He Makes All Things Beautiful

 I've been reading through the Bible this year using a reading guide through an online app that includes a short daily podcast that goes over the reading from the day. I've really enjoyed it. While I don't always agree with the conclusions that are expressed, overall I have found that most days the podcast helps me find purpose and value in texts that would otherwise seem irrelevant for me today. However in the last few days, I have had to read chapters (yes multiple chapters) of almost pure geneology. Verse after verse listing off names of people- most of whom I won't hear about anywhere else in the Bible and a large portion of them whose names I can't read (with way too many vowels!). 

I have to be honest. When I sat down for the podcast after my sixth straight chapter of geneologies, I really wondered what great insight the speaker was going to find for me. I just couldn't see it. And then the speaker explained why the geneologies were so important- not to me, but to their original audience. From that explanation, the speaker showed how those lists showed God's great love for Israel and His desire to restore her. I'd just read several books (pretty much all of them up to this point) where Israel had proved to be more faithful in their faithlessness than in following God and here we are with God doing all that is necessary to restore them. I have to admit that by the end of the podcast, I had tears in my eyes. God's love is that amazing. His faithfulness is perfect and complete.

 And I thought there wasn't much to be found in this list of names.

But isn't that how God often works? He can take anything and make it something beautiful. Whether your facing another  repetitive, tedious task or you're in the midst of something painful- physically, emotionally or mentally, God can take it and turn those moments into something beautiful.

All or nothing

 "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21b

This verse has been playing on repeat in my mind lately.

I've struggled with it internally for as long as I can remember. You see in my head, I know it to be true. God has the ultimate say; He is in control of all things. Every last thing is a gift from Him, and at the end, none of it will come with me. Other translations say, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away." Past, present or future- this holds true. I know this in my head.

But my heart and my will rebel because deep down I've never been comfortable with the second half of that phrase. "The Lord takes away." I mean- I like to think that I have some control over my life- that I make the decisions for my life. Whole-heartedly believing in this verse means letting go of that "right" and recognizing the One who is really in control, even if He takes away something I'm not ready to give up. 

Ugh.... my heart squeezes a bit to even write that last line. 

Yes, I've struggled with the idea that God takes away for a long time- mostly because I've been afraid. But these last few weeks as this verse has rolled around in my head, I started to focus on the first half of that statement. "The Lord gives." It's such a simple statement, and sadly it's one I've taken for granted far, far too often.  The list of all that I have been given is immense....and undeserved. And that is what has made me pause lately. I've been given so much and yet it's also something I have never questioned, doubted or troubled myself over. Those words don't bother me- I'm good with God giving.

But if I try to accept the first statement, "The Lord gives" while refusing to accept the second half, "and the Lord takes away," what am I saying about who God is? I am turning Him into nothing more than one of those token candy dispensers- at my command, tightly boxed-in and limited.

Is that the God I want to serve?
Is that the type of God I want to be in control of my life, this country, our world and all that is created? No. What a poor god I would make of Him.
No if I want a powerful, almightly, all-knowing God of truth, grace and justice, I have to let Him be all of who He is and that includes the God who gives and takes away. 

And that makes me squirm a bit- because it does mean giving up all control, all authority of my life to God, but I also know as hard as it is, it is also the only answer. Things in this life may hurt me or leave me with questions and no answers, but I would be more hurt without Him. I would be completely lost and desperately grasping for anything that looked like an answer without Him- because He is my answer.

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

I pray that when the time comes that I must face my fear that I will not get lost in the taking away but will rest in the name of the Lord. 

When Life Gets Overwhelming.....

Wednesday morning, I dropped the girls off at school, drove home, pulled into the driveway and stopped. Yes, I stopped the car but it was more than that. I stopped. I found myself sitting in the car and didn’t feel able to move. Physically I was fine, but I had been praying, and as my prayer went on and more names/situations came to mind, I felt overwhelmed. I wasn’t the one in need of prayer, but just the thought of all that was going on with those who we care for and love was too much. (And let’s not even start with all that is happening in our world.)

