Hope for the Uphill Days

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Yesterday was one of those days when everything kind of crashed and burned. Ever had one of those uphill days? I should have known because our kids were tired after having spent the day at Six Flags the day before with the teens from church. Our downfall started early when everyone started fighting over the details of something that had happened the day before. It continued to train wreck when Matt and I got frustrated with each other. It was an uphill battle from then on.

An Uphill Day

By last night, I was just ready for the day to be over. When Matt and Maggie left to go on a walk before bed, I didn’t want to go. But when I looked outside, I could see the sunset was really pretty. So I grabbed my sneakers and socks and got ready to head out. But by the time I made it out the door, the color was gone. It was just a plain evening sky once again. Irritation reared its head, and I almost decided to go back home. But I pushed myself to get up the long, gradual hill and past house after house. The further I went the more frustrated I got. Several times, I almost turned around. But I finally got to the top of the hill and turned a corner, and there it was. Color. From this view, I could still see some of the sunset. I smiled to myself and thanked God I hadn’t given up and gone back home.

By the time I got back home, my spirit was better. I was still ready to go to bed, and everything wasn’t magically better. But I had hope, and that was enough to get through the night.

The Hope of Good to Come

I thought about last night’s walk as I went to sleep and what a picture of our walk of faith it is. There are so many days when it feels like we’re walking uphill and not making any progress. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel; there’s no beautiful sunset. There’s the only the hope of something good to come; and sometimes, there’s not even hope. But we keep going; we keep trusting, believing, doing what we know God wants us to do. Then one day, we get a glimpse of God’s goodness. It’s air in our lungs, wind in our sails, and just enough to keep us going.

I read this verse this week in Isaiah and love it so much. It’s the kind of verse we need to write down and hang up in a visible place in our homes to be reminded of daily.

Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy,
and is rising up to show you compassion,
for the Lord is a just God.
All who wait patiently for him are happy.

Isaiah 30:18 CSB

Wait Patiently

Find comfort in those words today if you’re going through a difficult season or simply just a bad day. God sees you. He is waiting to show you mercy, rising up to show you compassion. If you will simply wait patiently for Him, He will go to work on you behalf.

Wherever you are today, keep going. The sunset is waiting just around the next bend. You never know when God is going to break through. It’s too soon to quit. Your breakthrough might be just around the corner, and you won’t see it if you give up now. So keep loving, trusting, being faithful, and doing what God’s called you to do today.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out Matt’s book, Breakthrough: Transforming the Death of a Dream into the Birth of a Breakthrough or check out my post, Don’t Give Up on the Dream God has Given You.

The Most Important Thing You’ll Do Today

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I was reminded of a simple truth this week in my morning time. It’s a truth I know but one I need to be reminded of again and again. And that truth is this: time with Jesus is the most important part of my day. In fact, if I get nothing else done but spend time with Jesus, I’ve accomplished all I need to for the day for it to be considered a “success,” according to Jesus. We learn this lesson from Martha.

This was at one of our favorite coffee shops in Lancaster, where we did our morning time routine.

Martha’s Distraction

Martha wasn’t a bad person; she was doing really good things. She was making food for guests, cleaning her home, and being hospitable. After all, you can’t have company without doing all those things. And yet, Luke says she was distracted by her many tasks.

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

Luke 10:38-40 NLT

Martha’s Complaint

Martha comes to Jesus to complain about the unfairness of her situation. She’s been left alone to prepare everything while her sister simply sits as Jesus’ feet. I get it. As a person often running an event or preparing my home or food for company, I get it. She was probably sweating, working furiously to get both her home and a meal ready for company. And this wasn’t just any company; this was Jesus coming to visit. And when she’s at her wit’s end, she looks around for her sister because she needs help. She finds her sister…not helping. Mary as the audacity to be sitting, listening to Jesus teach, as if there’s nothing to be done. Martha’s had enough and goes right to Jesus.

Jesus’ Rebuke

Jesus sees and knows all this, but He rebukes her gently and reminds her what’s really important.

