My Wall

Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

How do you picture life?

Do you view it from above, seeing everything behind you, the mess you’re standing in, and the foggy distance?

Or do you see only what’s now? Literally what’s directly in front of your nose?

If you want to know what I think, I think we often see things in different ways.

Thoughtful times causes the past to look so precious, stretched out way behind our lovely selves.

Tough times can block our view of God’s faithfulness in the past, causing us to see only our frustrated present.

When you’re feeling great, the family is peaceful, and all your ducks are in a row, it’s easy to view your life from above: a casual observer of the wonderful space of time you currently sit.

Times of stress can cause our walls to almost cave inwards; as if life around us is defined as a literal wall.

Wall of what? Well, stuff, stress, noise, to do’s, or pure anxiety.

I’ve been stressed lately. Why? Well, life has plopped many large problems directly in my path. And I’ve grown weary of walking all the way around them. Or trying to move them.

But God reminded me today of something: when we are weak, He is strong.

When we are weak, when we have come to the absolute end of our everything, God will pour Himself into us again and again.

When we are done, He is not. In fact God is just getting started.

So if you are at the end, get excited, because God is ready to take over! If you’ll let Him, that is.

I know, we need to daily rely on His strength. And I do. You do. But I’m talking about more stress than normal. Like several big things all at once.

When that happens, it’s easy to become just plain tired. We keep going with God’s help, but our mind doesn’t completely give everything over to God. We don’t because there is just so much. We give God some, but apparantly not all.

Ever happened to you? Well, that was me. And now it’s not.

As I was praying, God showed me His strength over mine. And now I’ll show you.

Picture yourself sitting by a giant wall of water. It can be the ocean if you want.

As you reach up your hand, God grasps it, pulling you up.

He looks at you and waits for your words, “Ready.”

Together, you take a step. A giant step. As you step together, the water parts. Boom!

You take another step together and the water parts even more. As we step, I hear a loud Boom.

Before you know it, you’ve walked together a ways, all on dry land. Just like the Israelites.

Your problems and messes are next to you, but God has walked you through.

With His strength. With His peace. With even His joy.

Join me and keep your hand in His as you purposely place your problems, your joys, and your just right moments with God. He’s not going anywhere. But it’s your choice to go with Him. Or not.

Photos by Matt Hardy and  hangjia xu on Unsplash

Ever Lovin’ Minds

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. 1 Peter 1:14-15

What is this world coming to?

Just look around and you’ll notice.

Parents deferring to screaming toddlers, bribing them to stop.

Grown adults holding fake animals as if they were real.

Students turning to AI so their homework is done in an instant.

Many choosing to believe social media rumors over actual facts.

Whole families bent over individual devices while going out to dinner.

I could go on and on. Deeper and deeper into real identity confusion.

While the world’s problems seem to scream in our faces, pause to see past it all.

What’s behind family division? Student cheating? Stroking your ego instead of peace?

The absence of God.

When God is absent, something else is in charge.

Your flesh. You. Your desires before all else.

As our mind begins to focus instead on self, we lose it. We lose our ever loving minds.

How? Slowly. Once we drink the desires of our flesh, whatever drug that may be, the positive reaction encourages the next sip. The next fix. The next lie.

And before you know it, we’ve gone down the road: hook, line, and sinker.

Look inward long enough, and you won’t recognize yourself when you finally begin to look outward.

Look down at your own feet long enough, and you won’t recognize the path you walk when you finally look up.

God must remain our focus.

God must remain our King.

God must remain our all in all.

Take stock today of your heart. Are you all His? Where have you replaced God, placing yourself first instead?

Where have you sought the pleasures of self before your submission to God?

Repent, confess, and point your compass back to God.

As you purpose to follow His will for each day, your mind will be renewed through His strength, peace, and love.

Let’s keep our ever lovin’ minds focused on God and God alone.

When you do, others will notice your freedom and peace amidst a world where God is not.

