tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89740993626100640792024-02-18T22:00:41.162-06:00Testimony of OneGod writes the stories of our lives so that we can share them with others and point them back to Him.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-48059736199578462752014-12-30T13:45:00.000-06:002014-12-30T15:25:44.997-06:00Heavenly Hope: A Journal Stone
I lift up my eyes... where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
Rebecca recently wrote a short but powerful testimonial blog that focused on the miracle of God's hand in the gift of their family's new dream home. Her story was filled with such hope, as it was one of her main reasons for writing, that it provoked in me the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-34042348323465117992014-03-11T18:21:00.001-05:002014-03-11T18:21:09.322-05:00What if We Dared to Look Deeply?
This morning she awoke with a
different sensation bubbling up in her heart. But it wasn’t what was bubbling
that struck her the most; it was this instant recognition that it was
drastically divergent from the companions that had been sharing her days for some
weeks now, maybe months—actually years if you were brave enough to press in
beyond the easy answer and ask “how are you?” more than Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-36945606714097479662013-12-31T12:16:00.000-06:002015-01-08T12:17:38.976-06:00Gold 20132013:
This is my fourth year of accumulating Golden Nuggets: a succinct thought or scripture that grabs my heart on a given day. I thought about keeping a running tally here of nuggets I've held onto for the past few years, but decided to store each year's individual scroll as my last entry for that given year. You can find them under the label "Gold".
The path of a spiritual Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-47604341429666059852013-08-15T21:24:00.003-05:002013-08-15T21:24:37.182-05:00Aware of the Extraordinary
That first morning thought. Sometimes clear and concise, partnered with this feeling that you must have been mulling it over long before your REM pattern changed. Other times a blurred line between your dreaming and conscious states. Most of mine come into clarity after my first cup of coffee. But there's always a first morning thought. Right?
This morning mine was crystal clear, as if God Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-52952190240172018212013-08-15T11:19:00.000-05:002013-08-15T19:47:47.004-05:00Choosing Differently
Today. Today I read this and this and this as I carved out time to just enjoy the morning. Window shades pulled up to let light in. Coffee in a spill-proof cup because I still haven't found the night stands I really want and the coffee has to sit in my lap for now. Covers all messy around me and over me. Laptop waiting with words that will fill the emptiness created by not purposing to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-15364638854870420892013-06-15T07:22:00.000-05:002013-08-09T08:30:13.431-05:00Moving Day!Trust (lean on, rely on and be confident) in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper and feed surely on his faithfulness, and surely you will be fed. Take delight (great pleasure or joy) also in the Lord, and he will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4
He has given us the desires of our hearts in this home. Hometown is our new Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-47387324765411352192013-05-09T13:12:00.001-05:002013-05-09T13:12:20.503-05:00Let Them Come Home by Abraham PiperThe article below was written by Abraham Piper (John Piper's son). I actually copied it straight from another blog and am keeping it here because it's just so ridiculously powerful and practical.
The following is Abraham’s account written for Decision Magazine.
When I was 19, I decided I’d be honest and stop pretending I was a christian. At first I pretended that my reasoning Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-75608624968659486822013-05-06T10:27:00.001-05:002013-05-06T19:20:23.397-05:00The Little Girl Inside
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed (perfect) love banishes all fear.
1 John 4:18 [MSG]
An expanse of green grass and rolling hills touches a horizon of pale blue sky. A large hand reaches down out of the heavens. The little girl in her summer dress reaches upward, her hand so very small as it tucks inside His, wrapped in a sense of safety Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-91709210841453422272013-05-04T17:58:00.000-05:002013-05-07T17:45:12.781-05:00Dream Home
"Dream a little BIG dream with me."
There's a saying rolling around the 'churched' community that goes: If you're dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough. It's easy to read those words on a pretty Instagram post and think "Yah! Absolutely!", but then to actually step up to the plate and swing for the fences with your dreams? Well, that takes some moxie and a lot of faith in the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-10372589379036084602013-04-30T12:41:00.003-05:002013-04-30T23:02:09.496-05:00This Little Light of Mine
In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. And with this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone. The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out.
John Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-19417419849523248472013-04-27T14:53:00.000-05:002013-05-04T18:41:11.199-05:00The Woman on the Right
i watch not knowing what's coming
the words foreshadow the end
but don't give it completely away
i'm curious
and yet i know somewhere inside me
where this is going
then it hits me
out of nowhere
reaches in and grabs the very deepest parts of me
tears are inevitable
mixed with understanding and relating
of knowing and sadness
they come from the very deepest parts of my soul
that sees like theyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-59055926437840016362013-04-25T05:39:00.002-05:002013-04-25T05:39:38.754-05:00It's THAT Time Again...
(Teighlor at 17 months old: her first move)
I can't say that I'm excited to approach THIS particular season again, but I can say I know that we're moving again for the right reasons. Yep, I said it. MOVING AGAIN.
Honestly, typing those words at 4:45am (yep ... A.M.) when I have yet to go to bed (feeling icky), feels exhausting--not only because I know I need sleep but because the thought of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-48543650000905371512013-04-24T21:52:00.001-05:002013-04-24T21:53:29.044-05:0021 Days Revealed
If you read the blog I posted on April 2nd, 21 Days to Renewal, I wrote about the fast I was just entering. I was planning on writing about what I'd learned, but another blog I read early this morning (from Rebecca) led to a comment that unexpectedly became my processed thought ... so I'm simply including it here as my blog.
