An Unexpected School Vacation

So last week the kids got an unexpected break from school.  Four full days off.  Yup, no fall break or special holiday here.  I got sick.  I'm not sure if I had the flu because I never took the test, but I'm pretty sure I had the flu I had a fever for three days and couldn't even get out of the bed for two straight days.

I have boys.  I do not have any cutesy domesticated girls who can cook or take care of mom when mom goes down.   Monday morning, I ran my six miles and just before starting school I started to feel yucky...by 2:30...forget it, homeschooling mama down.  I crawled into the bed, and I didn't get up until the next evening sometime.  And even that was a challenge.

Last week was interesting.  My oldest is only nine.  He stepped right up and made breakfast and lunch for his five and seven year old brothers.  He tried to defuse any tense situations between them, and carried around the iPad so I could "text" him if I needed anything.  He brought me ice packs, Gatorade and saltines.  He even tried to help me out of bed a few times.  I didn't eat for three days, not sure exactly what the kids ate...but the Halloween candy was in tact so they must have found real food.

So this morning, as rain continuously falls outside and it's dreary and pretty cold here in the south, we are about to start school.  Yup.  Every.  Day.  This.  Week.

Just before school this morning I decided to have some 'me time.'   So guess what I did?  I brought the shop vac in from the garage and vacuumed the laundry room, behind the dryer and all the baseboards even the lint trap in the dryer.

Yeah, I'm 35.   That may sound boring and 'over the hill' to some.  But as I was vacuuming my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude.  Really.  I know it may sound a little silly.  But what I began to think of, is here is this 35 year old woman, walking around in my body.  My mind doesn't feel that old, and honestly my body doesn't either most of the time.  But I'm a wife now, for the past eleven years.  And a mom too, for the past nine years.  Those titles may sound daunting to some, boring to others or exciting to a few.  But the truth is, those titles define my life and were given to me by my Lord.

He chose me, not just to be His child and to serve Him, but He picked me out to be my husband's wife.  The one who gets to grow old with him, embrace all his quirks and love him anyway.  That's what I get to do.  He picked me to be the mother to three boys.  Three boys just barely four years apart.  Three intelligent, energetic and challenging boys.

So even in the mundane and seemingly disgusting job of vacuuming the laundry room, I can be grateful for many things.  The health and ability to vacuum, a house to vacuum, a vacuum that works, the ability to homeschool and teach our children how God is in all of life, the husband who supports me even in my craziest endeavors, the boys who although they boys they stepped up last week and did the best they could.  The reflection of a 35 year old woman who enjoys vacuuming looking back at me because life is a gift from God.

We have so many, many things to be thankful for, we often overlook the smallest of details.  Yet, I believe it is there in the smallest of things that we find the most profound provision of our Lord.  He goes after the small, the mundane all the seemingly insignificant areas of our lives and fights for us.  He fights for our hearts and lives to Honor Him.  He doesn't give up, He doesn't let go.  He relentlessly pursues us.  Not because we deserve it or are worthy, but just because that is Who He Is.

I am amazed at our God how He fights for us.  He wages war against the evil one on our behalf, in fact Christ lives to make intercession for us.  Our Savior prays for us.  Really?  I mean here is our Lord seated in Heaven, and praying for us.  For you.  For me.  We do not know what He prays, but we can be assured it is in line with God's will and it will honor God.  We can trust the One who prays, that the prayers are for us.

So, this month has spurred a season of thanks, and my newsfeeds are overflowing with my sweet friends expressing their thankfulness.  I am encouraged every time I log onto a social media site.  All around me, I am reading the thankfulness of others.  I think it is wonderful!!!  Absolutely fantastic to testify to God about how thankful we are.  I love it, but I also fervently believe that thankfulness is a characteristic of a believer, "in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:18

Last week,  I needed to ask God to draw the thankfulness out for the mundane. For sure, laying in bed day after day with no strength and three young kids, and my husband was so busy at work he couldn't take time off.  It was just the kids and I.  It's hard to be thankful during tougher times.  But I've seen the Lord work in our lives, if we find one thing to be thankful for and express it, more thankfulness follows.  Sometimes we just need to take that first step. 

How about you?  In this 'season of thanks' are you struggling in your heart to offer thanks for the seemingly mundane?  For the little moments when the Lord powerfully speaks truth into your heart revealing what you need to thank Him for, even if you don't feel like it?

