-
Here’s My Heart
I’ve always loved the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Maybe because I see all too often my own wandering heart despite my desire to have it bound to Christ. However, only recently have I really come to appreciate the deep theology tucked within the lyrics penned by Robert Robinson (1735-1790). Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love. 2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come;…
-
I Am An Army Wife | Wrestling with Fear & Faith
Our military experience may be different than most – we don’t live on a base, Hawk has a full time civilian career and we don’t get stationed in new places. I wouldn’t begin to relate or speak on the level of one who picks up her family and moves often for the sake of her husband’s duty to our great nation. Our story looks a little different – but I am an Army wife. I may not live on a base or have much connection with other military spouses or familiarity with the “norm” of military culture, but there is something to be said about developing a connection with other…
-
The Jabez Journey: Part III | His Fingerprints
“Lord, bless me indeed. Do something so big in my life, that it is obviously from you. Lord, increase my influence and opportunities for you. Please give me the awareness of Your continual presence and direction. Protect me and keep me from Satan’s traps. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” – The Jabez Prayer based on 1 Chronicles 4:10 – Reflections Days 8-15 “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in Truth.” – Psalm 145:18 I’m overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed by His goodness. He meets you right where you are. He doesn’t say “Get better first.” He doesn’t ignore. He sees exactly where you…
-
The Jabez Journey: Part II | Word For 2016
“Lord, bless me indeed. Do something so big in my life, that it is obviously from you. Lord, increase my influence and opportunities for you. Please give me the awareness of Your continual presence and direction. Protect me and keep me from Satan’s traps. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” – The Jabez Prayer based on 1 Chronicles 4:10 – Reflections Days 4-7 Part of the Jabez prayer experience is fasting one meal each week. It’s forsaking earthly food, an earthy need, for spiritual food and an even greater spiritual need. It was during this first meal of fasting that a word for 2016 imprinted itself on my heart. It’s a common practice…
-
The Jabez Journey: Part 1 | The Greatest Obsession
“Lord, bless me indeed. Do something so big in my life, that it is obviously from you. Lord, increase my influence and opportunities for you. Please give me the awareness of Your continual presence and direction. Protect me and keep me from Satan’s traps. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” – The Jabez Prayer based on 1 Chronicles 4:10 – Reflections Days 1-3 I’ve heard miracle stories about this prayer. I felt a longing in my heart to commit to our pastor’s challenge to pray the Prayer of Jabez for 30 days, but excuses soon filled my mind. This isn’t a miracle prayer with automatically granted answers. It’s a prayer of posturing yourself before…
-
The Letters
When I was 13, I wrote the first letter to my future husband. I had no idea who he was or when I would meet him, but I had the desire to write to him anyway. Even without a name, only addressed to “Dear Future Husband,” on double-spaced lined school paper, I wrote. Right before my 15th birthday, I wrote the second letter to him. I promised in that letter that I would wait for him. I wrote that I had made a promise to God and myself that I would keep my mind, body, and soul pure for him. In my 16th year, I wrote six letters. As my…
-
The façade & the letting go
You don’t find many instances of vulnerability on social media. You do find a lot of perfectly posed and heavily edited selfies. You find the highlights of life. You don’t find very many low-lights. Very many valley moments. Very many reality glimpses behind the photos like that ugly thing said to the husband or the gossiping tongues of comparison. Very many “this is me and I’m a mess” moments. We wear masks. We people please. We gratify pride and the ego grows. And we become so very unhappy. The masks carry beyond social media though – into “I’m good” lies and the many we put in place to keep people from…
-
Just Jesus.
Today 18 years ago my life changed. 18 years ago today was the day Jesus engraved my name on the palm of His hand. These past 18 years chronicle my journey with Jesus. As I grew older, I grew up in Him. When my 7 year old self approached the Heavens and asked Jesus to be my King, it didn’t mean I wouldn’t have struggles or that I wouldn’t falter spiritually. However, at that moment, my life changed. I wouldn’t want to think of the things I could’ve done and would’ve done in these past 18 years if it wasn’t for that moment approaching His Throne. It would grieve me if someone were to…
-
A Passion Most Pure
This blog has morphed in the past couple of years. I originally started this little piece of the blogosphere as a coping mechanism for Hawk’s deployment. It gave me a goal, something to do to help chronicle the passing days and months. After Hawk returned home these pages became quiet. I entered the busy season of wedding planning and learning how to be a wife. Months passed without a single new post. Now that Hawk was home, I wasn’t sure what to write about – I wasn’t sure what purpose these pages had anymore. In the sixth grade I fell in love with the written word. I loved how I…
-
“She Has Chosen What is Better”
Love is the most powerful motivator in the world. It spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest and bravest acts are done for love. – Rick Riordan A couple of weeks ago I was driving on the way to church and happened to look in my rear view mirror. Suddenly, I had an overwhelming sense of deja vu, my mind replaying a hurtful situation. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was the Enemy. Playing games with my mind. He took that split second of opportunity to stir up a pot of raw emotions. As I focused once again on the road in front of me I felt the Lord vie for my attention. A…
-
The Journal of Two Love Stories
“Journal writing is a voyage to the interior” -Christina Baldwin “These handwritten words in the pages of my journal confirm that from an early age I have experienced each encounter in my life twice; once in the world, and once again on the pages” – Terry Tempest Williams “The nicest part is being able to write down all my thoughts and feelings; otherwise I might suffocate” -Anne Frank I’m coming down to the last few pages of my current journal. The journal that Hawk handmade me for my 22nd birthday. The journal he expressed his love to me in by sewing the pages together and gluing them into the spine…
-
A Rendered Heart
Every now and then a theme of a particular Truth appears, and reappears, and reappears again in different ways and in different avenues. In this particular case, the Truth was loving God wholeheartedly – the avenues, a Bible study, a book by a completely different author, and a sermon by the pastor of my church. Nothing is coincidence and nothing is left up to chance – so let’s just identify what, or rather who, the Avenue of Truth really is. The Avenue of Truth is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our Holy Reminder that we desperately need God. And He aligns certain messages to speak to us in…
