Spiritually Healthy

Last week I ordered a few clothing items online. With each passing day that they didn't arrive, I kept checking back via the tracking number to see were the parcels were located. Each time I would be a little bit disappointed because it didn't seem like they were any closer to my house.  As I was thinking on my little packages this morning, I had this thought of God's will. I thought to myself, How many times do I pray and ask God, "Oh please let this package come" or, "Please make the rain stop", OR "Lord, please let this sickness pass." Many many times I have cried those little prayers out to God, but like the human that I am, I try to keep a grasp of "control" on the outcome. In other words, not fully surrendering that outcome to God.   I would put so much pressure on that very little thing that I requested, and if it didn't come to pass, well then something's wrong, right? Not so.  I've realized (again and again) that ...

As I walked the family dog this morning, I talked with God (something I try to do whenever I'm taking a walk). The past few days I've been feeling down - or rather, frustrated. Until sharing this feeling with God, I didn't realize that I was placing my worth and value in what I can do. As some of you know, I just recently walked away from a really fun job (click  here  to read more), and since then, I've been in this season of waiting.  As I seek new employment, I am reminded how I must must place my hope, worth, peace; my everything in Christ and what He has done for me: which is that He has saved me from Darkness, Death, and Separation from God. Therefore my worth is not in what I am - for I am a sinner, rather my worth is in who He is.  May the Lord continue to bring these thoughts to mind as I navigate this season of waiting on Him to provide (and I know He will for He is faithful to provide for all our needs). Philippians 4:19 says, "But my God shall supply al...

Ya'll, I love my flowers.  This morning I made my normal trek outside to check on my chickens, pigs, puppy dog (not really a puppy lol, but he's cute like a puppy), and of course, my flower garden. As I gazed upon the little faces of bright joy, a smile came upon me.  This year I wanted to plant ALL THE FLOWERS, which in actuality I didn't do, but I did gather quite a large amount of seeds that I planned to plant. Which is exactly what I did. I planted, watered and waited.  As my flowers began to pop up, it doesn't mater if I've planted this type before, I always become giddy with excitement. So when my flowers started to bloom, you can imagine how enraptured I was!  I've often wondered why flowers are such a happy place for me. Part of it is I think in my blood. Both sets of my grandparents were fantastic gardeners, and then of course my mom and dad grew lots of things when I was a child. So, I guess you could say that growing things is part of who I am. And I ...

Seasons come and go and this past week saw the end of one season. After almost three years of helping teach gymnastics, God has closed that door and I said goodbye to a bunch of precious children/coaches.  I've said it here before, but I absolutely love working with and teaching children. Throughout my life, the Lord has blessed me many opportunities to work alongside kids. Whether that was teaching Bible class, helping with gymnastics, volunteering at a summer camp, or simply baby-sitting, God has given me many moments where I have had the blessed opportunity to be a positive example in a child's life. There is a weight that comes with that though. Knowing that children watch by example is HUGE - at least to me. Every week when when class would start, I would try to remind myself that some of these kids don't have both sets of parents raising them, some of them don't attend a Bible-preaching church, and some of them come from terrible backgrounds. Keeping the thought o...

As I look back on the last five months of my life (really it has been longer than that, but I'll just go with the last five months), I see just how scary it as been for me to take risks.  What if something goes wrong? What if it doesn't work out? What if I get hurt? What if I can't move on?  Those questions (and more!) have been frequently coming to mind. I thought I was doing a good job at dispelling them, but it turns out I was letting them consume me with extra worry and fear.  I am not a daring adventurous kind of girl; I'm rather fond on my cocoon of safety. Why? Because it is predictable, and often times for me, predictable means safe. That's not always the case, but in my little head, I often justify it. I like to be secure and feel safe. But as life has thrown me a few curve balls, I have realized that these unexpected events come no matter what. So, what to do? I am a naturally anxious person and so surrendering that area to Lord is rather difficult for me....

Isn't there a phrase, "It's the little things in life"?  As the Lord continues to lead and guide me, I have come to see many many times over that life is mix of little blessings that add up and showcase how great our God truly is. Last week, I had a special friend visit me from out of town. Over the course of their stay we went all over and explored some of what Florida has to offer. Through our little adventures, I came to realize how special it is to simply be . Maybe this doesn't surprise you, but I can be a "go big or go home" type of person. While I think there are times that call for that, I also have learned that there is beauty and tranquility in the simplest of things. Such as: Listening to the rain, walking , discovering hidden gems, trying something new, talking, dreaming, laughing, embracing, and even silence.  Of course there are many more, but these stick out to me because they are fresh in my mind.  So as I savor these memories, not only d...