Are you leading your kids in a lifestyle of thankfulness? Are you showing them in God's word that we are to be thankful, it does honor God and we can be thankful no matter how small or insignificant? 

Take that first step, thank God for something small.  All the littles add up and that's what life is made of.  Little details, one by one, filtered through the loving hands of the Almighty, fitted just for each one of us to bring Him glory.

Batman isn't real...yet...

No frilly tutus or hair bows or sparkly shoes floating around my house.  Just millions of Legos, an abundance of camo, hot wheels cars and tracks, random plastic bugs...a few squishy FAKE snakes....yeah...I'm surrounded by a houseful of boys.

The most recent trend is Super Heroes.  The boys all have a favorite.  Super Heroes are over running our house almost to the point where now I've picked my own favorite.  I'm actually starting to be partial to Wonder Woman.  My sweet boys have even given me their Wonder Woman Lego Mini figure and she resides on my desk lamp.  It's really thoughtful.

Last weekend I got some special one on one time with my middle son.  We try to carve out special time for each kid with one parent so they feel special.  We just spend time together, talking hanging out.  It's a really cool time.  Especially with my middle son.  I do not have favorites.  I don't believe that's a good or biblical thing.  My middle son is particularly quiet, so my dates with him are very special because that is when I really get to know him.

His favorite is Batman.  While walking through a store we found a Batman Fedora, and he was smitten.  It was super cute on him, but for $10, it stayed at the store.  As we talked that evening, I asked him if he knew Batman wasn't real.  He looked at me and without skipping a beat he responded..."not yet he isn't" 

I asked him what he meant, and he went on to tell me that when he grows up, he is going to become Batman.  He is going to design his own bat mobile and then build it.  Then he is going to buy land and design and a build a bat cave.

I am amazed at his imagination.  He is seven and has decided he will design and build what he needs to become Batman.   That's pretty cool!

This is one of my gifts, one of the countless blessings given to me by my God.  A unique, passionate, energetic, sensitive and creative little ball of fire wrapped up in flesh given the name Braden (though he assures me he is changing it to Bruce Wayne when he is old enough).

He doesn't know it, but the Lord spoke volumes to me in his "not yet" reply.  Braden, at seven is thinking, calculating and planning.  More than likely as he grows he won't execute his master plan to become Batman.  But his vision is there.  I'm much older than he is and yet I struggle with long term vision.  I struggle with planning my future today.

Every day the Lord uses my kids to teach me something new of who He is.

Every day, as I instruct my boys, the Lord instructs me.

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?
 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
    putting all things under their authority—
 the flocks and the herds
    and all the wild animals,
 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
    and everything that swims the ocean currents.

 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!"

Psalm 8:3-9

Thankful

I'm thankful for many things

But today I'm especially thankful for specific things. I'm thankful I can homeschool.  I'm thankful that He ALONE is faithful when He calls to bring it to pass.  I'm thankful for the strength He grants to obey the call He gives.  I'm thankful for the blessing of my children and how He mercifully uses them to refine my hard heart.  I'm thankful for my husband.  He is an amazing man.  I'm thankful on June 5, 1995 the Lord would not leave me alone until I surrendered to His call to come to Christ.

As we had our bible study this morning I was reminded of the FACT that our Lord's grace is sufficient.  When I go to draw from the rich grace of our God, I never hear or see "insufficient funds."  His grace is there. 

Every Hour.

Every moment.

I will never hear Him say, "I'm done." "It's just too much."  "Give me five minutes." "Can you just leave me alone?"

I will always hear Him say, "My grace, Brittany, is sufficient for you."

That's part of what is so amazing  about grace.

Published!

So, I have a God given passion for writing.  I love it, as weird as that may sound to some, ever since I was in the 5th grade I've enjoyed writing.  For years I kept a journal, and over the last 15 years I've written countless bible studies for women, a few children's books, various homeschool lessons and on and on.   But I've never tried to get published.  Something about actually trying to get published is overwhelming.  It's scary.  It entails the possibility of rejection.  

Let's be honest, no one likes rejection.
If I write, and I'm the only one who reads it, or if I blog and no one pays attention, that's just me in my own little corner of cyberspace.  No worries.  No rejection.

