Thoughtful Thursday: Borrowed Possessions

Job 42:10-11

10 “So the LORD restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the LORD doubled all that had belonged to Job.  11 So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the LORD had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.” 

1 Timothy 6:7

“For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either.”

Matthew 6:19-20

“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

Any parent knows two of the first words a young child will utter when something they own is taken from them – “It’s mine”! This emotion is not just for children.  Whether it is anger over a blessing being removed or a feeling of being violated when someone steals from us, we cherish what we own and do not want to lose it.

We come into this world with nothing but the precious life God gave to us, and then in time are bestowed with many gifts and belongings.  But what we own is really not ours.  If our security is bound to what we own, that is a shaky foundation.

It might seem cruel to give and then ultimately take away because our life becomes defined by what we own.  But if our life is hidden in Christ, then we become temporary stewards of His riches.  Every child given is His.  Every material item is His. Our very life is His.  How am I spending or taking care of His possessions?

It is a humbling thing to not own really anything.  This world ascribes worth and value to people based on their position and what they own, but God places worth on the soul that is not entranced by anything this world offers.

Even though we seek to live our lives in Christ free from concern about possessions, loss can be devastating and tragic.  I know what it is like to lose a home and family.   I also know what it is to lean hard on God in those times and be restored.   We will hurt when loved ones are removed from our lives, but in Christ that loss is temporary.  Just as Jesus wept when Lazarus died, so God knows our hurt and longs to comfort us.  He also will use each loss as a blessing to us ultimately.

Our belongings are not merely material.  If our identity is bound to the status we think we own, we become disillusioned and bitter when our life as we knew it is altered severely due to loss.  Walking in the freedom of being a steward does not mean we do not care for what God has given.  It means those things do not own us.  It means letting go of thinking I deserve or have a right to anything.  We do not have to be a pack rat holding onto everything around us for security – our eternity in Christ is already secure.

Lord, thank You for giving us Yourself – the greatest gift.  Thank You for what You allow us to steward, even if it is only for a short time.  Help us to cherish You above all else and trust You in this uncertain world.

Worshipful Wednesday: Expectation’s Hope

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Psalm 63:2-4

“Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you, and witnessed your power and splendor. 3 Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you.  4 For this reason I will praise you while I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.”

Romans 5:5

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Proverbs 13:12

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.”

We all have hopes for this life.  Having to wait in this microwave generation seems unfair, almost impossible to suffer through.  When our hopes are dashed, phrases about hope and expectations are ready to help us cope with our reality.

“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.”  If this were the case, it would be a pretty numb existence. There is a childlike joy in believing for a good outcome.  Christ did not want us to assume the worst and never dream.

“An attitude of positive expectation is the mark of the superior personality.”  Here we are told it is valuable to have a positive outlook.  But what is this cheerful disposition based upon?  A good mood can pass as quickly as it came, but an inner joy and contentment that remains, despite expectations being unfulfilled is available to all.

Should we still hope when hope is fragile and there are no guarantees?  Yes!  But hope does not mean we are to idolize what it is we are wanting.  Hope involves trusting our LORD, Who sovereignly allows and disallows expectations to unfold.

David knew where his Hope was complete – in God’s presence.  It was there that His longing were satisfied.  Jesus is better than life itself.  We can waste so much energy trying to squeeze out of life the perfect formula for happiness when it is simply worshiping at His feet.   Whatever we are hoping for, if we are willing to lay it at His feet and surrender our will, we begin to see that His hopes for us far surpass our own.

When our hope is set on the temporary, then the results of that hope will be temporary.  But when our hope is set on the One eternal God, this hope is eternal.

Lord, our hope is in You.  May we not make our happiness contingent upon getting what we want.  Our joy is found in You alone.

The Purpose of Giving

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2 Corinthians 9:11-12

You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 12 because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.

