The Names of God: Jehovah Jire

Jehovah Jire: The Lord is our PROVIDER

When you hear the word Provider what comes to mind? Perhaps paying the bills so that your family can have food on the table each night. Perhaps it’s someone who didn’t provide very well for you in your past. For Abraham, there was an intense trust that God would show up and fill in the blanks, give him what was missing.

Consider the following verses:

“Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide ”

— Genesis 22:14-15a, HCSB

Abraham was told to take Isaac, his son of promise, and sacrifice him to the Lord. Can you imagine? This child, that he had waited so very long for. God was asking Him to give this very child TO HIM. My Mama heart hurts just thinking about it. The anguish he must have felt. And yet, I’m amazed by the trust as well. The trust Abraham had that the Lord would ultimately provide the sacrifice. And He did. He provided a ram in the place of Isaac.

And so I ask myself, do I truly trust in the Lord’s provision? In my heart of hearts I know I do. But day to day? Day to day I try to do things on my own. I think I’m convinced that I have to prove my merit. Prove my grit. Prove that I can survive independent of the help of others.

I grew up in a household where I was encouraged to be independent. I life in a world where women can do anything they set their minds to. And I’m incredibly thankful to live in such a time of this.

But thinking of God as my Provider reminds me to stay humbled. It' reminds me to back down and admit just how much I need Him in the day to day. Quite often, I take the very gifts God has given me, and try to do it all on my own. I try to muscle through, strong, independent, without the help of others.

And then, the Lord asks me to give those very things back. He asks me to trust in His provision, in His timing. He asks if I truly believe that HE is the provider of all things. Yes, I’m strong willed. Yes, I’m gloriously strong and independent. And yes, time and again, I remember just how much I need the Lords provision. I really can’t do it alone. I really do need His help in my life.

And so, He hands me hard seasons. He hands me circumstances that cause me to open my hands wide, stop gripping so tightly, and trust that He will ultimately fill in the gaps. When I don’t know how we will ever possibly make it to the end of the this trial. When I can’t see the answer in sight. When honestly feel at my lowest and weakest, I’m reminded that He made me this way so that I would start to trust in His provision a little more. Yes, He made me strong and independent. But yes, He let those hardships come so that I would trust in Him all the more.

What about you? Can you relate? What might you need to give back to the Lord with open hands, trusting in His ultimate ability to provide for you?

Will you pray with me?

Lord God, thank You for the needed reminder that You are our PROVIDER. Open our eyes to the ways, big and small, that You have provided for us. Help us to see how we could share Your love and provision with others.

The Names of God: Alpha & Omega

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

— Revelation 21: 5-7, ESV

Have you ever sat and thought about it? It can be hard for our earthly minds to even start understand it. God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1 tells us that He separated the light from the darkness, the heavens from the earth. He brought it all into being. Here on earth we have a limited lifespan. A certain amount of time that we are here, and then we’re gone. God arches over this time. He was here at the beginning of time all the way to the end of eternity (which has no end!). He lives outside of time as we can understand it. Because He created time. In His power He created everything we know and love. John 1 tells us how Jesus, the Word, was with God in the beginning as well:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

— John 1:1-5, ESV

In Him was life. Don’t you love that? Without Jesus, there’s no life. There’s no promise. God, as the Alpha & Omega reminds us that we serve someone so much bigger than ourselves. Our lives here can feel so draining. Some days, we cry out for change, wondering if the pain will ever end. But our great God reminds us that, while we are limited by a time span on this earth (40, 50, 80 years?), He is not limited by time at all. He has the bigger picture in mind. And so, God as the Alpha & Omega is actually a very comforting thought. We can’t fully grasp just how big a God He is, but we know He isn’t limited by this world. We see only a part, He sees the world. Our promise? Revelation tells us that we will get to drink of a living water. He will be our heritage, and we will spend eternity with Him, as our Sons and Daughters. The Alpha & Omega already knows how the story will end. And He knows that there really isn’t an end to the story at all. Yes, sin has already been vanquished. Yes, for the moment, we still feel the effects of that sin in this damaged world. But Yes, we get to look forward to a glorious eternity up ahead. The Alpha & Omega can already see the future that we cannot yet see. He sees us, in eternity with Him. And that gives me hope today.

It's Not About the Lilies

I feel rather quiet this Holy Week. Very contemplative. It’s been just over a year since our country shutdown, due to Covid-19. Last year, for Easter , were all quarantined at home. This year, we’re back in church, but not yet back to “normal.”

Psalm Sunday didn’t come in with it’s usually flair. The children of our church didn’t walk down the aisle, waving their Palm Branches while shouting “Hosanna.”

There’s no in person Bible studies this week, a mini-lesson each day as we head toward Easter. (We’re online instead).

It’s quieter.

There’s no children’s specials planned for this Sunday, or an Easter Cantata planned for the church choir to sing.

The front of the sanctuary isn’t filled with Easter Lilies.

It just doesn’t feel the same.

It reminds me of a book I read to my kids when they were little. It was a Veggie Tales book, where this one character plans out everything for a perfect Easter Sunday, and everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. The choir sings off key, the band that shows up to play is the wrong type of band, the Easter Lilies stink horribly, her hat is ruined. (I don’t remember all the specific facts, but you get the idea).

The whole point of that little cardboard children’s book was that it wasn’t about planning a perfect day, but about who we celebrate on Easter, Jesus. Beautiful sanctuaries, planned out events, elaborate meals, they’re all nice, but they’re not really important. Easter egg hunts, baskets full of new treasures, we all love those aspects of Easter! (I’m a Starburst Jelly Bean girl here!). But it’s never been about such things.

I’ve been feeling out of sorts because this weekend just doesn’t feel “normal.” Isn’t it funny that thinking of an old board book for tiny kids reminded me of such a big truth?

Easter is about Jesus. Holy Week? While it’s usually jam packed full of special Bible Studies and Evening Service, is still Holy Week without those things. Easter Sunday this year will be a quiet one for our family, with just the four of us around the table, but the significance of God’s gift won’t be any less.

