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From Assignment to Revelation: Discovering God’s Love

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As a college freshman, my first assignment was to write a paper on any ‘classic’ book. Innocently, I asked my English professor, “Can I write my paper on the Bible?” To me, there was no more classic book than the Bible.

“Yes,” my professor replied, “but the Bible is a long book with many different topics. Choose one topic.”

I chose the topic of LOVE, unaware of the depth and breadth of what the Bible has to say on the subject and how much I would need to study it.

I had felt God’s love throughout my life, but stopping to study it was a magnificent experience. As Ann Voskamp beautifully writes in One Thousand Gifts, “The only thing that can change us, the world, is this – all His love.”

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“The only thing that can change us, the world, is this – all His love.” – Ann Voscamp, 1000 gifts

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I’ve hesitated to write this post for two reasons:

  1. I can’t find my original college paper. It’s probably saved on a floppy disk at the bottom of a box in my basement.
  2. Tying to capture the essence of God’s love in one post is like trying to explain the ocean by showing a single drop of water.

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I remember the college assignment forcing me to dig into God’s Word and discover what it says about His love. The more I studied, the more my heart filled with His goodness and awe! While other freshmen sought significance in temporary fixes, I found lasting significance within the pages of my Bible. I grew in my awareness of being unconditionally loved by the Creator of the Universe. I was His beloved daughter.

 

‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ 1 John 3:1

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The Creator of the universe loves you exactly as you are, with all your faults and inadequacies—He thinks you are worthy of love!

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Becoming a mom deepened my understanding of God’s love. Having children opens up a new kind of love: a sacrificial love. I had no idea I could love someone who requires so much of me. This made me see, at a deeper level, how much God loves me. He gave everything for me, even His life.

I can see how He still loves me when I mess up because I love my children that way. I’m disappointed when they make wrong choices because I know it hurts them. When they hurt, I hurt. But my love for them doesn’t change.

Although I understood God’s love more after becoming a mother, my love for my children doesn’t compare to God’s love for us. God’s love transcends human love. It is unconditional—not based on feelings or actions. He doesn’t love us because we’re lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love.

Take a minute and learn from your children. Matthew 11:25 says: 

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“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.’”

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Children never turn down a gift. When you give a child something, they receive it immediately, with no questions asked! They don’t wonder if they’ve earned it or if they deserve it. They just take it. We must learn from our children and receive God’s love like that. It’s a gift!

If you’ve never received the GIFT of God’s love, stop now and tell God that you want to know Him and receive His love!

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Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

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God’s not in love with a future version of you; He is in love with you just as you are.

 

If you have difficulty accepting or understanding God’s love, pray Ephesians 3:17-19 over yourself right now, and again each morning:

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

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Begin to search the Scriptures for what it says about love. Read each verse and let the truth of God’s Word fill your heart with comfort, confidence, peace, joy and love.

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“I have loved you with an everlasting love;    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

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God desperately wants you to rest in His love. He wants you to live your life knowing you are loved.

Close your eyes and imagine this…

Imagine yourself curled up in your Father’s lap. 

Listen to Him tell you that He loves you.  

Bask in the safety of His love.

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Now, go about your day knowing you are loved and showing that love to each person you encounter.

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Questions for further study:

  • How does the Bible describe God’s love, and what are some key scriptures that illustrate its depth and nature?

  • In what ways can we practically experience and share God’s love in our daily lives?

  • How does understanding God’s unconditional love change our perspective on self-worth and identity?

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Here are some “next steps” you can take after reading this post to further explore and experience the love of God:

  1. Daily Scripture Reading: Commit to reading a portion of the Bible each day, focusing on passages that speak about God’s love. Consider starting with the Gospel of John, 1 John, and Psalms.

  2. Prayer and Meditation: Spend time in prayer, asking God to help you understand and feel His love more deeply. Meditate on key verses about God’s love, such as Ephesians 3:17-19 and 1 John 4:9-10.

  3. Join a Study Group: Find or start a Bible study group focused on exploring the love of God. Discussing with others can provide new insights and deepen your understanding.

