Category Archives: Encouragement

Handling Trials

Always Carrying Everyone Else

Are you the kind of person that’s always carrying everybody else? Do you encourage people when they are down, help others as much as you can, and stay strong for your friends and family?

Often, those of us who help everybody else don’t handle our own trials well. In the book of Job, we read about all that happens to Job in a short amount of time. He loses everything in one day, and his friends come to comfort him. Job’s friend Eliphaz speaks candidly with him in Job 4.

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Job 4:3-5

Eliphaz says, “Job, I get it. You’ve always been the strong one. You’ve taught so many people, you’ve encouraged others, you’ve helped the elderly, you have always had a kind word for people who are having a hard time. But now, it’s your turn. You’re the one in the trial. Job, you’re the one who is in trouble now, and you’re not handling the pressure very well. You’re fainting; you’re failing.”

The Tables Have Turned

I read these verses in my morning time and stopped to think about them for a few minutes. I thought about how those words could have been said about me. These words are so harsh, but for how many of us, do they ring true?

We have taught God’s Word to others, we have encouraged those around us, we have stood by friends as they have faced tragedy and heartache, we have been the one to write the notes of encouragement to others. We have always been the strong one leading and encouraging those around us. But now, the tables have turned. Now it’s our turn to face hardships.

It’s so easy to be strong for other people, but when your own set of burdens and hardships push you down and the weight feels like more than you can bear, what do you do?

How Do We Handle Trials?

1. Get serious about your morning time. Spend time praying, reading your Bible, and journaling. The time you spend with God in the morning will be your sustaining grace and strength to get through. Often when we are going through a hard time, we start to pull away from God. Usually, it’s because we’re hurt and upset with Him, but now is when you need Him the most. Tell Him honestly how you feel, how you’re hurt, how you feel betrayed. Cling to Him. Satan wants to use this time of trial and testing to make you doubt God, question His goodness, and pull away from Him. Then he can move in and destroy you. Times of trial and testing are when we need to pull closest to God; it’s when we are the weakest and most open to attack. If you want some inspiration for morning time, you can read my post here for tips for an effective morning time.

2. Don’t go at it alone. You can’t make it on your own. Find a good support system. Your spouse, family, friends, or small group. Tell others what is going on in your life. Find those you trust, who can keep it confidential if you need them to. Let them carry your burdens with you. Keep them updated on how they can pray specifically for you. Let them know how they can tangibly help. Your friends want to help during times of hardship, but sometimes they just don’t know what to do.

3. Read books that encourage and strengthen your faith. Here are a few good ones, if you need some ideas.

Uninvited by Lisa TerKeurst
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
The Hardest Peace by Kara Tippets
Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore
Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Major

Ultimately, remember that God loves you and is working out the details of your life for His purpose. Choose to see His goodness. Choose to trust that everything is working together for His glory and my good.

photo credit: Alexandru Tudorache

When You Feel Like God Has Forgotten You

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Feeling Alone

Do you ever feel utterly alone? Do you sometimes feel as though God has forgotten you? We know God says He will never leave us, nor forsake us. So why do we feel at times that He is so far away?

Are you facing pressures and frankly feel like God has forgotten you? You are not alone. There are times when I feel like my prayers aren’t being answered. I feel like He isn’t listening to me. Sometimes it’s a feeling that comes and goes; other times, it’s a feeling that won’t go away.

What do you do when God hasn’t answered your prayers, and you feel like He is silent? What happens when you don’t know the next step to take and feel utterly alone?

God Left Hezekiah

A few weeks ago, I read a really interesting verse in II Chronicles during my morning time. I was reading about the life of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the thirteenth king of Judah. He sought God with all his heart in every aspect of his life, and God prospered him because of it.

And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. II Chronicles 31:21

Great things happened during Hezekiah’s reign. God defended Hezekiah and his people and blessed them during his reign. But there’s a very interesting verse that appears in II Chronicles 32.