But God.  I have to be honest, I've been lazy with the call that the Lord has put on my life.  There's no other way to put it.   It's such an easy out to say "I'm homeschooling my kids, I'm supporting my husband's career...and on and on"  But the bottom line is, if it's truly a priority...then it will get done.

So, just as Moses stood before the Lord,  "But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”  Exodus 4:10 


In my mind, I get these amazing fresh words from the Lord as I study His word, and sometimes it comes out clearly, sometimes it doesn't...but I trust that the Lord has given me each situation, circumstance and person in my life to use to be a blessing to other for His glory.  It's the prayer of my heart, that the Lord would take the adventures of an every day sinner like me and use them to draw people to Himself.  For salvation, for growth and for His glory!

Right after Moses professes his inability, the Lord speaks truth to Moses, powerfully.  Exodus 4:11-12 reads, " Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

So, a few months ago I began searching for publishing opportunities.  I found a few submitted one, and waited. 

And waited some more. 

Then I heard, my story had been selected as a contributor to a book.  I was excited and nervous all at the same time.  Then a few weeks ago, I received a box, with my copies of the book.  I was pretty excited, and extremely thankful for the Lord blessing, because He gives the words, He gives the stories, He directs our circumstances and our situations...and He opens the door to testify to His grace and mercy and I am so grateful. 

So, here it is friends, my second published piece.  A devotional in this book:

 

I'm going to do a book giveaway, but that will be another blog post coming next week sometime. 

 

So keep your eyes peeled and if you want, the book is available on Amazon.

Gem Mining

We went Gem Mining today.  Yeah, and for those that know me well, it is a miraculous moment when I willingly spend $18 on two bags of dirt for my kids to 'sift' through to find planted gems and fossils.

This morning I came home from the dentist with a different agenda for our day.  I knew we needed a change of pace after the first two days of this particular week.

Monday was a devastating day, and Tuesday wasn't much better.    On Monday I caught my nine year old in a lie.  I didn't even know what to think.  I mean honestly it was earth shattering to me.  Okay, grant me grace here friend.  I did not grow up in a Christian home, and somewhere in my mind I had romanticized the Christian home to contain perfectly behaved, obedient children who are always loving.   While those characteristics are good and in a godly way should be cultivated. I was failing so desperately to recognize the obvious truth:  my children are clothed in sinful flesh.  They battle it just as I do....they just don't have as much sinful 'baggage' as I do.

I was not recognizing that, even in their youth, and no matter how 'ideal' of a childhood we try to create for them, they are still sinners.  Which means they will sin.

We saturate them in the word, planting gems of truth throughout the everyday moments of their lives.

Wouldn't you know, the Lord has me reading a wonderful book and the chapter I just began Monday evening is about the importance of Christian Community.  The author brings up a wonderful point that he draws out of Hebrews 10:19-31.  "The central lesson of this passage is that we need one another daily....It is a call to community that is intentionally intrusive, Christ-Centered, grace-driven and redemptive." Paul Tripp

The more I read the more the soft, firm voice of the Lord spoke healing to my heart.  Friends, I was angry.  I was outraged.  I trusted my son to be honest and to make wise decisions.  Monday and Tuesday were difficult days.  Tension ruled our home.  It wasn't fun.

Then, this morning in the quietness of our basement on my morning run, I began mulling over my sin.  My anger, my frustration.  My judgment. My unmet and unrealistic expectations.

I'm the adult and yet, I let my emotions get the best of me.  I did not walk away and ask God for grace and mercy to handle the situation.  I immediately began exposing his sin according to the Word.  I wasn't crazy about it, but I was not nice either.

Anyway you look at it, or whatever words I could choose, bottom line...in my anger...I sinned.

And it's all level ground at the Cross.

My anger.  Joseph's lie.   It all took the blood of Calvary to be forgiven.

This morning the Lord spoke to me about our homeschool.  We, our family, are a community.  A small little five person community.  We are absolutely blessed that three of us have trusted in Christ, so we have that hope that He will guide us with His Holy Spirit.

But Grace.  A grace driven relationship (that of parent and child) allows us "to motivate and encourage one another to do what is right.  We minister to one another knowing that while the law is able to reveal sin, only grace can deliver from it!"  Paul Tripp

Then Redemption.  "Redemptive relationships means we recognize change is a process, not a quick leap to sinless perfection.  We have been redeemed, we are being redeemed, and we will be redeemed."  Paul Tripp

Truth Revealed.  God's word, living and active in the hearts and lives of His people.

