Where did you think you'd be?

The Pioneer Woman asked the other day “How does your life compare to the plans, dreams, and expectations you had ten, twenty years ago?”

The responses have been thought-provoking. Joyful, disappointed, heartwrenching....so many stories to read.....

Here was my response.

My life is good. It hasn’t been easy, and I still make mistakes, but I like to believe that I’ve grown through those mistakes and they don’t happen daily now…just weekly. 20 years ago I was getting ready to marry the father of the child I was 4 months pregnant with. Now I’m married to the love of my life. It’s the same man I married almost 20 years ago, but God has blessed us, and drawn us together more deeply than I could have ever known. That child, our daughter, has grown into a beautiful woman of God who has attainable goals, incredible dreams and high hopes for her own future. We couldn’t be more proud of her.
10 years ago we were preparing for the biggest ride of our lives. We thought it was the birth and adventure of raising our long awaited triplets. It was, in fact, the birth and death of our sweet precious babies.
8 years ago we welcomed our son into the world…the world that told us that we’d never have any other children. God proved them wrong.
Not the life I ever in a million years dreamed of as I was growing up, but much, much more. Through heartaches and trials, laughter and joy, we’ve persevered. Life isn’t easy……but it’s good……and I’m so deeply thankful and blessed.

A Time For Everything

I'm especially tenderhearted this morning...
...as I think specifically of a family, mourning the loss of their 17 year old daughter to menengitis. As I think of a sweet friend, remembering her momma who passed away almost one year ago, and the sweet reminders that God has been sending her in a tiny lavendar butterfly. Of the sickness of my husband's co-worker to the awful effects of cancer. As a mom struggles with the difficulties surrounding her adopted teenage son. And maybe it has something to do with this time of year that holds a special place in my heart...as I remember and celebrate and give thanks for each moment God has chosen to use me and grow me for his Glory alone......

Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything

1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

Fear

This is one of the roadblocks I need to pray against. Is it fear of failure? God isn't out to get me...he doesn't test us just to see us fail. He doesn't work that way. He's the God of greater love than we've ever known.


2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

I HAVE experienced his perfect love. I've embraced it, I've felt it, I've shared it............so no need for fear and I will trust that what God is writing on my heart is part of his perfect plan for me.

There's a Twila Paris song I used to sing a long time ago....I think I need to read over these lyrics a few times....here they are for you to read as well....

Blessings.

Sometimes my little heart can't understand
What's in Your will, what's in Your plan.
So many times I'm tempted to ask You why,
But I can never forget it for long.
Lord, what You do could not be wrong.
So I believe You, even when I must cry.

Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the river flow?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the north wind blow?
You can see my heart,
You can read my mind,
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?

I know the answers,
I've given them all.
But suddenly now,
I feel so small.
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul.
I know the doctrine and theology,
But right now they don't mean much to me.
This time there's only one thing I've got to know.

Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the robin sing?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does it rain in spring?
You can see my heart,
You can read my mind,
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?

I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why.
I will trust You, Lord, till the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain!
You were God before, and You'll never change.
I will trust You.
I will trust You.
I will trust You, Lord.
I will trust You.

Opportunities

I've been asked to pray about some ministry opportunities in our community, specifically targeting women. Helping them learn to be "more adept at homemaking. Which includes, child rearing, cooking, cleaning, and also more self-esteem to be the wife, mother, grandmother they were meant to be."

This is something I've been hoping for and praying about for a while now......sounds like this new opportunity is an open door, huh? I'm excited at where this is going. :)

Thank you, Lord. I don't have it all mastered, but I desire to, so help me share my passion!