Anxiety, Hope and (finally) Asking for Help

It was a year ago this week that I finally had the courage to say something.

I will never forget it. My battle with anxiety was at an all-time high. Our then-five-month-old son had just been diagnosed with bronchitis, my infantryman husband had to have surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist and I had just started working on my doctorate two months earlier.

That night, after listening to our little son cough and snot his (eventual) way to sleep, I stood over my husband’s recliner. As he looked up at me, I started to sob. My breathing increased and I started to shake.

I had my first (and thankfully only) true panic attack. [Read more…]

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The Rolling Stones

I was compelled to re-share an previously published post I about Easter… all about Rock’N’Roll. Especially that ONE rock that rolled to set us free… 

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Fun Fact: The Rolling Stones recorded 437 songs.

That is a lot of blues-ish rock and roll music minutes.

Pretty cool, huh? Now you have something interesting to share tonight at the supper table. [Read more…]

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The Broken Leg

As of this writing, my husband has been a soldier in the United States Army Infantry for just shy of 13 years.

Of those 13 years, he has endured three combat deployments totaling 45 months, as well as numerous other intense and potentially dangerous missions/assignments.

We count ourselves incredibly blessed that the Lord has protected him from injury all that time. Because we have many, many friends and battle buddies that cannot say the same.

Well, about a week and a half ago, that injury-free dynamic changed a bit in our family.

Long story short: My husband recently fractured his fibula (the small bone in his leg) when he landed after executing a required jump into Florida with his current job as a Ranger Instructor.

Let’s just say that this turn of events was NOT part of our no-plan-plan. (But are things like this ever on our radar?)  [Read more…]

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My Mother’s Faith #WilcoWednesday

Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.”  So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do.  Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. And let’s respond to God’s call with  a hearty “Wilco, Lord!” Welcome back my friend Holly, as she shares one of most powerful posts I’ve ever published here at 7DT. 

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Julie Ann Knight was a sweet-natured, compassionate young woman with a solid sense of humor and an unsophisticated understanding of God. Although her understanding of her Heavenly Father was simple, it was pure and innocent and she loved Him very much.

Julie Ann Knight was my mother. And she was beautiful. She had a heart of gold and she laughed so much it was contagious.  She didn’t have a great childhood, being raised mostly by a single mother who worked long days to make ends meet. While her mother loved her deeply, she wasn’t one for emotional moments or affection unless there was a reason, which was how she was raised. (Call it generational, if you will.) But Julie, she was as affectionate as a puppy. She longed for people to love her and like her. I tend to take after her in this regard.

Julie was easily liked, and she found out later in life that would get her into trouble. My mother found herself pregnant in the summer of 1982 and quickly made the assumption she wasn’t ready to be a mother or able to provide for a baby. Julie, pressured by her internal struggle and people in her life, came to the conclusion to have an abortion. [Read more…]

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God-Sized Dreams… And How They Change Us (Part 2)

Dreaming makes me happy. Oh so happy.

And excited. And giddy. And hopeful.

That’s why I love the New Year so much. Such an exciting time of renewal and freshness.

This week, I am chatting about my God-sized dreams. On Monday, I shared the very cool dreamy journey God took me on in 2015. If you missed it, no worries. Check it out here.

And now comes one of my favorite parts of blog writing: Revealing my NEW God-sized dreams.

Ready? (I hope so, because I can’t wait any longer!!) [Read more…]

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God-Sized Dreams… And How They Change Us (Part 1)

It’s likely that if you have ever met me in person or been around 7 Days Time for a hot minute, you know a few things about me (in no particular order):

  1. I am a Jesus writer, speaker and spiritual leadership coach.
  2. I am an army wife.
  3. I am a toddler’s mama.
  4. I am a nerd.

I feel like we should sing that song from Sesame Street, “One of these things is not like the other.”

But honestly, they all fit together really well.

I don’t know when “nerd” picked up a negative connotation (probably in the 90’s– Thanks, Nerdstrom in Saved by the Bell) but I am on a mission to redefine “nerd” into something positive. And slightly humorous. [Read more…]

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Define the Relationship #WilcoWednesday

Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.”  So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do.  Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. And let’s respond to God’s call with  a hearty “Wilco, Lord!” Welcome my friend Jenny as she shares a powerful heart message with us. 

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Here we are – 2016 has begun!

I could happily write a blog about Christmas cheer and ambitious New Year resolutions.  I could talk about all my hopes and diet plans for the year ahead.  I want to write about those things.  But God has something else in mind for our time together today….