The Lord showed me, I was freely receiving God's grace to cover my sin, and yet not expecting my children to need it for theirs.  In my overly romanticized Christian Home, it's as if there were no room for grace.  They wouldn't need it, because they know what sin is, so they won't sin.

But God.

He is gracious and merciful and He redeems!

I want to be a mother who leads my children with redemptive purpose.  I want to take the bad, the unpleasant, the sins that so easily entangle us and show my children how to run to Jesus and exchange it all for the truth found in His word.

So this morning, I went to my boys and confessed the anger of my heart to them and my sin and asked for forgiveness.  It's a humbling moment to ask forgiveness from a young child.  But they need to know Mommy isn't perfect....otherwise they will grow up believing someday they will 'arrive' at perfection.  And they won't.  Neither will I.  I don't want to set my kids up for spiritual failure, they (and I) can do that all on their own.

We are limited by our sinful flesh, but set free by a limitless God who pours out grace and mercy beyond any feeble comprehension.

So what did 'hump' day look like at our house?  Well, as the grace of God's forgiveness flooded my heart, I knew I needed to be a conduit today.  So, we did the bare minimum school and hit the local apple farm.   Sometimes you just have to get away, and quietly meditate on the marvelous grace of our God and enjoy these three amazing blessings that God has entrusted to our care while on the earth, with our absolute top priority to be raising boys into men who love Jesus and serve others.

 

As I watched them sift through the mud and pull out those gems, I was convicted to pray that the Lord would bring growth..."I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow."  1 Cor. 3:6

That dreaded "UGLY" Cry

Sometimes you walk through something that you don't even really know you are walking through until you get through it.  Or near the end of it.

I was wondering tonight if that could possibly make any sense to anybody besides myself?

Tonight, I was running errands, doing a few last minute little things for my husband's birthday tomorrow...and there is a song that keeps playing called, "Lord, I need you."  By Matt Maher.

Can't.  Get. Over.  It.

Seriously, it takes my breath away.  Lately every time it comes on, the tears flow...and I lift my hands in Praise to Jesus.  The ugly cry takes over, and I sing with all my heart.  Yet no noise comes out.  Not one tune.  I just sing my heart out, like Hannah did, pouring her heart out before the Lord with no audible words.   "Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth.  As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord."  1 Samuel 1:12-15

To be brief my husband and I are in a transition.  We wholeheartedly felt called to something, and served God faithfully while in that season, and recently the Lord shut that door. 

On the way back to our house, I realized that in my life, in my heart the words of a wonderful song by Chris Tomlin were slowly becoming a reality again.  They are:

I lift my hands to believe again.

You are my refuge, You are my strength

As I pour out my heart

These things, I remember

You are faithful, God, forever

 

Somewhere in the midst of doing what we believed the Lord had called us to do, something happened inside of me.  I don't know what.  I'm not there yet in this journey.  But what I do know is as I've been trekking around town for the last week or so, I've been lifting my hands.  And it's clear in my heart it is to believe again.  I've experienced Him as my refuge, I've rested completely upon His strength....I've poured out my heart without ever uttering a sound.  And there He is.  

 

Faithful.

 

So every time, "Lord, I need You" comes on, I'm that ugly-cry mess of a Mommy.  I'm all over that, because oh how I need Him.  Every. Single. Moment.

 

I don't know if you've had the blessing of hearing that song I'm referring to, but Google it, find it on YouTube....and just allow yourself to worship the Lord in the solitude of your own heart. 

 

It's possible that sometimes the Lord walks you through an experience, a trial, or maybe something good that He has called you to...just to bring you to a point where you believe again.  Not that you ever lost your faith....but maybe...sometimes in our overly complicated world, He just wants to bring you back to the basics.  Simple, pure....faith in Christ and Who He IS!

 

From "Lord, I need You" by Matt Maher

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

 

 

"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13

 

 

 



Wonder Woman

I found this coffee cup yesterday, and since I really enjoy coffee and my second favorite cup recently broke, I thought for $3.99 it would be a nice treat!!  This cup made me smile.  For so many reasons, and as I was thinking over all of them, I kept coming back to this thought, "I wonder what my boys think of me as their mom?"