And so, my goal for this weekend is to quietly let it sink in. It’s Good Friday, only because Sunday is coming

Will you take some moments this weekend, to simply be still and soak in the truth of Good Friday?

Jesus died for you and for me. In that darkest moment of all, He carried the price for your sins and for mine.

Friday is dark, but Sunday is coming. Sunday makes all the difference, doesn’t it?

Because on Sunday, He rose from the dead.

He is Risen, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen.

A Deployed Heart Speaks About Loneliness

These months of the year are always some of the toughest for me. February and March are always the months that loneliness hits. I’m a little bit tired, a little bit “over it”, a lot feeling separated from those around me.

Moving every few years is hard. Forming relationships, never stops being difficult. A pandemic has only amplified this divide. Circles have become smaller. Military families? Are often left on the outside. We just haven’t been around long enough. Circles are made small to protect one other, but that’s exactly where I’ve felt even more on the outside.

Loneliness, is a very real feeling that I’ve often struggled with. Isn’t it true, that you can be surrounded by a room of people and still feel lonely?

One thing I always want to do with my writing is to pull people in. Make them feel connected. Make them be included.

My transparency may be a lot for people. I’m introverted, so that energy I give out is all or nothing. That effort I made? It probably took a lot out of me. And so, when it’s not reciprocated, I tend to draw back in my shell. Maybe this isn’t as it should be. Maybe I should try harder. I live with those regrets as well.

But loneliness is an honest and true feeling.

Here’s a truth that I need to preach to myself today: We don’t serve a God who is unfamiliar with our sufferings (Hebrews 4:15). If we’ve felt it, He’s felt it even more so.

Think about it. Jesus came into this world, surrounded himself with a tight knit group of people. Then, when He was at His weakest, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, those closest to him were falling asleep instead of supporting him in prayer .

“Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me.” Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.””

— Matthew 26:37-39, HCSB

Three times Jesus went away to pray, and three times He returned, only to find His closest friends fast asleep. He recognizes the enormity of the impending situation, and no one else was there to share the burden. He was utterly alone.

And then, in the loneliest act of all, He dies on the cross, for you and for me. In that moment of death, He’s forsaken by the world, and by God himself. With the weight of sin and death on his shoulders, He is more utterly alone than any of us will ever experience.

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from my deliverance
and from my words of groaning?”

— Psalm 22:1, HCSB

I don’t share this to belittle human loneliness and suffering. We’re faced with an incredible amount in this world. I share this, as a reminder, that He understands. He knows what true loneliness is like. We haven’t experienced anything in this world that He doesn’t understand, that He can’t empathize with.

It’s a dark thought, to think of Him on the cross utterly alone. He took that gigantic weight so that we would never have to experience it.

Yet, isn’t that amazing?

Yes, this day-to-day world can still feel incredibly lonely. Military moves, and Covid-19 haven’t helped with that at all!

But it’s so nice to be reminded that we’re never alone. Loneliness is a normal human state of being.

We’ll all experience it. We’ll all suffer through it.
And we are all, definitely, not alone in it. We all know the pull of loneliness. We all know the feeling of dark days.

And we can all celebrate the reality of Easter.

He overcame it.

That darkness? That loneliness? That sickness? That death? All those dark things that make our current world so hard to stomach, He has already overcome for eternity!

You’re not alone friend.

Loneliness can truly be rough, but you and I serve a God who can truly understand. Truly relate. And who has already conquered it all!

Praise for the Ordinary Day

“You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.”

— Psalm 16:11

How is your heart doing this week?

What have you been reading? What have you been exploring? What has given you joy?

Last night at dinner, my husband asked each of us to share our favorite part of the day. My first reaction was to list everything I didn’t do. Everything that I meant to enjoy and accomplish in the day, and didn’t happen. He asked again, “yes, but what did you enjoy?”

Which got me to thinking. We really are our own worst critics. We really do give ourselves such hard time.

But Joy.

Joy can be found pretty much anywhere.

Yesterday was a pretty normal day in our house. We worked on homeschooling, I cleaned some bathrooms, did some loads of laundry, swept the floors, made a nice, healthy dinner for my family. The kids got along pretty well. It was just a busy, relatively normal day in the life.

But what joy could be found?

I found joy in the warm sunshine, and my children playing outside.

I found joy in watching an interview online, of a Prince & His wife that left Royal Life.

I found joy in the Disney Music my kids blasted, while doing their afternoon Math.

I found joy in that our day was unrushed enough for me to make dinner for my family.

Sometimes our life feels way too rushed, and I don’t feel like I even have a moment to spare.

Yesterday was a beautifully ordinary day, with so many ways in which to praise my LORD.

How was your yesterday? Was it ordinary? Was it frustrating? Was it beyond hard? We all have such days.

What out of your yesterday can you Praise the Lord for? How did He show up? In big ways and small?

I am so thankful for the refreshing breathe I can take on such ordinary days. Often, raising my children is really hard. Often, our lives are incredibly full. Often, the cares of this world will feel so heavy on my shoulders.

Never underestimate the joy found in an ordinary day. Never underestimate how much we can worship our God above, just by living out even the tiniest parts of our lives for His glory.

He can be praised in all things, big and small.

So what could you find joy in, today? In your big or small day? What could you praise your Lord above for?

How liturgy helps me believe: Some honest reflections

I know what I’m expected to believe.

I can tell you the verses. I can spout off the knowledge. Psalm 139, I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. I can tell you how I should view my body. I can remind you that God knew everyday of our life, before one of them came to be. I could be pretty passionate, pretty convincing.

But in my heart of hearts, I struggle to believe it.

Tish Harrison Warren, in her book Prayer in the Night: For those Who Work or Watch or Weep, talks about this disconnect. She discusses those hard seasons, when the beauty of liturgical prayer really sees us through.

I grew up in the church. I’m a church girl, through and through. I don’t remember ever not knowing Jesus. I’m really good at acting and saying the “right” Christian thing. I’m even good at outwardly doing those things. But I don’t always believe it deep down.

The older I get, the more I feel drawn back to a liturgical style of worship. I feel drawn back into tradition and practice. I feel drawn back into prayers we can repeat over and over again.

Why? Because I feel prayer is powerful.

