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. 

God's Sovereignty

all these dirty little feet are just one of many things
I am thankful for!

Today I am thankful. So thankful. I know God is at work all around me. In everything. Time and time again I just keep coming back to it. It's incredible how I can see Him in my life, but also in every situation concerning my whole family. I am always astounded when I see the Lord working for my good even through the public school, the government, the unsaved.....He is truly sovereign. He reigns over all, His power has no bounds or limitations. When I see His mighty hand working in all these things beyond my control and sphere of influence, I can't help but praise Him. How do I so easily forget who He is and who He has always been? He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Making History by weaving His plan into every kingdom, authority, every generation and season. He is God, participating in every single event in my life and guiding the steps of all the generations before me, and even now preparing the hearts of my children for the plans He has for them.

        I can't go into details about what we are living through, but I can tell you that God cares about us, every detail of our lives.  He is always working, even behind the scenes, sometimes we see, sometimes we don't see, but He is always working for our good. Our family will still wait patiently for complete victory in this trial, but for today, I can't say enough praise to the One who is walking through this trial, step by step with us. I am just so blessed by God is in the midst of it all. He never changes, He never fails, He always protects, always loves, always sustains and always provides the wisdom we need. Even when things seem so big, God always shows me that He is bigger. I am just so thankful. There is always a million things to be thankful for. Sometimes I forget that I get to choose what governs my thoughts; fear and worry or praise and thanksgiving....today I chose the latter and I am BLESSED! God is so good to me. My family alone is beyond what I ever could have imagined or deserved and that is just the beginning of a long list of amazing things the Lord has orchestrated in His great sovereignty in my life. I am so blessed.

Lily's got spunk!

This morning amongst the caos of getting the kids all ready and out the door...the usual crazy Monday morning routine, where I have forgotten to to finish up homework, one pair of every shoe has vanished, we are out of cereal, and I didn't get up on time, so forget my shower for the day.... Lily comes down from her room in her favorite long sleeved dress, with leggings and boots....and a mask and a whip... looks at me, snaps the whip and says in a serious and sassy voice, "Don't mess with the dress." Oh how I love that she can bring laughter to any and every situation in our household.


and just in case you needed a little laugh, here are a few other gems I have collected over the years... from her cutting her own hair, to finding makeup, chocolate and a pajama party never a dull moment! :)

The Armor of God - Breast Plate of Righteousness

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."

   In the armor, the belt was the undergarment closest to the heart, but the the breastplate was relied upon to shelter the heart. It's not hard to see the spiritual implications. In Matthew Henry's Commentary he says "The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breast-plate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us". Righteousness fortifies our hearts. It shields our heart, the center of our emotions, against the enemy. 
    When we ask Christ to come into our lives and believe that He died on the cross in payment for our sins, in that moment He takes our sins away and clothes us in His righteousness. It is completely undeserved, but because of the price He paid, we can be righteous through Him. This is one of my all time favorite things about the gospel!!! Ready? Because God is perfectly holy and sinless, He cannot be in relationship with sinners. BUT when God looks down on us, He never sees our filth, our bad choices, our sins from the past, from today, or the ones we have yet to commit. He sees Jesus. We are covered by Jesus. Clothed in His righteousness. That's how we can have an intimate relationship with the Father. All because Jesus covers us. 
     There are times that I look back with such regret at the choices I made. And on occasion Satan loves to bring those sins right back into the spotlight. I used to let the weight of it all really bring me to a place of defeat, until I read about how Jesus covers me. 

Isaiah 61:19 "I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

Galatians 3:27 "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:54 "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Zechariah 3:4 "The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you”.

 God is so good to me. Now when I am reminded of all the times I failed, I picture myself as things truly are. Because of Jesus, I get to stand before the Lord in a bright, white, beautiful robe. Nothing I do is righteous, nothing at all, clothing myself in Jesus is how I put on the breastplate of righteousness. So the next time Satan comes at me with, "Rachel, remember when..." I can say "Yes, but remember when Christ in His great love and grace covered that with His precious blood and perfect righteousness." What's up now?!

    Taking it just a step further, to be righteous is to be morally right, justifiable, upright, virtuous and to perfectly observe the law. Only Jesus accomplished all those things without fault. But, because I love Jesus and want to please Him, I am trying my best (with His strength and guidance) to be righteous too. Not only does it please Him when we strive to do His will, it keeps us from harm, protects us from the consequences of sin and enables us to be a light in this dark world. win. win. win. Doing what is right shields us from many of Satan's accusations and attacks, we can extinguish the arrows before they even hit us! 