Here are just a few, first, when I was a little girl, I had some Wonder Woman underoos and I even have pictures of it, which is really hilarious.  Second, sometimes at the end of the day, or as a response to "What did you do today?" I honestly pause in absolute wonder at what the Lord does with my days.  I mean, I can list all the 'things' I do each day, it's highly likely I will leave some off the list.  But each day, the Lord wakes me up, and I start again.

Wonder means, "to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel." 

I'm no wonder woman, but this cup sure is a nice reminder that each day I wake up, I've got a lot of responsibility before me.  Responsibility given to me as a gift from our Creator.  He chose me to be the mother of these three boys.  Just as He chose you to parent your kids.  You and I will never be the perfect mother.  It can't happen, there's a minor detail we often like to forget about...called our 'sin nature.'  But, as we profess Christ as Savior, we can trust in His  power to strengthen us each day to parent our kids for His glory.  Parenting is hard, have I mentioned that?  It means putting your needs second (sometimes third, fourth...or even just dead last).  It means early mornings whether you want to or not, it means late nights whether you want to or not.  It is a journey that refines the heart.

One very wise mommy friend of mine once said, "You will never be the perfect mother, but you are the perfect mother for your kids."   It's taken me years to wrap my mind around that wisdom.

So the next time someone says to me, "I just don't know how you do all you do."  I may just tell them I'm wonder woman.  I'm a regular woman, who submits her day to the Lord and watches with wonder as He works all things for His glory each day.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
 To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting

Psalm 135:3-4

An Unlikely Audience

Today our school start time came and went.  Two years ago I would've been seriously annoyed, but God has done a work and today I was thankful the boys were getting the sleep they needed and I had an extra hour to prepare

 

We are studying through various spiritual disciplines and this week is prayer...really fitting considering my day yesterday.  So we started talking through 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Jeremiah 33:3.   The boys began to ask questions and before I know it I was sharing my testimony of coming to Christ with my boys.

Again, with kids, and especially boys you never know how much they actually take in and remember.  

Until this afternoon.   I'm driving them around and my middle one pipes us, "Mommy how did Daddy come to know Jesus as Savior?"

 

LOVE.  IT.   They listened. 

More importantly, God is stirring their precious little hearts with His word.

 

Just two years ago our oldest heard a testimony of a lady in our church coming to Christ.   That evening he asked Christ into his heart.   Sharing your testimony may seem somewhat antiquated.  When I first became a believer, Campus Crusade put a huge emphasis on writing out your testimony and being ready to share it at any given opportunity.  Fast forward eleven years into adulthood and hearing people's testimonies seems to be a lost art.

 

Sometimes in the Christian subculture we get caught up in formality or traditions of men.  It's all to easy to do.  Sharing our testimony at church or with a  women's group might seem more appropriate.  After all you'd "reach" more people.
 

But, after today, I'm seriously convicted about not just sharing my personal testimony with my boys, but having an open and on going dialogue about what The Lord is doing in my life.

Why?  It shows Him real to them.  It shows them the reality of an adult "who can do whatever they want."  Submitting themselves to God, being changed, being used for something and someone more important than themselves.  It's more than reading through the Bible with them, it's more than talking at them, it's more than helping them hide His word in their hearts...it's being willing to use discretion and share what is appropriate at their ages and within the confines of a parent/child relationship...to show Christ active in your own life.

Can I challenge you as the Lord has challenged me?  Have you shared your testimony with your kids?  After all, dear friend, it is their heritage as well.   God didn't put your kids into your care by accident.  He chose you to parent them before they were formed in your womb.  He saved your soul not just for you, but to impact those He has given you.

Vacation Ramblings

A friend of mine always posts the most adorable pictures on her Facebook with the hash tag "it's the littles."  I thoroughly enjoy the pictures!  Because isn't it truly all those little moments that take your breath away in varying degrees that make the best memories?  For me it is.

Like right now the sun is shining their is a gentle breeze and the wonder of God's ocean is right at my feet...and yet I'm tucked in quietly listening to the sweet sound of four sleeping boys.  Three are snoring.

There are a lot of defining moments in life.  For me I'd say honestly two stick out to be predominant: salvation..June 5, 1995 and my wedding day July 20, 2002...following these would be the birth of my children.

