The Choice

This blog has been rolling around in my mind for awhile but I just haven't taken the time to sit and spell it all out. When a thought stays with me for as long as this one has, I know that Jesus is speaking to me

I love children.

Anybody who knows me to any degree would agree. On any given Sunday, I can be found with at least one child attached to me. And many times throughout the week, I spend time babysitting and loving on kids

I have learned more from children than most anyone else.

There is one particular family I am close with. They have 4 children (soon to be 5!) ranging in age from 4 to 9. I have been keeping them for years now and can't imagine life without them. The youngest was a baby when I began keeping them and he has grown up knowing me- he doesn't know a time without me.

It was a few weeks ago at church when he came up and hugged me that I had a revelation.

When he was a baby, I would hold him and feed him and change his diapers. Basic baby stuff. And he loved me. He would smile and laugh and all the cute things babies do. But his love with not a mature love. He didn't know any different- his needs were cared for so he showed affection.

But as he (and his sisters) get older, there is nothing more beautiful and touching to me as when they walk in a room and just want to sit with me. As they get older, they see my bad days and moods and [many] shortcomings but still they choose to love me.

I used to think there was nothing more precious than the wonderful phases of a baby growing into a toddler and so on. But now, I have come to realize that there is nothing more precious than the moments they see me and still CHOOSE to love.

And really, they can make that choice because they are confident of my love for them. Yes, I care for their basic needs and feed them. But more than that, they know that I am for them. I will fight for them and protect them and defend them no matter what.

That all seems pretty simple

Until we stop and really think. Jesus sees us the same way. It says that heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents. But I think that Jesus rejoices just as much when we make the choice to set our gaze and affections upon Him. When we turn aside from the emotions and distractions and decisions that plague our life and choose to love Him and adore Him and lavish love upon Him.

He delights in our choice.

Not forgotten

"I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten

I am not forgotten, God knows my name"

There's just something about that song...especially these last few months. It causes my heart to respond as remind myself that He still sees me.

Because, honestly, it can sometimes feel like I'm not seen.

I mean come on, I'm [almost] 27 and very much single. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the freedom and opportunity I have as a single person and the ability to serve and travel [and sleep] because I don't have the responsibility of family. But in a culture of well meaning people, there is a destructive message that bombards us singles constantly:

Just be content and [s]he will come.
As soon as you stop looking, God will bring them to you.

It's as if they are sending this message that I'm still single because I'm "not content". It can leave one feeling very over looked.

But then I remember...I am not my marriage status. None of us are.

I look around at my life. I see the community God has placed me in, the friends who have become family to me in these last few years and I know that He sees me.

It took 13 long years of waiting and growing and praying and learning and more waiting to finally take the step into full time ministry. But as I sit and look around at the people I'm surrounded by as we lift the church up each week in prayer and seek Him together, I know that He has not forgotten me. He has brought me to a place I not only dreamt of but was called to, but He did it in His timing.

My 13 years of waiting weren't because I wasn't good enough then or because I wanted it. Actually, those are the things that drove me deeper and caused me to want it more. If I learned anything from my years of waiting and walking into this life, is that even when I don't feel it or understand it or acknowledge it, He sees me.

There is no feeling more wonderful

Even When...

"The Lord is good

And His love endures

Yes the Lord is good forever"

The first time I sang those words just a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but wonder at the fact that those words not only came from me, but that they were boldly declared. I thought back on my life...even just these last few years...and thought about the fact that my circumstances often dared me to question any goodness in His plan, let alone in Him being good forever.

But here I stood. Reminding myself that He is good

Even when my parents divorced before I hit kindergarten

Even when I struggled to fit in and be accepted

Even when I questioned everything I stood for

Even when friends turned their back and betrayed me

Even when I went to Romania at 17 and was groped by a man on the airplane

Even when I left home at 18, unsure of where life would take me

Even when I worked in a nursing home and saw life slip away everyday

Even when I moved to India and realized my dream would be filled with struggles

Even when I moved my entire life to TN on a hope and a prayer [literally]

Even when jobs changed or disappeared altogether

Even when I saw a friend experience the pain of stillbirth

Even when I saw marriages fall apart

Even when my cousin's murder went [and still goes] unsolved

Even when my aunt was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer

Even when a year of doctors and medications left me tired and overwhelmed

Even when relationships rub you the wrong way
Even when finances are tight

Even when you have seen so many friends get married, it no longer hurts

Even when you wonder if it will ever be your turn

Even when you long for a baby of your own

Even then, He is good.

