Tag: joy

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Travel

Finding Grace #173

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was went really well. On Monday, I had the painter from last week come back to paint an accent wall downstairs. I really like how it turned out!

All throughout the week, I had great conversations with good friends. It is fun to see how many people God has put in my life from all walks of life. I’m so thankful for the encouragement, support, and wisdom they share!

On Thursday, my friends and I discussed our Bible reading plan on contentment. We had a good time catching up. Someone mentioned that contentment is when we turn our “what ifs” into “even if.” We give our worries to God and trust Him even if things turn out differently than we wanted. Wise words! We also had fun making indoor s’mores!

On Friday, I worked on a project while Lydia read some books and played outside with friends! Then a friend came over for pizza and catching up on a Netflix series we enjoy!

Today, Lydia and I went to Detroit Lakes, MN, with another family. It is about 45-60 minutes away, perfect for a fun day trip. We played mini golf and had a picnic. Then, we heard reports of severe weather at home. So, we came home early. The weather improved on the way back, so we hung out longer. Tonight, Lydia’s having an impromptu sleepover with the little girl (at our house). I’m thankful for God’s protection and summer adventures!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom, Worship

On Being Content

This week I am doing another YouVersion Bible plan with friends. It is called, “The Power of Christian Contentment,” by Andrew Davis. It is so good. 

For this post, I wanted to capture a few of my thoughts in one spot. Contentment is a lifelong pursuit, so this simple post is by no means exhaustive.

The author talks about how rare contentment really is. I never thought about it that way. But I know many people (even Christians) who are mad at God for how life has turned out. They blame Him for what did or did not happen.

They choose to grumble and complain, but they refuse to take responsibility for their role in it. Not everything is someone’s fault, of course, but we have to do our part.

Sometimes, evil things happen and it seems like God has failed us. But God’s love never fails. He is always good, even when life doesn’t make sense. He is trustworthy!

To me, contentment means having peace and joy while going at God’s pace. It’s trusting Him, by not rushing ahead or setting lofty expectations, nor getting overly discouraged when disappointments come. We can’t avoid ups and downs entirely, but we can control our reactions.

The author mentioned that it takes supernatural effort to be content. Without Jesus, it seems we are always lacking something. In Jesus, we have everything we need. That doesn’t mean life is perfect, but He is with us and helps us through each of life’s challenges.

We weren’t meant to live with anger, anxiety, or fear!

God never sends bad or evil things upon His children. But, He will use everything (good or evil) for our benefit. Only He can orchestrate each of our paths and help us navigate life’s ups and downs while still bringing good out of it ALL! Wow!

The author mentioned the Apostle Paul and all he went through in spreading the gospel. To start, Paul was imprisoned, beaten, and shipwrecked. Eventually, he was executed.

Contentment is a lifestyle, an attitude, and a choice. Whether Paul had a lot or a little, was hungry or fed… in every circumstance, he persevered and learned to be content (Philippians 4:11-13).

In the ancient town of Philippi, Paul shared the gospel with a crowd. A woman named Lydia chose to believe the message and receive Christ. On Sunday, MY Lydia jokingly said, “No, they have it all wrong. She wasn’t from there, she was from North Dakota!”

It was funny, but it made me think. How often do we try to change or interpret God’s word to fit our goals and plans? We need to align ourselves with the Truth, that is Jesus!

Contentment comes when we know God’s heart for us and accept His path. It is not dependent on how much physical wealth we have or how little. It is not dependent upon whether or not all your personal dreams come true.

We can be content when our day takes a drastic turn. We can hold our tongue when people gossip about us. We can accept God’s will when we are not promoted or plans fail, knowing He has something better. We can maintain our joy, even when we have to make toast in the bathroom.

We can follow God wholeheartedly, even in the midst of pain. In fact, choosing to praise Him while suffering often brings an even better opportunity to show His goodness!

God loves working on our behalf despite the odds against us! That’s when His power shines bright and He gets all the glory! Woohoo!

We learn about God’s love by spending time with Him in two-way prayer, reading His Word and applying it, and learning to trust and obey the Holy Spirit.

Jesus showed us how to be content. He chose to follow His Father’s will, even to the cross. It would have been much more pleasant (for Him), had He done His own thing.

Jesus knew what was at stake, and He was strong to the end. Can you imagine how the story would have changed if all He did in Scripture is whine and complain?! Yikes!

Our Heavenly Father always does what is best for us. It’s our job to agree with Him and not run the show. Life is an adventure… but don’t be afraid. Be encouraged.

Jesus always leads us to Victory! May we be content and live in grace!

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God, thanks for You grace and love. Give us courage to let go and trust You. Help us grow in contentment. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Was this post on contentment comforting, challenging, or convicting? How can you cultivate contentment today?

Tasks: Check out the YouVersion Bible app for great reading plans that speak to everyday life. Invite some friends to join you!

