Good Morning,

You know when you are in “relationship” with someone, and there comes a time where distance seems to sneak its way into your connection.  Well that’s exactly how I’ve felt with the Lord this week.  I know its me who’s attitude needed some readjustment, it was never the Lord who left a conversation in a huff. My whining about a situation that I am not okay with took a turn this week when I realized I was choosing the strain, the disconnect I was feeling with my Jesus. The lesson I learned came to a head last night as I was disciplining my daughter.  God is so good to use a parenting situation to show me exactly where my heart attitude had been for the past few days. Let me back up.

Our Boo is a firecracker, joyous, full of energy is exuberant and head strong. I admire those qualities about her but as a six year old she also needs to learn that obedience is part of her responsibility as my child and ultimately as a child of God. So as we sit at the dinner table last night my child decided to completely disobey after I gave her grace…a few times…off to bed she was sent at 5:30pm. For the next two hours my child screamed in her room until her voice was gone. As I went in to remind her that I love her always, no matter what but her choices to disobey make me sad, and as her mommy my job is for her to understand that obedience is something she needs to chose even when she is unhappy about it. As she calmed down from her hyper ventilating screams and her chest began to relax from the deep heavy sobs that consumed her body, I walked downstairs plopped myself on the couch as I felt I had just fought a war. I was tired, worn out and unhappy. As I sat in silence the still familiar voice of the Holy Spirit reminded me my attitude this past week was not that different then Boo’s. I may not have kicked and screamed, but I did a whole lot of whining and complaining to the Lord. My attitude my choice to remain unhappy about a situation had caused the strain I was feeling with my sweet Jesus. My disobedient will had caused the rift I felt all week, the consequence to my behaviour. I realized in that moment just as I was discipling my girl out of love, so was my Father in Heaven.

Gulp…..honestly it was hard to swallow but just as I told my girl, it is for her benefit, it is out of love, it is necessary.

John 18:37 (Amplified Bible)

Journey On Friends,

Good Morning,

It’s a sweet treat day..have you thought about what “sweet treat” you will enjoy today?  My kiddo’s gave our youngest their order this morning. Papa started a wonderful tradition that my guys look forward to every week! Sweetness is necessary in life….and it’s Friday, yahoo!

I’ve been thinking this week about how as women we come to decide that we believe and have enough faith to acknowledge that Jesus died for us, but then get stuck with the idea that the God who died for us wants to have a relationship with us. A few ideas have come to mind and I would love to know what you think. 

The very essence to a relationship involves vulnerability, strengths and weaknesses are exposed? Human relationships can either be joy filled or means of destruction. Satan has had a hay day messing us up in this area, I realize this. However when you think that the God of the Universe knows the pasts of our lives, the reality of our present and the events of our futures, our strengths and weaknesses are not shocking Him. I’m speaking from the heart when I write this, dependence is a very hard thing for me. It has been a major hurdle I have had to learn to jump in my relationship with the Lord. He has proven himself faithful, loving and merciful but there are days when my fear of dependence rears its ugly head and I need to acknowledge (kicking and screaming some days, let me be very real about this) that really I have very little control over my circumstances, but I am loved by the One who does. My best interests are there somewhere in the messiness of life……my God allows life to happen and is there every step of the way. Now as an aside my reactions are my responsibility but the days where I blow it so sky high I am assured my God loves me, and I start again. 

The other thought I had was we get stuck in our human, judgemental way of viewing our lives. Could it be that if we began to believe that the God who knows the stars by name, knows the choices we have made in the past and still loves us. The social stigma of divorce, bankruptcy, single parent, bad parent, overweight.the list can go on..I’m sure a negative label has come to your mind……..the failure that is associated with those stigmas are not how God describe his daughters. Why is is so hard for us to start believing and harnessing that faith we used initially to acknowledge His sacrifice for our life and use that to see how the labels of the world are not “who” we are.  We can move forward in the power that all Gods girls have because they are known and loved by the Omnipotent God. Life altering transformation is God’s speciality, 

Here are some words of truth……..

2 Corinthians 5:16,17

Just my thoughts…what are yours?

Journey On

Good Morning,

I’m looking out into my backyard feeling rather exposed. The splendor of the beautiful autumnal landscape of golden yellow, vibrant red and cool oranges that have so perfectly adorned the leaves on the tress are slowly giving up the fight as the fall winds are tugging them off the branches.

My backyard is exposed. Honestly it leaves me feeling uneasy. The walking path behind our house was buffered by the tall, bold tress that surrounds us. Now, everyone can see our home.

As I was wishing the leaves back unto the branches the quiet, yet familiar check in my spirit becomes evident to me. The exposure I am feeling is not a result of the leaves ushering in winter, but of my fear of exposure. As I type these verses are coming ot mind. (Don’t you just love when Gods words become alive and active in out thoughts)

Psalm 139

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 
       if I make my bed in the depths, ^[a] you are there.

 ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 
       if I settle on the far side of the sea,

 ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, 
       your right hand will hold me fast.

 ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me 
       and the light become night around me,”

 ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; 
       the night will shine like the day, 
       for darkness is as light to you.

These verses remind me that my thoughts, actions, ungracious behaviour I would rather keep hidden are not shocking the Lord. He knows and loves me the same. My behaviour will not scare Him way. His love for me endures. The ugliness I try to keep hidden needs to come to light. It is a choice I need to make, to bring it before my Jesus. These verses encourage me and speak truth to me, that I  can not go anywhere, hide deep enough or bury anything that once brought into the presence of my God will not be forgiven. 

So friends I encourage you today, if you dreaded the raising of the sun, and would rather stay in the shadow of the dark, realize that when you come to Jesus, your exposure is never condemned but lovingly convicted. The love that the God of the Universe has for you is steadfast, unchanging and is waiting for you to experience. Your Creator wants to speak to you. He wants you to experience and know without a doubt you are His child, fiercely and completed loved…no matter what. 

Journey On