    I can't get over how good and gracious God has been to me, despite myself and my sin. It is astounding what depths He has gone to to have a relationship with me. I know, that no matter what your past or even your present looks like right now, there is an abundance of love, complete forgiveness, and a bright, beautiful white robe all ready for you. Just ask. Let's all be sure to protect our hearts, let's put on the Breastplate of righteousness and stand firm.

Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Armor of God - Belt of Truth

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."

 I don't know about you, but if there is a way that I can be equip for this battle that we face between the darkness and the light, I am gonna do my best to suit up! Especially since the war is already waging all around me in my everyday life, I want to be prepared to fight the good fight and stand my ground...not just in the little battles that happen in my home every day, but the big ones I face too. I just love that God knew that we would need a little manual and some direction in fighting the good fight. AND he gave us a list of things that we can do to stand firm when the storms of life are raging all around us. I just can't get over how good the God of universe is to us!

  God's instruction to us tell us to put on the FULL armor, not just bits and pieces but it ALL so that when the day comes we CAN stand our ground and in no way be exposed to the enemy. He doesn't say "Well Rach, hopefully that's enough." He says, "Stand firm then girl, in ME and in my mighty power! Just do it!" and His swoosh is far bigger and brighter and much more legit than Nike's.

  God provides the armor, and our job is to put it on! Don't just window shop and admire the armor in the Word, lets learn how to put it on my friend! Get your size and I will get mine and we can fight the good fight together! We start with the Belt of Truth. The belt of truth is like pantyhose. Seriously! It was the girdle of the armor! Truth is what we need to keep closest to us in the battle. It holds us in in all the right places and is the part of the armor that was closest to the heart. In the Matthew Henry commentary, he mentions that the belt of truth is what tightly holds all the other pieces of armor in their place. I love that visual! What a powerful thing it is to fill our hearts and minds with the truth of His Word! Memorize those verses that speak to you in your weakness! Barnes states that the belt provided firmness and consistency to the armor, and truth in our lives provides firmness and consistency in our lives and character. The belt was one of the most important pieces of armor! If someone were to get struck in the loins (which is what the belt protected) it would be a fatal blow. Truth in our lives is equally as important! As soon as we take our eyes off the truth it leaves us vulnerable to the attack! We are fighting a battle for our souls! That's where the enemy is aiming and we have to know the truth of God's word to be able to resist the devil. "Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 We must know His truth!
   I am quite a visual person. After reading through Ephesians 6 I got out a piece of paper and drew a belt. I then wrote in the belt some of the truths that I have hidden in my heart over the years. To see them on paper filled me up with courage and strength not in my own ability but in God's power and might. Here are some of the truths that filled my page....

-I am saved  Ephesians 2:8
-I am forgiven  Romans 8:1
-I am chosen by God 1 Thessalonians 1:4
-I am covered by the blood of Jesus 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 1:7
-I am free Galatians 5:1
-I am redeemed 1 Peter 1:18
-I am loved Colossians 3:12
-I am covered in Jesus righteousness Romans 10:4
-I am holy and blameless in Him  Ephesians 1:4
-I have been brought near to God  Ephesians 2:13
-God is sovereign Psalm 97:9
-God is just Psalm 50:6
-God is good Mark 10:18, Exodus 34:6
-God is holy  Leviticus 19:2
-God created the world Genesis 1:1
-God forgives my sins 1 John 1:9
- God has immeasurable greatness and power  Ephesians 1:19
-God is righteous Psalm 71:19
- God is king Revelations 19:16
- God is love 1 John 4:16

  After reminding myself of all of these truths my perspective changes. I can stand, I can fight, I can be who the Lord desires me to be today. He is ALL I need. This life is all about Him. Having His perspective gives me courage to fight the good fight. Let's not leave the house with out our pantyhose on ladies! Suit up and join the fight! Let's be fierce opponents in this battle! Let's bring God fame!

