Archive for » March, 2010 «

24
Mar
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
meg

This year will bring a lot of changes to our family. In September we’ll welcome our first child into the world. The responsibility that comes with this is somewhat scary.

Before we know it our family will consist of more than just two independent adults. We’ll have a little child to clothe, shelter, and rear up in a godly home. More than anything I want my child to know how much God loves him or her. I want this child to know that they are beautifully and uniquely created to do great things. It’s amazing to think that, while this baby is inside of my tummy, all of his or her days are already written down.

Psalm 139 gives us a glorious picture of this. When you have a moment, pick it up and read through it for yourself. I never stop to be amazed at the intricacy of Gods plan.

I know that life with this child won’t always be roses and sugar plums. This child will scream, have tantrums, and lie to us from time to time. This child will be a sinful little person in need of Savior, just like each of us.

Just the same, I believe that God has created my military husband and I to be the perfect parents for this little one. As unprepared as I may feel, I have to believe that God truly has given me the tools I need to be a good mother, mentor, and friend to this child. What I lack, He will teach me along the way, through scripture, through prayer, and through godly friends that He gives me along the road.

One thing I’m already finding in this military life is that God gives me the friends I need at each new place. Every time we move, God blesses us in a new way with new amazing Christian role models that teach us a different lesson in life, love and worship. This doesn’t mean I don’t miss my old friends, I still long for their companionship and love. Just the same, I have to believe that God goes before us each and every day.

While my friends may be far away, I’m so thankful for the life God has given us in this new town. I’m thankful for the new friendships we’re forming here, and for this life growing inside of me.

Even with the ugly weather outside the window, I can’t help but smile at how amazing God is  and for all the wonderful promises for tomorrow.

Category: Psalm  Leave a Comment
10
Mar
The Joy-Giver
meg

Some weeks can be stressful ones. I know both my husband and I have felt that stress this week. My husband is in the middle of a highly visible project, feeling the pressure to get things done on time and to also keep his fellow workers on task. I have been stressed over our coming move. Yes, it’s only across town, but there’s still so much to be done in the next couple weeks. We’ve both fond ourselves caught up in the temporal, instead of focusing on the eternal, which is so easy to do, isn’t it?

Last night we both fell in bed and went right to sleep, neglecting to pray or do our devotions together, which is an oddity for us. We rarely neglect to do this. But I could feel the difference this morning. I felt that something had to be done, or we were both going to head into today with rotten attitudes. And so we prayed together. It only took a minute or two, but tears of relief came to my eyes when we were through. There’s nothing like covering your spouse in prayer. It’s so refreshing, and puts such a different slant on the day.

As I was reading one of my daily devotional blogs, I was struck by the words of one dear lady in particular. She wrote, “My joy can only be stolen if I let it be stolen.” How true, and how in line with what I’ve been feeling this week. I have been going along, feeling sorry for myself, and letting the stresses of life replace the joy that I have in Christ. Instead of living each moment for my Lord, I’ve been living from one task to the next, and grumbling when anyone was less than courteous to me. Praying with my husband this morning was a nice wake-up call, and reading these words from a devotional friend was the icing on the cake.

It truly does start with my attitude, each and every day. Life in the military can be stressful. My husband’s job asks a lot from him, and moving, even across down, is not all roses and sunshine. Just the same, if I bring my focus back to my Lord and Savoir, the ultimate joy giver, today and every day will be just a tiny bit brighter.

  • “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11 NIV)
  • “We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests” (Psalm 20:5 NIV)
  • “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7 NIV)
  • “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Psalm 30:11 NIV)
  • “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him” (Psalm 33:11 NIV)
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03
Mar
Ruth: An Example of Sacrificial Love
meg

Yesterday I re-read the story of Ruth. I was once again struck by the beautiful vow she makes. After the death of the men in their family, Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi tells Ruth that she can go back to her own people and worship her own gods. This is Ruth’s memorable response:

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.’” (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV).

Ruth is willing to leave everything she knows behind, in order to follow her mother-in-law into a foreign land. What a display of agape love she showed here! She obviously view Naomi as someone who deserved her love and respect. And she was willing to do anything to prove that.

As I read these verses above, I wondered if I have ever displayed such faithfulness and love in my own life. The first person that came to mind was my husband. When I married Him, I promised to follow Him wherever the military would take us. I understood that this would mean some sacrifice on both of our parts. We would more than likely live hundreds to thousands of miles away from our family. There would be times when my husband would be called up, leaving me and our future children in an unknown city without many friends. The vow I made that day wasn’t taken lightlhy. Just the same, I’m only learning, day by day, what it truly means to build a life with someone. I’m only now truly learning what it means to love someone unconditionally, as Ruth showed us in her story. I only hope I can live up to her example.

How has sacrificial love exhibited itself in your life?

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02
Mar
Today I’m Thankful For…
meg

I love taking part in Chatting at the Sky’s Tuesdays Unwrapped. If you’ve never checked out this blog, do. The writer posts every Tuesday and encourages readers to sit back and enjoy the small moments in life. This Tuesday she asked us what gifts we needed to appreciate in our lives.

For me, the first thing that came to mind was my husband’s job. I’m oh so thankful for my husband’s job in the military. It fits him to a tee. I think God created him to be a military man. Besides that, his job gives us security, we know we have a paycheck coming every month, down to the day. And his job allows us to explore. I love living in different parts of the country and seeing all that it has to offer.

Yes, being a part of the military has it’s downsides as well, but today I’m chosing to be thankful for the gift God has given us in my husband’s job. I realize that this, like everything else, could be gone tomorrow, so I chose to be thankful for today.

What gift are you thankful for today?
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7)


“I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (Psalm 7:17)

Category: 1 Chronicles, Psalm  Leave a Comment