Shine in 2013

    Psalm 16:5-11
"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who councils me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal life at your right hand."

  Psalm 17:6-8
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings"

    When I was in the hospital 5 years ago, praying desperately for the life of my daughter, I read and reread this passage over and over again. My faith in Jesus, the creator and Savior of this world, was all that I had to hold onto as I waited hour after hour for what seemed like an eternity for some hope, some news, any news. The season of uncertainty with her health and life lasted two years. To me those two years of worry, fret and fear seemed like a lifetime. In that season I leaned so heavily on my relationship with God and my faith in Him that it came to me as easily and naturally as my next breath.  I was so solid, so unshakable. As different seasons came and went so did the closeness. In my time of desperate need, God came through for me, not once, but twice he miraculously healed my sweet little girl. I may have seasons where I do not feel the closeness; but because that experience, I have always known my place and always remained completely dependent upon Him, through every season. He has faithfully kept me as the apple of His eye; safe, secure, protected.

   There is a season for all things. Since those days in the hospital with Lils, He has graciously allowed me to experience different seasons and faithfully walked with me through each one - Joy filled mountain tops, wandering in the wilderness, valley's where I watched unhealthy branches be pruned away and a season of new life and growth beautifully springing up and blooming into beautiful character. This has grown me up and taught me of His goodness and grace, love and forgiveness . In light of His unwavering, unconditional love, I have seen my humanity in a truer clearer form; my shortcomings, failures and lack of faithfulness to the ever faithful One. Through the many seasons one thing has remained - my need of a Savior.

   As I step into this new year, whatever seasons it has in store for me, my desire is to be firmly rooted, unshakable and unwavering in my faith. I want to be an exceptional wife, nurturing mother and devoted friend. There is too much crazy in the world, too much uncertainty and too much evil. I choose to live in a way that rests securely in God, His promises, His council, His boundary lines and filled with joy in His presence. That is the world my kids are going to know, despite the darkness around us. We will be the light.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-6 "  

Happy New Year from the Libby's!!! 

May your light shine brighter then ever in 2013 
and may you live this year completely dependent on Jesus 
- the way, truth and life.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

     What a year it has been. I feel like this year has been a roller coaster for me, a lot of ups and downs. Thankfully, I have come out of it a little wiser, stronger and so thankful for the work God has graciously done in my life. I know He still has plenty of chiseling to do, but I will take a moment to bask in the glory of the victories and all the work that He has accomplished in me thus far!

    This Christmas has been different for me than most. I have been far less stressed (for the most part) and exceedingly more thankful for all that the Lord has given me. My life is so rich and full of all the things that truly matter. Despite all the hustle and bustle around me, I am content, I am grateful and I am soaking up the moments I have with the people in my life who matter the most. I feel so blessed by my husband and beautiful children, my family, and my sweet friends. But what has blessed me the most this year is how God has anchored my heart through the storms we faced. I have never felt more grounded, more rooted or more secure than I do now. I have come out of this year with a greater and deeper knowledge of Christ and His Word. I know life's waves will still keep coming, but my heart is anchored like never before and that gives me hope for whatever may come, and a desire to worship through it all. I could not be more grateful.

     This year has made me all the more grateful that God sent His perfect and holy son into this dark world to shine light into the darkness, to save and rescue us from sin and death and to give us hope that only He could deliver. As I look at my babies, I know I would not have the courage to do the same. I do everything in my power to shield them from the darkness, but Jesus was willingly born into it. He was raised by sinners, lived among the broken, experienced life in this fallen world and was hung on a cross, separated from the Father and experienced pain that we only experience a hint of as he bore all our sin and shame so that we could be saved. That is love in it's truest and deepest form and all for you and me. The light of the world came into the darkness, died for us all and then rose from the dead...the light is greater than all the darkness, more powerful then death and continues to shine... What a precious gift born - Jesus the light.

         His light shines today in you and in me, it is still changing this world, just as it did when Jesus was born. The world seems so dark, but in the darkness His light shines brighter, His love reaches deeper and He continues to bring hope to our world. It is the contrast between the light and the dark that has given me such a strong desire to pursue His light, His love and HIM. So, that makes this a very Merry Christmas for me.

        May Jesus bring His light, love and hope into your world this Christmas and always.

 Merry Christmas from the Libby's

Beauty and True Love

      This week I have been overcome by the stark difference between how the world defines love and God's love. There has been a huge disconnect somewhere along the lines....what women in our society think true love is - is absolutely heart breaking. If only they truly knew God's love, their expectations would be higher, their motives would be purer, their self esteem would be greater and their confidence in something sweeter and much more beautiful then their appearance, apparel and others opinions...it could rest secure in God's love.