  4. Read Further: Read books on the love of God, such as “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning, “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer, or “What’s God Really Like” by SJ Hill.

  5. Serve Others: Put God’s love into action by serving others in your community. Volunteer at a local charity, help a neighbor in need, or participate in a church outreach program.

  6. Reflect and Journal: Keep a journal to reflect on your journey of understanding God’s love. Write down your thoughts, prayers, and any revelations you receive during your study and meditation.

  7. Practice Gratitude: Make a daily habit of thanking God for His love and the ways you experience it in your life. Gratitude can help reinforce your awareness of His love and presence.

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Have you encountered God’s Great Love for you?  If so, leave me a comment and share how that has impacted you? (Leave a comment by clicking on the little comment graphic by the title of this post)

Thanks for reading and please subscribe so you don’t miss a post.

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Here’s a song about God’s love for you.

January 28, 2019 By
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5 In Faith/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Moving/ My Journey

5 ways to Cure a Lonely Heart

 

Feeling lonely?

I am too. 

Though we are the most interconnected generation of all time, we are the loneliest generation as well.

We have hundreds, maybe thousands of ‘friends’ on social media, but rarely spend time with people one-on-one, eye-to-eye, really getting to KNOW each other. 

This pandemic’s made it worse! We are currently asked to STAY HOME and STAY APART. 

We may text and comment on pictures, but rarely have a heartfelt, deep, face-to-face conversation. And when was the last time you HUGGED someone (besides your children)?

After moving to Minnesota, I’d been feeling lonely. My loneliness was causing me to be on social media MORE, but that pseudo-connection left me feeling emptier and lonelier.

We now live in a world that makes it possible to live void of human contact. We can live a virtual life. VIRTUAL connections are not a SOUL connection.

The same technology that promises to help us be more connected than ever is – in some ways – making people more disconnected that ever.

My loneliness caused me to spend the day in tears.  I had left all my friends 3 years ago when we moved from the Chicago area to Colorado. Then I left all my new Colorado friends to pursue an adventure in Minnesota. (Click here to read about it)

My husband saw me and listened to my sadness …  then encouraged me to do a few things that he thought might help. (Husbands love to FIX things.) At first, I didn’t want him to FIX it…I just wanted to FEEL it.  Then, I slowly acted on his suggestions and it really DID help! If you find yourself feeling lonely, these ideas might help you too:

  1. Reach out to old friends.

I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to catch up with people who know you and love you. Do it. Call an old friend today.

It’s important to choose a handful of friends that are “lifers” … friends that you want to stay connected with for life. Those are the friends you need to continue to check-in on and reach out to.

Call one (or five) old friends and tell them you are LONELY!  Letting someone know how you feel invites them to encourage you, pray for you, check in on you, and spend time with you.

I was feeling sad that very few friends had reached out to me, then I began to realize I had not reached out to anyone either. I have one friend who lost her father, another friend just went through a divorce, another friend moved across the country. I had not reached out to ANY of them!!!!

Wow, I was throwing myself a pity party, then realized I was not doing what I wanted others to do for me!

2. Reach out to new friends.

I had very few people in this new state that even knew my name. But the few that knew me, I contacted. One was my neighbor…we just sat on each other’s porches and talked while our kids played. I invited the one other lady I knew out to dinner. It was refreshing to chat with other ladies and begin to build friendships.

When we sow genuine seeds of friendship – love, encouragement, time, and affirmation – we WILL reap a harvest of good friends.

3.  Get outside

Get OUT of your house!

Take a walk, soak in the fresh air.

BONUS: PEOPLE are outside!

This might sound silly, but I intentionally went on walks and bike rides with my kids around my new neighborhood JUST to meet our neighbors and find potential friends.

My first good friend in Colorado was someone I met at the playground when our kids were playing together.

So…get outside!

Since it’s winter in Minnesota and harder to be outside…I’ve found places to go INSIDE! The library, classes at the gym, my church, and a Bible study.

