I have taught in public school, I have taught in private school, and I have homeschooled. Each of these teaching experiences were done in equal amounts of time- 3 years each. I have been a working mom and a stay at home mom. My first child started his education as a homeschooler and now both of my children attend a private Christian school. All of these experiences were God led and I share this with you only because as time has gone on, I have learned the sensitivity that comes with these choices and topics. I have experienced the various opinions that accompany them all- good and bad. We live among many and their varied opinions that often get shared with us, unsolicited. We can leave the company of one person who praises you for the season God has you in and the choices you have made, while others look down their noses at you with complete disapproval. You can go from encouraged to discouraged in a New York minute, and tuning out the voices can be difficult at times.
As time has passed, experiences have allowed me to learn that opinions change from person to person and that opinions should never be the source of assurance. Listening to the many voices and allowing these opinions to have a place to live in your mind will make you feel like a yo-yo, with the ups and downs being so constant that you lose the ability to know which is which. God’s plans, callings, and directions, are purposeful, and come without all the disarray as long as we continue to listen to Him. The opinions of others may come in variants, but the plans of the Lord always stand firm, regardless of what others may think.
Once we realize the assurance and stability we gain from resting in where God has called us to be and making His calling the focal point, the voices of others begin to grow fainter. Although we live among many, we live for One, and God’s voice is the only voice that we should allow to take up residence in our hearts and minds!

Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

God’s word has the ability to be hidden in the heart of a believer AND live there richly!
God’s word lights our paths so that our view is clear, providing us with trusted directions for life!

God’s word is living and actively working where it dwells- and that’s in us!
God’s word is sharper than any double edged sword, helping to remove all that is detrimental to a life that’s pleasing to God!
God’s word offers unwaivering truth in a world full of chaos and confusion!
God’s word sanctifies us so that we can become more like Jesus with each passing day!
God’s word is eternal, dependable, and continues to remain relevant!
God’s word is life!
Time in God’s word is never waisted and it never goes unused in our lives. All that we long for and seek after can be found in one place! When we seek Him, we find Him when we seek Him with all of our hearts! Look at all the beauty that unfolds as we do this with sincere hearts! What an abundance of grace and love that God has given us His word to go to and rest in daily!

Have you ever wished that time could stand still? Have you ever felt life moving on without you and the constant demands and responsibilities you have continue to swirl around you, but all you want to do is hit pause for a bit so you can process and catch up? I have. Maybe you have too. I think that hardships can leave us feeling that way and because life continues to move on, it’s easy to feel alone when you still find yourself trying to stand still in “that place” or “that moment” trying to catch up.

I have been there and being there doesn’t feel good. Although it doesn’t feel good, I have seen and experienced the goodness of God while being in that place. I learned while being in that place that God is a God of His word and when He says He is close to the broken hearted and binds up their wounds, that He does just that! I learned that these are not just “feel good” words, but that they are actually true. I learned that when I was in this place and I felt alone, in the sense of having people around me, that in actuality, God was showing me that there was a fulfillment that couldn’t be filled by people, but only by Him. I learned that this time of feeling alone was really a means in which God had me only fixing my eyes on Him.

During this time I learned to go to God’s word constantly for the answers I needed and to pray harder and more often than I ever had before. I learned that there can be beauty in pain because of having the presence of God and His promises, and that going through trials without the presence of God, only leaves you with just pain. I learned to have a sincere thankfulness for God’s presence.

I learned that during times of difficulty, God was filling me up with His truth, and that as I was seeking Him, I was really finding Him. During this time, I got to know God as my Heavenly Father and feel His embrace, and as He embraced me, He then moved me from trying to stand stagnantly in “that place” to being able to move forward.

So I ask you today, are you finding yourself in “that place”? If so, know that God’s presence in your life can bring beauty to your pain and His embrace can bring you the comfort you need, that only He can provide. Continue to seek God today and know Him as Heavenly Father! We can have beauty in our pain because of God’s presence and promises!

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but do we live by this grace as well? Yes, we know it’s by grace that we are saved, but to live by it is another. Jerry Bridges writes in his book, ‘Transforming Grace,’

“… most of us tend to base our personal relationship with God on our personal performance instead of on His grace. If we’ve performed well- whatever well is in our opinion- then we expect God to bless us. If we haven’t done so well, our expectations are reduced accordingly. In this sense, we live by works rather than by grace. We are saved by grace, but we are living by the “sweat” of our own performance.”