      Not only is our view of love skewed. Our view of true beauty has also been immensely distorted. Women have become so consumed and wrapped up in their outward appearance, that in many cases it has taken priority to character, morality and inner beauty. Unfortunately, we will never be satisfied, content or at peace with who we are as women if we are not pleased with who we are at the core, who we are in the essence of our being.

      It is Satan's specialty to take something beautiful that God created...something beautiful that God IS... and slightly twist it, turn it a little on it's head and use it to make us feel inadequate, unworthy, unfulfilled, and longing for something intangible and skewed. It robs us of knowing God's love in its fullness, and keeps us from being able to appreciate the beauty God created in each of us.
 
      If you know me at all, you know that I love beauty and beautiful things. I love all things shiny and sparkly, I love fashion and make up and nail polish and frills....I love beauty. There is nothing wrong with that. It is how the Lord made me. I love to see the beauty in life and all that God made beautiful. There is nothing wrong with striving to have outer beauty....However, it is the icing on the cake...outer beauty is not the cake. Icing on a crappy cake is no delight. I truly desire to have an inner beauty that shines with the love, grace and compassion of Jesus. To cultivate and grow those things in my heart I always need to make sure that I am investing more in heart, mind and character than I am in anything else. I care most about being like Jesus. It's about the having the best cake, the frosting is just some extra goodness and freely delighting in what God has created.

    As I raise my three little girls, who also love all things girly and beautiful, I have made a point to teach them and train them up to value and strive for inner beauty, integrity and godly character. I always compliment them on the good they do, the wonderful things I see in them that look like Jesus, the good choices they make and the attitudes of the heart. I am trying my best to give them a solid foundation in the Lord and set them up for success as they are growing up in a world that puts immense amounts of pressure on young girls and women to be beautiful by the worlds standards...and I pray with my whole heart that each of my girls will know God's love in such a deep and powerful way that they will never be fooled, swayed or compromise what they know as truth and fullness in Christ for the empty, selfish and superficial love this world offers.

     The world has spoken loud and clear on the topics of love and beauty. It's everywhere, in magazines, in the media, movies, TV shows, books, celebrities, our public schools, peers....its hard to compete with the bombarding that is happening in our society! I have had the privilege of speaking with many young women 12 and up, women my age and older, about their struggles surrounding their desire for beauty and pursuit of love. These are just some of the beliefs that are being conveyed to us by our society...
   -Beauty and appearance is of utmost importance. Your goal- To look like the women in the magazine.
   -Your style, make up, how you dress and present yourself is what's gonna draw the men in.
   -You can do anything for love. Compromise your morality, cheat, give yourself away, it will all be fine and worth it when your love is returned. Then you will live happily ever after.
    -Sex = security
    -Sex is always passionate, and perfect. It should always be like it is in the movies or you haven't got it goin' on.
    -A mans true love will complete you
    -All you need is love.
    -Your personal happiness is far more important than commitment and working through the hard times.

   There are so many lies about love and beauty that have greatly affected women of all ages in our society. The statistics in the U.S. are daunting and greatly suggest that these lies we believe are extremely costly.

      - The Center of Disease Control has reported that by the age of twenty 3/4 of teens have had sex.
      - About 820,000 teenage girls become pregnant each year - Teen Pregnancy Statistics
      - Up to 24 million people suffer from an eating disorder in America - anad.org
      - $40 Billion is spent on diet products each year in America
      - $17 Billion is spent on make up annually by Americans
      -  Not to mention that depression and anxiety have touched the lives of over 12 million women in the U.S. according to Mental Health of America.

     The world is speaking and girls and women in America are listening and choosing to strive to live by the worlds standards and expectations. The saddest part of it all is that the more we seek to live by the standards of this world the more empty, lonely, undesirable and unfulfilled we feel. Because we can't measure up to an airbrushed standard that isn't even real. We need to train our hearts and minds to tune out the world, as loud as it may be, and to listen intently to the quiet, still, truer than true voice that is whispering "I love you unconditionally, no matter what you have done, no matter what you will do, I know your heart, your thoughts, I know you in your inner being and I LOVE YOU. I made you just the way you are - and you are a true beauty, made in my image, made in my likeness, BEAUTIFUL. Embrace your beauty, live in confidence, and let the love that shines from within be what others find most appealing, attractive and definitive of who you are. Your character is what matters, it is gonna be all that matters when your earthly beauty fades. Start investing in it now and shine for me."