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41-42 NLT

The CSB, which is the Bible I’m currently studying, puts it this way.

The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 1041-42 CSB

Martha’s Distraction

Martha was distracted. She had so many tasks to accomplish, more than she had time for. She was worried and upset about many things. Sound familiar? This is an every day thing for me. There’s too much in a day to ever possibly accomplish. There are bills to pay, housework to start, piles of laundry to fold and put away, work projects to complete, another meal to prepare, dirty dishes in the sink, a phone call I’ve been putting off, paperwork to complete, homework to check, dessert to bake for church on Sunday….and on and on the list goes. If you’re anything like me, all of this crashes down around me around oh, one or two in the morning.

I wake up in a cold sweat thinking of all the things I need to do, all the ways I’m a failure, and all the things I’m not doing right. Shame and regret wrap themselves like a noose around my neck, and I can’t catch a full breath.

I wonder if Martha was feeling all this when she came to Jesus. Could Jesus see the overwhelm, the helplessness at getting it all done, weighing her down? Of course, He could. Not only that, He knew her every thought.

Jesus’ Answer

Jesus’ answer to her stress, her frustration, her distraction was this: “There is only one thing to worry about.” What’s crazy is that He doesn’t even tell her what that one thing is. Instead, He essentially points to Mary and says, “She’s figured it out; she’s doing it.” Jesus was often ambiguous in His teaching, and this lesson is no different. Maybe Martha’s eyes darted to Mary, still seated at Jesus’ feet, after Jesus said these words. Possibly, just looking at Jesus and remembering Who He was triggered a response, and she understood His teaching. The answer was found in the action. The action was sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him. That was the most important thing.

Most Important Thing Today

The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed with the pressures of life, too long of a to-do list, shame and regret, remember the words of Jesus. “One thing is necessary; only one thing is worth being concerned about.” That one thing is spending time with Jesus. If you spent time with Him today, then you did what He wants you to do today. You got the most important thing in. Everything else is just extra credit.

When the stress builds, and you feel the overwhelm of it all, remember to carve out some time to sit with Jesus, to talk to Him, and read His word. When you do, you’ll find the grace and strength to face the rest of your day.

More Encouragement

Need help getting a morning time routine started? Check out our free morning time routine guide or read my post, Jumpstart Your Morning Time Routine.

A Glimpse into My Summer Morning Time Routine

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One of the things I love most about summer is that I have a little more time and flexibility in my morning schedule for my morning time routine. Today, I’m sharing what’s currently in my morning time basket.

Kingdoms Bible

Every summer, we read through one of the Immerse Bibles as a church family. This year, it’s the Kingdoms one, covering Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings.

Faithfully Stepping Journal

I use these journals every single morning. I’m currently using the Rest in God’s Love Journal. The insides of our Faithfully Stepping Journals are all the same. They each start with a section for prayer~gratitude, confession, and requests. Then there’s a section to journal what you read and learned from your Bible. The last section has blanks to write down tasks for the day.

Grace in the Wilderness

I am currently doing this Bible study on I Peter from Daily Grace Co. I Peter is one of my favorite books in the Bible, and I love anything Daily Grace Co puts out.

My Current Reads

Leap Over a Wall by Eugene Peterson

I’m almost done with this one. As with all of Peterson’s books, you have to go slow to take it all in; but it’s been so good. This book covers the life of David.

Celebrate Every Day by Shauna Niequist

I’m a huge fan of anything Shauna writes. This small devotional is no different. It’s all about finding joy in every day life.

Graced to Go by Victoria Osteen

I just started this book. I’ve never read anything from her before, but it’s off to a great start with looking at the life of Gideon. This book is currently on sale on Amazon; so it’s a great time to snag it.

Of course, my morning time basket wouldn’t be complete without colorful pens. My current favorites are G2 pens–the purple set, the pink set, and the blue set. Add a candle and a cup of coffee to my morning time routine, and I am good to go.

What are you currently reading/studying for your summer morning time routine?

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my Sacred Places…at Home and read more about my summer mornings.