But often it's all the littles along the way that so often are forgotten...like that day when your baby first ate solid food...or the first time they got potty training, the first time they were able to read by themselves.  Some are amazing and some not so much...they come with tears...like the realization I can no longer pick all my boys up and carry them..my body is too little and theirs are just getting bigger and bigger.

I remember our wedding program shared this verse:

"This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:23 All these little things, no matter how I view them are all gifts from The Lord. I can't pick up my nine year old...but I have a healthy 9 year old to love, teach and parent. I may have picked up my kid from class and he was in trouble...but now I have a wide open door to love out instruction, reconciliation and forgiveness with my little one. I don't have the perfect life, perfect home, or perfect kids...but I serve a PERFECT God who has done things marvelously and to Him be all the glory!

The younger me probably wouldn't like the older me....

This morning I am completely overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord!!  Over the past few weeks, the Lord has been allowing me to experience something that honestly a few years ago I don't know I would have been thankful for...but today...I'm standing in His word and His grace and thankful.   Thankful just for Him.

Sometimes we are thankful for the blessings He gives us, and sometimes we are thankful for His word...or other "things."  But I think it's an extremely intimate thing when you are in a situation where you are truly just thankful for Him.  Right now, I'm right there.

This is our God:

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Psalm 103:9-12

 

I'm at a place in my life, where I am much more apt to err on grace rather than judgment.  I think early in my faith I may have looked at myself and thought "she's just spiritually mediocre."  Funny isn't it?  I would have probably judged myself as weak...and yet today...I can honestly say that the Lord has inscribed His word upon my heart so powerfully and passionately.  I think the "younger" me would not like the "older" me.  Yet, I am at a place where pleasing people is not my priority...while I will do my best to live at peace with all men but I will boldly profess that my hope, my confidence, my trust, my peace, my love, it's all from Christ. 

 

I am awed by the truth that the Lord Himself does not throw things up in our faces, He reminds us NOT of our failures and sins....but the blood of our Redeemer.  All too often we choose to dwell on the sins we've committed or the past failures or even the moments we've not obeyed the Lord and quenched the Spirit in our lives....and yet our gracious God...our compassionate God ever mindful of our sinful state, continues to draw us to Calvary.  Showing us the price is paid, the redemption is complete.  He has absolutely paid the price.  Nothing more can be offered.  Our only response is just humble submission to His call on our lives.

 

Everyday there are tons of little things that threaten to pull us away from doing the right thing, doing what God has called each of us to do.    God wants us to be willing to do the right thing.  And by right thing, I mean....the thing He wants us to do, not necessarily what society says is right.  Situations, circumstances, our very own minds....all these things can seemingly have so much power...until we recognize and submit to the Lord...and ask Him for the power and strength to walk through each one in a way that does honor Him.   And guess what?  Even though you may not think you said all you should, or did all you could....the Lord is in charge and He's got it, from start to finish.

 

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

 

"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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

What if defeat is the spark of revival?

I missed it.  Yup....the election...the focus of our country for countless months...I missed it.  Did I vote?  Absolutely...to me that is a privilege and an honor and the very least I can do as a "thank you" to those who gave their lives so I could do so.  But the outcome?  Yeah, I fell asleep.  It was a long day.  So somewhere shortly after I got my kids to bed I just fell asleep watching the news. 

I woke up midway through the night and asked  my husband...to which he replied.."four more years."  My initial thought was not surprise...but disgust.  I'm just being honest.  Then as I settled back down to sleep, I woke up first thing this morning, and began praising God.  You know...He was not surprised.  He didn't fall asleep on the election and wake up in the middle of the night to find out the results.  He already knew them.

But as I was running and praying this morning, the Lord began to burden my heart.  What if He is using this to spark a revival within the hearts of Christ followers throughout our nation?  And...what if...just maybe that revival is a call to faithful fervent prayer?

Sometimes circumstances don't go as we would like and often we resign ourselves to not praying...thinking "well it is what it is and we can't change it."

This morning as I was running, and thinking on the Lord and His goodness.  Maybe...just maybe God Himself desires a drastic work in the hearts of His followers to be committed to His word and prayer above voicing our disgust in our political system.  Let's face it....we have freedom in America that is unmatched elsewhere in our world.  I dare say not one of us has been threatened with our lives in America. 