These are my 21 Days Revealed:
But this one blog ... I couldn't Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-21718859283170261982013-04-09T11:21:00.001-05:002013-04-09T15:01:22.113-05:00So This Is Love
So this is love, Mmmmmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm
And now I know
The key to all heaven is mine
My heart has wings, Mmmmm
And I can fly
I'll touch every star in the sky
So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of
Mmmmmm
Mmmmmm
So. This. Is. Love.
When I was a little girl playing with my Barbie's, my Ken and Barbie were almost Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-6035607563941197602013-04-02T13:50:00.000-05:002013-04-02T13:50:18.557-05:0021 Days of Renewal
If God gives such attention to the wildflowers...
Last week the thought, the desire, began stirring ... 21 days. I asked questions--of myself and God. And He asked one very intentional question of me, "What has become your source of comfort?"
The honest answers brought to light the heart behind His question dripping with the love of a good, good Father. And so I answered: food (baking Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-64616985579371689072013-02-17T12:58:00.001-06:002013-02-17T13:02:39.601-06:00Trust
TRUST.
That is the very word Holy Spirit spoke to me last night in church--the word God highlighted as my area of needed breakthrough from the message shared by Pastor Robert.
I believed he was going to speak finances, and then maybe even marriage or restoration of broken relationships on the side, but he spoke trust. Honestly, I was a bit surprised when the word popped up before I could Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-27981507289606400622013-02-13T14:03:00.001-06:002013-02-13T14:04:47.744-06:00On Guns and Bullets
The words shot out at the screen. BAM! BAM! BAM! They weren't focused on the quality of the script or the cinematography efforts of the film being watched, but instead aimed at one of the characters within the story. Like bullets being shot out of a gun pointed directly at the female lead, each sentence was pulling the trigger at her assumed affiliation with a world view that didn't match the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-36519860031940364332013-01-30T06:00:00.000-06:002013-01-30T06:49:44.491-06:00Hope Allows
5:12am. Wednesday. January 30.
I woke up at 3:30am with my head and heart very actively engaged in processing life. Yesterday was a difficult day in our family as we processed news that played out completely different than what we had anticipated, even expected.
In this world of so much heartbreak and suffering, our news was not earth shattering, but it was still disappointing. Our sophomoreUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-57399796082318131272013-01-25T09:11:00.000-06:002013-02-13T15:48:25.072-06:00Standing Firm: Job Speak
Now that the worst is over, we're pleased we can report that we've come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world--and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn't by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised. 2 Corinthians 1:12 [MSG]
As I opened up today's entry on YouVersion and read
these Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-29375356016493856772013-01-20T15:25:00.001-06:002013-01-20T15:28:44.283-06:00Visiting: The Grace Perspective
"It's amazing how much more mercy I give to people who struggle with sins I understand." [Michael Cheshire, Going to Hell with Ted Haggard, Christianity Today, December 2012}
Ouch! Did I really just read that? And why did I catch myself catching my breath?
"You guys can't forgive him and let him back into your good graces. Every time you talk to me about God, you explain that he will take me Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-18097576165625789802013-01-20T10:14:00.002-06:002013-01-20T10:14:51.660-06:00Rachel's Child: Response
Kate is one of handful of writers whom I've never met, yet I have followed her life and her heart for years now. She wrote something yesterday--Rachel's Child, Part 1-- which I read this morning that left me with such a discomforting feeling, a rawness exposed without a band-aid. She recounted the story of a little girl who was her "client's child" when she was a social worker, yet she left Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-91453608008839650962013-01-13T14:46:00.000-06:002013-01-13T17:54:28.396-06:00Unstoppable
Being as I seem to have a lot on my mind, I shall continue the blurging (blogging+purging) that is today's fourth ... and counting ... blog post since early this morning.
A sentiment shared at a friend's birthday dinner last night was tweeted and posted on Facebook by a couple people who attended said gathering. I was not there. I have only seen the tweets/posts.
"A man that loves a woman Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-69259551814789014212013-01-13T12:04:00.000-06:002013-01-13T13:04:19.202-06:00Visiting: Grief
About a month ago a FreedomFriend gave my OtherOne and I some hard-to-come-by, one-on-one time as we sat in three chairs located in the corner of our church during a Sunday morning service. We had been reeling from November's 'day of disconnection' and were labored by so many questions. During this hour, the topic of grief came up (among so many others) and I was told that I didn't know how toUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-6066045160635521372013-01-13T06:49:00.001-06:002013-01-13T12:58:40.370-06:00Visiting: Reality
"God was putting pressure on this movie set I had built and named "reality". It was crumbling, and I was trying to rebuild it." Bob Hamp, Tearing Down a Stronghold, November 20, 2011
I read this again and my soul immediately squirms, uncomfortable with the resonance these words ring within me, but also wondering (a year later) if this purging of thought lead to something different. Was your Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8974099362610064079.post-32238881866837759162013-01-13T06:12:00.001-06:002013-01-13T10:01:35.477-06:00Funky, FunkyMan, I'm in a funk. A true, weighty, bonafide funk. I can feel it inside and out, physically, emotionally and spiritually. If I could watch me, I would see it: in the lack of twinkle in my eyes, in the way a smile doesn't quite make it to my lips often enough and in the way laughter seems like a long-lost treasure buried deep beneath.
I'm not writing now so I can send 'negative energy' out into Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0