Sacred Places…at Home

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This last week, we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. The humidity has been crazy high, and it’s been impossible to be outside. So when the sun came out this morning, I was ready to soak it in. I made my way outside with a towel that I used to dry off a chair and the small table we keep on our deck. I carried out my morning time supplies~a candle, my coffee, and a fly swatter because the flys are crazy out there.

It was early, so it wasn’t super hot yet; and it was quiet. The girls were still in bed, and Matt took Malachi out to get some early morning driving time in. Malachi’s working on accumulating his sixty hours needed to get his license. So, it was just me.

A Look Into Our Backyard

Let me give you a picture of my back deck and yard both literally and figuratively. When I step out back, there are no views of the mountains. There’s no lake, and no view of the beach. The view in our backyard is…houses. And trees. Wet swimsuits and towels that should have been brought inside before the rain hang from the railings. There’s overgrowth that I need to cut down…again and a deck that needs to be restained…again. A random Lowe’s bucket sits in the corner, holding birdseed for our bird feeder that fell over during one of the storms over the weekend. There’s a tree that needs to be taken down.

And yet, as I sat here and do my morning time, I look over and catch a glimpse of sun rays coming through the trees by one of our neighbor’s houses. And in this moment of stillness, the start of a brand new day, I see the beauty of this life right here, right now. Those wet swimsuits? Those are evidence of my precious children and reminders of the laughter and fun they have in the pool. The Lowe’s container with birdseed reminds me of all the birds we see and hear in out backyard, calling out every morning. Those sun rays remind me that the sun came up today, and it will rise again tomorrow. And just as the sun rises faithfully every single morning, God will be walk with me through today and through tomorrow.

Sacred Places

It’s a beautiful life when you stop and consider it. Is it perfect? No, but if you look for beauty, you will find it. So this small table on my back deck becomes a sacred place, a place where I connect with God. A place where I am reminded of His faithfulness, His favor, and His many blessings.

There are a few sacred places in my home besides my spot outside. There’s my spot at the dining table where I do my morning time routine most mornings. There’s my writing desk upstairs in my room where I try to keep mementos and pictures of the amazing places we’ve traveled where I’ve gotten to see the beauty of God’s creation up close.

I’m working on making another sacred place in what used to be our homeschool room. We cleaned it out and repainted it and are planning on getting rid of the table we’ve had in there for years and replacing it with two overstuffed chairs, a lamp, and a rug. We want to make this a reading room.

Making Sacred Places

Making sacred places is all about looking past what is and seeing what could be. It’s about finding a place to connect to God and get away from the chaos of life for just a little bit. It’s about being able to renew your peace and find some breathing room for your soul.

Where’s your sacred place at home? If you don’t have one, where could you make one?

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, Finding Inspiration and Creativity through Beauty. For some inspiration, check out these books by Myquillin Smith. Matt bought me two of these books while we were on vacation. She has great ideas on how to decorate and create inviting, cozy spaces on a budget.

Our Trip to the West and Southwest

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We are back from our trip out West and to the Southwest. We had such an amazing time visiting family, getting to see wildlife, checking out some amazing national parks, taking in so much of God’s beauty, making memories, and drinking lots and lots of iced coffee.

We got to go so many amazing places. Here are just a few of the places we got to check out.

Indiana Dunes- IN

We discovered beach glass for the first time while visiting the Indiana Dunes. Macey found a nice piece in the sand.

Henry Doorly Zoo-NE

We’ve had this zoo and aquarium on our bucket list for a few years now and finally got to go. It did not disappoint. We loved our visit here!

Estes Park, CO

We love Estes Park and try to go every year when we visit my parents in Colorado. This year, we saw so much wildlife! The elk were really active!

The Great Sand Dunes National Park- CO

This was so much crazier than we thought it was going to be. It was sooo windy, and the sand just buffets your entire body when you’re on top of the dunes. We found sand in our shoes and bags and clothes for days! But it was so worth it. Sledding down the dunes was an incredible experience and not one we’ll ever forget.

The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park- AZ

We really enjoyed driving through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. There were so many great stops. We got to see petroglyphs that are hundreds to even thousands of years old.

