An Afternoon Relfection.

I will just say the limits to my human strength and love have totally been tested this last week. Taking care of a little person is hard enough, let alone a sick hubby, and a pregnant body that eventually gave in to this terrible, terrible plague. (Yes, that’s what I’ve called it!) Praise God, I think we are finally all three on the way back to health! But it was pretty yucky there for a few days.

Something that’s I’ve started doing this year in the afternoons, hopefully, as time allows, is sitting down and asking myself a few questions while the house is quiet and Ari is asleep. I know it was a good reminder to keep me motivated to serve my family as they were sick. (I believe these questions either came at Keller’s or Kay Smith’s suggestions for afternoon reflection and meditation. Either way, I’m not in debted to them!)

– Have I been prickly and provoked? or gracious and humble?

– Have I been indifferent and cold? unwilling to serve? or warm, kind, and affectionate?

– Have I been anxious and stressed? or depending on God?

Halfway through the day is the best time to go over these questions. You’re over the morning glory of that first and second cup of coffee, things probably got a bit stressed around lunch time, and now you have the afternoon and dinner to get through in a way that glorifies God, and for me, the second half of the day is always harder to get through! I don’t know if my family can say this has been helpful in my attitude and actions at all, hopefully they can, but I know it’s been such a humbling reminder for me to take the time to correct my actions before the throne and receive grace to continue with my day.

Along with that, I read Philippians 2:7-8, 3:7-11, and 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. THe first section from Philippians shows us Jesus had an attitude of humility, a willingness to serve, and an obedience unto death. Do I have this today? Again, it’s a way to reflect on those same questions, but now in light of Christ’s character and His Word.

The second section from Phillipians shows me that Paul’s goals were to know Christ, even at the expense of personal love, be found in Him alone, and nothing else, gain righteousness that comes through faith, know the power of the resurrection, and, this is the trickiest one for me, BEING CONFORMED TO CHRIST’S death, even sharing in suffering. Yikes! I like to align my heart with these same goals as I go in to the second half of my day.

And last, but certainly not least, the love chapter. We read this so, so often that it’s probably the only semi-lengthy set of verses any of us have stowed away. haha I’ve been reading these in different translations lately. Why? It brings them to life in a whole new way. This is definately one of the most important sections to take time to meditate on every day. Why? Because in these verses we find out that we found be soooo many other godly things, but without love, we are really useless, a nobody. Ouch! Did that hurt anyone else out there like it does me? Anyways, take a moment to read through these two translations that I really enjoy. I’m praying God’s Word goes out and does some work on your hearts, like it’s been doing on mine! Love is such a bigger deal than we think it is, just read 1 John.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 Amplified

If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned…, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

On a sidenote, Amy Carmichael once said asked something along the lines of, “Can you imagine Jesus acting rudely at the dinner table?” After reading those verses, I understand the importance of being mannerly in a whole new light. It reflects the character of God.

Now on to the Phillips translation!

If I speak with the eloquence of men and of angels, but have no love, I become no more than blaring brass or crashing cymbal. If I have the gift of foretelling the future and hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but the very secrets of God, and if I also have that absolute faith which can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. If I dispose of all that I possess, yes, even if I give my own body to be burned, but have no love, I achieve precisely nothing. This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything.

Did you learn anything new from reading those translations? I hope so! May be trust in the Holy Spirit more and more, who poured God’s love in to our hearts (Romans 5:5)!

In Christ

Holier Aspirations?

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant…” Philippians 3:5-7

“For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27

“Therefore, holy and beloved, as the elect of God, put on…humbleness of mind…” Colossians 3:12

I just have one simple question to ask myself as I read these verses: If my Savior came among flesh and blood as a servant, why do I first aspire to things I think are higher and above that which my Lord pursued? Are there any aspirations holier than those that the Holy God of the universe made Himself busy with by becoming a servant here on the earth?

This was Jesus’ whole point in the context of that verse from Luke. His followers were arguing about who was better and how you could be the greatest, so He TOLD them how. Be among men as a servant.

Why do I seek more?

This isn’t to say desire to do great things for the Kingdom is bad, because IT’S NOT. Those are godly desires the Lord puts in people’s hearts to get things done, but more often than not, as I learn in my own life and observe other great Christian leaders and teachers, Kingdom acts are made up of the small things.

