{Little | Day 16 of 31}

Ready? Go.

Julia is four-years-old. She provides plenty of opportunity for silliness and laughter. She’s kind and compassionate and a little bit strong-willed. Though sometimes I’m guilty of thinking she’s the smartest kid on the planet, she’s still very much a little girl. She’s a little girl who prays what may seem like simple, little prayers and God hears her. She speaks out profound, important truths that sometimes leave me amazed at her four-year-old-faith. Here are a couple of my favorites. 

Several months ago, she went upstairs, alone, to fetch something from her bedroom. We heard her feet running as fast as they could down the hallway. While she ran, she was singing at the top of her lungs, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” She sang it all the way down the hallway, into the bedroom, and back. We asked her why she was singing. “Because, when I’m scared I sing to God. He helps me not be scared.” Sigh. 

Here’s another. I occasionally suffer from migraines, sometimes for several days. After a few days, I get aggravated that my headache won’t go away. I get to the point where I’m willing to try anything to get relief. I made a hot bath with salts and essential oils and was complaining to Brian through tears that I couldn’t take another second of this dreadful headache.  Julia walks over to me. And the conversation went something like this:

Julia: “Mommy, I’m sorry you have a hedge - ache.” Me: “Thank you, sweet Julia."  Julia: “But, Mom, did you know God can take your hedge-ache away, and then you don’t have to be sad? You can pray and ask Him.” (She turned right around and scurries away.) Me: (Blank stare)

It actually hadn’t occurred to me. Silly, isn’t it? 

Then just last night during bedtime prayers, she prayed that I would sleep well. I’ve been having some sleepless nights the past few weeks. “God, you can help Momma have good sleep. So, help her sleep good tonight. Jesus name. Thank you. Amen.” And, I did. 

There’s something about her matter-of-fact tone that exudes faith. That’s what this little girl of mine is teaching me. Her prayers aren't fussy and complicated. They aren’t embellished with big words and religious lace.  And, they aren’t a last resort. I know, she’s four. But, she’s living Philippians 4:6 out right before my eyes. "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for what He's done."  Yes.

I am so thankful for her four-year-old faith. Even the tiniest bit of faith in the hands of a mighty God can move mountains. 

STOP.

{Move | Day 15 of 31}

Ready? Go.

I am a few days behind, so I’m playing catch up. Life has been moving at a nearly an unsustainable pace. It seems like there is constant motion — always. It can be hard for a girl to catch her breath, and that’s on a good day. Life moves as if it has a mind of its own. Have you ever had a season where life wanted to move on without you? Maybe something wrecked your “normal,” and you felt stuck while life plowed forward without any consideration of you. That happened to me once, just after I lost my first child. Every day for eight months, he was the focus. He was a charming little fellow, so I didn't mind. Then, he was gone. The days immediately following his death were a whirlwind of activity. The funny thing is, you just keep up, somehow.  It's the days after the funeral and burial that run you over like a freight train. Life gets to pick back up where it left off while you are left to try and find your normal again. I couldn't find mine. I insisted that it needed to look and feel something like before. But, that doesn't work, does it?  Life was moving all around me, and I couldn't get unstuck.  God graciously taught me that I had to make a choice to move in the direction of healing. It took a lot of work and quite a bit of surrender and submission to God, but I was moving in a direction, gaining momentum, finding my new normal. And, God never left me to go it alone.

May I encourage you today? Just keep getting back up and do the next thing. Move one step closer in the direction of the One who's already pursuing you. His love for you is relentless. Yes, keep moving toward Him. Eventually, You'll find He is all you need.

Stop.

{Five Minute Friday | Mail}

It's Five Minute Friday. That means unplanned, unedited, straight-from-the-heart-to-the-paper writing. Yep, you just write whatever comes out based on a word you're given. If you have five minutes, you should give it a try!  Find out how here.

This week the prompt is {MAIL}. This is also Day 14 of the 31 Day Writing Challenge! WOO!

Ready? GO.

I almost decided to skip writing when I saw the prompt, mail. So, because I'm not feeling particularly creative this evening, I will make a list. I made a list on Day 9 when the prompt was post-it. I do love a good list, and it was big fun. When I was a kid church camp was one of my most favorite things about summertime. Back in the day, we used to exchange mailing addresses and write letters over the summer and fall. There's something sweet about seeing your name, handwritten, on the outside of an envelope. I do love to get mail. In honor of the pages and pages of handwritten letters, here's a list of fourteen people (because it's day 14 of 31) from whom I would enjoy receiving mail, in no particular order.

1. C.S. Lewis
2. A.W. Tozer
3. Moses
4. J.R.R. Tolkien
5. Jane Austen
6. Rosa Parks
7. Beethoven
8. Leonardo Da Vinci
9. G.K. Chesterton
10. Harry Potter
11. Phoebe, from FRIENDS
12. Walt Disney
13. Ray Charles
14. Paul McCartney

How about you?

STOP.

{Alert | Day 13 of 31}

Ready? GO.

“The enemy celebrates lethargic Christian living . . . don’t be lulled to sleep.” When I read that during my study time, I had a moment. Don’t be lulled to sleep. Lethargic christian living. Ouch. It feels like that sometimes, doesn’t it? Like the church is a sleeping giant in America lulled into lethargy by the ideas and customs that have become acceptable in our culture. Oh, we’re busy, but with what? The truth is that the enemy does a fabulous job of distracting us. Sometimes, he doesn’t have to do much because we make it easy. We do. But, Scripture tells us to be alert. Take a look at these reminders in 1 Peter.

So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit--steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13, AMP)

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.   (1 Peter 5:8, AMP)

The good news is that God never meant for us to figure it all out on our own. We have access to everything we need to live a vibrant, victorious, and effective life through Christ. I love that. On my own, I fall way short, get distracted way too easily, and walk through life with my spiritual eyes half closed.  But Christ in me — now that’s another story. It’s another one of those prayers that He’ll always answer with a yes. I’ve learned over the years, I’m most spiritually awake when I’m intentionally engaged, when I’m actively seeking Him, and when I’m actively listening to Him in all things. I don’t want to do life without Him. I want to be in step with Him every moment. Every day. How about you? 

STOP.

{Sky | Day 12 of 31}

Ready? GO.

I love looking up at the sky. The clouds. The sun. The stunning shades of blue. And, the night sky is equally as beautiful. Sunset is my favorite, though. I traveled down to the St. Simon’s Island area this summer and went down to the beach several nights to watch the sunset. It was breathtaking, truly. Just as sure as I was that it couldn’t get more beautiful, the clouds would shift as the sun dipped a bit lower and the most beautiful shade of something painted the horizon. Just wow. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever looked up at the sky during sunset and thought what color IS that?  I’d go back night after night, and without fail, the sky was gorgeous. Always. Then it struck me, that it’s always beautiful but it’s never the same. That says something to me about our Creator. About the depth of His beauty and the grandeur of His majesty. There is no end to Him. We could spend all the days of our life seeking after Him knowing there is no limit to His goodness, faithfulness, love, and power. His glory knows no limit. I love that.  

The psalmist put it this way: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

And this: For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 57:10)

May I encourage you today if the world is weighing heavy on your shoulders, look up. He’s there. Full of infinite power and faithfulness. And, He’s SO much bigger than we can begin to fathom. He loves you so. Rest in that. 

STOP. 

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