Category Archives: Blog

“This feels kinda pointless,” I said to my husband, as we trudged out together to shovel the driveway just now. “The snow isn’t stopping anytime soon. We are just going to have to shovel again in the morning.”

“Yep,” he said. “But if we wait, it’ll be twice as deep by then.”

Touché. He had me there.

As we shoveled, my thoughts reeled like they always do. But thankfully in a good direction.

“It feels like this a lot in ministry, God,” I confided.

Holy Spirit calls upon his family to suit up in Him, grab their shovels, and go out to shovel snow and coldness off people’s hearts. {Starting with our own, by getting in the Word and letting the warmth of His love melt it off us.}

Unbury them from the things that look beautiful, but are treacherous.

Dig them out from under all the hurts and offenses and failures and disappointments and lies of the enemy that accumulate on them.

He could just do it on His own, you know. He has the spiritual snow plow of snow plows. All the saltiness and light and warmth in this Earth came from Him.

But a friend once preached a sermon called “God’s not a snowplow parent.”

And it’s true. He doesn’t often go before us, like many of us do as parents, and prevent things from happening to His children.

We may wish He did.

We may not understand when He doesn’t.

But some of the very things that we go through-

things that He didn’t cause because He is only good-

He USES them, for our good.

He uses them to strengthen us,

build stamina,

cultivate courage,

instill patience and perseverance,

develop humility and empathy…

and so much more.

God isn’t a snowplow parent, but He does send out his children with snow shovels. And He asks us to help (in His power), dig each other out from time to time.

He doesn’t just leave the 99 to save the 1, you see…I believe He actually calls to all of the 99 who will follow after Him, to be a part of the search party! It’s just some of us won’t go and so we may feel like we are “left” while He pursues someone else. We may become envious of someone else’s miracle. But that wouldn’t happen if we were working with Him, praying on behalf of them for a miracle. When we do that- their wins feel like our wins too!

God never said, “Wait here and just be cozy, while I go rescue the lost one.”

No- He wants us to ask to be SENT!

He wants us to be like Jesus and go after those who are falling away.

We are to reach out to not only the lost,

but the saved who have gone off-roading again, lured away by the wolf.

We are to stay together in fellowship, so that we KNOW when someone is missing.

And we aren’t supposed to say “Eh, just leave it that way for a bit. As soon as we shovel, the snow is gonna come right back down and undo our work anyway.”

No. As soon as we feel the first flurry of snow come at us, we should go throw down the salt. Ice-formation prevention.

As soon as we sense any accumulation of heaviness, we should ask a Spirit-filled friend to pray for us. Even pastors need help. There’s no shame! We are ALL human. And we all get heaviness on us from time to time.

And as soon as we see someone else “snowed in”, we are to go to them. Ask if we can help dig them out. {Freedom prayer.}

And even before that- intercede for them! Ask the Holy Spirit inside us, to go ahead of us and prepare their spirit, to be receptive and accepting of the help.

Winter comes every year in Indiana where I live.

Snow comes multiple times a season, usually.

If we just let it keep accumulating,

eventually it may melt –

when Spring comes, or we get a warm day.

But if the Winter is long

and we refuse to shovel,

we may be stuck where we are at for awhile.

In our spirits,

sometimes we let stuff accumulate.

Sometimes we have tried so much to fight lies, or throw off heaviness,

just for the “snow to fall again”

and leave us re-buried.

And so we may feel like “What’s the point?”

We hope eventually it’ll melt away.

We believe it probably will one day.

But in the meantime…

the decision not to shovel leaves us stuck.

Heavy.

Frozen.

Even being that way a short time takes its toll.

And so today – if that’s you-

I encourage you to dig.

Get your Bible out and dig into Truth which tosses off the lies, like a snow shovel scoops up the wet, heavy snow, and throws it out of our path.

And when you can’t dig-

When it’s accumulated so much that simply thinking about it makes you feel exhausted and ready to give up- call upon a believing friend.

Everything is easier together.

Sometimes the heavy not only becomes more “handle-able”, the company in the shoveling may even make the process enjoyable!

And those believers who are currently already shoveled-out (I say currently because none of us know when we will get snowed on again, and need someone else’s help. Humility isn’t determining to always be the helper. Humility is more knowing that we have had to be helped often- and so we desire for God to use us to help others, because we know how amazing it is when He sends someone in our hour of need)—

Those believers not currently buried, let us not just be content in our own cozy homes. Let us, as much as we are able, look for others who are buried so that we may be the hands and feet God uses to set them free.

And again-

It’s all Him.

He COULD do it alone.

(Just like my hubby could have shoveled our driveway all on his own.)

He just prefers doing it together.

Because He loves doing everything with us.

And He loves loving on others, together with us.

Meditate on that for a moment.

What a privilege!

Have you ever caught yourself smiling a genuine smile, and had it really stop you in your tracks?

Have you ever surprised yourself with a laugh?

I have.

It’s miraculous,

getting to know your REAL self again…

or maybe for the first time ever,

when God removes

depression,

anxiety,

grime,

and even glitter, pride, proving,

and things that shouldn’t have been on your priority list

off of you.

Over the past year, I’ve repeatedly found myself in random places, experiencing the same hard-to-put-into-words, doesn’t-make-sense feeling:

an unexpected sense of joy, “on the job”-

Feeling like I’m being filled,

even when I’m there to serve.

A feeling of being at home,

in places that aren’t my home.

A feeling of instant belonging,

in places where I would have felt

that I didn’t belong before:

at church,

at family and friends’ houses,

at our homeschool co-op

but also

at the chiropractor’s office,

at the gym,

at the veterinary clinic my friend owns

that I do social media work for

even at the grocery store

or in the school pick-up line, to get my niece, when my own kids don’t even go there anymore,

or at the small business that my mom and I clean at once a week

Home, home,

it all feels like extensions of my own home.

Today it happened again,

and I wanted to understand

what this wonderful feeling was

that has been so frequently washing over me-

So I asked Him.

“Please explain it to me, Jesus…

How is it that I am feeling so “at home” everywhere that I go?”

And He told me.

“It’s because your Home {Me, My Holy Spirit} has been going with you, everywhere you go!”