Diaper changes. Helping an unbelieving friend move. Cooking dinner for your family night, after night, after night. More diaper changes. Playing blocks with your one year old for three hours straight. Taking care of a sick husband. Opening your home to new neighbors. Putting more toilet paper in the bathrooms at church when you notice they’re running low. Baking a treat for a friend who is having a bad day. Even more diaper changes. You get the point.

This is why, when John the Baptist sent some of his followers to question Jesus as to who he really was, Jesus responded by saying, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matthew 11:4-5).

Most people expected the coming of Christ’s Kingdom to involved a muscle building Savior of sorts, if you will. They were seeking someone to deliver them from political oppression. Yet, here Jesus defines the Kingdom by simple acts of service and love, empowered by a great, big Spirit.

Again, why am I seeking first the giant acts, all the while neglecting to be faithful in the small services which Jesus says actually is the work of His kingdom?

I’ve been praying for the same humbleness of mind that the Lord has, which Philippians tells me is readily available to me! Apparently it’s something I already possess, now I just need to put it in to action. How so? By seeking first the kingdom, and trusting all the other great, big things to the Lord, which He may or may not see fit to be added to me!

In Christ

Having eyes for others.

I’ve been reading a very Bible saturated and helpful book that was given to me by an older (No, you’re not OLD, just older than me! 😉 ) woman at our church. She has been so helpful and encouraging recently when I’ve gone to her with questions and concerns about Ari. The book is called Growing Kids God’s Way. No, this is no another post about parenting, but something I was reading in there really related to me personally and my own heart. (I believe it was Emerson who said, “First we read, then we write.” This is why I always start by talking about what I’ve been reading because it usually sparks the ideas I’m reacting to and writing about.)

The author’s were talking about how biblical morality is truly the highest set of moral principles set forth in this world because they are others-focused. After doing some prep for the next section I’m teaching on in Colossians about being others-focused, this immediately alerted my mind!

They were saying we need only one thing to be others focused ourselves, and to teach our children to be others-focused, and that is to “…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). The natural result of our love, first, for Christ, with all of our being will be a love for others, or, being other-focused! Verse 39 in that same chapter of Matthew tells us this when it says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Wow! That totally cleared up the vague how-to-be-others-focused check list I was creating in my mind. Love Jesus and I will naturally love others!

Then I got an even clearer picture of what this others-focused love looks like when I flipped in my Bible to John 15:13, which says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Again, love is equated with ceasing to constantly look at ourselves and our wants, our needs, our desires, and instead, lay that down in love for others. Jesus is hands down the BEST example of someone we can look to who was constantly others-focused. And if we have His Holy Spirit living in us, then the exciting news is that the very same power that made Him able to be others focused to the point of laying down His life for us can help US be others focused too!

I have soooooooooooo far to go on this subject, but as I’ve been praying and asking the Lord to show me how to be others-focused, I’ve learned two things to practice out of love for others.

Pay attention to detail.

I’m a big picture person. I’m terrible with details. But for me, I can love others better by focusing on details in their lives. I need to pray for God to give me eyes to see needs I can meet and ways I can help others. Even simple gestures to express my thanks and love towards them. Offering a new mother my afternoon so I can sit with a new baby. Offering a meal when a friend is sick. Offering financial resources when others are in need. Offers unexpected gifts, like lotions, bread, treats, simply to encourage others!

Love takes time and resources.

I always get some great idea or project in my mind to show someone how much I care, but when it really comes down to putting the time, effort, and resources into it, I run out of gas. I stop. “It’s the thought that counts, right?” Not if they NEVER heard or saw your love expressed! haha Could you imagine if Jesus would have stayed in heaven when He met the reality of how much hard work coming to earth would be? Instead, one day He would have looked down on all us miserable, suffering sinners and said, “It’s the thought that counts, right?”

Wrong. Love really is expressed through actions. That’s why John 15:13 made mentioned of laying down your life for others. I can do that by spending time, energy, and resources on others.

I did actually follow through for once this week and baked a pie for our sweet doctor who generously helped Ari get better, not because I wanted to, but because the Lord was reminding me of this lesson of loving others that He was teaching me this week. It was a small way our family could say thank you for the energy and wisdom he was willing to share with us.

