Some mornings are picture perfect. Other mornings? Not so much. Maybe it’s been one of “those” mornings or one of “those” weeks…the good news is we don’t have to finish the way we started. REFOCUS. RECLAIM. REFRESH…RESTART.
Starting
encouragement
This Way
Sometimes faith looks like walking in the opposite direction, going against our natural tendencies and everything we think we know. It’s uncomfortable, intimidating and…like a breeze of fresh, brisk air awakening the senses. Listen carefully, walk closely, God is doing something great.
What If
Ready, set and we’re off! The holiday season is in full swing. Expressions of gratitude, tidings of comfort & joy and shopping deals abound. But for some of us there is only stress and trepidation. The goodness and beauty of the season are eclipsed by neverending to-do lists and unrealistic expectations.
So what if we changed our perspective? Minimized perfection and magnified grace. What if we decided to simply opt out? Opt out of traditions and expectations that weigh us with dread and mask us with insincerity. What if we dared to do something different? Let our “yes” be genuine and purposeful. Let our “no” be firm and free of guilt. What if in the midst of it all we took time to just be…Grateful.
Endless Thanks
Unable to contain in just one day,
A lifetime of profession.
A daily exercise of appreciation,
For this life uniquely my own,
For the glorious triumphs,
For the disheartening defeats,
For the gift of grace,
For mercies renewed,
For everyday blessings,
For the difficult journeys,
For the smallest joys,
For the sting of self-reflection,
For the hope in growth,
For love unfettered and unconditional,
For the joy of family,
For the solace of friends.
Thanks to a God so Magnificent, so Wonderful, and so Good.
Humbled by His presence and in awe of His care. -LAS
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.”
Psalms 105:1-2
Shifting Spaces
Familiar yet Uncomfortable
The space you’ve occupied
For so long
Has taken a different shape
You no longer fit
To remain denies
The reality of what you know
To be true
You can not stay
The space has shifted
And so must you
-LAS
Continue
Isn’t it funny how we attribute our own characteristics to God? We change our minds all the time so God must change His mind too, right?
How often do we embark on a mission, project or task only to let it fall by the wayside? We become distracted with other endeavors or discouraged by imperfect progress. We even begin to rationalize reasons for not continuing on…”Well Gods it’s too late now, too much time has passed” or “It really wasn’t going the way I thought it would” or “I don’t think it really makes much of a difference anyway.”
God isn’t moved by our excuses, He is moved by our obedience. When He directs us to move, He fully understands the intricacies of our life and the challenges along our journey. We just have to trust He will give us grace for each step.
What have you let fall by the wayside? What needs to be continued? God has not changed His mind.
“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Hebrews 10:36 (NLT)
Just Ask
Assumptions are not Truth
Yet narratives are created
Lines are drawn
Walls are built
On the shaky foundation
Of what someone thought
Misunderstandings and offense
Fueled by the unknown
When all one had to do was
Just Ask
-LAS
One
Just wanted to start off the week with a little marriage & husband appreciation. I’ve been married for almost 17 years. No, it has not been all sunshine & rainbows. Yes, every step has been and continues to be worth it. I wouldn’t want to be on this journey with anyone else.
We dream
To reach beyond what we know
Trusting the Dream Giver
Accepting the risks
Savoring the victories
Building on the failures
Ever learning
Ever growing
Together
One
-LAS
Routine
If you’re a creature of habit like me, you might agree that routine is our groove. It gives rhyme and reason to our day. Our routine seems to set everything right in our little world.
But what happens when our little world shifts? What happens when our routine collides with possibility?
Possibility wrapped in the unpredictable. The possibility of something different. The possibility of something better.
Don’t be afraid to…See it. Consider it. Embrace it.
The Path Forward
Sometimes the path forward is standing still and letting God speak. Listen. He will make it clear.
The Truth & a Lie
Justified lies still lie
Selfishly protecting comfort
Desperately hoarding acceptance
Necessary truths left unsaid
Denying their power to set free
-LAS
“Instead we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church.” – Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
Barnabas Blessings 