Laundry is common thing to every housewife and/or mama. Some days it may feel like a mundane task, because the laundry basket never seems to stay empty for very long at all. I mean, it just feels rather overwhelming at times.
But here’s the thing.
I love doing laundry.
I always have and probably always will.
What a joy to put smelly clothes into the washer and just an hour or so later, you have clean, fresh smelling laundry.
Ahh! So satisfying.
But here’s the kicker.
I don’t like folding laundry and putting it away.
I don’t like it sitting in the laundry basket either.
I enjoy the satisfying feeling of once it’s all done, as in folded and put away.
But folding and putting away, uhm meh😳🥴My general plan consists of just getting the laundry folded and put away as soon as it drys, that way it’s done and I can move on to other things. You know, fun things that I actually enjoy.
But God took me to a place far past the laundry basket being empty, far past being caught up with laundry, I mean it’s not like it’s a status thing to be caught up on laundry, yes it’s nice but there’s more important things.
Here’s where God took me and it challenged me. Would I rather have an overflowing laundry basket and my children’s hearts taken care of or an empty laundry basket and a child/children that feel unheard and misunderstood?
Oh Lord, give us grace, wisdom, courage and strength to keep our eyes focused on what’s important. You as a mama, are teaching and nurturing your children for all of life! And God’s Mercies are new every Morning!❤️
Maybe it’s the not the laundry basket for you, maybe it’s something else, but whatever it may be, just know it’s okay to not always have it perfect. You are human! God is the giver of much wisdom and grace! Ask Him and He will give it to you❤️
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant” 1 Corinthians 13:4
With Today being Valentine’s Day, a day of celebrating love, we spend lots of money on flowers, cards and chocolate. And I will be the first to admit that, chocolate and flowers are some of my favorite gifts that have been given to me by my dear husband. It’s a joy to receive such a fun gift.
There’s three groups of people I would like to acknowledge in this particular post regarding Valentine’s Day.
To the lady or guy that is single or widowed and you feel like no one has noticed you or even said anything about celebrating today. Maybe some of you even joked that today would best be named, single awareness day, I have been there. In fact, I used to hate Valentine’s Day, I would be absent on social media that particular day, because I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing yet one more sappy post. So yes, for some of you it’s a hard day, and it’s okay to admit that, in fact I would encourage you to admit that it’s a tough day for you. If you have lost your beloved spouse, I am sorry, my heart weeps for you. But I do want to encourage you and remind you, that you are Loved, you are important and you are cared for, first and most important, by your Heavenly Father who created you! You are Loved❤️ And I challenge you to embrace the Father in this journey you are on, May you rest knowing His grace is sufficient.
The second group of people that I want to speak to and encourage is, those of you who either didn’t get flowers, chocolate and etc. because you chose not to celebrate this Valentine’s Day, or maybe it was because financially you could not afford to buy anything extra or special. I want you to know, it’s okay! My encouragement is that you love your spouses me those around you unconditionally, and still let them know you love them and you are thankful for them. Speak words of blessing over them, that is such a gift all in itself! And when you see the sappy posts and bouquets of flowers in social media, enjoy the Beauty of them, but please don’t allow jealousy and bitterness to take root in your heart, because you don’t have any flowers! And may you also know you are Loved by your Heavenly Father, rest in that, He is Enough!
And lastly, to all the spouses and fiancés that are celebrating and did receive gifts, flowers and etc. Enjoy them, take all the pictures you want! It’s okay to do that! But also remember, the flowers will wilt, the chocolate will be ate, the most important thing is that you love each other and tell each other that! Don’t even stop that! God has brought you two together for a reason, seek Him and He will lead you. You are Loved by Him❤️
So what is Love to you? How do you show/portray love to a desperate world that longs to fulfill the God sized vacancy within them?
Frequently in today’s culture and society, love is something that feels good, sugarcoating what truth is, just like slapping a bandaid over on a wound and hoping it heals.