Brian and I were recently talking about how simple a life of following Christ really is. It’s the simplest and hardest thing a person could ever do. What a mystery! Simply give all my sin to Christ to take care of it? Simple die to myself out of love for Jesus and others? Ok! Well…there’s a lifetime of math problems for me to solve!

Remember, we grow in these things by grace (2 Peter 3:18).

In Christ

The Pursuit of Chemistry, Among Other Lies.

I recently overheard someone talking about when respecting God’s boundaries for purity in dating and engagement, couples need to at least be able to experience the chemistry between them.

I myself have said this at times, and totally agree with this, to an extent. I thought back to this conversations many times over the last few weeks, and it still doesn’t sit right with me. Not even because of what was said, but because of what I’ve experienced and watched in the reality of my own marriage, and those around me.

This is where I want to say that not everything I write in here today is gospel truth. I’m writing from experience and how God’s applied His Word to my heart. God’s word is truth. Not my experiences, so take them or leave them. I simply want to encourage couples to be pursuing the pure, righteous, and lovely things in their relationship, in God’s eyes, and in this world, the things that will actually provide sustenance to their relationship.

What is chemistry? It’s fleeting. So fleeting, that it deserves no relationship being built around it. Chemistry is actually defined as complex emotions between two people.

Yikes. That right there is dangerous!

The longer I’ve been married, which I know isn’t that long at all in the scheme of things, the more I realize you simply can’t build a marriage on emotions, let alone this deceiving thing called “chemistry.” Again, why do I call it deceiving? Because it’s there one day, and gone the next. And in a world where we often hear chemistry is needed in a relationship, it has no fuel for endurance. Even Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is desperately wicked, beyond cure. We simply cannot trust our heart and the emotions it brings forth.

Living off of chemistry is not gospel living. I’m so thankful Jesus didn’t choose to have a relationship with me based on our chemistry. There simply would have been none, because I was an ugly harlot running away from Him. Recently I’ve witnessed a marriage fall apart between two good looking couples. Two people I never would have thought chemistry was lacking between. (And let’s be honest, most of the time when we’re talking about chemistry, it’s all in the physical realm of things.) Again, there was plenty of forgiveness and love that was indeed lacking, but all those things that make for good “chemistry” were present.

In a recent post, Ann Voskamp was pleading with girls and women when she said, “Please hear me, Girl: The world has enough women who can do their hair. It needs women who know how to do hard and holy things.”

There’s no chemistry in choosing to forgive in the face of deep sins. There’s no chemistry involved in chooseing patience when your spouse throws a toddler sized temper tantrum. There’s no chermistry in picking up the haphazard piles of dirty socks and underwear that never seem to make it into the hamper. There’s no chemistry involved in making another dinner, cleaning up after another late night, and running through the monotony of bed times day after day, year after year, with a spouse right beside you. There plenty of love in these things, but simply no chemistry.

Creating chemistry in a marriage is not about the lowest cut dress, the perfect curls, the right mood and song for the moment. I totally believe chemistry is the reward the Lord blesses couples with who know how to do hard and holy things. Chemistry is simply the result of a marriage based on love. It's not to be the basis of a marriage. Please don’t misunderstand me. Chemistry between couples is GOOD, but it’s often times the result of long, hard hours of learning to love a sinner. The Song of Solomon greatly portrays the chemistry between a couple, but even their chemistry falls short when the Mrs. acts selflessly and rejects her Mr. (See Song of Solomon 5 for this passage.) The husband even says that it’s love that cannot be quenched (Song of Solomon 8:7), even when chemistry can be.

Love is what endures through all things (1 Corinthian 13:7), even the seasons where chemistry is lacking. Chemistry simply can’t do this because it is bound by it’s own definition. If the emotions are faulty, there will be no chemistry.

It makes me think about my grandma and grandpa. He’s been experiencing quite a bit of sickness this week, and she explained to me that all she can do each day is ask God for the strength and wisdom to take care of him, to bathe him, to care for him, to be patient with him. (Did I mention this is the second husband she’s had to selflessly serve through great illness?) Where chemistry is lacking between two aged bodies because of physical pain and deterioration, love is growing roots even deeper than young marriages could even imagine!

