Pour Out Your Hearts

Trust in Him at all times, o people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. – Psalm 62:8

I love that throughout scripture I see examples of God hearing and answering His people.  He longs for them to cry out to Him and to come to Him.  He asks them to cast their cares on Him.  He binds up their broken hearts.  He knows their sitting and their rising.  He does not act like an indifferent bystander.  He’s working for us and for our good.  So, today, in light of writing that, I’m going to share some of the things that are tucked into my heart and just plain make me happy (besides, Fridays are for happy things!).

1. That husband of mine who does life with me.  He is such a gift.  Such a rock and such an encouragement. The road has been rocky and full of adversity, but I’m grateful that I chose him and am still choosing him…and grateful that he chooses me still.
2. Baby oh baby.  Mr. Asher is pretty much the happiest baby and my goodness I am so blessed and privileged to be able to be his mom.
3. My Lindo. He’s the one I miss and the one who taught me to love little boys so much.  I’m so glad I got to know him and for all the ways he cracked open my heart.  He taught me much and he is part of one of my absolute favorite God stories.
4. My Africa. My heart still beats for this place and for this country.  This is such a both and of happy and the heart wrenching grief of not being there.  This is where I pour out my heart waiting for God to weave this piece back into my life in a bigger way.
5. That crazy Boaz.  He pushed me out of my comfort zone and led me on a path toward more joy, laughter, and lots more snuggling than I could have guessed when I brought him home.
6. Church.  I couldn’t have guessed all the ways being on staff at my church would challenge, encourage, change, and ground me.  There’s so much goodness in being planted in a local church.
7. Community/Friends/People.  The world is so full of so many good, good people and I am so glad I’ve gotten to know and do life with a lot of them!

I think (maybe?) sometimes part of knowing you are the beloved of God is remembering, taking note, and being grateful for the things He has put in your life.  He is good to us.

What has He put in your life that makes you happy?

Due Date Baby

Asher Ryan

7 pounds 15 oz 20in

Two weeks ago our little man decided to come!  Right on his due date (July 4th).  I definitely did not think that would happen, but we sure were happy to meet him!  We’ve been soaking up the last two weeks as a family with time off work for both of us.  There’s been all sorts of funny stories and lots of laughing.  Not to mention a lot of cuddling, eating, sleeping, and diaper changes.  So far, I’m loving this new adventure and am still saying, “Wait…I have a baby boy!?” God sure knows how to bless us abundantly!

Favor

 

I’m a bit of a fan of playing around with picmonkey and easel.ly lately and this morning after I finished reading in my Bible, I jumped on board to create something fun for this verse that came out of my time reading in the Psalms!  I am so drawn to the idea of the Lord’s favor and timing.  There is much that I want to rush or check off or simply avoid instead of slowing down and resting in His favor and presence.

Part of slowing down for me lately has included spending time doing Lectio Divina. Fancy word for some focused Bible reading with four parts.  There are different names and styles of this, but a simplified version includes: Listen. Word. Invitation. Response.  For me, I’m reading through Psalms as part of my reading plan and have chosen to use each daily reading in Psalms for Lectio Divina.  Today was Psalm 102.

First, I read through and just listened without anything extra.  The second time reading the chapter included reading with an open heart and open eyes for a word or phrase that sticks out or jumps off the page.  The word “rebuild” came to me as I read this one.  The third time reading the Psalm is when I look for an invitation or something that God is inviting me into.  This is where the verse above stuck out.  Both an invitation into this time of favor and an invitation to live in his presence (verse 28).  Lastly, I get to read through the passage one more time and then write out/pray out/speak out a response to God.

This practice has been such a focusing time for me and I am thankful for the ways the Lord continues to speak to me during it and after as I often spend time journaling.  I’m finding this season is one full of thoughts, emotions, ideas, and much of them tend to be kept tucked away in my journal pages.

Praying that the Lord’s favor springs up to meet you in special ways today.

Have you tried Lectio Divina?

Do you have any Bible reading plans you absolutely adore (I’ve only got a few months left before I finish mine and I’m always looking for new ones!)? 