I was actually writing this post from the cafe inside my local gym. As I’m typing, a lady from my church recognizes me and says hello. We talk for a few minutes and she asks me what I’m writing about. I was so embarrassed to answer honestly, but took a deep breath and said: Loneliness.  She then INVITES me to her house. This is exactly what I needed and would not have had happened if I’d stayed inside – wallowing in loneliness.

Movement creates opportunity!

Get out of your house. Smile. Be friendly. Stop and chat with people.

4. Start a Gratitude List

Start writing a list of things you are grateful for. I’m currently writing a list of 1000 things for which I’m thankful based on the book One Thousand Gifts gifts.

If you look for the good, you WILL find it!

When I began to focus on the things I DO have rather than what I don’t, my attitude began to change. My shift in perspective caused my heart to mend.

5. Connect with your Heavenly Father.

We are never really alone. Our Heavenly Father is always ready and willing to spend time with us, comfort us and heal our wounded hearts. It’s easy to forget that God is with us all day long…ready to listen and connect. He’s the one Friend that will never leave or disappoint us.

…But I am always with you.
    You have held my hand. Psalm 73:23

…You can be sure that I will be with you always… Matthew 28:20

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

So don’t worry, because I am with you.
    Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.
I will make you strong and will help you.
    I will support you with my right hand…Isaiah 41:10

The closer we get to God, the fuller our hearts will be and the less lonely we will feel. However, it’s okay to ask Him to provide us with strong friendships! He’s the one who said:

“It’s not good for man to be alone!” (Genesis 2:18)

 

If you’ve moved recently,  I wrote a post called “LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE” with some similar but additional ideas and encouragement. You can click here to read it.

If you are feeling lonely, call me or send me an email! I’d be happy to chat with you!

If you’ve found something that has helped you overcome loneliness… leave me a comment!

For an awesome, encouraging book, check out: You are Never Alone by Max Lucado.

January 19, 2019 By
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0 In Faith/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

Who am I?

In the Bible, in the book of Exodus, Moses asks God, “Who should I tell the people who sent me.” In other words, ‘What’s your name?”
In Exodus 3:14 God answers Moses by saying,
“I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Have you considered that because God calls himself, “I AM,” we could be using God’s name in vain by saying “I am ____” and filling in the blank with something negative.
Exodus 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.”
I still believe that we shouldn’t use God’s name as a swear word, but perhaps we should also avoid calling ourselves something that contradicts who God made us to be!
When my children say something negative about themselves, it hurts this mama’s heart. I immediately correct them. How much more does it hurt God’s heart when we talk negatively about ourselves – His Creation…His child?

Who does God say that you are?

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

You are righteous Romans 3:22

You are loved Jer 31:3, Ephesians 3:18, I John 3:1

You are created with a purpose Jeremiah 29:11

You are chosen, special, royalty 1 Peter 2:9

You are protected Psalm 121:3, 2 Thessalonians 3:3

You are strong 1 Peter 5:10, 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10

You are a child of God 1 John 3:1

You are Holy and Blameless Ephesians 1:4

You lack nothing Psalm 23:1

You are honorable Psalm 8:5

“Our minds will be influenced either by our Father’s affirmations of us revealed in the Scriptures or by the negative thoughts and images that continually try to cripple us through feelings of rejections, loneliness and shame.” -SJ Hill, What’s God Really Like?

Let’s help our children remember who they are and WHOSE they are.
When they are talking negatively, have them REPLACE their words with truth.
Change “I can’t do this” to “I can’t do this, YET!” (or “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me Strength” Philippians 4:13)
“I am afraid” becomes “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of LOVE, power and a SOUND mind” (1 Timothy 1 :7)
“I’m a failure” to “I was chosen by God!” (John 15:16)
“No one likes me” to “I am loved by the Creator of the Universe!” (1 John 3:1) 
Take a minute, close your eyes, and let God tell you who you are!

You are LOVED!

Click here for a POWERFUL Daily Declaration to speak over yourself and your family.

Click here for 12 verses to reduce your fear and build your FAITH. 