It feels good to give to others. Knowing that we can make a difference in someone else’s life is rewarding, but isn’t the motivation of giving. Nor should guilt over blessings in our lives be a reason, either. No – giving, like every other aspect of our lives, is for God’s glory.

To think that thoughtfulness toward another can result in praise to God humbles me. So many times I have been concerned with self and my own provision and missed opportunities to bring praise to God. When my kids and I were on our own, the need was so strong that it hurt. The sting of being alone and seemingly forgotten while others around us had all they needed began to engulf me. Looking back, God gave grace to be others-centered at first. As time went on and circumstances were dire, however, I began to forget that focusing on other’s needs was where my happiness and joy lay.

Sometimes a shift can happen without our realizing. We might have had a good foundation of generosity, but when troubles abounded, our vision became blurred. Giving can easily become a checklist and a burden instead of a privilege when we forget that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and wants to take care of us. His care is not so we will be lavish and spoiled, but so we might help others, too.

When we choose to give despite knowing we have unmet needs, God is glorified. Who knows what our help can mean to another person? It might be their very means of grace for salvation or give them encouragement in a dry season, culminating in thanks and worship to God. That is what the purpose is in giving – helping others, which results in God receiving glory and gratitude.

We each takes turns in this life – helping others and being helped.  Like washing one another’s feet, giving can be a beautiful act of service and a testimony for the world to see.

Lord, help us to see giving as being agents on Your behalf.  May we never forget the generosity of your free gift of salvation and be motivated to serve others from that place of humility, all for Your glory.

Exciting News for the Seeing Deep Blog – Published!

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Job 33:3

I write honestly from my heart, seeking to make the truth known.

Psalm 19:14

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 45:1

My heart overflows with a captivating theme, for my voice is the pen of a skillful writer.

Gratitude fills my heart when I consider this past year of blogging.  Thank you so much for taking time to stop in and visit. My first blog entry was “Pain, the Beautiful Tutor”  on 5/21/14 and plunged me into the adventure of exploring a deeper walk with God through writing from my devotional time and sharing it with others.  There are many journals I have filled over the years, but this was the first time I would venture to share it with others.  I had no idea how much this blog would help me, too, as I wrote what God spoke to my heart.  It has been one of the biggest blessings in my time with God and also a blessing to meet so many wonderful fellow bloggers and readers, too.

On this one year anniversary week, it is fitting that I should hear some really good news . . . drum roll, please . . . one of my devotions is under contract to be published next year in the Upper Room Devotional!!!!  The most amazing part for me is that the devotion will be translated into more than 39 languages in over 70 editions in over 100 countries around the world, reaching almost three million people. Humbled and overwhelmed.  My hope was to be able to encourage whoever God brought along my path with the kindness and mercy that He has shown me.  If just one person would know God more and see healing in their life, it was worth it.

I am looking forward to exploring this new door for effective ministry which has opened and submitting additional works. Thank you for your encouragement this past year.  Looking forward to writing more in the coming year, all for Jesus’ glory!

Lord, thank You for the privilege of writing about You.  No words could ever sufficiently give You the glory due Your Name, but how I cherish each moment spent with You.  Be glorified here, LORD.  For Your fame alone, Jesus.  Amen.

Thoughtful Thursday: Enigmatic Justice

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Job 40:8

“Would you indeed annul my justice?  Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?”

Proverbs 19:3

“A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the LORD.”

Job 1:22

“Through all this Job did not sin or blame God for doing anything wrong.”

“It’s not fair!” is the cry of many today who believe they deserve more than their current lot or did not deserve a particular circumstance.  Innate within each of us is a sense of justice and equality, right and wrong.  When we try to explain what is seemingly unjust to our hurting souls, seared consciences can form in the chasm of bitterness.

We expect that we would receive the upper hand in life, especially if we have chosen to walk uprightly.  That seems just in our eyes.  Likewise, we all tend to side with God when someone has purposefully sinned and reaped the results of those choices.  There is also a sense of injustice that rises up in all of us when we believe we have witnessed something biased or unfair.

