simple sentiments

secure in the palm of his hand

source unknown

have you ever had a day, a week, a month, or lord have mercy,

longer than that feeling like you just didn't "fit"?

unsure of your purpose, your role, your responsibilities in a situation?

it's an unsettling place to be.

we can spend hours, countless sleepless nights, mulling over the feelings of desperation.

insecurity about where the future lies and how we are a part of it.

this past week i've experienced that. 

really over the past year in a certain situation.

one minute thinking i have it all figured out,

only to be told the next, not quite.

it's unsettling.

but you know what else it is?

it can be a tool used to take our eyes off what is truly important.

it can be used as a distraction from our true purpose.

our true identify.

our true self, in Him.

you see, it doesn't matter where or if we "fit" on this earth,

or even if we "fit" at all. 

because we weren't made for this world.

that's why i believe it is such a stretch sometimes. 

we don't fit because we weren't meant to.

we are created for so much more. 

so much more. 

so much more than the roles we try to fit ourselves in. 

you and i dear friend, despite how we may feel. 

despite our minds that tell us otherwise.

there is a place where we do fit.

it's exactly where you and i are right now. 

you may be like me and at times are so distracted by the circumstances of the day

we don't even realize we are in the palm of His hand. 

grace.

deep breath, arms stretched high, relief for the weary soul.

my situation may or may not change.

the circumstances that are causing me to feel like i dont know my place may change.

but they may not. 

and that is ok. 

that is ok because when we refocus our eyes and our hearts to what truly matters,

we realize we do fit. 

we fit into the family of our creator. 

we are the daughters of the most high king.

we are resting safely in the palm of His hand. 

so in the stretching, in the discomfort, 

remember this, 

we are meant for so much more. 

new beginnings

this time of year marks new beginnings for so many.

the peppy high school student headed off to his first day of classes anxious for his game 

under the bright Friday night lights this weekend. 

the sweet and precious kindergarten student about to walk the halls of big kid school, 

bursting with excitement, despite her parents fears of this new chapter in their lives. 

new beginnings oftentimes bring about fear, anxiety, worry, heart break. 

but it also brings about the opportunity for us to make a choice. 

a door opens. 

we have choices. 

we can resign ourselves to the worry, the heartbreak, the panic, the tears. 

the late nights of lost sleep and running the worst case scenario through our minds. 

or 

we can say "my God is bigger, He is greater" 

we can pray over these children headed off into the great unknown 

knowing God knows every hair on their head and every freckle on their sun kissed back.

He loves them deeply and will provide for their every need. 

we can rest assured they are in the palm of His hand, and what a precious place to be. 

i encourage you sweet momma's, aunt's, & nana's worried about their babies

 heading to a new adventure in this great big world,

pray over them. daily. 

pray for their relationship with christ, pray for their choices in friendships, actions and daily life. 

pray that God would bring about friends who will help point them to Him.

pray for their teachers and their staff at their schools. 

pray His patience and love over their lives. 

you know what happens, the worry grows smaller. 

slowly some of my prayers are being answered, in His time.

there has been many moments hearing Him say, "just trust me".

He has revealed Himself in His way, in His time,

but He is faithful. 

i am reminded once again,

the God who feeds the birds, the fish and protects the helpless.

He is watching over.

He is there, ever present. 

if they are fed, protected, taken care of,

then what makes us think He won't do the same for us? 

so as you send your precious baby (5, 15 or 25 years old)

off onto their newest adventure,

rest assured, not a minute will go by without Him overseeing.

one thing i have learned on this journey of faith

is that He watches over His children, they truly are precious in His sight. 

loved abundantly. treasured deeply. 

so join me in prayer as they start down this new path. 

when worry creeps in, make a choice,

stop, pray, pray until the worry subsides. 

dig into the scriptures, His promises are true.

a walk to remember ~

today i am looking at wide awake part 2 in the louie giglio series out of passion city church.

if you would like to watch the entire sermon click the link and visit the 'watch button' 

for quite some time this verse has spoken to me. 

it always seemed like such simple advice but such deep truth.

it may the time of year but it seems (for those of us in the world of all things school)
this time of year marks a fresh beginning a new start.
what pointed advice as we head down the halls and into the work place.
pointed advice that truly applies to every situation.

that unfair boss, the co-worker you can't trust, the person the next cubicle over facing
divorce or sickness. they all need to see it.
we can reflect it.
will we? will you? will I?
we have a choice to make.

when we are treated unjustly, will we act justly anyway?
when the co - worker who claims your hard work as theirs will you act justly?
will you love them tenderly anyway?
when your neighbor in cubicle land shares her most recent heartbreak
will you reach out, love her tenderly amidst your busy work day?
can we walk humbly with our God in a work place that tries to shush His glory?

i encourage you sisters in Christ, take this verse to heart.
think of it often. maybe even write it on an index card and tape it to your computer screen.
can you imagine the light of His love that would be reflected if we did this?
consistently?

good things my friends.
good things would happen.
hearts would be comforted... change could come.
let's see.

simple sentiments

source unknown.

simple sentiments

good advice as the school year approaches. 

around these parts schools will be opening in a week... 

part of me longs for routine....

but most of me cries out for a few more weeks of summer with my little loves. 

all day, everyday, me and them, them and me. 

so this week i'm going to go just that.

enjoy the little things. 

hope you do the same!

