Gifts; My Fridge Door

New Years is here and Christmas is over. But Christmas cards and letters from family and friends keep appearing in my mailbox. Often, stashed within these bundles of good cheer and blessing, there's a family picture. I like that. I take those pictures and stick them to my fridge.

This morning, while retrieving some milk for my tea, I looked at all those pictures; church family, biological family, "adopted" family, the children I used to care for, and other friends, and I rejoiced. How incredibly gracious and kind of God to give me so many people!

He knows that I need people and He has provided the perfect amount of varying individuals to challenge and encourage me where I am, right now. Some of them drive me nuts and some are like a glass of cold water on a hot day. Both are important so that I can grow in godliness.

Image result for pictures on fridge door

At the start of 2017, I met for a breakfast date with a dear friend who had a joyful face. Last night I ended the year with a couple who have become good friends. This past year has held incredible blessing, intense hurt, and possibly the biggest trial I have ever faced. There have been people walking with me through it all and I know my fridge door could never display all the characters in my story.

Though all these people are an immense blessing, I know I cannot ultimately depend on them. In reality, they point me to the God whose image they bear. This God is great, and He is able to accomplish all that must be done. He can sooth my heart in bitter trials and He knows my every delight.

He is faithful.

May the year before us grow us to love and trust Him more. May we point each other to our great King, who is worthy of all our allegiance and praise. And next year, may we all be able to say that we are holier and closer to our Maker than ever before.

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Body Image (1)

Contentedly situated in lawn chairs with our toes in the sand and the baby playing on a blanket at our feet, my friend and I watch her girls digging holes or running between the beach and the lake. Periodically, the girls run up to us to display the shells and rocks they've found. At one point, as the girls surround us, one of us adults comments on the baby being chubby (which she is, as a baby should be) after which one of the girls looks at me and says, "you're kind of chubby." She wasn't trying to be rude or smart, she was just being bluntly observant as children are. As I looked at I her and considered an answer, I thought of the baggage of body image that women have carried for generations, and I thought, I don't want her to carry this baggage too. I want better for her. I replied, "you know, being a little chubby is actually a good thing. Our bodies function better and it helps keep us warm." This deep lesson was probably lost on her as she s...

Surprise Sin

Over Easter weekend I had the opportunity to visit my grandparents. We caught up over soup and egg salad sandwiches and then migrated to the living room with cups of tea. Gradually the conversation turned to a couple young siblings from their church whom they've observed seldom fight. Sometimes these kids do get angry or annoyed with each other and then they fight, but that is not their normal relationship. My grandfather made this observation, "isn't that just like sin? You are living your life of obedience and then all of a sudden its like sin gets the better of you." It was a comforting statement coming from my elderly grandfather who has been walking with the Lord for over 80 years. Even as a seasoned saint, sin still creeps up on him. But it has also made me think quite a bit. Sometimes I am tempted to think that if I do everything right (regular devotions, get enough sleep, listen to good music, eat well, have Christian fellowship, exercise) then I won't fal...

Actually, I'm engaged

If you are a Christian you are part of the greatest love story every told to mankind. This story begins with God speaking and it ends with an "amen". It's found between the covers of this book called "The Bible" and if you haven't read it I suggest you begin immediately because you will be amazed at the love recorded there. If you are a Christian you are described as a member of God's church and if you are a member of His church you are also part of the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5). You might say that Israel in the Old Testament was God's church and He made His love story very clear to them as well...though not because they deserved it. Song of Solomon tells the deep, intimate love of Christ for His church and the adoration of the church for Jesus; it's the story of how it should always be . Sadly, in a few books later we read a story that is heart wrenching. Ezekiel 16 is titled "The Lord's Faithless Bride" because this bride, t...

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