Hang in there

This morning is crisp and quiet. 

I don't hear the birds or see the movement of life all around me. It is just silent. 

This year has been so hard for so many of you. Pain and loss have come. Sometimes making it hard to breathe. Kindness is hard to find, and equally hard to give. The love of many is growing cold. Hurt comes in, darkness... loneliness grips at your heart and you are scared, tired and depressed. You spend much of your time wishing this life would just get easier, or things would start to "go your way". You look around and others are struggling too, but no one quite understands you. Not in this moment. You smile, you press on. Sometimes you let people you trust know. Sometimes you let the whole social media world know. But, most of the time, you hold your hurt like a blanket - that is supposed to comfort you, but you find it brings a strange sense of comfort and pain - all mixed up together. 

Friends, there is a better way. 

Life is not easy. Loss is suffocating and the pain comes in waves. But there is more to life than this pain. If I can give you any encouragement, hear this one thing. There is more. There is a God who loves you. There is a God who sees you and cares for you. There is a God who weeps with you and is filled with compassion - to the point that He catches every one of your tears in a bottle. He knows you. He wants to draw you near. It is okay if you are angry. It is okay if you are angry with Him. It is okay if you are questioning why. It is okay if you are wrestling with trust and faith and everything around God being good. But, I promise you, He is. He is good. He is altogether lovely and He has a good plan for your life. Please know that the accuser will come to try and steal your comfort. The devil will come and accuse God and His goodness. He will say that "if God loved you, then he would have......" But, don't fall for it. This pain, these lies will only send you further into despair. You must fight to believe the truth, and you must surround yourself with those who are safe. Those who you can share your pain, your doubts, your fears with - and know that they will not try to judge you, or preach you back to "normal". There is no normal to be had here. God did not intend for the world to look like this, to act like this. Normal was a beautiful Garden, filled with light and love and beauty and no pain. We are all so aware that normal is gone. Not just in the last few years, but ages ago... the beauty and fullness of life was stolen from the earth. But, there is more. There is a place where beauty is alive and life doesn't end in tragedy. There is more. There is a time coming when all will be restored. The earth and its people will be restored and renewed. Laughter and love and peace will be everywhere. Isn't that what we long for? Tell me one thing that you dream of, one super power you wish you had... and I tell you that Heaven will be more. It will be better. We are yearning to be in eternity. We are yearning to leave this life of pain and get to the place we were created for. 

But, there is work for you to do. Believer, we are here because we are not yet finished. If you know the deep love of the Father, and the saving love of Christ, I am begging you to be a light to those around you in darkness. If you know any comfort from being in His love, lay down judgment and pick up mercy. Lay down your comforts and pick up love. No more bickering. No more slandering. No more division and back-biting. Drop it all. Pick up compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as you have been forgiven in Christ. And over everything else, put on LOVE, which binds the rest of these in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of ONE BODY you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12) It is time for the church of God in Jesus Christ to be known for love. It is time for us to stand together and bring hope to a hopeless time. Please, lay down those things that are causing you to sin and to mistreat others, and pick up your true identity in Christ. 

Friends, even if you have never trusted God, even if you have never asked Jesus to save you from your sins, I am imploring you to try something new. This week, every time you lean towards despair, say out loud, "Jesus, come." He is so full of compassion. He is so full of love. He will always come when you call on Him. If you let Him, He will draw you close and carry the pain with you. He will not leave you alone in your despair. People will fail you. Some people will say stupid things. Some people will think judgmental thoughts. But, Jesus will not leave you. He will not fail you. He will listen and He will respond in kindness, in compassion and in tenderness He will comfort you. If you want to know more about Him - read about Him in the Bible. Pick it up and read from the Psalms, from John, from Romans... go to someone you know who prays and who you admire, and ask them to share with you what they believe and why they pray. There is hope to be had here. There is peace. There will be days ahead filled with joy and laughter. Please ask God to show Himself to you. To reveal His love for you. He is a good God. Even when it hurts. Harming you was never His plan. The one who is set on harming you will be brought to justice. In time, all will be set right, and in the meantime, Jesus will be a comfort to anyone who seeks Him. He beckons you to come, all who are weary and heavy laden. He will give you rest. 