RRA

simple sentiments

source unknown. (if you know, let me know so I can give credit)

lavishly loved

spending some time again this week with louie, via internet, from passion city church. 

it has been a regular occurence 

an afternoon meeting i eagerly await while they upload his latest sermon. 

this week we looked at love, specifically hitting: 1 john 4, 1 john 3, and psalm 139

love, we often times think of as a feeling but really it is a choice. that is outlined for us

in 1 corinthians 13:4-13. it specifically outlines what actions demonstrate love.

but what we looked at today was loving one another, because God loves us.

we also looked at learning to receive love, then reflecting that love to others.

for some of us receiving love is tough.

for me receiving love can be difficult.  

you see, i can love those around me, my family, my friends,

and i love big. sometimes i love so much it hurts. 

but to receive love.

that's another story. 

you see part of my story has ties of rejection. 

and when you are rejected it is easy to start thinking

you don't deserve love.

especially if the person rejecting you is a parent.

it just doesn't seem fathomable that a person who carries the same dna

would reject you. now as a parent it seems even more far fetched.

come hell or highwater, nothing could keep me from these precious babies.

to be in their lives, loving on them daily, lord have mercy 

it is what makes my heart tick.

to walk away, not possible. 

about 5 years ago i had a falling out with my dad. 

we had complicated relationship prior to that,

but 5 years ago, rubber met the road so to speak, 

and the relationship was broken. 

the tough part was he still had a relationship with my siblings. 

just not me.

painful. 

when that happened feelings and thoughts crept in like

"if your own father doesn't want a relationship with you what's wrong with you?"

"having a relationship with you isn't worth fighting for or apologizing for"

"you aren't loved"

"you don't have value in the life of your dad"

"you can be tossed away like yesterdays garbage with no thought"

those were lies i believed.

those were lies that were meant for my destruction, for harm.

lies that haunted my nights and whispered in my ear during the day.

too often we believe the lies someone says about us instead of what God says about us.

for me, i believed the lies and instead the truth of God's word was drowned out

by these lies that threatened to take me down. 

but God's truth is stronger, His word is powerful, and pervasive. 

in psalm 139 vs 13-14 it says, God loves us, He made us, 

we are fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are wonderful!

well i am one of His works, and so are you. 

it doesn't matter what lies you believe.

those lies are burned to ashes in the truth of Gods word. 

we are God designed. that is truth, that is fact.

my God doesn't make mistakes, He makes miracles.

you and i are one of those miracles.

God took those lies and turned them into truth.

God took what i believed about myself and my worth and made something even more beautiful.

He used that pit of lies to call me unto Himself.

today i have a relationship with my heavenly Father, my creator, who knit me together

that is based on who i am in Him. 

you see, God is love.

plain and simple. 

anything else, isn't of Him.

those lies, those thoughts i believed about myself, they were ties that bound me up.

ties that kept me from the truth of God's unending, unfailing and immense love for me.

today i often remind myself where my true value, self and worth lies.

it makes my heart smile. 

see, it doesn't matter if my dad doesn't value me or even care to have a relationship with me.

what matters is this, God's view of me, and you:

"i am god designed, purpose intended, significant, lavishly loved, a princess, 

a daughter of the King of the universe"

precious friend, no matter where you are today, no matter what you think,

stop and think, "is what i believe about myself from God or others?"

if it isn't from God it's just not true. plain and simple.

because God's view of you is through the eyes of love.

you are cherished, loved, and valued.

He celebrates the miracle of you. 

a treasure to be held to his heart.

friday fave

made by me using publisher.

ralph waldo emerson quote. 

loving the sentiment for the last few weeks of summer. 

go out there, soak it up. 

letting the next few weeks burn precious memories in my mind. 

RRA

a review - porch lights by dot frank

late the other night i turned the last page in the book.

dorthea benton frank has long been one of my favorite authors. 

the themes she captures, the settings she paints and the colorful characters 

who i swear could be some of my zany family members. 

her books do not disappoint. 

eagerly i read this selection having pre-ordered it off ibooks months ago. 

while i found it a good read it was quite predictable.

few twists or secrets like some of her other titles but endearing none the less.

easy summer read. 

i really liked the switch between mother and daughter narrators. 

often times giving 2 entirely different perspectives of one situation. 

made me think - what if i did that more. 

what if i stepped back more often and looked at a situation in a total different light?

separated myself from what i quickly surmise and tried to see through another's eyes.

it certainly isn't human nature. 

but what this book highlights is that one situation can easily be seen 2 totally different ways. 

and... often times neither is right or wrong, its just perspective. 

interesting thought. 

something to consider. 

thanks dot frank for another good one.

looking forward to the next! 

RRA