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November 2, 2018 By
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2 In Faith/ Family/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

How to Find Joy in the Mess of Motherhood

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As a mother, I’ve experienced the incredible joy and fulfillment of raising children, but also the intense challenges and stress that come with it. I try to keep the house picked up, but sometimes it feels like a hurricane has swept through. Breakfast dishes pile up, spills happen, and my sons love to make forts out of all our pillows and blankets. In those moments, I feel overwhelmed.

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Some thoughts that run through my head are:

  • I’ll never have a clean house.
  • I’m depressed.
  • I can’t do this.

I give myself about 60 seconds to think this way, then I purposefully stop myself. When I choose to think different thoughts, my mood immediately changes.

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I’ve learned that I have a choice in how I respond to the thoughts. I choose to focus on gratitude and joy instead of stress and negativity.

When I start to feel down, here are two things I’ve found that are helpful.

Scripture:

  • “I can’t do this” is replaced with: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
  • “I am depressed” is replaced with “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 ESV).

Gratitude:

  • Replace “I’ll never have a clean house!” with this thought: I have young children, but I will eventually have a clean house again and may even miss their messes. Messes means life is happening here.
  • Replace “Look at the messy kitchen!” with this thought: My children aren’t hungry. They have food to eat.
  • Replace “The living room is a mess!” with this though: My children are creative. They are playing together.

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Feeling stressed is a choice. Joy and gratitude are choices too.

I’m choosing joy one day at a time, sometimes one minute at a time.

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Motherhood is a journey that requires us to let go of our own desires and priorities and focus on our children. It’s a tough but rewarding path, and we can choose to find joy even in the midst of messes and chaos.

If you’re struggling to find joy and gratitude as a mother, I encourage you to ask God for help. You can also start a gratitude journal and write down five things you’re thankful for each day. And don’t forget to involve your children in household chores! Even young children can help pick up toys or set the table, and older children can do more advanced tasks like laundry and cooking.

Remember, joy is a choice, and it’s one we have to make every day. Let’s choose wisely and embrace the challenges and joys of motherhood together.

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Thanks for reading! If you found this post helpful, please consider subscribing for more tips and encouragement.

Want more on Motherhood?

Read this:

Finding Peace of Mind: Advice for Anxious Moms

October 25, 2018 By
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3 In Faith/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey

What I learned in going back to work after being a full-time mom

Facebook memories let me know that today would have been my one-year “anniversary” of working at New Life Church in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Michelle Anthony is the Family Ministry Pastor at New Life, and in the summer of 2017, I asked her if we could meet so I could share some ideas on how to grow our volunteer team. At that meeting, she asked if I would go from being a volunteer to joining the staff.

 

As always, my first reaction was to say “no.”
 – I’m a mom with four kids, do I have enough ‘gas’ in my tank to do more?
 – I’ve been a full-time mom for 6 years, do I have marketable skills left?
 – With a church this size, will I have a voice?  Can I really make a difference?

 

I told her to give me a few days to pray about it and talk to Ted.

 

Ted encouraged me to go for it. It would be a part-time role, and he thought I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. I prayed and felt good…nervous…but good.

 

So, I said yes.

 

I’m SOO very glad I said yes! It was an HONOR to work with amazing people, being a part of helping kids know Jesus and grow in their relationship with him. I also loved having the chance to bring to fruition those ideas I shared with Michelle at our initial meeting.

 

Years ago, I was a children’s ministry director of a smaller church and wore a lot of hats – greeter, teacher, worship leader, curriculum writer, curriculum prep, shopper, event planner, event host, etc.

 

When working with a larger team at a mega-church, each of us could specialize in our gifts. I enjoyed the opportunity to focus on one service (Friday night), and one theme (volunteerism), while supporting others in the church in what they did. We all worked together with one mission.

 

I loved being a part of the New Life church staff. Some days I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to do what I love!  Before I started, I was SO nervous; but 9 months later, when we found out we were moving, I mourned having to say good-bye!

