Making the Most of Every Opportunity

If you've been following along, you know I've been posting a series to prep our hearts for suffering in our own lives ( Post 1 ), what to do with our questions in grief ( Post 2 ), and how to be a friend to those suffering ( Post 3 ). Today, I'm memorizing promises in suffering. Not to spout them off as fact to my hurting friends, but to stay my mind on God's promises, so when my day comes, they will be seeds planted that I pray will bear fruit in my heart. this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen .   - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Paul says this suffering is preparing us and in it we should look heavenward to understand it. Numerous times scripture even says to rejoice in it. Let’s look at a few truths we can cling to for truth and hope as we endure suffering and entrust ourselves to God in it. Through suffering… We Know Jesus More: “rejo...

I've been sharing about suffering. In  Post 1 I shared resources and in Post 2 I looked at the questions Jesus asked in the midst of His own suffering. Today, I want to talk about being a friend to the suffering. " God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus ,and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more."- 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 This verse means so much to me. In times of deepest despair, I have cried out to God and He has answered me through His Word. This verse of comfort is one tangible way. God shows us His nearness in our suffering through His people. Isn't that just like God?  Sometimes He seems far in those dark days, but His Word says He is comforting us then. He doesn't leave us alone in our suffering. He comforts us by sending others to mourn with us, cry with us, hope for us when we feel hopeless...

"Jesus said,  “ Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."   And he laid his hands on them and went away." - Matthew 19:14-15 Though days with my five year old are filled with conversation that often lead to things of God, days with my one year old are much simpler. And I'm enjoying the opportunity to pour Christ into him now in simple ways that I pray will one day produce the fruit of the gospel down the road as he grows.  My sweet one year old enjoying God's creation There are some obvious things we do: praying for him each evening and together at meals, reading baby's first bible, pointing out things God made (the trees, birds, our toes, grass, big brother), sitting together at church in corporate worship before the sermon/kids classes, etc.  But there are a few intentional things I do in the "everyday" of life to prepare the way for Jesus conversations to be normal and daily in ou...

  Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,  “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”  that is,  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Matthew 27:46 There are some sufferings that are just impossible to stand up under. Some losses go beyond grief and into despair. I have felt very few of these, but when they came, I could barely breathe, let alone preach the gospel to others watching. But God was faithful to draw me to Himself in it and show Himself to be so real as I clung to His promises. Today, I find myself drawn to others who suffer, many suffering in far worse way than I'll ever know. I pray for them as they grieve, or endure hard seasons, and while they are dying. I pray that they will know our God of Comfort deeper because they are experiencing it. I pray that He will be real and near to them in it. I pray that He'll strengthen them in His strength to endure and to trust in Him through their suffering and enjoy the rewards in heaven later through it. Some peop...

‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,  and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.   What therefore God has joined together , let not man separate.” - Mark 10:7-9 God is so good and loving. I'm so thankful He knows what is best for us and He gives it. Verse 9 says God himself joined Andy and I together. Nine years ago today, we stood in front of our family and friends and vowed to live out that gift humbly, in His power, as He called . Some gifts of God become more precious as the years go by.  Someday I hope to share our full marriage story with you. It's not at all perfect. (In fact, we almost didn't make it this far.) Yet the flaws are really an incredible picture of God's goodness and loving hand. He is so very good. Today, in honor of 9 years of God's love, forgiveness, lavishness, restoration, grace, and beauty poured out in us, here is a small glimpse of 9 years of Andy and Ginny- ...

I share with you last week a prayer request for our family. It leads to a good thought:Where do you go for comfort when someone you love is sick or dies? What about seasons of suffering that go on and on and the end seems so far? Who will help us grieve and suffer authentically and yet draw us nearer to God in it? I want to share in some specific Scripture God has used in my life throughout in the next few posts, but first let me suggest a few resources to turn to: - Plant yourself in His Word : Only God can comfort us and He will fully comfort those who seek Him! His Word is our truth, our rock, and our firm foundation. Trust Him for your full peace and comfort as you crack open His Word. Pray and ask Him to guide you as You read.  If you don't carry your Bible with you daily, the best  Bible for download  i know is the ESV version. It's completely free to download-yay!!!! You can put it on your Kindle, iphone, etc and have it with you anywhere you are. - Counse...

Jesus said  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul mind and strength… and love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:38-39) In my last post I talked about the debate some bloggers are having of whether or not "1950s style" wives are outdated or even foolish. I landed with a wife-style waaay more outdated than 1950s. Instead, I strive to be a wife, mom, daughter, sister, neighbor, friend, coworker, etc. who lays down my life for others just as Christ laid down His life for me (Philippians 2). And I believe that starts in my own home daily . There are a lot of details in our day. There are a lot of opinions on how our time, money, and energy should be guarded or spent. But God says to weigh it ALL through the lens of Him. Is how I’m spending my day leading me closer to Him? Am I loving others as much as I love me?  Here are 3 examples of how I weigh daily life/big decisions through Christ’s call to love Him and then love others: 1)  A Clean Home : An...

Last week, I read through comments (on an old post) from a friend’s blog about 1950’s wives. I was struck by how much of a controversy there is about wives roles. I think what struck me as sad was how much emphasis there is on “me” in the debate. But really, marriage, like any relationship, isn’t about me. And when we focus on “me”, even on how “I” serve my husband, we miss Jesus completely. If I had to choose, I fell on the 1950s side of the debate (though in reality, I’m basing my daily life on a waaay earlier time period than the 50s!) But I'm also aware that serving my husband is not natural to me. Without the Holy Spirit working in me, I'd rather sit around and be served. If I'm honest, there are more times like that than times of serving others. Just Married- 2002 But I want to serve Andy. I want to because God wants me to and because He already did it for me. Christ was mocked, beaten, rejected, and killed. He willingly laid down His life out of a great love ...

Please pray with us for our Toot There is no "new" news, yet today after I listened to an update on our dear grandfather "Toot", I feel lead to share and ask you all to pray with our family. We have been praying for Toot as confusion and weakness seem to be his new norm. We are praying for our Mom as she faithfully cares for her father in his last days. We don't know how long this time will be (true of our own lives as well), but she is committed to walking through these last, hard days (though it's been over a year now already) with him. I'm so thankful for her loving commitment and sacrifice. I could write an entire other blog filled with all we've learned through her in this. We find ourselves praying and processing (and, to be honest, crying) a lot about how Toot is no longer the strong rock he has always been. Though we hear that he has good times, we miss the weekly phone conversations he and Andy had, the silly songs he'd sing to Jim...