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Welcome Home...

Let me introduce you to my dog, Maya. She has been in our family for 4 years and although she may occasionally jump up onto you she would never hurt a fly (on purpose anyway).

Today, my story is about her.

I was sitting reading Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts" when my oldest daughter, looking out the window, yelled to me "Maya's loose"!

First, you must understand that she is a Siberian Husky in breed and was created to run! Run long, run hard, run fast. Secondly, at times running is good, healthy, safe... other times it's not. Out of all the times she's gotten away from me, (about 40 in my mental calculator) today was different.

Today was memorable.

Looking through the window my eyes caught her white body in that white snow. I ran out the door! I clapped, called, watched, waited, using as many of my five senses that I could. I saw as she kept running, but (glory be!) now she was running to me!

I watched her.

My heart filled with joy, as she came racing over that snow home! Home, right into my arms. I turned my head to find my whole little family rejoicing right behind me (especially my husband, who is normally the one running after her).

They say, "there's a first time for everything."

Today, she is my prodigal dog.

Today, I was blessed by God, through a dog.

And for a moment, I sit and imagine that this must be what it's like when we come home to God. He is full with love for us, as He opens His arms. And all the angels in Heaven rejoice!

Welcome home.

Have you experienced God's love coming home?

My thoughts, His ways

I have to say, sometimes I don't like my thoughts.

They're a fickle mess. They can change the way I feel, what I want.

Who I think I am.

I have to remind myself every day that I am a daughter of the King. I am a child of God! I have to remind my mind, of His promises to me.

"We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ".
2 Corinthians 10:5 NLV

God is inviting me to walk towards a better way of thinking, a better way of living.

He loves me!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts". Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

His thoughts and ways are beyond mine. He is God!
He can help my thoughts. He can help me.
The best part is, He wants to!

Do you want your thoughts to be different today?

Let's get into His Word, let's get into His head... as we invite Him into ours, to begin changing our minds.

This verse has meant a lot to me during the last few days... it's a good place to begin if you're struggling through your thoughts today. Go with God ladies!

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things".
Philippians 4:8 NIV

Just A Cup...

"The generous prosper and are satisfied, those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."
Proverbs 11:25 NLT

Ahhh, refreshment... like a cup of cold water that purifies my soul...

"And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
Matthew 10:42 NLT

I love the fact that we can encourage each other in the body of Christ! We all have the same Spirit, and we're working for the same God! Keep the eyes of your heart wide open today to see how you can share refreshment to one of God's children.

"Work for the things that make peace and help each other become stronger Christians". Romans 14:19 NLV

It may be something small. Something as sweet as a kind word, as contagious as sharing your joy, as thoughtful as a phone call, or as hospitable as opening a door... today, we are Jesus' hands and feet. If you feel prompted today by the Spirit to live love out, then go for it! Don't hold back, it's the best way to get refreshed!

How will you leave His footprints today?

"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”John 13:35 NLT

Super Woman!

Sometimes, I feel like a super hero! I mean come on, I'm a mom of 3, right? All I'm missing is the cape!

The superhero abilities that I want to talk about today go beyond being a hardworking mother. I'm talking about living my life as a part of the supernatural. I'm talking about living life in the Spirit!

It blows my mind that I have the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead living in me all the time! -Romans 8:11

God loved us so much that He gifted us with eternal life! The best part is, we don't have to wait for it! It starts NOW with the greatest power on earth, His Holy Spirit!

Let's think back for a minute together, and imagine being with Jesus as He prepared to leave earth. He told His followers,
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father". John 14:12 NIV

This is not a solo-mission. We get to be each other's sidekicks!

"All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it".
1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT

"A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other."
1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

"To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said".
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT

And love... Love is the greatest power in heaven and earth! Let's not underestimate this. I'm not talking about love as our society knows it. I'm talking about God's casting out fear, never fails kind of love! His love will literally change the world!

How will this change the way you live today?

Broken's Goodness

I don't like to be broken. I don't like to feel broken.

But I'm beginning to understand the purpose behind my pieces.

We don't break most things on purpose, we usually refer to broken things as accidents. But God doesn't specialize in accidents.

I am not an accident.

God sent His Son, Jesus, on purpose....
.... to break something, on purpose.
sin
when we come to Jesus with a repentant heart something supernatural happens...
our sin is broken into pieces.

We usually don't like it when something breaks. We're constantly trying to hold all of our pieces together. We try to control our lives.
We try to control our sin.

We can't see that our sin is controlling us.

In Romans 6, Paul shares that the truth of the matter is we are "slaves" to our sin.

Jesus is not like us. He is not afraid of the mess. He is here today to break your sin and set you free! The truth is, we need Him.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 NIV

To Him, broken is good. Broken is His invitation to run in, rescue us, and begin picking up the pieces! In our brokenness, we are made whole. In our weakness, He is strong!

He doesn't waste a piece of us.

I have to be broken, to be fixed....

Broken is good.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Extra-Ordinary!

Do you ever get tired of the same old same old? The mundane? The ordinary? If we're honest, we all answer with a resounding yes! For me, it can be the pile of dishes, the laundry, the changing diapers, that can get to feeling a little... well, ordinary.

Even if we are beginning to learn how to flourish in the ordinary and to live lives of purpose, we can still relate to feeling unfulfilled by our ordinary lives at one time or another. At times life can feel like there aren't many "special" days. Sure, you might have your favorite holiday that gets you excitedly waiting with anticipation. You even might have that annual family Summer vacation that you always look forward to. Maybe, like me, you're waiting until you save enough money to renovate your kitchen. Or, for a lot of us it's Fridays.... always wanting the weekend to get here!

How do we celebrate the ordinary, every day?

How do we grasp onto "the full life" and enjoy each moment?

The elusive present moment.

We can't keep on living for some "thing" to change in our lives.
If we continue to wish away our ordinary days, we will wake up one morning and realize that our life has passed us by. We will discover that we have lived a life of "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence".

What are you waiting for?

Dear God, Transform this ordinary day into an extra-ordinary day! Not, because some "thing" has changed, but because YOU have changed me!

John 10:10b I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV

Ecclesiastes 5:18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. NIV

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. NIV

Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. NKJV