Photos by Aleksandr LedogorovHelena CookJametlene Reskp, & Katy McCray on Unsplash

Nothing New Under the Sun

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

When Solomon declares this, I find encouragement.

My problems are not new.

My multitude of traumatic events are not new.

Masks will come and go.

Death and life will arrive and cease.

Full of themselves teenagers will grow and leave.

The school year will begin and end.

The burnt dinner smell will even leave.

Thankfully.

It’s what we do in the middle that counts.

In the middle of the storm.

In the midst of heartache.

How do you cope?

What fills you back up?

The world offers many options, which all pale in comparison to Jesus.

Jesus fills you with His peace while waiting for the storm to end.

Jesus wipes away your tears as you cry again for a child.

And He protects you when you are battling a mighty storm.

Because Jesus is stronger.

Mighter.

He is Almighty God.

Allow Him to help you.

Allow Him to guide you.

And allow Him to show you your next step forward.

Because to Jesus, there is absolutely nothing new under the sun.

Photos by Bonnie Kittle,  Aaron Burden, & Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

Today’s Choice

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Oh Jesus,

I’m so sorry.

But I’m super mad.

Really mad.

Is that alright to be mad at you?

You are like my Father, and I’ve been known to get mad at him (sorry, dad!), so I suppose, yes, I can be mad at You, too.

I feel strange writing that.

Like I’ll upset You if I’m mad at You.

I mean, who am I compared to You?

But I know You want us to be real.

To be honest.

And right now, my super honest attitude is angry.

Why, You ask politely, even though You know every reason why?

Well, because I want my way.

I want a life of firsts, not to be part of a solution to healing.

I want our children to all be one big happy family, an original family.

I want my life to be normal.

Not a solution.

I see friends whose kids are theirs and their husbands only.

Both my husband’s and my parents have been married over 50 years.

To the same person.

I want that.

Now we need to both live into our 90’s for our 50th.

Please?!!!

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I want at least 1 of the babies taken from us.

Miscarriage is just plain stupid.

Why allow pregnancy only to take it away?

I know it would be work, yes, I’m fully aware of that.

But I like to look at the bright side.

Except when I’m mad.

Like now.

And another thing.

I don’t want healing, because that means something is not normal.

I just want normal.

A normal family, with normal kid issues, and lots of memories built together under our roof.

So, that’s why I’m mad.

I’m mad because my husband and I don’t have the same children and haven’t been married already 25 years.

I wish that was the case.

I almost feel stupid admitting I’m mad at You.

Who am I anyway?

Of the hundreds of billions You have created, I am merely one.

And how dare I become mad at You, merely because I don’t have what I think is the way my life should go?

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You know best.

You allowed sin and people to have choices.

Your grace completely covers our entire family.

I know we live in a broken world, and my precious family is a light to that world.

A promise of God’s help.

An example of His goodness when all looks bleak.

A role model of Your healing balm.

Thank you so very much for all You have done for me and my dear husband.

Little ‘ole us.

The children all famously get along.

Our relationships between parents and kiddos really couldn’t be better.

You have been simply amazing to both my husband and myself.

We are thankful every day for the other.

And I love You for that.

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Nothing surprises You.

You hold our lives in Your capable hands.

Can I just get a little explanation sometime?

Words of wisdom to my heart?

Wait.

Hold on.

Oh, I see.

I was complaining about being a solution to healing instead of an original family.

But…

YOU were a solution to healing.

You were THE solution to healing for our broken world.

So I suppose it’s alright to be a solution to healing in my family.

After all, that’s what You were.

And are.

You’re asking me to identify with who You are.

I love that.

Well, in that case, alright.

I can identify with You as a solution to healing.

Putting everything in that light helps my perspective.

Makes me almost grateful.

Thank you for that.

Thank you for listening.

I trust You.

Love, Amy

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Photos by eberhard grossgasteiger on Unsplash