Out of my comfort zone

I woke up this morning dreaming and want to share how completely AWESOME God is; A faithful, grace giving, loving, patient, and [the one] TRUE God!!


First, I'm starting with my dream:  I was asked to speak at a church- the one where I grew up to be more specific. In a Church of Christ, women aren't invited to speak, so it was weird. I was already nervous, and as I started to walk on stage, I realized I'd left all of my notes and my bible at home. I quickly prayed, "Lord take control!" As I looked upon several familiar faces, I realized this was going to be even harder than I realized.  I started off with how'd I'd forgotten my things at home, and I hoped they'd bear with me through this. Immediately, sooner than I thought, people started to stand and head for the exits.


Nevertheless, I began speaking:  "I was never good a writer or debater or one to give speeches." As more people got up, this time almost half of the congregation was gone. I felt ashamed, who was I to think I could hold their attention, especially after leaving my bible and notes at home. So I told the remaining people I was sorry for wasting their time and bid them a good evening. As I started to take that first step off the stage, the Holy Spirit yelled, "STOP! Go back. 'The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.' (John10:10)"


So I walked back to the mic and started to speak again:  I never felt like I had much to say unless the topic was Jesus or softball. I can go on and on about all the many attributes of God- His goodness. My son is reading a book called "Do Hard Things." It's about getting out of your comfort zone. We become complacent people when we are not pushed, and start to lean on our own understanding. God wants to stretch us, use us for his kingdom. More often than not we are too scared to step out on faith- to step up to the mic, completely vulnerable without notes.  Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 


It was at that moment my soul found rest. I wasn't scared or ashamed.


I went on:  It shouldn't matter who gets up or who stays. God is a God of perfect timing. Even if it helps one person, it's a job well done. I have to set pride aside- this is not about me. And I'm honored to speak His truths to anyone who wants to listen. (Or read) 


Dream over: I often have dreams like this, where I feel God is giving me tidbits of wisdom. But it's been a while, so before going to bed last night, I prayed for the Lord to show me...something. He, being a faithful God, did. I woke up and knew I was supposed to share this dream.  Fear of "what will people think" started to creep in my mind. I was going to ignore sharing it. I went on about my morning- grabbed my phone and my bible. I have two bible apps on my phone, both of which give me a verse of the day. Well, today one app is was Matthew 11:28-30 and the other John 10:10. The same two verses I had just dreamed. I cannot express the joy that overtook my heart at that moment. He has a way of making me fall more in love everyday!! I had to call Kyle to share in my excitement!! 


I still had no intention of writing about this. As my day has gone on, I know cannot keep it to my self. I'm going to "Do Hard Things" and allow his glory to shine. So I ask you: What are you not sharing? Don't let fear hold you back!

Fight with Scripture!

This verse has instantly become a favorite, and applies to every area of my life- not just homeschool! I have always heard it, I knew it, but to see it...in black and white, it truly made my heart leap for joy! I am not alone! I will not fail my children; he's already gone before me!! To all you homeschool moms who need a dose of encouragement; check out my latest blog post here.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says,

Choose Delight

 

I just love this picture! When I look at it, I see so much joy! I can only imagine one day jumping for joy before the one true God!! 

I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;

hear me when I call to you.

May my prayer be set before you like incense;

may the lifting up of my hands be like

the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:1-2

 Life has been moving at such a fast pace I forgot to share last month's post over at Beyond The Nook. See how conviction and being delighted in the Lord has changed our school year from dreadful to delightful! Check it out here.

Prayer and Its Power

Out of all the women in the world, God chose me to be a mother to three boys--who have captured my heart.  They test me and try me. They annoy me and make my ears bleed by talking too much. They love me even when I'm not nice; I'm thankful for their grace and His. God knew I needed to be their mother. He knew I would struggle in guiding them. But, He still chose me and gives me tools and strength. My most dependable tool is prayer!