 

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #172

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was a lot of fun. Sunday was Father’s Day. It was a relaxing day for us, and we just took it in stride. When I asked Lydia if she had any thoughts about her dad, she said, “At least he’s in heaven!” I’m thankful she is so resilient.

On Monday, one of our Caterpillar friends was in town for work at the office here. We went to dinner with him and his family at Spitfire, one of Dave’s favorite places. It was good to reminisce and catch up with people who have had such a big impact on our lives. It was also good to have delicious leftovers for the week!

On Friday, it was the summer solstice (June 21st)! To celebrate, I participated in an online challenge to row 21,000 meters. I actually rowed an additional 97 meters to finish a half-marathon distance in just under 2 hours. Lydia woke up for the last 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) and cheered me on. It was intense, but I’m so glad I did it!

This week, I hired someone to repaint my upstairs living area. It was not something I planned to do. Last week, I was inspired to do some touchups, but I discovered the color I thought it was…wasn’t. The colors didn’t match well, so I took the opportunity to pick a new color! It is a pretty green color that is a little darker and brighter than the original. At times it looks green, blue, or gray depending on the lights, shadows, and angles. I love it!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #171

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week we kept busy. We went to the local reading bus and also the school library. Lydia picked out 6 books and is done with five of them!

Lydia also attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) this week. The theme was “Life is Wild. God is good.” They talked about how God is still good when life gets crazy, changes, or gets difficult. Such an important message! She also enjoyed the music and crafts. I ran into two mom friends and had fun catching up briefly with them.

During VBS, I worked and had a couple of appointments. One of the appointments was a six-month follow-up for my eyes. After Lasik eye surgery in December, my eyes are doing well! I’m grateful!

We had beautiful weather this week. In my opinion, it was just about perfect! We spent time outside doing yard work, enjoying the pool, reading, and visiting with neighbors.

On Thursday, I had several ladies over for Bible study and fellowship. We really enjoyed great food and even better discussion! It’s an honor to host these dear friends.

Today, Lydia and I were blessed to see a new bird on our deck. It was a first for both of us! I researched the bird, and finally posted online for help. Turns out, it was a yellow-headed blackbird! I love seeing how creative God is!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Fruit, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom, Worship

Twenty-four Seven

I am still working on scribing the Gospel of John. I’ve only got a handful of chapters left, and it should be fairly straight forward. I had planned to do it every day but realized I wanted to take more time and really soak up those truths.

Recently, I spent a lot of time in John 15 and 16. One of my favorite passages of scripture is John 15:5, in which Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

It is important to regularly evaluate the status of our relationship with Jesus. If we are walking in step with him, we will bear fruit. The Holy Spirit cultivates an abundance of high quality, life-giving fruit in our lives (if we cooperate with Him).

Spiritual fruit can be seen in many ways.

The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. How each of us portrays those character qualities, however, can be as different as our personalities, stage of life, and zipcodes.

Spiritual fruit is not the ‘Midas touch’ of everything turning to gold or going our way. Fruit takes a lot of perseverance. Often, it takes conscious effort to not give up or get ahead of God.

Jesus is the vine, and we are merely the branches. We have to yield to His control and grow on His terms. Thankfully, Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to help.

In John 16:13-14, Jesus says, “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”

The Holy Spirit is such a wonderful gift. To start, He is our advocate, helper, and comforter. He empowers us with wisdom, courage, and grace through the pruning process.

The Holy Spirit teaches us about Jesus and how to implement the Bible into our lives. He convicts us when we do wrong, and leads us back to Jesus when we stray. As we yield to His authority in our lives, He even makes our relationships run in harmony and peace.

Any time we need help, all we have to do is ask. God is right there with us to guide us through it. If you are feeling blah or hopeless today or feeling confused or stagnant, don’t worry. The Holy Spirit is available to every believer 24/7. He will encourage you and lead to the truth. Draw close to Him!

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Holy Spirit, thanks for Your continual presence. Thanks for the work You do in our lives and all around us. Tune our ears to Your voice. Help us walk in truth and grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you recognize the Holy Spirit at work within you? Do you check in with him frequently?

Tasks: Invite the Holy Spirit into whatever activities you are doing. Also, read The Holy Spirit: An Introduction by John Bevere.

Posted on in Books and Movies I Like, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #169

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was really good. I saw God’s grace all around, especially in how He directed our steps. Early in the week my sister and friend were still here. We had a great time together. Then, Tuesday through Thursday, I had work and Lydia had school.

On Wednesday, she went on a zoo field trip about an hour south of Fargo. It was a little strange having her leave town without me, but she did well!

Thursday was the last day of school. I squeezed in a dentist appointment and work before Lydia came home for summer break. She had an awesome year, teacher, and classmates. She was challenged in new ways and grew so much. I am so proud of her!

