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| Find & Keep |

A little family session.

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Made for More

What are you believing God for?

This weekend we are heading out for our annual youth retreat. My husband and I along with our amazing youth leaders are believing for young lives to be touched and transformed by the love of Jesus. We are believing that His presence will bring new life and freedom that will radically change a generation. We are believing for genuine pursuit, faith that speaks, and the birthing of a passion that extends beyond just this weekend in these young people. I would love for you to pray alongside us!

Linking up...

Grace to share..

God's grace is sufficient, isn't it? He takes the stumbling mess that I am and gives me not only the privilege but also arms me with grace to spread his love, his Good News! Later in this same chapter Paul associates serving God "with all his heart" with "spreading the Good News about his Son" (vs.9) May my faith mirror that. May it becomes a faith that extends far beyond myself.. by God's wonderful grace!

A Perfect Place..

I woke early this morning. Sat up with a stretch and a yawn and tip toed quietly down the stairs, careful to not wake a soul. I made myself a cup of coffee. My Keurig, which may be the best invention ever, seemed so loud amidst the silence I was surrounded by. An instinct to 'shush' it arose within me as the coffee trickled down into my mug. I mixed in my cream and sugar and carried my mug to the couch with me. The comfort that comes from grasping a warm drink in my hands in unmatched. I sat on the couch and opened God's Word. Finally. This is the place I had been craving to find for days. This quiet. Quiet enough to hear the Still Small Voice. The place I can gather God's word, read over and over the scriptures He's been speaking to my heart. Time with my Father. Wrapped in His presence, His love. The place where my spirit is filled, my soul is renewed, and my faith revived.

After spending some time in this perfect place I heard a stirring. The familiar creak of a little boys' bed followed by foot steps. Those foot steps soon came closer til my not-so-little Coen was sleepily pulling himself onto my lap. His length did not prevent him from tucking himself into the nook of my neck and bending his legs up enough to be wrapped in my arms. As he settled into this place I felt him relax every limb and let out a sigh. I breathed him in. So thankful that he came to me, climbed into my lap, and was content to just stay. We stayed like this for quite some time.

How fitting, I thought as I lay with one of my littles upon my chest. Is this how our Father feels when we come to Him? As we come to Him, placing ourselves into His presence, peace comes, and we let out a sigh.. Our loving Father wraps us up, thankful we've come to Him, ready to pour out his affection, hoping we will be content to stay a while..

Quest for Joy..

I wrote the other day about the Lord changing me.. What is he working out in me? Joy. His Joy. Not a joy that can be given by earthly hands, taken away, or swayed. His everlasting, unshakeable, unmovable joy!

My husband preached a message at church a few weeks ago and it spoke straight to me. We have experienced time and time again the Lord teaching us through the sermons He gives my husband to preach, but this time it went much deeper for me. As my husband spoke his message titled "Joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy", as I examined my heart, I knew I was missing this immovable Joy. The Lord came and uncovered this deep place in me that He had so been longing to inhabit.

As I have begun my quest for Joy it has become apparent that one thing holding me back is pride. My need for control, my desire to have my say. Pure, ugly pride. Pride I didn't even realize remained buried deep in my heart. I have begun to dig it out. Searching for every corner of it so I can be sure that none of it is missed. I dig with these words..

Thy will be done..

Thy will be done..

The most freeing statement ever made. In all circumstances.. Thy will be done. I am finding such joy, true joy, His joy by placing myself fully in my Father's will. Every time I say those precious words.. Thy will be done.. pride is crushed, I am free! Thy will be done.. Worry is dissipated and trust arises in its place. Thy will be done.. My steps are placed by the One who sees the path ahead!

"Rejoice in the Lord Always."

The Joy that is found in Jesus can and should be present in spite of our circumstances. But, just because no one is able to take, steal, or rob you of this joy it does not mean that you will never have to contend for this Joy to be active in your life!

I am contending for joy! Contend as well if you must. His promises are too great to not. Who doesn't want this Joy, His joy?

You can go HERE to listen to my husbands message. 

Just click on the sermon titled "Joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy"

Create in me a new heart..

Deep in thought.. It's where I've been lately. I feel like the Lord is changing me (isn't He always). Changing the deepest places of my heart. It is sad that at times we don't even notice the areas of our heart that have been neglected, covered in dust and cobwebs. Until the Lord comes, gently blowing away the layers of oversight. Bringing light to the places of the heart that are cold and lifeless. Painful at times, yes. But, Thy will be done.. 

