Most of my usual running route is paved through the woods, but my favorite part is the last part–the part that goes off the paved path and onto a path paved only by feet. One day recently when I got to this part, not far along there was a large branch that had blown off a tree in the previous night’s storm blocking my path. I was feeling fairly tired that day, and considered turning around and just heading back to the trailhead and ending my run, but I decided to push myself a little bit further. I paused running long enough to grab the branch and haul it off to the side–off the path and into the woods. Not much further along there was another branch. This time I felt a nudge to clear it, not necessarily for me, but for whoever might run this trail behind me. It was such a lovely thought. To be able to make someone else’s run or walk or hike a little easier. Maybe for a mama holding a child’s hand or one of the fishermen I sometimes saw in this part of the woods hauling their rods and bait boxes. Perhaps for another runner, trying to make a certain time, so they wouldn’t be slowed down. Or maybe, just so someone else would have it a little bit easier. I was so excited by this idea that I continued even further–more than I’d planned, trotting along and moving branches. It got me thinking about how I could do this not just on the trail, but in life. Who might be coming along behind me that I could clear the path a little bit for, make their way a little simpler? Someone starting out on their mental health journey? A young mama? Or newlywed? A woman wanting to read her Bible “more” but not knowing where to start? Who could you clear a bit of trail for? The teen who plays the sport you did in high school? What do you wish you would have known at that age? The college student worried about majors and internships and what’s next? What advice could you have used? The person starting their own business? In the position you used to hold? Pursuing their certificate or degree? Trying to balance a budget? Buy their first home? Set some boundaries? Try a healthier lifestyle? What do you wish someone would have told you? What have you learned along the way? Clearing the trail for others, obviously helps them. But it also helps us. Serving others eases our stress, activates positive emotions, and can reduce depression and anxiety. Paul urged the church in Galatia (and us), “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone--(Galatians 6:9-10).
It’s important to note, Paul got that memo from Jesus. Jesus tells us on repeat to love one another. And making someone else’s path a little clearer looks a lot like love. We all have life experiences. Failures and victories we’ve learned from. And people who helped us get where we are. What if each of us took a few moments today, it doesn’t have to be a big thing, to pause whatever we’re running towards to clear a branch or two out of the way for the person a few steps behind us?
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I ordered a Honey Baked Ham and turkey. I found the cutest Easter plates and napkins. I knew the perfect dress to wear at Easter service, the pastel one with all the colors of a basket of dyed eggs. My sweet mama was coming. Both of my incredible daughters who live out of state were coming. And I got Covid. If you met my mom you’d think she was in her fifties, but she’s in her seventies, and although she’s super healthy her age group puts her at high risk. One of my daughters is running the Boston marathon in a couple of weeks (I know! Amazing!) and the other is a college athlete with spring games right around the corner. The last thing I want for any of them is to be sick, in danger, or run down for the things they’re looking forward to. And so, everyone did a pivot. The girls decided to go to my mom’s instead of our house, so at least they’d get to spend Easter together. Our youngest didn’t want to miss out on that fun and decided to join them. And so we sent the 9.5 pound ham with our son. And Friday morning as my kids were driving towards my mom I stayed quarantined in the guest room (where I’d been all week) with a pile of books and my laptop wearing sweats and feeling exhausted. Yes, I cried. Yes, I wanted to see my family. Those are real feelings, and Jesus has no problem with us being real with our emotions. But also I was filled with peace that this was the right decision to love my family well. To keep them from getting sick. I was flooded with gratitude for a family I love, who wants to be together, but dang, I wanted to be with them. And here’s the thing. God is still good. Good Friday still happened. Jesus, the Son of God, the One who is seated on the throne of heaven still gave His life for you and me out of pure, selfless love for us. Jesus loves you and me so much. And nothing. Nothing can change that. Ever. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). No matter my circumstances or your circumstances I know in my heart Jesus is still for us and not against us. He still loves you and me. His love endures forever. He chose us to love for all eternity. He gave up everything for us. And nothing can change that. …….. I wrote all this on Friday, because writing is how I sort through my feelings. And I was feeling all the feelings. Then Sunday morning I tested…negative. And my husband and I threw our things in a bag and drove two and a half hours to my mom’s house and were still able to celebrate Easter with family. That negative test felt like my own personal Easter miracle, like my stone rolled away from my grave. It literally opened the door from the guest room where I’d been quarantining and allowed me to walk out free. And it figuratively removed the barrier from celebrating with people I love. On Easter morning over 2,000 years ago a stone was rolled away for ALL of us. No matter what your Easter looked like. No matter what lies ahead of you this week. No matter what that test or email or text said. No matter how your physical or mental wellness feels right now. No darkness–certainly not spoiled plans or disappointments, or a virus can change that. None of us need to be slaves to our sins or our past or our shame or our fear. Jesus set us free from all of that. Because He loves us. And He invites us to walk out of those musty old graves.