And so I found my prayers making a sharp right turn. As I sat in my car in our driveway, I found myself taking my own overwhelmed emotions and laying them at the feet of Jesus and thanking Him that situations, where the mere thought becomes too overwhelming for me, are not too much for Him. Each and every prayer of mine- as well as all the prayers of every other person in the world- when we combine them all, it would still not be too much for God. He is enough. HE is enough.

He is enough because there is nothing we are going through that surprises Him. There is nothing we experience that He hasn’t already been present for. That is the beauty of a God who is eternal and immortal, who’s wisdom is perfect and complete. He is present in every moment of every person….. always. There is no future. There is no past for Him. He is present in them all and because of that, He is surprised by nothing and His plans will always be right. It may not look that way from our limited view point and it will certainly not always feel that way, but that is when knowing God becomes so important. When our experiences seem to question God’s love or God’s goodness, the relationship I have with Him reminds me- He is good. He is just. He is faithful. He is true. He is love. And these are not just qualities he possesses. He is the very definition of them. So when I cannot see the good, I trust in who I know God to be and in His promises.

“I will lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalms 121:1-2

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up my yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for yourselves.” Matthew 11:28-29

So what started out as weight that kept me in my seat unable to move turned into a time of praise celebrating who God is and what He is doing even now- when I cannot see it and do not understand.

I will lift my eyes even in the pain
 Above all the lies, I know You can make a way
I have seen giants fall, I have seen mountains move
I have seen waters part, because of You

I remember I remember
You have always been faithful to me
I remember I remember
Even when my own eyes could not see You were there, always there

I can't stop thinking about
I can't stop thinking about
I can't stop thinking about Your goodness

(Remember, Lauren Daigle)

And because of that even though I have not seen any answers to my prayers yet, the rest of my week has been a week of praise- sometimes tearful praise but praise none the less- because I remember. And because I remember, I will keep on praising and praying, knowing that He hears and He cares and He is already there.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in Yahweh; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! Yahweh my Lord Is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

I pray the same for you. If you already believe in God, I pray that no matter what you may be facing right now, you will remember He is there- whether you can see Him or feel Him- He is there. I pray you will remember who He is, who He has shown Himself to be in the past and His many promises to those who believe, and you will find comfort and peace knowing your circumstances are in the best possible hands.

If you do not have a relationship with the Lord, I pray you would come to know Him. I pray there would be someone in your life who can show you and speak to you of the goodness of God and His love for you and that you would come to know who He truly is and trust Him too. Because I truly believe it is only when you have a relationship with Him that you can find true peace and true freedom. And should that person be me, I pray that the Lord would use me- not for my glory but for your good and His goodwill.

Running to His Arms

Noelle and Drew have this tradition. Whenever she first sees him (in the morning coming downstairs, when he comes home from work, etc.) and before bed, she always gives him a running jump hug. It is such a joy to watch. He will set down anything that is in his hands and plant himself at one end of the room or hall and opens his arms. Noelle will back up as far as she can and then runs full speed to him, leaping into his arms for one mighty hug. Every time.

Noelle runs to Drew when she needs him; she runs to him when she is hurt, but she runs to him for so much more than that as well. Noelle runs to her Daddy because she loves him, because she is excited to be with him and because she cannot think of a better place to be.

As we were singing the following words this morning, this image of Noelle running to Drew sprang to mind again.

Oh, I'm running to Your arms

I'm running to Your arms

The riches of Your love

Will always be enough

Nothing compares to Your embrace

Light of the world forever reign

(Hillsong, Forever Reign)

And while I can't deny its an image that is precious to me because of the relationship between Drew and Noelle, it took on an even deeper and sweeter image, as I realized this was exactly what had happened when Noelle made her decision to follow Jesus Christ.