New Life Family Ministry Team

Working again gave me confidence that the gifts God placed in me a long time ago did not disappear as a stay-at-home mom.

 

Mamas, the work you do at home is INCREDIBLY important. Stay engaged there. Be the best mama you can be for those children, cherishing the fact that you get to invest in them, mold their beliefs, and watch them grow!

 

Your time as a full-time mother is not causing your gifts to depreciate. Changing diapers and chasing after toddlers will NOT eliminate all your marketable skills. Your gifts will only grow stronger. Focus on the task of being a mom and a wife! Know that in the future, you will have opportunities and new ways to use your God-given gifts. God will EQUIP you to do whatever He calls you to do!

 

I’m so grateful to be home full-time again right now. Moving while Mommin’ is hard and all-consuming. The kids just started school, and I have 100 things on my to-do list. This blog post is NOT on that list…so I’m going to run now… thanks for reading my thoughts for today!
September 13, 2018 By
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3 In Faith/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Raising boys/ Traveling

Feeling overwhelmed? Read this!

Lately as I’m approaching my bed to sleep at night, a wave of fear sweeps over me. I’m afraid to lay down in the dark because that is when the thoughts begin…thoughts of –

  • things I’ve done wrong and should have done differently.
  • thoughts of something bad happening to my kids
  • thoughts of them getting hurt or dying

Negative, painful, fearful thoughts were weighing me down, making my chest ache. I felt like I was suffocating. I could barely breathe, let alone sleep.

I know I can do something about this. I didn’t need to hold on to these fears and anxieties. I needed to purposely, actively, STOP the bad thoughts filling my mind.

The Bible tells us to:

“Cast ALL your ANXIETY on Him because He CARES for YOU!” I Peter 5:7

I began to pray over my worries and stresses. I prayed Psalm 91 for my children: “… With LONG LIFE with I satisfy him…”

Prayer allowed me to cast my anxiety on HIM. I was literally handing my worry and fear to God.

After just a couple of minutes of prayer, I honestly felt God take the heavy burden off me and carry it for me.

I “saw” (not literally, but in my mind) Him take the “backpack” that was weighing me down and place it on His shoulder!!!

Suddenly, the weight was lifted.

The fears and anxieties were replaced with joy and peace!

I could breathe. I could smile. I could rest!

Friends, give Christ your burden. Your fear. Your anxiety. Your negative thoughts. He wants to carry the load for you! Hand it over to Him in prayer.

The following Scriptures have helped me tremendously. Feel free to print these out and lay them beside your bed. Try to memorize one or two so that you can repeat them when you are feeling anxious or afraid:

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;  he delivered me from all my fears.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

You can also read Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 for further encouragement!

Do you have a favorite scripture, a quote, a book or something that has helped you when you are faced with fears and anxiety? Please share!

Another suggestion is to fall asleep to the sound of music. I love to play this song just before I go to sleep:

August 21, 2018 By
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4 In Faith/ Family/ Finding our place/ House Hunting/ Minnesota/ My Journey

Miracles in Moving

Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you’ve got all the answers, then don’t call what you do faith.” — Dr. Brené Brown

I’m so thankful that I have a God I can trust.  I look back on my life and see His faithfulness over and over.

However, entering new territory, heading toward the unknown, is still hard. Every time.

Why? Why do I fear? Why don’t I rest in the fact that the same God who provided for me throughout my life, will continue to be by my side?

He is faithful, so why do I worry?

There’s a story in the Bible about the Israelites traveling to an unknown place.  I can’t imagine being a mama back then – with no restaurants or grocery stores – no guarantee of food for my children. However, day after day, God miraculously provided food for them. Each morning, there was fresh “manna” on the ground. They ate all they wanted.

However, they weren’t sure the food would always be there. God provided yesterday, He provided today, but would He provide again tomorrow? And every.single.day. after that?

Would He always be this good?  

Since they weren’t sure, they began to gather as much as they could and store it in their tent for the days to come. However, the food they stored would be rotten by morning. They’d go outside to discover that God had, once again, provided fresh “manna” for them to eat. They slowly learned to trust Him, one day at a time. You can read the story in Exodus 16.