Jesus is still doing miracles. He’s still flipping a week long bout with Covid to no longer contagious on Easter morning. He still paints the sky in a kaleidoscope of colors every night. He still reconciles relationships and gives people new chances and opens new doors and offers us the exact insight we need at the exact moment we need it. And so, powered by Christ’s inexplicable love, we can step out of what’s holding us down or back or under and into His marvelous light. We can find joy in the sound of a bird song or a sip of warm coffee or the melody of our favorite song. We can take one step forward. And tomorrow another, heads held high. Because no matter what’s going on in our lives–you and me? We are fully loved by the Creator of the Universe, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of all, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He is risen indeed. A year and a half ago my friend Kristin noticed a trail near her house was called “Daffodil Trail” but there was not a single daffodil on it. She decided to change that. She rallied a couple of friends, bought hundreds of daffodil bulbs, and went on a stealth mission. Can you picture it? A handful of middle aged women all dressed in black sneaking onto a trail predawn and planting bulbs with the Mission Impossible theme song playing? Dun dun dun da dun dun… And in March of last year that trail was popping with golden blooms. Kristin said, “We went down there to check them out, and we literally squealed with joy when we saw all the daffodils.” Kristin went to be with the Lord in May after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. But she left her mark of beauty on this world. On my life. On so many lives. And in so many ways. In part with some flower bulbs. Daffodils come back year after year meaning anyone who walks along Daffodil Trail this year or ten years from now will be overwhelmed by the sunny yellow beauty and think it was always that way, because shouldn’t it be? I want to be like Kristin and create more beauty in this world. The Apostle Paul told Timothy he wanted people to be “doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it” (1 Timothy 2:10 MSG). Yes! Let’s do that. Let’s do something beautiful for God today and as a result become more beautiful. We can add beauty to the world in a million ways. We can give a hug or a compliment. We can bake bread or brownies. We can write a song or a sonnet. We can clean out a garage or a drawer. We can paint a picture or a wall. We can string fairy lights on our porch or light a candle and fill a room with the beautiful scent of vanilla or lavender. Listen, you don’t need me to tell you there are some really ugly things in our world. There is hate and racism and war and violence and injustice and disease and jealousy and greed. But you and me? We have the opportunity to make things more beautiful. To shine Christ’s light and grow beauty all around us. And it’s interesting, because when we take the time to create beauty, when we invest in making the world more beautiful by buying the bulbs or putting sprinkles or glitter on top, by playing the music or planning the outfit or laughing out loud, we feel better too. God reminds us of how much He loves us and all the goodness He has for us. Bonus, creating beauty boosts our mental health.