She described to me how this was the first Sunday at church they’ve missed in years. Instead, she sat at the piano in the morning and played “Jesus Loves Me,” and they sang together, remembering every single word from their childhood.

How beautiful is that? That’s chemistry! Jesus’ love that requires a brother or sister to lay down their life for another and serve them is what true chemistry is.

It’s because of love that Christ provided a way to enter in to a relationship with me (John 3:16), not the chemistry I had to offer. That would be works based. This is the perfect marriage, between Jesus and believers, the only perfect marriage, that ever will be in existence. Let’s model all of ours after this.

Ladies and gentlemen, pursue love (1 Corinthians 14). Pursue serving one another as Christ served us. Forget about chemistry. You will be greatly blessed in true love’s reward by looking more like Christ by pursuing true love.

In Christ

A warning & false humility.

Oh, hello there. Long time, no see!

Dianne and I were laughing the other day about how hard it has been to keep our with our own personal blogs while writing and working with Deeply Rooted Magazine. I get something written for my blog, and then it’s turned into something else and needed somewhere else. haha To be honest, God has kind of blown me out of the water with the ways He’s been calling me to use my writing these last couple of months. Aside from regular family life and ministry, I feel like Brian and I are constantly trying to meet deadlines for some sort of writing project. This is all good. It’s what God’s called us to: a busy season full of writing and teaching through social media, in ways this typewriter loving gal never thought she would be called to teach. haha

After some sobering news Sunday night, Brian lovingly decided it was best for us to cuddle the litte baby up in a blanket and go for a walk. We were reflecting on the news, our busy month of projects and schedules, and talking about the realities of being human, questioning if it’s ever possible to do anything on this side of heaven ONLY for the purpose of glorifying God. I’m still not 100% sure of this answer, but I do know there’s plenty of pride in my heart that it probably will take until heaven to work a good amount of it out. haha

“So, what do we do?”

I proposed to stop writing altogether. “Why serve if it’s out of a selfish motivation?” I’m always dramatic like that, pretty black or white. haha But you can’t just do that. Warren Wiersbe talks about pride and says, “To be poor in spirit does not mean to deny your personality or try to suppress it. It simply means yielding it to God for Him to make it all that He wants it to be.”

Something I’ve learned about myself lately is that I try to tone down who God has created me to be and the gifts He’s graciously given me because I fear what others think of me. I fear that others will think I’m too bookwormish and not faith based enough, so I don’t talk about things I’m studying in depth and what God is showing me through them. I fear looking fake because I genuinely nerd out when we get anywhere close to a city library. I dumb down who God made me to be, and that is rejecting a gift from the Good Gift Giver. That’s just as prideful as being completely self-absorbed! “No thanks. I think I can re-invent a better version of Lexy for You.”

Maybe I’m digressing. But my point is that I can’t just stop writing and serving God and His people this way. Stop speaking what God is showing me to others. Stop because of sin and an awareness of my weakness and the pride that creeps in. In contrast, Wiersbe also gives the definition of true humility. “To be poor in spirit, then, means to know yourself, accept yourself, and be yourself to the glory of God.”

BE A GOOD STEWARD. USE the gifts God has given me. It’s NOT true humility to deny who God has made me to be. He has laid out very specific works in advance for me to walk in, and if I don’t steward my gifts well, how can I walk in those good works?

I apologize for the rambling today. 😉 I’ve been doing much processing this week. I think it resulted in God showing me a solution in John 3:26-30.

“And they [John’s disciples] came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.” The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.‘”

Pointing to Christ was John the Baptist’s heavenly calling! He was to prepare a way for the Son of Man. He was to glorify God, and not Himself. But his disciples had it wrong. They went to him and basically said, “What are you going to do!? You’re losing your followers to Jesus!” My pride would have begun to fret with my pupils at this point, but instead John shows humility and joy in TRUE success. He probably laughed at them and then said, “THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT. My joy is now complete because Jesus has increased, and I have decreased. THAT is success!”

I was reminded of that passage this week while I was doing the wishes. My mind started to wander after seeing an article by me was unexpectedly published. My thoughts turned towards self. “How cool that you get to do this…and you do that…Everyone…blah…blah…blah.” Pride.

