Okay…true confessions!!!  I AM STRUGGLING!!!  Wow, there is freedom in just typing that sentence. You should try it. Often times we work so hard at making sure we look like we have it all together that we actually believe that we do. Yuck! What a false lie.

In our new Facebook and Instagram world of posting our best pics and experiences for the world to see, we can loose sight of the real us. The real me is broken and in deep need, we all are. I can tell immediately when I am spiraling out of control. My insecurities flare up and I have a need to be affirmed often. This is a source of pride, and pride robs us of communing with our Father. I can still get up for my quiet time to spend with Him, but listening and understanding Him becomes distant and often times non-existent.  It’s so quick in how it happens. Even the most faithful and obedient follower can fall away from Him when pride sneaks in. So how do we keep this ugly sin called pride away?

“We have to break away from the chaos and disassociate ourselves from the noise. We must pursue solitude, quiet, not-speaking, listening time with our Lord.” Jared Patrick, Discipleship Pastor at Currey Creek, stated as I wrote these notes from his sermon on Sunday. His message really hit home and made me take a hard look at my quiet time. Was it really a time of solitude or was it filled with noise? We can have the TV, radio, phone and computer off and our thoughts can still be filled with noise. All of our to do’s running through our head and other distractions can rob us of our time with Him. So how do we really get to a place where the noise is cleared and our thoughts are focused on Him alone?

For me, being in His word brings me back to Him and helps me understand who I am and who He is. This is critical for us to understand. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Peter’s statement is accurate and true, but he still did not understand. If you continue to read in Mark you will see that Jesus teaches His disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected, killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly…meaning he didn’t mince words. Peter pulled Jesus aside and began to rebuke him (seriously, can you imagine this?). Then immediately, Jesus rebukes Peter and the disciples and says, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:33-38

To follow Him means to DENY OURSELVES. We have to think of ourselves LESS and think of Him MORE! When I am spiraling out of control and needing to be affirmed, that is me thinking of myself FIRST and thinking of Him LESS. No wonder pride robs us of communing with Him. I want to get back to my place of true solitude where I am quiet, not-speaking and listening and understanding Him. I am a better ME when I experience Him, and I reflect Him more to others when there is less of me and MORE of HIM.

This is something that I have to constantly keep in check. It’s one of my struggles that I know about myself. I am grateful that I know what it looks like, and I have a Father that is faithful to show me and help me to get back into fellowship with Him. I am grateful for the message on Sunday. He spoke to me through Jared. I am grateful for my bible study time that I have with friends that can help hold me accountable to walking in humility. This week we started the study on the Beatitudes and we are breaking down the very first one, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:3

The footnote of my NIV Study Bible says “If you want to live for God you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.

This is the life that I want to live. This life requires sacrifice and picking up our own cross and following Him. Are you willing to follow? This week our middle daughter is away at camp. I said a prayer for her before she left that she would experience Him and find solitude. Each day you can log on and look at the pictures of the campers and this is the one I found of our Lexi. So sweet of Him to hear and answer my prayer through this picture. When was the last time you found solitude? I encourage you to take time this summer to truly find it. You won’t be alone as I will also be seeking Him for a clean and humble heart, for the ability to listen and understand who He is and who I am. I am in need and He is faithful to provide. 

Have a BEAUTIFUL SUMMER!!!

 Today marks the second year in a row where I will be saying good-bye to new friends. It’s been a year since we moved our family from Mansfield to Boerne and what a full year of adventures it has been. After Ryan and I left the Home Health business of seven years I decided I wanted to work in the schools so I could spend the most time with my children. The Lord blessed me and honored me with my desire as He opened the door for me to work at Wood Elementary with the best staff in Arlington ISD.

When I left Wood, I never thought I would be able to have the intimate relationships at my next school. I thought it was a rare treat to build those kind of bonds in such a short amount of time. Summer passed by quickly and my heart was growing anxious to meet the new team that I would work with. Before I knew it my first day of work had arrived and I was off to meet new friends.

My farewell at Wood Elementary

Building relationships takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be patient and willing to put yourself out there just as you are. I have learned that there will always be people that don’t like you, and that’s okay, but not to let those thoughts of what others think change you. God made you for a specific and divine purpose and if we are too afraid to show who we are, then they will miss out on seeing a beautiful YOU! I love David’s words in Psalm 139:14:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

What if we all got up each morning and meditated these words to our Father! His works are wonderful! We are fearfully and wonderfully made! We have nothing to be afraid of! I just wonder if this world would be a little brighter when we recognize and show gratitude to the HOLY one that created us. I challenge you for the rest of this week to try it. See if it changes your perspective on who He created you to be. I’d love to hear how this exercise might have changed your outlook on your world and better yet, a better outlook of WHO YOU ARE!