Just as we know that a wound will not heal if the proper care is not given, in the same way, we know at some point in every situation, truth must be spoken, and very likely feelings will be hurt and there may be someone offended by the truth.
Love is speaking the hard things, speaking truth in a society, during a time when truth is often swept under the rug and what we want to hear and what feels good to us is spoken instead.
Warrior friends, are we willing to still speak the truth, knowing it may cost us some heartaches and trials? Will you stand the test and still stand for truth? Will you love your spouse even in the hardest of times?
Just remember you are Loved by One who Died for you on the Cross.
Fall has arrived with its cool crisp air, I gladly welcome it, rejoicing greatly at its arrival, because it’s my favorite season. Summer with its warm breezes and sunshine is but a faint memory in our minds and it truly is a change of seasons. The trees are in a season of letting go of what they have been growing. The leaves are ever so pretty but it will only be a matter of time before they decorate the yard in a color array and then the brisk autumn wind will whisk them away to any nook and crevice that will hold them for a short time.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” ~Ecclesiastes 3:1
The change of seasons and all that comes with it, has me pondering and meditating on the season of life I am in, one that only the Lord can orchestrate and enable me to walk forth in boldness, depending on Him daily, moment by moment for Grace, Strength and Wisdom, which is He so faithful to give in abundance, if only we ask!
In this season of life, in this amazing journey that the Father has me on, as a new bride and mama, I am many times, in fact daily, often moment by moment, made aware of my constant need of the Father, to stop and listen for His sweet gentle voice. If I even dare try on my own strength, I am soon left depleted and weary. I need to understand that on my own I am nothing, I CAN NOT do it!
I am very much the type that likes to know what will be happening, I want to be fully prepared for what I will face, I want to know that I have what it takes, equipped and ready to stand strong and tall. I don’t want to admit defeat. I don’t want to fail. I want to do the right thing every single time, have the correct answer in the proper tone of voice for every situation.
So just as the trees are needing to let go of what they have known for the past 6 plus months, the leaves that have made them beautiful to behold, each tree must give up the right to hold on to each single leaf that grew forth from its strong and lofty branches. No tree is exempt, from the tall, stately trees to the smallest ones, they all must let go!
I, too must let go, I must let go of wanting to get it right every single time, the need for perfection, the need for knowing what I will face each day. I must let go of hanging on to what I want and what feels comfortable and familiar to me. I must surrender.
“Let go and let God”
The truth is, on my own I will never be able to do that, but there is a God in heaven who enables and equips us with strength and grace for every moment of each day of the journey. He is faithful to give exactly what we need!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” ~II Corinthians 12:9
The stark nakedness of the trees at the end of the fall season, is a fresh reminder that in seasons of life, we too, will be stripped of what we like, what we hide behind, thinking it makes us look good, when in reality the Lord wants us to let go and allow Him to make something even better and far more beautiful out of our brokenness. So let us learn from the trees, to let go and let God.
So whether you are in a spring, summer, fall or winter season of life, may you find sweet rest in the Father, knowing that He will equip you for every part of the journey.
The woman coming to the well to draw water, seeking to fulfill a physical need, meets the One who fulfills a deep spiritual need within her and gives her Living Water.
My heart is continually stirred as I ponder this story and as I have read and reread the passage recording this beautiful story of redemption. Such a beautiful story unfolds as the woman, who’s name we do not know, comes to the well and meets her Messiah. Let’s meditate on the well for a moment and why Jesus may have chosen that spot to sit and rest.
It’s quite obvious that Jesus had traveled quite some distance and the fact that He chose to sit and rest at a well is really of no surprise. Let’s think of a well as a place of rest, a place where one can be refreshed by the cool water that is drawn from the well.
