Serious About Faith. Light-Hearted About Life.
Today’s Take-Home Message:
Sometimes we are too close to see things clearly.
Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but it is so true. Check out today’s video blog for a little somethin’ somethin’ on how to step back and see life through God’s perspective. [Read more…]
In college, we used to have a saying:
“It’s only weird if you make it weird. So don’t make it weird, OK?”
And that is going to be the slogan for today’s blog post. Because as we discuss the building blocks of creating a Christ-like marriage, we really can’t leave out the, um, errr, ahem… Physical part.
See, there I go. Making it weird before we even get this party started. [Read more…]
Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
***
For as long as I can remember, I have been a people pleaser.
I always wanted to get good grades in school. I was paranoid about forgetting something important for class, so I was that middle schooler who always carried around way too many school books “just in case.”
In high school, I was pretty self-conscious about my physical appearance as I was overweight. I tried to ignore it and instead embellished my personality to win others over.
I just wanted to be liked. [Read more…]
Well friends. We have made it.
We have journeyed through nearly three dozen truths about God. Today finds us at the day after Easter, wrapping up with our final, simple yet remarkably important truth our awesome Father:
I remember those argumentative moments like they were yesterday.
It didn’t matter what the topic was, it always ended the same. Whether I was 5-years-old begging for a cookie before supper or a teenager asking to stay out late on a school night or even in college asking for who-knows-what, after a barrage of “why’s” or “why nots” from my end, the conversations with my loving parents almost always ended the same:
“BECAUSE I SAID SO!” [Read more…]
My heart starts to pound. I can feel my blood pressure rising. If you listen really close, I am relatively certain that you can hear the gears whirring at a very high pace within my brain.
Yep, I am getting all wound up about something– again. Just another day in the life of this girl who is constantly seeking His everyday peace.
Le sigh.
Peace is abundantly available in this world, especially from God, but shockingly elusive.
At least for Type A personalities like myself. [Read more…]
I have always been a pretty independent gal and prided myself on being “strong.”
For many people, strong might have several different definitions. Although I have never been athletic, I always tried to do my fair share of the farm work growing up. Fifty pound feed sack over my shoulder? No big deal. Hoisting a heavy western saddle way over my head to saddle the horse? Not pretty, but I managed.
I always wanted to be the “strong one,” both physically and emotionally.
But it didn’t always work out like that. [Read more…]
The words tumble out of my mouth so fast there is no hope for me to stuff them back in…
“WHAT, in heaven’s name, do you think you are doing?!?!”
It happens all the time. I question those around me when I don’t agree with their choices or decisions.
It is isn’t a matter of needing information– it is a combination of frustration, pride, confusion and a little bit of shock. [Read more…]
Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
***
Are you patient? I am not.
Although my patience level has drastically improved since walking with Christ, getting married, learning about this army-wife life and becoming a parent, “patient” still wouldn’t make my top 20 most prominent attributes in my personal description.
I am a gal who likes to get things done and get them done now. The sooner the better– then I can move onto something else.
And if it doesn’t happen quick, fast and in a hurry? I might get a little twitchy. [Read more…]
I know, I know… I’ve said it before.
I am a planner. Sure, it might make me a nerd, but I just love the dreaming and the planning and the envisioning that comes with strategizing to reach a new goal or accomplish a task.
Sometimes my plans involve scribbles on a notebook (with an inky pen, of course.)
Sometimes my plans are written on a white board in the kitchen under the title “Weekly Menu.”
Sometimes my plans are meticulously crafted on a color-coded spreadsheet then taped to the wall for me to see daily for accountability.
I love making plans.
But admittedly, my plans aren’t always perfect. Things happen.
Kids get sick. Ministry emergencies pop up. Husband’s work schedule changes. Hey, even I get sick! <– This last one is one of my least favorite things ever. )
I don’t like it when my plans go awry.
Fortunately, God’s plans never get thrown off. Because that is today’s truth:
It’s funny that as I write those words, I am forcing myself to embrace them in my heart. Because as I write this, my color-coded workout spreadsheet plans have been totally thrown off for the last week due to some energy-sucking lung clogging cold virus of doom. And my Beloved husband just texted me to say that he will be working overnight– on Easter. Again this year.
Now what was I saying? Oh yeah. God’s plans. They are perfect.
His plans really are perfect, even if they seem to make our lives more difficult or confusing in the moment. But it all boils down to trust. Do I trust God to get me back on my running schedule? Yes. Do I trust God to give me energy to do a couple of days of solo unforeseen parenting over my favorite Jesus holiday? Yes.
Am I happy about it? Not really. But I do trust Him with it. (And don’t worry about me– give me a few minutes to adjust and I will be able to find the good stuff in the middle of these squiggly plans.)
God’s plans trump our plans– every time. Why? Because He is the One with the big-picture blue prints. He knows the reasons behind why we did (or didn’t) get that “dream job” we applied for. He knows the purpose for a season of trial or pain. He holds the truth to an unknown path or question we are currently facing in our lives.
He holds His Plans in His Hands.
And those plans are perfect.
If this truth about God is one that you particularly struggle with, take heart… Because sometimes I struggle with it too (like today. Le sigh.) But I also know that God has proven time and time and time again that His plans are absolutely perfect– His plans are for us to prosper, not to harm us. Even if we can’t see it in the moment. When in your past have you not understood God’s plans until they came to fruition? I would love to hear all about it. Please join the conversation and leave a comment.
Remember, friends… even if we can’t understand His grand plans today, someday we will… It might be on the other side of heaven’s gates, but we will understand.
So in the meantime, trust Him with His plans– even if they don’t match up to your notebook scribbles or color-coded spreadsheet.
Embracing His Plans,
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Linking up today with my sweet friend Beth over at Three-word Wednesday and also with Walking Redeemed. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
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