    It is time to let God's truth, God's love for us, God's delight in us be the standard, be what we live by, and what we yearn for....Time to let God be enough. He is more than enough. He is all that we need as we seek approval, search for identity and long for love. He is the answer, the only answer that is enough, absolutely all we ever need. May Jesus in His goodness, perfection and grace free us from the lies that bind us. May He rescue us from the insecurities and unmet desires for love and acceptance that have held us captive. It's my prayer that our eyes and hearts can be opened so that we may deeply and truly see the love He has for us and the perfect beauty He sees in us.

     
   
     
 
     

Armor of God - Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and wit your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation  and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints."

   Growing up I was pretty tomboyish.  I liked to ride my bike, catch water snakes, tadpoles and lizards, dig ditches with my dad and gather the chicken eggs from the coop... I tried to ride our sheep a few times and I was never afraid to get dirty or muddy. But this tomboy was also very sensitive. I remember a neighborhood boy teased me once and my dad found me sitting on the curb, next to my bike with tears streaming down my face. My dad always had sweet words of advice and worked hard to teach me how to forgive mean neighborhood boys like Jesus did, and how to live more like a duck... to think of insults like water rolling off a ducks back. In high school my dad tried a new approach. He would listen carefully to me and then smack me in the forehead and say "Life's tough, wear a helmet!", we would both laugh and then we would discuss the best approach to whatever I was facing at the time. 
      The truth is, life IS tough! God's Word gives us some wisdom as well, wear a helmet! To keep fighting the good fight, day in and day out, our salvation needs to be in the forefront of our minds. We need to live life with eternal perspective. Our lives on this earth are short. When we take our last breath on this earth our bodies will begin the process of returning to dust. All that matters in that moment is our salvation.
      Our desperate need of salvation is woven through all of history. Since the moment Adam and Eve sinned, the entire human race has been in great need of redemption. Evil and sin run rampant in our world and our flesh is so prone to wander from our Maker, so easily blinded by the lies of the ever so cunning serpent. The Bible from beginning to end is a beautiful story of redemption. A story of salvation for those who look to Jesus Christ. Jesus, fully God, fully man, born of a virgin, died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin, so that we can have peace and relationship for eternity with a holy God. It isn't just woven through scripture, it's has been woven into our hearts - our complete make up as humans. I have encountered people who have never heard of Jesus, yet have spent their lives sacrificing chickens or even hurting themselves in hopes that it is enough to appease spirits or gods for the wrong they have done. We were built to worship and be in relationship with our Creator. Our hearts and souls yearn for the vacancy in our beings to be filled and the only way to fill that void, the only way to find peace with God is through Jesus. He is our salvation.
     Even when we know the truth, and are saved, our human flesh still desires to put self on the throne instead of bowing to our Maker. Without God's truth reigning in our lives our human desire will be to bow to self every time. It is sometimes a daily battle to live everyday with His eternal perspective, it's not about what I want for this moment. It's about living this moment for Him, in a way that will change me and change others forever. How I live, even in the small things makes a difference.  I am forever grateful for the gift of salvation and freedom in Christ. My love for my Savior ignites a passion in me to be who He has called me to be and to live how He has asked me to live. When my words and actions reflect my hope of salvation others can see what a difference Jesus has made in my life. When I live for myself, it is often lonely, meaningless and full of selfish desires to please myself. No  matter how much chocolate cake I eat, money I spend, time I waste...I still feel the emptiness of life with out Christ. When I am living for God, basking in the beauty and grace of His salvation, I am free, I can focus on loving others. That, my friend, has proven to be way more fulfilling than living to love myself.
        The helmet of salvation was intended for the believer. It can only be put on your head when you believe. The head is obviously a major target, and we can protect it with the hope we have in our salvation, the promise of eternal life with Christ. We desperately need a helmet, the rest of our armor would be pretty ineffective with out a head. We are of no use with out our heads on straight! Satan is constantly at work attacking our minds with thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and also the lie that we don't need a Savior and are enough on our own- pride. Our hope of salvation is what anchors our hearts and thoughts in the assurance and promise of eternal life through Christ. John MacArthur says "...although a Christians feelings about his salvation may be seriously damaged by Satan inspired doubt, his salvation itself is eternally protected and he need not fear its loss...Security is a fact, assurance is a feeling that comes to the obedient Christian."
      Live today inspired by the One who gave His life so that you could live. Live in the light, you have been rescued from the darkness. Live free from doubt or fear. He paid the price for your freedom, He SAVED you, do not live as though you are still bound. Live this short life, that you have been gifted, with as much gusto, love, grace and perseverance that your being can contain for the glory of God. You have been saved! And that sweet salvation gives you somethings amazing to live for...eternity.

