As I sit at the coffee shop, I see a class of teens being treated to an end of the year coffee / fruit drink. This teacher apparently comes every year and treats the students for a job well done. Now that’s a teacher who knows how to reach their students. She is being a reflection of love and God is love.
The whole class is polite, respectful and shows gratitude. This is the next generation of leaders. They are shown compassion and direction by this amazing teacher. It is refreshing, we can all reflect hope and love like this relationship.
Yes, they take out their cellphones for a bit of additional communication, however, they are in person carrying on conversation. There is laughter, smiles, and companionship.
There is hope!
They are valuing the most important thing, relationships in respect, love, common interests and they will likely succeed in the future as a result. This is the future!
Photo by Vj Apratama
Psalm 145:12-17 MSG [12] Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. [13] Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. GOD always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. [14] GOD gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. [15] All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time. [16] Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures. [17] Everything GOD does is right- the trademark on all his works is love.
Where is your sphere of influence? Make a difference to encourage and love others it’s a trademark of God who loves and can impact generations.
Psalm 145:3-4 MSG [3] GOD is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness. [4] Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
As a women of infertility, I understand the challenges of observing Mother’s Day. I have learned that God’s family is formed in many ways. Before I became a mom of adoption, He allowed me to feed into the lives of thousands of kids to teens as a nurse and public speaker for injury prevention. He also, gave me places to mentor foster kids as a big sister. There are other places the Lord can use your love and care beyond a biological child. You can make a difference to generations.
You are loved by Jesus Photo by Picjumbo.com (Pexels.com)
Mother’s Day is a day of multiple emotions; joy, peace, love, grief, loss, and regret. As a mom blessed through adoption, I think of the sacrifice of our birth families along with my love for our children. I think of their loss and willingness to place ( not abandon) their children to my husband and my arms. I know they each ponder, as Mary did in the Bible regarding Jesus, the life of their biological child. Yet their love for their child, according to their own hearts expressed to me and my husband, even in grief and loss, lead them to choose their forever parents. I have a tender heart that grieves with them even in my blessing every year at Mother’s Day.
I extend greetings on Mother’s Day and I receivecommunication that affirms, a mom never forgets their child and they have communicated appreciation for our loving care. We are the family of extended adoption. We are blessed. It is not easy. It can be emotionally hard for all in the adoption triad (child, birth and adoptive parents). However, spiritually we all must lean on Jesus for closing the holes in our hearts that only He can fill. I share with our children the same message, no mom or dad can fill the space in our hearts meant for Jesus!
It takes trust in God above all (even though in our human emotion it seems impossible). It is hope for our children’s future holding the hand of Jesus for wisdom. It is unfailing love for our children who are created in the image of God.
Psalm 145:8-21 MSG [8] GOD is all mercy and grace- not quick to anger, is rich in love. [9] GOD is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace. [10-11] Creation and creatures applaud you, GOD; your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, [12] Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. [13] Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. GOD always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. [14] GOD gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. [15] All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time. [16] Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures. [17] Everything GOD does is right- the trademark on all his works is love. [18] GOD’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. [19] He does what’s best for those who fear him- hears them call out, and saves them. [20] GOD sticks by all who love him, but it’s all over for those who don’t. [21] My mouth is filled with GOD’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!
I love this Message version of scripture, Psalm 145. No matter who you are, a single person, a single mom or dad, married, divorced, God sticks by all who love Him, those who fear Him in respect, seek Him, repent from sins and believe He is Lord. Call to Him and feel His love extend to all, moms or not!
The same God that freed captives in the Bible is the same God that can transform your life. He is filled with kindness, wisdom, and understanding. He knows you He wants to fill you up with His riches of grace, unfailing love, and joy.
Will you take a risk and reach out to Him? Past disappointments with a human father may give you fear or cause distrust of your Creator God. He is good and He is able to guide your life. Will you let Him?
He wants to adopt you into His family, but He gives you a free will choice. As a mom blessed through adoption, this amazing gift of adoption into the Lord’s family takes on another level of love and awe. He wants a relationship with you.