This longing is eternal – it is aching for true justice and righteousness.  God placed that longing within each of us and the imperfection around us is a catalyst to long for him.  If this world were perfect, it would be Heaven.  The promises of God are our hope when justice is not our reality.

But what happens when A plus B does not equal C?  Is it truly unjust when we sow righteousness and reap harm?  What is justice?  Our definition of justice is pure when we remove concern for self.  A righteous God would be just to destroy us all, for we transgressed against His law and were enemies of His.  That is justice.  But once we have received blessings in this life, we begin to feel entitled and forget what we really deserve.

Job was an amazing man of God.  Sure, he had flaws like we all do, but he did not blame God for the traumatic events that unfolded in one day.  Stripped of his children and suffering physically, he did not understand, but in the end He knew that God was Holy and when He caught a glimpse of how awesome God was, he was overcome.

I confess that when I have endured severe suffering I have wondered if God has forgotten me.  Until I looked into His perfect word and saw the character of God, then I understood.  God loves us so deeply and difficulties in this world do not take away from that unconditional love one bit.  While we do not value or esteem pain, we do not see our need of it, either.  God uses the injustices of this world for good, to reveal and remove sin.

The most insidious injustice today – people slaughtered for believing in God – is the hardest for me to understand.  I want God to come and rescue each one, to defend and show Himself strong.  I want the enemy vanquished.  That seems just. But God is long suffering that none would perish eternally.  Though it seems God is silent, in the end, all evil will be judged.

The free will which God has given man does not mean God is an absentee deity.  He longs to be gracious to us and be our Healer.  We want to be with God, removed from all suffering, but He wants to use us to bring His grace and salvation to those around us.

When this world’s injustice threatens to steal our joy, we can turn to God’s promises and run to Him.  We, the vile, can enter into the presence of our Holy God – not justice at all.  When things do not make sense to us, God is able to give us a glimpse of His glory and suddenly what concerned us is lost in the greatness of our God.  Suddenly wanting to be favored before, we are changed to servants to be used how He sees fit.

Lord, thank You so much for covering our sins and not giving us what we really deserve.  Help us to grant mercy to others, as well, and seek Your glory in the midst of injustice and in times of undeserved favor.

Worshipful Wednesday: The Fruit of Patience in God Alone

Psalm 62:1-2, 5-9

1b  “For God alone I patiently wait; he is the one who delivers me. 2 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended. 5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me confidence. 6 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended. 7 God delivers me and exalts me; God is my strong protector and my shelter. 8 Trust in him at all times, you people! Pour out your hearts before him! God is our shelter! (Selah) 9 Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air.”

Our flesh does not want to wait.  It does not want to be inconvenienced.  It wants what it wants, when it wants it.  It is a well known phrase that we should not pray for patience, but pray or not, we will all be tested to see if we possess this attribute. Patience is hard, but truly a trait of a virtuous person. It is the ability to endure hardship or suffering with humility.  It is the setting of our will to look to God alone.  It is not merely surviving.  It is not thinking that we deserve better, but recognizing that we all suffer in this life and that our dependence on God is what will strengthen us and enable us through whatever life brings.

The Psalmist knew that waiting on God alone was where His deliverance lay.  David knew where his help came from – only One.  How often we run to other sources for comfort or an escape, only to find we are worse off than we were before. Vices and substitutes can never fulfill us like God can.  They can temporarily provide relief, but deep down our soul cries out for more.

Patience is needed during the trials of life but the reward for patience is well worth it.  Eternal rewards are certain, but God also grants us encouragements on this earth.  To be able to have confidence despite our circumstances is supernatural. To have peace when everything around us ignites fear is nothing short of astounding.  That is the heritage of those who patiently run to God for the answer to every dilemma.