How He Loves..

Do you know of the greatest love story ever told? It tells of one who gave up everything to be with His love. One who overcame every obstacle laid before Him to prove His love. Making the path clear so His love may come freely to meet Him. What is the greatest part? We are the object of that overwhelming affection. You, and I. Will you go to your Love today?

So we may grow in wisdom..

When I think of time and it's passing I am consumed by a plethera of emotion. I know I have spoken often on this subject as it relates to my children and their growing by the minute, but I have come to realize that I struggle with times' inevitable passing in many areas of my life. I am grateful for every minute I am given here on this earth for I know this is not my home (phil 3:20). At the same time, I struggle with the finality of every passing breath as one that I can not get back. I think of all the minutes wasted, thrown away on meaningless worries- wasteful entertainments- general time wasters.. I have come to realize though that this elevated consciousness of how fleeting time really is is a gift although I have been scorning it.

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."

Psalm 90:12

I have been asking God to remove this struggle from my emotions rather than allowing God to use it to edify my spirit, to make me more like Him. Today, I am thankful for His word and the light that it brings to places that once seemed dark and desolate. I am thankful that His word transforms that what seems wrong to become something that is fitting and right. So Lord, teach me and help me grow!

Closer..

My husband sent me this quote yesterday. It was perfectly what I had been needing. Casey Wiegand always picks a "word" for the year. I like that idea and have been trying to think of one for days.. After my husband sent this to me it clicked.. "Closer." That is my word for this year. Closer to my Savior. Closer to my family and those the Lord has given to me; and from a different perspective, I want to bring others closer to the Love of Christ. I have never been big on resolutions. I believe we should always be open to changing ourselves at anytime of year. Open to allowing God's molding and shaping to take place so we may resemble Him more and more.. This year though, I want to be closer..

What is your "word" ?

Spread Love

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade it's self, it is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, ensures all things. Love never fails." -1 Cornthians 13:4-8

My prayers are with those affected by the tragedy that took place today in Connecticut. I have heard many say they are going to hug their family a little tighter tonight and I feel the exact same way, but my heart is aching for those who don't have that chance.. As I've been praying today I feel the Lord speaking to me so loudly about spreading love.. His love.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 

His Word Flies..

I chased cold white crystals this morning rather than the sun.. I posted this scripture on Instagram yesterday but it has been resonating with me ever since then.. "how swiftly His Word flies." The Word of the Lord is powerful and moving. It overcomes. I want my life to be covered with His Word just as the frost He sends covers the ground.

Glorify the Lord!

Trip to Grandma's old farm..

Some appointments are just divine.. We had planned on possibly visiting Grandma's old farm, but it ended up being a last minute decision that I am so glad we made. It was fun revisiting the place where many Christmases were spent. I have fond memories of Grandma's old house. Jeremy brought me there to meet his Grandma just a few short days after we started dating. I felt immediately welcomed in, and that feeling never left.. We showed up unexpectedly, but Sherri (the new owner) warmly welcomed us anyways! We looked around outside and all of the old barns, and then sweet Sherri allowed us to go inside and see all the beautiful work they have done in the house. As we were speaking it came up that her sisters 26-year-old husband had just passed away. My heart broke as Sherri broke down and told us of the difficult time her family was going through. My husband, my mother-in-law, and I surrounded her and prayed. It was one of those moments that I knew God had led us to that place for reasons that far surpassed my wanting to see the old barn. I truly believe that the Lord brought us there for Sherri. We were not able to mend all the brokenness she was experiencing, but we were able to bring encouragement and ask for God's presence to be with her and her family. I am so thankful for the leading of the Lord..

War on Fear

*feel free to print this poster if you like!*

We've been struggling with fear in our home. I hear the terms "that's scary" or "I'm afraid" multiple times a day, especially at night. It really bothers me. I was tormented by nightmares when I was young. I remember sitting up for hours at night with my dad, wishing I could sleep but too terrified to close my eyes. I struggled with fear all the way up until I came to know the Lord at 18. I know He is the reliever of our fears.. That is why I made this poster to hang in the kids' rooms. A scripture for every night of the week. His word is our sword and I am battling this fear with the Lord on my side!

Dear Honesty.

I second guessed posting this earlier this week. Being honest about weaknesses sets you in a pretty vulnerable place. Somewhere I am not always comfortable being. In society today many like to paint a picture of perfection. I, however, am not perfect. My brush strokes are both good and bad. Only by God's grace does it all come together to create something beautiful. So, I will not manufacture perfection. I will just be real..