   

She's goin' to the chapel...

 ...and she's gonna get married!!!!

Sacramento trip, at least there was cotton candy
 and AMEN ALL BY MYSELF. What's scone on?

 

   My sweet friend Mary is going to walk down the aisle in 18 days!!!! No one is more deserving of a happily ever after then this beauty! Celebrating this exiting time in her life with her has made me so thankful for her friendship, her love for my family and all that we have walked through together the last five years.

Harrison Hot Springs in CANADA.

 


 

 Mary has been an extraordinary fixture in our lives! David calls her our furniture, but in all truthfulness she is more like our family. She has never missed a single one of my kids birthdays, she knows them all just as well as I do and loves them almost as much. She has taken the day off work to come with us on their first day of school... gone on trips to Canada with us, taken Hope and I to get her first manicure... been here with us for all the milestones, all the best times in life and walked through the valleys as well. I have a million and three stories to share, memories stored and favorite times that include Missa Mary's sweet face. It is so fun that we all get to celebrate with her as she starts this new adventure in life! I swear Hope (her little mini me) is just as exited about her wedding as she is! :)

 

Libby/Mary cabin! Our Safeway treat run. Big Chill!!

       Mary,                                                                          
    It doesn't happen often in life that a friend makes such an impression on your heart...and on every person in your family too! We love you so much and are so thankful to have you in our lives. These pics are from just a few of my favorite memories with you and I am so exited for all the memories that are yet to come too!!!

  Here is a little something my kids want to say to you! LOVE YOU!

Ballerina Mary came to deliver Hope's B-day gift.

Dear Mary, I am so exited that I get to be a flower girl! I wanted to tell you that it was SO special to me when you took me to get my twinkle toes.  I like everything about you. I love that you sing "you've got a nice tush, you've got a nice face".  I like that you are really nice too. I love our story time at night when you come and tuck us in. And that's all. Love you, Hopey



Mary! Thank you I love you thank you i love you. Thank you for the shoes and for coming with me to my first day of school. I LOVE YOU! I like it when you wear flowers clips in your hair sometimes. I think you are funny and i like your nose and forehead. I am exited to be in your wedding!
From, Lily

Hey Mary! I think you are so thoughtful. I liked it when you took me to get candy for my candy shop. I hope my dad says bootylicious at your wedding! 'Cause you deserve it!!! I am always to embarrassed to tell you Eu te amo (that's I love you in portuguese). But, Eu te amo, Elijah

p.s. EU TE AMO

painting Sunny's nails, quite a risky task

       Lujshooo Grama. Boodeelishish. 
  That's my pillow pet. Love, Sunday                                                                                                        

                               
                                                                                 

Sunny's first Bday

    So, as you can clearly see, and I am sure you already knew. We all love you so much and love our lives with you being a big part of them! We are so exited for this next chapter in your life and want you to know... We are counting down the days with you! We are always here for you, and Chris too! We are praying for you as you two get ready to start your lives together and we always will pray for you. We love you so much! You are stuck with us forever.

Love, The Libbys

Our annual girl trip! Sunday's first one :)

My real 28th bday... I think... ha!

dinner out, lots of talking happened that night... ;) ha ha

   

The day the world of Salem met Chris. :)

 

girl time at the loft. Some of my favorite memories! :) LOVE YOU!

My sweet little mini me.

    My little baby Sunday is 2 now and I see a reflection of myself in her now more then ever. Not just in her dark eyes, dark hair and little round face... but also in her feisty little spirit, her determination, the constant teasing of her siblings, a fierce passion for fairness and justice,  and her sweet smiling face looking right at me while she disobeys... Sunday has an appreciation of all things girly - makeup, painted nails and anything frilly...but is also the first one to jump in a puddle, pick up the mud or touch the nasty frog. Yes, I was quite a little spitfire. Now that I am a mother I have for myself a double dose...and go figure, it would be my two little brunettes who would follow suit.

     Sunday has truly brought so much laughter and joy to our lives. A real sense of adventure. There certainly is never a dull moment. If she isn't climbing on my kitchen island, up the cabinets, on top of my couches or digging in the pantry for food, she is playing right along side the other kids whatever they are doing, she wants to do too. If they are too boring for her, she has her best bud Titus. We got him as a puppy right when Sunday first began to crawl and the two of them went everywhere together.