Our hope is not found in an entity or a person, which both fail.  The sovereign God Who knows all is the only real hope we have.  How amazing that the God Who we insulted and sinned against delivers us and exalts us when we come to Him.  We are not worthy of such a reward, and yet He lavishes His love and kindness upon us.

The fruit of patience is beautiful in its full bloom.  It is not patience for patience sake.  It is a deep trust in God and gratitude in the face of harsh reality.  It is rest in the wake of any storm.  Considering what we truly deserve, we learn contentment through suffering.  We can acknowledge that the ugly side of life has usefulness for patiently producing righteousness in all who do not harden their heart with bitterness, but instead look to God in faith – waiting on Him alone.

Lord, help us to go to You alone while we are in the waiting room of life.  You are our hope, our ever-present joy.  In a sea of uncertainty, You are our firm anchor.  Help us to see where we are impatient.  Grant us patience in all walks of life and a quiet trust in You.

Thinking Biblically in the Politics of Life

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Mark 14:56

“Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.”

Mark 15:3-5

3 “Then the chief priest began to accuse him repeatedly. 4 So Pilate asked him again, “Have you nothing to say?  See how many charges they are bringing against you.”  But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.”

I have been thinking about politics lately.  Not the ongoing rhetoric back and forth between political candidates, but the politics of life everywhere around us.

Manners and expectations of behavior are taught to us before we can speak and are a thread throughout civilized society.  We cannot escape at some point in our lives someone trying to define us.  It might be accurate and there might be truth in their analysis, but more often than not the scrutiny is false testimony, formed by sanitized motives of jealousy, bitterness, or a desire to control.

Peer pressure is not just for children in school.  It is politics at an early stage and is prevalent at all ages in the unspoken pressure to conform to the perceptions or behavior of people around us.  In church, in families, in any group, politics are among us.  As a leader, a follower, or in our relationships, a subtle influence tries to convince our behavior to be “correct” to another person’s expectations.

When others find fault in us, in humility we should consider their complaints.  As a leader, there will be many suggestions regarding how we lead.  Politics come into play in a benign way.  People might be offering input to improve and to help.  Their intentions might be pure, but when we do not choose to go with their suggestion, motives can become transparent and it just might be that they want things to be done their way.

Servant leadership considers first the principle of pleasing God and then what is best for the ones you are leading.   It is impossible to please everyone and you will not be leading to do so.  Jesus was surrounded by politics himself.  People who thought he should conduct his ministry in a different way offered advice.  People who were convicted by Him offered false testimony and maybe even began to believe it themselves.

Sometimes politics come about because of victimhood, which is commonplace today.  It makes sense to the flesh.  If we can blame someone else for our mistakes and be surrounded by people giving us attention because of what someone else supposedly did to us, we are not culpable.  Or are we?

Blaming others is man’s way of trying to glorify self and manipulate for something we want.  It is trying to make our sin okay.  (I am this way because . . .)  Jesus saw this in those who surrounded Him, and He offered truth.  He did not answer combatively.  He did not meet their demands, either.

We all have been players in the game of politics.  We have judged other’s according to our own vantage point or been the recipient of said judgment.  At the root of underlying politics is a needy people, searching for something or someone to meet the needs of our empty soul; trying to find life in things which were never meant to give us life.  Godliness with contentment is great gain.  Whatever position we are in, whatever wrongs were done to us in this life, we can choose to be a grateful people and not push others around us into a mold for our own gain.

It hurts when people we love assign us a place based on their perception, which might be rooted in their unmet desire.  But the most freeing moment came to me the other day when I sensed judgment.  While I wanted the opportunity to shed light and to share truth to clear up the false perception, the LORD nudged my heart and asked me, “is it biblical?”  No, their pressure upon me was not based on something unbiblical in my life.  Nor was their manner or complaint biblical.  It was based on their unmet desire and their persistence to apply pressure upon me to acquiesce to them – it was controlling.  “Let it go” was spoken to my spirit.