“The Lunch Bunch Girls”

I could NOT have done this year without Him. Everywhere I went there was a new face and a new person to meet. It was refreshing to be me and not afraid to show my faith to my new friends. I enjoyed telling many about my love for Him. In my sharing with them, it invited them to open up and share with me. Relationships began to blossom! Bonds were made and intimacy was experienced. I shared life with my “Lunch Bunch Girls.” Everyday we would share lunch together. We were soon praying for each other’s family’s. We even went to one of their mom’s funeral. We supported each other and celebrated too! Our birthday’s were marked with desserts and birthday cards!

“The King Pin’s” or better known as the amazing Kendall Office Staff

The Kendall Office Team blew me away too. My favorite time was bowling together! It’s amazing what can happen when you cut lose and play games together. We were “The King Pin’s” and we were the team to beat as they were undefeated from the previous year. I don’t know if I was the one to bring them the bad luck but we did come in 2nd place this year. Bowling is not one of my gifts that He gave me but we sure had some fun!

“Pajama Day”

My favorite part of the year had to be sharing it with my Ashley! Everyday we would drive in to school together and read the Jesus Calling devotion. We would digest what it meant and what we thought He was trying to speak to us in it. We grew so much closer and I enjoyed being able to hug her sweet neck everyday at lunch. God definitely knew what He was doing when He opened this door for our family.

Well, another door opened about a month ago for me. The Registrar position at Boerne High School opened up and I knew I had to interview. Our oldest will be a Freshman next year and for the next 8 years our babies will grace its hallways. I applied and interviewed and starting in the fall when Catherine heads off to High School I will be right there with her. I will meet new faces and friends again and for that I am very grateful. Kendall’s theme for the year was “Oh The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss. One of my favorite quotes in the book says,

“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, 
So…get on your way!”

So away I go to continue on the path He planned for me. I love that where He leads and open doors I will follow. Doors that are opened by Him are ALWAYS worth venturing! What doors has He opened for you? Are you willing to abandon the comfortable and venture into the unknown. Do you see yourself fearfully and wonderfully made? Are you fully aware that His works are wonderful? Our God doesn’t make mistakes when He creates. You are unique and beautiful just the way you are. So get out there and SHINE bright! Others will see Him and He will be glorified!

In closing, I wanted to share this poem that I received from Kendall’s Librarian. She is a very gifted writer. She would make me smile many times throughout the year with her witty rhymes and sense of humor. She left me with the biggest smile of the year when she shared this one with me. I LOVE it and I LOVE that she could see Him through me without me even saying a word!  Now that’s His glory!  Enjoy!!!  #gloryup

So long ~
Farewell ~
It’s time for you to go-oh
Before  ~
You do ~
There’s something you should know-oh……..

Though you never ever told me
Your actions, they did, always show me
Your graceful ways and smiling face
Brightened up our Kendall space!
Thanks for always being true
Thanks for always being YOU!

Every Saturday, Ryan and I have breakfast at our favorite spot on Main Street. We sit up in the raised window of the restaurant where they have cozy leather chairs as we sip our coffee and enjoy each other’s company. We love to gaze out the window together and dream BIG thoughts as we escape the busyness of the world.

Over the last few weeks we have noticed two bird’s nest that are nestled in each of the corners of the front porch of the restaurant. We made it a point to observe the progress of the nest’s each week as we visited. In the beginning, the birds would simply sit and rest on their eggs. After two weeks passed, baby birds were visible with their hungry beaks always chirping as the mom would fly in and out with food for her babies. This past Saturday was my favorite observation because the babies flew for the first time. It was fascinating to watch. The mom coached each baby in how to flap its wings swiftly. Each baby would perk up on the edge of the nest and flap their wings for several minutes at a time. You could see them gearing up to dive out of the nest. One by one, we watched all 3 baby birds leave the nest and fly away! As we watched all of this, I was inspired. We grabbed our phones to try to capture what we saw. The pictures don’t even come close to the amazement. (It’s hard to get pictures close up when a momma bird is hovering above your head ready to catch her baby if they fall and to attack a human if they interfere, so pardon the poor quality. I was scared for my life. Ha!)

On the edge of the nest

Baby birds

Last bird swiftly flapping

Why did this inspire me? Over the last few weeks we have received graduation announcements in the mail from kiddos that I have watched grow up. As I look at the senior pictures of these beautiful young men and women, I am reminded that it was just 20 years ago that I left the nest and learned to fly on my own. Looking back, I remember being excited about what lied ahead of me. I couldn’t wait to see the world. Now being on the other side as a parent, I understand why it’s so hard to let our babies spread their wings and fly. We know what the real world looks like and sometimes we want to protect them instead of teach them how to keep from falling. The truth is you have to be willing to risk falling in order to learn to fly. Watching the mom keep steady in position right below the nest was fascinating to me. It reminds me of someone else I know that is watching over us and catches us when we fall.