Ready? Let’s do it. Let’s create some beauty for our good and for God’s glory. The 40 days leading up to Easter (Lent) started six days ago. It’s a time set aside in some church traditions to get closer to Jesus. If you didn’t give it much thought but you wanted to, or if you’re intrigued, it’s not too late. It's never too late to get closer to Jesus. If you considered doing a reading plan or being more intentional with your faith walk, you’re allowed to start right now. No guilt. No problem. (I have two free reading plans linked below if you’re looking for one). If you wanted to give something up or build a healthy rhythm into your life–why not start today? If you thought about fasting, but didn’t, no big deal. You still can try if you want to (any questions on fasting–message me, I love to chat about how to do it safely). And if you don’t feel comfortable fasting, that’s okay too. Lent isn’t about following rules. Being a Christian isn’t about following rules. It’s about following Jesus. Because when we do, we become more like Him–more loving, more giving, more peaceful, more confident in who we are and the work we’ve been given, more patient. Yes, please. My favorite thing to do is to tear down the lies of the world and the ones in our heads so we can live in Christ’s truth–I do it for you, but the reason I know it matters is because I need it. I do it for me, too. So this Lent, this is my focus, marinating myself in Christ’s love for me. Reminding myself who I am because of Him. When self doubt and negative self talk slithers my way, I’m grabbing the armor of God and holding up my shield of faith, sinking my feet into His peace, waving around my sword, which is the word of God, verses I know by heart, or ones I just read that morning. I’m standing strong in the fact that God made me in His image, goes before and behind me, says I’m wonderful and His masterpiece, that He calls me holy and chosen and royal. He says, does and believes all these wonderful things about you, too. Join me in this pursuit? It's never too late to get closer to Jesus. Two FREE reading plans you could use for your Lenten journey to get closer to Jesus. How to Read the Bible and Change Your Life and Taking Care of Yourself Isn't Selfish, It's Biblical.
Click on the pics to download your FREE guides today. Today, my beautiful, talented, Gilmore Girls loving, rom-com writing friend, Betsy St. Amant Haddox is guest blogging AND we're giving away a copy of her brand new book, Once Upon a Divorce. As a divorce survivor and single mom, Betsy St. Amant Haddox shares her own raw, unfiltered story of what happens after the fairy tale ends. In her humorous, vulnerable, and authentic way, Betsy recounts how she navigated her ex-husband's abandonment and the seeming silence from heaven that followed. She takes readers through the thorny path of figuring out life as a single mother, healing from loss, and finding God to be faithful through it all. Once Upon a Divorce proves that the end of a marriage isn't the end of the story. And now from Betsy.... Whoever says God doesn’t have a sense of humor has clearly never gone through anything difficult. I don’t mean that irreverently. I mean it literally. Some of the funniest things happened during my darkest season of divorce. And not just laugh-out-loud moments, but irony or things others might chalk up to coincidence that I know are otherwise. There are several instances where the humor wasn’t evident until years after the fact. Such as the time my husband had only been moved out for a few months, and I happened to look down while washing my hair in the shower and saw something that most definitely was not supposed to be sitting on the drain between my feet. A scorpion. Let’s just say the arachnid didn’t make it, and he probably also went deaf before he kicked the proverbial bucket (RIP). That poor creature represented everything unfair in that season of my life and really got it. Or the time when another wildlife creature burrowed up under the lining of my trailer and died, and Billy the Exterminator’s (remember that show?) nephew had to come dig it out. (Yes, that experience was as gross as it sounds.) Possibly the most ironic was the time when I almost canceled a first date with a nice single dad because I was so fed up with the entire dating process (more on that in the book) but then ended up going anyway and eventually marrying him. It’s amusing how God works. Folks often refer to Christianity as the upside-down kingdom. Things typically don’t go the way we expect or hope. Jesus talked about how the least will be made great and the great will be made small. In the upside-down kingdom, leaders serve. Humility is advancement. Sacrifice is honored. Less is more. And in losing our life, we gain it. I don't know where you're feeling upside-down today. Maybe you're not going through a divorce, but you're in a different hard season that feels out of sorts. Shaky. Distorted. Maybe you're dealing with a prodigal child, aging parents, death, grief, financial strain, or some sort of major life transition. Maybe nothing specific has happened, but you wish it would. Maybe you're still single and longing to find a spouse. Maybe you're waiting for that healing, that break through, that promotion or progression that seems like it's never going to arrive. Whatever it is, may I remind you that we can be firmly planted in this upside-down kingdom, on a Rock that never shifts? In this particular kingdom, one that makes little sense to the world, we can thrive. We can have peace and joy not because of our circumstances, but because of the One sovereignly in charge of them all. We can have success, not because of dollars signs and bottom lines but because of focusing on our eternal inheritance that can't be destroyed. (1 Peter 1:3-5) When we cling to the fact that God is writing our story, that this hard chapter isn't the end, that there are so many more pages ahead, we can release our death grip on control. Because He's got a grip on us. Okay, how can you win your FREE copy? Message me one word about how your life is feeling upside down right now. I'll randomly select a winner within a week and Betsy will send you a copy (open only to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18). In other news...I have a new book releasing February 6! Betsy and I wrote these books during the same time period. I can't tell you how many calls, texts, prayers, and voice memos flew between us as we dove into some painful parts of our stories to reveal God's faithfulness and love. I even interviewed Betsy for my book :). You can pre-order a copy of Holy Care for the Whole Self HERE!