Oklahoma City National Memorial- OK

Our time here was sober, but I’m glad we went.

OKC

We had a great night in OKC. We ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory, which meant something to Matt and me. We ate at a The Spaghetti Factory in Philly the night we got engaged almost twenty years ago. That Spaghetti Factory has since shut down, so it was fun to experience one twenty years later with the kids. We also had a great time doing the Bricktown Canal riverwalk.

Pioneer Woman Mercantile and Lodge- OK

We had such a great time visiting the Mercantile and the Lodge. The food was Ah-mazing! Everything we had was so good, and the lodge was so fun to visit.

Scottsdale, AZ

We got to spend a few days in Scottsdale, AZ~our favorite. The sunsets in Arizona…there’s just nothing like them! We hit Butters, the best breakfast place in the area and a family favorite.

I will never tire of seeing the amazing beauty of God’s creation in all different places. Pictures just don’t do it justice.

We were on the go a lot, but there were a few mornings where we were able to savor a slow morning, drink an extra cup of coffee, and have a long morning time. Those were the best mornings. We didn’t take a photo until the last day…hence the towels in the background.

We are already making plans for our adventures next year! So thankful for this beautiful life!

God Meets Us in our Weakness

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We had our homeschool evaluations yesterday where each of our children meets with our homeschool evaluator. It always amazes me how each child is so different. They all choose different field trips that were their favorite and different favorite subjects. They also all have different goals and dreams that look like none of their siblings’ goals and dreams. They are all so very different, and they also have different struggles and weaknesses.

Different Personalities

Take a look at the members of your immediate family. My guess is that you’d say the same thing. Each of you is so different. There are millions of combinations of personalities and talents and passions that make us each different. What I love about God is that He works within those personalities.

When you look at different characters in the Bible, God dealt with them differently. He dealt with them according to their abilities, their talents, and even their weaknesses. I just finished reading the story of Gideon, and it always amazes me that God used Gideon. Gideon’s faith was so weak. He tests the angel of the Lord so many times. First, he tests the angel by telling him to stay until he brings back an offering. The angel of the Lord touches the food offering, and it incinerates. The angel disappears right after that. Then Gideon asks for two more confirmations and uses a fleece to do it.

God’s Instructions

It’s been three times the angel of the Lord has had to “prove” himself to Gideon. But what I really love about this story happens next.

That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!

Judges 7:9

God’s instructions are pretty clear to Gideon. He tells Gideon, “I’ve already given you the victory. Just go down and defeat the Midianite army.” But the next part is where it gets really good. Check out God’s next words to Gideon.

But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

Judges 7:10,11

Gideon’s Weakness

Gideon’s weakness was his fear or his lack of faith. Because of that, God gives Gideon another option. He says to go down and attack, but if you’re still too afraid, take your servant and go listen to the enemy. Gideon does just that. He takes his servant to the edge of the Midianite camp, and there he hears a man describe his dream to another soldier.

Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”

His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”

Judges 7: 13,14

A Warrior Leader

Gideon hears those words and knows God has surely given them the victory. He heads back to his camp and gives orders to his men. God fights an incredible battle for them, and Gideon gets the credit for it. Gideon seems to be the least heroic person around, and yet God chooses to use him. Something changes in Gideon after this battle, because he becomes a true warrior leader. After this battle, they chase down their enemies and kill them all.

Along the way, he and his men are too tired and hungry to keep going. He asks one of the towns they pass if they will spare them food and water. They say no, and Gideon curses them.

When they reached Succoth, Gideon asked the leaders of the town, “Please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

But the officials of Succoth replied, “Catch Zebah and Zalmunna first, and then we will feed your army.”

So Gideon said, “After the Lord gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briers from the wilderness.”

Judges 8:5-7

The man who was too afraid to go to battle now tells one town and then another who gives him the same reaction that he will tear their flesh. He became the mighty warrior that God saw in him.

Two Takeaways

Don’t see people for how they are now. See them for who they can become.