This season has a made me realize – I’m just Iike those Israelites!

I can look back and see how God provided for me (over and over) but I STILL say: “God, will you do it again? Will you be as good tomorrow as you were today?” In my heart, I know He will. But the trusting day-by-day is so hard.

 I reflected back on how God miraculously provided for us in Colorado, but wondered if He would do the same in Minnesota?!

For instance, we had to sell our house in Colorado before we could make an offer on a house in Minnesota.

The waiting, day after day.

Will we get an offer…WHEN will we get an offer…PLEASE someone…give us an offer!

The waiting, the trusting…was HARD.

We DID get an offer –  A FULL PRICE OFFER!

However, the family who wanted our home, wanted it in less than 30 days.

We had not yet decided on a house OR a mortgage company.

Ted and I talked, prayed, and chose our home Minnesota home, while I interviewed mortgage companies to find the best rate.

Once those big items were decided, we had only 2 and a half weeks before we had to be out of our Colorado house. The mortgage company needed almost 30 days to close on our loan. We’d be in limbo for about 10 days.

Ten days where we’d be ‘homeless’ – 10 days between the time we needed to be out of our Colorado home and close on our Minnesota home.

We asked the Minnesota homeowner if we could get a ‘pre-occupancy’ agreement – letting us move in early. We’d essentially “rent” the home from him until we close. This would save us from having to stay in a hotel for those 10 days, and even more important, we wouldn’t have to move our things TWO TIMES (from our Colorado home to storage, then from storage to our Minnesota home). That would be a lot of extra effort and EXPENSE!

The homeowner said NO. He’d had a bad experience with this before and he would not let us in early, even though he was no longer in the house – the house was EMPTY!

We asked the family purchasing our Colorado home if we could stay for 10 extra days. They said, “no, we have everything on a specific timeline.”

This was so discouraging.

So I prayed. I asked a few others to pray. Ted talked to our realtor to see if he could get the Minnesota homeowner to change his mind.

We waited.

I tried not to get anxious as our moving day approached.

Well, moving day came. Our movers asked us where they’d be taking our stuff. I gave them our new Minnesota home address…in faith, praying we’d have favor and could move our stuff in.

As our movers were finishing and Friday was coming to a close…we heard back from the Minnesota homeowner.

He would let us into his home early!!!

The movers left our home Friday and we met them at our new home on Monday morning at 7:30 AM!

Our Miracle Home in Minnesota!

Thank you God for answered prayer.

Thank you to our realtor who negotiated on our behalf.

Thank you to those who encouraged and prayed for us!

I’m thankful that I follow a God who provides, day after day, year after year, generation after generation.

If you are going through a tough situation, and wondering if God is with you, read this verse:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

PS – The homeowner really DID have a BAD experience and it’s a MIRACLE he let us in early! Someone had moved into this home a year earlier, requesting a “lease-to-own” deal. After moving in, he didn’t pay rent and did damage to the home and he couldn’t get the renter out. The floors had to be refinished, carpet replaced and walls painted.  What a mess! Somehow, in spite of this, we were allowed in early! Amazing!

Feel free to leave a comment about how you’ve seen God provide for you!

 

August 15, 2018 By
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9 In Colorado/ Faith/ Finding our place/ Inspiration/ My Journey

All of My Feelings were Hurting!

Recently in the middle of the bedtime craziness, my youngest son Luke cried out:

ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE HURTING!!!!

I tried not to laugh and was able to comfort him that night with a hug.

However, his words stuck with me because throughout the last couple of months, I completely understood what he was talking about:

ALL of MY feelings were hurting! I was feeling sad, mad, worried, anxious, and fearful.

  • Sad that I have to say goodbye to people and a place I love
  • Mad that a job was moving us to Minnesota
  • Worried that we wouldn’t sell our Colorado home or find the right house to purchase in Minnesota
  • Anxious about all of the changes and everything that I needed to do to move across the country
  • Fearful of the unknowns

Then I read Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud.  It was full of truth and ENCOURAGEMENT and was the exact book I needed during this transition! He put into words everything I needed to hear.  I didn’t know if it was okay that ALL of my feelings were hurting. People move EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. NBD!