You must decrease, so that I can increase, said the still, small voice. When you choose to decrease, you make room for me to increase.

Ok, Lord. I give this struggle to you. I won’t succumb to immobility. I will lean on you each moment for true humility, giving my gifts to you for your purposes, that you may increase.

I’ve had to have the conversation with the Lord probably fifty plus times the last few days, but that’s grace, isn’t it? Sanctification is a long, long process, and awknowledging the sin is always the first step.

What things have you been struggling with lately? And how has God met you where you are in the Word? 🙂

Do your closet doors close?

Brian and I have been going through Driscoll’s series on James. It’s been super encouraging to me lately. The simplicity of the last sermon we listened to talked about just asking God for wisdom in the places you’re lacking. It’s that easy. And He promises to give it freely. (James 1:5). In addition to this theme of wisdom, God has also been highlighting to me the importance of learning discipline in every single area of my life. Dear readers, this is where this post gets very practical. As a mom, that’s a lot of what I’ve needed lately: practical, godly wisdom, straight from the Lord, on how HE wants me to organize my life.

As Ari grows, so do his belongings. But…our house stays the same tiny, dollhouse size. I am the definition of a homebody, as I told somebody recently, but I’ve felt pretty overwhelmed at home lately, constantly trying to organize, but never getting anywhere. I’m really not that great at organizing, honestly. Maybe it’s laziness? I don’t know. But after listening to Driscoll’s sermon, I realize I just needed to ask the Lord for wisdom. How can I organize my home in such a way that creates a relaxing environment, where I’m happy to entertain others, raise my family, enjoy people, and not feel like I have to me on my hands and knees contsantly cleaning and rearranging? I knew from recent lessons He’s been teaching me that it’s not the Lord’s plan for me to constantly be cleaning and frustrated. He wants me to Sabbath and rest, especially in my own house! haha

Guess what? By the end of that prayer he reminded me of a verse.

“Take care and be on guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

My relationship with Jesus bleeds (literally…haha) into every single area of my life, and that should include how I keep my home. I’ve honestly never really thought about this before. In addition to giving me that verse, the Lord spoke two things to my heart to keep in mind when organizing and they can be summed up like this: keep a heavenly perspective when organizing and purging. “How will this benefit me eternally? Less really is more.”

A few weeks ago I thought I’d start at one end of my closet, and go through the whole thing, wearing the next item of clothing in line the next day, forcing myself to make the best use of my closet. Well, I did it, and guess what? I was STILL annoyed with the closet doors that wouldn’t close because of the forest of fabrics pushing their way out the doors. It didn’t matter if I wore a new outfit everyday, I was frustrated and anxious. I know this is silly, but that’s when that Luke verse really hit me. It wasn’t about using every single thing that I had that would make me happy, it was getting RID of the WAY TOO MANY CLOTHES that I had.

No, no, no. I’m NOT saying go sell everything you have in your house. You are holier when you have less. But what I am saying is that God is a God of order. My closet was out of order. My books shelves are ridiculous! I have cooking utensils that I don’t even know what to do with. Mysterious drawers are stuffed full of mysterious items and I can no longer identify.

And yet, Jesus really is all I need. The abundant life He provides is given through a simple gospel, not thousands of theologies that must be understood before you enter the pearly gates. Belief. Faith in Him. It’s that simple. And He supplies are you need for an truly abundant life, and when I need it too. There are no packrats in heaven! We will be completely satisfied in Jesus. I better get used to that now!

Elisabeth Elliot talked about how their parents taught her and her siblings that everything has it’s place, and if it doesn’t have a place, that’s probably because you don’t need it. Wow! What a simple guideline that cuts out so much confusion for me.

Less is more. Less is more. This is also the case in writing, so I should have figured it out by now. 😉

Anyways, this is just a bunch of random thoughts on what I’ve been up to in my homelife lately. It’s also part of why I’ve been lacking in the writing department. Homeward duties call. And truly, what a blessing it is so serve my family in this way. I want my home to be adorned by the beauty and simplicity of the gospel, and this is how I can take a step in the direction of making that happen.