…God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. II Chronicles 32:31

If you read in II Chronicles, you read all about Hezekiah’s success and blessing from God; and then all of a sudden you stumble upon this verse. What? God left him… God left Hezekiah?

Hezekiah sought God with all his heart. He was a Godly king who did everything right. Yet God left him.

When God is Silent

I realize that this is the Old Testament, and the Holy Spirit hadn’t come to earth to stay yet. So God’s presence came and went in the Old Testament. If we are saved, we now have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. We can’t truly be without God. But consider this for a moment. If God left a Godly king for a time to see what was in his heart, could it be possible that God allows us times when He is silent in our lives? Does He allow us to go through a time where it is “as if” He left us so that He can see what’s in our heart?

I believe it is entirely possible. How do I know this? Because I have been through it a few times in my life. I have encountered a few specific times when God is absolutely silent. I still have my morning time every morning when I pray, read my Bible and journal. There’s no great sin in my life that I’m aware of. I am actively seeking God with all my heart. And yet…He seems so far away. I pray and don’t get any answers. I feel like I am walking in absolute darkness.

Could it be that God uses these times to test what is in our hearts? Will we continue to follow Him even when we can’t see our way clearly? Do we trust Him explicitly even though it doesn’t make sense? Is our faith strong enough to withstand the silence? Will I stay faithful, when all I want to do is run?

What Do You Do When God Seems So Far Away?

I don’t know if you have ever had a time like this in your life? Maybe you are there right now. I am. I am in a place where I need to hear God’s voice and know His peace. Yet right now, He feels so far away. What do you do during this time? How do you get through?

I don’t have all the answers. I haven’t gotten this all worked out yet, but I do know three things that we have to do during times of uncertainty.

1. Wait. Don’t move from where God has you. Don’t make any major decisions during this time. In other words, don’t do anything stupid.

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Philippians 4:1

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him… Psalm 37:7

2. Choose Joy. As hard as it is, choose to joy in the circumstance. Choose joy in the midst of the uncertainty.

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4

3. Stay Faithful. God hasn’t forgotten you. Know this: The work God is doing in your life and in mine is for a purpose and for a season. This time of testing and proving won’t last forever. Nobody’s testing and trials in the Bible lasted forever. The testing served its purpose, and then the trial was over. Until we have the answers, our job is to stay faithful.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 9:10

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

This time of silence will come to an end. God is still there. He hasn’t forgotten you. He is testing you to see what is in your heart. Wait for Him to work, choose to joy in this season, and stay faithful.

Morning Time Baskets for Kids

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New Morning Time Baskets

We decided it was time for our two older kids, Malachi (8) and Madison (6) to start doing their own Bible reading and prayer time in the mornings. They have watched Matt and I do our morning time for years and wanted to do their own. (Read my three tips for a good morning time here). So we decided to do just that.

To make it fun, we created morning time baskets similar to the one I have. We found cute baskets at Hobby Lobby in the spring shop section. Each basket was $3.99 or less for full price, but we got each one forty percent off! So they were all under $3.

Devotional Baskets

My two littles got to participate too. Each child got to pick out a basket and a journal. My two older kids each grabbed a story Bible too. They have regular Bibles at home, but I wanted them to get an easier version that they could read the stories from. We grabbed these hands-on Bibles pictured below. I absolutely love these Bibles! They are easy to read for my older two. They can pretty much read them by themselves.

Then I grab one and read it to my two littles. Every paragraph or so, there is a little hand. You stop at the hand and do whatever it says. It may be singing a little song, acting like an animal, pretending to be a tree growing, whatever goes with the story. All of my kids enjoy the fun. I can’t say enough good about these Bibles. Plus, they were a really good price. They were less than $15 each.

Kids’ Bible Reader

I have my kids follow a condensed version of what I do for my morning time.

Madison journaling

Journaling

First, they write down one thing they are thankful for.
Then they write down one confession from the day before– something they are asking God’s forgiveness for.
Lastly, they write down one thing to pray for. They can write more for any of these, but this gets them started.