Ephesians 1:3-11 NLT [3] All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. [4] Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. [5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. [7] He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. [8] He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. [9] God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ-which is to fulfill his own good plan. [10] And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth. [11] Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
“Same God” is a wonderfully moving message of the unfailing love and commitment of God to His children. Elevation Worship and Jonsal Barrientes really bring this promise to a beautiful place. Listen to the lyrics. Be amazed at this amazing God.
May this song impact you as much as it did me. He is the same God from the beginning of time to now.
Appearances are a trap, we are special and unparalleled, and we must believe this statement, not in pride but in amazement. Scripture tells us that we are precious in the Lord’s sight.
Isaiah 43:1-2 ESV But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; and the flame shall not consume you.
We are each created in the image of God and with a specific purpose. You are an original. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are his masterpiece, His workmanship created in Christ for things in the future.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Our days on this earth should be spent discovering what those gifts are and allowing the Lord to use us. A part of the process of discovery involves choosing whose voice we may hear and follow. The visual cues and whispers of culture make us feel like we’re supposed to be like everyone else. But we’re unique!! From the book of Genesis and throughout the Bible, scripture tells us that we’re supposed to be set apart for God’s plans.
Leviticus 20:26 You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.
Paul, a transformed disciple of Jesus shared with the Ephesians in Acts 20:32, that they who follow Jesus may be blessed, “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
You can be single, in a relationship, or married, God calls you to be set apart for His plans. There are times when each one of us, as single parents or co-parenting, we can feel the poke or prompt that we, ourselves, or our kids should be doing this or should be doing that. We may feel pressured to wear trendy clothes or for our children to wear trendy clothes. We may feel pressured individually or encourage our child to look a certain way, maybe its nose piercings or tattoos.
Maybe, we feel pressured to be a certain way because we want to be noticed. We may ponder, “I just want to fit in, I’m the parent, I want to be a friend, or I don’t like conflict just peace, I will follow the crowd or give my kid whatever they want so they fit in.” We tell ourselves, “I should make sure that I’m not being a bad example of a Christian”.
It is a battle with appearance, God’spath, or cultures. Struggling with comparison to other people can bring us to a place of sin. It can happen to adults and kids. Before we know it, we may compromise and decide or let our kids wear whatever they want, watch on media whatever, or do something against the ways of God.
We may choose to do something just so we fit in. However, We are not called to fit in. We are called to be set apart. At times, it can be a lonely place, and yet, inner aloneness is when we are still with God.
There were times raising children when I was seen as the strict, inflexible Mom. My kids felt the restrictions were not fair, they felt like the odd man out. I am learning if mistakes happen to handle the instruction in grace, love, and mercy like Jesus.
I provided a place for their friends to come to hang out after sports practices or games or a few times a year as an end-of-the-summer or seasonal hangout for preteens and teens. I wanted to be the place a teen could land for good clean fun. The parents of these teens felt comfortable sending their teens to our home. There was no alcohol or drugs, some parental supervision, and the teens who joined us knew we were Christians. I gathered the group of teens for grace before meals, had some posted scriptures on our walls, and even gave high fives or hugs to the teen guys as they came and left the home.
There was even a time when in a winter snowstorm I had the teen basketball team overnight. I served pizza, multi snacks, and beverages. The guys even shoveled off the basketball half-court and played 3 on 3. Time spent with these groups and others was super special.
Investing in our children and their peers matters. I may have needed a few nights of more sleep, but it was so worth it. There is a fullness of joy in serving others.
Sometimes as a parent, I felt the peer pressure to avoid conflict and give in to my child/teen’srequests, but I would always go back to the reminder, I am set apart and as a follower of Jesus, I must not be double-minded.
James 1: 5 – 8 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
We must trust our choices and actions to God. We must seek to please Him above seeking appearances that measure up to human standards or culture. We must be still with God and make time to readHis Word, learn His ways, and break patterns that hold us captive to other idols.
In our stillness with God, we could find ourselves again. Maybe even find yourselves the way our Creator God has made us. What an amazing journey. It is not something to fear but to anticipate with joy.