❤️❤️❤️

WOW.

That’s incredible.

Such an incredible thing to wrap your brain around.

Too big to grasp, really.

Grace that OVERFLOWS its own space.

Floods the heart and simply spills out, wherever it goes.

Not me, but the Spirit in me!

Making me feel the most wonderful hospitality, wherever we go.

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Have you looked and looked for somewhere you can belong?

Do you long for a group of people,

or even just ONE person,

who “just gets you”,

just accepts you right where you’re at

but also believes in you enough to see the “more” that’s there too-

and can show it to you-

because maybe you don’t (see it)?

I have.

I thought that I had found it,

in the sisterhood of direct sales,

and I thought that I would lose it…

when He called me beyond that.

And I didn’t understand,

why He’d lead me to that place

and then out of it…

But now I do.

He took me from feeling rejected to accepted

He took me from seeking approval

to seeking to create a place of hospitality, where people could come to experience “approved”

And now He is taking it a step further,

telling me that I don’t need the crutch

of a thing- a certain opportunity, besides Him,

as a common-ground anymore

He’s telling me that I get to invite people in-

to an even better opportunity,

a sisterhood (and brotherhood)

that secludes no one-

it’s for the young, the old,

the gifted in not just sales-

but WHATEVER it is

that God has gifted them to be able to do,

the ones in a season

where they feel like they’re “rocking it”, 🎸

and the ones in a season

where they feel like a “rock” 🪨

has fallen on them!

HE is in me,

HE is my Home,

and He’s showing me

that hospitality goes way beyond

inviting people into our home-

for a pause from busy life-

to catch up-

which I also love.

We experience a larger-than-{this}-life

sense of receiving hospitality,

when we invite Him into our hearts,

not just as a guest,

but make Him the home-Owner of us,

make our life HIS,

Give HIM the run-of-the-house…

And I didn’t understand it,

until He just showed it to me this way-

but now that I’ve done that-

I FEEL at home wherever I am at,

because HE is wherever I am at,

providing those warm feelings

of at-home-ness.

It’s not anything magical, necessarily,

about the places I’ve been going.

(Though there are wonderful people there too, and the Spirit helps me see them the way He does, which is a joy!)

It’s not anything special about me, even,

any “glow” that can ever be seen in me

is not me.

I am simply a house,

who has emptied herself of some other things, so that He could make Himself at home in her.

And HE is the one,

who turns on the lights.

He IS The Light!

He decorates my mind with new thoughts,

He festoons my life with the most wonderful of rewards (Himself.)

〰️〰️〰️

When I used to be a bag girl, they often shared this verse.

“Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!”- Proverbs 31:31

And they gave us the best they could, I think.

I gave my girls who were on my team the very best I could give.

But God?

He took me out of that place-

BEYOND my wildest dreams-

to show me that even those were

“Selling ourselves short.”

The best the world could give me

was everything I deserved-

whatever I worked for

and maybe a little bit more.

A taste of grace.

The best the world could give me

was praises directed at me.

But God wanted to give me something INFINITELY BETTER!

He wanted me to see that

what He gives me is

everything I D.O.N.’T deserve!

Whether I work at it too, or not,

I could never deserve the gifts I’ve received from above!

He wanted to show me that it’s ALL grace,

this life He’s given us.

It’s ALL a gift!

It’s all a job, perhaps, but it’s also all a JOY!

He wanted to give me the gift of that

beyond-the-world perspective!

He wanted to teach me-

that wayyyy better than receiving any praises-

is the gift of the opportunity

to come into His Presence

and praise HIM!

Because when we do-

we aren’t just sporadically filled-

when we have performed well and earned praises,

and we aren’t reliant upon extra “tastes of grace”- which are celebrations beyond what we deserve, {usually given to get us to perform}.

We are OVERFILLED!

He, who is at Home in us,

SPILLS His Joy out,

into our hearts!

And even though our praises of Him

weren’t for us,

we get to FEEL it!

Since He abides in us!

It’s so so so far beyond what I could have ever imagined experiencing!

Not just at home in a group,

Home {Him} ❤️, in us,

spilling out into whatever

groups we get to be a part of!

Go beyond the magical.

If you’ve already got it good (in the world)

know there is BETTER.

His plans for you aren’t just great-

they’re BEYOND all you could ask or imagine!

MIRACULOUS is what you want!

Trust me- HE is what you want!

I’ve had this “follow your heart” picture by my coffee maker since we moved into our house over seven years ago.

Every single day almost, it has toppled onto the floor. You can’t tell, but the backside of it is cracked.

I’ve decided it’s a lie that God wanted me to see was broken.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Jesus, the Great Physician, lists the symptoms of this disease: “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19).

We can’t trust our fickle hearts.

They’re simply not reliable enough to lead us.

So, where should we get our direction? Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and HE will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

I put a new sign by my coffee maker this week, and it’s a much better guide.

No more following our hearts around here, which are passionate one moment and needing to be pulled out of the pits the next.

No, God he’s consistently worthy of following.

With HIM in the lead, all things are possible.

Forgiving, when we want to hold grudges.

Trying something new, when we’d rather stay in our comfortable bubbles.

Doing what He says to do-

when our hearts are on board,

and finding the joy that FOLLOWS obedience, when our hearts DIDN’T feel like it but we listened anyway…

ALL things are possible-

the hard, more bearable

and the wonderful, even more pleasant

with God,

who shares his heart and his strength with us.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”- Matthew 19:23-26 NIV

We don’t need to set our hearts upon

better dreams to follow,

we simply need to admit that our hearts,

in themselves, are unreliable and sinful-

and we need Someone who is

ALWAYS reliable, to lead us,

and to save us-

sometimes, often

even from ourselves.

“I need an encouraging Word today, Jesus,” I whispered. “I don’t know why, but my soul feels less than hope-full.”

Not more than a few moments later, I received His reply from the Spirit inside of me, FILLING me as promptly as light comes forth from a glow stick when something breaks the separation between the inner core and the outer chamber- mixing the two and creating a magical glow!

“The Best is yet to come!”

“Wow! That’s a great word! Tell me more!”