On Christmas Eve, after the cheerful day was winding down, my husband and I began reflecting on a rather deep question.  “What does the state of our world look like to someone who has not entered into a committed relationship with Jesus Christ?”  Whoa.  That’s heavy.  We tried to look objectively at the facts that fill our Facebook newsfeeds and nightly television broadcasts.  The world is riddled with brokenness, heartbreak, bondage, and disease.  We see parents behaving like children, and children being forced to grow up too fast.  We hear of murder in our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches.  We see people being persecuted and refugees fleeing in fear for their lives.  We watch as this happens around us and debate about who or what to blame.  Lessened morals result in stricter laws, and we continue to move towards political correctness with good intention to love our neighbors as ourselves.  [Read more…]

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Where do you go for help? #WilcoWednesday

Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.”  So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do.  Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. And let’s respond to God’s call with  a hearty “Wilco, Lord!”  Help me welcome a very wise and loving, prayerful friend of ours, Cheryl as she shares a message you don’t want to miss. 

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“I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let our foot slip” – Psalm 121:1-3

She had a look of terror in her eyes. She struggled to keep her head above water. Her arms frantically worked to lift her head above the water, yet she still went under. I yelled at my husband, “Ray, grab her!”

My six year old daughter had just come down the water slide. Her daddy was in the water to watch her and join in the water fun with her. But did he not see our daughter? Why didn’t he catch her as she came down the slide or as she struggled? What my daughter, Alexandra, didn’t know was that she could touch the bottom of the pool. It was only a few feet deep. My husband knew that she could touch the bottom, she just didn’t try. So I yelled to Ray, “She doesn’t GET IT!” [Read more…]

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Courageous Faith: Hope

Not going to lie… Sometimes the events of this world make my hope begin to falter.

It is just too much. Things are falling apart at the seams and I am like “Seriously? Enough already. Come, Lord Jesus, come!”

But hey. We are still waiting.

It is ridiculous how the enemy of soul will do everything in his power to poke a hole in our hope. Our courage to keep on believing slowly leaks away like a deflated balloon a week after the birthday party.

“Why try? It’s not like things are changing…” 

“See, your efforts mean nothing… it is just too hard.” 

“Go on. You have worked hard enough. Live out your frustrations.” 

You know how to fix this. Do it.” 

Lies. Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!

But do you notice something about these lies? They aren’t blatant in-our-face lies like an arrow popping a balloon. They are an almost invisible pin-prick. Barely noticeable, but oh-so-capably of draining our courageous faith.

Sometimes, the only remaining element to our courageous faith is that deep well within our soul where hope is found.

That place that Jesus Christ gently whispers, “Just hold on to me.” 

Scripture speaks to hope in numerous places:

“But in spite of this, there is still hope…” ~Ezra 10:2

“You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” ~Job 11:18

“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame…” ~Psalm 25:3

Courageous faith

“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” ~Psalm 25:21

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” ~Psalm 33:20

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” ~Psalm 43:5

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hopewill not be cut off.” ~Proverbs 23:18

“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. ” ~Isaiah 40:31

“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

Friends, I could go on and one and one. So much of God’s word about HOPE. Courageous hope.

That hope that still flickers even when the rest of the world is pitch black.

On a scale of 1-10, where does your big picture hope fall? Please, I ask you to share below in the comments (and feel free to leave a prayer request as well if you need to!)

Think of the devastation the disciples felt after Christ’s death. They thought their beloved friend, teacher and leader was gone forever.

Hope was snuffed out.

Until that stone rolled away.

Today, we live in the moment after the stone and wait His return on the White Horse.

So no matter how deflated we might feel, regardless to the lies whispered in our end, that cross on the hill far away gives us hope.

Hope to keep going. Hope to try again. Hope to breath in and out again. Hope to run after Jesus with our courageous faith.

Hoping in Him,

Initials Signature Blog

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him…” ~Lamentations 3:25

Linking up today with my friend Kristin over at Three-word Wednesday and having a little Coffee for your Heart with Holley.  Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!

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A letter to the Broken (#EverydayJesus Link-Up)

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! 

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Faith fact: Ministry is hard. Like cry-until-your-eyes-are-puffy hard. But it is totally worth it, times ten.

I am currently experiencing the hardest season of ministry of my life. You know that part in the bible that talks about bearing one another’s burdens and mourning with those who mourn?

Yeah. Totally wish that wasn’t in there. Because I have been grieving, encouraging and praying for several close friends and I swear– it feels like my heart is in about a million pieces.

But here is the good news: even in our hurt, God is there. So this is a word He shared with me to pass along during our most grief-striken, broken moments.

I pray that this “Letter to the Broken” speaks to any hurting, cracked or shattered hearts that might read it. [Read more…]

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