Love Extravagantly

“Watch what God does, and then do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.  Mostly what God does is love you.  Keep company with him and learn a life of love.  Observe how Christ loved us.  His love was not cautious, but extravagant.  He didn’t love in order to get something, but to give everything of himself to us.  Love like that.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG

Wow! There is so much to learn from this scripture…

If you are one of my single friends, please don’t check out yet.  Although the story I share below pertains to marriage, there is something in this for you too.  Extravagant love applies to every relationship, friendships included.  We see the definition of love, sacrifice and service through this verse and the life of Jesus.  

At the beginning of my relationship with my husband I would have special days like Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and vacations planned out in my mind.  I had all these romantic ideas about how the day would go, and I expected them to play out just how I had imagined.  As you can imagine, figuring my husband was not a mind reader, I often found myself disappointed.  I somehow was shocked that he didn’t get the memo I had sent him over brain waves.  

A year after we had our first child we went on our first weekend getaway without her.  It was just him and I, and I had the whole romantic weekend planned out in my mind.  I remember sitting on the balcony of our hotel room having my quiet time the first morning of our trip, and God led me to this verse in the Message translation.  He spoke right to my expectations and called me to lay them all down and just love my husband extravagantly, without expecting anything in return.  That trip turned out to be one of my favorites of all time.  We had so much fun together and truly enjoyed each other’s company.  

Maybe you are like me and have something special for Valentine’s Day planned out in your mind.  Might I challenge you to lay down your expectations, and love like Christ?  Don’t be cautious.  Go all out in love—love extravagantly, but don’t expect anything in return.  Love not to get something, but give yourself fully.  

Do what God does…love extravagantly.   

He Loves Me

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.  Valentine’s Day is a holiday that we either love or dread.  It can be a reminder of all the love that we have in our lives or it can shed light on the lack of love we have in our lives.  But do not be deceived, dear sister.  Not one of us is lacking in love.  Let us not forget the greatest Valentine ever sent; the Valentine that was signed and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

-John 3:16 NIV

Replace” the world” with your name.  God so loved ________ that he gave his one and only son.  God loves you! God loves you! Is it sinking in yet?

I will never forget when God’s love for me finally sank into my heart.  For years I knew in my head that God loved me, I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and I even sang the song “Jesus Loves Me” believing that I knew that, but I hadn’t really known it in my heart yet.

I finally realized in my heart just how much God loved me at my church’s women’s retreat.  Throughout the entire weekend I heard powerful messages about God’s love for me and I felt the Lord tugging on my heart, telling me the message was for me.  During one of our quiet time breaks I went outside and took in the Lord’s beauty in the majestic Rocky Mountains.  I opened my Bible and read Psalm 45.  I was awestricken by the following verse:

“The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord.”

-Psalm 45:11

As I read that, I made every attempt I could to prove that this verse was not referring to me.  I scoured through every translation I could get my hands on at that moment and then felt the Lord telling me, “Stop!  This is for you.  Quit trying and striving for perfection.  Stop trying to earn my love.  You are beautiful and acceptable in my eyes.  Open your eyes to see that I am well pleased with you.  You are my princess and I am enthralled by your beauty.  I am singing songs over you right now.  I love you, my precious daughter.”  At that moment I laid down my desire for perfection, and I cuddled up in His love for me.   

The year following that retreat was one of the hardest years of my life.  My family and I walked through trials that would have destroyed me had I not known in my heart how much God loved me.  Had I not learned in my heart the deepness of his love and the fact that I don’t have to earn his love, I never would have survived the challenges that I faced that year.  And the amazing thing is that I was pregnant during the retreat.  I was still in the beginning stages of my pregnancy, but had I gotten pregnant when we first started trying to conceive, I would have missed the retreat.  I fully believe that God had that all planned out.  He knew I needed to go to the retreat to hear the messages that would be shared before I faced the trials ahead.  Praise God for His sovereignty and His perfect timing. 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

-Romans 8:38-39

Thank you, my King, for your unfathomable love.  Lord, I pray that we would all fully understand your great love for us; that it would sink into the deepest part of our hearts.  May we as women find rest in your great unfailing love for us, God.  Thank you that NOTHING can ever separate us from your love.  And thank you for choosing me to be your princess and for clothing me with such righteousness that you are enthralled by my beauty.  May we all walk confidently in your unfailing love for us.  I love you, my God.  I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Happy Valentine’s Day, My Friend!