“The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Psalm 121:8

What comforting words to memorize and keep deep inside our hearts. He WILL watch over you, not He’ll try to, or when He’s not busy helping someone else…but He WILL watch over your coming and going both NOW and FOREVERMORE! What a PRAISE! We can find rest and peace in knowing that He is there. Our babies are forever protected even when we are not there with them. It’s okay for them to spread their wings and FLY! We can let them go in the capable hands of the Father. They are HIS and He has GREAT PLANS to PROSPER and not to harm them, give them HOPE and a FUTURE (Jeremiah 29:11…one of my all time favorites).

Some of us hold on too tight. We actually stop living for ourselves and we invest and live for our children. We have to be careful not to allow them to become idols above our one and only TRUE God. We have to be careful that they don’t move in front of our spouse in our priorities. God first, spouse second then our children are to follow. Our children will not feel less loved when God is first and our spouse is second, they will feel safe and secure and LOVED all in one.

So how do we teach our children how to spread their wings and fly? We let them see us in a relationship with the Father. They see us spend alone time with Him. They hear us talk to Him in our prayer time as a family. They witness Him being there in the good times and the bad. They learn to trust Him and follow Him on their own and then when it’s time for them to walk out on the edge of the nest they will take that leap and spread their wings and SOAR like eagles (Isaiah 40:31) knowing that He is right there walking alongside of them throughout all of their days.

Many of you are getting ready to let go for the first time, for some of you it will be the last one leaving the nest and for others we still have some time. Whatever the situation is for you may you find comfort, strength and peace in your days ahead. I love that our Father speaks to us specifically in how He provides for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field yet we are much more valuable (Matthew 6:25-34). He tells us not to worry or be anxious about anything but in everything present our request WITH THANKSGIVING to God AND the peace of God WILL guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Oh sweet friends, it’s time to present our babies before HIM and PRAISE HIM and THANK HIM for them by name!

The peace will come and our babies will SOAR!!!

Have you ever had a dream that was so vivid and real that when you woke up you thought it had really happened? I had one of those dreams this week. Recalling my vivid and real dreams reminds me of a time when I had a vision that was so real to me that it actually frightened me. I will never forget it as long as I live.

I was in the shower on this particular morning crying out to God. I needed His help, but I didn’t know how to obtain it. I had my eyes shut as I continued to lather the shampoo through my hair. As I began to rinse the suds off my face, I opened my eyes. When I opened my eyes I saw a lighthouse very vividly on my shower walls. You know how sometimes when you get too hot you start seeing dark spots appear, this is what I thought was happening to me. I closed my eyes quickly and reopened them thinking that the vision would be gone. It wasn’t…it was still there! What did this mean? 

I was so startled by the vivid image that it caused me to immediately begin to question what I saw. I began to doubt that it really happened, and I certainly didn’t want to tell anyone for fear of them thinking I was crazy. This left me and God alone together to work through it. Why a lighthouse? I lived in Central Texas with no body of water around me. I had to recall my conversation with Him so I could remember what I had said. I was crying asking Him what He wanted me to do to resolve this situation that we were surrounded in at the time. When I opened my eyes is when I saw the Lighthouse.

Weeks turned into months of me trying to wrestle out what God was trying to speak to me. I opened up to my husband and my bible study sisters about what I saw. They committed to pray with me and didn’t think I was crazy, well at least that’s what they told me. Ha! I began to think that I was supposed to build a Lighthouse bookstore in town. Ryan even entertained the thought with me and we visited with one of our builder friend’s about the cost. Lighthouse’s are CRAZY expensive by the way! We definitely didn’t have the funds for that. Then the idea transitioned to starting a non-profit to bring volunteers into the homes of the home-bound and elderly to help provide more care for them with the government set backs in the healthcare industry. One of my best friends even committed to being the Volunteer Coordinator, I had met with our Pastor and an attorney to get it off the ground and started. Our company was already in bad shape and the funds weren’t there to really get it started either.

I felt like I had failed Him in doing what He wanted me to do. I mean, it’s not everyday that you see a vision while praying. I was trying like the dickens to make something out of it. Not long ago I realized what He was speaking to me that day.

We are His LIGHTHOUSES! We are the LIGHT of the WORLD! He was telling me to KEEP SHINING! Don’t let your trials and circumstances dim your light! My favorite part of this passage is verse 16…“so that they may SEE your good works and give GLORY to your FATHER who is in Heaven.”    We don’t shine for us, we shine so others can see HIM! When we take the focus off of us and place it on to Him, things begin to make sense. I am grateful to understand what He was speaking and oh how sweet of Him to encourage me in that way. Does this encourage you? If you belong to Christ, you too are the light of the world and He wants you to KEEP SHINING!