In my mind, I think I was wanting to know more bits and pieces of my future.

So much of God’s goodness we have already seen: the birth of our babies! And nieces and nephews too!

My rebirth, my husband’s rebirth.

Our family serving the Lord together.

Looking back on life, so many wonderful moments happened, so quickly…

TOO quickly…

while our eyes were anxiously fixed

upon the future.

Childhood and growing up.

Getting married.

Starting our family.

Together-times with our extended families.

Meeting new people, everywhere we were.

Occasional trips to beautiful places.

Daily being awakened on this planet,

looking for a purpose

in a plan or in a project,

totally unaware

that His purpose for us was already unfolding, and had much less to do with what we do than whose we are!

And life since He has SHOWN us whose we are, has been so much better overall.

It’s a JOY following Jesus and having a relationship with Him.

It’s an indescribable JOY watching your loved ones love Him. It’s even better than watching your husband and children enjoying their time together.

Today, the Spirit said to me “No matter how much goodness you have seen, you haven’t seen anything yet because the Best (Jesus) is yet to come!”

Oh to imagine what it will be like when we meet Him face to face!!

In this day and age, when we often meet people online, it shouldn’t be hard for anyone to imagine having an actual, real relationship with someone they have never met face-to-face before.

But when I share about my relationship with Jesus, and how it’s not just religion, many don’t understand. Sometimes even other Christians. So this is how I try to explain it…

When I was a direct sales leader, there were many girls I enjoyed friendships with for years, before ever meeting them in person.

It didn’t make those relationships any less real, but the joy whenever we got to actually connect face-to-face was so much better! In-person connection is the BEST.

That’s why Jesus couldn’t wait for us to feel His connection with us.

Did you know that He could have chosen to stay on this Earth, doing what He had been doing? Walking around and healing people and meeting with them.

But He said that it was BETTER for us, if He went, so that He could send the Holy Spirit- who wasn’t limited by a physical body, to being at one place at one time.

The Holy Spirit is able to indwell EACH of us, so that we can all FEEL the in-person (in our very person) connection between God and us!

We don’t just have to imagine it.

We don’t have to wait for it.

He gave us that gift NOW!

But so many haven’t opened it up.

They haven’t invited him to indwell Him,

because they don’t know,

they haven’t been told

that it works like that.

I lived for many years as a Christian and never knew it! I was missing out!

I was trying to obey his rules,

and I wanted a relationship with Him,

but I was missing the Connector, the Comforter.

I was trying to live a transformed-life,

but transformation doesn’t come by trying-

it comes by receiving a love so deeply inside that it changes you.

And we can like someone long-distance,

but to REALLY love them, really connect with them that intimately, we have to be close.

The most intimate connections come when spirits inter-mingle. It’s why sex is supposed to be saved for one man and one woman. It’s not just physical, it’s spiritual too.

We are the bride of Christ.

And one day we will get to meet him face to face.

But we don’t have to wait for that moment, for the intimacy we long for with Him.

To KNOW Him, and be known by Him.

That’s the reason He sent the Spirit-

So we can have that intimacy now.

And in fact, without it-

We may get to the end of our lives and be told “I never KNEW you…”

Matthew 7:21-23-

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

{This verse wasn’t about unbelievers- it was about people who call Him Lord, about people who have even used His name to perform miracles! And I’ve been pondering on this verse ALOT the past month, after reading a book about it, because I don’t want to spend my whole life working for Him but missing a vital piece of information, that could separate me from Him in eternity…}

We’ve probably all heard the phrase:

“It’s not what we do, it’s who we know.”

(When it comes to business. As in, connection and networking are even more important than skills. Sometimes, when we don’t feel like we have the right connections, we may even complain about this. We may say “She didn’t even get the job because of her skills, she wasn’t even qualified. It was only because of who she knew!”)

In the Kingdom of Heaven,

He is teaching me that it’s both.

But it’s not like this world.

His ways are higher than ours!

Our position in heaven is TOTALLY secured by who we know! Jesus!

But it also has something to do with what we do…

We have to desire to have a relationship, and to do life together (and His way) instead of independently and whatever way we want.

We have to accept the invitation to get to know Him!

AND not just “know him” as in “I know who He is” (even the demons know who Jesus us.)

The word KNOW that the Bible used meant KNOW INTIMATELY. A deep, personal connection.

And to many, it seems impossible that we would be able to have this kind of connection with someone we have never met, but that’s why we have one more thing to do- ask to receive the Holy Spirit, and wait for Him to come indwell in us.

So many, when they decide to take Jesus as Boss, Lord, and Savior….try to go out, then, in their own power, and live changed lives. They try to manifest the spiritual fruits of love and joy and peace and patience and self-control all on their own… but it’s HIS SEED, HIS SPIRIT in us that makes this fruit-production possible. Just like the birth of baby- a new life- requires both sperm and egg, a REBORN life also requires two parts, our submitted spirit + His Spirit, in us!

In Luke 24:49, Jesus says “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

And the ones who were filled were the ones who went into the upper room, to BE filled! Many were invited, only some of them came. It’s not automatic, it’s intentional.

The Upper Room, today, is a place in the heart. It’s the place that says, more than anything else I want to do or think I have to do…I want to come meet with you, I want to be filled by you, and I will wait here, laying aside all other hopes, dreams, and idols (things that I’m tempted to put first) because I want the BEST- I want to be filled by YOU.

We also need more than a one-time fill, because life will do its best to empty us…in fact, sometimes it kills us inside, and we have to be RE-VIVED…refilled, re-encouraged, resurrected (lifted back up), made alive in Him, again and again and again. Just like regeneration in a video game. There are many opponents- discouragement, death, divorce, betrayal, opportunities for bitterness- that would tempt us to lay there dead, just done – done hoping for more in life, done trying. Defeated. But because we can have the same Spirit in us that abided in Jesus, the same Spirit that brought Him out of the actual grave, we too can be brought out of all those situations in life that feel like they’re killing us.

〰️〰️〰️

Because of Him- no matter how bad it may seem, or how much worse it ever actually gets- it’s not over yet!

Because Jesus is the BEST,

The Best is yet to come (back)!