For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram I’m one of those word-of-the-year-girls. You? For 2023 I felt God telling me I needed to say, “Yes!” more often. Not to any old thing to fill my time or tickle my fancy, but to the things He was putting in front of me. I wrote Y-E-S in chalk on the framed slate I have in my office, penned, “Say yes, yes to the God of Israel!” (Joshua 24:23) at the top of each week in my planner before planning out the week, and when opportunities arose I prayed through them. But when I was waffling, I continuously heard God whispering in my heart, “Say yes. Say yes to me.” And so I did. I said yes to pitching a new book idea. I said yes to some incredible speaking engagements. I said yes to sharing my feelings and joining an awesome Bible study group. I said yes to visits with friends and silent prayer time in the middle of the day and trips and counseling appointments and taking days off to rest and learning more about Jesus and dates with my husband. I said yes to getting coaching and trying something new and asking questions and treating myself. Over and over again I said yes to Jesus and the goodness He had for me. I even journaled about the yes-es I said, because I’m also that kind of girl. We do have to be careful about our yes-es. We should rarely, if ever, and then only under extreme circumstances, say yes to things that aren’t healthy for us mentally, physically, or emotionally. We should never say yes to impress somebody or because we feel like we have to or when we honestly don’t have the bandwidth to honor a yes. But God has so much goodness for us and loves to delight us. I fear we turn down so much of the loveliness He has for us. What if in 2024 we said yes to: spending more time in our Bibles veggies and fruit getting enough sleep taking time to pray reaching out to a friend a bite of chocolate walks in the sunshine setting healthy boundaries hugs journaling running through the sprinklers apologizing staying hydrated going down slides What if we turned to Jesus and asked Him, “What do you think?” And when He gives a nod, we say, “Yes!” Not sure when to say yes or no. Try using this verse as your guide: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice (Philippians 4:8). What if we didn’t just think about these things but said yes to them! Something else we can all say YES to this year is taking care of ourselves. We are created in the very image of God–self care isn’t selfish. It’s Biblical. I’ve created a FREE guide to get us started. Just click HERE to begin Biblically caring for yourself in this new year.
I’d love to hear--drop a comment: What are some things you’ve said yes to? How will you care for yourself in 2024? Do you have a word for the year? If so, what is it? For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram We set up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and had to wait until now to decorate it. It took over six weeks of doctor appointments that ended in an unexpected five-day hospital stay to finally get a diagnosis and treatment for our son’s back pain. My agent started pitching a book idea I had in January, and I just got a book deal for it. Waiting. I’m not good at it. You? And yet it’s a part of life. It seems like so many things I’ve been waiting for for weeks, even months have come together in the past few days, and it feels so fitting, like God is really trying to tell me something, because Advent (this season leading up to Christmas) is a season of waiting–waiting for the birth of Jesus. Which has always seemed a little strange to me, because Jesus came to earth, lived like a human, so He could fully relate to you and me, was executed on the cross to free us from our sins, and rose from the dead. This all went down over 2,000 years ago, so we don’t really have to wait for it. Do we? Aha, but it turns out, this is where the good stuff happens. In the waiting. I know I know. I don’t like to wait. Like zero percent like it. But I’m learning there can be purpose in the waiting. It can help us more fully experience joy. Waiting Dials