Thanksgiving For The Hungry Heart

When was the last time you woke up in the morning and thanked your Daddy God for…you? When you open your eyes, do you realize He kissed you awake? As you exhale and yawn, do you discern you’re inhaling His breath? Do you thank Him because He made you His marvelous masterpiece and has marvelous plans for you?

Maybe this Thanksgiving you need reminding that “thanks-giving” is actually “thanks-receiving,” and all that you have gratitude for is in direct relation to how you see God, how loved and accepted you believe you are and how much you believe He freely gives.

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When God Is Silent

I don’t know about you, but I have heard and read so many well-meaning messages and devotionals about why, when and how God is “silent.” And every one was tainted in some way with a religious tone. Some would point to God being silent during certain seasons of your life while others would suggest He is waiting for you to arrive at some point. Regardless, there is only one truth to His silence. And in this love letter, I hope the sound of that verity resonates freedom in your soul. It’s the reason I can’t keep quiet!

In this gospel, there is only good news. And the more intimate I become with God and the more He reveals to me His heart, His finished work and His ways, the more undone I become in His love and grace. Now don’t get me wrong…there has been many a “season” in my relationship with Jesus when it has felt or seemed as though God were silent. Actually, it felt more like He was completely ignoring me! But as He has gently unraveled the chains of lies that religion loves to keep us bound in, I have come to see just how He relates to and communes with us. And it’s always in Perfect Love.

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Are You Trying or Trusting?

What if you didn’t “try” to do anything to please God in any way…but instead chose to TRUST Him moment by moment (casting each care on Him, expecting His goodness), REST in Him (inwardly be at peace) and actually ENJOY a real relationship with Him?

Right now, if you are feeling completely burned-out as a Christian, consider yourself blessed; He’s calling you to the high life of real freedom. If you are at the end of your rope, get happy; He’s calling you into a life of real rest.

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Immanuel

You. Are. Not. Alone.

Immanuel = God with us. Jesus with you. No matter what you are going through or how lonely you feel, your Savior Himself has promised you:
“…I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!].”
‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭13:5‬ ‭AMPC)‬‬.

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Gold in the Mud

Just for the record, I do not have it all together all the time. Ha! Would you believe there are many days when I feel like I’m a hot mess (hey, it’s a real term just added to the Oxford Dictionary!)? Oh yea…But that’s okay. And that’s the point. The point is to not have to have it all together. And when I am reminded of that, it’s just the place I find myself being overtaken by a flood-tide of Grace and Unconditional Love.

The truth is, we’ve never once had it all together, we were never meant to have it all together and we don’t ever need to try and have it all together. All we were ever meant to do, is to fall into the arms of the Altogether Lovely One (Song of Songs 5:16) and trust Him and all He’s accomplished on our behalf.

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Mother’s Day: Miracles in the Midst of the Mess

I had the thought of writing a blog in honor of Mother’s Day this week. But this blessed mama has found herself in the midst of the choice to be present in other moments; moments of laying my hands on the backs of my sons to pray for and comfort them while they puke in a bucket…while I wipe up diarrhea and start baths to clean the mess. Moments to simply lay quiet next to each one as they lay still before the next bout (because it was my turn the week before and I know exactly how they feel). Moments to disinfect and wash sheets and clothes contaminated with the viral germs that could so easily lead me into chaos but instead remind me of what love is. Moments to live in the present moment as a mother; the most fulfilling experience of my life.

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Good Friday Is A Good Father

Good Friday is a Good Father. This is how much your Papa loves you beloved. It was His very will to crush His Son and cause Him to suffer so you could come home to His heart and be healed and blessed (Isaiah 53:10). Daddy God Who was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself to get His kids back, spared nothing to free you from curse and death to release the flood tide of Grace over your life.

And This Son; This Suffering Servant and Innocent Savior said “yes” before the Earth was made. He chose you before you were you. He’d rather die than to be without you. And now that He’s with you, He does not make light of your pain, hurt and hardships. He knows your suffering and empathizes with you in every detail of your dark and anxious moments and in all your brokenness. For it is Christ Himself Who took on your very condition. He did it for you.

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The Passion In Palm Sunday

“Shout and cheer…raise the roof…Your King is coming! A good King who makes all things right, a humble King riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey…He will offer peace to the nations, a peaceful rule worldwide, from the four winds to the seven seas.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9:9-10‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Blessed Palm Sunday to you beloved! This is not just a holy day, but a wholly redemptive one. It was on this day, 2,000+ years ago, the Lover of your soul presented Himself as the Prince of Peace and King of Salvation riding humbly into Jerusalem on His way into His suffering and Passion for you. A day when Grace Himself made His last public appearance before He alone laid His life down for you.

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Put A Magnifying Glass Over Your Life

“And there was one…reclining…in the bosom of Jesus, whom Jesus was loving…”(John 13:23 YLT98)

Beloved, there’s nothing more significant and more transformational you can do each day than to gloat, yes, boast in God’s love for YOU…Not your love for or your devotion to Him; not how you can be a better person or a better Christian (don’t focus on self or performance but keep your eyes on Jesus who alone is your righteousness), but HIS love FOR YOU.

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Freedom Fruit Found In Furious Love

It’s the little things. My heart is happy. And this after a very burdensome last couple of weeks. My first ripe tomato!

Sometimes the process for bearing fruit is a hard wait (and weight). We may wonder why it’s taking so long to see what we want to see. But Jesus is doing more than you know in the wait; in your process…in your heart.

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