And this is the flip-side to that Spirit reminder this morning- not only does that message give me Hope everlasting, for endless more goodness to come…

Beyond the vows,

Beyond the babies,

Beyond the bigger houses or more vacations or whatever other daydreams I thought would bring me bigger hope and more happiness…

It also gives me hope, everlasting,

even in the hard times.

It gave me hope in my season of infertility and miscarriage,

Even in the season of fresh grief after losing my dad,

It can give people hope in the unimaginably hard times of crushed dreams,

and grief,

of lost loved ones

and even grief over the passing of parts of life that we looked forward to as well…

Because we do that, don’t we?

We grieve and sometimes long to go back to the seasons where everything felt new and exciting with our spouses.

We grieve and sometimes long to go back go the seasons of babies and snuggles and the pitter patter of little feet.

We grieve and long to go back to the times where life was simpler or sweeter. Especially when we are in seasons of life that are hard and bitter. When our world feels dark.

And also in times when the WHOLE world feels like it’s getting darker and darker.

It gives us hope that

No matter how much darkness we are seeing in this world, we don’t have to despair because it’s not over. The Best is yet to come!

Jesus has promised to come back!

And until He comes, we are called to stay busy getting to know Him better, and urging people to come TO HIM!

Showing them how they can!

Because maybe when we are all face to face with Him, it will be the BEST!

But even now- if we learn how to come heart to heart with Him now, through the Spirit- everything is at least better than it is without Him!

Strength for today.

Bright hope for tomorrow.

That’s what He gives to all who will come to Him to get it!

I read a story today because it had a catchy picture with it. It was a simple, generic bottle of water sitting on a table, and the story was about knowing your worth.

It said that a bottle of water costs $0.25 at Costco, and $5 at an airport, {and lots of other varying prices in between}. It concluded with a reminder to “Know your worth, and go where you are valued.”

I’m literally seeing this message shared everywhere.

And then I’m seeing people actually putting this into practice. LEAVING places just because they don’t feel appreciated. Jobs, churches, even spouses and families. And that last part, particularly, breaks my heart.

I believe the people who write these have good intentions.

But it’s been on my heart to be careful about the know-your-worth messages.

Don’t pass these messages on, friends. It may taste good to your flesh, but it’s POISON to your soul.

You see, Jesus KNEW His worth.

And yet He still came to serve both the people who appreciated Him and the ones who didn’t,

and He chose to BE a friend instead of focusing on who was being a good or bad friend to Him. Or the WORST. (Think of Judas.)

Jesus knew He was a rare vintage bottle of water.

The ONE AND ONLY Son of God.

And yet, He didn’t “Go where people knew his worth and treated Him like He deserved.”

No- He came to Earth.

He poured Himself out,

day in and day out,

and eventually shed every last drop of His precious blood on the cross,

for the ones who loved Him-

but also for the very ones who hung him there to begin with-

asking for God to forgive them because He said they didn’t know what they were doing.

He prayed the best for them

AND GAVE HIS BEST, HIS ALL,

even when they were at their worst.

He did this for me too.

I didn’t always know His worth.

I looked at Him as a “plain bottle of water” and went running after a “fancy bottle of soda” instead. {I went running hard after the things of this world.}

I am SO glad He didn’t leave me, or turn His heart away from me then.

He kept after me, kept sending people to tell me how much He loved me, and He kept loving me…regardless of how I was acting, because He IS love.

I used to love inspirational quotes, but I try to be careful with them now, and test if they’re really quenching my soul or if there’s even one ingredient in them that is going to make me thirstier.

Deep inside we all know our worth.

But we don’t get it from our own self.

We ARE worthy, because God said we are.

He said we were worthy of creating.

He said we were worth it to Him, to send His only Son to pay for our sins because no matter how we tried, we always fell short of being able to attain a ticket to heaven on our own- and yet he WANTS us there, with Him.

And Jesus wants us there too, so badly that He died a brutal death and then conquered the grave to make a way for that to happen!

So- if you want to go where you’re valued,

go to God!

He calls you a treasure!

When we truly KNOW our worth, in His eyes,we WANT to go to Him! And keep coming to Him, day after day after day.

And in His presence, in His Word, we get the best advice about how to deal with this world, where some people appreciate us but many don’t.

And He shows us how to set our course, going out from fullness and not wandering around looking for it.

Serving from that fullness, with our need to be recognized as valuable completely satisfied in Him.

So that we are able to give our service out as grace {unearned favor} to others.

Receiving grace is what changes people, and changed people change the world, starting with their own marriages, homes, families, workplaces, and churches.

We don’t need inspiration, we already have it in Him.

What we need is REVIVAL!

We need people to get hungrily in the Bible, and passing HIS messages on!

Bring His light out and shine it into the world!

And when you are struggling in this world, feeling undervalued and unappreciated- go spiritually to the place where you are MOST valued: God! ❤️

Turning Our Tunneling Tendency Into A Tool

Oh the tunneling nature of thoughts.

Ever misinterpreted what someone said (or even more likely, texted) and let your thoughts of offense tunnel into an entire court case in your head with evidence of why you’re right and they’re wrong?

Ever had a knot on your muscle and before you knew it you were googling masses and forming plans for every “what if” out there?

Ever thought too much about a decision that just needs to be made quickly, and found yourself spending days on pros and cons lists, rendering yourself incapable of making ANY decision because you then continue to tunnel into the cons of each option?

Yeah, I’m guilty of this kind of “tunneling” thinking sometimes. Darn tunnel is never ending too! It’s a bottomless pit!

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But you know what??

Have you ever heard that our enemy, Satan, takes what God meant for our good and tries to pervert it into something bad for us? He isn’t creative, he just copies.

He tries to turn the believing-in-what-we-don’t-yet-see FAITH capability God gave us, into fear.

He tries to turn others-focused feelings of love into hate.

And he tries to turn our ability to tunnel into deeper and deeper thoughts of God and his wisdom, positivity….into pessimism.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
Sometimes when we are in the middle of less-than-positive-feeling circumstances or thought patterns it’s hard to imagine the things we hope for.

Sometimes it’s easier to see what the enemy is doing than what God is working on.