When I think back on Noelle's baptism, I remember her sheer, all-encompassing joy. She was literally reverberating with it the day before and the morning of. And as I consider how she runs into the arms of Drew, I can so easily envision how she ran- joyfully and eagerly- into the arms of her Heavenly Father that Sunday morning. Noelle knew He would be there to catch her and she knew it was the place she most wanted to be- in His arms.

"Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--- how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him!" Psalm 34:8 (the Message)

Sometimes its just that simple. We can make it more complicated. We can ask "why?" or "what if?". We can demand proof and answers. Or we can trust in who we know God to be- in His love and His grace- and run with abandon into his outstretched arms.

Dear Lord,

We praise you for your grace, your forgiveness and your mercy. We deserve none of it and yet you have chosen to lavish it upon us. Thank you. Thank you for Noelle's loving, joyful spirit and for her desire to make you her personal Lord and Savior. As she starts down this new path, we pray that you will give us wisdom to help guide her. We pray that her love for you will deepen and her joy in you will shine like the stars in the heaven, a light to all around her. We pray that nothing of this world will be able to dampen her spirit, but that through and in you, she will find renewed hope for each moment. Thank you Lord for entrusting her to us. We pray we honor you in all that we do.

12 Years as an Army Wife

 Nearly 14 years ago, I did something that I never planned….. never wanted to do- I married a man in uniform.

I was never one of those girls who spent lots of time planning my wedding. In fact, I rarely thought about a wedding when I was younger, but there was one thing I always knew. I did not want to be married to a man in uniform, whether military, police force or fire department. Starting over time and again, making new friends, putting myself out there, deployments, long work days, the unknown. The idea sounded impossibly hard, stressful and lonely, and it honestly terrified me. I was certain it was not the right path for me.

So 12 years ago as Drew took his oath of office and commissioned into the US Army, I found myself in one of the few places I was certain I wasn’t meant to be.

And after 12 years, I can tell you this: it is just as hard as I imagined and there are still so many aspects of the Army life that I find stressful and challenging. I have moved more times than I would ever wish. I have walked into house after house wondering if this would be our next home. I have visited church after church praying God would bring us to a new church family where we could grow and serve. I have said goodbye to Drew and held back the tears, so I could better comfort our girls. I have waited and waited for a phone call that didn’t come, and I have celebrated when our family was reunited once again. I have had to watch our girls say goodbye to dear friends and hold them as they cried in loneliness. I have mourned for them and questioned how our choices will affect them as they continue to grow. I’ve wished for the ease of living in one place with life long friends ready and able to show up at a moment’s notice if needed. All this has only confirmed to me that I was right all those years ago. I am not naturally made for a military life. It doesn’t come easily and I am not strong enough for it.

Yet here I am- and I am certain this is where I am meant to be and that God’s plan is at work right now. Because while I’m not strong enough- HE is! I couldn’t have imagined this life for myself but I believe God had something bigger in mind for me. He just asked me to step out in faith.

To drive 24 hours south to a summer camp in central Texas.
To give a young man from Texas a chance even if it meant our first year together was long distance.
To move away from all of my family to see what might be.
To say yes when asked.
To choose Him and His way over my fear.

And through the years I have continued to see God move in mighty ways- moving me into positions I once again would never have envisioned for myself. But in it all, I have come to better understand, “ Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) For although the Army life is something I never saw or thought I wanted, it’s exactly what I needed.

 In those same 12 years, we have made each place a home and learned that home is less about the house but more about the ones you share it with. Each house has had its own unique challenges, but looking back, I can also see how each has placed us just where we needed to be- whether because of the neighborhood, the community, the neighbors, the proximity to friends/church building, or the school zone.

Each time we have moved, we have found a new place to worship but it has always been more than that, for each church body has become our church family. We have been loved by them, encouraged and challenged by them, supported and assisted by them, and allowed to grow and serve alongside them in every location, and with each move, our family just grew bigger and more diverse.

Each move has taken us to a new part of the country, providing us with the opportunity to meet so many different people at all stages of life and from all types of backgrounds. We have seen through all of this the beauty of God’s creation- in the diversity of the landscape and the endless uniqueness of each individual we’ve met. We have learned that relationships do not have to be defined by time or space but by the love and care between two people- no matter the distance and time between.