Why? Because we often don’t know what to pray. And when we don’t, the prayers of our congregation can hold us up.

Why? Because I need the reminders of God’s faithfulness on a daily basis. I need to hear His promises and truths spoken over my life. I will forever get teary reciting the apostles creed. There is nothing more beautiful then hearing an entire congregation of people reciting it along side of me. They’re not empty words to me. They’re heartfelt, deep.

I need to be reminded daily of what I actually believe.

I need liturgy, more than I ever realized.

I need liturgy because I’m broken.

I need liturgy because the negative voices in my head can be so loud. So overwhelming, so domineering.

Replacing those lies with truth, on a daily basis, sounds like a truly marvelous routine for me.

Two years ago our family word of the year was katergazomai “working out our faith.” And I feel like that specific word is still the journey we’re on. That word, that act of daily seeking out faith. Daily going through growing pains. Daily moving back to a more liturgical style of worship. I can’t get past it. It seeps into our whole lives. My husband and I talk about it. It influences the style of churches we attend. Every time we move with the military, our churches get more and more traditional. I will always love a good praise and worship service, arms lifted, band playing, the whole room alive with praise music. I’ve even been a worship leader in different seasons of my life. Praise music is deep in my soul. But I continue to be drawn more and more back to hymns and prayers. More and more back to the repetition.

The words of a hymn transport me back to another time, when I sat in church, hair ribbons and frilly dress, white patent shoes, hearing a congregation sing, soprano, alto, tenor, bass, the room around me swirling around, imprinting truths about faith, and life, and loss, and ultimate eternal gain. It’s a story. An Old Old Story. And the old hymns, that often lean so heavily on scripture, remind me time and again of those truths. Before I understood it, before I truly began this faith walk on my own, a congregation surrounded me, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Evenings, Wednesday Nights. As adults, they sang the truths that meant much to them, as a child, the melodies swirled overhead. But I think they sunk somewhere deep inside. The hymns, they come back now, to remind me of what I believe.

Because on my own, I can doubt, day after day. I can say the words out loud, and then again, need the reminder deep in my heart.

This is what you believe, the hymns whisper.

“I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory.

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.”

— Victory in Jesus

Hymns remind me of the truths that I believe deep in my heart. A congregation, singing around me, can lift my heart up on the heavier days. God’s word, both written and sung (both as hymns and beautiful Praise & Worship tunes!), can help wonderfully on the days when I feel seriously down. On the days when I know what I should believe, but struggle to believe it. That’s when I return to truth. That’s when I return to music. That’s when I return to a congregation of people that are able to lift me up with their faith, and remind me of what truly matters.

We need each other. We need congregations, we need faith communities, we need circles where God’s truth can seep through time and again. Our hearts don’t simply hear a truth once and never need it again.

I know, on a daily basis, I need to be reminded of how fearfully and wonderfully made I am. I need to be reminded that God has a plan for my life. I need to be reminded that He placed me here, to mother and teach and rear up my head strong children.

Through music, through prayer, through daily Bible study, I hear these reminders. And I hope I’m able to remind you as well. You have such a beautiful purpose. You are no mistake. If you doubt? That means you’re only human. Don’t feel bad for needing those reminders over and over and over again. Speak God’s truths over your own life. Write them on sticky notes, say them out loud, play the praise music a little bit louder, remind yourself of just how beautiful and wonderfully made you are. It’s ok if it needs repeating. I honestly think it’s a good thing, to be reminded time and again, to have the music blaring loud, to let others surround us with God’s truths, to never stop needed a reminder again, of just how much we need Jesus.

The Joy of Being an Amateur

This past week I started reading That Sounds Fun by Annie F. Downs. Have you read it yet? I’ve loved reading her blog and listening to her Podcast through the years! I wasn’t disappointed with her latest book! One chapter in particular really stuck out to me. She talks about the joy of being an amateur. In this world that surrounds us, we often think that we need to instantly be a professional at something. We go zero to sixty, learning all we can about web design, or baking, or carpentry, so that we can quickly turn that skill into a career. If you do a search, I’m sure you’ll come up with plenty of results, for “How to Make Money on Your Blog Over Night” or “How to Turn Your Hobby into a Sucessful Career.” And there’s nothing wrong with doing something we enjoy do. Me? I do want to perfect my craft and eventually sell books that will make money! But Annie’s reminders came at such a great moment for me. I have recently started learning several new skills as a writer. I’ve been coming back to my blog, trying to change up the design, and also starting to share my blog posts over on Pinterest. They’re exciting new skills, but I have to admit, the pressure of feeling like I instantly needed to be great at it was getting to me. I was feeling more stress than enjoyment.

Which brought up a second point. It’s nice to have hobbies in our lives that we enjoy, just for enjoying them! In her book, Annie talks about taking up cooking again. For me, my newest passion is calligraphy. Do I plan to make money on it in any way? No. Do I struggle at times with the imperfections in my calligraphy skills, yes. But at the same time, it’s a skill that I can embrace. I can lean into the process. I want to save some of my work from this stage, so that I can see the progress over time. I’m learning it, simply because I find joy in doing it. Sometimes, it’s fun to just learn something new. God created us with such creative minds. Creativity shows up in different ways for all of us. Some, might have great imaginations, others can bake, or weld, or plant and grow beautiful flowers. Still others amaze me with their painting or sewing, or comic designing skills.

I was talking to my pastor just this week about the joy of being an amateur. In our conversation it came up that sometimes, those amateur skills, can be one of the purest forms of worship. Worship, you ask? That may seem a little strange. No, it’s not necessarily outwardly singing, or praising the Lord. But when we take our wonderfully creative minds and find joy in the simple things, we’re honoring the creative skills the Lord gave us. Sometimes, it really is nice when those skills have nothing to do with making money. There can be such joy in doing something, just to celebrate the craft. Just to enjoy doing it.

But how is it worship?