When the angel of the Lord first encounters Gideon, who is currently hiding from the Midianites, he calls him a mighty warrior. At that point, Gideon was not a mighty warrior. But God saw him for what he could become and called that out in him.

Call out greatness in others. Find what others miss. See the potential in everybody. Ask God for a vision of what that person could be and encourage them in that.

Remember that God works in spite of our limitations and weaknesses.

God knows you have weaknesses and fears, and He’s okay with that. He can work in spite of those things. Just don’t let them keep you back from what He has in store. He knew Gideon was fearful, but God still used him. God knew Gideon’s faith was weak, but He still used him. He gave chance and opportunity for Gideon’s faith to grow and didn’t give up on Him.

Choose to let God use you, weaknesses and all. We won’t always get it right, but if we stay faithful and allow God to change us and shape us, He will be able to use us.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my post, Looking Past What is to What Could Be.

Confident in God’s Goodness

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What good is happening in your life right now? Is it hard to spot? Have you decided there is nothing good? That’s not a good place to be in, and yet, so many of us find ourselves there often. We get tired, rundown, discouraged and feel the weight of the world on our shoulders and fail to see the goodness of God in our lives on a daily basis.

Experiencing God’s Goodness Daily

God didn’t design us to live this way–a miserable life here on this earth. No, He wants us to experience His goodness every single day. David understood this.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living.

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13,14

David was confident that he would see God’s goodness in his lifetime. The land of the living is here, on earth. He wasn’t saying that he would see his reward in Heaven someday. He was confident he would see God’s goodness in this life.

A Rich and Satisfying Life

Sometimes we forget that God has good things for us in this life. We don’t have to trudge through this life sad, miserable, barely making it. We are not destined for suffering and simply surviving. God didn’t save us to make our lives miserable and full of despair. He does the exact opposite. Jesus had these words to say to his followers.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NLT

When a Christian is living a sad, depressing, empty life, that is not from God. That kind of life is from Satan. God gives us life, a rich and satisfying life. It’s a life we can enjoy right now, not just when we get to Heaven.

Jesus Has Overcome the World

Are there times when life is difficult? Yes. Jesus told us we would be tested and tried in this world and we would go through times of tribulation. But these were His words of comfort.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 NLT

We are more than conquerors through Jesus; we are over-comers. That means we don’t sit around dwelling on the bad things this life has to offer and how it’s just going to be so much better when we get to Heaven. We live our life now–the life God has gifted us with.

Living with God Now

Skye Jethani, in his book With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, has this to say about our life here on earth.

Eternal life, then, is unending union with God. Many people have accepted the idea that eternal life begins when their body dies, and that their present life is therefore of less importance–it is a temporary life, they believe. But if we see that union with God is promised to us today, in this present life, then our perspective changes. If we are with God, then our eternal life begins now and will continue forever. The life we are now living with Him will never cease.

We live today in our relationship with God; we aren’t waiting to live with Him one day. That day is today, so let’s live like it. Let’s look for His goodness all around us and live a life that reflects His goodnesss to others.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, You Get to Choose.

Faith Begins Where Control Ends

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The older I get, the more I realize what a control person I am. I like things done in a certain way–the best way–my way. I’ve learned that the more I control things, the better chance I have that things will go as I want them to. Sadly, though, that’s not how it works. Control is an allusion. We think that if we control things, bad things won’t happen. Yet, the irony is we don’t have control of our lives. We never did.

The Catcher

In With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, Skye Jethani gives an illustration about a trapeze artist. He talks about how we are in awe of the performer flying through the air, but the real hero is the catcher. He quotes Henri Nouwen, a Dutch priest, author, and professor with these words after watching such a feat and how it relates to our theology.

If we are to takes risks, to be free, in the air, in life, we have to know there’s a catcher. We have to know that when we come down from it all, we’re going to be caught, we’re going to be safe. The great hero is the least visible. Trust the catcher.

Henri Nouwen

The catcher in our lives is God. When we step out in faith, He’s the One Who will catch us. He won’t let us fall.