And then I read:

“When you don’t feel your feelings, you remained tethered to them in some way” Dr. Henry Cloud.

This gave me the freedom to FEEL all of the feelings, to process them, write about them, talk about them, cry over them and pray about them. I also allowed others to pray for me, hug me, remind me of God’s truth and encourage me.

“To the degree we were invested in something that’s ending, we will have to work the grief through our system in order to be ready for whatever is next…

“When you feel grief, you are saying: I am looking this reality right in the face and dealing with it. Grief also means I am getting ready for what is next, because I am saying goodbye to it.” Dr. Henry Cloud

I said Good-bye.

After processing all of the feelings, I said goodbye. Goodbye to the sadness, anger, worry, anxiety and fear. I also said goodbye to the priceless Colorado adventure and looked back with gratitude!

Then I said Hello!

Feeling the feelings and processing them allowed the closure I needed to end that glorious chapter and to say hello to a NEW one!  New friends, new opportunities, new memories and experiences.

I will take my memories, my friendships, and what I’ve learned and build on that in our new place. I will discover new things and develop new relationships.

Treat endings with respect.

“Look at the experience, break it apart. What was good about it? What did I learn? What skills did I attain? New knowledge? Take all of that and make it a part of you. It becomes part of who you are. You are now smarter and wiser for having that experience.”

“Face your grief, work through it and let it equip you will make for a good necessary ending.” Dr. Cloud

Thank you Dr. Henry Cloud! I LOVED your book (especially Chapter 12 – Embrace the Grief: The Importance of Metabolizing Necessary Endings!) It said everything I needed as I ended one chapter to begin a new one.

If you are about to have an “ending” of some sort (or know you NEED to end something) – I highly recommend you get this book!!! And maybe start with Chapter 12.



(Affilate Link)

Have you read this book? If so, did you like it too? Leave a comment!

July 29, 2018 By
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2 In Book Review/ Faith/ Family/ Inspiration

Before you quit, read this!

Do you feel Overwhelmed? Exhausted? Are you ready to quit?

Faith does not look at the FACTS and say “Well, I might as well give up.” Faith looks at circumstances that have “impossible” written all over them and then listens to what heaven is saying. In heaven, you will never hear God say, “You should quit. This is impossible.”

Scripture is clear that faith has nothing to do with what we feel or see. We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7

If you listen, you will hear God telling you that He is on your side, he is FIGHTING FOR YOU, that with Him you are more than a conqueror!

Determine today, as a person of FAITH, to move your eyes off your situation and open your ears to God’s voice.

When you are in crisis, God is not. When you are in depression, God is not. When you are lost, God is not. When you want to quit, God will not. God has not vanished. Just because you may not understand the path you are traveling doesn’t mean God is not leading you! Choose to trust Him.

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Choose to believe:

He will comfort you in all your troubles. Ps 23:4

God will meet all your needs (Phil 4:19)

He will turn your darkness into light and make straight your crooked path (Is 30:5)

Joy comes in the morning (Ps 30:5)

God will not forsake you (Ps 9:10)

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When Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor) was training to be Navy seal he noticed that men around him were quitting, giving up and not fulfilling their dream to be a Seal!  These men were STRONG, some stronger than Marcus. Though they had physical strength, they didn’t have the mental strength. When you make up your mind that you are not going to quit, the battle is WON! There comes a time in every marriage, family or situation when it’s easier to quit than endure. Decide now that you WILL NOT QUIT!

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I am never going to quit loving.

I am never going to quit serving.

I am never going to quit forgiving.

I am never going to quit praying.

I am never going to quit believing.

I am never going to quit being kind.

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Inspiration came from the book “Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt” by Jentezen Franklin.

Click here to read “Rediscovering Joy: A Journey of Self-Reflection, Resilience and Faith”

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July 20, 2018 By
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