The footnote of my bible even breaks down ways in which we are hiding our light:

1. Being quiet when we should speak
2. Going along with the crowd
3. Denying the light
4. Letting sin dim our light
5. Not explaining our light to others
6. Ignoring the needs of others

Wow, those are some good thoughts to evaluate and see how we can turn our hiding into bright SHINING! God does speak to us in a multitude of ways. He can even use our dreams and visions. Don’t be afraid to ask Him to speak to you. And when He does, don’t be afraid to listen and SEE! We don’t have to build Lighthouses for God, we are His LIGHTHOUSES! Be a beacon of truth — don’t shut your light off from the rest of the world.  SHINE BRIGHT!!!

God gave me a vivid dream on Monday night which inspired my writing this week to remember and share with you about the lighthouse. I work on these blogs each morning after my quiet time with Him. It usually takes me Monday through Thursday to complete each week’s blog. Amazing the timing of today’s Ifequip study. Check out what they speak about today. Coincidence…I don’t think so!  Aligned…YES!  Enjoy and I invite you to join me in participating in these studies that are going on nationwide as people around the world are studying together!  #gloryup #shineBRIGHT #GodisSPEAKING

Dearest Mom’s,

This love letter is for YOU! Before Mother’s Day arrives, I want to take the time to share with you what I see. In preparation for encouraging you this week, I asked God to open my eyes to see you the way He sees you each and every day. He showed me many examples of some amazing mom’s, and He speaks to each of us in and through them.

I see…a new mom, who never thought she would hold and nurture her own, be able to hold and nurture.

I see…a single mom strapping her son’s helmet on at the bottom of their driveway as she prepares to send him off to school on his bike.

I see…a mom that has raised her own children foster another woman’s children so she can get the help needed to heal up from her brokenness.

I see…a grandmother raising her grandchildren.

I see…a concerned mom of a teenager reach out to a friend for help.

I see…a mom give up her career to home school her daughter that needs more one on one attention.

I see…an anxious mom asking for prayer for her son who is struggling with his health and her willingness to do anything humanly possible to bring him to complete healing.

I see…a proud mom gathering her daughter and friends for a group picture to capture a memory.

I see…a working mom take the day off of work to go with her son on a field trip and next to her is a stay-at-home mom who brought the ice chest so every child’s lunch could stay fresh and cool for the day.

I see…a mom going to chemo so she can beat cancer and see her son graduate from high school.                                                         

What I really see…IS LOVE! Jesus does a lot of loving through mom’s!

“We LOVE because He first LOVED us!” 1 John 4:19

What a profound truth! We wouldn’t even know how to love if He didn’t love us first. He showed us love in the way He held and nurtured the little children and said for them to come to Him for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (Matthew 19:14). He showed us love in how He healed the sick and performed many miracles. He showed us love in how he forgave us and was willing to sacrifice His own life for ours.

When our days as mom’s are less than perfect and we feel as though we have failed we can call on the One that loved us first to help.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.‘ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

We have His power! He is our STRENGTH! He helps us to LOVE His children. We can’t truly love our children without Him. We need Him to be our guide and the one to continue to lead the way. How sweet of Him to tell us that His grace is sufficient. We don’t have to BE MORE or DO MORE! We can simply rest in Him and let Him love us so we can love them MORE! So Mom…you are doing BETTER than you think! Take a deep breath and relax in His presence today. Thank Him for the gift of being a mom and the opportunity to pour into these little miracles that are made in His image. Remember those that dream of being a mom but can’t. Remember the ones that have lost their mom’s and miss them dearly. Being a mom is one of the greatest gifts He has ever given us. Don’t take it for granted and keep fighting the good fight each new day you are given. Never give up hope on your babies! A harvest will come!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Father, thank you for loving us first. Thank you for giving us the gift of mom’s! Help us to be the mom’s you need us to be. Help us to nurture and hold our babies no matter their ages. Help us to bring healing to their scraped knees and even their broken hearts. Help us to forgive them when they have done wrong and Father, forgive us when we fail them. Help us to bend our knee to you and look to you to be our guide in loving them fully.  We can’t do this without you. We need you! Thank you that your grace is sufficient and that we have your power and strength when we are weak. Help us to never give up hope on our babies and to remember your promise that we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Help us to remember that it’s worth fighting the good fight, we pray for a thousand generations to be blessed through our love all the way until you come again!!!  We love you too, Father! In Your Son’s most Holy name we pray, AMEN!

This past weekend I spent 10 hours in the car with our oldest daughter who happens to be 13 years old. We went on a small road trip to surprise her best friend. It started off with my Contemporary Christian music blaring loudly on the radio and me ROCKING out while my teenager rolled her eyes and acted like I was the biggest nerd on the planet. I quickly tuned into her disgust and asked her what music she wanted to listen to. I had barely finished my question and she was quick to turn the dial to today’s HITS and our roles reversed. She was jamming and I was rolling my eyes. As she tuned into my disgust she stated, “Mom, don’t act like you didn’t like this music when you were my age. Mimi told me how you used to listen to terrible music.” BOOM! Just like that she had me without any rebuttal.

