11/20/2019
Don’t Wish For Time To FlyDON’T WISH FOR TIME TO FLY
Dear Daughter~ Don’t wish for time to fly. Don’t wish to grow up too soon~ To be in school, or junior high, high school or college. To be married and then wish you could have a house and children. And then to wish those children right past the baby years and then the toddler years, the terrible twos or the hormonal teens. Don’t wish to have an empty nest and time to yourself. Soon enough dear daughter, all these things will come to pass~ and one day you will wish that you hadn’t wished them away so quickly. That you looked for the incredible joy in every single moment of every single day. Savor the wonder of your childhood~ your baby dolls, your make believe. Savor the comfort in the care of a mommy and daddy. Savor that time of new love with your soul mate. Determine to truly see the young love in his eyes as he looks your way, and the even greater love of that spouse as the fleeting years go by. Savor the early morning sunrise over a little extra sleep, the soft breathing of your babe against your chest, the giggles and little footsteps coming down the stairs, the tears of a teen as she confides in her mama. Enjoy the rain drops and the snow. The home you call your own. The family God has given you. The precious promises of God. Dear daughter~ don’t wish for tomorrow’s. It will all be gone before you know it, and one day you will wish it back. Don’t take life for granted. Don’t take today for granted. Look for God in every moment, no matter how good or bad that moment may seem. He is there. He is always there. Don’t be in such a hurry that you miss the incredible blessings God is giving you right now. Right this very moment. Stand still in that moment. Take in the blessings of your Father. Don’t look for happiness in the “if only’s”. Look at all you have today. Today is a joyful celebration, if you will only open your eyes to its beauty. Purpose in your heart to choose thankfulness each morning of each day for the rest of that beautiful life. Your life. No sweet daughter~ Don’t wish for time to fly. Psalm 118:24 Ecclesiastes 2:24, 3:13
11/13/2019
A Hug And A Bowl Of Chicken SoupA HUG AND A BOWL OF CHICKEN SOUP
3 minute read I was watching The Brady Bunch. Not the new HGTV series, but the 1969 originals on Hulu. I was sick and in bed and I was binge watching The Brady Bunch. It felt good. One week turned into three. This never ending cough threw me for a loop and in an odd way, I found comfort in that old show. I watched it when I was little. It was the only time my parents allowed us to stay up past our bedtime. It reminded me of home and of mom and of being taken care of. I think I was yearning for that comfort because mom is no longer with me. And because I was feeling sorry for myself. Slowly I found myself allowing little things to bother me. Things people said, even my own family members, left me feeling hurt or angry. Little pieces of bitterness, sadness and jealousy crept in. I started having self doubts about my role as a pastor’s wife and mother~ and even this blog. So I began to turn to something seemingly innocent for comfort. The Brady Bunch. I know it’s ridiculous, (you guys probably think I’m nuts haha) but I reasoned that God understood how sick I was and He was ok with me not picking up my bible or talking to Him. But that’s where I was wrong. God wasn’t waiting to punish me for not talking to Him, watching too much TV or not reading His words. I was punishing myself. I was missing out on the incredible comfort, joy and peace that only He can give. I miss my mom so much, sometimes even more when I’m sick~ and while I was feeling sorry for myself, I failed to realize He is the God of ALL comfort. II Corinthians 1:3,4 If I had just talked to Him, He would have whispered to my heart that everything was going to be ok. That He would take care of me. I Peter 5:7 My heart attitude would have been different toward words that were spoken because His words would have been hidden in my heart. Psalm 119:11 Compared to today’s television The Brady Bunch had some great traditional/family oriented episodes ( I still love it 🤦🏼♀️) but~ anything we go to for comfort besides our heavenly Daddy will always come up short. The more we reach for it, the deeper our hearts and minds will stray from the truth of God’s words and it won’t take long for our thoughts to be messed up big time. Satan knows how to dig in and completely change your thoughts, patterns, activities and mindset. He knows how to use seemingly innocent activities to make us stray. One day turns into two then three and soon a month has passed. And all the while we fail to realize we are listening to him and allowing him to drown out every good and perfect word our Savior longs for us to hear. James 1:17 We are punishing ourselves, all the while being deceived into thinking this is what will make us happy and bring us peace and comfort. What are you turning to for comfort today? When you are down and just want someone to hold you and make you feel better? When you want a hug and a bowl of chicken soup? When you want someone to tell you it’s going to be okay? We go to so many things for comfort~ social media, TV, food, relationships~ But somehow, nothing changes. That “complete” comfort is missing. When I finally heard God whisper to my heart, when I finally turned off the TV and I opened His words, when I finally broke down and told Him all the ways I was hurting~ it was like getting a hug. Everything changed. Everything. Don’t miss out on the very best by settling for good. Good will always come up short because~ “good” is not God.
11/6/2019
Are You Hurting?ARE YOU HURTING?
Today, I am. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, but also one of the hardest. The moment that first chill is in the air, the leaves begin to fall and their colors light up the world, my thoughts go to my mom. Even though it has been 17 years, the pain of that day is very present. Somehow my heart still wants to rewind and pretend it never happened. I can remember this very week in October like it was yesterday. We were in the middle of a huge house renovation. One that I had desperately wanted, but one that was taking its toll on me. I didn’t think I could handle much more, but I tried to make the best of it. Little children were ringing our doorbell~ smiles and candy were given freely~ but deep down I just wanted to call my mom and pour my heart out. I needed the comforting words I knew she would speak~ but I never got to hear them again. Without warning~ three days later she was gone. When I think about the phone call from my dad that morning, my heart almost feels as if it’s suffocating. People often ask~Why does God allow us to have beauty in our lives, only to take it away? Sweet friend, God doesn’t allow us pain so that we can somehow be bullied into serving Him. Pain was never a part of God’s plan. The brokeness of this world as a result of sin is what causes pain. It causes heartache. It causes the tears to flow. God never expects us to go without crying. He knows the heartbreak of pain because~ God Himself came down to earth and experienced all these things. The difference in His suffering was that Jesus did it FOR me. He did it FOR you. So when you find the tears falling uncontrollably and you feel alone in your pain, please realize~ you are never, ever alone. Jesus love for you was so great that he willingly CHOSE to experience the same things you are going through at this very moment. The King of Kings came to earth for me. He knew what He would be facing here on earth. He knew what His physical body would have to endure. He knew the heartache and brokenness that sin has ravished on our world. He knew the end~ but He chose to come so that you could have a beginning. A new life. Imagine having the choice to say no to the pain and heartache you are going through right now. I would never choose the pain. But He did. When I think of the level of heartache I have been through, I can’t imagine choosing to purposely go through that for anyone. There were times It almost broke me. But He did it for me. And He did it for you. So let the tears flow. God expects nothing less~ but never forget He is right there with you, holding you. He understands. He wept those same tears. All because of a love that we can never fully comprehend. Allow that love to bring you comfort today. God incarnate took your pain upon Himself. He lived and breathed it and then He nailed it to the cross. The very words~”It is finished” are the comforting words your soul needs to hear. No, you are never alone no matter how hard the pain is. I’m with you. And so is He. John 1:14 John 3:16 John 11:33-36 Hebrews 4:15,16 Luke 19:41,42 Psalm 34:18 |
© 2020 HOLDING HOPE