But God made us in his image, and just like he can work all things out for our good…we can choose not to get discouraged with our fleshy tendencies, and instead turn them around to agree with God, and become more like him, instead of our enemy.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
What does this “tunneling into positivity” look like in practice?

It all starts with one little, intentional thought.

In the Bible it says we enter into God’s presence with Thanksgiving and praise.

Not just when we feel like it, but sometimes when we don’t feel like it at all.

Sometimes when we can only think of one little thing to say thank you for… and that’s ok. We just need the one, to start.

Here’s an example:

I used to hate housework. I used to walk around stewing in my brain saying things in my head like “This is a bunch of crap that I’m the only one who does the dishes, or vacuums, or knows how to change empty TP rolls…nobody in this house appreciates me. I wonder what they’d do if I just left for a week… mom Beach trip anyone?? And what if something did happen to me and I had to be away not by choice longer? Would my husband even know how to pay the bills and would my children ever be able to take care of their own families when they grow up??….”

See how fast that escalated?
Ridiculous, I know.

But also I’m betting many people can relate.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
Now let me show you what God has been teaching me and why I actually enjoy my housework time now:

It all began with a confession, an intentional thought. “I need Jesus.” I was sick and tired of anxiety, and all I wanted was God’s peace, but it had become clear I couldn’t attain it on my own.

In the Bible it says “Enter into his presence with thanksgiving and praise.”

It also says “He will keep in perfect peace those whose thoughts are fixed on him.”

So…I decided to try it out, even when I didn’t feel like it.

I started with a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise- (saying thank you even when I didn’t feel like it)- and then- by accident the first time- not realizing it was a recipe that ALWAYS can make me feel better- I started to tunnel those thankful thoughts.

Really I just wanted something to distract me from the natural, fleshly, negative dialogue in my head.

So I started like this:

Thank you God for these dishes (even though at the time, I was not happy to be washing them by hand since our dishwasher had been broke for a year 😂 just being real here.)

Thank you for running water in my house to wash them with.

Thank you for my family that helps me dirty them. Especially these kids I prayed for!

Thank you for my husband, and that the reason he hasn’t fixed the dishwasher yet is he comes home tired because he works so hard to provide for me and our kids. (Since then, God bless her, my mom bought us a dishwasher as a Christmas gift and literally every time I use it I now thank God for that gift, and for my mom. ❤️)

Thanks that we have food.

Thanks for how you always provide for us.

Thanks for the good seasons we have had where there’s a lot of eating out, and vacations, and thank you for character we learn in the slow seasons, like contentment and creativity in finding new things to do and new foods to prepare at home. Thank you for the opportunity to gather together for meals, whether it be in a restaurant or at our dinner table, or even in the car on the go when life is busy.

Speaking of that, Thanks for all the opportunities we have…

And that can go on forever and ever too!

It’s a never-ending tunnel- of positivity, and instead of leading to a black hole, at the end is a light!

Isn’t this a beautiful metaphor for our life?

Tunneling, tunneling, tunneling…always on a journey…until we reach the end of the tunnel. And depending on our outlook, and what we expect of our final destination – this can either be scary, or it can give us an even-if kind of hope.

One thing is for sure-
entering the tunnel of God’s presence and his Hope sure makes chores move a lot more quickly, and with much more peace.

(Most of the time) I don’t even care who does them anymore. I’m just thankful I have a house that even needs cleaned and a family that can even be considered as part of my circle that I get to care for.

I slip up still sometimes.

And I’m better at remembering this with the chores thing than some other areas of life, just because I’ve been practicing it every day for a few years now.

But that’s life.

Always growing.

Always tunneling.

And even if we don’t FEEL like it, always in control of at least o.n.e. thing: our perspective.

Which way will we tunnel?



“You can’t just pour it, you have to drink it-

for it to do your body any good.”

That’s the thought that entered my brain after the second cup of milk I poured myself the other morning- only to get distracted and walk away without actually consuming it.

That always seems to happen with my coffee too. 🤔 Anyone else have to heat up their coffees multiple times because all the things interrupt? ☕️ Maybe by the third time you end up just tossing some ice in and going the cold java route instead? Yeah- I’ve done that!

For me though, no thought is ever just a thought about that thing.

No- my mind always parallels whatever I see to the spiritual.

So this is what that forgotten cup of milk said to me yesterday. Or rather- this is what I sensed the Spirit say to me, using the walked-away-from cup of milk as an illustration:

A Bible verse may be pretty to look at,

especially if it’s “poured into a pretty cup”

{AKA- being word-arted up.}

BUT- unless we actually consume it,

unless we let the Spirit help us digest it

and put it into action in our lives,

like was meant to be done…

then what good is it?

Milk in a cup not drank is nutrients that will never nourish.

Pretty verses saved to our camera rolls, or highlighted on our Bible apps, but never actually chewed on….never meditated upon…never put into practice and given a chance to nourish our souls, delivering nutrients to our needs, feeding our relationships and real-life situations… well it’s spiritual sustenance that we have, right there for the using, and yet many times we stay starving instead because we just glance at it, get busy with something else, and walk away.

When I make myself a meal or a drink during the day and forget to eat it, my body usually gives me some clues.

My mouth will become dry.

My stomach will start to grumble.

I’ll feel a little weak, and I’ll start acting a little hangry- a little less patient, a little more irritable.

When we neglect to actually consume the Word, the side effects are similar.

Our souls become dry.

We get grumbly.

We can feel weak – lacking in energy, joy, zeal, peace and fullness.

We can become more irritable, less patient.

And we can diagnose it as many things,

and cover it up with countless treatments, bandaids, or remedies-

but the truth is, we are probably just hangry for our spiritual food.

It sounds silly to have to be reminded-

to sit down, rest, take a few minutes three times a day to fix yourself a meal, and savor it.

We can get busy and think- who has time for that? And settle for a quick bite of fast food, scarfed down so quickly we can barely taste it. Or no food at all. But do that long enough and there’s no denying our bodies suffer. Though it may take us awhile to get uncomfortable enough to do anything about that.

