The Mothership

“If your fellow believer sins against you, you must go to that one privately and attempt to resolve the matter. If he responds, your relationship is restored. “Receive this truth: Whatever you forbid on earth will be considered to be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be considered to be released in heaven. Again, I give you an eternal truth: If two of you agree to ask God for something in a symphony of prayer, my heavenly Father will do it for you. For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name, I am right there with them!” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬, ‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭TPT‬‬ You walk into your house and you see the couch on fire. You decide, I’ll put that out later and move on because… I need to finish up work or the kids have practice or  you need to get groceries or   you’re replacing the garbage disposal or  fixing the fence, etc.  That scenario sounds crazy, right? This example above is one from Danny Silk, author of...

We’ve been going through the book of John as a family. It’s amazing you can read something more than 10 times and new thoughts, new wonderings dwell within the words on the page. In my mind from my elementary days, The Good Shepherd and his sheep is a picture of just that: a man holding a staff, standing as the gate to let the sheep in and call to them. They don’t even question because they KNOW this is good pasture. Can’t you see it on the wall? With the sheep and their curly hair, amongst a field of grass at the mercy of one man, their shepherd. Their lives are in his hands. But as I sat reminiscing of the picture framed on the Sunday school wall, a question wells up inside? “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and  will find good pastures . The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.  My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. ” John Chapter 10:9-11 What does your GOOD pasture look like, Lo...

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God and I trust him.” Psalm 91:1-2 A new book, a pedicure, going for a run, hiking, or just sitting on your own are all very restful activities that I have enjoyed and are only a glimpse of restful ideas. When I think of rest, I am cuddled onto a porch with a blanket fully relaxed and unencumbered with stress reading a book or just sipping a hot drink, or maybe margarita if it’s evening. We all have unique ways of resting. In order for our minds and bodies to fully rest we have to feel secure. I know when my child is feeling insecure there is angst and distress with little ability to fully calm. When you can’t find peace and rest where do you look? The scripture above suggests that when we take the opportunity to invite Him into our lives we then LIVE in his shelter.  As people walk, you notice the shadow they c...

My quiet morning begins with my subtle alarm. As I place my feet on the floor and smell the aroma of delayed brew coffee (BEST THING EVER) I can hear the pit-pat on the window as rain falls. To quote my friend's momma, "The weather is so appropriate for today." Bleak, gloomy, and just uninviting. As I go about my morning routine of quiet time before the kids get up I reflect on Good Friday. I went through my devotionals they all intertwined somehow. Each devotional was different and only one was Easter themed. I usually read and bookmark verses that stand out to me and then after I read, I write down the verses and reflect. As I begin that portion, little footsteps come down the hall...one by one.  My moment of solitude isn't so solitaire, but still sweet. After saying their good morning pleasantries, and doling out kisses and hugs because it's a new day, they each find their space on the couch...keeping a careful eye on the level of mommy's coffee...too...

Helping people is kinda my jam. I love helping people. Probably to the level of helicopterish. I am sure some have felt as if I have interfered with their space and taken over. Maybe even offended at the thought that they needed help. But, I can say it comes from the best part of me and I am a work in progress. If you are my friend or in my vicinity...you will be helped...whether you like it or not. JK - I have better boundaries now at my ripe old age of 38. But sometimes I CANNOT help myself at helping others and if you love me you'll take this trait and utilize it. If you aren't my friend, yet, then so sorry, steer clear. All joking aside, I really do love helping others with the best of intentions and from the bottom of my heart, without trying to be weird about it. God has knit this trait so deeply in my being that he made the Acts of Service Love Language my least favorite of all the five. Just like any trait if it is stewarded well with boundaries it can be a release of c...

She sits gazing...gazing at what I am not sure. I am blinded by the light emitting from around the outline of her silhouette.  She is bathed in a radiant glow that also gives off an aroma.  I step closer to realize the woman is scented in a fine perfume. She is not concerned of others. Nor the details of her physique.  But she has her eyes on one thing... The light that emits from her is because of her faith...it has saved her. She is peace. She is radiant. She exudes joy, wonder, and forgiveness. She is the presence of peace because she has made His heart her home. I see all of this, taking in each detail without even seeing the details. Details of the heart are not something one can see at first glance. But as you study them they become the dominant features. Her spirit is so in tune with God's because her spirit is God's. She shows abundant love because she has been forgiven much. Her hands hold an alabaster jar. All of her senses pointedly looking and activating to th...

This post took me awhile to formulate. I even took notes and reflected on past journal entries. It is neat to see how God works over time and you don't notice it until you go back and look at all of the details. So I will save you all the back & forths and try to compile my thoughts One fall October morning at a ladies study, we were asked to pick up one of the leaves that were piled in front of us, that drew us in.  So I started for one and jokingly said to another lady, "Oh! I was going to pick that one!?!" I think I threw her off guard and she put it down not knowing my humor...so I picked it up so I didn't look like more of a jerk...anyway, it's funny because I ended up picking up two and this one seemed to reveal more to me than the other one.  At this time in the year, I felt like I was in a lull with God - not in a bad way, but in a "I'm happy doing these things you've laid on my heart and I am enjoying them, but what's next...

I hate canceling on people - I really dislike the word hate, but it is appropriately used here. When I cancel on someone I feel as if I have let them down. I want people to be able to count on me or at least feel like I am reliable. And I would say, that yes, in most things I am reliable.  I'm fairly certain I have these feelings because growing up, if we said we were going to do something, we followed through and did it well.  That's just what we did.  No quitting.  No regrets. You always showed up; rain or snow, we walked to church.  Busy or not, we showed up.  I am so thankful for those lessons, because I feel like it has given me opportunities to meet Jesus by serving and being there for others. However, sometimes I over-do it.  Sometimes I want to be there for everything and I just physically can't.  And my kiddos physically can't either. And I'm not sure it is my best self forward...or my kiddos best self forward.   I suffer fr...

Holidays can often leave a painful mark or reminder for those who had absent, hurtful, tumultuous relationships with loved ones that are either still lingering or were left undone without closure or mended hearts. Mother’s Day is a day when most are celebrated but there are some that are hurting. If this is you, maybe you have... feelings of abandonment... feelings of resentment... feelings of wanting... feelings of complacency... feelings of blah... feelings of loss... feelings of fear... feelings of anxiety... feelings of the not yet... Lots of feelings. I want to say to you... You are seen. You are loved. You are cherished. Jesus sees you and loves you more than any mother could love. In church one morning, I noticed people...some joyful, some sad, some hurt, some happy, some mundane and unnoticed. God hits me with, “These are my kids and they need to be mothered too.” Whether you have/had a great relationship with your mom or not, there are lots of people that need moth...

So, moms...I have such a deep appreciation for moms now.  If I had only realized how much of Jesus my mother tried to instill in me at the time, maybe I would have been more appreciative in my younger years.  A friend of mine leads a women's prayer group once a month.  It has provided me with a chance to meet Jesus in a quiet intimate time, in the middle of the day, with minimal distractions - which for a lot of moms can be hard.  This week we were reading over the verse, John 20:19-23. 1 9  That Sunday evening [ a ] the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20  As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21  Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22  Then he breathed on them and said, “Receiv...