Archives For Encouragement

Unconformed Motherhood

May 12, 2013

Who wasn’t raised with the idea that there are certain roles for each gender? Now, before you think I’ve gone off the deep end please note that I do believe there are certain roles that should not be given to the other. However, I fully believed that I was going to be an amazing housewife who could cook delicious meals that people would be asking the recipe for. When we were first married I was dead focused on making my own homemade salad dressing. My husband, God bless him, couldn’t understand why I was being so hard headed about this. I tried and I tried and I tried. Never got it. One of the first meals I attempted to cook for him was stir fry. That night my husband held me as I cried my apologies for destroying one of our wedding gifts. The recipe had told me to heat the wok over high and so I did. I had no idea that “high” on a stove really meant “inferno.”

Thirteen years later {and many tears} I’ve finally accepted that I can. not. cook. I have more Bob Vila in me than Donna Reed.

Continue Reading…

I started this project last year. I had the best of intentions to completely declutter my house. Why? Because I wanted to spend quality and a quantity of time with my children that I haven’t been able to give them before. I started out really well. Decluttered about 20 bags of clothes. Then….found out I was expecting.

Fast forward one year.

Sweet baby #6 had a safe arrival. I was anxious to get back to work and get the house to where I wanted it. I claim to be a minimalist but with a half dozen kids that can be hard. For Lent this year my eldest daughter asked me to give up Facebook. When I told her I would she was elated. And just like that I had loads of extra time on my hands. We took one room a day and wore ourselves out pitching and donating.

I. Was. Brutal.

Continue Reading…

Renewing My Mind

February 26, 2013

I want to start off by apologizing for my absence. This past December we added a new member to our family so with the pregnancy and getting to know our new son it’s been quite hectic around here these days. But I’m happy to say that I’m back. And after lots of soul searching these past four months I’ve decided that this year is the year of new beginnings.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. {Romans 12:2}

Don’t we all need a chance to start over? When we feel incredibly run down and ready to be brushed off and start again? I’m so ready for that. I’m ready for grace. I’m ready to stand tall on the rock and to quit seeking the approval of faulty men. Christ. It’s all Christ. If it’s not, it’s a waste. I don’t want to waste it all. May He be made bigger and me smaller. To Yahweh be all the glory forever.

So here, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, here is to new beginnings. Let’s not look back.

{I can’t help but share with you a glimpse at my newest little love. A new beginning.}

Blessings!

Do Not Conform Any Longer

August 1, 2012

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20

I’m just gonna jump right in.

Of all things in the Chick Fil A controversy the one that has my heart afire are the people who are calling themselves christians and yet are fighting against a christian based company. My question is: why? Why would somebody who proclaims to be a “christian” not want to be joined with brothers and sisters in Christ? We are meant to be an army for Christ not against Him. Why do people want to be called “christians” and yet not want to follow Him?

Here’s a solution. Don’t call yourself a christian.

If you believe Yahweh is so flawed in His thinking and in His commandments then why would you want to follow somebody like that?

There have been countless articles filling newsites with believers and non-believers blasting Chick Fil A for not wavering on their faith. How dare Dan Cathy actually believe what we preaches? Are we so used to the American gospel that we’ve forgotten how incredibly radical the Bible is?

And when I say “believers” are blasting Chick Fil A I want you to know I’m using that term very loosely.

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!      James 2:19

I don’t want to know if you are a Christian. I don’t care if you’re a believer. I will call you a brother or sister when you show that you are a follower. When the Holy Spirit is so evident in your life that no one can deny it.

You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works…Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?    James 2:18 & 20

Will you buck the system and follow Christ no matter the consequences? Even if that means your business is going to tank? Even if that means your friends will all leave you? Faith is not easy. Your humaness is going to fight you at every decision. Comfort in this life seems so much more desirable to our here-and-now than a hope of eternity with Christ. I even hate writing that but it’s true. It’s a constant battle of will.

So back to Chick Fil A. Do I believe that every single person that went through the drive thru today was a follower of Christ? Absolutely not. Some were probably just christians in name only. Some probably went for political reasons. On the other hand, do I believe that every person that didn’t go to Chick Fil A is a lost cause and has an eternity of Hell awaiting them? Absolutely not! On one hand, not everyone has the money to buy a meal today. I had to search my house and car for the funds to take my family out for lunch. It wasn’t easy but I definitely wanted to show my support for my brother, Dan Cathy. Without diving into too much theology, most people are not a lost cause. There is hope for all of us! No matter your background we can be saved…if we want and are willing to be saved.

My anger over all this controversy definitely stems for people being led astray. Non-followers will so easily take scripture and throw it in others faces. Despite the fact they’ve never opened a Bible and don’t know the context of said scripture. And you know what that’s doing? That my friends is an open door to an eternity of gnashing of teeth. So when followers of Christ stick to their guns and don’t hang out in their basements, hiding away from the world, that is true love. Speaking truth of Yahweh has nothing to do with hate but with love and a hope of a glorious eternity.

