This Is My Home, These Are My People

This is my home, these are my people.

This is the staircase with an extra stair and loose post, treads worn from traffic.

These are the floors that are daily walked on by feet of all sizes, leaving prints of mud or water or tiny sock fuzz.

This is the living room, where friends gather and forts are made and plants are watered. The sun shines bright on little faces watching trucks and cars, people and dogs. There are waves to neighbors and excited peeks to see if Daddy is home.

These are the books we read and re-read, shelf upon shelf upon shelf. We gather ideas, connect thoughts, giggle and share funny faces. These are the stories we tuck away, the people we learn from.

This is the kitchen, the heart of our home. This is where owies are mended, emotions are dealt with, bellies are filled. This is where lessons are taught and handwriting practiced, where more books are read and recipes learned. This is where herbs are potted, and remedies are made and administered. This is where gifts are made for friends and strangers, where conversations of every kind are had and countless prayers are said. This is where God provides and multiplies.

These are my children, who love life and learning. These are the ones who fill our home with laughter and creativity, who leave PVC pipe mazes in odd places and who tuck in their stuffed animals at quiet time. These are the ones God knit together, giving me the gift of motherhood. The ones He uses to sanctify me and make me more like Himself. These are the ones I in turn am able to teach and train in His ways.

This is my husband, the driving force of our home. This is the man who seeks the Lord and His will, who sets the course for our family and whom we happily follow. This is the man who is constantly learning and sharing what he learns, the one who teaches and listens and guides. This is the man who shares in our joys, dries our tears and makes us laugh. This is my husband, who shows me and our children more about Christ. This man makes our lives so rich.

These are the days that begin early, when the Lord graciously pries open my eyelids to teach me His ways. These are the mornings coffee is made while it’s dark and Scripture is read before little ones awake. These are the mornings God shows Himself mighty.

These are the days of sanctification, of roots going down deep. These are the days the Lord teaches and instructs, convicts and forgives. The days He fills with joy and peace and satisfaction. These are the best days, the days He has given us.

There are many rooms to this house, for nourishing, serving, growing and praising. These are the places and the faces He has surrounded me with. The gifts He has sweetly given. This is my home, and these are my people.

Resolving to Rejoice

It’s the last week of the year, when we’ve already celebrated Christmas but aren’t quite to the New Year and aren’t sure what day it is or what we’re supposed to be doing. But I imagine many of us are attempting New Year resolutions — or maybe we’ve given up on those altogether. Either way, I hope you’ll find this encouraging!

We all know there will be many unknowns this coming year, and there will be days that surprise us and ruin our schedules and change our unchangeable plans. This happens every year of course, but it seems that after 2020 and 2021 it’s more obvious that our lives are not in our control. “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). (This verse is really very comforting. How many plans have we intended to execute that we look back on later with relief that we weren’t able to follow through? His direction is good!)

I recently heard someone talking about resolutions, and though I can’t remember who it was he/she made a great point: resolve to praise the Lord. For 2022, Psalm 118:24 is a good verse to keep front and center:

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it”.

Notice he says we will rejoice. We don’t know what each day will bring, but we can already resolve to rejoice! In sickness and health, in hardship and ease, in routine and chaos. Each day that we are given, regardless of circumstances, we have the opportunity to rejoice and be glad in it. Resolving to be thankful and give God praise will make a year better, won’t it?

Our family has ideas and goals for the upcoming year, and I am enjoying the labor of planning things out. While I have to hold onto these things loosely, I am resolving to praise Him each day. I want to thank Him continuously, and see His hand in more of my everyday. A year from now, I want to have grown in thanksgiving and love for my Savior. This will likely make me a more joyful and content wife, mother, and friend too. ;)

What are you looking forward to in 2022? Are there goals you’ve set and are hoping to reach? Are you forgoing benchmarks and taking it all as it comes? I hope, whatever the case may be, that you are encouraged to rejoice more in your Savior. I hope He shows you more of Himself and His goodness in this year to come, and that you find Him satisfactory in all situations.

Happy almost New Year, friends!

Cast Your Burden

“Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Psalm 55:22

David wrote this Psalm in light of friends who had turned on him. His heart was “severely pained” and he wanted to fly away and escape (vs. 4-8).

Are you in a time of pain and hardship? Are you facing struggles with relationships, or another hard trial? Maybe you wish you could escape it and be removed from the challenges.

Amidst your hardship, cry out to the Lord as David did. Cast your burdens upon the Lord - tell Him your struggles, ask Him for help and comfort. Receive His help and comfort by reading His Word.

Our God is so merciful and understanding. He is kinder than we are, more gentle and longsuffering than we are. He has exactly what we need, when we need it.

“No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11b).

First, may I point out - we are to be right before Him. Ask Him to expose sins, and then repent quickly. Be done with the sin and move on with His forgiveness.

Second - what you have, He has deemed good. What you don’t have, He has also deemed good. The struggle you are facing? It is for your good. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). If you love Him, every season of life is for your good and His glory. Trust this promise with childlike faith; trust it simply.

Third - ask. Ask, and let Him guide you with what to ask. Sometimes we know we need to come before Him in prayer but we don’t know what to say. Go anyway, dear friend. He will not turn you away. In humility, be liberal in your asking of Him. In time He will turn your focus exactly where it needs to be, and you will see His lovingkindness toward you.

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7).

A Puddle! || Friday Magnify

"Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together."
Psalm 34:3

We have had so little rain last year and this, that our town mandated a water ban. And out of all years, this is the year my garden is looking really good!

From what He does in Scripture, we know God sometimes uses natural disasters and weather as blessing or judgement. Watching current events all over lately, I can't help but wonder if He has withheld rain because of unrepentant, ungrateful hearts. So this week we have been praying: turn unbelievers in this area to their need for a Savior, bring them to repentance, and bring us rain!

Last night it started raining, and it has rained all the way into this morning. It has an extra sweet sound and smell this time! Regardless of what He chooses to do with the weather and people's hearts, my job as a Christian is to praise Him. Thank You Lord, for the rain. Thank You that you still send rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Thank You for sustaining us.

His grace is enough. We can't make the rain fall, and we can't stop it up. But we can - should - pray to Him for our needs and give Him all the thanks when He blesses us!