Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process

Why do we feel defensive?  Rejected?  Insecure?  Alone?  These are normal human emotions that bubble up when the Spirit of God is not reigning in our hearts.  There is an easy solution.  I say easy, but we make it so hard.  If we could just let go of trying desperately to be accepted, like an orphan does, and instead live like the child of God THAT WE ARE, we would be calm!  I watched my sweet adopted nephew try to be loved and in the process push away love...wounded and confused by what he thought was love, and gently folded into to a family of true love.  This true love was healing and his true self, the one God calls out of us, is becoming healthy and filled with the love of God.  We do the same thing.  And it takes time...God gives us time.  We push, we pull, we run toward, then away, we hold on tight, and often we completely build a wall.  But God tears down walls!  Amen?! We are all orphans without Go...

Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process: Here's My Heart, thankful for mercy tried and true... : Five and a half years ago while recovering from surgery, I spent a lot of time in my favorite book, Isaiah.  I thought one day I might publ...

Five and a half years ago while recovering from surgery, I spent a lot of time in my favorite book, Isaiah.  I thought one day I might publish my story.  I saved countless entries, and now I look back and see them as stone's of remembrance for me, to celebrate His work that continues in my heart.  I  read some journal entries this morning from 2010, and God blessed me.  So if you're an Isaiah fan, you might be encouraged here.  I am not a theologian, so I just read and pray and write. There are several posts listed by date.  His Word says " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. "(John 10:27 ESV). Keep or toss. :)   ·        2/22/10      I'm reading Isaiah everyday, my favorite book.  This section is so good about trusting God, not people.  We can love people without fear because He is the one holding us.  ("perfect love casts out fear 1 John 4:18)  ...

Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process: What are we celebrating? : There is an overwhelming amount of bad news in the media, and there are countless families suffering from illness, poverty, dysfunction, nee...

There is an overwhelming amount of bad news in the media, and there are countless families suffering from illness, poverty, dysfunction, needing Jesus.  It's easy to see all the negative, but God calls us to praise and to celebrate, even when we don't feel it. God has laid it on my heart this spring to enter His courts with thanksgiving and His gates with Praise.  Psalm 100:4  I've had seasons when praise has been my mode, but sometimes I forget.  I write this quick note today because I was reminded again of the importance of celebration as I was reading Esther. Let me back up a quick second, our family has long had a tradition of putting stones in a glass candle holder to mark the big God things we see happening.  We based in on Joshua 4:20-24, "And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israe...

Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process: Grace Unmeasurable : She's off to Honduras and it's wonderfully peaceful in my soul.  Late last night the four of us Asmi we're outside at the Centre...

She's off to Honduras and it's wonderfully peaceful in my soul.  Late last night the four of us Asmi we're outside at the Centre basketball courts, celebrating "togetherness" instead of sleep.  Celebrating our boy released to start basketball workouts!  2 ACL's later for him, and the eve of the 5th Honduras trip for her.  What has bubbled to the top in our family? Time, togetherness, God leading, providing, sending...this mama bear sat at the side of the court and just soaked in the scene!  Thank you Jesus for grace with thanksgiving.  You are everything and all we need!  Your hand weaves us together and sends us apart.  But because it's You God, it's beautiful.  The only hard part is the 1st picture, I can't wait to hear her play and sing again!  But I'm happy to share her where they need singing.  Let's all share Jesus wherever we are.

Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process: The pit in my stomach... : So, yeah, I posted what I experience and believe about grace yesterday. Nothing has changed, except for the pit in my stomach. So many sto...

So, yeah, I posted what I experience and believe about grace yesterday. Nothing has changed, except for the pit in my stomach. So many stones of faith in our faith jar reminding me of truth, God is faithful. "He Who calls is faithful, He also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24. I always get this pit in my stomach as the threshold of change gets close. At a distance it feels OK! But then I have to walk it out and truly press through the "letting go." After her plane leaves, the grace comes. But I'm believing for the grace between today and Tuesday. I wouldn't want "easy" outside of God's will. I will always cling to Him for "hard" in His will. We all have long lists of people we love and pray for. Always remembering to pray "outside" that list...the Body of Christ at large, the lost, the persecuted...life is about so much more than we see. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unse...

Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process: Holding things loosely... : Why is my mind on this today?  Probably because Kristen leaves next week for Honduras AGAIN.  Josh started a full time job this summer and h...

Why is my mind on this today?  Probably because Kristen leaves next week for Honduras AGAIN.  Josh started a full time job this summer and his senior year of high school is just around the corner.  The "grace to let go" has been growing in my heart year after year.  Doesn't mean I like the change, but I love His supernatural peace!  It's obvious when He is at work in this way in my heart, because, for the record, I don't like change - at all! This year one of those things you think will only happen to someone else, happened.  Someone stole our identity and filed taxes with it! It has locked up our return and a lot of time!  But, we have watched God work way outside the box to move in our family.  That tax return was meant to pay for part of Steve and Josh's trip to Honduras this summer.  That same grace to let go and trust gently fell into place in my heart.  It's not something you can explain, it's just there, REALLY THERE! It's not...

Rag tag, that's me!  The longer I know Jesus, the more lovely and freeing that term is to me!  I am a self proclaimed nerd when it comes to fashion.  To me a great summer wardrobe is 7 v-neck t-shirts in 7 different colors and one or two solid capris and a pair of flip flops!  Also, I'm not much of a gourmet chef when it comes to cooking.  I could eat the same thing every day for the rest of my life and be happy!  Recipes take vision and desire for cooking, which I lack!  And decorating?!  While others love to get on Pinterest and "change-up" their home decor, I am just happy for a fresh coat of pain in a slightly different shade!  I married and educator and I really don't enjoy reading books!  In fact, we took one college class together when we were engaged, an easy one, and he made two letter grades higher than me.  I was so embarrassed!  I run slow, I don't have a green thumb, in fact I'll be lucky to keep alive the one toma...