Up Our Excitement This year I got all the joy and excitement of selecting our Christmas tree and bringing it into the house in November–the scent of pine, the ushering in of the season, that happy, expectant feeling in my heart. Then the tree sat in the corner without a single ornament. I kept sneaking peeks at it thinking, soon, soon we’ll be able to decorate you. But I had to wait. We have a lot of reconstruction going on in our home due to a pipe leak in June (yes, June!) and the tree couldn’t be decorated until some wall patching and painting was complete. Then the other night I sang along to Christmas music and ate minty candy canes with my husband and son while pulling out memories in the form of ornaments and hanging them on pine branches. It was beautiful and fulfilling and so worth the wait. My excitement and joy were amplified, because I’d been waiting and anticipating, and at long last we were able to trim the tree. Sometimes We Have to Wait for Things to Move Forward All the appointments, MRIs, X-rays, physical therapy, and prescriptions for our son, led us to a doctor who discovered what looked like the source of our boy’s pain. This doc’s expertise was critical to the next step of being referred to a specialist who got us admitted to the hospital when we didn’t have a clue that’s what we needed. Once in the hospital the best care team of professionals confirmed his diagnosis, tended to our boy, and set him on a path to healing. The journey got us to the right place. Each step of the way mattered, helped doctors rule something out, got us closer to a treatment plan. And each new answer gave us a burst of joy--it's treatable, the biopsy was successful, he's on the right meds--joy, joy, joy. Through the waiting God showed us He is always with us, always guiding us, that He cares so deeply about every detail and step in our lives. It felt like waiting to us, but God used that time to make things happen, to put things in place, to line up the right doctors at the right time so our son could be healed. Waiting Makes Us More Appreciative The book deal? Well, that’s just super fun. But by waiting almost a year for it I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has put this book in the publisher’s hands where He wants it published. I’ve had time to work on this book, pray over this book, and pray for the future readers of the book, that the words will increase their understanding of God’s love for them. The waiting has reminded me of God’s faithfulness, perfect timing, and provision. I feel so grateful for this new opportunity, and I’m not sure if I would be as appreciative, as full of joy, if it had come quickly. And that’s why each Advent, we spend four weeks waiting for Christmas. Not because we’re pretending we don’t know Jesus was already born, but to prepare our hearts for how beautiful the miracle of Christmas is. To marinate in the fact that Jesus chose to come down from heaven to show us His goodness, heal our broken hearts, bodies, and souls, teach us what love is, and give Himself for us. That He chose to come as a poor boy, to an unknown family, to a teen mom and be born in a barn full of smelly cows and goats, to completely humble Himself, so we could see that things and status and fancy homes or clothes aren’t what bring us joy–love is. We decorate and bake and send cards and buy gifts and have parties. But we do it all in anticipation. To build on the excitement. To remember how beautiful it is to hope for something, so we’ll appreciate it even more. We read what the prophets had to say about Jesus arriving on earth to better understand what a planner God is. That He’d always intended for Jesus to be born to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), live in Egypt (Hosea 11:1), and be a branch on Jesse’s family tree (Isaiah 11:1). That sometimes all that planning takes time. To remind our hearts and souls that what happened that first Christmas changed everything. That today in our busy lives with texts to respond to and kids to care for and dishes to wash that Jesus’ love and peace still reigns.