We had several friends come over this week. One friend came over for dinner and did her laundry. On Thursday, my other friends came over for Bible study. On Friday, several neighbor boys came over for water games on a hot day. Everyone had fun!

Yesterday, we spent most of the day outside. I mowed the lawn which had grown super long. Normally, it takes about 45 minutes, but I spent almost 2 hours bagging grass, mowing, raking and trimming. It was worth the extra effort!

Last night, I introduced Lydia to one of my favorite childhood series. There are 8 books total in the Addie McCormick Adventures by Leanne Lucas. My sister and I received new (autographed!) books for Christmas when they were originally released. Then, in high school, we were camp counselors, and we read these to our campers to calm them down after lights out. Lydia and I already read 90 pages of the first book!

Today is another beautiful day. Lydia and I spent the morning reading together, and then she has been outside this afternoon with friends. I have been knocking out indoor activities, like paying bills and cleaning the bathrooms. I’ll head out soon enough!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #168

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was full of God’s grace! It was a normal week overall with work and school and meetings. It was cool and rainy, with little bits of sunshine. I mowed the lawn on Monday and I could almost do it again!

Yesterday, my sister and a dear friend flew in from Chicago for the long holiday weekend. My friend also brought her 2-and-a-half-year-old son. We’ve had a lot of fun so far! We went shopping and walked downtown. We also went to the park and out to eat. Tomorrow, we hope to go to the zoo weather permitting!

God always protects us and today we saw that first-hand. While we were downtown, a car accidentally went over the curb and into a building only about fifteen feet in front of us! A man was driving a car that was unfamiliar to him and narrowly missed hitting another family. My sister, Lydia, and I also could have been hit, but we stopped to wait for my friend and her son who paused behind us. If we had kept walking we would have been seriously hurt. Thank You, Jesus, for directing our path and keeping us safe!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Prayer, Worship

Known and Loved

Yesterday morning, I was serenaded by a little songbird called a tree swallow. Blue is my favorite color and the male’s blue coloring was particularly pretty. The female is more of a greyish brown. She joined him on my deck after he had been singing for a few minutes.

I thought it was sweet to watch as I was eating my breakfast. Soon, however, I started to discern something else might be going on. I’m no bird expert, but it seemed like I was watching a turf war!

A third bird kept landing on my deck, which prompted all the birds to ‘hiss’ at each other and scatter. I don’t know if the males were fighting over the female or if there was a nest nearby.

I would have loved to stay and watch this scene on repeat through my binoculars… but I had to go to work. Still, it reminded me that we are also in a daily battle that often is difficult to discern.

There is a battle for our souls. Our enemy will use any means necessary to distract us, get us off course, and make us doubt God’s love. We have to be aware of these methods or we will start to lose ground.

Case in point: Yesterday afternoon, I was fighting a bad attitude because I perceived something unfair. I was a little upset about things I can’t control. Left unchecked, I then let even minor inconveniences affect me and become major annoyances!

For example, when I walked to the bus to pick up Lydia, the wind kept blowing my hair into my face. Grrr… Yes, I could have driven around the block, but didn’t. I could have grabbed a hat, but then I would have had hat hair… oh, the injustice! 😉

Thankfully, I soon confessed what was bothering me to the Lord. I also apologized for being annoyed about the wind. It wasn’t a quick turnaround, but slowly, I switched gears. Walking against the wind on our way home from the bus also helped!

Lydia happened to be in a really funny mood, which also helped mine. After listening to her chat about her day, I turned on the radio to help me get out of my funk. Lydia had plenty to say about the songs, and the lyrics spoke precisely to my heart.

I was glad to draw near to God and worship. Each song felt like it was hand-picked by Him—I felt He understood just what I needed. More of Him.

As Lydia and I made dinner together, I prayerfully poured out my heart to the Lord. Later, I explained the basics of how I was feeling to Lydia and thanked her for helping me cheer up. She hadn’t even noticed!

I didn’t tell her all the details, of course, but she was supportive and gave me lots of hugs. We talked about our various emotions and how we can bring them all to God—good or bad. We don’t have to live in fear, doubt, or defeat.

I could have stayed in my bad mood, but I’m glad I asked the Lord for help. God knows each of our needs even before we come and ask. We can trust Him to take good care of us because He loves us so much. His love never fails!

God provides for all the birds and knows each one. But we are far more valuable to Him. He knows us fully and sees all our selfishness, yet He loves us anyway. Wow.

With Jesus, we have all that we need….and He already won the war. We don’t have to fight it out on our own. We just have to stand firm and not give up any territory. Victory!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your forgiveness and grace. You take such good care of me and provide for all of my needs. Help me trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: When you are in a foul mood, how to do you get out of it? What do you do to renew your mind with God’s love and truth?