Catch-All

 

Forgive me for the picture overload…but here’s my catch-all post of all the fun things that have been going on lately.  This week has felt like a nice breath of fresh hair and we have our 20 week ultrasound tomorrow!!  So hello getting to see baby again.  We definitely have been a little spoiled in getting to see this baby at 12 weeks and a full detailed ultrasound at 14 weeks too.  I am definitely in denial that we’re halfway there!

Confession.  I don’t think I’ve ever actually made full on homemade lasagna before, but now I can say that I have!  Above is a nice little mixture of ricotta cheese, mozzarella, spinach, and some eggs.  Not sure why they added eggs…maybe to keep it together? I’d definitely try it without for fun if I ever make this again!  Below was the even more fun part of actually putting the lasagna together!  I totally made WAY too many noodles, but oh well.

Hello baby bump.  Whether I want it or not, this little baby is making an appearance on the outside now too.  People who know me are noticing. Ek!  I’m a little in denial about this too. I can’t say I’ve ever been one of those people who have looked forward to having a baby bump.  Maybe it’ll grow on me.  This is at least one of my fave pictures so far.  Plus, I do love feeling the little baby moving and pushing in there!  This little baby seems to love music (well assuming the baby can hear the music! “They” say he/she can on all those crazy baby apps…) or the other alternative is that he/she just doesn’t like when I have my seat warmer on when I’m in the car and is trying to get away from the heat! Ha.

Olympics!!! Boaz is just as into these Olympic games as we are.  Well he’s either watching with full attention or he’s sleeping on us. This is how we’re spending most evenings lately…

These two are my favorite.  And don’t let Boaz fool you…he’s getting ready to try to lick Ryan.  He’s just so kind like that. 

Hello baked chimichangas.  So delicious.  Guacamole is my favorite too.  I’m SO glad I can eat tomatoes again and that the little baby isn’t revolting every time I do.  That was definitely a not so fun part of the first trimester.  I love some good Mexican food. 

Here’s another bump picture.  Don’t mind all the nail polish–adds character 🙂

I’ve spent the last week or two devouring my grandmother’s journal and I’ve loved it!  This little note from her mother/aunt (she lived with her aunt and uncle and called them mother and father) was such a perfect reminder to make moments glorious.  

Oh and another Boaz one where he’s camped out at the end of the couch sleeping with his head on the table.  He’s been extra cuddly and sleepy this week.  I’m loving it.  We sit and read the Bible, read books, journal, write, and generally enjoy our slow mornings.  We’ll see what this looks in like 4 and a half months!  For now, I’m soaking it up!

Yep. He’s cute. 

This little baby is so loved.  Already getting Valentine’s day cards.So there you have my crazy catch-all post with all sorts of randomness.  I recently found my “Love your life” journal that I hadn’t finished from 2012 (the year of celebrate!) and I started writing in there again so in a way this post was just an overflow from there.  I love looking back see all that the Lord has done.  So much faithfulness even in the midst of pain, heartache, hurt, and frustration.  The Lord is good.

3 months and counting

3 super happy months of being married! woot! in celebration, I went through our wedding pictures and honeymoon pictures to finally post them on facebook.  if we’re friends, you can look at them here. made me totally want to do the whole day over again and to run off to the mountains and the beach like now. but instead, i’ll make a list of all the fun things i love about life right where i’m at! in no particular order here are 12 things for the 12th.

1. being married

2. my awesome husband

3. my adorable dog Boaz who loves me

4. my church family.

5. a wonderful place to live that is warm even though it’s still cold outside

6. traveling to look forward to in the future

7. friends’ super cute babies

8. being able to e-mail and text best friends

9. being able to cook all sorts of deliciousness

10.  pinterest boards of lovely things

11. books to read and time to read them

12. mornings spent with god reading the bible and doing the breaking free bible study

What are you loving about your life right now?

Learning to Deal with Disappointment

How you learn to manage your disappointments in your life will determine your destiny.

-Christine Caine

Disappointments come all around us in life.  They start coming even when we’re little.  When the friend chooses someone else to share her cookie with that day or when we don’t get to go on a class trip or when we miss out on getting the most amazing new toy ever.  Sometimes we’ll pout and throw our fits.  Other times we’ll get mean and say some angry words because at the core, we’re hurt.