     I truly can't imagine our lives with out her. I thought we were done after our fiasco during Lily's delivery, but then God started stirring my heart to have a fourth child when Lils was about 2. I have always had a deep and strong desire to adopt. After much research, David and I began the process....all the hours of paperwork, deciding where we were going to adopt from, what age group etc...  then the Lord truly closed the door in about a million ways. I couldn't understand why and was very heart broken about it, but I knew in my heart that God was saying no and I needed to obey, despite my hearts desire. Throughout the process, David's desire to try again for one of our own had grown. And so here we are, with a sweet, fun, little beauty that has brought so much laughter and love to our family.

    We don't always get to know the reasons why God says no. But this time it became very clear to me. We faced some very difficult trials as a family later on that year. In the midst of it all, I just praised the Lord that He knew what our family would be enduring, He knew how much I could handle and how all consuming events that year would be. There is no way would have been able to carry on with the process of adoption while working through the trials we faced. He spared our hearts from complete brokenness and devastation.  David and I are both still very passionate about adoption. Who knows what the future holds for our family. But this I do know, His timing is perfect. Sunday will forever be a reminder of that to me. God is perfect and His timing is perfect. He always closes doors for a good reason. Now when a door closes, even if I don't ever see why, I will choose to trust God and thank Him for always knowing what is best for me in every season.

 It has been one of my favorite things to watch all my children grow into their personalities. Watching Sunday grow into a very enthusiastic, nurturing, determined, and loving little girl has been a blessing to our whole family. She has brought a lot of life and joy to everyone. She is a great little dancer, she cant help but move to the music any time it's playing. Sunday sings ALL day long. She is also quite the little talker and listening to her is hilarious. I always know how I sound throughout the day because she repeats everything I say, not in a mimicking kind of way, but she wants to drive the point home as if she is mama #2. She even sighs at the end of her sentence if I sigh....its good accountability for sure! :)

 I am so thankful for how the Lord has brought four very different and very wonderful children into our home. He made them bright and brilliant individuals, and in doing so He has also made up the Libby family just the way He intended it to be. We may be a whole lot of crazy... but His way is perfect.

This is my baby picture. Not hard to see the resemblance. 

Grandma Nightingale

  This morning my beloved Grandma Anne Nightingale took her last breath here in this world. God's word says that He holds all the days of our lives in His hands, every single day. Today the last day of her life lit up for a brief moment and joined all the other days of her past, which together will forever leave a beautiful legacy of a life well lived. The Lord had planned and orchestrated each day she would live and leave her mark for Him on this earth. And that she certainly did. Her life overflowed with a bright and beautiful love for Jesus. It was in her gentle soft voice, her affection, her endless giving of love and care to whoever the Lord placed in her path. She never cared for a second who a person was or where they came from. Her love was the same, always constant, always reliable, always full of affection and tender care. She was always so thoughtful, kind and truthful. And no matter who you were, I guarantee you, she was your biggest fan. She always spoke highly of everyone, encouraging their gifts and abilities and truly believed that the Lord had a good and great purposes for them even if no one else could see it.

   She was very stylish though decades of different fashions and hair styles. She was a beauty from the inside out. Grandma always remained composed, always had perfect posture and was extremely graceful and dignified. Oh how I wish I could be like her!!! Not only was she beautiful, she had a brilliant mind. She spoke German, Portuguese, Spanish and English all fluently and I know she knew some Russian too. She was a gentle spirit but also had strong opinions and a very clever wit. She knew God's word inside and out and was never ashamed or shy about sharing it with anyone. She was brave and courageous. She had 6 children and moved her family across the world to different countries as the Lord equipped and lead them. She was the most fashionable lady you would ever see in a jungle, with her classy beehive and hiking boots!

   I have a sweet bond with her as my parents named me after her...I then followed in her footsteps and also married a David. We both walked down the aisle at Yarrow MB Church to the men God brought into our lives for life...only several decades apart. She spent hours with me whenever I would visit, cooking with me, baking with me, showing me old family pictures, praying with me and sharing great priceless wisdom with me about parenting, marriage and ministry. The things she has taught me have been etched into my life, they have made a permanent mark. I make her stuffing every Thanksgiving, without fail. Every time I have a choice to make between ministry and family her sweet soft voice echoes in my mind reminding me of the ministry that I have been called to first and foremost. Every time I eat a Nanimo bar memories shared around her kitchen table fill my mind, all the laughter, tears, games and encouraging words....priceless. I learned so much from her and who she was to other people. God used her in such mighty ways all around the world.
 