Sent to Strengthen and Encourage

“Moses' arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.”

Exodus 17:12

Have you ever become so tired and weary that you could no longer fight the battle before you?  In our moments of emptiness and weakness it is important to look to God and lean on Him as He fills us back up; but like Moses, at some point we may all come to a point where we just need to find a place to sit and have our friends come beside us to hold us up so we can keep fighting. 

This morning before I even finished my first cup of coffee I was puked on twice and pooped on once (sorry for the graphic details).  As those of you who have had sick kids know, I am tired and feeling like I am running on empty.  I can’t hold my own arms up at this point, but praise God, I have friends and family who are willing to come beside me and help me.  I have friends who are lifting me and my sick little girl up in prayer as I type.  That’s the will of God in action! We were never meant to walk this life alone, girls.  We need each other.  God has placed people in your life for the very same purpose that He sent Timothy to the Thessalonians—“to strengthen and encourage you in your faith so that no one would be unsettled in these trials.” (1 Thessalonians 3:2)  Embrace those around you today and praise God for the blessings He has placed in your path. 

Lord, thank you so much for the relationship I have with you,  and thank you for surrounding me with support.   These ladies have accomplished your purpose 100 times over. They have made sure that I do not grow weary in doing good, and they have definitely strengthened and encouraged me in my faith. What a beautiful example of godliness you have set before me. Father, help me to be that kind of friend in return. Place people in my path who need to draw strength and encouragement from me. Please bless and protect my dear friends today. I love you my God, Amen.

He Carries the Little Lambs

“He will feed his flock like a shepherd.  He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.  He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”

-Isaiah 40:11

My sweet little one was feeling under the weather last night.  As I sat in the rocking chair snuggling her close to my chest, I recited this verse and remembered all the times God has proved these words to be true.  My daughter, Sydnee, spent her first days fighting for her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  Being hospitalized in a separate city, I could not even be there to hold her.  What a comfort knowing that Jesus himself was carrying her in his arms, holding her close to his heart. 

 

A separate time, when Sydnee was three months old, she was hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  She spent eight days sedated and on a ventilator, fighting for her life.  After days of negative reports and seeing her continue to get worse instead of better, I felt I had been completely drained of any hope.    I sat in our hospital room, watching all of the sick children get wheeled past our door in their hospital beds with their scared and grieving parents trailing behind, and I cried out to God asking Him for a word of hope.  I opened my Bible to Isaiah 40:11, and as I clung to this promise my heart caught sight of a little glimpse of hope.  A few good friends of mine came to visit that day and they helped me grab hold of my hope again.  We talked about this verse and the picture it gave us of Jesus, carrying the little lamb in his arms while gently leading the mama sheep, assuring her that He had her baby.  Clinging to His promise and picturing Sydnee as his little lamb is what gave me the strength and hope to persevere and remain strong for my little girl. 

Being a mom is so hard, especially when our children are struggling or in pain.  God knows how hard it is, and He knows the pain we feel as parents when we see our children suffer.  He knows that better than anyone.  I believe this is why in the second part of the verse, He promises to gently lead the mother sheep with their young.  To all the mamas out there, may He gently lead you today in trust, confidence, strength, and perseverance.  He’s got your baby in His arms.  May you find rest in that.

Our Great God and Healer,

We come to you as women and as mothers who care deeply for the children you have entrusted to us.  Father, our hearts are heavy with concern for our children and their well-being.  May we not forget that you are carrying our children and you love them even more than we do.  Father, help us to affirm our trust in you, in your unfailing love and goodness.  Gently lead us as we work to trust you more.  Lord, please bring healing and comfort to all the children and families who sit and fight in the NICU’s and PICU’s today.  Rise up with healing in your wings, O Lord.  Bring amazing peace and rest to all the mommies and daddies out there who stand fighting alongside their children.  Thank you for your promises and your unfailing love.  I love you, Lord.  I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Through Faith in His Name: The Great Multitude Daily Devotional

Through Faith in His Name: The Great Multitude Daily Devotional

One of my devotionals came out in The Great Multitude today. :-)

Strengthen My Heart

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”