Trials

   This has been a hard year for me. I won't lie. We have faced many trials, of all sorts this year. Praise God there have been moments of relief and victory in it all, but it's been a lot. Just this weekend alone, we have had a few catastrophes. You would think we came out of a battlefield - a broken finger, a black and blue forehead, a wounded spirit, sleepless nights and our house alone looks as though something exploded and left disaster everywhere. Funny, because I just cleaned it yesterday, but it only takes a couple minutes for all my hard work to be in vain! Last night at three in the morning as I comforted Sunday and tried to get her back to sleep, in my half asleep, exhausted state I cried out the the Lord " Why is my life feeling so Jobish. We have had So many trials this year, been attacked on every single front! You know how much I can bear and one more sleepless night is too much. You are God, don't you know that?!" And then, I suddenly realized who I was talking to and I braced myself for a bolt of lighting to strike me. No joke. This all went through my mind in the wee hours of the night. Thank heavens the great I AM, the Lord Almighty, the Sovereign ruler of this world, my life and everything that has ever been and ever will be is also perfectly gracious to me in all my imperfect humanity!

    The interesting thing about this late night conversation with God, is that right before I fell asleep I had the best time with Him. Despite all we have faced, He has faithfully given us everything we have needed to walk through each day despite ourselves. That is praiseworthy! He gave me strength when I had none, held my hand as I walked through complete brokenness, held me as I cried and never tired of hearing me ask repeatedly for wisdom He just faithfully gave it to me, over and over again. That too is praiseworthy. I began this trial completely unprepared, unequipt and emotionally unable to cope with seeing the effects of a fallen and dark world touching the lives of people I loved dearly! It's a weighty and earth shattering reality that I don't often acknowledge in my sheltered little life. But there is a war raging all around us. We can either choose to be aware of it and equip ourselves for victory in it through Christ, or we will become aware of it when we are blindsided. Satan doesn't just drag us down subtly through things like materialism, complacency and compromises. He studies us, he knows our weaknesses and he goes for the jugular, in for the kill. It may sound melodramatic, but it's true. Christians not acknowledging the war waging for souls on this earth and living like it's not big deal, it just one of the ways he tries to get the upper hand.

     What I can tell you this this. We are going to face many trials, especially if we are living as lights! But through it all, we must keep our eyes on Him, we must always remember that He has overcome! He promises us forgiveness of sins, protection, provision of ALL we need for life and godliness - it's true, it's in His Word. We have everything we need to face the trials in this life, we just need to learn how to use all He has given us to fight the good fight. It takes discipline, training, armor and a direct line of communication with our Heavenly Father. This month I am going to be posting about the things I have learned this year. Mainly because I never want to forget what the Lord has taught me about putting on His armor and turning to Him, trusting His Words and His truth to get through the storms of life. They will always come, some greater than others, but I am am different person now in the middle of them because of who God is and how He has grown me. I want to be ready for what comes, equipt for what is hurled at me and I want to bring Him glory in how I respond to the darkness in this world.

   As our family is faced with yet another bump in the road. I am thankful, because I can see how much I have grown, how different I am and how good the Lord has been to me through it all. I found these words so comforting and so encouraging last night -  Psalm 5:11-12 "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; You surround them with your favor as with a shield." Even though I was tempted in my sleep deprivation and exhaustion last night to doubt God's goodness - I couldn't. In the end I fell asleep thanking the Lord for continually supplying for all my needs. I can do that now, not because of my greatness and maturity -  far from it. I can praise Him through it all because through my weakness I have become well aware of ALL THAT HE IS and how much I need His goodness in this Dark world.

growing up NIGHTINGALE

   

 Today I spent some time to reflect upon how fortunate I am to have come from my very wonderful Nightingale  family. I spent my growing up years moving around from place to place. My parents were missionaries and we never settled anywhere long! I found most of the moves quite adventurous and absolutely loved living in so many different places, seeing so many different things and meeting amazing and wonderful people everywhere we went. I learned very quickly that home isn't necessarily place, but wherever I was with my family. It brought us all so close, because no matter where we went we had each other.


    I have three brothers and slowly but surely each of us is moving out of the home and away from the nest. It is sad that we are all so far away from each other now, but the bond that we all share go beyond the distance and the time that has come between us. We all express our love in different ways, and are learning how best to show it to each other now as we are growing up and there is so much space that separates us.

   As I look back at the years, the trials we all faced together - the loss of my sister, the moves across the world and adjustments that come with that, the transitions that come with leaving the home, moving away and growing up. Those things have all tested the bonds that had grown over the years.

    Even though we have had many ups and downs together, the ups have left imprints on my heart and life that I will never forget. They have shaped who I am as a daughter, sister, wife and mother. All the beautiful moments and memories we share will bind us together for a life time.