Bible Reading

They pick a Bible story to read for the day.
When they finish, we go through the questions and application section.
They write down (in their journal) one thing they learned or can apply for the day.

Malachi reading his Bible

Finishing Up

We then pray and ask God to help them have a good day and apply whatever it is they learned.
Then they often choose to draw something in their journal from what they read.
Madison’s journal entry

Malachi’s journal entry

It’s a pretty simple system, but they enjoy it. They get a mug of hot chocolate when they are doing their morning time to help make it fun and something they look forward to.

(Note: I threw in a few pieces of candy for a picture for an Easter post I wrote.)

What I Love About Morning Time Baskets

Using a basket keeps all the materials needed in one place.
It develops consistency and faithfulness in Bible reading and prayer at a young age.
It keeps them busy when I am trying to do my own morning time.

I love these morning baskets! They have really helped shape our mornings as a family. Give it a try and see if it doesn’t transform your family’s morning as well!

When You Feel Like Quitting

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The Burden No One Sees

Do you ever feel like just quitting? I just wanted to write a quick note of encouragement to you as we head into the weekend. Most of us are going to wake up tomorrow, go to church, serve in various ministries, and be busy doing the work of the Lord. We all put on our game faces. We work hard on Sundays. We serve, we love on people, we give, we do our best to serve God to the best of our abilities. But how many of us, beneath that exterior of smiling and serving, are carrying a huge burden? It’s a burden that not many people know about. It’s not something you talk about all the time, but it’s there. You have begged God to hear your prayer, but it just feels as if He doesn’t hear you. He certainly isn’t answering.

When You Feel Like Quitting

I feel your pain. I have been there; I am there. Sometimes it feels like it’s time to give up on that prayer. Maybe you feel like it’s time to walk away from it all- God, the church, your spouse, your dream, your job… I don’t know what your situation is, but I do know that it is too soon to quit. I don’t know your heartbreak, but I know the One Who does. You may feel like quitting, but I’m here to tell you- it’s too soon to quit! You have no idea how close you could be to God breaking through in your life and changing everything.

Don’t Quit

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor’s cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out –

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

~Anonymous

photo credit:
Pavel L.

4 Ways to Encourage Yourself in the Lord

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There comes a time in every Christian’s life when you must learn to encourage yourself in the Lord. There is only so much help you can get from listening to preaching, reading an inspiring book, or listening to an uplifting song. Eventually, a time will come in your life when you are going to need something more. You are going to need God Himself to encourage you. It is a time when the trial is so great, the pain so intense, that your hope is gone. This is exactly where we find David in I Samuel 30.

David’s Hopeless Situation

For a time, David and his men and their families lived in the city of Ziklag. David and his men left to go help fight in a battle. They ended up not being needed in the war, so they returned home. Upon their arrival, they are met with an awful scene. The fierce Amalekites have invaded Ziklag, taken all the women and children captive, and burned the city with fire.

So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. I Samuel 30:3-6

David’s Encouragement

The men with him were in such shock and grief that they spoke of stoning David, their beloved leader. David is in an awful place. He is grieving for his own loss, and now he must face his men who are angry with him and want to kill him.

David did the only thing he knew to do, he turned to God. This was his habit, his go-to in bad situations. In the midst of loss and fear, David took time to give himself courage by spending time with God.

How do you encourage yourself in the Lord? Matt and I have this outstanding joke that when the Bible talks about encouraging yourself in the Lord, it refers to having Mexican food. We are pretty sure that when David encouraged himself in the Lord, he went and ate Mexican food– some fajitas with chips and salsa and guac. Maybe not, but I have found a few things that have worked for me over the years.