“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour” ~John 4:6
The Samaritan woman coming to draw water was seeking to fulfill one or more physical needs, one of those being thirst and another being to draw water perhaps for washing for her household. Imagine her surprise as she draws near to the well and sees a man and a Jewish man at that, sitting by the very well she was coming to draw from. At the hour that she was coming, typically there was no one else even close to the well; therefore, that would explain why she chose that time to come and draw water at the well.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” ~John 4:7, 9
Why would Jesus ask the woman for a drink? In those days, the Jews had no dealings of any kind with the Samaritans but Jesus did not let the rules and traditions of those days stop Him from speaking to the woman.
And as we read further into the story we see how Jesus showed genuine Love and compassion for this woman. He spoke truth in loving tones, his heart filled with compassion for her, He showed such loving Kindness to her. Her physical need was forgotten but her spiritual needs that were unknown to her beforehand were taken care of as she listened to the words of Jesus.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” ~John 4:13-14
It’s obvious her life was forever changed as we read a bit later in the chapter. The Love of Jesus always changes a person and they are never the same.
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” ~John 4:28-30
My brothers and sisters, are we receiving and accepting the Love Of the Father. Oh how He loves each of us so abundantly! He calls us His children, that alone should cause a spirit of thankfulness to rise up with in each of us. Our lives should reflect an unending lifestyle of worship, praise and adoration for our Heavenly Father🙌🏽
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” ~1 John 3:1
As for myself, I have found my perfect pattern in Jesus, who said, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” I am no longer motivated by personal ambition. I have discovered a sweeter, purer motive: simply to please my Father. ~Derek Prince
A winding path lies before you, and as far as the eye can see the prettiest of blooming flowers line it, foretelling of the walk ahead to be both scenic and beautiful, but in your heart you also know that in any journey of life one is bound to have some rainy seasons and also some mountains to climb, so You gather the essentials and make preparation for the journey ahead. You are literally minutes away from stepping foot upon that path when you hear a gentle voice whisper in the most loving tone, “My child, wait!”
You freeze in your tracks slightly shaken by the very words you just heard. In your spirit you begin to understand that it was the Father’s voice you heard, yet you also wonder what could this all possibly mean?
The door leading to the path that lay before you had seemingly swung shut a lengthy time ago. The desire within you hadn’t perished, the vision hadn’t left, although as time passed it seemed the desire was beginning to be forgotten and the vision grew a wee bit dimmer, nonetheless it was still alive within. The verse in the 37th Psalm has became an anthem to you when you had first seen the vision and believed it was from the Father
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” ~Psalms 37:4
You prayed, seeking the Father’s face, desiring His heart to be manifested to you in all of this and now the door had cracked open and with a heart filled with Faith you were ready to step upon the threshold believing this was where you were to walk for the next season of your life.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” ~Psalms 37:23
You find yourself standing in front of the door now, one foot in mid stride as you attempt to catch your balance and focus on what the Father is speaking in this moment and as He speaks You fall upon your face, crying out to God. What is now being required of you is surrender and sacrifice in measures you hadn’t thought possible.
My friend, may I draw your attention to a passage in scripture where a man of Faith, namely Abraham received the promise that he was to have a son even in his older age, and also the promise that he was to be a father of many nations. We know the story well, but there is a particular passage in Genesis 22 that speaks of a time of testing and surrender.
“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
Genesis 22:1-3
One of the phrases I want to zone in on are “God tested Abraham”. We know that Abraham was full of faith and when God called him, he didn’t hesitate to do the bidding of His Father, to offer up his one and only son.
“He rose early in the morning” and went to the place where God had told him. He didn’t hesitate even for a day, he went immediately even though it was going to require a deep level of surrender and trust. We also know that the Father did provide in abundant measures that day and still today He pours out His spirit upon us.
My friends, I don’t alway understand why the Father closes doors, but this I do know. It’s always because He has something better in store for us. Remember He sees the whole picture and we don’t. So to sum all of the above in three words.
Surrender
Trust
Obey
May you be encouraged that while you wait, you have the opportunity to worship and grow more intimately in the relationship with your Heavenly King❤️
There was once a young girl, scarcely more then a child, who loved to play in water puddles, her favorite thing to do was to step in the water then step out and walk across a dry surface, leaving behind a trail of perfect footprints. 👣👣👣
One day as she stepped out of the water and walked away, looking back at her foot prints she noticed something was different this time, the footprints were no longer perfect, both prints were now crooked and odd shaped.