Psalm 139:17 -18 How precious are your thoughts about me,And when I wake up, you are still with me!O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them, they outnumber the grains of sand!
Because there are different parts that makeupwho we are, unique and beautiful and with purpose. Read the full chapter of Psalm 139 aloud sometimes, slowly. It is a wonderful picture of how the Creator God loves you. Even with our challenges in character, past mistakes, past trauma, and choices, we have a loving God who wants us to see ourselves as He does without blemish.
Think of the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. Crawling along seeking food, perhaps, being food for its predators, hiding under leaves, lonely. Then in time, the caterpillar becomes a floating, beautiful butterfly with wings, shining a colorful image as it moves freely away from its original position on its belly.
Only God knows of things in secret places of our lives. And yet he wants to make those things beautiful. He wants us to be used for the Kingdom’s purpose. He wants our trust in His guidance not in the idol of keeping up appearances. The world culture will never satisfy us deep inside only the love of our Savior whose praise we really need.
So put down the need to be just like someone else, God has called you to be so much more. God called you to be you and use your gifts and seek forgiveness when you screw up and you get a do-over and be made right with our Creator God and be amazed as you grow in your faith to become the Light of Christ for others. Amen
Every day is an exercise in endurance. Trusting in God with the uncertain future, with our relationships, and our emotions require thinking outside our own control.
There are moments I want to be a child again, putting adult decisions and responsibilities down. Guess what, we can put down our worries and concerns. We can give them to a God who extends His hand to us, saying come, my child!Jesus actually spoke these words in Matthew 11 as He spoke to people about seeking faith in God.
Matthew 11: 25-26 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”
Matthew 11:28 - 30 (The Message) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Holy Spirit Come by Patrick Mayberry
Patrick Mayberry sings of going to the Lord in our distressed times, singing, “Holy Spirit Come.” I love to play this song when I feel weary and burdened. I sing loud and feel the love of Jesus pour over me. Sweet moments of peace are there for the taking just sing or call Him. Come Holy Spirit and refresh your children.
Twice in the past two weeks, my youngest & I were in the car when a bald eagle flew over and circled us. It happened again Tuesday after school for the second time. Eagles are my favorite bird they represent majestic powerful victory. They are messengers of God’s protection for His people. The Israelites were in need of protection as they traveled in the desert escaping the oppression of the Egyptians, it is described in Deuteronomy 32.
Deuteronomy 32: 10 - 11
He found them in a desert land,
in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.[c]
11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
and hovers over her young,
so he spread his wings to take them up
and carried them safely on his pinions.
Breathtaking and in awe, my youngest and I shared a beautiful moment at the roadside. Watching this amazing eagle, we were speechless. First, it circled the car, and then, it was pushing hard and flying against the wind then circled and went with the wind to the east. I wrote a blog post called ” Wind” last week, check it out. In Hebrew, it is Ruach, meaning wind, spirit, and breath.
Is it a sign or a wonder? Only God knows. I believe that we are given opportunities to see our Creator God in nature. He can do anything. My love for His creation and my stillness with God can bring amazing moments. We have to fix our eyes on His truths and spend time with His Word to gain wisdom, especially in these crazy uncertain times. People are watching our walk of faith, I was blessed to share these with my child.
The next day I sent this text to my daughter: Sweet daughter: I believe it was prophetic that twice recently you and I have had eagles soar and hover over us in the car. Consider this, my precious one, We are to be God’s messengers, He wants us to fly with the wind, His Holy Spirit, into the future. He was showing both of us the eagle pushing against the wind then in with majesty this beautiful eagle flowed with ease facing east. We must flow with God, my dear daughter! He will use our obedience when trust in Him alone. (Expect distractions from the enemy, as he has different plans.)
Isaiah 40:28-31 [28] Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. [29] He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. [30] Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. [31] But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Since He created each of us in His Image, He knows how best to send a message. Are we seeking Him? Are we open to hearing His truth? When we are available to hear Him, He will share a wonderful mystery that will take our breath away.
Inspiring Light Through the Cracks 