Ellie was emotionally drained recently. I casually pulled out a craft. She always starts talking when we are doing some sort of project. “Mom, you always know what I need to feel better!” That was a good feeling mom moment. I explained to her that I know her well. I know what she likes and doesn’t like and what she needs and doesn’t need. Most of the time I get it right, but sometimes I get it wrong.
Jesus never gets it wrong. When he shows up he always does so with just what we need. He’s always on time. He shows up with what he knows will benefit us. He doesn’t show up in our time, with our desires or our agenda. He shows up in His time, in His way with what He knows will put us in the perfect will of God. It might not make sense in the moment. It might be really difficult. It might take longer then you would like but what He has for you is better then anything you could ever plan on your own. If we let Him, He can do “exceedingly more then we could ever hope or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20
Remember this verse when you are in a season of waiting. Remember this when you have your own agenda and idea of what should happen next. Remember these words when you have your own schedule. When you want to move before he has said go, remember He can be trusted. Remember that He will show up and when He does it will be with just what you need. It will be right.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalms 27:14
Ellie was emotionally drained recently. I casually pulled out a craft. She always starts talking when we are doing some sort of project. “Mom, you always know what I need to feel better!” That was a good feeling mom moment. I explained to her that I know her well. I know what she likes and doesn’t like and what she needs and doesn’t need. Most of the time I get it right, but sometimes I get it wrong.
Jesus never gets it wrong. When he shows up he always does so with just what we need. He’s always on time. He shows up with what he knows will benefit us. He doesn’t show up in our time, with our desires or our agenda. He shows up in His time, in His way with what He knows will put us in the perfect will of God. It might not make sense in the moment. It might be really difficult. It might take longer then you would like but what He has for you is better then anything you could ever plan on your own. If we let Him, He can do “exceedingly more then we could ever hope or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20
Remember this verse when you are in a season of waiting. Remember this when you have your own agenda and idea of what should happen next. Remember these words when you have your own schedule. When you want to move before he has said go, remember He can be trusted. Remember that He will show up and when He does it will be with just what you need. It will be right.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalms 27:14
I remember when my heart was torn, bruised, lying shattered in broken pieces scattered on the ground. I remember when I cried myself to sleep. For a while I forgot that once I was so weak. Now! I am strong in you. I stand firm with my heart locked on the truth. I stand full of your spirit and affection. I stand full of all the plans for me that all along you knew. I was weak and you made me strong. It is so wonderful to know to whom I belong. Tears feel my eyes when I realize all the wasted time I spent running away; diving deep into a world of lies and self hate. I celebrate with tears of joy because it is you who was always running after me. You never took a break. You didn’t stop to catch your breath. You never stopped pursuing me. You knew the moment would come when from my heart I would hear you beat. It was then you picked me up and embraced every good and broken part of me. You never left. You brought me through it all. I will never forget how you broke my every fall. I will never forget you dusting off my knees. I will never forget your voice calling my name from so far. I will never forget how From that torment you set me free. I will never forget because there you still are keeping this fire ablaze within my heart.
Before my dad began to decline with Parkinson’s disease and Dementia he would drive from Springfield to Dallas all the time just to have breakfast with us at IHOP. He never stayed long at all. He would leave in the middle of the night and show up to meet us around 8am. Then after we ate and talked for a while he would get in his truck and drive all the way back. He never really stayed overnight. I thought he was crazy. Just stay the night and start fresh in the morning, right? Nope! He just wanted to get home. He always said “y’all are worth the drive.”
We left early this morning to go visit him in the nursing home. We never really know when he will decline rapidly and not recognize us or just be a body in a wheelchair. He is in a wheelchair because his lack of mobility is making him a fall risk. I’m not scared knowing he is going to die. We will all die. I know he will be with Jesus in heaven and that is all the peace I need. The part that hurts the most is watching him suffer. I strongly hate knowing he is losing control of his body and mind. It hurts that at some point he will forget us altogether.
This is a quick trip. Driving in today. Taking him lunch tomorrow and then saying goodbye. Dad, you are worth the drive. ❤️
We are so unworthy of the love of God. We have done nothing to deserve the Sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. However, to Jesus we are worth His sacrifice. He would sacrifice all over again. Just as my dad once drove miles and miles just to be with us, Jesus would drive and drive for you and I because to Him we are worth the drive. The love of Jesus gives me hope because one day we will all be together again with Him.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Jay has become really good friends with a dog named Daisy. I often find them cuddled on the couch, chasing each other around the house and hanging out in Daisy’s cage together.
Daisy is a very loyal furry friend. She is there when Jay wants to snuggle, play, wrestle or watch Spider-Man. As friendly as Daisy is, her friendship can never compare to the friend we find in Jesus.
Jesus models the perfect characteristics of a true friend.
He is…
Faithful
Compassionate
Kind,
Forgiving
Loving (without limits)
The list doesn’t end at five. These are just a few of the many words we can use to describe Jesus as a friend. Most importantly, He sacrificed His life just so we could experience forgiveness and grace.