Or maybe, ESPECIALLY then

Because I've come to realize something:

Only when we can say He is good in the "even then", can we say that He is good at all

It doesn't take much faith...or effort...to praise God when life is sunshine and rainbows. But when life comes and the pain hits and nothing seems to make sense, do we still lift our eyes in adoration?

I have found that in the darkest moments, when I sing of His goodness, I understand what it is to truly worship. We serve a God who is good. Always. His goodness transcends our feelings and goes beyond what our circumstances try to tell us He is.

As much as I'd like to, I can't say that this choice to worship in the 'even then' situations will be easy, but it's in those moments that I feel the sweetness of His presence wrap around me and hear Him whisper: "I am."

What is your even then?

Fighting For My Marriage

It has been entirely too long since I was one here last. I often think about different blogs I'd like to write and even spell them out in my mind...but never quite make it on here. I follow many blogs and I've lost count of how many times I've read vows to write more often only to be followed by a similar post months later. 

But alas, that's what I'm doing here. I may not change the world with my blog (that would require much more talent and consistency than I possess) but I need an outlet to express the stirrings of my heart.

******

Now to the point of today.

We live in a culture fascinated with love and romance. Marriage and family. I can already feel the eye rolls from my fellow 20 or 30-something singles out there. But stick with me, it's going to get better.

Aside from living in a culture permeated by marriage, I am part of a [truly incredible] church family that believes in fighting for marriage. Due to the fact that we are in a military community, our divorce rates are significantly higher than the average city (I've heard it quoted as high at 92%). Given this trend, there are countless people who walk through our church doors hurting, with their marriage crumbling around them. Our pastors truly have a heart to see this turned around...they pray and intercede for marriages more than most people will ever know. They do marriage sermon series twice a year, host marriage conferences and are constantly [it seems] counseling multiple couples at once.

Praise God for this heart! Marriage was God's idea and He is passionate about marriages that thrive and advance His kingdom.

However, as an older single person, it's easy to feel as though I'm a little lost in the mix. Not yet married but not a young college student either. There are plenty of people to try and set me up (no, thanks) and praying for God to bring my husband (they're clearly not praying hard enough) but where exactly do I fit in?

For so long, every time there would be more talk about marriage or prayer for marriages, one of two things would happen (depending on my state of mind that day). I would either 1) check out completely because my singleness was too painful that day or 2) agree with those prayers and believe for God to restore the broken. As a child of divorced parents, I never had a hard time petitioning God for marriages to be saved. 

One day, though, it all changed.

As someone was praying for marriages, God challenged me: Why aren't you fighting for your marriage?

After I realized He actually was talking to me and hadn't confused me with somebody else, the way I saw everything changed completely. And hasn't gone back.

I know that there are countless churches who have ministered to multiple couples and have seen impossible situations turned around. However, I've come to realize something incredible important:

If we are going to be a body that is passionate about fighting for marriage, we must be a body who is passionate about fighting for singles.

As a [nearly] 27-year old single woman, my marriage is constantly under attack. The enemy knows the power of marriage, the unity that happens when two people come together in the closes bond possible this side of heaven. And he does anything and everything he can to break the bond before it even forms. I see this evidence as I process hurts I have endured and the brokenness of living in a fallen world. My experience fights to tell me that it's not worth it. That the pain and risk will never be worth the benefits of loving and entering into the sacred covenant known as marriage. It tells me that I am fine on my own and there is absolutely nothing I need from anyone else, let alone a man. 

I saw the evidence this weekend. I attended my first singles conference this past weekend and on Saturday morning all of the women were together having a Q & A session with the speaker. As women stood and opened painful parts of their lives, I saw how diligently the enemy has fought against marriage. They spoke of past experiences and mistakes and fear and rejection and isolation. All of these feelings directed at relationships.

The enemy attacks our marriage long before we lay eyes on our spouse. Marriages are broken because they are made up of broken people.

I refuse to let my marriage fall prey to the enemy. I desire to see a community of people- married and single alike- rise up and fight for us single people. To fight for our minds and our hearts and our marriages. That these prayers would be evident as we enter into this most holy union; that we would be marked and set apart.

I am single [for now].
But I represent a marriage.
I represent a family.
That family is fought for.