4 Ways to Encourage Yourself in the Lord

First I pray. I talk to God about everything that is on my mind– my burdens, hurts, frustrations, and pressures. I talk to Him honestly and openly about my problems and ask for His help.
Next, I read my Bible and journal. If I need encouragement, I turn to Psalms or the Gospels. I spend time reading God’s words and just let Him speak to me. I have a journal that I use every day for my morning time with God, and I use that to write down what encourages me.
Then I release write. For this, I use a different journal. I have a journal specifically for release writing. In it, I write out my frustration, exasperation, hurt, pain, whatever it is. I write it all down and get it out of my head. I find this helps me to be able to process what I am dealing with instead of just letting it roll around in my head, paralyzing me from moving forward.
Lastly, I do something that encourages my spirit. I might go for a quiet walk, read an uplifting book, or listen to an encouraging podcast or good music.

These steps don’t fix the situation, but they give me the encouragement I need to keep moving forward. What about you? How do you encourage yourself in the Lord?

3 Ways to Develop Deep Friendships

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My Reminder on Sunday

Sometimes I forget how valuable good friendships are, and then something happens to remind me. This past Sunday was just that. Matt and I were tired Sunday morning after a long week. We had been dealing with a difficult situation all week and were weary and discouraged. After church, good friends of ours stuck around until everyone had left just to talk to us. They asked how we were doing, asked what our thoughts were about some things, and just listened as we talked. The longer we talked, it was like the burden began to lift. They honestly couldn’t really do anything to fix the situation we were facing, but they began to help carry the burden with us. By the end of the conversation, my friend and I were laughing hysterically. Our husbands both stopped and looked at us and asked what was so funny. It was so good to laugh! It was so freeing. I didn’t realize how tense and worked up I had been.

Friends Help Carry Your Burdens

I left that conversation and went home with a smile on my face and a lightness in my heart. Nothing had changed, but at the same time, everything had changed. Our friends had come alongside and carried our burden with us. There is an old proverb that says:

A joy shared is a double joy. A burden shared is half a burden.

That is exactly how it feels when someone carries your burden with you. It doesn’t feel quite so heavy and cumbersome anymore, and you don’t feel so alone. When you are struggling, and your faith is waning, a good friend comes along and helps carry you through. They have faith enough for the both of you.

David and Jonathon

I think David felt this when Jonathon met with him in I Samuel 23. David had been on the run from Jonathon’s dad, King Saul for a long time. He was weary, tired, discouraged, even angry.

…And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. I Samuel 23:14

David could not escape Saul. He was constantly on the run, constantly alert and vigilant. He had to be so worn out and discouraged. I find it interesting that Saul couldn’t find David, but just a few verses later, Jonathon is able to find and meet with David.

And Jonathon Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. I Samuel 23:16

Jonathon goes to David and talks to him and encourages him and somehow he fortifies David’s faith in God. That’s what really good, Godly friends do. They strengthen your faith and fortify your spirit to keep trusting God and to keep staying faithful.

Good Friendships Take Work

This week reminded me to keep working on my friendships. Good friendships don’t come easy. They take work, but they are worth it! I remember a time when Matt and I didn’t really have any close friends. We have had to work to cultivate the friendships we have now.

3 Ways to Develop Deep Friendships

Here are three things we have learned over the years that have helped us to develop these kinds of friendships.

Be hospitable. Have friends over. Make a nice meal, play games, chat over dessert and coffee, watch a movie, do whatever works for you. The more time you spend together, the more the relationship will grow. And the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your friends or potential friends will be, and that will help to cultivate a relationship.
Be real. Nobody likes a phony. As you try to grow friendships, let the real you show. You don’t want to pretend to be somebody you are not, or you will forever have to keep that up. Let people get close to the real you, and let them decide if they want to be your friend.
Just show up. Good friends keep showing up for each other. Keep listening to your friend’s burdens and frustrations. Don’t try to tell them how to fix things, or what to do differently. Simply be a friend. Go through life together– the good and the bad.

Photo credit: Tatiana Vavrikova

Easter Basket Idea- Kids’ Devotional Baskets!

