"Your grace abounds in deepest waters," comes from the song, Above the Waves (Where Feet May Fail), by Hillsong. I've been using the lyrics of this beautiful song as a framework for this book/blog. The overarching theme is trusting in Jesus, and most recently, I’ve been writing about trusting God when it really hurts-in the deepest waters.
Read moreDear Loved One, (how Jesus endured his pain)
Dear Loved One,
It breaks my heart to see you suffering. I want to offer you comfort and I feel helpless. I’ve tried to make you happy. I can tell you that I love you and offer you kind words. I can buy you flowers and trinkets. I can send you funny pictures that I think will make you laugh. I can take you out for a cup of coffee and listen if you want to talk. These are all good things, and I’m happy to do them. I won’t stop. But I’m learning something. I might be able to bring a smile to your day and offer you a momentary amount of happiness, but I can’t take away your pain.
Read moreTrusting God When It Really Hurts
Today, I've got all kinds of pressing matters upon me, things like pulling the dryer out from the wall, to sweep behind and scrubbing the bricks around the fireplace. Rearrange the pictures on the walls? Yes. Suddenly the arrangement they’ve been in really bothers me. But sit down and write? I want to. I really do, but these words are not easy. Today’s topic is about trusting God when it really hurts. I tend to shy away from pain, both my own and other people’s. Jesus didn't shy away from pain though, so tough as it is, by His grace, neither will I.
Read moreAn Everyday Story About Trusting God
It wasn’t what we wanted. It would only be for a little while-or that was the idea. It ended up being eight years. The plan after college was to move to southern California. Instead, we ended up moving back to Wenatchee, Washington, our hometown.
Read moreThe Sign- a goodbye tradition
The walk to school each morning isn’t long enough. I understand better now, why my son has a million and one stall tactics for bedtime each night. One more drink, a sudden episode of utter starvation, a missing stuffed animal that he simply cannot sleep without, a request for more snuggles...the list goes on and on. He loves life and he doesn’t want to miss out on anything. If he hears laughter after he’s been tucked into bed, he’ll come running, footed pajamas shuffling along the wood floors, to the living room.
Read moreYour Sovereign Hand Will Be My Guide
’ve written a lot up to this point on why God is trustworthy and how it helps us live a life of joy and peace when we put our trust in him, but today, I want to write about how trusting God is an act of worship that we can give to him. It’s hard to understand how much it means to God, for us to say, your sovereign hand will be my guide, until we understand how much he really loves us. Pause for a moment and think about this…. God loves you so much, that even if you were the only one on earth who needed saving, who needed his Son to die for your sin; he still would have made that sacrifice for you alone.
Read moreTrusting God in the Everyday
If we learn to trust God with the everyday worries of life, then when the big stuff happens, we’ll be more prepared to handle those things too. Like a slowly dripping faucet, often it’s the accumulated “little” stuff that steals us of our joy. It’s easy to brush those things off as not important enough to bother God with- but that isn’t right.
Read morePutting Worry Aside- 5 practical ideas
Until this point, I’ve mostly been writing about the philosophy behind trusting God, the big picture stuff. Now I want to narrow in on some practical everyday ideas to apply toward trusting God and putting worry aside.
Read moreOur Purpose: Loving God, Loving People For His Glory
These last few posts have been about purpose. Our purpose, as God’s creation, is to glorify him. We do that through living in loving relationship with him and with his people, and by placing our whole-hearted trust in God. How that plays out in daily life is unique for each person. As Christians, we're called the body of Christ. As each part of the body serves a different purpose, that’s how we, who love God, are to see ourselves.
Read more