Mercy & Truth

I want to raise my kids well. I want them to grow up confident of who they are and who their God is. Sometimes I feel as though I am failing them. I sometimes struggle with feeling like I'm not a good parent. Yesterday was one of those days. Coen was tired and emotional. He screamed and cried at my every word. By the end of the day, after literally dragging him out of our church screaming at the top of his lungs, I had run out of patience for him. I was angry. I hate that feeling. That 'at the end of my rope' feeling. My anger, however, was not towards Coen. I was angry at myself. I was angry that my temper got the best of me. I was angry that I allowed myself to be overwhelmed by my emotions. After getting home and getting all the kids in bed I sat quietly and prayed. I prayed for strength and wisdom. I prayed for the ability to be a better example to these young lives the Lord has blessed me with. I felt a scripture rise up in my spirit. Proverbs 3:3 "let not mercy and truth forsake you." It is a well known scripture in our home. In fact, my husband has it tattoo'd across his chest! I am more than grateful for God's wonderful mercy. I know that He would not have given me these beautiful children without offering me the wisdom needed to raise them. I want to live by His mercy so His Truth will not depart from my children. How I need his mercy. When I feel inadequate I will dwell on His mercy. For in my weakness He is made strong..

Happily Missed..

We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving this past weekend, and we had a wonderful weekend spending time with family! My brother-in-law and his family moved 3 hours away from us this summer, and we finally had the opportunity to go and visit them. Their move has been a lot more difficult for me than I had anticipated. They have 4 children who my kids adore, so it has been hard to transition from seeing them at least once a week to not seeing them for a few months! I know, however, that they are exactly where God wants them to be. I know that this is the best place for them! So, I lay my selfishness to aside and rejoice for God's goodness in their lives!

I find this is relevant to so many situations in life. While we may not always view things as being ideal or convenient for us, we must always remember that God's way is best! If we always choose what is comfortable when God is perhaps directing us down a path that doesn't seem as straight we will find ourselves more lost than ever! My heart wants to be exactly where God wants me even when it doesn't appeal to my flesh..

Beauty in Potential

I got to pick up this sweet little girl in the middle of the night last night! She is my friends daughter. She is waiting eagerly today because she knows that a huge gift is coming for her any time now! A baby brother.. We had a sweet talk at 2am while driving back to my place. She told me of how she is going to hold her baby and kiss him "very gently."

I have said it before, but I will say it again.. I love new life! Such a gift. A blessing straight from the hands of God. The beauty comes in the potential that lies within the full life that lay ahead.. It is the perfect display in the natural of what Christ bestows upon us in the spiritual. New life.. full of hope and promise! A clean slate. Glorious.

So, we wait!!

A House Called Defeat..

House for sale..

Large house with many points of entry. As you enter this house you will see that it consists of many rooms all with differing looks designed to lure people in. Although many rooms, the hallways are narrow and confining making it hard to move forward. The house is cold, without proper lighting throughout. At first, the darkness seems somewhat comfortable and easy to settle into, but after a while the ability to maintain proper sight becomes tiring and difficult. The purchase of this house does not require a large sum of money. Payment is taken in the form of hope and vision. Once this home is purchased it is difficult to leave behind. While there are many ways inside there is only One way out, and because of the blinding darkness that fills this house it is not always clear how to get there. No need to call to view. This house is always open. 

A House Called Victory..

I have moved into a new house designed for me by my Father which has only One point of entry. As you enter this home you will see that it is filled with light. The hallways are wide and free of clutter so there is  nothing to hinder your vision. The walls display words that uplift and encourage such as "Do not fear, for I am with you" -Is 41:10 and other reminders of the protection found here. This home also did not require a sum of money for purchase. It was free, requiring only that I receive it. 

Now that I have entered this house, I never want to leave. 

...I have moved out of DEFEAT and into VICTORY...

STOP!

Stop whatever is you are doing at this very moment (yes, even reading this blog). Just stop. Now go and take a moment your kids. Give them a hug, play a game with them, make them laugh. If they are not with you just take a moment to pray for them. It doesn't have to take long. Just a moment.

I promise that you won't regret it!

Flowers fade..

Whenever I find discouragement hanging around me I know I haven't been spending enough time in the Word of God. In these times, rather than dwelling in that place of pity that arises, I must dwell on the hope offered to me through His wonderful words..

"This is my comfort in my affliction, Your word has given me life." Psalm 119:50

He is more than enough for me..

Always.

What are you dwelling on today?