The friends we make in life are important and we can find many characteristics of a true friend in many of them. However, no earthly friend will ever measure up to the friend Jesus is and always will be. If you haven’t made Jesus your ultimate friend by asking Him to be the center of your life, reach out. I would love to walk you through that process.
As for the rest of us, this year when you are feeling lonely, forgotten, betrayed by “friends” remember that Jesus is still walking with you. He has never and will never walk away. Also, this year let’s all strive to be the friend Jesus has modeled for us so well.
What characteristic would you use to describe Jesus as a friend?
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
In Elementary I sang the song “He’s still working on me” for the school talent show. I know. It’s an oldie. Little did I know, that song would follow me throughout the rest of my life. I remember, while singing the words, looking out at all the parents and seeing smiles. One of the verses went as follows…
🎶There really ought to be A sign upon her heart Don’t judge her yet There’s an unfinished part 🎶
These words struck a chord in my heart because looking back on my little defeated self I realized God was growing me in the midst of all the chaos I was facing at home. When life seemed so scary, my heart was so confused that I would cry sitting at my desk, when I sat in class frustrated because life at home was so chaotic that I couldn’t focus. He was growing My heart. No! He did not cause any of the traumas at home but He certainly used them to build me up and grow my heart for others.
Welcome to another new year. For some of us the pain of this past year is rolling over into a new year. We feel defeated, burdened, in the wrong place, purposeless and burned out. We are reading posts from everyone else who are celebrating all their victories from the past year and we are just thankful the year has ended. God is still going to grow you even in the painful season that you are in. Your future is not on hold because of the circumstances that have brought you down. 2023 is still your year to shine even when the clouds seem to hover over you and follow you everywhere.
Even with all the yuck 2022 has brought, God is still and has always been working on me and you. I don’t know what 2023 holds. I do however know that I have come out of 2022 stronger, wiser and closer to God than ever before. Knowing that God is continuing to work on me even in difficult moments, I am certain that I’ll come out even stronger after 2023.
Know this! God is still working on you. 2022 was not a waste and neither will be 2023. Challenges will come. You might have to really persevere. Each day might not always be fair. BUT… He loves you so much. No matter how broken you are, He has a plan and a purpose for you. He’s not done with you. He is still working on you!
Follow the link for the full song. It’s an oldie but it’s a good one.
Did you know that Jesus was not born into a perfect situation? He was born in a stable that was dirty, most likely very smelly and not your most sanitary environment. Gross!!! I mean seriously think about all the dirt and animal poop around! When Jesus was born so many showed up to celebrate His birth. They didn’t leave when they smelled the mix of awful smells. The donkey didn’t lay down and give up when pregnant Mary and her extra water weight got heavy. The wise men didn’t stop traveling when the journey got long. We should not stop celebrating Jesus when our journey is tough, smelly, long or heavy.
This past month I caught myself thinking … it doesn’t feel like Christmas. I believe we all have this mind set at some point in our life. This is because we often base Christmas on a feeling instead of on the one we celebrate Christmas for. When life isn’t measuring up to what we expect around Christmas time, we find ourselves in a deep hole we can’t seem to climb out of. I have found myself in that hole a time or two. If you are human I’m sure you have as well. Maybe you are sitting in that hole at this very moment. Don’t give up. You will get out. Life is difficult and to be honest it seems life gets the most difficult around moments that are suppose to be filled with “perfection” and “joy” rather then “pain” and “traum-a”!
I can remember several years growing up when we just didn’t celebrate. It was after my parents divorce. We didn’t celebrate because “we were too poor” to celebrate. We didn’t celebrate because of depression and mental illness in our home. We didn’t celebrate because the enemy filled our thoughts with “it doesn’t feel like Christmas.” I guess you can say, we were celebrating for the wrong reason because when life seemed to be too tough to deal we just didn’t celebrate at all. Looking back I can see how even in difficult moments in life we should still celebrate Jesus.
This past year we have all faced a wide range of difficult moments. Moments like, loss of a loved one, relational issues, deep rejection, financial stress, uncertainty in our health, big life changes, mental illness and so on. These moments and many more, make the holidays difficult because it’s hard to celebrate when you are emotionally wounded and struggling to put one foot in front of the other. It’s hard to celebrate when you don’t have the emotional energy to muster up another fake smile or joyful words for those you pass. We are a few days from Christmas. It’s coming regardless of what trials we are facing in our life. The difficult situations surrounding us unfortunately don’t pause for Christmas.
I’m not asking anyone to fake a smile, hide their trials or pretend all is ok. Life is hard and we need each other. I’m only asking that during this Christmas season we remember that Jesus is the reason we celebrate and our current life trials should never determine the feeling we get when Christmas is near. Christmas will always be Christmas because of Jesus and not because of what is happening around us.
I’m so thankful that even when I face obstacles in my life one part of life is certain and that is Jesus. Jesus was born and came to save the world and because of Him I get to celebrate while trusting Him with the rest.
Shine4Him 