Is worship not in the very way we live our lives? Can we not worship, when we’re washing dishes, providing for our families, singing music just because we can? In an everyday liturgical act, we’re worshiping Him when we used the individual skills He put within us. Instead of denying our individual makeup, we’re embracing who we are as individuals. We worship, as we use our hands. We worship, as the world, with its social media distractions and online shopping instant gratification, fades into the background. We worship Him when we do things the longer way. We write out the words in beautiful calligraphy, instead of just printing them off the computer with a calligraphy font. We worship when we take the time to fold and knead bread and patiently let it rise. We worship, when we make a mallet by hand, so that we can then use it to finish creating a beautiful arbor. We worship, when we slow down. And perhaps, these slower moments, when we use our hands and embrace the process of becoming, we’re more Intune, more able to hear His voice in our lives.

We worship, just by living our lives to the fullest and believing this truth:

“For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.”

— Psalm 139:13-14, HCSB

We are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him! God knit each of us so intrinsicly different from the last. He gave us skills to find joy in. He gave us minds that love to learn something new. I know I, will never be done learning new things. The world is such a fascinating place! Sometimes learning some new skills can be just plain stressful. Even with those moments, I want to lean in, celebrating the learning process. Taking off some of the pressure of instantly being perfect, and instead, celebrate the fact that He gave me a mind that can learn and grow. He gave me fingers than can type and contemplate. He gave me a home, in which I can take care of my family day in an day out. Even the menial tasks of the day, I want to celebrate, because He gave me the ability to do such things. And I want to find joy in doing things, just for the fun of doing them. To celebrate those moments when I feel, in the purest sense, just like me. No one else. Just God’s creation, in a moment in time, learning something like calligraphy, just because it’s beautiful to learn and blesses my heart in a deeper sense!

He made us. I hope you celebrate that fact today! What are you already doing in your life, that you simply enjoy doing? What ways has God uniquely crafted you? How might you praise Him, in those everyday tasks? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

I’ll leave you with some final words of praise:

“Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations.”

— Psalm 100:1-5, HCSB

Satisfied

“Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

— Matthew 5:1-9, ESV

In this portion of Scripture called The Beatitudes, Jesus talks to the sad situations in this world and reminds us all that we live for another reality. A lifetime when misdeeds will be vanquished, and we will enter an eternity without sickness, without persecution, without unjust acts.

It’s so sad that we live in a broken world. About a week ago, I was approached by a lady who was desperately upset by seeing my daughter out near the road. She was distraught, crying, worried about my daughter’s safety (She was outside selling Girl Scout Cookies with her Troop). I knew that my daughter was safe, but I appreciate the depth of her worry. She was upset because, this world isn’t always kind. This world has some very dark, deep, evil places. This world isn’t always sunshine. Her worry struck a cord in my heart. I don’t want my daughter living in fear, but I did realize that I needed to have a few talks with her on the subject, to make sure that my daughter was living, not fearfully, but wisely.

In this world of harsh wrongs, we seek justice, we seek rightness. It comes from a place deep within where we realize the depths of everything sad, traumatic, and utterly wrong.

As an Enneagram 1, (have you read up on the Enneagram yet? Go here to read more), social justice is so important to me. Morally, I take very strong stances. There’s little gray in the way I view the world around me. Things are either right or wrong, black or white. I’m this way in how I love, who I love, how I make decisions, how I follow God. I had never read the Beatitudes in light of the Enneagram before, but comparing the two made for an interesting read. The Enneagram looks at our deepest drives, the things that make us tick as a human being. A desire for peace, safety, to be loved, to be known, these are all valid things that drive us as human beings. The Enneagram looks at these, so that we can better understand ourselves and those around us. As a 1, often called a Perfectionist or Reformer, I long for social justice in this world. Things, like this lady coming and talking to me about my daughter’s safety, spark something deep inside me. We live in a world where sweet girls sometimes do disappear. It’s hard for me to even write such words.

But, God’s word gives us a promise. A promise, a hope that in the near future all this brokenness will be fixed. The Enneagram shows us some of our deepest longings, The Beatitudes show us how much God knows our hearts. Our deepest hearts desire mercy, desire justice, desire peace in a world that is anything but.

In my deepest heart, I seek Justice. I seek Right-Ness. Right, for everything hurting and wrong in the world around me. The beatitudes promise me that those seeking righteousness will be Satisfied. They will no longer be left wanting. No longer left waiting. I will never find that satisfaction in this broken world, but I can find that Satisfaction and rest in Jesus. Yes, I will live my life here on earth serving Him and shining light on the darkness of this world. But I will also place my trust in Him alone. On it’s own, justice can be a messy thing. In Him, there is promise in tomorrow, when all wrongs will ultimately be made right.

I feel like this post has gone to some incredibly deep places. Do you have any good resources for me? I’m a lifelong learner and an avid reader, so I’d love to read your thoughts and resources. Feel free to share them below. And please know, in Christ, we have the promise of being truly Satisfied.

Did anyone else start singing Hamilton right there? Ok, only me!

Courage

How is courage getting the final say in your life right now?

Don’t we often hear the opposite? How is fear holding you back? I love the positive switch of this question up above, how is courage getting the final say? Like the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, we already have that courage living inside of us. So often, we focus on the failures, all the defeats, all the ways we haven’t measured up in this life, instead of the victories!

And so today, I wanted to look at just a few victories. If I was just looking at the world around me, I would say that there’s still a lot of unanswered questions. 2021 came in, still in the midst of a Global Pandemic. My family and I are still, for the most part, staying home. Many outside activities still haven’t gone back to normal. My children are still homeschooling, and will be for the rest of this school year and the next.

But victories can be found. Since last August, I’ve had the courage to take on Homeschooling my children. That’s definitely a new win! Now, is every day easy, no. There are still definite challenges. But there’s also joy. There’s afternoons when my children happily play outside. There’s fun science experiments. There’s excited discussions about the American Revolution. I truly enjoy discussing history with my children, and learning right along with them!

Another win would be joining Hope Writers last week. I decided to take a leap of faith and reach out into a community of writers. That was (and still is) a courageous step for me. This is a new experience. By joining, it means that I’m taking myself and my work as a writer seriously.

The biggest leap of courage? To carve out time for myself to write once again. What, with the military, raising our children, homeschooling, and working at our church, I wasn’t sure I could possibly squeeze in consistent writing times. But I am. I truly believe these times of writing will be good for me. As they say in the introduction video to Hope Writers, Dream Big to join, but than take Small Steps to make progress.

