Wednesday, March 30, 2016

I am a planner. I like to know what is happening next and when it is happening. Insert 3 kiddos and you can guess that I don't always have my planning needs met. 

I didn't plan on having to sweep up a box of cheerios right after I had mopped the floor. 

I didn't plan on someone desperately needing to use the bathroom after I had just put the car in reverse to head to the store (come on Nate, I told you to go before you buckled up;)

These unexpected things that pop up in my life can stress me out to the max. I wish I could say that each time they happen,  I gracefully and patiently respond and readjust. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't.

I am an imperfect human being who is not constant. Unexpected things throw me off, steal my joy, and inconvenience me to the point of utter annoyance.

But you know what? We serve a God who is not thrown off by the unexpected. We serve a God who knows the plans that He has for us, and He is never surprised. He is constant. I don't know about you, but this is a truth that I need to heavily rely on.

There are decisions, diagnosis', and detours (to name a few) that come up in our lives that we were not planning on. They throw us off track and threaten our sense of normalcy. We have to recover, re-coup and then inevitably ask the looming question..."what now?"

When life takes an unexpected turn, here is something we need to remember. We are not walking on our own. We are securely nestled between our Heavenly Daddy's shoulders. It's the ultimate piggyback ride experience.  It's His job and His joy to navigate the path that He has marked out for us. He knows it well. 

We just have to allow ourselves to let go of our plans, our expectations, and give in fully to trusting the One who is always faithful, always good, and always right on time. Not always as easy as it sounds, but always worth it. 

So dear friend, whatever it is that has happened that is unplanned or unexpected, know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He has you, and He is not surprised. He is already working it out for your good, and the best is yet to come...

Deuteronomy 33:12
“May the beloved of the Lord dwell in safety by Him;
He shields and covers him all the day long,
And he dwells between His shoulders.”

1 Peter 5:7
"Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] 
on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]."













Saturday, March 12, 2016

Before You.

The other day, at Nate's parents house, Caven needed to get downstairs. Since his little brother is not quite stair climbing qualified, there was a baby gate blocking the top of the stairs. I didn't feel like taking the gate down so I stood behind Caven and was going to lift him up over the gate.

He FREAKED out.

I quickly problem solved and went over the gate first, stood on the top stair, and then lifted him over. He looked up at me and said, "Oh, now I understand, that was much better Mommy." His little self thought that I was going to just toss him over the gate and leave him on the other side of the stairs all by himself. Alone. Scared.

That moment when Caven looked at me as I was holding him tight on the other side of the gate, my Heavenly Father spoke straight to my heart.

He reminded me that He is the God that goes before us. We do not have to be afraid of moving through uncertain circumstances, because He is already there. He has already made a way where there seemes to be no way.

My prayer for you this beautiful morning, is that you hang on tight to Him as He lifts you up and out of your circumstance and places you on solid ground. Trust in Him, because He is the God who will never lead you down a path that isn't good, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

Having faith and trust can be overwhelming at times, but instead of being overwhelmed with fear, let yourself be overwhelmed by His love for you and His protection over you!

Psalm 91:9-16
"If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
No plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will trample upon lions and Cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."

Psalm 125:1
"Thos who trust in and rely on the Lord (with confident expectation). Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but remains forever."

Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Psalm 40:2
"He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path."

This song is amazing and I hope it encourages you today!