And our souls? I think we tend to let them go hungry even longer. Who has time to sit down and read, reflect, get filled? So we settle for quick bites of “fast food” Word. Single scriptures isolated from their context, which look pretty but aren’t as rich in spiritual nutrients as they would be if we took in the surrounding verses too, and asked God to help us apply it to our lives instead of just pooping it right back out.

Excuse me for the gross parallel there, but it’s true isn’t it?

Ask anyone in homeopathy whether or not some brands of vitamins are better than others. They’ll tell you that without a doubt, the cheaper ones that aren’t made with bio-available nutrients… you might as well be flushing your money down the toilet because your body never digests what it was that you wanted to get in…

And I think sometimes we settle for cheap spiritual vitamins.

We spend our time consuming secular inspirational quotes that actually don’t do anything for us, because our souls weren’t designed to run on those.

Or- we go through the spiritual drive-through and order some encouragement (maybe that’s a daily devotional, a Sunday sermon, or even the encouragement I give here… not that they’re bad, they’re good, it’s just they were only meant to be snacks. Appetizers. Something to whet your appetite for the BIG meals. Which are the times that you spend, digging into God’s word, hungrily consuming chapter upon chapter because you’re hungry for it…you’ve tasted and seen that the “snacks” are good, and satisfying to your soul, and you want MORE.)

The problem with relying on fast-food faith messages is that…if we are in such a hurry, chances are we often don’t even remember to consume and enjoy the full message… we take a few drinks to wet the dry mouth, a few bites to make our soul stop it’s grumbling, and then go right back at it, as if that’s enough.

God didn’t want us just not starving.

He wanted us FULL, overflowing with the Word!

Today I challenge you (and as I do so, I remind myself)- to take a moment to be still as you consume the Word today.

Slow down and remember to eat.

A “home cooked meal” (right from your Bible) is best.

(Yes- I, a blog writer, am telling you this. It’s infinitely better to read your Bible than to read my words or anyone else’s. Just like it’s better to actually travel than to travel vicariously through someone else’s shared experiences. Those are cool too, but they just can’t compare to direct experience.)

But even if for today, just a snack – just this blog- is all you’re able to get to…

Sit with it.

Savor it.

Digest it.

Let it soothe your hunger and thirst,

and nourish your soul.

Let me do my best to give you value…the good quality stuff: Truth.

God loves you.

He wants to feed you.

He wants you to be well.

The best self care in the world is to soak that in, and allow His Word to minister to you, which really means to meet your needs… to nourish and soothe your soul. To fulfill your hungry and thirsty areas, and make you more than full. ❤️

{It’s only from overflowing with Him that we have anything worth sharing. And His supply is unlimited so as long as we will take the time to go gather it, there’s always enough!}

Deuteronomy 8:3 – “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Isaiah 55- “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Consuming the Word of Christ is consuming the most high-quality of soul-vitamins. The only kind, in fact, that will actually benefit our souls. The only kind with a guarantee from the God of the universe- that if we will actually sit down and consume it, WILL produce something wonderful in us. He guarantees it won’t be just time and effort, flushed down the toilet.

BUT- just like food,

we HAVE to consume it.

And KEEP consuming it!

Our faith needs fed forever.

I hope this message fills you for a moment, and inspires you to go to Him for more.

This weekend our family has been under the weather and stuck in the house, but God hasn’t let it stop us from doing the things He had for us to do.

So even though our bodies felt crappy, yesterday our minds felt well enough that we were able to record a whole week’s worth of encouragement podcasts so that we are ahead and not feeling behind this season!

But this morning about 4 am, my husband and oldest son both woke up with fevers. And when someone in my house isn’t feeling well, I’m usually the momma who can’t sleep.

Sometimes I’ll worry and sometimes I’ll scroll.

But neither of those ever help, and so awhile back God showed me a better way to use that sleepless time instead!

He told me that whenever the enemy tries to interrupt his sleep, I should turn it right around on him and interrupt his plans.

Which means, if he tries to use worry to keep me awake, instead of giving him the pleasure of falling for that trap, and focusing on any out-of-control, insecure feelings — I can choose to use that “bonus” awake time to sing God’s praises and declare my gratitude for His goodness- that even when I don’t FEEL secure, He has me secured. And that even when I don’t have control over my situations, God has got me.

He’s got the entire world in His hands. Nothing is ever out of his control. And I don’t have to be able to handle anything alone- when I hand it to Him.

Or- if I’m not feeling well, and the enemy wants me to be whining, I can choose to worship instead. I can thank God for all the times when I have felt well, and praise Him that this moment is the exception, not the norm. I can PRE-praise him for the healing, that I can see coming, by faith. And He says that’s how we properly PRE-pare the way for Him to come into our situations and work His miracles! And it also helps us to wait better, when we worship. It’s gets our minds off of our feelings and onto Him.

James 4:7 says- “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

It’s true.

Not that every sleepless night is the enemy’s doing.

Sometimes it’s my bladder that wakes me up. 😆

Or sometimes God stirs me, to get up for some quiet time or intercession with Him.

But when it is the enemy, I know, because what he’s wanting from me is whining and worry, and for me to believe that I’m going to be drained the next day- so that I dread it.

And that trick used to work, before God let me in on His solution.

When that happens- I now resist him,

and it looks like this

worship

instead of whining,

declaring and digging into faith

instead of worrying,

and KNOWING-

that when I rely on God as my source of energy,

no matter if I had ten hours of sleep or was only able to rest for two on a particular night,

it will be enough

because HE will make it enough.

He is more than able to get me through,

AND not just get me through, but put me in a good mood!

And today I just wanted to share that warfare tactic with you. ⚔️

Walking by faith isn’t always comfortable.

It doesn’t at all feel natural.

Dare I say? It can be downright awful-
if we are focusing on the l•a•c•k of sight.

When the promise we are having faith for –
and whether or not we will receive it /
when we will receive it –
has an impact upon every other area of life…
the pressure of the desert
(the in-between Egypt and the Promised Land)
can be parching.

Somehow, even if we just had a “drink”,
we can feel desperate,
because we KNOW that out here- in this place-
we could not get another for ourself
even if we wanted to.
It’s all in God’s hands.
And our flesh doesn’t like being starved of power and control like that.