Tasks: Let your emotions lead you to Jesus. Listen to the song, “Known,” by Tauren Wells.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Journey of Grace, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #167

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week I saw God’s grace all around me. On Sunday evening, Lydia and I were playing frisbee in the front yard when a lady from South Dakota stopped by my little free library! She was searching for the geocache inside and laughed when she found it. She was visiting family in Fargo and commented on the variety of books inside the LFL. It was gratifying to see her enjoy herself.

On Monday, I walked Lydia and a friend to the park in our neighborhood. It was a beautiful day to be outside! While we were there, we saw the family of one of Lydia’s classmates. I hadn’t seen them for a while, so it was really nice to catch up!

Wednesday was the 6th anniversary of Dave’s death. After work and school, we invited some neighbor friends to meet us for frozen yogurt. Afterward, they invited us to their house for dinner! It was a good day and I was grateful for all the loving support we received both near and far. Thank you!

This week, my tulips finally bloomed! I love the pink color. I also noticed the leaves on my trees finally popped out! Our grass is growing well, and I’ll have to mow it soon. 🙂

On Friday, Lydia stayed home from school because she was sick. It must’ve been a 24-hour GI bug. We enjoyed a quiet day of rest, though I washed several loads of laundry and did some deep cleaning related to her being sick. I’m glad she is feeling better now!

Recently, a friend who winters in Arizona gave me some fresh lemons when she returned home. These lemons were the biggest, juiciest ones I have ever seen! I also just happened to find a healthy recipe for lemon curd, so used the lemons for that. It is so tasty! (see pic)

Today, it was rainy, windy, and cold. We decided to go see the new movie, “Ugly Dolls,” currently in the theater. It was really cute, and I appreciated the message of accepting others who look or act differently than you. I’m grateful God makes us all unique!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Worship

Scars

I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars
So forever I am thankful for the scars

–From the song, “Scars,” by I AM THEY

Well, here we are in the middle of May! Today marks 6 years since Dave died. I am reflective, and a little sad, but I know it will pass. Today also marks six years of being a widow and single mom. Lydia and I are doing well, and talk about Dave often. 

Thankfully, we have found a good rhythm. God has us on a good path, and I’m grateful for the peace and rest He brings. Over the years, grief always felt like a ‘big’ factor. Now, it comes and goes with less frequency.

On this anniversary, we always celebrate Dave’s life by doing something special. I give Lydia a small gift, tell her “Dave stories,” and point out qualities of his that she also has.

When I asked Lydia for her ideas on how to celebrate, she suggested we eat frozen yogurt, play a game, or take a bike ride after we get home from work and school.

I’m amazed that she takes it all in stride. She has proven quite resilient! She seems fairly mature for her age, handling herself and her emotions well.

In fact, over the last few months, Lydia has started to ask for more details about Dave and cancer. She now identifies when she is sad, and we are able to talk about it. It helps that we can build on all our previous conversations.

Last week, Lydia decided on a whim to wear her CAT sweatshirt from when she was a toddler. It made me smile because the shirt is still so special to her. She didn’t think anything of the fact that is too small. The sleeves are super short, so maybe I’ll get her a new one for the fall!

Today, I’m also celebrating God’s grace and faithfulness. He has helped me to persevere and keep moving forward. Overall, I’ve made slow and steady progress, but it still counts!

We can’t get through life without pain and suffering. It’s just not possible to be alive and problem-free at the same time. We will all go through trials, which will likely yield some physical and/or emotional wounds. But, that doesn’t mean we have no control. We can certainly choose to have a good attitude and bring our pain to Jesus for healing. Professional therapy may also be helpful!

We should be wise with how we view our scars and stories. We don’t have to walk around showing off our scars to everyone we meet. Despite what happens, we are not victims. Besides, some people won’t understand our pain or be able to handle it appropriately.

But when we have the opportunity, we can use our scars to tell a story of grace, victory, and God’s goodness. Scars show how much we’ve been through, yes, but they also show how much we’ve been healed. Praise God!

Our trials, wounds, and scars can either distract us from Jesus or redirect us back to Him. I’m grateful I’ve chosen to draw near to the Lord. He has rebuilt me from the inside out, and His joy has been my strength. He is always with me and for me. He has never let me down!

Over the last six years, I’ve been constantly reminded life is so short. We can’t take anything for granted, but we can always be grateful. When we let God lead us, He takes such good care of us. He loves us so very much. Thank You, Jesus!

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God, thanks for bringing us this far. We could not have made it without You. Please continue to lead and guide us. Thank You for using my pain and scars and for giving me a new purpose. I give You glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Question: How do you like to celebrate the lives of your loved ones who have died?

Tasks: Listen to the song, “Scars,” by I AM THEY. Also, reach out to a widow, single mom, or someone else who may need some encouragement today! Small acts of kindness can go a long way!