And just like that, the young lady began to walk with just a slight limp, which then turned into a major limp as several years passed. Those around her began to notice the limp, asking what was wrong and the young lady didn’t know what to say, nothing hurt she just couldn’t help but walk like that. The young lady was almost a teenager, so of course, her appearance was important to her, but with all the questions about her stature and walking, she became super self conscious, blaming herself for not walking correctly and unknown to many people, the young lady was in a very dark and difficult season of her life.
Many trips were made to the doctor’s office, therapy was scheduled orthotics were specially made to help her feet, and from the very first time the young lady saw them, she hated the orthotics, they were so ugly and deformed her shoes. A surgery was scheduled and done, yet the limp was still there.
Several years passed, the dark season continued and another surgery was scheduled, this time a major one. The pain that followed was almost unbearable, but it did help. The biggest change came when a decision was made, a decision that would transform her entire life.
All this time, for 12 plus years she had been wearing orthotics, constantly dealing with lots of pain, barely being able to walk by the end of the day and always so self conscious of herself, especially her feet. She was told she would have to wear orthotics for the rest of her life, but then..
As she came into the light, she began to experience a relationship with the Father, finding freedom and healing as bondages and curses were broken off. She finally understood that the Father loved her unconditionally and that changed her life radically! She began to notice that it no longer bothered her that her feet looked a little different.
One day she decided that she needed new shoes, and she felt the Father telling her, “this pair of shoes I want you to experience something new and different, like you haven’t experienced in over 12 years”
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” ~Isaiah 43:19
She bought the shoes, wore them numerous times and never once used the orthotics in them. Even better, she had/has zero pain in her feet at all, she was healed! Praise God
Brothers and sisters, we serve a Father who can heal and restore EVERYTHING that is broken and hurting within us! Will you trust Him to do it? He want you to be Free!
I am the person in this story and I stand amazed at how the Father continues to bring healing and restoration in our lives. Praise God!
Have you found yourself wondering just how you were going to do that one specific thing, one more time? Or that thing you are currently facing, you know it’s just about to be a reality and you know it’s going to a tough climb?
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” -Isaiah 40:28
Brother and Sisters, Rejoice! Our Father does not weary! He is the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the end of the earth. He created the trees, the water, the animals and He created you and I, and He will Not leave us! He understands our struggles, our problems and etc., He understands so well, that our humans minds can not possibly grasp how much He cares and understands what we are going through.
“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall.” -Isaiah 40:29-30
Take Heart, dear friends! The Father knows our physical bodies get weary, that’s why He gives us Strength to keep on going, even when times are hard and the Storm is raging.
“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31
Oh my heart leaps with Joy at these words! But those who wait upon the Lord, shall renew their Strength… Such beautiful words of Life and Comfort!
“…the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by his letting us haveour way in the end, but by his making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what he taught his disciples to pray: Thy will be done.” -Elliott
Whatever season of life you are in, May the Father give you supernatural strength and courage to keep on walking forth.
“You are loved with an everlasting love. And underneath are the everlasting arms.” -Elliott
Amidst the hustle and bustle, the hurry and scurry; we go here, we go there, we do this, and then that, yet we are no closer to finding fulfillment, we just go, go and go some more.
“By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.” – Elisabeth Elliott
We know the account of Mary and Martha, but which example do we follow? Do we have the heart of one, yet do the other? I know we have schedules, routines and etc., but what is more important to us?