God has used our moves to keep me moving figuratively as well. Serving with several different organizations and in ways I never would have believed. He has used these different serving opportunities as stepping stones for future endeavors and I have watched as each has helped me better understand what drives me, what excites me and what I am most passionate about.

We have watched our girls grow in resiliency and courage and seen their faith grow alongside.

We have faced hard goodbyes and had to stare down some of our deepest fears only to find that God had already laid the groundwork to provide for each, helping and supporting us through those He’d placed in our lives. But with some of the hardest goodbyes (deployments), we have also had the opportunity to experience the sweetest of reunions and joy.

Above all else, I have spent those 12 years with my best friend and partner, and together we have made a family with two sweet, compassionate, beautifully unique little girls.

So is it hard? Yes.
Is it stressful? Yes.
Do I feel like a fish out of water at times? Absolutely.
Does my life look anything like what I imagined as a girl? Certainly not- but despite all of that, it is absolutely worth it. All I have learned; all I have seen and experienced have helped to make me the woman I am today. It has deepened my faith and taught me to look to God first and not just when everything is crashing down around me. I still mess up but I can see the immeasurable good that has come from what seemed like the impossible.

So where do you find yourself today? Is there something that you keep thinking about that seems impossible or scary? What is something you are drawn to but don’t feel strong enough or well-equipped for? Let God lead you. Take a step of faith and see what mighty, incredible things He has in store for you. I can tell you this, the path will not always be easy, but it is worth it, and you’ll never regret following His leading in your life.

Two Roads

For the last month or so, Drew and I have been standing at an intersection point in our lives. Two paths lay before us, and we were going to have to decide which one to take. As I looked at the two options, the decision seemed impossible. Both paths would come with benefits as well as concerns/disadvantages, and I truly could not see anywhere where the balances really tipped in favor of one or the other. One day I would lean towards the one path, and the next I was leaning in the other direction. There was good in both; there was uncertainty in both. There were things I looked forward to in both; there were things I feared in both.

Throughout all of our decision-making process, we have been praying that God would lead us onto the path that was best for us- both individually and as a family. Drew and I desire above all else to serve the Lord and walk in His will, and so we asked Him to show us what that was in this situation. As time went on though, I had to admit that one direction was definitely the desire of my heart, and I very much wanted to see God moving us in that direction. So I prayed just for that. I told God how much I liked the idea of the one path and asked him to open a door- clear the path even just a little bit- in that direction if it was in His will and would be good for us.

I prayed and I watched. I looked for anything that might appear to be an open door or even a cracked window. And out of the blue, an opening appeared…. but not in the direction I wanted. The opening wasn’t a definite though- just a bit of a clearing- and so I prayed again. I acknowledged the opening that had appeared and expressed my confusion and prayed that God would just make things a bit clearer. All the while, I laid the wishes of my heart at his feet and asked Him to direct us.

A week ago, the time came when the decision had to be made. Drew received two pieces of news; one didn’t move us much to the left or the right, but the other confirmed that although the opening wasn’t definite- it was highly likely. The path that I liked less was being opened to us more and more. Meanwhile none of my research- of which I did a great deal- had cleared the way at all on the path I longed for.  I wish I could say that I recognized right then and there that God was showing us what to do and that I made the decision myself to follow along that path…. But I couldn’t. There hadn’t been any flashing signs pointing us in one direction or the other- only gentle nudges- so maybe, just maybe, God hadn’t given us a final answer yet.

Drew and I talked that night after which he told me the direction he thought we should go. It wasn’t the choice my heart wanted, but deep down, I knew it was the choice we were being called to make. And in that moment, I had to admit to myself that perhaps God’s answer to my prayers had been a “no.” It hurts to admit that because I wanted the one path so very much, but I have also seen God work in mighty, incredible ways after gently and lovingly telling me “no.” The path has rarely been easy and has often been downright painful, but looking back at those times, I am so grateful God didn’t give me what I wanted. Instead He said “no” and gave me exactly what I needed.