What about you guys? What’s some wisdom you’ve learned over the years to organizing and getting rid of things? Elisabeth Elliot talked about The Messies Manualbeing helpful. I made myself finish a few books before buying it (something I wouldn’t have done until I realized the state of my buckling bookshelves), but now I’m just waiting for it in the mail. 🙂

In Christ

Photo by Amy Roberts. By the way, I GET TO SEE HER AND BABY MAE TODAY!!! 😀 😀 😀

A child’s play things.

Discontent.

I guess that’s how you could describe the way I’ve been feeling the last few days. I don’t know why. I can’t put my finger on anything in particular. Maybe it’s a let down that all that Christmas gift giving, and food, and time with family really isn’t all that fulfilling after all? Even time spent serving others can’t sustain us forever. I want this. No, I want that. No, nevermind! We are weak, and constantly searching for something to keep us content for eternity in a world that is so fallen and finite. I know I talk about this lack of fulfillment often, but it’s usually because I find myself needing the reminder often. It’s simply not possible to be complete on this side of heaven.

I often find myself in this place as a mom. I don’t even know where the problem begins in order to know how to put a solution into action. Anyone else ever felt this way?

I love hymns, and I often play hymns throughout the day. Introducing Ari to hymns and worship music at a very young age was very important to me. So, one of my go to things that I do often to help kick this mood is playing worship music. Brian was leaving for some meetings this afternoon, Ari and I were both fed, and I knew I was still feeling weird. So, I pulled a bunch of toys out of Ari’s toy box, sprawled out on the floor with him, and turned on some worship music.

God is so good to me. He’s always so faithful. I’ve seen recently just how proud I am of my God. I can boast in Him because He’s always faithful to provide. He’s faithful to prayer. He’s faithful to my early mornings in the Word, even when I hate it and can’t even see far enough to hit the ‘on’ button on the coffee maker. He’s faithful to bring joy and endurance from steps of obedience and faith. He’s so good!

As a mom, sometimes my biggest highlights of the week really are when I’m walking around the house with worship music on, a heart inclined towards the Lord, with a baby on my hip. This afternoon was one of those afternoons. As I laid there on Ari’s bedroom floor, rubber balls of every color spread out around me, as well as push cars and stuffed animals, God quietly spoke something to me.

This is worship to me. Play with your son like you believe it is worship to me.

I know, I know, we heard and read that all the time. But this time the Holy Spirit spoke directly to my heart and made me understand that. I don’t know how else to explain it. He turned my head knowledge into heart knowledge, and away went the distracting cell phone. My hands and fingers were much more eager to stack his blocks, my eyes more eager to watch his face turn to joy as me knocked them over, and my heart was filled with gratitude at the reminder that I am the only woman in the world who gets to sit on my little boy’s bedroom floor with him and watch him grow into a man! WOW! Jesus died on the cross for me so THIS could be enough for me as a mom! His work makes it so I can simply enjoy the fruit and rest His work provided, and worship Him for that.

A child’s play things can be used as tools of worship for the God of the Universe. I thought my day lacked meaning because I hadn’t been able to get caught up on writing. I cleaned the bathroom, and played with my little babe. That’s it. But no. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

What’s in your hand? God wants you to serve Him with that. I believe that EVERYTHING, as long as it is not a direct violation of God’s Word, can be used for His glory and service. Do you have a history in construction? Tell your pastor about it. Maybe he has some projects he could use your help on. Do you love to bake? Make it known to your’s church’s hospitality team. Maybe a special cake is needed in someone’s life just to make them feel special and loved. Do you love doing laundry (like I do)? Go do the laundry for that new mom. Do you simply have the gift of time? Offer it up to a family who can’t seem to get enough time because of their quiver full of blessings. Do whatever they ask. What’s in your hand? God wants you to serve Him with that! After all, He put it there, didn’t He? : )

Now, I really do want to know what’s in your hand. : ) What are some gifts God told you to offer up and make available to Him that were used to bless those around you in ways you never imagined?

Also, since I know we all have days, weeks, months, and even long, long seasons of feeling discontent, what’s some wisdom God’s shown you to help you kick those weird emotions? God’s been showing me over and over again that I can’t put any trust in my feelings. This simply isn’t wise. What are some practical things that help you?

In Christ,
Lexy