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New Devotional Baskets

To make it fun, we decided to create devotional baskets similar to the one I have. We found cute baskets at Hobby Lobby in the spring shop section. Each basket was $3.99 or less for full price, but we got each of them 40 percent off! So they were all under $3.

Devotional Baskets

My two littles got to participate too. So each child got to pick out a basket and a journal. My two older kids each grabbed a story Bible too. They have regular Bibles at home, but I wanted them to get a little younger version that they could read the stories from. We grabbed these hands-on Bibles pictured below. I absolutely love these Bibles! They are easy to read for my older two. They can pretty much read them by themselves. Then I grab one and read it to my two littles. Every paragraph or so, there is a little hand. You stop at the hand and do whatever it says. It may be singing a little song, acting like an animal, pretending to be a tree growing, whatever goes with the story. All of my kids enjoy the fun. I can’t say enough good about these Bibles. Plus, they were a really good price. They were less than $15 each.

Kids’ Bible Reader

I have my kids follow a condensed version of what I do for my morning time.

Madison journaling

Journaling

First, they write down one thing they are thankful for.
Then they write down one confession from yesterday– something they are asking God’s forgiveness for.
Lastly, they write down one thing to pray for. They can write more for any of these, but this gets them started.

Bible Reading

They pick a Bible story to read for the day.
When they finish, we go through the questions and application given in the notes in the Bible.
They write down (in their journal) one thing they learned or can apply for the day.

Malachi reading his Bible

Finishing Up

We then pray and ask God to help them have a good day and apply whatever it is they learned.
Then they often choose to draw something in their journal from what they read.
Madison’s journal entry

Malachi’s journal entry

It’s a pretty simple system, but they enjoy it. They get a mug of hot chocolate when they are doing their morning time to help make it fun and something they look forward to.

Easter Basket

These baskets are a great idea for Easter. I did find a few pieces of candy to throw in for the picture, but obviously you could add colorful grass, some colored pencils, new pens, candy, anything to make it more fun for Easter. It makes it fun for Easter but also adds so much more value than just getting a basket full of candy. Happy Easter Basket Making!!

Stay Faithful Because a New Season Is Coming

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I Hate January!

It’s official. I hate January and don’t really like its cousin February. Every year I try to mentally prep myself for January’s arrival; but no matter how much I try to prepare, it still takes me by storm. Every January our entire family goes down with the flu, usually more than once. Because there are six of us, we just pass it around and around. Well, this January we stayed right on track. Our family was wiped out with the flu, not once, not twice, but three times! I finally bought a bottle of Lysol and sprayed every single thing in our entire house.

What I hate more than all that, though, is the depression I always sink into in January and often into February. We live in Pennsylvania where January and February are just gloomy, cold, wet, snowy, and mostly depressing. Every year I know it’s coming, yet every year I feel like January and February knock me to the ground.

This year was no different. Along with the flu, we have had “life” happening all around us. And you know, life is just messy sometimes. We have been in the midst of the “mess.” I knew it was all affecting me, but I didn’t know how deeply until this past Wednesday at our growth group. Somebody brought up something that was frustrating me and had been on my mind all day, and I hit the roof. I wasn’t upset at them, just upset at the situation. I tried to calm down. As I did, I looked around the room. Everybody was looking at me in shock. One member of our small group said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this worked up before. ” Another person said, “I told my husband that I bet Amanda can be vicious sometimes.”

Apparently I’m Vicious

Vicious? Vicious?! Really?? I sat there in stunned silence, silently arguing in my head that I am not vicious! We were able to turn our small group around, ending the evening on a good note. But that conversation stayed with me long past that night. Vicious? I couldn’t stop thinking about it and feeling sick. I’m a child of God, a pastor’s wife, and this is how people see me? I felt all the pain of that night sinking in. I had been under pressure for the past several weeks and it had all culminated in the perfect storm and I had exploded. You know that saying, “You don’t know what’s in a tea bag until it’s put in boiling water?” Well, who I really was came seeping out on Wednesday night and all of my shame along with it.