    Her whole life she longed for this day, when she would see her Savior face to face. Everything she did, every place she went, every one she reached out to...it was all for Him. Her love for Jesus was evident in her life, in every word and deed. She had so much love, patience, gentleness, self control and selflessness....it was beautiful. To know that she is now in the presence of the One she lived her life for eases the pain of not having her here with me on this earth. She is exactly were her soul yearned to be. Her mind, now fully restored from the devastating effects of Alzheimers. Her body, now fit as a fiddle again. I guarantee you she has already run a lap or two around heaven. Even in her 70's she could run farther and faster then I ever could. She was just disciplined and amazing like that. To think of her being able to do all she loved to do again brings such joy to my heart. Also knowing that she has been reunited with her parents, sisters and granddaughter  worshiping at Jesus' feet fills my heart with so much joy. There is nowhere else she would rather be. She was made to worship her Maker and every ounce of her being reflected the desire of her heart, to bring God praise and glory.

     Her love for my kids was one of a kind. She always said that she thought children could sense what you were feeling in your heart towards them. I believe its true, at least with her. Since the time my kids were babies, they rested content in her arms. When her eyes filled with tears every time she told them goodbye, they would hold onto her and give her extra affection. Even though we could only visit her a few times a year, she kept her freezer full of treats for them. Bought them each a special gift when they came and showered them with as much love and affection as time allowed. She called Elijah her little tweety every since the day he was born. Not sure why, but it was a special thing the two of them shared. When Elijah was about 18 months old he left his hand print on her mirror. Her house was always clean and tidy, pretty immaculate actually, but for the last 8 years she has cleaned around the hand print. It is still there.

     Grandma Anne's devotion to her family was incomparable. She prayed every morning and every evening faithfully not only for each and every one of her 6 children, but also for her 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Her prayers weren't just random or repetitive lists. If you have ever sat at the breakfast table with her you would know she spent quality time praying for each person individually and the needs and praises they had. She never hurried or rushed her time in prayer, she very specifically and earnestly prayed for everything the Lord brought to her mind and each of her hearts desires for the people in her family. She was the most devoted and faithful prayer warrior, I can't wait to get to heaven to see all that her prayers accomplished on this earth, I am certain they moved some mountains. I kind of wonder now, what my life will be like without her prayers. I know God is good, but I felt such reassurance that she was fighting the good fight with and for my family and I through her petitions on our behalf.

     Everything was so precious and meaningful to her, she never took anything for granted and made the most of every opportunity. I am certain that there was no better way for her to spend each day that the Lord had stored up for her in His mighty hand. My prayer is that I would do the same - Not waste a single day that the Lord graciously gives me, and use all my life to point people to the only hope and true source of love that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

   I am coming home too Grandma, and I can't wait to see you. Thank you for living a life that brought honor and glory to the Lord. For selflessly and faithfully obeying the Lord regardless of the cost. Thank you for being a godly wife, who tenderly loved her husband, and was fiercely committed to loving her children, grandchildren and greats.  For always standing up for the truth in the most appealing and gentle way. AND for always pointing people to Christ by the way you weathered life's storms, basked in the joyful times and unfailingly extended love to every person God placed in your path. I want to be like you when I grow up. I love you.

p.s. I hope Heaven smells a lot like your kitchen.

   

Friendship

I just wanted to take a minute to say, that I am just so blessed. God knows just what we need and truly I could not have a better army then the sweet sisters/friends that God has blessed me with. I think that finding people that love you even in your sweats, with no make up on, when you have been balling your eyes out all week like a baby - still want to be around you, it's a valuable and priceless treasure. Those are the kind of friends I have! I have never felt so blessed or so surrounded by godly, wise and beautiful inside and out women as I am in this season of life. God truly knows what we need and when we need it.

I have learned a ton about myself this year and about friendships and am so humbled by the women that God has placed in my path. I have so much to learn from them, so much love and admiration for them and am just SO thankful. It is not about how many friends you have, that I have always known, its about the quality of the friendships that you are building.

In this day and age with Facebook and so much other superficial interaction I think lots of women start to feel lonely no matter how many people like or comment on their status that day. We were made for more than that! Facebook is a phenomenal tool that we can use to encourage and love others, to catch up and say hello to people we wouldn't normally have the chance to. But it could never replace real face to face, heart to heart, quality time. We were made to interact with each other in a face to face kind of way!

With being a mom of four and having a hubby in full time ministry it very much limits the amount of time that I get face to face with the people I love. But that has truly made my sweet friends all the more valuable to me.