Selfie with my teenager

I loosened up and we started jamming out together but slowly some of the words started really getting to me. It caused me to ask her if she knew what the songs were saying. She of course stated that she just liked the beat and didn’t pay attention to the words, but I wasn’t buying it. How can you hear repeat words over and over and them not penetrate into your soul? Desensitization is affecting our teenagers and we as parents have to be alert and ready to fight for our babies!

Wikipedia defines desensitization as the diminished emotional responsiveness to a negative or averse stimulus after repeated exposure to it!  PARENTS…this is a BIG DEAL!  

Our babies are trying to find their way in this world and if we are not going to help them find it then the world will be happy to lead them. In Matthew 7, Jesus teaches about the way to Heaven.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

I don’t know about you but that statement is bold and loud and it wakes me up.  Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to DESTRUCTION! I don’t want my children to live in destruction. I’m pretty sure none of us sit around the table with our friends and talk about destruction being our desire for our children, but that is exactly where they are headed if we aren’t teaching them the truth and the way that leads to LIFE!

The narrow gate is small and narrow! It’s pretty WEIRD and different than the world. Many of us are afraid to rock the boat with our children. We think that by being their friend and acting like everything is permissive will make the teenage years smoother and easier for all of us. To some extent that’s true. We can ignore their behavior and they can move along without rolling their eyes at us but in reality destruction is lurking. They are headed down the wide road and soon it will be hard to steer them back to the narrow. We have to be willing to have the tough conversations with them even if it means they roll their eyes and have a poor attitude with us.

Music is not the only thing they are becoming desensitized to. Filthy language is prevalent, disrespecting adults is on the rise and sex is cheap – thrown around on prime time television and in PG rated films like it’s not a sacred gift given to us from above. This is not going to change! This is our world we live in!  This is the wide road Jesus was talking about over 2,000 years ago. So what do we do with this world we live in? We teach our children how to swim upstream against the current of the flow. It’s a fine line of being IN the world yet not OF the world. Jesus of course was the perfect example. He knew when to escape to the mountain tops to pray and then he would get back out and join the masses in the valley’s.

If we teach them right from wrong, they know it. If we don’t, they won’t. I have a dear friend that had a parent that allowed everything to be permissive. She would have parties and hope to get in trouble. She never would. She would go over to a friend’s house and see the structure and the discipline that her parents’ friend enforced and be envious. When there is structure and discipline there is LOVE! They feel safe and secure and know that they are valued. I want my babies to feel deeply LOVED, how about you?

Friends, our time to shape and mold our children is short. We truly only have a limited time to pour into their lives and influence them. Whether you have an infant, toddler, tween, teen or young adult your time with them is short. We have to make the most of our time with them and make every moment count. I recently learned about an app that I downloaded called the “Legacy Marble Countdown.”  You can add a life event or a child’s event and it literally counts down your weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds left until that event takes place. It’s the theory of removing a marble a day from a jar until the jar is empty which comes from Psalm 90:12 that reads:

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” 

Here’s a look at the time I have left with each of my girl’s:

T

To some of you that might be too depressing, but to me it is my reality of the precious time I have to pour into them. It’s important to me to number my days and make them count. This is not just for my children, but for my grandchildren and great grandchildren and a thousand generations to come! I want each and everyone of them to be in His eternal Kingdom with me as we sing His praises forever and ever.

The last five hours of our trip were even sweeter than the first. Instead of jamming to the tunes we had it turned down low and we were talking…just the two of us. We talked about her friends, old and new. We talked about her dreams, her plans and her fears too. By the time we got home she said, “Hey mom, did you realize that on the way to Mansfield we mainly listened to the music but on the way home we talked.” So sweet of her to notice! I will never forget it.

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Mimi was right, I used to listen to that terrible music but she never stopped training me. Now I am teaching my children how to walk in the light. Such a beautiful picture of God’s grace and love for His children.

Father, thank you for being our HEAVENLY FATHER that always LOVES us! Help us to be the kind of parents that trains our children in the way they should go. Help our children to obey. Help us on our hard days when they roll their eyes at us to keep pursuing righteousness. Help us to never give up on some of the greatest gifts that you have ever given us. Help us to number our days Lord and to make them count. We love you and only want to bring GLORY to your Holy name! Amen!!!

The celebration of Easter Sunday is complete. Sunday is over. Now what? What do we do with the story?

“While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” Matthew 28:11-15 

There are only 2 ways to receive the Easter story. We either believe in the resurrection of Christ or reject it. The women believed! They SAW it with their own eyes. They witnessed his death, buried his body and were in mourning. An angel appears before them and tells them, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee” Matthew 28: 6-7. His body was gone, unwrapped from the linens. The stone was rolled away. These ladies had been through a lot and their job was not done. Now they had to go and tell the disciples. They were afraid yet filled with joy. Can you imagine? Then they see Jesus himself standing before them. He tells them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” Matthew 28:10. They GO!