But on the flip-side of this we must remember-
When WE become less able to control,
it helps us SEE the NEED for Him and His help.

When we think we have it all figured out ourselves,
we don’t usually see the need to pray about direction. We just keep doing what we are doing.

So when God wants to change our direction, our location, what is often required first?
The removal of the “I got this” illusion.

When we are in a season like this-
disorientation is inevitable.

But the choice about how to
re-orient, re-position, re-secure
Is intentional.

We can
run back
run away / escape
because change is just too uncomfortable

Or- if we believe His promises
that where He is taking us is better –
closer to Him-
we can escape the pain
of the parching desert in-between-period
by running into His arms.

Having our thirst, our spiritual unrest,
met in His presence.

Letting him assure us – as often as needed-
that HE is still in control.

That even if we don’t know
where we are going together,
or how we will get there,
or when we will arrive…HE knows.

And we can be made glad and satisfied,
satiated even-
by his presence, not by our progress.

We can’t let what we see make us forget what He said.

〰️〰️〰️

Let me give you a few personal examples of this

1️⃣ When we were praying for baby number 3.
God knows everything beginning to end.
I will never understand this side of heaven- and maybe not even when I get there- the whys and hows and losses in all of our waiting, all of our back and forth I want another or I’m afraid to have another or I’m afraid to want another because I don’t know if I can handle heartbreak again.

All I know is that at one point the discomfort of the decision on whether to open ourselves up to having a third baby or not grew so intense that I begged God to just take that decision from me. And I couldn’t- no matter how I tried or prayed or begged him to take that desire away because I was afraid and I didn’t see how it was going to happen- I couldn’t find peace with making a permanent decision to be done.

Looking back, it’s the messiest story, what I went through and even some of the chaos I caused, walking by feelings and by sight in some moments, while trying my best to walk in faith.

But God is so good.
And in that waiting period,
even though I was NOT patient-
even though I sometimes escaped into works and into things like vacations which made the sights more pleasant-
God was faithful.

Through Egypt,
through the desert,
and into the promised land chapter
where my baby was placed into my hands.

That moment was pure grace,
and I cannot boast one bit about it.

Every single bit was God!

I had tried- before-to deserve it.
But the season before Callen came,
in the stillness, I resigned to trying –
to earn or be worthy of His blessing.

I told Him I could see that I probably DIDN’T deserve it. And that if his answer was no, my mind would understand, but I needed help getting my heart to let go.

But I was also willing to give up control- as much as I didn’t want to risk hurting again- so that if a miracle baby would bring Him glory- would help grow our family’s faith, would help us have a testimony that we could share, that’s what I wanted. And again- I’d need help- mind and heart both- to get through the desert and into the moment when our promise would be born.

I don’t know why human nature fights so hard.
Why do we flail around trying to secure ourselves?
Why do we think we have to handle things?
We do we think that it’s a matter of being victorious in the flesh, that decides whether or not we will get in to our promised lands?

I have a different theory now.
God takes us through the desert to die (to self).
Shocking right?

It’s not a matter of what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger- it’s a matter of, how long will we TRY to be stronger and fight his killing-of-the-flesh work? How long will it take us to surrender,
and say “I’m out, God.” “I don’t want anything more than I want you, and here you are-already here- so whatever you want me to have, give it to me for your glory- only to grow our faith and help us have a testimony to share. And whatever you don’t want us to have, just take the desire away- help our minds and our hearts grieve and let go of those dreams, and find solace and satisfaction in you.

〰️〰️〰️

2️⃣ For years I’ve had hints of a vision of my husband and I working together to gather people and serve God.

Now that might not sound “impossible” to you,
but in all reality it made no sense.

First of all, I am an introvert by nature-
there was a time that I did not like small talk let alone deep talk with others. I did not like crowds. And the idea of hosting a gathering gave me hives.

There was also the fact that we had just decided since we got married so young and were so busy with life- work, kids, repeat every day- that we had no time to gather even if we wanted to. And to be honest- when it came to church, for many years, we simply didn’t want to. We felt like spending our “free day” other places.

Fast forward through all our infertility issues, and my faith walk through leaving a regular job to work a commission-based job at home, and I had grown a real relationship with Jesus- out of necessity. Both of those were deserts and “drinks” were fewer and farther between than I needed, and in order to get through – literally- I had to call upon Him for help. When Callen was born, I was so grateful and so in awe of how possible the impossible is for HIM, that I no longer cared so much about any other dream- I only wanted to go where He wanted me to go and share His glory wherever that is.

But my hubby wasn’t there just yet.
And I’ll be honest- the next steps God brought us through were incredibly messy and risky. Me leaving even that commission job (which put more work stress on my husband), but being guided by God to take more time for Brett (which is his love language)- and I won’t pretend at all to understand it but perhaps this helped him see that being filled in love can cover up alot of icky emotions like anxiety.

But-and here’s the part where it could have gone very wrong- God brought us to a place where either the relationship was going to die, or we- as individuals- fighting for our own visions were.

I asked God to help me love Brett enough, to give him my time, even when I didn’t feel loved because he wasn’t speaking my love language (words of affirmation)…

If you’re fighting for your marriage,
this is what you have to ask of God—
the ability to give grace
(what we view as undeserved favor)
and unconditional love and respect
(meaning whether it’s reciprocated or not)— because on our own WE CANNOT.

And it’s at this very “I just can’t anymore, I don’t have one bit left” point- where most will call it quits.

But when we call upon God instead, even though it doesn’t make it easy, HE makes extending grace and unconditional love possible.

And that is what changes people, changes relationships… but not overnight.

It’s kind of like a pregnancy,
it’s a process,
the birth of a new relationship.

And not knowing this-
Expecting things to change overnight,
or in a month even,
is what sets many up for failure too.

I saw something once that suggested however long we had been struggling on our own, we need to commit to giving unconditional love with God’s help for AT LEAST that long, before we even consider throwing in the towel. Which meant- at that point in my marriage- committing to FIFTEEN YEARS- “Even if it takes FIFTEEN YEARS, God, of me spending time with Brett even when he doesn’t affirm me or want to talk about what I want to talk about (which is You)… I’ll keep trusting you.”