 Then we get a little older and well, the disappointments don’t stop coming.  The little disappointments are still there like missing out on getting a cute new Starbucks mug because they sold out or missing going to a store because it closed or someone else getting what we wanted.  “Bigger” things too can crush our fragile hearts like not getting picked for a job or watching a ministry close down or not being able to get pregnant or watching our plans change.  That’s when we might simply cry because we had a plan and now it’s going all wrong.  We’d prayed and prayed and things weren’t supposed to turn out this way.

I started writing this post on December 12, 2011.  I had no clue on that day what God would do in my life and how different everything would be just a year later.  There’s the acknowledgement that if some of my disappointments hadn’t come, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  Yet, there’s also the acknowledgement that those disappointments were exactly that. A disappointment.  Something to feel, grieve, and walk out.  Even when good is worked out of a situation, it can still hurt.

But that’s where Christine Cain ever so convictingly reminds us that how we handle those disappointments will determine our destiny.  Will we stay in our hurt and in turn hurt those around us?  Will we thank and worship God even so?  Will we hold grudges and reject others because of our jealousy or hurt?  Will we choose faith or fear? How will we handle our disappointments?

Lord, I haven’t always handled my disappointments with grace and love….help me, teach me, and be with me as the disappointments keep coming so that I can handle them in a healthy, godly way that draws me closer to You.

a dream

I had a dream that I posted a blog with all sorts of bullet points and prayers.  I don’t remember what they were but it reminded me of this little space that I’ve left dormant while I’ve been off living out adventures that haven’t been put onto paper.  I keep waiting for time to slow but I know better than that.  So, I figured, I’d take a minute or two to say hi.

Lately, I’ve been perusing pinterest and there’s a board that I’ve deemed “to fill my home with all things happy and beautiful.”  This little one has accumulated almost the most pins out of my boards–quoateable beats it by a bit.  But as I think about those fun ladies over at Squee who wrote a whole eBook on figuring out your what pinterest says about you…and no, I haven’t yet gone through it all! On my list and sitting open in my browser!  But I can’t help but be struck by how that’s so long been a core value and a priority and a longing and a desire and just part of my heart.  As I’ve said before, “I just want a home…is that too much to ask for?”  Now, I don’t mean a literal building, though that’d be nice, but it runs far deeper than that.  Home is all things safe and cozy and protected and loved and accepted and beautiful and happy.  In many ways, there’s that understated longing for heaven that we all have which plays into this; yet, too, I am ever thankful to God for the places and people in my here and now that I call home.

On that note, I think I’ll get back to all the other things I should be doing….graduate classes did start yesterday..ep!

p.s. what is one of your favorite pinterest boards?

i will not.

for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

hebrews 13:5-6

i will sing of your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.

(have i said that i have the wof cds on repeat especially the rejoice one? well i do! most songs don’t have youtube videos but go spotify them…they’re good…)

5 days

5 days left of this posting on Faithfulness every day.  I feel as though my words have run dry yet I see the word everywhere.literally.everywhere.  The ways the word leads back unto understanding that He is everything follows in line with all the words I seem to pick.  When I chose Joy, I ended the year realizing that true, honest, deep joy comes from Him alone.  The rest fades away.  With trust, while we still have a few months left, I find that He’s the only fully trustworthy one.  I’ll find my “monkeys” as Henry Cloud so cleverly reminded me and oh how I am ever so thankful for them, but we’re all still people.  And so, with faithfulness, I shouldn’t be all that surprised that He is ever faithful.  He is working all things out for good for the purpose that I should become more like Him.  I sit and think of the stories of faithfulness working in my life and I call them to mind when everything around me seems confusion and chaos.  Throwing a stone, making a place to remember brings me back to the ever constant faithfulness filling me up.  I rattle off the list and think see girl, you can rest easy.  You’ve seen Him be faithful before so just give it that pesky little word time.  

everything.

I should have some more witty words, but today…all I hear is what Angie Smith ended Women of Faith with:

He’s everything.