Have you ever had a situation like that? You are trying so hard to do what’s right and stay calm but the pressure keeps building until you feel that you can’t take it anymore and Bam! You explode. What do you do? I turned to the only One who can help me.

A Look at Psalm 88

Matt graciously took the kids for a few hours Friday morning so that I could be alone for a little bit. I began my Bible reading and journaling for the day. As apart of my reading, I read Psalm 88, and it was a balm for my brokenness. It personified exactly what I was feeling.

Psalm 88

3 For my soul is full of troubles…

4 …I am as a man that hath no strength.

7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.

8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me: thou hast made me an abomination unto them…

9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

The next few verses seemed to jump off the page at me.

11 Shall thy lovingkindess be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

I’m So Broken

God used these verses to remind me that life is not about me. If I don’t get my focus back on God and off of my problems then who is going to teach God’s love to my children? Who is going to remind my husband that God has been faithful before and He will be faithful again? Who will teach the new ladies in our church the amazing wonders God did in the Old and New Testament and how He wants to do an amazing work in their life? And who will share with those still to come to our church that because of Jesus’ righteousness, He offers salvation freely to all?

God reminded me that I am so broken and foolish. Yet that’s Who He uses.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; I Corinthians 1:27

Going Forward

So how do I go forward? First, I give all my bitterness and frustration to God. Then I look around at the beautiful life He has given me. I can see tiny shoots starting to poke through my grass outside and remember that new life is going to spring up in just a few weeks. I remember that winter will fade and spring will come. And it’s the same in my life. The things that pressure me now, will eventually fade. God promises a time and a season to everything. There is a season coming bringing new life and growth and blessing in my life. God has always brought us through every hard time before, and He will do it again this time.

photo credit: Aaron Burden

What Kind of Dad Do You Think You Have?

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My Kids’ Dad

My husband Matt is such a good dad to our kids. He loves each of them so much! One of his favorite things to do is to take them on dates and buy them a toy. As much as I try to keep us on budget and not spoil the kids too much… there is Daddy, always ready to shower them with more love, grace, and gifts.

I see this all the time with my kids’ dad. So why is it so hard for me to see my heavenly Dad this way? So many times I don’t see God anything like this. I don’t see God as my doting Father wanting to love on me, spend time with me, and shower me with gifts. Instead, I see Him more as a disapproving Dad, a Dad that focuses on all my sins, failures, and short-comings. I see the disciplinarian Dad, taking me through another trial to make me better, change me, grow me, and rub the rough edges off.

My Heavenly Dad

But God is so much more than just a strict disciplinarian Father. He is better at being a Dad than any earthly dad could ever be! How do I know this? His Word says so.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:11

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Sometimes I wonder if God looks down at me when I’m feeling so discouraged and unworthy of God’s love and asks me,” What kind of Dad do you think you have?”

God’s Plan for My Life

Just as Matt can see and understand what our kids need more than they can, so my Heavenly Father knows what I need more than I do. He knows that the thing I have been so afraid to do is what is going to radically change me. He knows that the prayer request I have been praying for for several years is not going to be answered the way I think it is, but His answer and plan is going to be so much better.

His plan for me involves waiting right now because the rest of the story hasn’t played out yet. If He brought it to pass now, I would only see half of the blessing He has prepared.

God’s Plan for Your Life

I don’t know where you are at in life right now. Maybe you are waiting for a relationship, and it just won’t come. Maybe you are in financial need and no matter how much you pray and work hard, you just can’t get ahead. Perhaps it’s a health problem, a relationship difficulty, a job need that seems so out of reach, maybe it’s loneliness or failure. Maybe you have convinced yourself for so long, like I have, that you just don’t deserve God’s help and love, that you are unworthy, lazy, unlovely, incapable. And the whole time, your Heavenly Father is looking down on you and asking…

What kind of Dad do you think you have? I see the full picture, and it is more beautiful than you could ever imagine! Trust Me. Believe in Me. Joy in Me. For I am your Father, and I love you more than you will ever understand this side of Heaven .

