God’s mercy never ceases.

When tears stain my face, God’s joy is steadfast.

While my own perceptions, reactions, and circumstances are constantly subject to change, I can rejoice in a God that is not.  

He is my surety.

My constant.

My Rock.DSCN7434

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.                      1 Samuel 2:2                                                                                                              

 

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Apr 18

Beautiful

Posted on April 18, 2013 by admin

Abby loves flowers.  And, at eight years old, weeds with a bloom qualify as a flower just as much as a daffodil or rose.  And so, when her Boppa murdered a dandelion, her tears  erupted into anger over his thoughtless elimination of the beautiful sprout.

Where her Boppa saw a weed, she saw beauty.

And I am so glad that my Heavenly Father  sees beauty in me.

Because, honestly, I often feel like a weed.  By the standards of this world, I am unsuccessful,  boring, and rejected.   And by God’s law, I am a condemned sinner.

But Jesus changed all that.

What I am, who I have become, and what I will be – it doesn’t matter.  Because God sees His elegant creation covered by the grace of His son.

Beautiful

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21  NIV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Apr 16

Significant Change

Posted on April 16, 2013 by admin

Big dogs have never appealed to me.  But I fell in love with Nessa, a one year old Catahula, and so we adopted her.

She seemed well behaved but soon after ingrafting her into our chaotic household, she decided to reek havoc and denounce all our commands.

The biggest struggle was her crate.  When we told her  to “crate” and she would flee, play dead, or stand firm her ground.

But after two months of training, we can  ask her to “crate” and she calmly walks to her crate, opens it with her paw, and lays down.YouTube Preview Image

A significant change.

But it pales in the comparison to the change that God has worked in me.

I am still quiet.  That will never change.  That’s the personality that God created in me.  I don’t want to change that.

And yes, it is great to see progress, relief, and hope as I deal with old, and new, physical symptoms of anxiety.

And yet, that is not the real change.  That is not where my life has been impacted the most.

Peace.

The peace that only God can give.

My heart can stray from the protection of His love as I look outward for affirmation and purpose.  But as soon as I divorce my heart from those sorrows and dwell in His presence, His love transforms my heart.

That unchangeable,  unshakable,  and unstoppable love overshadows my desire to dwell in the darkness.

And His peace overcomes me.

 

 

 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

 

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Apr 15

Simply Beth

Posted on April 15, 2013 by admin

A guest post from Simply Beth……

 

There was a moment in my life when words were said to me that hurt deeply. The words left me feeling insignificant and believing I was not enough. Those words were followed by many other moments that led me further down a path of darkness.

 

~        The moment my husband told me he had an affair.

~        The moment I made the wrong decision and went down my own path of infidelity.

~        The moment I’m unable to share, but it was a moment where my world was shattered.

~        The moment I stood in that dressing room trying on a bridesmaid dress and I allowed a number said to begin a life of living with an eating disorder.

~        The moment I thought leaving my husband was the right choice.

~        The moment lying in the bed of the behavioral health center wishing I was brave enough to put an end to my pain.

 

All these moments changed me. They shattered my heart. My world became dark and full of shame from moments that I allowed to define my sense of worth. The darkness I lived in gradually became what was familiar. The walls went up and there in that darkness is where I thought I would remain.

 

****

 

Taking the wrong path can begin with just a moment. But it only takes a moment to choose a new and better path. It only takes a moment to choose the path God has for you.

 

My path changed the day a dear friend directed me to Romans 5:

 

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)

 

To read those words, “…but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

 

Oh how I wanted that kind of hope. I wanted God’s love poured out into my heart. Was He offering this to me too? Could it be that I could really find glory in my sufferings? Could it be that He would use my sufferings to produce perseverance, character and hope within me? Could He really use me? Does He really love me?

 

It wasn’t long after reading those words that I found myself walking through the doors of Living Hope Church. I realize now that I found myself standing right where I was always meant to stand—standing in God’s grace and glory (Romans 5:1-2 MSG).

 

Then came the moment when studying Romans 12 where I declared, I’m all in. It was the moment I gave my life to Christ.

 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2

 

In a recent sermon, my Executive Pastor shared these words from Rick Warren, “When you forgive you set a prisoner free, and that prisoner is you.” It was in that moment where I realized I was still holding tightly to moments in my life where God was asking me to choose forgiveness. Not only was it time to fully extend forgiveness to those that hurt me, but it was also time to offer forgiveness to myself.

 

Easter weekend came and for the first time I really heard the words, “It is finished.” At the moment Jesus said those three words we were forgiven. All our sins were forgiven and we were set free. In that moment He put our old life to death and made us new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

It only takes a single moment to change your path. What path will you choose?

 

 

Click here to visit Simply Beth

My name is Beth.

I’m a wife, mom of two boys and a mother-in-law. I love Jesus, family, friends, reading and a hot cup of coffee to begin my day. I love to write and share about how my relationship with Jesus has changed my life. My husband, two sons, and the two wonderful woman our sons have brought to our family are my greatest joys!
We are a military family with my husband serving in the Army Reserves and my oldest son in the Navy. My younger son is pursuing a degree in Music Education.
I have been married for over 20 years and my husband and I have been through a lot during this time, but our love for each other is stronger than ever.
You will find posts on my blog that will bounce from sharing about past experiences, continual struggles, being a military family, and primarily on how my relationship with Jesus continues to grow. My promise is to always speak from the heart…to speak with love. I hope you will find encouragement here no matter where you are in your life. I pray you will learn to trust God as trusting God has been the best thing I’ve ever done.

 

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