Prayer is so powerful and vital! I think Satan is so hard at work in my life to discredit its power. He wants me to question God's faithfulness, his power, his love. If I'm distracted by the clutter that Satan fills my heart with, he has me right where he wants me. I have learned to 'Let Go and Let God.'  This has become my catch phrase over the last year. I can't do this without praying, though. If something starts to take root in my heart, I stop whatever I'm doing and ask the Lord back in. It's a daily battle, but not one to take on myself! God fights my battles and gives me rest!! "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:30) I don't have to be weary and heavy-laden, neither do you. I'm especially thankful for Matthew 6:34. He knew I would struggle and because of this verse I have learned to take it one day at a time.

Oh, how God is faithful!!! I have to share a quick story of how he proved that [again] to me just this morning. I got up early to spend time with the Lord before little people would take over my day. Well, really I got up early because my handsome husband who was behind schedule asked me to make his coffee. Taking advantage of the early hour, I wrote in my prayer journal; making categories for each of my boys. One category being 'Instilling Certain Character Traits Through Books.' I prayed over this child and wrapped up my morning.

I went to the computer to check email and a friend's blog post was waiting in my inbox. I opened it and to my delight, its title was Instill Character Through Books!  How MIND-BLOWING is that?!? God is SO faithful and fast when you pray in His will! I had to drop to my knees to and thank him!!! A couple of the books I had already read, but as I went searching amazon for the others, I found Tiger and Tom and Other Stories for Boys is free for the kindle. Don't know how long that will last, so go grab it!

He is so awe-inspireing, I really have no more words!

God's Character

When there's a stirring within my heart to blog, it seems like Satan throws everything he can my way to prevent it. There are no stops--he plays dirty. Lies sweep over me, telling me I have nothing important to say. Which I guess you could make a case for...however, it's not my words I hope to write here, but the words breathed into me by my Creator. It's not my character that attracts others to Christ; if anything, in my flesh, I turn them away. 

Reading through Deuteronomy this morning, I read this: 31:8 "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Still feeling incapable of sharing God's goodness and character, honestly, even now I don't know what to write. Satan wants to bring into question God's word. He doesn't want me to share with you. But thankfully God is bigger! 

All day this song has been stuck in my head.

Is that his voice I am hearing?
"Come away my precious one."
Is he calling me?
Is he calling me?

I will rise up, rise up
And bow down, and lay my crown
At his wounded feet!

So, today, I will rise up! God wins!! As my pastor said last night, we are "Under Obligation". Under obligation to study His word, to share our faith, to evangelize, to intercede in prayer for others, to work on building up the church. 

I want to obey Him. I want to be that bright light on a hill that cannot be hidden; because in Deuteronomy 30:9-10 says, "Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of you body..., for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the Lord you God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul."

Christian's are asleep and need to be shaken awake.  We must share the gospel! It costs nothing, but we gain so much! We have become a divided people. Whether it's because of denomination, race, politics, or a lifestyle choice. It's okay to have different opinions and ideas. We have to show grace and stand for Truth. We have to be united!! Be righteous, not self-righteous. Let the Holy Spirit work through you, and let God's character be your character. Ecclesiastes 9 tells me we are in the hands of God.

v.1 For I have taken all this to my heart
and explain it that righteous men,
wise men, and their deeds are in the
hand of God. Man does not know
whether it will be love or hatred;
anything awaits him.
v.10 Whatever your hand finds to do,
do it with all your might.

There are so many voices out there trying to drowned out the voice of God. You have to be in the Word to hear his voice! In the words of my pastor, "You want wisdom? Read God's word. And while you're holding your bible, you're holding wisdom in your hand. It's yours; all you have to do is read it."  So with that, I encourage you! Read! Write! Share the gospel! Be the voice of God in a world that is trying to drowned him out.  Go out and make disciples. Be blessed, precious one!! 

Today's Manna

Reading in John, chapter 6, Jesus talks to the people and says, "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life..."

After reading this, the word MANNA was stamped on my heart the rest of the day. I know it was the Holy Spirit whispering to my soul to dig deeper. So I look up manna and it took me to Exodus 16. As I was filling up on "bread" I was interrupted more times than I would have liked.  But when my sweet boy came in and asked me to read to him what I was reading, I happily obliged! What greater privilege than to pour Jesus into your children?! I can't think of one. 

