The Battle Belongs

Almighty fortress, You go before us
Nothing can stand against the power of our God
You shine in the shadow, You win every battle
Nothing can stand against the power of our God

He's Alive!

 He's Alive!

Message For Now

 My sister-in-law gave us a light-up message board sign for Christmas to hang on our wall.

I change the message on it every other month or so.

Coming into this Spring, this is our message for now:

Big God

Lately I have been having to remind myself that I serve a Big God.

I serve a God who orchestrates all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
I serve a God whose mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
I serve a God who tells me I am worth so much more than the birds of the air, and flowers of the field, and that I need not worry about my future (Matthew 6:25-34).
I serve a God who tells me to be anxious for nothing, but, through prayer, make my requests known to Him (Philippians 4:6-7).

In sum, I serve a BIG GOD.

Therefore it does not matter that I do not have a solution for LAB -- Life After Baby.  :-D

In the past, when major life changes were on the horizon, I have had pretty specific prayers:
"Lord, if its Your Will, let me get accepted to the college of my choice."
"Lord, if its Your Will, lead me toward the right graduate school"
"Lord, if its Your Will, guide me toward a job offer in the mountains of Colorado."
"Lord, help me discern your Will for this romantic relationship."
"Lord, guide Chris to a job within my five school districts so I can keep my current job, and our first years of marriage can be in the mountains."

In major life decisions, I have asked for God's guidance... but I've also had a pretty specific request based on where I thought He was leading.

Thinking about our life with a baby... I don't even know my requests.  I don't have an ideal scenario in my head of what our lives will look like next fall.  Chris and I have so many decisions to make, and we will be praying through each and every one, but I don't know what I'm praying for.  I don't know what the best situation is.

Should I pray that we stay here?  That we move?  If so, where should we move?  Should I pray that I keep working?  That Chris keeps working?  That we find a great daycare?  That I open a daycare?  Is it best for our children for us to be nearer to family?  Will I suffocate from all the love if we move nearer to family?  Do we stay in America?  How will we afford ... anything in the next year?

The questions and decisions are endless, and the clear-cut solutions are few.

That is when, I have to remind myself that I serve a BIG GOD.  I do not have to figure out the perfect scenario and pray for that to happen.  God will figure out the perfect scenario, and all I have to do is worship and listen.

This is where faith and hope require daily effort.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:24-25

I serve a Big God, and although I love planning, and I love to think ahead, in this case, I can learn to trust and wait for His direction.  I can trust that His plan will be much bigger and better than mine ever would have been, and His will be revealed in His perfect time.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

When I look back on the days of my life, I want to remember struggles and successes.

I want to remember trials and triumphs.

I want to remember challenges and victories.

I want to remember dissonance and resolution.

That being said, I am possibly starting another graduate certification in January and, as of now, it is not fully determined when I will complete the program.  It is outlined when I will complete the course work, but the practicum hours are still unclear.  Some of my colleagues, others in my field, have started programs and not finished -- pressed pause in the middle because of scheduling or financial factors -- and then picked up at a later date.  I cannot do that.  I refuse to start a program without an ending in sight.  It is just not my nature to begin something as big as a graduate certification without an end point in mind, and an outline of how I'm going to get there.

I want a light at the end of the tunnel, so I can focus on the light when I'm in the trenches.

Source: s824.photobucket.com via ♫ on Pinterest

The problem is, when the struggles, trials, challenges, and dissonance of life arrive, there is no end point in mind, and no light at the end of the tunnel.  When I find myself in the challenges of life -- the struggles, I want to come through and the trials I know will lead to a beautiful life, a stronger faith and a strength of character, there is no plan for when the challenge will be completed.

How do you say, "It will be okay," when you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel?
More than that, how do you believe, "It will be okay," when you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel?

"I Am Potential"

Last night Chris was finishing a grad school assignment (that's right... in addition to being newly married, a teacher at a new school, in a new town, with a new puppy, in a new little house, my hubby is also in graduate school), and he had to watch a video on youtube called "I Am Potential"

He and I were both loving this by the end of the clip, and I think I might want to buy or listen to the book.

What an awesome message for a Monday!



I'm going to try to remember to have a heart of Thankfulness during these days leading up to Thanksgiving, and I think this young man is a great example of Thankfulness.  This is truly someone who focuses on his abilities and possibilities rather than his disabilities.

Thank you, Lord for this beautiful, Monday!