What you are about to read are Jesus’s last words he spoke to his disciples. Have you ever been by someone’s side when they said their last words before they departed this earth? You hang on to them. They mean everything to you. If you are a believer and follower of Christ, these words should mean everything to you. He gives us the Great Commission. He didn’t give them to us to just read. He wants us to go and do! We have very specific work to do.

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

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Our family witnessed 17 baptism’s downtown Boerne, TX on Easter Sunday. We saw an entire family, dad, mom, and children, a granddad baptized his grandson, and a father baptized his son all in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was beautiful. I couldn’t help but tear up visualizing Christ looking on and receiving the GLORY for this RESURRECTION SUNDAY!

How are you telling the story of Christ? How are you making disciples? Are you believing like the women, or are you like the guards that watched and yet still lied about what they saw?

I saw this quote in a book I’m reading and it really made me stop and think:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” Attributed to Mahatma Ghandi

As seekers and unbelievers watch us, do they they think the same way Ghandi thinks? Are we resembling the true Christ and what He represents? Do we go into the valley’s with people and walk life with them, or do we think of ourselves too highly and only associate with other believers? If we are, we are missing our purpose as disciples completely. We have to be willing to go and do like He did. “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Matthew 11:5

Let’s get out there and GO! I want to be a part of someone coming to know the Lord and finding their salvation. Don’t you? We have work to do…the Easter Story is only the beginning of the story. We get to be a part of completing it. What an honor!

Father, we simply PRAISE you! Thank you for the good news that has passed down from generation to generation because of other disciples being willing to GO and TELL.  We proclaim that all authority and power is YOURS in heaven and on earth. Give us the courage and strength to be willing to go where you call us to go. Some of us, Lord, you call to go into the real trenches overseas as missionaries, some of us you call to the widows and homeless, some you call to the ill and hurting and some you call to love and be the light in our homes and communities. Wherever you call us, Lord, let us be your people that say Yes, Lord, it is I, Lord. Send ME! We want to be your sold out disciples that resemble who YOU are and bring honor and glory to your name. Help us Lord to serve you fervently! It’s in Your SON’s most HOLY name we pray, Amen!

Today is “Holy Thursday” also known as “Maunday Thursday.” It commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. He washed His disciples feet. He prepared the meal and served them.

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-last-supper?lang=eng

“While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” Matthew 26:21-25 

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-last-supper?lang=eng

Can you visualize this night? Tonight I encourage you as you sit down for your supper to simply pause and reflect on Jesus’s Last Supper. It was the last night his disciples would fellowship with him. I can imagine their heavy hearts as they watched Him break the bread and instruct them to remember that it represented His body broken for them and the wine was the blood poured out for them. As he is passing the cup he looks into the eyes of his betrayer and tells him to go quickly. It brings tears to my eyes, the ULTIMATE betrayal.

Some of us have been betrayed like Jesus and have experienced this kind of hurt, some of us are walking through it right now. I am so sorry. I truly am. I want you to know that Jesus knows what you are going through. He knows every ache and pain that you are feeling. Let Him bring you comfort and His peace as you recall His promise that He has already overcome the world! (John 16:33)

Some of us are Judas. We are the betrayers. May we feel the depths of the pain that we cause to His children and to Him as we reflect on this night. May we repent and seek His forgiveness quickly and ask for forgiveness to the one we have offended. It’s a BIG DEAL!

As we wrestle with the heaviness that this evening carries and Good Friday, we can awake soon on Sunday to the BEST NEWS…the stone was rolled away and the tomb was and IS empty. Hallelujah!  Jesus Christ is RISEN!  He is RISEN!  He is RISEN INDEED!!!

May you all have a very blessed Easter! I hope it is filled with so much JOY and PEACE with your family and friends. We have so much to CELEBRATE!  

Father, we PRAISE you and thank you for the story of Easter! We PRAISE you for your son who went to the cross to bear the sins of the world. As we lift up our voices on Sunday around the world, I pray it brings so much GLORY to you and you rejoice with us. Father, you know what it felt like to be betrayed. Will you please wrap your arms of love and comfort around those that have been betrayed. May they wrest their weary heads on you. May they lift up their eyes to you and see that you are a mighty and beautiful God that brings about good to those that love you. May they see your rich goodness. You are Holy and worthy of all of our PRAISE! We LOVE you TOO!!!  AMEN

Sometimes I just stand speechless with the timing of things in my life.  Last week, I was literally speechless with words to write.  It was my first writer’s block.  I was awake early every morning ready to write.  Nothing was coming! I mean nothing!  I have a whole journal full of stories that I have written down to remember and share but none of them inspired me.  I even tried to force a writing about Spring Break and the changes in the season.  I was half way through and again, nothing would spring forth (no pun intended).  I literally had to surrender to the void.  After all, this blog is for HIM and if He is not giving me anything to say then I should remain silent.  That’s a hard lesson for this talkative soul.  If you know me at all, you know I love to talk.  I always have a story.