“Don’t be afraid!” the angel said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! This great joy is for you and me. Joy. Some days we have to wait for it. Do our part. Let God do His. Take the next step. Make the next call. Pray. Read our Bibles. Move two squares forward and one square back. Pray some more. Wait some more. But we do it hopefully. Expectantly. And in the waiting we can hold onto hope, get excited for a beautiful outcome, cling to Jesus and His love and grace. So when we get there it’s even sweeter than if we hadn’t waited, we can better feel and experience joy. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Listen, I’m not a food blogger or an expert in any way about being a hostess. But I do love the holidays and over the years I’ve experienced some crazy, stressful Thanksgivings traveling with infants and toddlers, trying to fit in feedings and naps and keep everyone with food allergies safe. I’ve been in a kitchen with half a dozen grown women running around frantically twenty minutes 'till mealtime with oven doors flying open, knives wielded, people snapping at each other, and everyone’s tension escalating everyone else’s stress. I bet you have some stories to share as well. I’ve also experienced more relaxing Thanksgivings where it didn’t seem to matter what time we ate or that we forgot one of the side dishes in the fridge. When cooking was a team effort full of laughter and tasting as we stirred and chopped. When I felt God’s love tangibly in the room and my heart was truly thankful. And although some of the stresses of Turkey Day can’t be avoided or even expected, there are things we can proactively do to make this year’s Thanksgiving the best version of itself. Not in a selfish “this is how I want it” way, but in a “this is how God made me and I’m going to embrace myself” way. Our culture is all about the picture perfect Thanksgiving, the kind Chip and JoJo would orchestrate in a home they designed with food prepared from Jo’s cookbook. Your friends, acquaintances, television, and social media will share a thousand and eight new recipes you’ll want to try this year, some adorable, simple decorations you can make for less than $9/each, and comfortable, casual, yet awesome outfits you should definitely be wearing. All these things are great. New recipes are fun. Decor feels festive. And I do love a cute outfit. But hear me and hear me loudly, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ALL THE THINGS! If you love to cook–chef up your favorites. Spend a couple days leading up to Thursday making those homemade rolls with the dough that needs to rise overnight and browning the flour for the gravy (it’s a thing–a family tradition on my dad’s side). If you’re attending a large gathering, sign up to bring multiple dishes. If you don’t like to cook. Don’t. Delegate the cooking. Order a fully-cooked turkey, bagged salad, and instant mashed potatoes from Kroger. Or offer to wash the dishes or entertain the kids to allow someone else the freedom to be in the kitchen. Or buy scrumptious bagels, fresh fruit and coffee from a local cafe for breakfast. Same holds true for decorating or running in the local race or participating in the annual family Turkey Bowl. If you love to decorate, go all out. If you don’t. Light a candle that smells like Fall Leaves or an Autumn Walk or Pumpkin Spice and call it a day. If you’re a runner, run. If not, give a polite pass, or participate in the walking portion of the race. If you love football, bring your gym shoes to participate in the family game. If not, cheer on the sidelines. You get the idea. God made you love cooking or great with kids or with a passion to make things spotless or provided you extra money in your account. Use the gifts He gave you and don’t wear yourself out trying to be someone you’re not. You’ll have more fun, be less exhausted, and make the contribution you specifically were designed to contribute, allowing others to make theirs. If you need to go to bed early, be honest and say, “I love you all, but I really need to call it a night.” If being around alcohol or nuts or something else is potentially harmful for you don’t serve them or politely ask your host ahead of time if these items could be avoided. If you are traveling and your day ends better with a piece of chocolate or the sound of a portable fan or begins better with a specific coffee creamer –bring those things with you. If you need a moment or ten by yourself, graciously excuse yourself to go to your room or take a walk or whatever you need to do to be able to breathe deeply, whisper a prayer, gather yourself. You don’t have to be “on” the whole weekend. It sounds so simple, right? But have you prayed about your Thanksgiving? Have you asked God to make it enjoyable? Have you asked Him to help you find peace? Have you asked Him how you can make it simpler? Or how you could make it simpler or more enjoyable for someone else? Have you asked Jesus to help you get along with the person you always seem to struggle with? God is available 24/7 and wants to hear everything you’re excited or worried or disappointed about or overwhelmed by this Turkey Day. Bring it all to Him. He loves you. He is with you. He is for you. And He only wants goodness for you. By praying you’ll be able to process your thoughts and concerns, share your burdens with someone who really cares (Jesus), and entrust the very best advocate to help your Thanksgiving be better than you imagined. his is what the holiday is all about.