The 'worst' persecution I've experienced is my sister telling me that in her will, she will not let me raise her boys because I believe in Jesus.  That hurts...it stings....because I love her and those boys with all my heart...BUT....I love my Jesus and I will not deny Him to gain worldly things.  I do not have to forsake my God for my country...my president or anyone else for that matter.

So...I began begging God this morning...to send revival.....fall fresh on us in America....start with me!  Renew my heart to be fervently committed to pray for my president.  It was not coincidence that this morning my quiet time was Romans 3. 

Sweet sojourner of Christ, remember in the depths of your heart...if the Lord Himself can save you and I...He can save absolutely ANYONE.

"There is none righteous, no not one, there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God, all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one."  Romans 3:10-12

AND 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 6:23

So...I appeal to you, anyone who reads this or stumbles across this, would you join me in fervent prayer for our leaders not to make the right decisions...but to have the eyes of their hearts opened the the sweet love our of Jesus....to pray that as a nation we would be a people with soft and ready hearts to hear the word of God, to receive it and to act on it and live it out.  Being honest, as believers we know....that salvation is the start...all the rest...making right decisions, living a life that honors God...that follows salvation...because truly Christ is the answer.   So let's get crazy. 

Let's live it out...let's pray EXPECTING that God Himself hears (John 11:41-42) and that He, the God of all creation will pour out His Spirit afresh on our nation.  Ask....but ask believing that God will act.  Do not ask defeated...do not allow the doubt, anger or frustration to have a foothold.  Don't do it.  Stand in the victory of Christ and rest on His Sovereignty.  Then, if you are so inclined...fall on your face before your Maker and beg for revival.  We all need it to some extent...and if we lay it all down...God sees people as saved or lost.  That's all.  His word tells us He doesn't want any to perish but all to come to eternal life.  

Roll up your sleeves...let's get busy...let's PRAY WITHOUT CEASING (1 Thes. 5:17)  Can we join together to pray for salvation to fall afresh on our country?  Can we trust that God really is who He says He is, and He is so much bigger than a political party and that God is far more concerned with our hearts than our voter registration?

My rest isn't quiet....and I'm thankful!

 Today I had the privilege of working for my husband.  His job is very stressful.   By 3:00 I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for all he shoulders with no complaint.

He always asks how my day was.  Every day without fail.  He is so thoughtful and concerned for me.  I give him a breakdown on our day, school. The challenges of the kids and whatnot.  I then ask him about his day.  He always says, "busy but good."

I honestly believe had no real appreciation for his stress level until today.   He doesn't complain when he gets disrespected, he doesn't recount every instance to me.  Instead, he bears it and keeps on going.

He told me early in our marriage how strongly he felt about providing for us and how he supported me in raising our children, and thereby not earning any income to help our family.


Today i was just so lovingly reminded by God that i am so busy with "me" i'm not nearly as appreciative as i should be for him.  

I want to encourage all the married folks out there,  no matter what your situation...try to look at your life and your marriage through the eyes of your spouse.   It might just hang your perspective on things!

I think we would all be blessed to remember that a husband is a blessing (and a wife too!)

God is good!  I think before I start to grumble in my heart that I have a "tougher job than he does...". I'll remember this day.

I am ever so grateful for the rest God has given me with my spouse.   Ruth 1:9  says, "The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!"

Rest means quietness and/or resting place.  What's so funny about this right now for me, there isn't a lot of quiet....and I sure don't sit around idle with three young boys and a sweet husband to care for.  BUT, I am loved, cared for and protected by a man I know loves Jesus and who would willingly lay down his life for me.  Who provides without complaint no matter the stress on his shoulders, who bears my burdens and stresses with love and who genuinely loves our children!!