This time, this blog is not about my story.  It’s about a little baby named Liam and his mommy, Samantha, and his daddy, Leonard. Samantha is best friend’s with my first cousin Elissa.  I have met Samantha a hand full of times in my life.  I first met her at a high school graduation tea my mom hosted for Elissa.  I saw her at their graduation, and then she stood as the Maid of Honor at Elissa and Joey’s wedding.  Their friendship is a beautiful one.  When Elissa was pregnant with their daughter, Avery, we hosted another shower in her honor.  Samantha had moved to Florida after marrying her husband, Leonard, who serves in the Air Force and is stationed there.  The distance could not keep Samantha from being there for Elissa. She flew in and surprised her for the shower.  I will never forget witnessing Elissa’s face when she saw her bestie walk in the door.  Tears flowed not only from Elissa and Samantha but from every lady that was present.  There love is a deep love.

Elissa and Samantha

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

This is a well-known verse that you see printed on picture frames and cute decor for the home, but the latter part of the verse is usually left off…“and a brother is born for adversity.”  No one likes adversity.  What is adversity?  Adversity is a difficult situation or condition; misfortune or tragedy.  It’s one thing to say a friend loves at all times, but it adds a whole new meaning to the friendship when they stick it out and help their friend walk through the difficult seasons of life.

The footnote of the bible says this for the verse: “What kind of friend are you?  There is a vast difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend.  The greatest evidence of a genuine friendship is loyalty (loving at ALL times – see 1 Corinthians 13:7) – being available to help in times of distress or personal struggles.  Too many people are fair-weather friends.  They stick around when the friendship helps them and leaves when they’re not getting anything out of the friendship. Think of your friends and assess your loyalty to them.  Be the kind of true friend the Bible encourages.”

I have seen this verse come to life in the last few weeks through Elissa and Sam. Samantha and her husband, Leonard, had their first baby boy on February 20th. Liam Isaacs Kelley was born with a congenital heart defect called Pulmonary Venous Return. Due to his condition, they had to fly him to a hospital with more advanced abilities to care for him.  They attempted to fly him to Atlanta but due to the ice they were rerouted from Pensacola to Gainesville, Florida where he was in the NICU at Shands Children’s Hospital.  In his short little life he has already undergone open heart surgery and been victorious.  PRAISE THE LORD! What a fighter he is and what an amazing God who helped him overcome. He was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Another huge PRAISE!  I wish I could end the story with these victories but there’s more.

The doctor’s shared with Leonard and Sam that they have discovered that Liam has Williams Syndrome.  It is a genetic condition that is present at birth, and is characterized by medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays and learning disabilities.  Williams Syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide and there are 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States.  You can read more about Williams Syndrome here.  Some of the major struggles include babies having life-threatening cardiovascular problems.  They need costly and ongoing medical care and early interventions that may not be covered by insurance or state funding.  This breaks my heart for this precious new family of three.  I was blown away when I continued to read about the characteristics of Williams Syndrome because they were very similar to Noonan Syndrome which is what our first baby, Taylor Brooke, suffered.

The morning that I read this news on Elissa’s Facebook page left me speechless because the night before I had been blessed to drive 2 fifteen year-old young ladies to a birthday party for a dear friend of mine.  While we were driving home from the party we started talking about high school. I told them that it had been 20 years since I had been in high school.  One of the girl’s stated, “I don’t think my mom has been out of high school 20 years, but she was really young when she had me.”  Of course this statement made me feel really old, but it also made me start thinking.  Could I be their mother? Tears surfaced quickly.  I asked the girls if they were born in 1999, and they quickly responded yes.  Ryan and I had our Taylor in 1999.   She would be 15 years old if the Lord had not called her home.  I shared with them that I had a daughter in 1999.  They both were sweet with their responses.  One of them said, “Wow, we could have been friends.”  The other said, “Awww, but you have 3 beautiful girls now.”  I was touched and moved in a very special way. When I got home I shared with Ryan what I had experienced.  The next morning is when I read about little Liam being diagnosed with Williams Syndrome, and I felt God nudging me to do something.  I love that in the silence of my week last week He was preparing me to share this story with you today.

