God's Faithfulness

I know we’re technically already into the New Year, but it’s still January, and I’m still in the process of “moving on.”

The last year has been one of the bumpiest my family and I have ever experienced. Going from what seemed to be the average complications of life to discovering our daughter had a malignant brain tumor had major impact on all our lives, to say the least.

During a year of surgeries, treatments, and a recovery more fraught with emotional issues than I expected, God turned my thinking—and praying—upside down. Instead of asking him to make things better, I’ve learned to ask that he equip me for whatever’s next. And I can’t help but look back and be amazed at the ground covered and appreciate the progress made, yet I have no desire to go through it again.

But I know I will.

Read the rest at Laced with Grace.

BIG NEWS!!!

We've been working on it for almost two years...and God's been the one in charge. It's an amazing story. Hope you'll take a moment to read the news at www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com and celebrate with us!

iPhones and New Year Resolutions

I could be like so many others make new resolutions for the year. Actually I am as far as my my goals, but I'm looking at this as more as ways to change my life, not just the year ahead. I want permanent changes.

One thing I did today was download an app for my iPhone called My Fitness Pal. This handy little app lets me keep track of everything and even helps me make small goals out of my larger goal. I didn't think I'd like something like this, but it's already keeping me accountable and aware of what I'm eating throughout the day.

I know weight loss is always a top priority for so many at the beginning of the year, but I'm digging my feet in to do this for my long term health. I'm tired of feeling bad and not liking how I look.

Now along with this app, I'm using another iPhone app. Prayer cards by Beth Moore. Now this is a cool little app. She had several categories you can by the "prayer cards" for— 99 cents. It's worth it. This gives you specific Scripture to pray for many topics. The best part is that it's totally connected to YouVersion.com, which is the same creator of the Bible app I have as well. This takes you to the original Scripture the prayer is based upon and even gives you a list of translations to use.

So, these are my tools to accomplish this goal, to lose weight and change how I look at food and deal with it. I love using the practical mixed with prayer! I will be victorious. LOL!

I'll keep you posted! So stay tuned. Got some great book giveaways coming as well. No room on the bookshelves so these books have got to go!

Cuteness to the Max!

I can't help myself. I HAVE to share this with everyone. I've lost count of how many times I've watched it. This little kitty is the epitome of cuteness!

Sit and watch it over and over again. Send it to a friend who needs uplifting. To me this is more evidence of how God loves to delight us with his creation. And I'm pretty sure this little kitty didn't come from an egg. ;-)

Enjoy!

The Perpetual State of Waiting

I’m in a perpetual state of waiting. I believe many of us are. In fact, I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t waiting for something. And as Christians, aren’t we all in some form or another, waiting to one day meet Jesus?

We’re all waiting for something. And I’m finding in this time of waiting that the most growth occurs, which seems like it would be the other way around.

Waiting is one of the most difficult places for us to be. We’re impatient by nature. Waiting takes patience. Sometimes whole lot of it, too.

But what’s so amazing is that God waits too. Did you know that? Take a look at Isaiah 30:18:

New International Version
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

English Standard Version
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.

I included the ESV version as well, which runs very close to the King James translation. Here the words long and wait are used interchangeably. They original Hebrew word is chakah, which means to long, wait, or tarry.

I’m going to make another jump here. I don’t profess to be a Bible scholar, but I found this most interesting. The root of chakah is related to the Hebrew word chaqah, which means carved or engraved in relation to piercing.

Now take a look at Isaiah 49:16:

NIV: See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
ESV: Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

The original Hebrew word for engraved is chaqah, the same word that’s related to chakah, which means to long or wait.

I know this might be a stretch, but is it possible that God had engraved us on our hands because he longs and waits for us? And for our unbelieving loved ones? I don’t know about you, but that just blows me away. To think not only we are engraved upon God’s hands, those he waits for are as well. Make a mental picture of your unbelieving spouses name engraved upon the hand of God.

And if I may make one more leap. I wonder if that engraving resembles the nails holes, which pierced the hands of Christ. Like the relation between chakah and chaqah.

I hope that gives you chills like it did me. But I have one final connection for you through this. The biggest example we have of God waiting and longing.

God sent his Son Jesus to us at just the right time. He didn’t do it as soon as man fell in the Garden of Eden. He didn’t send the Messiah when the Israelites were captives in Egypt.

No, he waited until the exact moment, longing for us every step of the way with our names engraved on his hands.

God waited to send his Son. For you. For me. And for our unbelieving loved ones.