completeness and sufficiency

I'm completely in awe of the completeness of Scripture. Today I was pondering Joseph's grace to his brothers, and his right view of God and who God is. As I have been going throughout my day today, I just can't stop thinking on this. I mean, here is Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt...he did not know God's plan, and how God would use this event. Can you imagine what Joseph must have contemplated as he spent time in that hole his brothers threw him in? It's wild to think on, because we don't know what he thought, we're not told...but we are human as well and we know he must have gone through a variety of emotions. Anyway, I've been thinking on this act specifically in regard to what happened next, the famine in the land that brought Joseph's brothers to Egypt, which in turn led the Israelites to stay in Egypt, which led to their bondage in slavery to the Egyptians, which then led to their deliverance by God, through Moses, one of our most loved faithful servants. I mean, talk about the whole picture of God's word coming together to show the completeness of His word and the beauty of His redemption. Sometimes I know, we think ugh..the Old Testament it's tough, hard to read filled with all kinds of statistics and records...but really...stop and ponder...what does the whole picture show us. Long ago, a Bible teacher spoke this to me, "ponder God's word in the context of God's word" So as we study God's word and we see bits and pieces of it, it's hard to "piece" together it's entirety, and I"m sure you've heard well everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus...I challenge you to get into the Word yourself and discover the amazing ways tat God does point to our need for a Savior, and His continued sufficiency. Recently I am blessed to continually hear, "God's word is sufficient." When I first heard it spoken I thought, of course, that's it. But then as I've started reading this year at Genesis, I've been completely blown away by it. The sufficiency. I can not seem to get over this today, and I am thankful for that. I love the sweet words of Isaiah, "the grass withers and the flower fade, but the word of the Lord stands forever" Isaiah 40:8

reviving our hearts

As I was rereading my last post, I just kept thinking about how timely God's work is in my heart. Right now as we're approaching Christmas, the amazing celebration of His birth, I have just been crying out to God for a revival within my heart. I guess since the day the Lord began His work in me, I have always been overwhelmed by the fact of salvation. I've never wanted to get "over" that. I think at times I don't wake up and just Praise the Lord for salvation and a new day...but oh how my heart longs to do that. I remember a song long ago (yup...I'm old!) that said "before my feet hit the floor, I'll praise You Lord, I'll praise You Lord" I just want to do that daily....and by His grace I try to pray before I step one foot on the floor in the morning.

Have you noticed the older you get, the more "sad" stuff you see in the world...people dying, parents abusing their children...I mean that is enough just there, and yet the list goes on and on. So I've just been weighted down by the world lately...at least I feel like it...succumbing a bit to what timothy talks about in 2 timothy 3:6, where he mentioned the weak willed woman who is weighed down with sins. I feel like I've allowed myself to become so "interested" in the news of what's going on around me, that I've succumbed to being joyless and failed to see God even in the bad....at least lately. It's so horrible, and even as I type it, I'm a bit embarrassed but I'm not perfect, and Jesus is, and as I've been rending my heart before Him, He's been showing me areas that desperately need Him and are desperately wicked...how gracious of Him! I talked a little about needing to rend my heart before God so He could revive it according to His word....that I draw from Psalm 119:25, "My soul cleaves to dust; Revive me according to Your word." And as I mentioned that briefly at the close of my last post, God has in His perfect timing led my heart to a place where I am in need of personally being revived by His word as He has been working through the sinfulness of my heart. Revive in the original hebrew means to "be restored to life or health, to be quickened" How amazing....God wants to restore our hearts to live and restore our hearts to be healthy hearts for Him, by...HIS WORD!!! I LOVE this, because in my life, since the Lord captured my heart....I fervently sought "instruction" on how to live this christian life...I must have read at least 20 good Christian living books in college looking for the "formula" as to how to live a godly life. And one day, ever so sweetly, the Lord spoke to my heart as I was reading His word...."Brittany...I've got it all right here, there is no other book that will ever give you an answer that my word can not provide" God just gently affirmed the sufficiency of His scriptures in my life at that time. That day was such a huge turning point for me, I remember pulling an all nighter...through the book of Hebrews...it was amazing...the Lord began a work in me that has given me a passion for His word, and a desire to see sisters in Christ grow in he grace and knowledge of Him...through His word. So here I sit, in two days we're celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world...and yet I feel like I"m going to a friends' birthday party...because over the last 14 years God Himself has pursued my heart, and revived my heart according to His word...He has graciously kept me....in His word....and continues to grow me, even as I walk through the valleys of being a weak willed woman at times...God leads me to repentance through His kindness, and restores the joy of my salvation with His Holy Word!! He revives my heart and restores the health and life of my heart, by renewing the passion for Him that HE gives. I feel so fresh the words He gave me in college, "nothing good dwells within me, except that which is of You"

Just to show you how important being revived by God's word is, I'd encourage you to read through these verses in Psalm 119. (I use the NAS)
119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159