Just a reminder to take time to enjoy the beauty of nature. Slow down. Breathe deep. Marvel at the detail of the Creator’s handiwork. The God of creation is the same God orchestrating the details of our lives- for our good and His glory.
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”- â€â€Revelation‬ â€4:11‬ â€ESV‬‬
The past few weeks have been full of teachable moments, crash courses and sweet reminders. Sharing is caring so here are a few of my takeaways:
Here’s to uncomfortable growth spurts, complete healing, resilient joy and unexplainable peace.
Happy Friday, friends!
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost
April has been a blur but I couldn’t let it end without paying homage to the rhythmic beauty that is poetry. Check out the Academy of American Poets to learn about the celebration. On this final day of the month, I celebrate with a poem of my own.
My friend
Who told you to shrink?
You diminish your stature
To fit narratives that don’t consider you
You mute your voice
To maintain a facade of peace
You darken your light
To occupy spaces that don’t welcome you
Who told you to shrink?
Did fear whisper the worst?
Did your past call you unworthy?
Stand.
Speak.
Shine.
Shrink No More.
-LAS
Love Poetry? Need a Gift? Get your copy here.
“Suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea so that the boat was being swamped by waves but Jesus kept sleeping.”- Matthew 8:24 CSB
I came into this year with a simple prayer:
“Lord, I want to sleep in the boat like Jesus did during the storm. Amen”
Jesus slept, fully aware of everything happening around him. He rested knowing who commanded the boat and the storm.
Rest (verb). To be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position
How are we resting? The answer begins with knowing and remembering who we are…
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” -Matthew 5:13-16 CSB
“Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” -2 Corinthians‬ â€5‬:â€18‬-â€20‬ â€CSB‬‬
Rest.
Be Salt
Be Light.
A Minister of Reconciliation.
An Ambassador for Christ.
The world needs us in position.
🎶This joy I have…the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it way…🎶
This joy is not contingent on ideal circumstances or life without trial. This joy is rooted in a heart surrendered and trusting the God who sees, knows and loves me. I’m not taking for granted His daily mercies, second chances and plentiful patience (because Lord knows, sometimes I’m a little slow on the uptake).
Today I’m welcoming my 48th year with gratitude and anticipation. And thank you, friends and readers, for continuing this journey with me.
🎶”…A thrill of hope, The weary world rejoices…”🎶
There’s a lot of talk about hope this season as we reflect on the year and holidays past; counting blessings, lamenting losses and anticipating better for the future. We have hopes, great and small, from the unspoken flickers of our heart to the health & wholeness of our families and communities. Yet hope can be a precarious thing when deferred or unfulfilled. So how do we hold onto the thrill of hope? All of our hopes, every single one, must be anchored to the hope of the world, Jesus Christ. He was born, died and rose again to give us a living hope.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ” -1 Peter‬ â€1‬:â€3‬ â€CSB‬‬
In this truth we can be confident of His love and His plans for us.
“For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the LORD’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” -Jeremiah 29:11 CSB
“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5:5 CSB
🎶”My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand”🎶
May the hope of Christ be yours this season and beyond ! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
Existing on fumes of glory past
Serving but not seeing Him
An exercise of habit, not of the heart
The power of the Word
Alive and transforming
Traded for substitutes and distractions
Coasting on memories of what He’s done
Unable to grasp what He’s doing
No denouncement of faith
No blatant disobedience
Just a drift
Subtle and subconscious
Far from His peaceful shore
Burned out. Discouraged. Disillusioned. Drifting.
God loves you. He’s calling you. Come back. Draw near. Surrender it all to Him.
“…I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
â€â€Ephesians‬ â€3‬:â€17‬-â€19‬ â€CSB‬‬
Last summer I released my first book Barnabas Blessings. It was a major accomplishment and still feels a bit surreal.
This summer I’m working on another major release…my first born into adulthood. There are documents and releases to sign declaring his new legal status. There are checklists and deadlines preparing to send him off to college. There’s the shift of authority as he asserts his independence.
There are other releases too. There’s the pruning necessary to remain, fruitful and connected to the Vine (John 15:5). There’s the shedding of weights that bound and distract (Hebrews 12:1). There are trust falls into the arms of Jesus instead of my limited understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
This is a season of joy and the bittersweet, fear and courage, hope and tinges of regret, answered prayers and not yets, hard questions and some hard answers. This season testifies to the power of Christ at work to sustain, transform and renew.
I’m reminded that a hand and heart open to release are also open to receive. As I release, I’m receiving the blessings of a present Father who proves Himself faithful over and over again.
What are you releasing and receiving today?
“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” – Philippians 1:6 AMP
I could not let April end without celebrating the power of poetry and acknowledging the end of National Poetry Month. This month I actually took time to read my own collection of poetry It’s always an interesting exercise going back to read my own words. I alternate between “Wow, that was pretty good” and “Wow, what was I thinking?” This month I also spoke to my writing accountability group about my writing journey and battle with perfectionism. While I consider “speaker” low on my list of descriptors, I enjoyed the experience and think it’s a muscle I want to keep working. If you find yourself on the perfectionist scale, here are a few thoughts:
Perfectionism skews our perception. Our perception of God, of ourselves, and of others. It impacts how we engage the world and how we answer God’s call. Perfectionism tells us if it’s not right then we’re unworthy, unqualified and incompetent. The truth is we are Known & Loved. Called & Equipped. Jeremiah 1:5 reminds us “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose...”
Perfectionism steals our peace. Like a bully, it torments our mind and brings unrest to our spirit. Striving to do and be it all. Painstakingly crossing every “t” and dotting every “i”. Keeping up appearances. It can be exhausting. 1 Peter 5:7 in the Living Bible says “Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”
Perfectionism stalls our progress. We believe the lie that if we can’t do it perfectly, we shouldn’t do it at all. We become Paralyzed, fearing failure. We are reluctant to step out of our comfort zones and “walk on the water.” The bondage of perfection & fear of failure keeps us from moving forward. Galatians 5:1 charges us to “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
The pressure of perfection is released when we trust the One who is perfect. I am grateful that He redeems, He renews and with Him nothing is wasted.
The One who calls you by name is trustworthy and will thoroughly complete His work in you.–
1 Thess 5:24 TPT
The sun’s energizing vitamin D. A vibrant tapestry of color. The promise of renewal. What was dormant is revived. What is dead is alive. All the things I love about Spring. The season also marked the celebration of my birthday (a little closer to the half century mark) and the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection (He got up!). It’s all put me in a (more than usual) reflective mood the past few weeks. Just a few musings…
Aging is a gift. Gray hair, wrinkles, menopausal mom bod and the like means I’m alive. Having the choice and resources to “fight” it or just let it do what it do is a blessing. I will see beauty at every stage.
There’s a difference between being nice and being kind. Too often I’ve been nice when I should have been kind enough to rock the boat. How often do we prioritize our comfort over someone’s need for the truth?
Most people just want to be seen and heard. Good, bad or indifferent- to see and to be seen is a mercy. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own stuff and miss it. Grace is a gift we can continually give and receive.
Less is more but extra isn’t bad. We can treasure simplicity but also find joy in the complex.
Jesus really is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I’ve questioned my faith. I’ve questioned the church. But the answer has remained the same- He is faithful and He is trustworthy. This is the Good News, ” 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).”
Happy Spring, Friends!
Barnabas Blessings 