I think, for a long time, I was convinced that I needed big parts of my day devoted to writing. I do, and someday, when I’m no longer homeschooling, I’ll once again have larger chunks of time. But any progress is progress. Any consistent time writing is better than none. I was convinced that picking up homeschooling would make this impossible. But I’m already finding small moments, an hour here, and hour there, and afternoon that my husband has off, that I could disappear to a coffee shop. My biggest step now is to actually pen those writing times into my schedule. Because I know that those writing times will never happen, if I don’t block those times off.

And so, I’m being courageous, in blocking time off to write.

Consider the following verse:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”

— 2 Timothy 1:7

Isn’t that great? God doesn’t want us living in fear, but celebrating in love. He has given us such amazing talents and gifts. Let’s start this new month by considering everything great we have been doing. We are, often, our own worst critics, but we’re all doing some great things as well. I think the last part of the verse above is important as well. God has given us great skills and gifts, but He has also given us self-discipline (ouch). I know there are definitely areas of my life that could use more self-discipline, such as my love of chocolate. But I also believe that today is always a day to move forward. Today can be the day to take a step and say, I’ll write it down. It won’t be perfect, life with intervene, but I’m making these intentional changes. It’s on the calendar, both physically and digitally, so I won’t forget. And I intend to celebrate that change. That small step forward. Just a small step. Nothing huge, but an incremental change just the same. God gave me these glorious gifts, and I celebrate getting to use them in this coming year!

What courageous steps have you been taking? I’d love to celebrate with you today! Feel free to comment before, or find me over on Instagram @megchaneywrites.

A Time to Stand and a Time to Move

There are two portions of scritpure that have long been favorites of mine. The first comes from Psalm 46, words I memorized way back in my high school days. In Psalm 46, we’re reminded that God above is our refuge and our strength. Our all powerful God controls the wind, the waves, the very rising and falling of kingdoms, He is present in all of this and more. At the end of the chapter, we find verse 10:

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

— Psalm 46:10, HCSB

I have often needed such a reminder, to be still, to lesson distractions, to trust that our God is ultimately in control. There’s another place in scripture that I also love. In the book of Exodus, the Israelites have just followed Moses out of Egypt. They’ve come to the Red Sea, when the look behind them and see Pharaoh and his chariots chasing them:

“But Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.’”

— Exodus 14:13-14, HCSB

I truly believe that our hearts have to be settled. We have to quiet down our lives so that His peace can truly dwell in our hearts. Often, we stay so busy, so distracted, that we don’t even have time to listen to His voice. I’m oh, so guilty of this! With our recent military move, with kids at two different school, multiple Bible studies that I’m a member of, other ways I’m looking to volunteer and be a part of the community, I can quickly fill my days to the brim. And yet, God calls me to moments of stillness, He calls me to seasons of letting go of somethings, so that I can wait for Him to His word in new ways.

In Exodus, right after Moses encourages the people to not be afraid, do you know what happens, friends? The LORD parts the Red Sea so that they can all walk through to the other side. I’ve heard this story since I was a little girl, but it never ceases to amaze me! They were so afraid, and the LORD still came through in such a miraculous way. He moved a giant, powerful body of water out of the way so that they could walk right through. But they had to pause, and let the LORD provide for them. No amount of trying on their own could succeed. They couldn’t lift that water out of the way. Maybe a bucket at a time, but that’s about it. On their own, that water would have still stood there, separating them from the Promised Land. But they stopped, and the LORD provided!

Through my season with little ones at home, I put a lot of my life on hold. No, I’m not sure I want to say that exactly. I let go of other dreams so that I could live completely in the present with my little ones. I invested every day to them. I didn’t write as much, I didn’t seek a career out of the home (although bless all of you that do! You’re amazing, and living right where God wants you to be!). I lived right then and there with them. And now, they’re both in school. That long season of waiting is through, and I find myself continuing to ask, what now? What’s before me? I’ve prayed, been in Bible Study, and continued to wait and listen. And then, I read this in my Bible study last week:

“But standing firm is not only about digging in; it’s also about moving forward. It’s about going into enemy territory from a strong position of victory and taking back ground he’s sought to steal from us.”

— Pricilla Shirer, Armor of God, p.114

You all, Pricilla’s words struck me so deep! As I look at my own heart, I can definitely see areas I need to reclaim. Yes, standing firm and strong is so important. That is why I always seek out Christian community and fellowship, why I make Bible study a priority in my life. I want to stand firm. But there’s a time to move as well. I time to claim back some things I didn’t truly even realize that Satan had grabbed ahold of. By doing this, I don’t stop standing, I don’t stop listening. No, I’m still continuing to do that, but I’m also moving forward. I’m taking that first step across the Red Sea, trusting that the LORD will part the waters, trusting that He has something intentional in store for me on the other side. I’m standing, but I’m also moving forward, I’m looking toward what’s up ahead.

Yes, there’s a time to stand, but there’s also a time to move. Instead of feeling sad that my kids are getting older, and may not need me exactly like they used to, I find myself excited, excited for the new things up ahead of me. Excited for the way God may use me, my gifts, my talents, for His kingdom. Being a Mama will always be one of my most important callings, but it’s time to start moving, and see what else may be in store!

Mama, It's Not Over Yet

He put on his shoes, grabbed his backpack, and walked to the bus stop holding his sister's hand. And, then, before I was ready, he hopped up the steps and took a seat on the bright yellow bus. I'm not sure he even looked back. As much as my son resists change, that first morning when smoothly. I was wondering how it would go, but we really didn't have any resistance. It probably helped to have his big sister there. It definitely helped my Mama heart.

But, after both of my kiddos went off to a new school year, the house felt so quiet. The rooms, way too dark, way too clean. Friends, I haven't had a quiet house for 8 years! I'm sure many of you can claim much longer. I haven't had a schedule this open since I was a newlywed.