But what if I have been unbiblical in my behavior?  Does that mean I should be shunned or dismissed?  No.  It means I am filled with thankfulness that I can see my shortcomings and thank God for showing me.  It means I can throw myself upon his mercies and find forgiveness.

Teachability is not living for man’s acceptance.  Introspection is not obsessively analyzing ourselves for perfection.  We will never arrive.  We are not accountable to people’s perceptions of us – only accountable to the truth and to God’s evaluation of us.  Throughout our lives, politics will abound, but thinking biblically sets us free.  Free to love others where they are at and to not impose our own politics, either.  We are also no longer bound by man-made rules or trying to make ourselves fit into someone else’s agenda.  Sure, people will still talk and people will still try to put us in a box, but through Christ we are free.

Lord, thank You for opening our eyes to see the freedom we have in You.  Thank you for understanding and insight and for Your abounding mercy which never fails when we are the ones at fault.

A Cure for the Wayward Soul

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Jeremiah 2:5-6, 8, 13, 17, 19, 31

5 This is what the Lord says: “What fault could your ancestors have possibly found in me that they strayed so far from me? They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.  6 They did not ask: ‘Where is the LORD who delivered us out of Egypt, who brought us through the wilderness, through a land of desert sands and rift valleys, through a land of drought and deep darkness, through a land in which no one travels, and where no one lives?’ 8 Your priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those responsible for teaching my law did not really know me. Your rulers rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied in the name of the god Baal. They all worshiped idols that could not help them. 13 Do so because my people have committed a double wrong: they have rejected me, the fountain of life-giving water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water. 17 You have brought all this on yourself, Israel, by deserting the LORD your God when he was leading you along the right path. 19 Your own wickedness will bring about your punishment. Your unfaithful acts will bring down discipline on you. Know, then, and realize how utterly harmful it was for you to reject me, the LORD your God, to show no respect for me,” says the Lord GOD who rules over all.  31 You people of this generation, listen to what the LORD says. “Have I been like a wilderness to you, Israel? Have I been like a dark and dangerous land to you? Why then do you say, ‘We are free to wander. We will not come to you any more?’

Jeremiah 3:22-23

22 Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the LORD our God.  23 We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the LORD our God is the only one who can deliver Israel.

Jeremiah 4:3-4b  

3 Yes, the LORD has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground, you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning; just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted, you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives. 4b you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the LORD and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

Jeremiah 6:16

Oh, if we could always be faithful and never wander off, like stubborn sheep.  The words of a familiar hymn envelop my mind as I write this; “Prone to Wander, how I feel it.  Prone to leave the one I love!”  As I was reading from the pages of Jeremiah this morning, it occurred to me how ludicrous it is to leave the only One Who knew us before we were born and has always been faithful to us.

When my children were little I could not understand why they would continue to disobey when I had rewards for their obedience.  What was so gratifying about sin?  Why was it so tempting?  Often when I would have to discipline my children, the LORD would speak to my heart about the parallels in my own life, when I would go my own way.  Humbled.  Now I understood, and realized my own waywardness in my soul that needed to be fought daily.

Why would we leave the One Who knows us completely, Who protects us and makes promises that He fulfills?  What did we think our quest for rest would achieve?  Surely not the sorrow and emptiness, the guilt and division in our hearts or separation from our Savior.  No, if we knew the truth about our false idol’s promises, we would never search after them in the first place.

We leave because we are not patient and want our needs met now.  We replace the living God with a cheap substitute that cannot satisfy.  We do not come to Him.  We run to our solutions, instead.  Madness.  What better option do we really have?

We leave because we possibly do not really know Him.  Even the priests who were responsible for teaching God’s law did not know Him.  In fear and trepidation may we search our hearts and reject religion and be sure that we know God.