We’re told to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). This doesn’t mean we have to give thanks FOR all circumstances, but IN them. Holidays can be hard sometimes. We might be missing someone or the travel or the hosting might feel overwhelming in our current season. We might be coming into Thanksgiving sick or exhausted. But God still has goodness for us. Despite our circumstances. If we’re worn out, we can thank God for a cozy quilt or a morning where we can sleep in. If we’re missing someone we can thank God for our lovely memories with them. If we’re struggling with dietary restrictions, we can thank God that someone was so intentional and made gluten free stuffing or pie. If we have to be with someone who pushes our buttons we can thank God for someone else in the room who makes us laugh. We can thank God for watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving or getting to see our aunt that we only see once a year or kids who are singing silly turkey songs or outlining their hands and turning the drawings into turkeys. When we give thanks dopamine and serotonin are released in our brains–happy chemicals. Giving thanks brings us joy. God knew this all along, that’s why He instructed us to give thanks in all circumstances. Because no matter what our circumstances, He wants us to experience joy. I can’t promise your Thanksgiving will be perfect or easy. But if you embrace how God created you, take care of yourself, pray, and give thanks to God, your Thanksgiving will be the best possible Thanksgiving it can be this year. And speaking of being thankful, I’m thankful for all of YOU for reading and joining me as we tear down the lies of this world together so we can more fully live in Jesus’ truth. Happy Thanksgiving! For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram There are so many things simmering in the lives of some ladies around me, and I can’t wait to see what God is going to do with them. One friend is planning a huge event. Another had someone come up to her out of the blue and say, “God has something really exciting for you!” Another friend’s company downsized, which means she no longer has her old job, but it creates an opportunity for her to explore her options and find something that better suits her and her skillset. Another friend is in seminary. One just got accepted to the Boston Marathon! God is on the move in these womens’ lives. And sometimes, for a moment I get jealous. All the things they’re up to sound so cool and awesome and gorgeous and fun and fulfilling. But you know what? God is on the move in my life. And He’s on the move in your life, too! What are you excited about or hopeful for right now? What’s on your calendar? Your mind? Your wish list? Do you have a dream job or dream city? Do you feel motivated to hone a craft or learn a new skill? Have you registered for a class or a club? Did somebody mention they had a great idea they want to share with you or someone they want you to meet? Did you get an email or read an article that intrigued you and you want to find out more? Have you started something? God has goodness for you. He loves you and He gets things started, things that are good for us. Now listen, that doesn’t mean the moment you get the idea all the awesomeness is going to be instant or easy. It’s usually not. It’s typically a journey. But God will walk with you every step of the way. Personally, God dropped an idea in my lap that I could never do without Him. It’s something new and awesome that He’s asked me to create and invite other people into. I’m super excited and God has flooded me with ideas, but there is work to be done, patience to be had, and trust in Jesus I need to cling to. This holds true for all my friends and their exciting new things, too. They’ll have to work and train and study and manage their time. They’ll have to be patient and trust in Jesus. That’s part of the journey to goodness. Whatever journey you’re on, the same holds true for you, too. I opened my Bible the other day (and FYI no matter what you think of Deuteronomy it is part of the Living Word of God, and that means that God has some really good stuff for us on its pages). This is what it said: See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 1:21). God gave YOU an idea or put YOU in a place or started YOU on a journey or introduced YOU to someone. Because He has something for you. And it’s going to be so good. He’s urging you to claim it. And He doesn’t want you to be afraid or discouraged as you go. Later in Deuteronomy this land is described as: Indeed a good land (Deuteronomy 1:25). And… A good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking (Deuteronomy 8:7-9). Sign me up!