With  the advent of that bright yellow bus, my days of parenting have drastically changed. For one, writing has been the back burner for years now. I've had pockets of time through the years (mostly during preschool), but suddenly I have 7 hours 5 days at my disposal. More than anything, I want to use that time wisely. I don't want it wasted. 

Yes, I'm thankful for solo trips to the grocery store, for a cleaner house, for time to invest in crafts, and, most of all, writing. The extra free time to do those things is amazing! But I find myself having to find a new place as well. My role of Mama is evolving and changing. It's such an integral part of who I am, that it's diffcult when these changes come.

At the same time, it's hard to let go. It's hard to admit that my children are growing older, that they don't need me as much. After so many year of devoting so much time to them, I find myself asking, what's next? It's hard when I feel myself flailing a bit, searching for a new place to stand. It's such a strange feeling, having both of my kids at school.

I know that the Lord isn't finished with me yet. My story is far from over. I have the priviledge of watching my children grow older, of seeing a world of learning with all of it's vibrant colors light up before their eyes. I get to volunteer and still be a part of their education. What privileges those are! 

We are truly fortunate when it comes to elementary schools in our town. One of my greatest joys is volunteering there! I love passing out water during field day, helping kids in the classroom, planning special events with the PTO, even meeting my kids for lunch. Elementary school opens up a whole new commuunity of us to be involved in, one I've been so blessed by these past few years.  

Dear friends,

In whatever season you find yourselves in right now, if you're sleep deprived with newborns, watching your baby step onto a bus for the first time, or maybe you're a bit in front of me and just sent your youngest off to college, you still have such an amazing purpose, such a story yet! Embrace this new season. Shed a few tears, maybe take a day to paint your nails and watch copious amounts of Netflix, but then stand up the next day and move forward, because He's not finished with you yet!

Just after 3PM I watched my baby step back off the bus. He held my hand (isn't it wonderful that he still wants to do that?) and told me his favorite part of the day was music class: "Mama, I got to bang the drums!" He asked me for a snack and played with his Legos before I shuttled him and his sister off to Karate. And my heart was full. My days of being Mama are not over yet. There's so much of this story to tell.

First Impressions (A Review)

I received this book from the Bethany House Bloggers Program, in exchange for my honest review. 

I adore Jane Austen. In fact, back in the day, my Master's Thesis was on Pride & Prejudice. And so, I jumped at the chance to review a modern retelling of the tale. When I received the book in the mail, my first impression was that I loved the cover! Covers are so important to me! I want to be drawn right into a story. I was also excited that the author was Debra White Smith. I've read many of her other books (like the The Seven Sister's Series) and enjoyed them!

This modern retelling takes place in Texas. Texas is a place very far away and different than England. Or maybe not so much? If there's one thing I've found out about Jane Austen over the years, she's relatable at so many levels, that's why we love her stories to this day! In First Impressions, the characters truly have their own backgrounds and stories, but the story does fall out like Pride and Prejudice. The characters within the story are also in a local theater production of Pride and Prejudice, so there are definitely many layers of nods toward the original story. Even in modern day Texas, or at least the Texas of this story, there's a class division between the rich and not so rich. There's a certain expectation to marry well, or at least marry the right person. There's a pull to marry the person with all the money, for just the wrong reasons. And there's deceiving first impressions, that are often wrong, until the characters take the chance to truly get to know each other. 

For me, I liked the modern retelling, I even liked the characters. My only struggle came with the plot at times. At times, I felt as if the story was being forced into the Pride & Prejudice mold. I was reminded that the author was trying to match it to the original tale, which can be... a little heavy handed maybe? I love to be swept away by a story. I want to be so gripped, so mesmerized that I can't put it down, and actually feel sorry when the story is through. I never want want to be reminded that the author is forcing the story a certain direction. I hope that makes sense. And I hope that doesn't deter any of you. If you'd like a nice, rather light summer read, maybe for the beach, and you're a Jane Austen fan, you may enjoy it. When you've read it, come back and let me know what you think! 

Happy Summer reading!

I know this blog has been quiet for such a long time. I'm really hoping one of these seasons to be back with more!

Waiting on God's timing in all of this,

Meg 

The Heart's Appeal (A Review

I received a copy of this book from the Bethany House Bloggers Program in exchange for my honest review. 

Julia Bernay believes that God has called her to be a doctor,  but in 1881 London this is not an easy thing to accomplish. A large portion of society i still opposed the idea of women doctors, or in any profession for that matter, but new opportunities are becoming available each day. Entering the London School of Medicine for Women is extremely difficult, but Julia is determined to succeed. She studies hard at Queens college for a year, catching up in areas her education has lacked until now. And then trouble strikes. A lawsuit against the school of medicine threatens to close the doors. A battle rages between two sides, one a rich man with title, power, and influence who feels offended, the other a school of woman. One of the barristers fighting against the school is Michael Stephenson, a man Julia is quickly becoming close to, despite her best efforts. Michael and Julia form an unexpected bond, which has consequences for all involved, and begs the question, can a woman be a doctor and still have a family? 

I loved the premise of this book, the time period was so interesting. I loved looking into the lives of these early female doctors, and how they balanced the ins and outs of life and family. I also liked Julia's interaction with the poorest set of London, the parts of London that most people avoided at all cost, and how she realized that there's a need for medical attention, and a need for God, everywhere you go in this life. The premise of woman doctor, and the interaction of Julia and her patients, was truly my favorite part of this book. There was also a little bit of a mystery, having to do with Julia's past, which was also fun, and admittingly, still left a little open ended, even with the epilogue. I liked how it ended though. 

In my opinion, there was a little too much time spent on the "romance" part of the story. The inner dialogue of the two characters, making eyes at each other, and constantly thinking about each other, was a little over the top for me. 

Overall, a job well done! This is actually book 2 in the London Beginnings series (although they seem to stand independently as books, as far as I can tell). I would definitely read other books by Jennifer Delamere (even if I do roll my eyes a bit sometimes, ha!). 