Encouragement for a Weary Heart

Sometimes I just need to be reminded of a few of my favorite verses.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. Psalm 18:30

So I ask you in the midst of life’s pressures and struggles, what kind of Dad do you think you have?

Photo credit: Frank Mckenna

My Not-So-Great Start to the Year

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The Ending to our Holidays

So it’s a new year, and ours is off to a crazy start! We spent the holidays in Illinois with family and drove back to Pennsylvania a few days after the start of the new year. Well, my husband Matt (who has a severe wheat allergy), got wheat somewhere on our trip and spent the entire night in the bathroom at our hotel throwing up. From there, we drove home, stopping every little bit for him to use a bathroom on the way. We finally got home, began the long process of unloading the van and unpacking the suitcases and fell into bed in the early morning hours.

The Disaster at Home

The next morning, we awoke to a disaster in our kitchen. We have had a mice problem this winter and have been repeatedly setting traps. Well, apparently they decided to throw a party while we were out-of-town. They got into everything in our pantry! We had to throw out every single item in our pantry. Frustrated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt! Matt went out and bought more traps, we called an exterminator, and spent the next few days cleaning out every closet, every shelf, every storage bin in our house, and more. It was quite an undertaking.

In the midst of all this chaos, I took an afternoon to read a little bit to try to take my mind off all the craziness. I went upstairs to read while my kids played in the playroom. A few minutes later, I looked up from my book to see my three-year-old Maggie standing on top of the Lego table trying to jump rope! Seriously?! I told her immediately to get down. What happened next was a disaster. I watched as if in slow motion as she tried to jump down from the table. She went one way and the table went the other way. The momentum shoved her off-balance and into a corner wall where she hit her head and split it open.

A Visit to Urgent Care

So my quiet afternoon was interrupted by screaming, lots of blood, and a visit to urgent care. We spent the night in the urgent care getting four staples into Maggie’s head. That was not a fun process, and not one I am looking to repeat anytime in the near future.

Maggie all wrapped up and ready to go home.

That night was followed by a flu bug that hit our house. My six-year-old Madison threw up all the next day. Soon after that, Malachi got the bug and spent his day throwing up. With all the craziness, we didn’t do any homeschooling for the entire week.

So that is why I find myself halfway through January and just now getting a post out. Our start to 2018 has been a train wreck! I’m a little scared to see what the rest of the year is going to bring!

Success in God’s Eyes

I was so looking forward to a new year and a fresh start. This is not how I was planning on my year starting out. I can get all worked up and crazy about it, or I can choose to just accept it for what it is. I am reminded of a message Matt preached a few weeks ago.

In a message Matt was preaching before Christmas, He talked about success and what success looks like. One of the phrases he said really caught my attention.

Success isn’t achievement; it’s obedience to God.

He followed up with a few questions to ask ourselves to see if we are truly being successful.

Did I do what God said?
Am I doing what He created me to do?
Am I doing the best I can with the abilities, resources, and opportunities I have been given?
Have I followed through?

I think my picture of success probably looks so different from God’s picture. My picture of success looks like starting out 2018 with a bang. Exercising every day, eating right and losing weight, getting my entire house cleaned and organized, homeschooling each day like a pro, writing a couple of blog posts a week, working on my book, and on and on the list goes. I wonder instead if God’s list looks something like this.

Spend time with Me today.

Love your littles and take care of them today.

Encourage and love your husband today.

Notice the people who I put into your path today. Love them for Me.

Do your best to keep your home and home school running smoothly but don’t stress about it.

Rest in Me, and let Me control your life. I can do a much better job anyway.

This year, I want my definition of success to be simple obedience to God each and every day by stepping into what He has for me that day. ~Faithfully Stepping~

Photo credit: Ben White