No Words Can Describe

Today I went to a baby's funeral
yesterday I went to his viewing
and Friday I held him just hours after he entered this world, lifeless


I held my friend as she cried
prayed for her and her husband
she tears over the pain, the deep brokenness
...and the life I loved that was lost so soon


it doesn't make sense
it's not fair
how could this happen?
why them? why now?

the service was beautiful

from start to finish tears were shed

we killed countless trees with our kleenex usage

and we left with  no more answers than we came with

but we left with hope

with a new perspective

the pastor spoke from Psalms

little Brantley was knit together in my dear friends womb

and though we never saw him with life in him

He was not hidden from God

He was fully known

and fully loved

this precious child, whose eyes never opened on this earth

opened them for the first time to see Jesus

this dear baby who never opened his mouth to speak-

his first words proclaimed the greatness of our God

The first sounds he heard outside of the womb

were the noises of heaven

and he smiled and laughed and basked in the glory of our Savior

The pastor who opened spoke of the impact that Brantley made

he said that those who held him were forever changed

I am so honored to be one of those

I cherish the moments spent with his mother, my hands on her belly

those are my memories of Brantley

and they are absolutely priceless

We may never understand

but HE DOES

we may be shocked and confused

but HE IS NOT

and it will probably always hurt

but we have a HOPE

that He knows the number of our days

and we will be reunited again

and until that time

we lift each other up

and cling to the only One who can truly comfort

 

Welcome to life: unmasked, a blog link-up for bloggers willing to get real, take off our masks, and show how we are finding God (or how God is finding us) in the mess of everyday life.

A Peace that Carries my Pain

I couldn't believe the words I was reading
I frantically read the text again, hoping I had misunderstood
"The baby is gone. He has no heartbeat"


No. This can't be happening.
He was fine at the doctor on Tuesday.
I had just been at her house the day before...
setting up the baby stuff
washing the little onesies and going through his toys
We had just talked about me keeping him on Saturdays and bringing him to church with me...he was supposed to be born in only 10 days

That night, I spent nearly the entire night awake

crying and praying for my dear friends, Chris and Sarah

pleading with God to do a miracle

Let him live

Do something. Please!

The next day,  I went to their home to take care of their other two littles ones while they were at the hospital. 

I waited anxiously to hear the news

hoping that they would do the c-section and he would breathe

that all of this would be a bad dream

...but it wasn't

Chris relieved me for awhile so that I could go to the hospital

I got to see baby Brantley. To hold him.

To love this baby we had all waited and prayed for

I held his mom's hand as she cried

and my heart broke into pieces

I felt so helpless.

I saw my friends broken and hurting

and could do nothing to stop it

nothing to make it better

I spent the rest of the day loving their littles ones at home

praying and doing my best to hold it together

I put away all the baby stuff I had help take out just two days earlier

it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life

And now, everyone tries to figure out what it is to move on

to heal and process and lift this wonderful family up

We press into Jesus, knowing that's all we can offer them

Our heart breaks.

We hurt for our friends

for this baby that never had a chance to live life

It's been a struggle

trying to figure out how to process

Desperately wanting to be ok...to be strong

Feeling like I shouldn't hurt

that I have no right when I see my friends hurting

But that's part of community

carrying the burden for each other

feeling the pain of another

There are moments I feel overwhelmed with pain

and can't fathom what they must be feeling

But I'm reminded of scripture

the "peace that transcends understanding"

I always thought that meant a peace that takes the pain away

a peace and makes everything fade

but I have a new understanding

it's a peace that carries my pain

The last few days, as I've struggled to understand

to find healing and peace

I come back to the same place again and again

...He is still GOOD...

even when I don't understand

when it doesn't make sense

He is still FAITHFUL

Always.

Forever.

Pray for my friends, Chris and Sarah

this week they plan the funeral of their son

the pain is beyond comprehension

But our God is greater

Lift them up to the God who can heal

and restore

Pray for hope and peace

for comfort and a tangible outpouring of His presence

that they would know the love of Jesus

He alone is Secure

Welcome to life: unmasked, a blog link-up encouraging us to get real,take off our masks, and show how we are finding God (or how God is finding us) in our mess.

I don't have a job. I quit it.
Right before I left for Ethiopia 6ish weeks ago
No back up plan
No second job
Nothing

I know it's what God wanted

I prayed about it a lot before I made the decision

...and struggled

It didn't make sense. Nobody would understand.

How would I survive?

but in the end

I decided that upholding my character is more important than a paycheck

so I did what I had wanted to do for weeks 

I walked out

In the last 6 weeks, I've been looking for a job and waiting on the Lord

And I've walked in a greater measure of peace than I have in a very long time

...perhaps ever

I've learned what it is that He is my security.

That He is my husband and He will provide

and He has...

down to the last penny

And right now, I have only $93 in my bank account

which isn't enough to pay my phone bill

and electric bill

and medical bills

and gas...

But I've learned what it is to trust Him

money is not my security

money is not my happiness

money is not my peace

and until it was gone, I could have never experienced that in truth

I have an interview on Tuesday and am believing God t o bless it

and give me favor

and if I don't get it, I know that He will sustain me

He has been and will continue to

because my God is the same yesterday. 

Today.

Forever