Leonard and Samantha’s families have set up a Caring Bridge site and a way where people can help them by “Praying for Liam.” We have already tasted and seen that the Lord is good and is hearing and answering our prayers for this family.  What a blessing he is to our world.  Please consider praying for this family.  If you are feeling led to give and help support them financially please do so by visiting their “Go fund me link”.  Their journey is going to be a long one and they are going to need many true and faithful “Proverbs 17:17” friends to walk along side of them.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Liam! Thank you for Samantha and Leonard. Father, there are many prayers going up for this beautiful family and you are hearing each one. You have already seen them through so much and you will continue.  Your faithfulness is unending.  Thank you for being their strength when they are weak. When Samantha and Leonard do not know what they ought to pray, your word tells us that your Holy Spirit will intercede for them with groans words cannot express.  You never leave us nor forsake us.  Thank you for your promises.  Father, stir in the hearts of many that will read this story and penetrate each heart.  Help us to realize that these are more than words written on a page, this is a true account of a family in need.  Help us to be your hands and feet Lord and provide for them and support them.  May all that we say and do bring honor and glory to your name forever and ever! Amen

I hope by the time you finish reading this that your heart is so in AWE and WONDER for our Lord that it causes you to PRAISE Him with your lips for all of His faithfulness.  When we get a glimpse of His glory we can’t help but share it with the world.

Last week after I shared, “The Storms of Life,” I received a text from one of my new friends I met while working at Wood Elementary in Arlington.  I was only there for a brief 8 months.  The friendships that I made while I was there were intimate and sweet.

Sweet “Wood Elementary” Sisters
Gennie, Gina, Shanna and Jori

I know God had a purpose in my time there and this story proves it to be true.   I asked Jori permission in sharing this beautiful story with each of you.  She is on fire for The Lord after experiencing this and is eager for it to be told so without further ado…enjoy!

“Gennie, what amazing timing of receiving your text and not a coincidence.  I was in prayer on the floor finding the Holy Spirit speaking Ephesians 6 to me.  God has pressed upon my heart an urgency to witness to my friend who has moved to inpatient hospice care yesterday.  Her body is consumed with cancer which she bravely and remarkably fought for 10 years.  She is a devout Mormon.  I have failed to speak to her about her salvation beliefs with her because the enemy placed fear on me.  No more, I am visiting her again tomorrow and God will go before me to prepare the way for HIS work to be done.  He has equipped me with His Armor so I may say the words she needs to accept Christ as her one and ONLY Savior who will take hold and deliver her into HIS Kingdom.  God loves us so much and he will not let her be anywhere but with Him.  Please be praying for her, for me to be trusting and strong, and my friend who is going with me.  Pray Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, My Rock and my Redeemer. “

Wow!  The Lord stirred my heart to change my writing for that week due to a storm my family and others were facing.  A STORM!  A difficult and hard time is hard to face.  Sometimes we would rather stay under the covers and sleep through the storm.  When we embrace Him and trust Him He can do what seems to be impossible and make it possible.  “For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37.  Notice the word WITH.  Notice my beautiful friend’s words of her claiming that God WILL GO before her and WILL deliver His daughter into HIS Kingdom.  As I read the words in the text my eyes grew wet and tears began to fall.  God was using my very storm to spur another believer on in her faith to help a lost one of His to be found.  It made the words of James 1:2-4 come alive for me, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I can PRAISE Him in the storm!  You can PRAISE Him in your storm!  He doesn’t waste anything.  Every tear that falls from our eyes he catches in His hands.  He sees our hurts and sufferings and He uses them to mature us and complete us so we are lacking nothing.   Wow! 

Check out the text I received just 1 short day after the first one.  Grab a tissue!  It will leave you with tears of JOY!

“Hi Sweet Sister, my friend and I went to see our friend a bit ago and the Lord went with us and before us.  He made it seamless and easy.  All in His perfect timing.  I used the BSF Steps to Assurance.  She squeezed my friend’s hand to respond positively to knowing Our Lord Jesus as her Savior and Redeemer.  She had her eyes closed the entire time and was not talking…As we began John 3:16 she began reciting it with every breath she had.  Praising God for her secure salvation!  Most humbling experience I have ever been blessed to witness and experience.  HIS amazing love for each and every one of us is beyond sufficient!!!”

Doesn’t that take your breath away!  There is another sister that will be joining all of us followers of Christ in the eternal gates of GLORY!  PRAISE The LORD!  Jori put on her armor and went, she took action and she was NOT afraid.  She had a friend that went with her.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name there am I with them.”  They were gathered in His name telling the good news to their friend who herself is suffering.  Remember the verse in James above where he tells us to consider it pure JOY when we suffer trials of many kinds…this lady has suffered for 10 years battling cancer.  That is a testing of the faith that develops perseverance!  She has persevered!  And look what has resulted…perseverance is completing its work in her.  She is maturing and definitely not lacking in anything!  She is ready to meet her King and Savior!  Hallelujah!

Father, in this very real and broken world where often times we see only the bad reported in the news we thank you for allowing us to see THIS AMAZING GOOD NEWS!  You are MIGHTY to SAVE!  You use our storms to encourage others.  You give strength and courage to those who are afraid, you go before us and you stay with us everywhere we go.  Thank you for giving us a glimpse today of how intimately you are working on our behalf and for others.  Thank you for our trials Lord, that you can use them to complete us so we are lacking nothing.  Each day we want to get closer and closer to looking like you.  Help us to persevere in your Holy name!  Amen