I'm going to give you a brief recap of what I read: so Moses and Aaron left Egypt, took the congregation out into the wilderness where they had to "go out and gather a day's portion every day," and they grumbled against Moses and Aaron. But it was to "test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction." They continued to grumble and Moses said, "Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord." Because they did not listen to instruction and brought back more bread than they could eat, by morning it had "bred worms and became foul."

It's always a good reminder not to live on yesterday's manna! We are so busy, rushing down the fast lane. But never too busy to stop for a bite to eat; whether it's fast food in your car or a home cooked meal.  We tend to not stop and spend time with the one who created life. The one who will give us eternal life. This life IS a test! Are you walking in His instruction?  We can't live on Sunday's sermon or Wednesday night's bible lesson. Don't let those teachings become worm infested and foul. Get your daily dose of "bread". Most bible apps will even read to you while getting ready or driving in your car.

Last year was different than all of my thirty-six-years of life. I opened my bible daily, meditating, learning, teaching, even mentoring. I prayed like I never had before. Oh, how the Lord is faithful!

I have always had a hard time saying no. Often feeling overworked, stressed, burned out and tired. I have never been one to set goals, much less a New Year's resolution. I always thought, "What's the point? No one ever completes their goal. So why set myself up for failure?" I could feel God's nudge to set one last year. So 2015, I started with the word NO. Do you ever get that feeling...when you're doing something and it just doesn't "feel" right? You don't know why, or what's causing it. I mean, you're doing "good works," right?  Well....last year my first response was always, no, at first.  Then it was, "Let me pray about it."

I realized a few months in I had not been on the path God laid out for me for some time, and that's why I always felt burned out. I wasn't being the wife or mother that God had called me to be, because I was preoccupied with things I shouldn't have been doing. But 2015, by saying that one little word, I was able to grow spiritually, invest in my husband and kids, and FINALLY feel like I was doing the Lord's work!!

Again, I want to encourage you; set a goal[s]! Find someone to do it with you, or at least hold you accountable! That makes all of the difference in the world! And remember PRAY! and show yourself GRACE!  Don't compare yourself to anyone.  Be who he created you to be!

A New Year

Wow! It's 2016 already!

Have you already made your New Year's resolution?  Have you already broken it? Two words the Lord put on my heart for this year: Grace and Truth.  We are to give Grace, but stand on the Truth. (Lots more to be written on this this year!) If you haven't made a resolution, I encourage you to make one. Start small. Don't try to run a mile your first time on the track.  Give yourself grace. But, stay true to yourself and finish your goal.  Find an accountability partner!

2015 has been one of the best years of my entire life. I'm not even sure I blogged once last year.  But I put pen to paper, I journal-ed all year. I let God work in me and through me in ways I didn't even know were possible!! How you might ask? Well, by drowning out the ways of the world. Prayer (and lots of it)!! Reading God's word, and meditating on it all day. By being submissive and following my husbands lead.

I don't know how much I'll be on social media this year. Seems to be less and less each year. It can be such a distraction and time consumer in an already busy, hurried life. I want, no, need- to slow down! It is so sad to sit at a restaurant and watch an entire family on their phones.  Family communication has gone out the window. (Oh, if you could only here Joel's version of "out the window" from Dumb and Dumber going through my mind right now. It is SO funny!) I see people posting their "good works" or spew hate from their fingertips on Facebook and Twitter, it's enough to make me want to unplug. This year I want to get back to phone calls or face to face conversations.  I don't want to read posts that blind me from giving grace to someone who God thinks needs/deserves it. I want the Holy Spirit to work in me!

Guess I better get to bed. It's almost one o'clock in the morning and I have this sleepy critter on me.

 Before I go:
I'm excited to get back to blogging and share with you guys what God is doing.  I hope to encourage, to inspire, to give Hope "through him who gives me strength." I will also be writing every other month for a friend's blog; a Glimpse into Lifeschooling Series. I'm pretty stoked about what's going on on her blog! She has put together a team of writers for a number of series. Go join her mailing list here. Here are a few of the different series going on at Beyond the Nook: Motherhood Matters, Building Strong Families, and Lifeschooling.

Happy 2016, y'all!! Get excited, call and tell me about it! Or better yet, come and see me. :)