Blind Spot (A Review)

The Bethany House Bloggers Program has given me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Have you all read Dani Pettrey before? I friend clued me in on this Christian author a year or two ago, and I've loved her ever since! In fact, I just finished the prequel to her Alaskan Courage series earlier this month, Shadowed). If you like suspense, but struggle with the language and content in other books on the market, Dani Pettrey is definitely a good pick for you! Her stories draw you in from the beginning, and at times may make you even want to jump out of your skin! They're fast paced and deifnitely keep your interest. Blind Spot is book 3 in the Chesapeake Valor series. I read book 1 awhile ago, so I felt like I was already familiar with most of the main characters. I do want to go back and read book 2, to fill myself in on some of the plot. This is one of those series that really does seem to connect, book to book. The Chesapeake Valor Series revolves around a group of childhood friends, who had at one point been pulled apart through difficult circumstances, but now band together to solve some cases. These cases include missing persons, human trafficking, and what appears to be terrorism. Their jobs in the Police Force, FBI, and Forensics, all come into play. It's really pretty interesting! The last few pages of Blind Spot leave you waiting... waiting for the answers that will have to come in a future book!

The only downside for me? The characters felt a little flat. I don't know why. I'm hoping reading book 2 will help explain some of that to me a bit more. They really didn't develop or change for me during this story. The romance aspect also made me role my eyes a bit. But it does make me wonder, maybe this story really is more about the action, and less about the personal characters? I still loved the fast paced nature of the stories, I think I just love the Alaskan Courage series a little more. Either way, the author has my attention, and I'll definitely be watching for book 4!

Happy Reading! 

Awaken (A Review)

I was asked by B&H Publishing I wanted to take on an additional review for this month, Pricilla Shirer's new devotional, Awaken! Lately, it feels like my world has been surrounded by Pricilla! For awhile now I've been reading through her book Fervent. My Bible Study at church is in the middle of doing her re-released Discerning the Voice of God study. And just last Spring, my church also did her Gideon study. I love how Awaken feels like a continuation of all of these. A peek into her quiet time throughout the years, what she must have been mulling over as these other Bible studies and books came to be. 

Awaken consists of 90 separate devotionals. Each devotional has a scripture for the day, some thoughts, and additional space for journaling. My favorite part has often been the extra scriptures at the end. I find myself hunting them down in my own Bible, tucking them away in my own journal for remembrance.

Each devotional isn't supposed to take long, but is supposed to strike a cord, make you think, encourage you to pause at the beginning of your day for prayer and reflection. 

Here are a few of my favorite thoughts:

“So give. Even in your deficient places. Especially in those places. Given, even when what you’re giving is more than you feel like you can afford.”

— Shirer, Awaken, p.28

“Abundant living mandates different living—different even from other believers who amy be complacent with their freedom, lulled to sleep in their wilderness wanderings”

— Shirer, Awaken, p.40

“Digging deep, hitting bedrock, and pouring a solid foundation on Christ alone and His Word alone are what secures you solidly to the ground. Because, listen to me, the storms are coming. And yet you can be strong, steeled, and storm-proofed because you’ve not only heard what the Spirit says, but you’ve put hammer to nail and implemented it into your architecture”

— Shirer, Awaken, p.180

“Give yourself permission to wait, remembering that waiting is not the same as inactivity. Waiting is a commitment to continue on in obedience until God speaks”

— Shirer, Awaken, p.336

“You need only to start operating in the power He has granted you as His child, and then you are on your way to witnessing the steady growth of spiritual transformation you’ve been struggling so hard to generate yourself.”

— Shirer, Awaken, p.356

These are deep thoughts, thoughts that I truly want to tuck away in my heart. I love when any book hits home like that. This devotional is extra sweet, because I can come back to it time and again. The connections I'm making to her other various books and Bible studies only make it better for me. A certain devotional may strike a cord, and remind me of a truth from a past study. Sometimes we need to see the connection, we need to hear that a storm is coming, but that He has us firmly in His hands. This devotional is that for me. Truly a gift! 

The Proving (A Review)

Don't you love Beverly Lewis? Her stories of Amish life always fascinate me. Each story is so different. It amazes me that she can still create such interesting plot lines. I read The Proving as part of the Bethany House Bloggers Program. They give copies of the books in exchange for our honest reviews. Selecting a Beverly Lewis book was a no brainer for me. What, and excuse to read one of my beloved authors? Sure! There is always a bit of a risk involved. I would hate to give a favorite author any less than a stellar review, but I also always desire to be honest and forthright. This book did not disappoint. 

One thing I love about Beverly Lewis is her authentic people. You really delve down into the deep with them. Mandy Dienner has not had it easy. Years before, she left behind her Amish life to live in the outside world. This sudden leaving was brought on by a betrayal, a betrayal and angry words that seemed to leave her with no other choice than to leave. When she comes back, it's for sad reasons, sad reasons and a challenge: Live at and manage her family's Bed & Breakfast for 1 year, and then it will belong to her. This is easier said than done. The Amish community in the area doesn't look kindly on a former-Amish Inn Keeper. They see her as a betrayer, an outsider, and interloper. These Amish neighbors were the very people she was once close too. Now Mandy is at odds with them all. Redemption doesn't come over night. The battles are inward, and they go on for most of the story. 

The on going struggle is part of what I enjoyed about this story. The solution wasn't instant. Fences weren't just magically mended over night. But isn't that true to life? I was truly happy with the end of the story. It came up gradually. It seemed more realistic than fiction often can be. 

I hope you truly enjoy this latest installment from Beverly Lewis, I did! It's a nice book for a rainy Fall day, just brew a cup of coffee and start in! 

Calling

It's always been thrilling to own a blog. To know that I can share my heart on a tiny corner of that internet. At times, that reach has felt so endless and wide, at other times, that reach has felt so entirely small. I've always felt a pull to words, but sometimes, I still wonder, just how God will use this passion. At times, I can't help but write down the words tugging at my heart. There's no way to keep in. And then other seasons come. Seasons of defeat, seasons of busyness, or simply seasons of peace, where there's nothing to say. 

It's a struggle, feeling what seems to be an intense calling, but then not seeing that calling come to fruition in the ways I expect.

Does any of that make sense at all?

For years I've struggled with the balance of health, of family, of responsibliities-- cramming into any writing time that I have. I've never wanted my family to feel like an imposition. I've never wanted to live distracted.

