Job grieved...THEN thanked God.

I was reading a blog post of Ann Voskamp's about "How The Brave Deal With Losses." She mentioned Job & how much he lost...yet the first words from his mouth were thanksgiving to the Lord. This man finds out within minutes that he's lost EVERYTHING...livestock, kids, etc. Yet thanks God a moment after. Wow! God even states through His word that Job never sinned even with the words he spoke. Holy cow! Honestly, I'm only up to chapter 3 as I'm trying to sink in everything God is showing me through Job's life & how it can relate to my life in all the broken pieces right now.

What do you do when life seems too much? What do you do when you feel weary & seems you can't make it the next step let alone the next few hours before blessed bedtime?? What do you do when you feel there is no hope anymore...that things won't get better & it's time to give it up? How do you handle those moments where you can say, "It's been one thing after another lately!"??

I'm in that moment now. I've heard myself saying that very thing a few different times. I feel like that weary soldier...afraid to take off the armor & rest b/c "they might come back" or "I need to stay suited up" or "It's not ok for me to not handle everything & be almost perfect at it." :( Not easy to be real, but that's the hard truth. There is a lot of brokenness right now in my life...& I'm now learning by God's grace that that's ok. :)

You see, God wants you to hand Him all those broken pieces & say "Here...I trust You to make it all beautiful again because I can't. I don't know what to do...but You do so it's Yours." It's in that moment He can then mend brokenness so to shine Jesus through the cracks. ;) When I think I can keep it whole & I can work it out right, I end up blocking the light of Jesus for others to see...they can't see Him b/c I'm in the way. That's not the purpose of this life, right? I mean, we do have a role in this show...we do have to do our part, but that's just it. It's a part...not the whole play. I do my part & then let God do the rest.

Job did that. He did what he was to do in those moments...he was to the point of so much brokenness that all he could do was grieve & then thank God. Thank God for the time he did have with the kids & the stuff, but also reminded himself that God knows what He's doing. "The Lord gives & the Lord takes away." Notice he didn't stay in the pit...he didn't grieve forever. WHILE he was grieving, he thanked God for Who He is. Doing this got him through some great grief. Doing this kept him focused on The One in control of all things (read those first couple chapters where satan had to get permission from God...it's great!). Doing this kept him reminded that even though God allowed this great sadness & loss that He could very well give again.

How can you thank God today for the troubled seas? What is one good thing coming out of this dark valley that I can think on & find new everyday? How much more will our faith have grown as we come out of these darker days? Will you read Job with me & tell me your thoughts...your heart...your ah-ha moments as God shows you how much He wants to love you, especially through the really really tough stuff?? Praying this has encouraged you to continue the fight...even when it's as simple an act as being thankful for God knowing...God caring...God being willing...God being able. ;)

What's NEW?!

It's time to get back at this & be persistent with posting. I've had so much going on & so much learning taught by none other than God Himself. If I included it all in this post, it'd be HUGE! I've had moments of faith-building, moments of faith-walking, moments of rest, moments of letting God fight for me due to no ability left to fight myself, moments of loving others as Jesus does, moments of tears beyond measure, moments of tender love & filling from the Holy Spirit, & moments of release of anger & bitterness. It's been awesome...even amidst the struggles! :)

I'd love to take you back through each moment as I'm sure you've felt very similar when faced with situations that are so much bigger than you, but that's not where God has led me for this post. You see, I'm in a season of focusing on & celebrating the NEW God is doing rather than dwelling on the past things that won't be the same again. Sounds like a Bible verse, right? Because it is! :)

Isaiah 43:18-19

But forget all that -- it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

I find it neat how God uses His Word to bless me in different seasons of my life. For the first part of this craziness, He kept reminding me of Galatians 6:9...don't grow weary as change is coming in due time. Ugh, do you know how bad you wanna hate a verse when everything crazy is going on?! haha But God was just with me through it all & knew I needed His words of comfort & promise. :) So, for this season it's been interesting. I think through a lot of my life, I dwelled on the past & how it wasn't the same anymore, etc. I'd say I'd forgive, but then hold you to the fire every time I saw a fault...bringing up the "you remember that time" moments. :/ Ugly, but true. God doesn't want me or you to live like that. He wants us to live life to the fullest! How can I do that if I'm constantly looking in my rear view while trying to drive forward?! The present is what should be clearest...not the past while the present is blurry!