This sounds better than Disneyland or Aruba, even. God has ALL this for ALL of us (yup, you and me!). Even if you feel stuck, far from glamorous, like you’re starting all over again, are struggling, or fighting something that seems way bigger than you. The Israelites had been living in the wilderness for forty years, which yes, felt like they were stuck and also far from glamorous. As the Israelites approached this new, good land they were exhausted from wandering in the desert for decades and overwhelmed. Like, “How could we possibly start all over again?” And oh yeah, the people who currently lived in the land were giants. How could a crew of weary travelers take them down? But God kept reassuring the Israelites that this land was theirs for the taking. He would secure it for them. There was nothing to worry about. And He tells you and me the same thing: God will cross over ahead of you to scout things out and put things in motion. He will fight for you against the giants that seem to be between you and your promised land. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged. No matter what anyone says or how long it’s taking or what inconveniences or roadblocks pop up, the Lord your God is going ahead of you and will fight for you. This good land is waiting for you. Don’t give up. Keep going. Keep praying. Keep trusting Jesus. The land God has for you is indeed a good land. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Did you know there are two locations for Manchester University in Indiana? Neither did we. So we plugged Manchester U (not the futbol club) into our map app and drove two hours and forty-five minutes to cheer our daughter on in her college soccer game. About five minutes away from campus my husband asked if I could specifically type in the soccer field, because sometimes locating the field in the middle of a campus can be tricky. As I typed three addresses starting with Manchester University popped up within a mile of our location and another one came up forty-five minutes away. Wait! What? There are two locations for the same school? I quickly checked my FindMy app to see where our girl was. Not five minutes but forty-five minutes away – at the other location for Manchester University. We quickly rerouted. Needless to say, my husband and I arrived late to the game, but just in time to see our girl’s team score the only goal of the game, and therefore the winning goal. It was a spectacular fall day all warm sunshine and golden leaves. My husband and I went for a short stroll at halftime stretching our legs and watched an exciting second half in its entirety. We got to hug and congratulate our daughter after her game, telling her how proud we were of her. Plus Brett and I got to spend over six hours together on a fall Saturday–bonus! In the car we listened to a sermon and some worship music, shared stories, ate the pj&j’s and crisp, tart apples from the farmer’s market I’d packed as our lunch. We stopped and got chocolate covered pretzels at a gas station for the ride home. Also we laughed. A lot. The day was definitely not how we planned it. It was stressful, not gonna lie, when we realized we’d driven to the wrong place, that after all our planning and leaving early and being in the car we were going to miss the first part of the game. The air in the car was tense as we raced to the second location of Manchester University. But it ended up being a spectacular day. Not because of anything my husband and I did. But because God is good. Sometimes in life we go the wrong way. We get off course. We think we’re supposed to take that job, move to that city, work on that project, volunteer for that committee, join that club, only to figure out that actually that’s not where God wants us to be or how we’ll best thrive. The good news? God will always let us know when we’re off course. Always steer us back to where we should be headed. Because He wants goodness for us. This is how God always operates. God told Jonah the prophet to go to Nineveh but he didn’t want to, so Jonah headed the opposite direction. When this didn’t work out so well, God caused a storm to toss around the boat Jonah was running away on. Jonah knew the storm was God’s way of saying, “You’re going the wrong way.” Feeling guilty, Jonah actually had the other folks on board throw him overboard to save themselves. They complied. The storm ceased. The boat was saved. And Jonah got swallowed by a big fish where he stayed for three very smelly days. Jonah prayed and the fish spit him out on dry land. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.-Jonah 3:1-3 Good thinking, Jonah. Jonah went the wrong way. On purpose. God stopped him. Saved him. And got Jonah back on track. The prophet Isaiah sums it up like this: Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). See, God wants us to go the right way in big things and little things. He wants us to walk towards life, hope, joy, grace, peace, and redemption. And God loves us so much He doesn’t try to force His agenda on us, but lets us choose every single day. And sometimes we choose wrong. Some days it’s because we’re stubborn like Jonah, and want our own way. Other days we’re confused or misled or truly don’t have any idea that, for example, Manchester University has two locations. But because God is so good, He steps in and gives us the chance to get back on track again and again. God also uses our missteps and turns them into good things (in Jonah’s case the other people on the boat who originally worshiped false gods ended up praying to, worshiping, and making promises to the One True God–not a bad outcome).
God always wants us at the right game, the right city, with the right people to make the right choices. He is such a good and loving father that He’ll nudge and prompt and when we go the wrong way redirect and give us a fresh start. So we might end up in Nineveh or a random town in Indiana, but if we ask Him, our Good Father will tell us which way to walk. And when we listen? Things change. We end up in the right places with the right people doing the right things–things that make us whole and feel loved and find purpose. His kingdom prevails. Goodness and mercy abound. So let’s ask God before we move today. Let’s choose to the best of our ability to go where He sends us. If we aren’t certain, then let’s start moving and ask God to turn us around if we’re going the wrong way. Which way will you go today? I hope you don’t end up at the wrong site of a University in Indiana or even worse the belly of a giant fish. But remember, if you do mess up, you can call out to Jesus and better than any map app, He will redirect your steps. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram |
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