   
    My dad has been a rock for our family. Keeping us all together and grounded everywhere we have been. The older i get the stronger our bond becomes. I see so much strength and pure good in him. He desires to show all his kids love in the best way that he can and has made efforts to spend time with each of us during different seasons of our lives that were especially meaningful to us. I am so proud of him and all that he has accomplished already in his life time. I love seeing him with my kids now. He makes newspaper hats and they all climb on our couch and pretend to be in a boat fishing in the sea. He gathers them all around on the island and makes his famous crepe recipe letting each one have a turn stirring. It is beautiful. Dad is now Pastoring a church in Pincher Creek Alberta and I am so glad to have him back on this continent! Fact.

    My mom has strength like no other woman I know. No one but super woman herself can move a large family from country to country countless times. She was always completely devoted to nurturing us and caring for us in every single way possible. I give her credit for any good qualities I have in mothering my own children. I learned everything I know about loving my kids from her. She gives and gives and gives endlessly and her tender love, listening ear, and understanding has shaped much of who I am today. She is so thoughtful about each of us, showers us with gifts whenever she can that bless us and suit our lives and personalities. She especially loves to spoil her grand babies with home baked goodness of every kind, ear piercing dates and crafting projects that they each enjoy.


    Tim is all grown up now. We used to fight non stop...I am not sure if it was because I used to put red peppers in his food, in his mouth, pretty much anywhere I could to torture him...or because I used to pour water on him at night when he was sleeping and tell mom he wet the bed....but something changed when we moved to Portugal for us. I found less enjoyment in taunting and teasing him and his company much more enjoyable. I got very protective of him and quite fond of the little guy. We would go for walks and spent much more quality time together there. I will treasure those times forever. Now he is happily married to my sweet and wonderful sister-in-law Noelle and I am so proud of who he is and what he does. All his hard work has paid off! He has a delightful and amazing wife, a bomb  job that he loves, almost finished with his masters and a fantastic sister. say wha?! But my favorite thing about him is that he makes every effort to be in my life, to know whats going on with my family and he prays for me. It's priceless. I couldn't ask for anything more. I am so grateful for the friendship we have forged over
the years. It means the world to me.

     Joshy is now at CBC. He and I just talked today and we both agreed that he absolutely rocks at being eccentric. This is truth. I think he is going to be the free spirit of the bunch! ;) I used to tuck him in every single night when we lived in Yarrow. I sang "I cast all my cares upon you" every single night as I pulled the covers up over him and turned out the light. I love that I have that memory. It has been fun seeing him grow up. He cares deeply for people. I love that about him. I think he may still need a reminder every now and again to cast his cares upon the Lord, but only because he loves and cares for people so much. So proud of him, and his ability to be a source of     encouragement and a listening ear for so many...including me! I won't even go there with his Micheal Jackson dance skills. He's got moves, mad skills, I tell you.

    Zech is now a big middle school man. Talented in may ways- musical, funny, professional video gamer, gardener, growing tall, giving hugs...all ways he shows great expertise. I left home the summer he has born, so the times I get to be with him are special to me! I have loved having him come stay with my family over the years and that has been fun for me and my kids too! He is a great uncle, my kids are lucky to have such a stud looking out for them and hanging out with them! I can't wait to see who he will be when he grows up, because I sure do love him now!

  So, needless to say I am blessed and thankful! Love you all so much!

Not to mention, I finally get another girl in the family! yay!

brotherly love....Elijah Libby style

    

   Hope and Elijah were fighting yesterday. I sent them both to their rooms and told them to think about what kind of brother and sister they want to be to each other. 20 minutes later Elijah emerged from his room with a beautiful card with these words for Hope...

To Hope,

I love you becaues,

you'r nice,

you'R thoutfull,

sweet,

fun,

super,

Amazing,

Incredible,

Loveing,

and most Inportantly,

you Love Jesus.

And that,s why

I Love you.

Love, Elijah

   After I read it to Hope, she folded it up very carefully and told me she was going to put it in her jewelry box, right along with all the special things that she wants to keep forever. I could see it meant so much to her. 

  These two are either the best of friends or at war with each other. They are either laughing histerically or in tears screaming...but they share a very special bond and when they put their heads together they can accomplish great things. I am SO exited to see how the Lord will use them in each others lives. I love seeing who they are growing up to be side by side. I am their biggest fan.