So, my encouragement to you (along with myself) is to ask yourself today: What's NEW today? Look for even the smallest detail that God is doing. Look through the eyes of your kids (or relatives kids if you aren't a parent yet)...have the excitement that can't be contained! Be like my Isabelle...when she gets excited, she grabs her nose & mouth & the feeling takes her over! We tell her "Let it out!" :)

Be full of what God is doing NEW! It will overflow to the point that others will come to you asking what the deal is! :) Cause others to ask you, "Did you take your happy pill or somethin' this morning?!" ;)

From the graVe to graCe

I'm just starting the #LivingSoThat online Bible study with my sweet sister friends & Proverbs31. I had to share this as it was a huge ah-ha moment for me & many others. How awesome that THE God I serve willingly can speak to us even amidst a one-letter typo!

Stacy (a Proverbs31 OBS Team Member) posted about how she was texting about grace & what the author, Wendy Blight, describes. When she typed grace, she typed "graVe" as the V is right next to the C. In that instant, God spoke to her heart about how Jesus takes us from the graVe to graCe. The "v" points down...just as a grave is in the ground...this is where we were all at. God says, "You see that...that V right there. It is burial...it's death. It's where all are before accepting Jesus. I'll give Christ (notice the C) & He'll cover you. He's covering you...above you, below you, already beaten death so you don't have to go there."

Wahoo! Is that not awesome?! She drew this out on her video & I made my own so to have a daily reminder of what grace truly means. :)

You'll never look at grace the same! ;)

Joy is... Prayer for the moment... Thankful for...

This was an activity in the #MadeToCrave Action Plan online Bible study. The purpose of it is to focus your mind on what God is doing & how you can stay in His will by being joyful, prayerful, & thankful. It's based on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. How does the activity work, you ask? Well, let me tell you! :)

• You can use regular notebook paper, printer paper, or have a journal specifically for this activity.
• Set an alarm on your phone/computer/tablet/whatever that will go off every hour, 2 hours, however many times daily you want to do this. My alarm on my phone is titled "Joy/Prayer/Thanks" so I know what I'm to do when it goes off. :)
• When the alarm goes off & if possible, stop what you're doing for a moment & think about these 3 things... What is joy to me?  What can I pray for right now that I need right in this moment?  What am I thankful for right now?
• Write these down with the time of the day.
• At the end of the day, go over all you've focused on all day. :)

This has really helped me stay focused on God & what He's doing in my life rather than focusing on the junk/negative that can cause me to drown. I pray you find encouragement & God-strength as you embark on this journey. :)

Verse Mapping (Heather Bleier)

In going through the Proverbs31 Online Bible Study, I learned of Verse Mapping. Basically, you ask God to lead you to a verse to study throughout the day/week/month/however long God keeps that verse in your mind & heart. Write it out on an index card. Read the verse, aloud if needed, & pay attention to each word/phrase that stands out to you. Circle/underline/star/highlight those word(s)/phrases. You then write the thoughts that come about that particular word. I include some of the definition(s) for the word as well. Once you've dug into all those words/phrases, write a simple prayer or thoughts to God on the back of the card.

Having done this for now 4 verses, it has caused me to get deeper than face value with God's Word. I ask more questions in how each verse relates to me or what God is trying to show me through focusing on that verse. :) AND, it helps with memorizing Scripture so to withstand the fiery darts from my enemy.

Here is an example from the last verse I just finished mapping out. This is actually the verse of the week for our Made To Crave Action Plan study. :) You want to know God's will for your life? Read & study in the depths this verse...

Front of index card -- Verse

Back of index card -- Prayer

March Of Dimes walk is less than a month away! :)

If you or anyone you know has had a premature baby, March of Dimes was there to help. I'm walking in support of my baby cousin Amelia & raising $ to help March of Dimes improve the health of babies like Amelia by preventing birth defects, premature birth, & infant mortality. Please donate $ and/or walk with me on my team (if you're local). :)

Click HERE to see my team page & donate/register to walk. Thank you so much!!

**Baby Amelia & me. This was taken within a couple months ago. She was born at just over a pound & barely 12" long (the size of a standard ruler!). She is now almost 20 pounds at 10 months old.**

Romans 8v28

Anything I face, good or bad, God is working out to the good for me as I love Him & am called according to His purpose. :) Wahoo! :)