Much love today and always, 

Christy

thoughts on hope

Today I have thought of a thousand things. Actually more I would imagine. I am contemplating the things in life that are true of this day.

People have been born today. People who will be great and people who will seem to lead lives of insignificance.
People have died today. Families are grieving and life as it was will never again be.
People are celebrating anniversaries, and people are mourning losses from years past.
People are achieving great success in business and others are losing everything.

It reminds me of Ecclesiastes (and by weird association, the movie, Footloose).
There is a time for everything under Heaven. Today your time may look different than mine. In fact, it is quite likely that it looks differently.

But there is one thing that is constant. For this day, this minute, this year and for all times past and forevermore, God loves. He does not change. He is the only thing constant in this ever-changing world. He carries the seasons, both in nature and in our lives. He carries Truth and Justice and Love - perfectly. He is not off balance or fickle. He is utterly other-than. Holy and full of grace.

Today I have thought a lot about HOPE. Everyone needs hope. Everyone.
This month and this week particularly, I need hope. But, I need hope with a capital J.
We spend most days avoiding pain in every way we can. We want to do good on our quiz, have a productive day at work, leave a good impression... we want to celebrate and enjoy and have fun. We bristle at the thought of hard days. Days when all of the things just don't go well. The days when we feel sick, or we just look yucky, or we are overwhelmed by everyone's demands over us. Those days don't end screaming - there is hope! They end with a sigh and a "good riddance" in our hearts. But true hope is found only in Jesus. Today we talked about Jesus a great deal. He is actually one of my favorite persons of interest. This God-man who left eternity and everything good to join us in the depravity of life on earth fascinates me. This one who we sing about - conquering death and giving us victory over sin and the grave. Some days I find it easier to believe that He conquered the grave more easily than I can wrap my mind around the fact that He finished sin in me. He forever paid my debt and took on my shame. My shame. What kind of a man would do this? What kind of a Father would volunteer His baby Son to live that life?

"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son. That whosever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  John 3:16 

For some reason today those words grab me in a new way - and I am so thankful. I have known that verse by memory since I was 4. I have believed that verse with my whole heart since I was 4. But, today, it makes my mind full of wonder.

Jesus conquered death. Those songs that speak of "O death, where is your sting?" I believe them - and on some days I can sing them loudly from the depths of my soul. But some days I feel so deeply the sting that death has left in my heart- and I forget that life eternal is real. I forget that the God-man paid the ultimate price so that my momma and my son would not have to know the sting of death. They only know the peace of life eternal. And, that brings me hope. Eternity is well, forever. So, though this life is filled with pain and tears and loss and death, I know that eternity is coming. And when it gets here - with all of its renewal and restoration - it will be better than anything I could've asked for or imagined.

Eternity feels so distant - and yet - it is only a breath away. Just a blink and a minute and all of life as we know it will cease to be. It's a staggering thought, really.

Live this day as if it were to be your last. Treat people like they are dealing with something bigger than you know, because they likely are. Love well and say kind things often. And, when you are short on hope, take a moment to be still and ask for the reality of eternity to take root in your heart, mind and soul.

Thanks for stopping by.
~ Christy

Mother's Day without a mom...

Mother's Day is such a wonderful idea.

Mother's do many things without recognition.  They have many jobs and responsibilities - and taking a day to say "thanks" is lovely, and so appreciated by all the momma's out there.

It is fun to be a momma.  It is fun to be celebrated.  It is a joy to me to see the things that my children have made me - by hand.  They are so proud - and I am so honored to be honored by them.  It is sweet.