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Psalm 121:3 NLT

Letting Go

It’s only when we relinquish our tight grip on our lives that we truly start living by faith. There’s freedom in surrender, surrendering to God. There’s freedom in letting go of our plans and trusting His plans for our life. It’s not until we let go that faith actually begins.

Feeding Your Fear

Either our faith will guide us or our fear will dominate us. We choose which one will take top place. Whichever one we feed will be the one that takes control.

If you feed your fears with constant worry, what-if’s, worst case scenarios…your fear will continue to grow. If at night, you let your mind wander and imagine your worst fears playing out, your fear will grow and eventually dominate your life. When that happens, we try to be in charge. How do we do that? By taking more control. And the circle starts over once again.

Feed Your Faith

The alternative is to feed our faith. If we continue to spend time with God every morning through a morning time routine, our faith will continue to grow. If we’re choosing to fill our mind and thoughts with preaching, good music, and good books, our faith will continue to grow. When fear comes at night, if we push it away and think about God’s Word and His goodness instead, our faith will continue to grow.

We choose what rules our lives–our fear or our faith. Which one are you letting lead in your life? For a lot of years, it was fear for me. Now, I’m working at taking back the ground that’s been given to fear and feed my faith.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Breaking Fear’s Stronghold on My Life.

Created to Create

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My friend Samantha creates the most beautiful products using seashells as her medium. I first discovered her work when she gave me a cross for Easter. I started following her on social media and get to see all her creations at samanthaseashells. She just made my father in law a gorgeous wind chime set. It’s absolutely beautiful. She has an eye for beauty and detail, and it shines through in her work.

Creating Like Our Creator

Whenever I see somebody doing something like this, it inspires me so much. I love it when men and women use the gifts and abilities God has given them to create something beautiful. The sky is the limit when we use what God has given us to create something beautiful or something that can help others.

I think we sometimes forget that God gave us abilities, talents, and gifts to create, in the same way our Creator creates. We forget that our God paints the sky every morning and evening in brilliant hues of color. We forget that He gave us so many different flowers, plants, trees, and views to enjoy. From the majestic Rocky Mountains, to the sands of the beach of the Jersey shore, to the cacti and red dirt of Arizona, our God has created so much beauty just for us to enjoy. Why wouldn’t He take joy in the things we create as well?

Made in His Image

God is the ultimate Creator, and He gives us the ability to follow in His footsteps and create something beautiful. He is our Creator, and He created us in His own image. That means He has given us the ability to create.

So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 NLT

Sharing Beauty with Others

We get to partake in God’s beauty every time we create something. We get to show the goodness of our Creator when we create something and share that beauty with others. It may be a homemade meal that you labor over. You get to share it with your family and friends, and you feel so fulfilled. It may be something you create–a painting, a craft, a flower arrangement, a candle–that you share with others. Maybe it’s something you write– a book, a poem, a letter.

We all have different gifts and abilities and talents. I can barely crochet a single stitch chain without losing my mind, and yet my daughter can create and craft animals that are so adorable. MaddieKCrochet

One of my friends at church is a whiz at making flower arrangements and more importantly, keeping them alive. At our recent ladies’ event, she spent the entire time helping each lady make her flower arrangement look perfect. We all got to benefit from her skills.

Another friend of mine is an amazing baker. She makes all sorts of desserts and treats that are Pinterest worthy. She sells them out of her home and has made a business with her baked goods. And yet, almost every Sunday, she brings a treat to church. We get to partake in her talents and abilities.

Using Your Gifting to Bless Others

Sometimes, we forget that God gave us something to work with. Maybe it’s been a while since you used those abilities to create something beautiful. The talent could be buried; maybe you don’t even know you have the ability yet. For some of us, it takes a lot longer to develop a skill. It took me until I was in my thirties to realize I love writing. It’s taken me several years to hone that craft, and I’m still working at it. But now, I can see the fruit of my labors and of the gifting God has given me. I don’t know what gifting God has given you, but I know you have something. All of us have something God has gifted us with that we can use to bless others.

