Let Love Guide

I don't know about you, but I'm loving 2015. I was so glad to bid 2014 a heartfelt "GOODBYE!" I spent the first months of 2014 in a depression that would not lift. It was really more like what I can only describe as Holy isolation. God took me {claimed me!} and was selfish in demanding my focus be on Him and Him alone. Ideally, this sounds lovely and beautiful, but for someone whose love language is Quality Time, being alone with God {and God, alone} was both hard {and beautiful}. At the time I couldn't understand why God would demand so much of me and I felt drained. I missed my friends, my relationships with the outside world. But God would have none of it. He was jealous for me {and now, standing on the other side, I'm so grateful}. I feel like 2015 is the Year of the Lord! In my last post I shared how God was healing me of my migraines {while I've had a bit of a setback I'm still claiming healing!} In addition to healing my migraines God i...

I took this photo on a drive with my family. I was praying to see God, to feel Him and then I saw this in the sky and this scripture came to mind, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Thankful for a God who pursues us.[/caption] "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps." Psalms 40:1-2 Are you in a hard place? A season of your life where you wonder if anyone sees you {if they truly KNOW you} ... your friends, your family {even God} I know Christmas has come. A time of GREAT joy. But maybe that wasn't in your heart this year. Maybe you're stretched to the point of exhaustion. I understand. I've been in that space of struggle and weariness the past four months. My mi...

Nerd alert - I LOVE Harry Potter >>and Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, etc.<< You get the picture. Hence the nod to one of my favorite Dumbledore quotes from Harry Potter. I get daily emails from A.W. Tozer >>well, from someone who's keeping his writing and thoughts alive<< and there was one last week that floored me. The verse is from Ecclesiastes 3:11. The first part is one we've all heard, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." But the "b" part of this verse. " Also, He has put eternity in their hearts." Added as almost an aside, and yet this is possibly the most profound teaching I've gleaned from the Bible. God loves us SO much, He has shared his everlastingness - put it in our heart. When I was five years old, I became aware of the concept of eternity >>and it REALLY freaked me out<< I spent nights and days thinking, "forever, and forever, and forever, a...

"Fear. His modus operandi is to manipulate you with the mysterious, to taunt you with the unknown. Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, fear of tomorrow - his arsenal is vast. His goal? To create cowardly, joyless Christians. He doesn't want you to make that journey to the mountain. He figures if he can rattle you enough, you will take your eyes off the peaks and settle for a dull existence in the flat lands." Max Lucado Have you ever been in a flat land? I recently visited there and I can tell you, it's nowhere you want to be. The thing is, I didn't KNOW I was in a flat land until Monday afternoon, when a dear friend of mine spoke truth over me - she noted I sometimes live life as if my glass was half-empty, rather than half full. At the time I bristled at her observation. I PRIDE myself on being happy, the go-to-girl, the one everyone can count on. Disabled? No big deal! Migraines? Life goes on! I would hardly classify myself as a "glass-half-e...

Thanksgiving Day at the Magic Kingdom {♥} Happy New Year! Sorry I haven't posted since Halloween! We went on vacation for Thanksgiving Break {our families sent us to Disney!}, Elijah played the role of Amahl in Amahl & the Night Visitors, my parents came to visit, I was room Mom for a 4th Grade Christmas party, my sister-in-law got married, Christmas & New Year happened ... and here we are! Tomorrow I'm presenting a workshop on the organized home at our church's one day women's retreat. I don't know about you but I'm obsessed with organization. If you have a blog about organizing - I'll read it; if there's a magazine article - I'll buy that magazine; a show - I'll watch it. My friend Laura shares my passion {but my friend Susie says I have a problem} <--- which I take as a compliment {♥} We have four people {two of whom are still growing!} in a home that has 1,100 square feet. Organizing is my obsession - but it's also necess...

I love coming home {in fact, the older I get, the more I desire to be at home above all places.} Surrounded by my family and the years of memories the walls of our home hold inside, home is where I exhale. At home there's room for my soul; I can breathe again; rest. At home, all is well {and my heart tells me "all will be well." In the book, Captivating , there's a quote by Julian of Norwich that concludes: "And all manner of things will be well." That is what beauty says: All shall be well. While our home might not always be Pinterest-worthy, I do strive to keep my home as a reflection of God and His Word! I have a bit of scripture in each room of our home {yes, even in the bathroom}, mingled with photographs, pictures the boys have painted, mementos from travels, birthdays, holidays. These items of beauty reflect {and remind me of} God's beauty and creativity. I want each room in our home to proclaim God's goodness and His truth. I desire ou...

Happy Columbus Day! Reminds me of the childhood poem we learned in school: "In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Today has been a day of work, errands, rest {and play!} Enjoying a sweet day with the boys and thankful for: being the LAST car to get breakfast biscuits at the drive-in this morning {the man at the restaurant was literally pushing the button to convert the order menu from breakfast-lunch} seeing my sweet friend, Sarah, who's getting married this Saturday. I am honored & privileged to sing at her wedding! getting to talk with my Mom & Dad this morning. Even though they live in TN, we talk frequently & I'm thankful for their love {and advice}. Blessed to have two parents who are still in love after 44 years of marriage! a sweet time of prayer this morning. Woke up early to pray for a friend who had a procedure this morning. Praise Report {all is well!} laughter ... the boys inherited my wicked sense of ...