I moved about a thousand times growing up, so now that I have been settled here for a while I have much to be thankful for, memories made, friendships being built, people walking along side me as I grow and learn and mature. I also have lovely young women on the other side watching me, learning from me and allowing me to walk with them as they grow. Priceless. There is nothing like being able to reach out to a sister ask for prayer knowing full well that she will pray for you. There is just so much richness in friendships that the Lord is a part of! It just opens the door for more blessed conversation, deeper conversation, more grace, more forgiveness, more sharpening, more growth. All that goodness doesn't happen with everyone, it takes time, energy, honesty, grace, vulnerability and some late night laughter or tears with a good cup of coffee and some chocolate or hair dye.

I know that this is a tender subject for many women who long to find a friend who can live every day life with them and accept them completely and fully, who is dependable and trustworthy. I have had so many seasons where I felt alone, especially after continually moving and having to start over again and again. But God is faithful, get involved at church, pick a couple people and invest in them, be the kind of friend you are longing for and trust the Lord that in His timing He will provide what you need. He is good like that. Maybe He wants you to run to Him first, pour out your heart to Him first, be strong in Him first and then He graciously provides a friend or two....and really, that's all we truly need. :)

The best advice I ever heard  about the healthy friendships we should have in our lives was from Jon Knoedler. He said something along the lines of this...It is really important for Christians to have a Paul, a Barnabas and a Timothy. A Paul is a mentor like friend that can teach you, encourage growth in you, and a godly person that you admire and aspire to be like. A Barnabas is a friend that is in the same place as you, so you can walk through life together, encouraging and sharpening each other in the Lord. A Timothy is a person that you pour yourself into, walk along side and can actively support and encourage in their walk. This is how God made us, not just to receive but to give.

All I can say is that the friends that have impacted me the most through life have also looked a lot like Jesus to me. And that inspires me to speak, act and love more like Jesus too. My desire has become to bless the women around me in the ways I have been blessed by the godly women in my life! I am still learning and growing and getting chipped away at so that my reflection is more like Him, but I am working hard to get there!

Thank you to the women who have loved me, forgiven me, laughed with me, cried with me, pointed me to Jesus time and time again as I have clumsily stumbled through life. I see Jesus in you and that is what draws my heart to yours! I am so grateful for you and aspire to love like you love and live like you live! I love you!

Elijah melts my heart..

 What mother's heart wouldn't just turn to absolute putty when their growing, very boyish son writes her something like this out of the goodness of his heart....

I love my pretty Mother,

I don't want any other,

I think your very funny,

Your just as sweet as honey.

Love, Elijah

    It's not just this poem, Elijah is always thoughtful  and sweet towards me. He paints pictures, writes  encouragement notes, makes little crafts and puts  them on my pillow with a rose and an I love you note. He may be tough, dirty, loud and drawn to anything slimy, muddy and smelly....but he is also the most thoughtful and sweet little man. I am SO thankful for him and the love, beat boxing, crazy dance moves, affection and creativity he brings to my life. How blessed am I to be the mother God chose for such a handsome and truly beautiful little character?! My heart is straight up full of love for him.

Armor of God - Take up your Shield

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints." NIV


  God is so good. I can't even say it enough. God's timing is absolutely perfect. If there was any day this year that I needed to revisit the Shield of Faith, it was today. Sometimes Satan's flaming arrows seem to soar through the air together, at the same time, aiming for the exact same destination....He knows our weaknesses, he knows where there is a gap or two in the armor and Satan does not hesitate to attack full force where he knows it will hurt us the most. In these times of trials and temptations the thing we need the most is our faith. With faith we can extinguish ALL the flaming arrows. Praise God! I needed that reminder today.

   There have been four distinct times in my life when the things I feared the most came into being. The pain, indescribable. Hopes and dreams completely shattered, life uglier than I ever cared to see it. Not even sure how I was going to be able to roll out of bed, and carry on living with the deep brokenness I faced. There is no way to prepare yourself for the death of a loved one, when severe illness takes hold of your child, when something devastating and completely out of your control happens to someone you care deeply for...there is no way to know when these things are going to happen. But they happen. And it is in these times that our faith matters the most. When we get the dreaded phone call, when the Dr. delivers the results, when sin and the consequences of it touch your life or a loved one's in a devastating way - Our faith becomes everything. It is what keeps us from crumbling under the weight of the world, it is what shields us on every side, it is what helps us to stand strong even when we have nothing to stand on. Our belief in Jesus is what sustains us through every storm, every trial, every temptation. It is all we have at the end of the day, it's our faith in Jesus that gets us from this life to our eternal one with Him. Look up Ephesians 6:16 in a few different translations and you will see just how important faith is...