But, a day to celebrate mom's for those of us who have lost our mom's is a bit like spring coming without flowers.  It is still beautiful outside.  Life is still growing all around, but something beautiful is missing.  Something is lacking and it is so noticeable.

My mom was simply amazing.

She laughed often.  She gave the most wonderful hugs.  She had the warmest smile, the most tender eyes...  She was an encourager.  She was feisty.  She had a fire about her that you were drawn to naturally.  She loved Jesus.  She honored God with her life.  She worked hard and she loved deeply.

God was so good to me to give me the momma I had.  She loved me so well.

This weekend, I am going to be thankful for the years that I had with her - and the eternity I will have with her.  I am going to be thankful that God's plan included forever for us to love one another.  Only, in the next life... there will be no pain, no tears.  Perfect love.  Perfect peace.  A Holy God - and an eternity to worship our sweet God together.  I don't know exactly how it will look, but I know that she and I will stand side by side and praise the One who gave us life again.  It will not be about how much I love her, or she loves me... but about the fact that we are all consumed with love for the One who is so worthy of our adoration.
That is a sweet thought.
That is my hope.
My life is hidden with Christ in God.
Eternity is real.
If your mom is still alive, even if you have been distant... won't you take the time this side of eternity and make things right?  Won't you remember all of the sacrifices she made and choose to dwell on the good and not the bad things?  Won't you realize what you are forsaking by ignoring her - or making light of her?

Honor your father and mother.

It is the first commandment with a promise.

Are you honoring her?  Are you honoring her in a way that demonstrates Christ to the world?  Don't forget how many people wish they could have just one more day with their mom on the earth.   Don't forget that you are blessed indeed to have a momma still here.  Take time to focus on the blessings of your mom.  Take time to realize that God chose her for you - and He doesn't make mistakes.

Take time to love.  That is what it is all about.  It is a sweet thing to receive love on mother's day - but as long as you have a momma that is alive... it is your right and responsibility to love her.
It is easy to love those who love us... much harder to love those who hurt us - or disappoint us.  But, the Bible doesn't ask us to only love those who are easy to love does it?    The Bible calls us to love radically - no matter the hurts and the pain that come with it.
Forgive.  Love.  Honor.  It is my plea that you would do those things well in regards to your mom.  God can heal up the rest and fill all of the spots that are empty.  That is what He does best.  Lean into Jesus and love your mom like crazy this year!

Sweet sweet day!!

What a sweet day it was today!

Early this morning, the Lord whispered a friend's name into my mind... and He kept her there.  After I took Jake to school, I called her to see if she could hang out today. 

What a beautiful surprise that she could - AND she was headed to her mom's house.  This was a special treat as her mom has a very special place in my heart. 

God knew exactly what I needed today.  He knew exactly what my heart was yearning for - and in a sweet way, on a beautiful day - He was more than abundant. 

It is funny, because I have come to expect abundance from my God.  But, on days like this, He still surprises me with His love.  I got to remember sweet things and we laughed.  I got to remember sad things and we got a little teary.
 
It made me so thankful that God planned long ago for our paths to cross, and more than that... He planned for eternity.  I do not have just one lifetime to love these precious ladies.  We have forever.  We will praise Him, as sisters and dearest of friends forever.  What a gift that He would bring people into our lives for the times that could seem hopeless or dreary - and instead it turns the whole ordeal into an opportunity to grow in Faith and trust.  What a gift that He brings us into each other's lives so that we can pray for them and love them.  

Then, I got home and another precious gift was waiting.  Another dear friend of mine was helping prepare a meal this evening for our adoption agency (APO).  It was so wonderful to get to cook with her and see her beautiful smile.  She has been so dear to me over the past few years.  She "mother's" me.  She loves me and serves me as if she were my momma.  It is precious to my heart - that has ached for a momma for over 17 years.
God is so good to have planned for these women to be in my life.  Tonight I am going to rest remembering how we need each other, and how sweet life is when we love Him with our lives.  I am so thankful to get to Worship this magnificent God with these precious precious ladies!