-Psalm 31:24 NKJV

 Our hearts are so incredibly fragile.  It is hard and scary to put ourselves out there with the chance of our hearts being broken, and in fear we can go through endless human attempts to protect our own hearts.  We can build walls and never allow our hearts to be vulnerable to pain.  We may even find a way to numb the pain, and in the world we live in today there are numerous methods to do so.  But God knew how fragile our hearts were when he made them.  The fact is He never desired a heart of stone in any of us.  He designed our hearts knowing that in their softness, they would be the very part of us that longed for a connection with our Creator.  His word tells us not to be afraid, but to be of good courage. Then He promises to strengthen our hearts as we put all our hope in Him.  Notice that the promise isn’t that our hearts will never be broken, but that He will be the one to pick up the pieces and strengthen our hearts.  Furthermore, His peace will guard our hearts as we live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

What is He calling you to do today?  Is it time to take a chance on love or a new relationship?  Perhaps He is calling you to step out in faith and begin a new journey.  Or is He asking you to quit masking your pain and put your hope in Him?  Whatever it is, may we be of good courage and not miss out on the abundant living He has for us. 

Lord, my Awesome God,

Thank you for your word today.  Please forgive me for trying to protect my own heart.  That’s your job, not mine.  Lord, it is so incredibly scary to put my heart out there.  I am afraid it will be broken, but I trust you.  I desire a strong heart, not a heart of stone.  Strengthen my heart and give me the courage I need to walk the path you have set before me.  Thank you for walking this journey with me.  I trust you, Lord, and I love you.  I pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen. 

Sunday Story: The Account

Her life on earth was over, and as she entered the Kingdom of Heaven it was time for her to give an account for her life. The Lord took her by the hand and led her over to a giant unending bookshelf. He pointed to a section of books on the bookshelf held up by two bookends. He explained to her that this section was her life, one bookend signifying her birth and the other her death. Each story was composed of the experiences and journeys she traveled through her life, and each season of life was divided by its own set of bookends.

He pointed to a section of books that seemed to be very bright and colorful, but also stained and tattered. He said, “This season was your favorite wasn’t it?” Puzzled, she looked closer to see that this season was labeled, “Motherhood.” She nodded her head in agreement, and a smile crossed her face as she considered how many wonderful stories could be found in each book.

God picked up one of the books and they began reviewing the story within. This was the story of her first daughter’s birth. She told God that it was one of the happiest days of her life, and like two friends chatting over coffee they discussed all that happened that day. New revelations of God’s providence came to her as He explained why the event happened the way it did and why He allowed five months of bed rest leading up to that day. As they closed that book she knew without a shadow of a doubt that that day was purposed by God to grow her in her faith and to teach her one of her most important lessons in life.

Then, skimming the shelf with his finger, He stopped a few books down. As He picked it up she noticed that this book appeared to be tear-stained. He picked it up and started reading it. This was the story of her youngest daughter being ill and hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the young and fragile age of 3 months. Parainfluenza had led her tiny baby into respiratory failure, and she spent a week and a half sedated and on a breathing machine. This story was quite familiar to this mother, and she recalled how uncertain she was while she was in the midst of the trial, yet reading it back with God it seemed so certain that He knew exactly what He was doing by allowing it. This specific situation is what God used to deliver her from her biggest fears regarding her children. Then, He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly as He read the part where she and her husband gathered around their daughter’s hospital bed numerous times with family, church friends and pastors and cried out to Him, Jehovah Rapha. A new kind of peace passed over her as they closed that book and moved on to the next.

After reading countless stories together, they came to a story that stuck out as quite insignificant. Just as she was opening her mouth to ask why they were reading it, God began explaining,
“This day may seem insignificant to you. It was just an ordinary day at home with your children, and you were busy sweeping up cheerios, wiping runny noses, and balancing your work and your job as mom. This day is actually quite significant. It answers the question, were you faithful with little? Were you faithful with the little time you had with your kids that day? Did you put down your cell phone and pay attention to their giggles when you felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to? Were your words kind and peace-loving? Were you quick to listen and slow to become angry? When your husband came home from work that evening, were you loving, gentle, and patient, or did you unload on him because your day was hectic and you got nothing done? See, it was your actions in the most seemingly insignificant times that can answer the most significant questions about you.”

With His gentle and unfailing love and grace they sat together and worked through the answers to those questions. Moving on passed the bookend into her next season of life, she realized how quickly that season passed her by, but she smiled at the thought that her legacy of faith would live on because of that season.