And so I pull back, I pray, I focus, and I wait for the next words to come. I trust that this desire to write is for a specific reason. I remind myself that God is always working for the good, that He uses each season to teach us something new. 

I never want to forget my calling, but I also want to open myself up to the idea that a calling can take so many different forms. My neatly defined box may not be what God has for me in this season.

All those ramblings to say, I've misseed this place. Please, continue to hop on and check out my blog. I'm hoping to still pop on here and share my thoughts, my encouragement, especially now that my kiddos are back in school for the year. 

We're in this together, friends. 

Could you pray for me in this new season? I'd love to pray for you as well. Leave any requests below.

Be blessed.

A Name Unknown: A Book Review

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review. 

Hello Friends! I'm excited to share another book review with you today. I'd love to come back soon and share all my summer reads with you. It's wonderful to have at least a little more time to read again. Hooray for kids getting "slightly" older.

Reading is one of those things that relaxes me, centers me, and gives me a bit of that "introvert" space I desire, space that's hard to come by with kiddos at home. 

A Name Unknown, by Roseanna White was right up my alley. It had a spy, a little bit of mystery, and pre-WWI England backdrop. This story left me really wanting to read more. 

Rosemary, an orphan and thief, learned early in life how to fend for herself on the streets of London. Over time, she's formed an unconventional family made up of other orphans. They've learned the skills of the streets, perfected gentile accents, and learned how to steal with the best of them. For them, stealing is survival. Stealing is the way they are able to keep a roof of sorts over their head and food on the table. One day, Rosemary is given a mysterious job: travel to the countryside, befriend a nobleman there, and find proof that he's a German traitor. Rosemary, who has never had a tremendous love of books, must now pretend that books are her profession, that organizing them is what she does for a living. She must play a part of a librarian, so completely different from her upbringing, and play it convincingly. If she does so, and proves Peter Holstein is a traitor to the Crown, she will make a enough money to truly provide for her family, to give the youngest ones schooling and a true chance at life. But what will she find as she starts to dig into the past? Who will she find?

At time, I found Rosemary's responses a little unbelievable. She's a street rat/thief at heart from London, so I'm not sure she would have responded as a lady quite as much as she did.  I couldn't really always understand her, which made some of her reactions confusing. The story also seemed to drag for me in spots. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the story at all, and more with me being distracted by kids and summer and life :) 

 The romance part of it was gentle, not over done as I feel some Christian novels are. In some novels, I find myself rolling my eyes, because the scenes feel so over dramatic. I never felt that way in this book. The characters seemed like real people, the development of the romance seemed pretty realistic (well maybe a little rushed, but I still liked it!). 

In the end, I was left waiting for more. The downsides didn't really matter to me, in the end I was satisfied with the story.  I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series, which will focus on Rosemary's siblings, former thieves turned spies during WWI. I think they will all make for fun reads!

Thank you for joining me for this book review. If you know if books you think I should read, comment below! Also, be sure to find me on Instagram @megchaneywrites  There you'll find me latest reads and encouragement for the heart! 

With You Always: A book review

Bethany House bloggers program gave me a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. 

With You Always, by Jody Hedlund, came in the mail just as we were heading out of town for our road trip! Over the next few days, I quickly raced through the pages, immersed in the world of a young immigrant girl, Elise, who has to earn a living in order to provide for herself, her sisters, and some other orphans they "adopt" into their family. This was a different Orphan Train saga than I expected. When I saw that the series was entitled Orphan Train, I expected another saga of young children. I didn't realize that Children's Rescue Mission sent more than just young orphans west. They also sent women out west to help form new towns. These women worked as seamstresses, laundresses, cooks, cleaners. It was a chance for a life outside of poverty, a chance to hold down a respectable job, so that they wouldn't be pulled into jobs of ill-repute. It was a chance to send money back home and hopefully bring relatives out of the desperate poverty of the big city. 

Elise finds herself in such a place. She is struggling to survive as a seamstress in New York City, when The Great Panic of 1857 occurs, leaving her and many other women without jobs. It's heartbreaking for her to leave her young siblings behind, but she knows that this chance to ride the train west could mean something good. And so, she goes, and it's not easy. The work is still backbreaking, but the hope is always there. 

The romance part of this story is a little weak for me. I don't want to say too much, in the worry that I'll give too much away, so I'll just leave it as this: for me, some of the dialogue, the way the characters act toward each other, just isn't realistic. I admit, I rolled my eyes a bit. 

But outside of the romance, the story itself is a great one. It's definitely a series I want to come back to again. This book ended with some unanswered questions. I would love to tune in again, and find out what happens next to Elise's family. If she finds her other siblings and is able to take them west with her, and what other, new sides of the orphan train we'll learn about in future books. 

Happy Summer Reading! 

April: The Month of the Military Child

I wrote this earlier this month, but thought it was too important not to share. It's still April, so here you go!

Here's to my super heros! My little resilient souls who remind me time and again how to trust, how to live with excitement, how to love.

And here's to the Month of the Military Child. I'm so blessed to have two such kiddos to celebrate this April. I think I feel it all the more now that our daughter is school aged. With this move, we decided to place her in a public elementary school.  And what a great experience it's been! The location means that many military children also attend right along side her. Once a week, she's pulled out of class, or has a lunch date, with a military counselor. She gets a special time to talk and make crafts, and slowly learn what it truly means to be a military kid.  I love that from day one she's had this outlet. This trusted counselor. Admittingly, in kindgergarten, the talk may not be that deep, but I love that the resource is there. I know my girl talks excitedly about her lunch dates with Miss Brooke. She had and two other boys in her class have formed a nice little friendship, military kids experiencing life together. 

Today is an extra special day at my daughter's school. I know when she walked into her school this morning, the front steps where all decorated in purple, celebrating military kids everywhere. Her classmates wore purple today too. And I sit here crying, becasuse it's all so precious.

 May the Lord continue to grow and form your character through this military life. 

You are awesome Military Kids. 

And here's to the conselors and teachers that love on military kids each and every day. That make each move, each deployement season, go a little smoother. Thank you for the tremendous work you do each day for our military kids. You are superheros.