What’s really amazing is when the gifts God has given you can be used to make an income. That’s when it really comes together! What gifts has God given you that you can use to bless others?

More Encouragement

If you love this topic and love the idea of making an income from home, check out Crytal Paine’s book, Money Making Mom or Called to Create by Jordan Raynor. I love both of those books. You can also check out my post, Doing Something Great with God.

When They Can’t Pray, You Can

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Matt and I spent a few hours recently with a family that’s going through a difficult situation. As we listened and heard multiple family members share, we got a glimpse into the burdens they were carrying…and it was a lot. There were so many things at play, and most of it was out of their control. Some things and people had “happened” to them, and they were reeling from all of it. And we did as well. What they told us wasn’t right; it was wrong. They’d been dealt with wrongly, and yet, there was nothing they could do in this hopeless case.

Hopeless Situations

Have you ever had people “happen” to you? It’s not pretty. Maybe you’ve been racially profiled, you’ve been accused of something you didn’t do, somebody’s made a wrong judgement about you, somebody’s said something to you that was so hurtful and wrong. Or maybe, it’s an event or a happening. Something happened to you. It’s not your fault, and yet, you’re living with the consequences of that event.

Sometimes, in these situations, we are tempted to believe there is no hope. We get sucked into the mindset that this situation can never be turned around, that no good can come from it.

Job’s Hopelessness

Job felt the same hopelessness in his situation. Satan took everything away from him–his wealth, his children, his health, and his hope. When his friends come to comfort him, the Bible says they sat in silence for an entire week because Job’s suffering was so great.

The family we talked to may not have been facing what Job is facing, but Matt and I felt the burdens this family was carrying…the impossibility of the situation. There’s was a case, literally a court case, where everything was stacked against them, even the judge. I felt so overwhelmed that night when we went home. I had no idea what to do for them. I felt the injustice of it all. And then God reminded me that He is still in control and that He is actively working everything for our good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8L28 NLT

Job’s Situation

I couldn’t help but think about that family this week when I was reading in the book of Job for my morning time. Job’s been through the worst that can happen. He has these words to say about his situation.

What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.

Job 3:25 NLT

His three friends come to comfort him, and they are absolutely no help. In fact, he calls them out on it, saying this about them.

Then Job answered:

I have heard many things like these.
You are all miserable comforters.

Job 16:1-2 CSB

Someone to Plead with God

As the chapter goes on, Job adds this thought. It’s more of a wish or a prayer.

I wish that someone might argue for a man with God
just as anyone would for a friend.

Job 16:21 CSB

Job speaks here of wanting someone that could go toe to toe with God and plead the case of a friend. We know that we have someone in Heaven that does that for us, and His name is Jesus. He pleads our case before the Father. But there are others who can plead our cases as well.

Someone to Pray on Your Behalf

Have you ever had someone pray for you, like really pray for you? Maybe it was a pastor or a spiritual leader, maybe it was an older woman of faith…whoever it was, you just knew that God was listening when they were praying. James reminds us that the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power with God.

…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16

That night when we left the house of that family, I felt so burdened down by all we had heard. But I remembered the power that God has, and I know that a single touch of His hand on this family would make everything turn out for good. So, I prayed for them. I prayed for the decisions they needed to make; I prayed for the court case and for the judge. I prayed fervently on their behalf.

Somebody Needs You

There have been a few times personally in our lives that somebody has prayed over us and for us, times when we couldn’t pray or didn’t feel like we were getting through to God. I don’t pretend to know how it works, but I believe there are times in our lives where there is literally nothing we can do. In those times, we need someone to take up the mantle for us, someone else to have the faith that we don’t have in this moment–someone who is outside the situation who can cry out to God for us and plead with God on our behalf.

When was the last time you were this for someone else? It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own troubles, burdens, and heartbreaks. And yet, there may be someone near you right now that is barely standing. Their faith is failing as their world crumbles around them, and they need you to pray for them. They need to pray earnestly on their behalf and plead their case before God. That may be the greatest ministry you can ever have.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Never Give Up Praying. A great book to read is The Circle Maker by Mark Patterson.