And so we have taken our first steps down the one path- moving forward in confidence that the Lord has directed our steps and will see us through because we have seen what the psalmists knew when they wrote, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” Psalm 37:5 and “those who know your name, put their trust in you, for you O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10

It’s only been a week since the decision was made, and I find myself mourning the path we will not take- needing time to say “goodbye” to the dream, so I can move forward without regret or doubt. I am vulnerable in that way, and the adversary is certainly trying to take advantage of that. Already I can see doubt and fear trying to undermine that confidence. In just the last few days, I have had three separate occasions where I have been forced to face the hardships we will likely endure on our intended path. The fears, the frustrations that made this path less appealing are staring me in the face, prodding me to turn back, but there is no turning back. Circumstances won’t allow it, and deep down, I know the only way through this life- no matter what path we had chosen- is to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, for He is my savior and deliverer, and He has promised, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

So as I take the next step down the path set before us, I think back to the Robert Frost quote above and remember that the diverging paths set before me wasn’t actually about the decision we made. No in reality, it is something far greater: To follow Christ in all things or to go my own way. And I trust that because of His leading-- the hard road, the dirtier road- the road less traveled- is the road that will lead us to our greatest joy and peace.

 “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

A New Life

Last Sunday our oldest confessed Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was baptized.

I just have to pause here for a moment. Praise the Lord! There is nothing better- nothing has brought us more joy than watching as she has grown in her faith and taken this step in her walk with God. Happy, happy day and we know that the angels are rejoicing with us!

While our church family saw the baptism for themselves, I had a glimpse of what was going on behind the scenes as Naomi prepared for the baptism. She may have been excited about being baptized, but she was also nervous about being in front of and speaking before a large group of people. This is not the first time we have seen this with her so we had made plans for just such a situation.

Drew walked her through the whole process and then eased her fears with humor. When her nerves cropped up again, we encouraged her to focus on Drew- to look at him and speak as though he was the only one in the room. And in the moment when Naomi needed to repeat her confession of faith, Drew bent down so they could be at eye level with each other.

She did wonderful when the time came and I know part of that came from the calm, strength and encouragement of her father. And as I watched the relationship between Drew and Naomi, I saw a glimpse of the relationship we each can have with God if we will only look to and keep our eyes on Him.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, 

“I will rescue him; I will protect him, 

for he acknowledges my name. 

He will call on me, and I will answer him; 

I will be with him in trouble, 

I will deliver him and honor him. 

With long life I will satisfy him 

and show him my salvation.” 

Psalm 91:14-16

A relationship where we are:

    Met where we are- on our level.

Offered hope, encouragement, strength and guidance.

Experience mutual love and perfect joy.

All resulting in absolute trust and unparalleled peace.

Lord,
We have prayed and prayed for this young girl and her relationship with you, and now as we celebrate this decision she has made, I will pray again- for we know this is not the end but the beginning of a whole new story..... the story of her new life with You. 

I thank you Lord for her decision. I thank you for her keen mind and tender heart which recognized the problem and sought answers. I thank you for all of those who have spoke into her life and taught her through word and example more about You, Your love and a life lived for You. 

Now Lord I pray for her as she starts her new life in You. I pray for her to remain rooted in You, always- ALWAYS- keeping her eyes focused on You, knowing that You are where her identity, strength, comfort and peace will be found. I pray that as she has found that in Drew, she will come to know and trust the same in regards to You. 

I pray that You will give us wisdom as we help her to grow more in her faith and her relationship with You, and that no matter where we may call home, You will help place others- adults and friends- who help her along that path as well.

Protect her tender heart for it is the source of her compassion. Guide her in the ways to use her strength of will so that it helps her to stand confidently in You.

Thank you Lord for loving her and pursuing her. Thank you Lord for giving her to us.