My friends, we’re in a war. We can only assume these are birth pangs. It’s not like we weren’t warned all of this was coming. But we need to encourage and strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ. This spiritual war is only going to get more difficult and more painful. Keep your eyes on Christ. Remember that controversies like Chick Fil A may seem politically based but it’s so much more than that. This is a fight against people blaspheming our God. And that, my loves, is a war worth fighting for. I will not sit idly by while others blaspheme my Father. I’m not going to become Peter and cut off peoples ears. My goodness. But I will support the fight for Him in a loving manner.

With all that said, I do want to share our Chick Fil A experience today!

We decided to go early to miss the lunch crowd. Ha! That didn’t happen! The place was packed! The parking lot was near full and the drive-thru was crazy long! Mind you, this was at 10:45am. Cars were trying to get in the drive-thru from three different directions. And everyone was patient and waited eagerly to support our local Chick Fil A.

I won’t lie, I was on the verge of tears. It’s like when I sing worship on Sunday morning with all my brothers and sisters at church. The feeling of true fellowship is so overwhelming that my eyes can’t contain His passion. Seeing all these cars lined up to support Chick Fil A…it’s truly indescribable to those who don’t understand His love. When you know and can taste His love, nothing tastes better.

When we finally arrived at the window I saw the manager.

An awesome man of God who has always taken the time to talk to our family every time we visit. I told him I was going to cry from all the outpouring of community and he told me he already had. I have no doubt that had his store not made a penny that day that he still would have counted it a blessing to work for a company that stands by their convictions.

So here is the icing on the cake. We were driving home with Chick Fil A in the passenger seat. I look to the side and see McDonalds. This McDonalds has two lanes for the crowds. There was one car in each lane at 11:35am. Two cars! Now, before you read into this too deeply, this by no means is a blast to McDonalds but a standing ovation for Chick Fil A and their supporters!

I pray if you’re not already a follower that His spirit is tugging at your heart. We only have one lifetime to make a decision on who we will follow and if we’re willing to risk it all. Are you going to risk eternity in Heaven or risk a lifetime of comfort? I know how hard the decision is. So prayerfully consider which you’ll faithfully stand by.

Blessings!

Called to Deliver

June 3, 2012

I have been struggling the past few months. As you can tell this site has been left to the wayside. I couldn’t bring myself to blog. I felt gripped by the stronghold to please others. I would find advice on how to properly blog.

Tweet this.

Join this party.

Be consistant in how often you post.

Have a large following.

I couldn’t carry that pressure and be a mother of many and wife of one grace filled man. I was being stretched too thin by expectations. So I quit. If I couldn’t be there for everybody I was stopping and only choosing my family. Easy peasy. Drop the site.

But it wasn’t that easy. For the past month or so I have been lovingly encouraged by the Holy Spirit to get back to writing. I tried to brush it off. Every so often there would be another tug. Never a pressure, just a strong ‘you-should-be-doing-this’. Sermons at church. Words from friends. Words from complete strangers. Callers on the radio. Many random moments all came together and have brought me back. The last encouragement was through a sermon at church this morning. As a Christ follower I am called to be a deliverer of His message of reconciliation and hope to others. So are you if you follow Him. But like most things I thought the market was saturated enough. There are so many amazing and inspiring christian blogs out there, I would just be white noise. My story isn’t nearly as exciting as others. I’m simply a stay at home mom who wants to be humble enough to not stand out but to encourage others on their walk with Christ. However, if you’re a Christ follower you shouldn’t be able to blend in. Nothing about your life should be plain and especially not boring. And that’s when I realized He wasn’t my everything anymore. Life had gotten in the way. Being a wife, being a mother, being a friend, being a photographer, etc. all had garnered more of my attention. There were breaks where I would come running back to Him. But everything I did would slowly fade away. Or rather I would allow my time for Yahweh to fade away. Like when you want nothing more than to spend time with a loved one but they always seem busy with something else that is more enjoyable to them. I treated my God like a second rate idol. And I am here to apologize publicly to Him for not showing Him the respect, honor, love and devotion that He deserves.

The updates here won’t be consistent. I won’t be joining any blogging parties or twitter parties or anything like that to promote my name. All that will be lifted up here is His name. Oh there will be occasional recipes and such but that is because I am writing with the intent of also training up my children. I want to be able to share with them things we did as they were growing.

I want to ask you the same question that was posed to us during church today.

Who are the people you’re supposed to be a deliverer to? Are you standing up and giving His message or are you shrinking back and assuming somebody else will fill your place?

Yahweh created you for a purpose. To spread His name all over the earth. Whether that be through blogging, through co-workers, through playdates with other moms, through your local coffee shop pick up – anywhere. He can use you wherever you are, whenever and however He pleases. As long as we’re willing to listen to Him. If you feel the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart don’t brush it off. Follow with your whole heart so that your life is full of color among the grey.

Don’t.

Blend.

In.

 

Blessings!