And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. “But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:39,41,42
Allow me to share a story with you: There was a young lady who grew up in a family, a home where spending time alone with the Father was not taught. There was always a routine she followed, but every once in a while that routine got interrupted and whenever that happened, it seemed life just got chaotic and so upsetting. There were many struggles, many hurts in her heart and so life was extremely hard. Whenever she was gone several days, she could NOT stop thinking about the things she could/should be doing back home. One day, there was an encounter, a life changing encounter where she met Jesus and for the first time began to understand just how much the Father loved her. As time went on, she began to realize that spending time alone with the Father was an act of worship and the relationship with her heavenly Father began to grow. Her heart and spirit began to understand that Rest was important, Resting in the Father literally changed the course of her entire day.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30
In this season of life at this moment, between the holidays and the new year, I hear the Father saying, “Rest, My Daughters, Rest. Quiet yourself in my presence, take this time to hear me speak, slow down, and embrace every moment, Remember I love you with an everlasting Love”
My brothers and sisters, may you find complete rest and healing in the Father, the ultimate Healer of all things Broken and Torn. Take time to quiet yourself in His presence.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. -Isaiah 49:16
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ~Matthew 19:26
Our lives and schedules get hectic, our patience wears thin and soon chaos breaks forth. My friends, let’s reevaluate, Are we resting in Him, the One who gives Ultimate REST?
So wherever you find yourself at this very moment, maybe as a Mother you are just weary. May I just a moment and bless you, sweet sister you are doing an incredible job, I believe motherhood is a calling, a very important one and you are impacting young souls for the Kingdom. May this scripture bring comfort and Rest to your weary spirit: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30
“The process of shaping the child…shapes also the mother herself. Reverence for her sacred burden calls her to all that is pure and good, that she may teach primarily by her own humble, daily example.” ~Elizabeth Elliott
Perhaps you are in a season of waiting, and you wonder if that prayer will ever be answered. Will the time ever come that God says, “Go”? Waiting is a season that is tough, but it’s also a time of growing in your walk, drawing closer to the Father, resting in Him and may you find comfort in this precious promise: But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
“Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less. -Charles Spurgeon
It is okay to Rest! The Father gives the best embrace and in Him there is rest!
The secret to contentment is . . . not comparing not competing not complaining. –Unknown
Comparison: the act or instance of comparing; the quality of being similar or equivalent.
Contentment: a state of happiness and satisfaction
This journey we travel isn’t always easy, there are paths to travel that are extremely tough. Each of us have different valleys we walk through and different scenarios we face, and if we dare be honest with ourselves, its easy to compare the journeys and be less content with where God has us.
Let’s take a look at several different scenarios that might move us compare our journey with our neighbors: •While in the valley, walking through a difficult season it is easy to look at others who have it “seemingly easier” in outward appearance, and think, if only my journey were that easy. • We hear an amazing testimony from a friend and suddenly our own testimony seems very insignificant because we didn’t experience what that person did. •Someone’s gift/talent is used to glorify the Father, they are walking in what the Father has called them to and because of you not having that particular gift or calling, you think you are pretty untalented or not as important.
The person you are comparing yourself to in Scenario 1, is not equipped to walk the journey you are currently on, only the Father holds the pen in your story and you are the One who must be obedient to walk in what He calls you. May He give you Grace abundantly to walk forth in your journey! But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Ephesians 4:7
The testimony you heard from Scenario 2 was one of tremendous breakthrough and healing, you rejoice, yet it left you wondering why your testimony couldn’t be more significant. My friend, your testimony is very significant, Jesus died on the cross for you! The testimony you heard that seemed so significant, I would dare to say, that person has walked some very dark, very painful and lonely times themselves, once again the Father holds the pen in their story as well. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11
Honestly, scenario 3 is a reality for most of us, but may I challenge you to walk in the calling and gifts the Father has given you, you are very important to the Father and He wants you to glorify him in what He gives you! “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Matthew 25:29
A spirit of calm contentment always accompanies true godliness. The deep peace that comes from deep trust in God’s lovingkindness is not destroyed even by the worst of circumstances, for those Everlasting Arms are still cradling us, we are always “under the Mercy.” -Elizabeth Elliott
May the Father give you Grace and Anointing for each season of your life. Rest in Him!!
''The journey of orphan to adoption" 