Despite our faithlessness, when the consequences start to hurt, we can run back to Him.  And He welcomes us.  What a kind God who allows pain to draw us back to Himself.  What a great, forgiving God we have!!  Maybe we feel overwhelmed by the choices we have made, perhaps subtle decisions to go our own stubborn way, and we do not know how to really change and be consistent in our relationship with God.  God offers through Jeremiah a way back to Him… All beginning with the letter “R”…because I like alliteration.

Recognize we all do not seek after Him.  Don’t make excuses or try to sanitize our sinfulness.  We all fall short and do not worship God with the zeal He deserves.

Run to Him.  Really run to Him.  Acknowledge our need of Him – only He can meet our every need.

Repent.  Turn.  Break our rebellious will and begin again.

Get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.  Get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to God.  Not sure what those things are?  Ask Him.  He will make it known.

Remember who we are and who we were made for.

Genuinely re-dedicate ourselves to the LORD.

Not seeking Him is an action – the sin of omission.  Saying we believe in God is not the same as actively going to Him.  God has not left us without a plan to return to Him.  He uses His mouthpieces, His Word, His Holy Spirit to draw us back to Him.  God help us to resist the temptation to be lulled into comfortable complacency and to run instead into His arms day after day, moment by moment.

Lord, how I love You!  Help me to stay near and to abide in You.  Open my eyes to understand and consider the path that lies ahead and to never live in autopilot.  You are the answer to the longing in our souls – You alone.

Worshipful Wednesday: Our Awesome God

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Job 36:26; 37:5-7

“Yes, God is great–beyond our knowledge! The number of his years is unsearchable. 5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. 6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’ and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’ 7 He causes everyone to stop working, so that all people may know his work.”

Job 37:14-16, 20, 23

“Pay attention to this, Job! Stand still and consider the wonders God works. 15 Do you know how God commands them, how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?  16 Do you know about the balancing of the clouds, that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?” 20 Should he be informed that I want to speak? If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up! 23 As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him! He is great in power, but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.”

Psalm 68:35

“You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!”

We use the word awesome so much today, we forget what the word truly means.  When we say someone or something is awesome, we are saying it is far above ourselves.  Worthy of praise and admiration.  It is a word which our vocabulary cannot sufficiently define.  While there are amazing things which God has created, none of them come close to the wonder of Him.

In this world of self-worship, recognizing someone as greater than ourselves is not typical.  In fact, dumbing things down has become commonplace and excellence is scoffed at.  It would seem that “awesomeness” has become a common word describing anything that we think is cool.

We have become so casual today that reverence seems outdated.  But there is still a Holy God Who is truly the only one Who inspires genuine awe in us all.  We cannot understand fully His Holiness or His ways, and yet He allows us to know Him, revealing Himself to us through His Word and activity in our lives. How incredible.  In a moment he can reduce the bravest among us into a frail speck of dust, but withholds his judgment and grants mercy instead.  Awesome indeed.

The One Who gives us strength and wisdom to live is the only One we should worship.  This life cannot deliver what our souls ache for.  We can try to find meaning and joy in this life, but the deepest abiding joy is only found in Him.  We were made to worship – not just something created – but the One Who is outside time and Who has always been and will always be.  Our awesome Creator, LORD over all.  Our God is an awesome God.

Lord, You are awesome!  You are worthy!  Help us to not be distracted by the cheap substitute this world offers.  You are beautiful and beyond description.  Capture our hearts to worship You alone!

Scriptural Sunday – Happy Mother’s Day!!

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Psalm 127:3-5

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

Many times people have looked at me with pity over my condition of being a mother of five children.  I have never felt sorry for myself one moment.  Rather, I have felt the most blessed to have the privilege to parent.  Is it tiring?  Sure.  Difficult to have the wisdom and strength to consistently nurture my children in the LORD?  Yes.  I fall short, but thank God for allowing me to have these sweet children.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there -not just moms of natural born children, but moms of adopted children and spiritual children.  God bless you and enable you to raise godly children for His glory!

Lord, help moms reading this blog to have courage to parent the precious children You have granted us to steward.  Help single moms to know that you are enough.