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;" ESV

"At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One." GNT

"Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." NKJV

 ^"Most important of all, you need a covering of faith in front of you. This is to put out the fire-arrows of the devil." NLV

   Faith is our best defense against the enemy and all that comes our way! The rest of the defensive armor will stays in it's place, close to the body, but the shield is free to move around from side to side, up and down, it can be held up anywhere and combat anything to protect the one holding it. But to be effective, in our lives our faith needs to be continually practiced we must put it in action. Every day we have choices to make, here are a few...

~We can fear - or have faith that the Lord protects those who find refuge in Him,

~We can run away and try to hide- or stand firm in our faith and on the promises in God's word, He never gives us more than we can handle, and always provides ALL we need for life and godliness,

~We can worry- or we can cast our cares upon the sovereign God who is in control and have faith that He is at work in ALL things even when we can't see what He is doing.

  Everyday we have the opportunity to let our faith shine in the little things and the big things of life. And when we feel like we do not have what it takes to walk through the darkness or to stand firm when the flaming arrows of trials and temptations are blazing towards us; if we hold up the shield of faith we have the chance to witness a miracle in us and in our circumstance. We can stand. We can endure and we can bring Him fame and glory through the storm.You may just be amazed at what He can do with even a little bit of your faith.

 "Perhaps the most profound miracle of all is living through something we thought would kill us. And not just living, but living abundantly, living effectively, raised from living death to a new life." Beth Moore









    

Armor of God - Fitted feet

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints." NIV



    Shoes! What woman doesn't love a good pair of shoes? Or three or four or twenty-five...fifty...maybe more... In our house there are what seem to be an endless amount of shoes. One lovely Monday morning I was wandering around the house picking up all the kids shoes that they had worn just that weekend alone and guess how many pairs I gathered?! 17 pairs people! That is 34 individual shoes!!! That four children wore in 2 days! It's madness. My girls love shoes...almost as much as I do!

  I never quite realized the importance of a good shoe, I am more likely to wear a stylish shoe before I wear a good shoe. Beauty before pain ladies! But, this year my feet started hurting even when I wasn't wearing stylish shoes. I scheduled an appointment with my lovely Dr. and was hoping that she would just refer me to a foot specialist so I could get new inserts or something, but as she walked into the waiting room she immediately gasped, pointed at my adorable sparkly TOMS and said, "Get those off your feet as soon as you get home and NEVER ever ever wear them again. You need to be wearing shoes that are the shape of your foot, like these..." she then pointed to her crocs...and I looked at her and smiled, but in my head was thinking "Not ever gonna happen lady!" I would rather never leave the house, or walk around town barefoot then only ever wear crocs and Birkenstocks the rest of my life. I am a stubborn thing and I may live to regret it, but I still wear shoes that are NOT the natural shape of my foot and I have no intention of ever stopping. I may just buy some Birkenstocks to wear to and from the Dr. from now on! :)

    I was doing a little research on Ephesians 6:15 and the shoes that soldiers wore to battle were actually made of brass. Enemies would often put sharp sticks pointed upward in the ground or set traps for the oncoming army and their brass shoes protected their feet from injury and enabled them to fight in the battle.  Just like it was completely appropriate and best for the military to have shoes made of brass, we too need to suit up with shoes that enable us to walk through life without being ensnared by the traps and trials set before us.

    We are to fit our feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The gospel of peace is the good news that Jesus - the son of God, came into this earth, lived a perfect life and sacrificed His life for us. He paid the penalty for all our sins so that we can have peace with God, peace with others, peace in our hearts, peace in our minds...the gospel absolutely  and completely fills our lives with peace.  The NKJ translation says "and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace". Matthew Henry's Commentary says " The preparation of the gospel of peace signifies a resolved frame of heart which will enable us to walk with a steady pace in the way of religion". I love that! Being equip with the good news, gives us confidence in our hearts to walk through life in consistency with our faith and beliefs! 

  These are some of the truths that become the shoes we need for our daily battles:
- Jesus died for me and brought me peace with God
- He alone brings me a peace that can permeates every aspect of my life
- I have good news that can bring peace to others today. How I walk through life, what they see in me and hear from me can change their lives forever.
- I can walk in complete confidence today because when I am walking in obedience to Him and the truth of His Word it protects me and guides me.

   When we live our lives with these truths in the forefront of our minds we can stand firm. When we filter each decision and interaction with others through these things, there is no need for regret, doubt or fear. When we take each step with our eyes on the cross and our lives reflecting His peace through every up and down, we can be sure that it is making a difference. Not only in our hearts and lives but it overflows and trickles down into the lives of others. And they too get a taste of our sweet Jesus - and once you get a taste of His peace and love you never want to live a day with out Him.