Thank God it didn’t take 15 years! It took less than one. But it was insanely hard. It would’ve been impossible without daily and momentary filling in Him, because I felt emptied of myself more than I can even share.

But- just like my pregnancy with C,
the moment I saw my husband in the “delivery room”- receiving the Holy Spirit and getting freed from things that had been killing his soul, it was ALL worth it!

And just like a baby, a toddler, doesn’t come without challenges, and changes other areas of life in ways you couldn’t have anticipated but is also full of JOY and every bit WORTH IT, that’s what this new life is like too.

Not a once-and-forever filled, but a daily commitment. A daily blessing AND a daily requirement to die to our own “individual” selves.

After C was born I wanted to shout from the rooftops- “Don’t buy the lie that you have to give up if you’ve been trying for years…or that continuing to try will be easy…but know that God is REAL and GOOD and can do the impossible and when He does, deserves 100% of the glory!

After my husband was delivered it has been the same! Seeing Him freed has been even better than being freed myself, and it’s also freeing me -as part of a couple too- to now believe for God’s together-plans for us.

And even though that is also a process, and our flesh is trying to figure out what His next step for us is, and make sense of it, and yet we can’t, because in the natural none of it makes sense— we are remembering his past goodness and asking Him to help us cling on His promises more tightly than our own “right” to set our plans.

He has already shown us that HIS plans for us were always much better than our own, in the past, and by faith and His Presence, in the present- we will keep surrendering with His help-until we can SEE everything He has spoken.

Don’t buy the lie that “dead marriage” has to mean DONE, friends, or that it’s out of His hands. Place your dead marriage in His hands and ask Him to do what only He can do – resurrect! And help you cooperate, even when that feels like dying to yourself. Because – just like childbirth is painful – in the long run, it is infinitely more than worth it!

ALL • OUR • NEEDS

How often do we consider that this covers not just finances? Not just food, clothing, shelter, but also our deeper needs.

Have you ever thought to yourself

“I just NEED someone to read my mind…to read my heart…to tell me why it is I’m feeling anxious, or down…”

“I just NEED a pick-me-up…”

“I just NEED to know that somebody cares about me… that I matter…”

“I just NEED a pause. A healthy escape. In the midst of the chaos. In the middle of the wait. In the middle of the feelings- whether those be grief, fear, uncertainty, whatever.”

“I just NEED a translator. Someone who knows my husband’s (or friend’s, or parent’s, or children’s , or anyone’s) heart, even better than I do, and knows my heart, even better than they do- and is never hindered by miscommunication. Always unites and never divides. Always believes the best and never assumes the worst. And helps us to do the same for one another, when we take the time to consult him instead of handling things on our own.”

God has taken care of me in ALL of these ways, more times than I can count. I depend on Him to.

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all YOUR needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”- Phil. 4:19

All you have to do is ask Him.

We don’t need a psychic. (God knows what our future holds AND He is the One who is holding our future, present, and past in His hands. He also knows what we need to know and when we need to know it. Sometimes we need to know what’s weighing us down so we can let go of it, and sometimes we need to be reminded to let go of the need to diagnose the reason for our feelings of emptiness, and simply to ask Him to fill us with Himself, no matter what the cause. He’s a one-God fits ALL. )

We don’t need to keep hunting for a perfect mate or perfect friend who will ALWAYS be able to drop everything 24/7 to be there for us. (Even if they wanted to, they won’t always be ABLE to. Only God himself can be at all places at all times. Only He can know our deepest needs and fulfill them completely, and heal our deepest hurts, instead of just temporarily plugging the holes.)

We don’t need more self-care,
or to be able to always “pick ourselves up”
with a pedicure, or a coffee, or a pep talk or anything else… (Does self-anything feel better? I’d venture to say no. Scratching your own back…giving yourself a shoulder massage… treating yourself, none of that is better than having your back scratched, having your shoulders massaged, being surprised by someone thoughtful… God is always doing wonderful things for us. We just have to open our eyes to see that it truly is Him behind any good gift. – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” -James‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We don’t have to wonder if we matter, if anyone cares…God has already told us over and over and over in His Word that we matter to Him, that He cares so much for us He sent His Son to die so that we could live together forever.

We don’t need a smoke break, a coffee break, a glass of wine, a joint, a shopping spree, a vacation, or any other escape to numb us in the chaos, the waiting, the feelings, the grief, the fear, the uncertainty… we need a moment with Him. Laying down our sin and our “secrets” (which are not secrets because He knows everything) and our baggage and our rights to do just whatever we want, is so worth the relief that is found in Him. His presence is better than any pain-killer, any anxiety or depression medicine, any thing or experience money can buy. And being addicted to Jesus doesn’t take anything away from our relationships- it enhances them, since He teaches us how to serve others over self.

We will never fully understand ourselves. Why we are the way we are about some things. Every intricate factor that led to forming our unique and quirky personalities, likes and dislikes. And if we cannot even understand ourselves- how can we hope to understand someone else, or be understood by them, perfectly? We can’t. But GOD can. He is the only capable and available 24/7 translator. So- if we get our feelings hurt at 11 pm on a Tuesday, or 5 am on a Sunday, or literally any hour of any day- we don’t have to see if our friend is showing active in messenger so we have someone to talk to. He’s just a prayer away. We don’t even have to pick up a phone. How can our wanting-instant-access selves not be giddy excited about that?! Why do we scroll and sulk and message others first and make the problem bigger? Why don’t we simply ask God to help us forgive, and help us be forgiven? (I have so much room still to grow in this area…)

Oh, if we only could grasp-

Really grasp-

The richness of the need-meeting relationship
that Jesus offers us with God,
through the Holy Spirit…

I believe it would eliminate so, so many other needs that we think we have.

There’s a secular song by Vertical Horizon that came to mind just now and I wonder how often it reflects the words of the Father to some…

“I am everything you want
I am everything you need
I am everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
I say all the right things
At exactly the right time
But I mean nothing to you and I don’t know why
And I don’t know why…”

If you have not begun to come to Him for ALL your needs, it’s a great time to ask yourself – “Why not?” ❤️