My brother shared an important thought with us today….this the day our mom passed away 2 years ago.  (How can it be 2 years already?!?)

Are you running your life or is your life running you?

If you are in the fog of newlywed or post partum or empty nest, that’s a tough question to answer.If you are in the thicket of t-ball and gymnastics and jiu jitsu, that’s a tough question to answer.If you are in the party of just graduated, just engaged or just busy, that’s a tough question to answer.

Our mom used to say, “Oh honey, just get through it”, but I would remind her that God gave us His Son, Jesus, so that we could have much, MUCH more than bare survival!  

Are you running to Him?

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

And Jesus Himself said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

My nephew, Trey, was the love of everyone’s life.  He was silly, fun, lovable, funny, (a tiny bit naughty!), charming, etc. everywhere he went.  We miss Trey every day, but yesterday was his birthday, so we think of his life even more.  We remember Trey for who he was.  We thank God for the gift of that precious little boy.  We thank God for His faithfulness through Trey’s cancer journey.  We PRAISE THE LORD for the HOPE of HEAVEN found through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ!  We know our Young Warrior is healthy and happy and whole in Heaven.  

God loves YOU.  He rejoices over YOU.  He will quiet you by His love.  God is singing over YOU.  God is singing over Trey.  

And we can only imagine the loud singing going on if Trey is singing a duet!  (If you knew Trey’s volume, you know it is LOUD!) 🙂 

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

When this fast paced world swirls all around us, it is easy to get lost, stuck in rut.  Negativity ruminates.  Poor choices abound.  Hope seems lost.

Where can we turn?  Social Media?  Ummmm…probably not.  Overindulging in whatever guilty pleasure numbs your temporary pain?  Nope.  

What if we venture out in faith, taking even a 1 minute peek into God’s Word?  It WILL help!  Every time!

Isaiah 55:1 begins with:
“Come, all you who are thirsty….and you who have no money,”

Can you relate?  Keep reading…
“so is My Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty”. Isaiah 55:11

Get out of that rut and watch God work!

“You will go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

will clap their hands.”  Isaiah 55:12

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19

Sometimes we wonder what was going through Mary’s head and heart right after Jesus was born.  Without social media or even a phone, how did she tell her family?  How did she let everyone know she and Jesus were healthy?  How did everyone find out that He was born?

Mary didn’t worry about all that.  Mary treasured.  Mary pondered.

When was the last time you stopped everything so you could treasure and ponder?

Thank God for the treasures He has given to you and ponder His great and gracious and generous love!

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God”. Psalm 46:10

Can we just pause for a minute and relive the glories of Easter Sunday!?  The praise and the celebration of the sacrificial love of God in Jesus goes by too quickly!  But school and work beckon, Easter eggs neeeeeed to be put away, grass now needs to be cut, and much, much more!

Easter Sunday had its day.  Maybe Easter Monday was special, too.  How is your Easter Tuesday/Wednesday/every day?  Let’s be an Easter365 kind of people to a watching and listening world!

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name;

Can we just pause for a minute and relive the glories of Easter Sunday!?  The praise and the celebration of the sacrificial love of God in Jesus goes by too quickly!  But school and work beckon, Easter eggs neeeeeed to be put away, grass now needs to be cut, and much, much more!

Easter Sunday had its day.  Maybe Easter Monday was special, too.  How is your Easter Tuesday/Wednesday/every day?  Let’s be an Easter365 kind of people to a watching and listening world!

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name;

make known among the nations what He has done,

and proclaim that His Name is exalted.

Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.”  Isaiah 12:4,5

Have you heard it?  “My ADHD”, “My arthritis”, “My anxiety”.  We used to be afraid of labels, today we wear them proudly on our hats and t-shirts!

What about ,”My sin”?  Better yet, “My salvation”!? Easter Week is such a special time to remind ourselves of the sacrificial love of God for each one of us as He poured out His wrath on precious and holy Jesus so that we could be reunited with God!  

My sin. His sacrifice. “Receiver of God’s mercy and grace” is the best condition ever!

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

Before HelloFresh, Ziploc and DoorDash, there was Tupperware.  Tupperware Demonstrations/Parties became popular by women hosting their friends for an evening of learning how to “burp” their food storage containers…and of course, making purchases so the hostess could get MORE burping containers!  Myyyyy how times have changed!  🙂 

There are LOTS of kinds of demonstrations going on out in the world today…friends (and strangers) gathering to share what is important to them.

What’s important to you?  In whose name/cause are you gathering this Easter? What kind of demonstration are you planning?

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

Does the concept of discipline bring you comfort or angst?  Whether we’re talking about one smaller piece of cake or one more round of crunches or one less amount of spending, do you focus on the short term loss or the long term gain?

Waiting on the Lord is never a passive experience. It’s a discipline. What can we do while we wait? Read God’s promises in His Word. Listen to friends share God’s Truths evidenced in their lives. Ask the Lord for His strength and peace to persevere. Journal the journey. And most importantly, celebrate big as you praise the Lord for His presence and provision whatever the outcome! 

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:11

Wracking my brain, I could NOT figure out how to finish a project. I tried. And I tried. I was determined to get this thing done! I didn’t have time to waste!

But then God tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me that we are better together. I asked for help. Yes I did! Not only did my helpers help me get the job finished, but we shared such a special time together. Joy. Laughter. And a MUCH better product than I ever could have accomplished on my own!

Let’s drop the selfish pride, reach out and enjoy unity!  (yes, even if it takes longer!)

“put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  Colossians 3:14

Did you know that animals know how to count?  Our sheep can!

We had 4 little lambs born to one ewe this spring.  If one of the lambs is missing (because I am stealing snuggles!), the Mama Ewe frantically looks around, making eye contact with each of her babies, but she is not content.  She knows #4 is missing.  Our Mama knows how to count to 4!

She also knows her colors.  After this week’s rain she stands at the paddock fence and cries because she sees that the grass has turned from brown to green!

If God cares to create and equip animals with such intelligence and purpose, how do you think He cares for you?  God will count to infinity seeking you out!

“Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”  Psalm 100:3