Sometimes, I think it’s important to take a big step back out of the busyness of life, and ask the big picture questions. What is God doing here? What am I doing here? When we frame life in God’s big picture, then the day-to-day takes on a different color, a deeper joy, and a rediscovered purpose–without changing our actual circumstances one little bit. Here’s a big picture truth: God has a kingdom and he’s calling you and me to...
It’s a beautiful day here in Virginia. I’ve been enjoying working outside in the garden, mulching the flower beds, getting my fingers dirty because my gardening gloves are frayed in five of the ten fingers. That winter heaviness is being replaced by new growth. Today I’m thinking about how what we believe about a person and how they feel about us affects how we interpret what they say and do. If we’re confident in someone’s affection and our connection...
I recently discovered the Gospel Taboo blog and read this article that captures a marriage lesson I see God pressing in on me recently. Kendra Dahl, the author, had an alarm set on her phone that said, “nourished and cherished by Jesus” that would go off before her husband was to arrive home. This was to remind her that only Jesus could fully nourish and cherish her the way Ephesians 5:29 describes. Knowing this set her free to love...
“And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'” And he said...
Hello friends! There are many things marinating in my heart and my blog drafts folder, but none of them are quite ready to share, so today I’m simply sharing this coloring page with you. I illustrated this verse as the start of a Scripture card set on our value in Christ. What other verses would you include in that set? This printable Bible coloring page is from Ephesians 2:10. You can download yours in English HERE and in Spanish HERE (or...
Tulip image courtesy of Twiggy Posts Only your Creator can tell you who you are. This is the truth that’s been ringing in my ears lately. Did you know a mirror is just piece of glass coated on one side with reflective metal? A mirror reflects your outward image, but it can’t give you any information about: who you are. what you were made to do. what’s important and valuable about you. your worth. “For we are his workmanship, created in...
It’s so good to be back after my month of rest! Even though my husband (who has recovered well) was stuck on the couch a good two weeks after his knee surgery, I found there’s a soul rest that doesn’t depend on the fullness of your days. My house is rarely quiet, but my soul needed to stop striving and live quietly for a while. Over the break, I read three books in the Chronicles of Narnia series that...
I was driving home from my favorite discount grocery store and heard the Casting Crowns song, “Thrive,” playing on the radio. This chorus ends with this: “We know we were made for so much more / Than ordinary lives / It’s time for us to more than just survive / We were made to thrive.” I like the song, but weary from another long week with the kiddos, I thought of how my days don’t look like thriving, and they...
I generally avoid Proverbs 31 and its ideal woman, do you? It conjurs up feelings of deficiency: No, I don’t wake up early–not willingly. My children don’t yet rise up and call me blessed (tired and frustrated maybe). I don’t sew very often. I don’t run a thriving business. I like to stay up late, but usually not to work. So when my pastor chose to preach a sermon on Proverbs 31 this past Mother’s Day Sunday, I was...