It’s important for us to know that our very best is never enough to earn God’s grace and our very worst is never bad enough to strip us of God’s grace. Grace is unearned and is given because of Jesus’ great sacrifice. Thus its meaning, unmerited favor. I have to admit that knowing what grace is, knowing that I am saved by grace, and living by grace everyday has often served to challenge my mentality in regards to my walk with God. The bottom line is that we were/are in need of the greatest rescuing ever known to man, and God came in grace to accomplish this great rescue, sealing the deal. Once we are His, we are His! Once we are covered in His grace, we are covered! If you find yourself in an up and down relationship with God and you are always guessing if you have done enough and wondering where you stand with Him, you have fallen into the trap, like so many of us do, of striving to live by the “sweat of your own performance” rather than in His grace. No matter where you find yourself today, the need for grace is always there. We are saved by grace and therefore, we must live by grace and rest in knowing that Jesus has paid it all for you and me!

We use sticky notes and place them on our doors so that we won’t forget certain things as we prepare to leave for the day. We make check lists to help us remember what should be accomplished, with those of the highest priority listed first. Even those with the best memory find the benefit of reminders. In our many daily distractions, we can easily forget what we need to do and we realize we need help remembering.
As we make our notes of what needs to be done each day, we should also make notes of what we know God has already done in our lives. Making notes of when God has moved is one of the best things we can do, not only for ourselves, but for others as well. The memory of God’s works needs to be stuck to our hearts and minds so that our faith in Him will not run dry. When God worked in the past, we see His people build a memorial signifying the work that they had experienced God do, and to also serve as a constant reminder, not only for themselves, but also for the next generation. Their memory of God and passing it on was vital!
In our daily busyness, let our list of reminders not just be of what we have to do, but also serve to be reminders that lists what God has already done on our lives! Post a sticky note on the dash of your car, the refrigerator door, the door you walk out of for the day, bathroom mirror, etc… Let your kids or others see these notes and ask you about them, giving you an incredible opportunity to share a testimony of God’s faithfulness. This will not only fuel your own faith, but could also to serve as a means to help fuel someone else’s faith as well! In your busyness today, be sure to make notes that will enable you to remember the works of God’s hands! Our memory of Him is vital!

Deuteronomy 4:9

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

At some point in my teenage years, I read a poem by Robert Frost, and I have loved it ever since. In his poem the ‘Road Not Taken’ he speaks about traveling down a road and then it splits off into two directions. Now he’s faced with making a decision about which path to take. He finishes his poem by revealing that he in fact “took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
This poem has always resonated with me because life seems to be traveled down paths that suddenly lead to a split, and a decision must be made on which new path to take. This is when I seem to find myself panicking because may be the choice that I should make isn’t very clear, and heaven forbid I take the wrong path. Our sight and foreknowledge is very limited as we try to peer down our next set of options before choosing one or the other. We use what we know, mixed with standing on our tiptoes, hoping to gain more of a glimpse of what may lay ahead. As we examine both directions, it’s usually obvious which path seems to be well worn or is less traveled. Depending on your personality, you will find yourself drawn to one or the other. Paths that seem well worn and traveled by many usually appeal to me because I find some comfort in knowing that others have traveled in that direction and I won’t feel so alone. Others may desire to be alone and avoid the path that is well worn like the plague.
As appealing as that well-worn path is to me, it is typically the path that is less traveled that God often leads me down. As life continues to have its moments of splitting off, I am coming to the realization that it’s not so much about the path and how it appears, but it’s more about praying that God would lead me and keep me at the center of His will. Keeping prayer and the desire to be centered in God’s will as my focus, removes the rat race from my mind that often accompanies tough decisions, and it redirects my focus on where is should be -God! It allows me to rest in knowing that the God who calls also faithfully leads each and every day, and a split in the road will not interfere with His leading.
The path that is taken that results in “making all the difference” in our lives will always be the one that centers us with God’s will, and ultimately that is the best place we can be. Often, the direction we take in life is not about what we see and how the path appears, but rather recognizing God’s will. Christ Himself, bowed to the Father’s will and followed the path that was not pleasing to the eye and said, “Father, if you are willing, take this this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Therefore, our following God’s will is an act of living by faith and not by sight! When life’s path seems to split in different directions, and you’re not sure what to do, stop and pray, seeking only for God’s will to be done!

One of the greatest challenges in our lives at times can be making decisions on which path to take when it suddenly splits. My daughter wanted to join me in today’s video…. For more on this, you can check out my lastest post, “Centered in God’s Will… the BEST Place to be!”

At some point in my teenage years, I read a poem by Robert Frost, and I have loved it ever since. In his poem the ‘Road Not Taken’ he speaks about traveling down a road and then it splits off into two directions. Now he’s faced with making a decision about which path to take. He finishes his poem by revealing that he in fact “took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
This poem has always resonated with me because life seems to be traveled down paths that suddenly lead to a split, and a decision must be made on which new path to take. This is when I seem to find myself panicking because may be the choice that I should make isn’t very clear, and heaven forbid I take the wrong path. Our sight and foreknowledge is very limited as we try to peer down our next set of options before choosing one or the other. We use what we know, mixed with standing on our tiptoes, hoping to gain more of a glimpse of what may lay ahead. As we examine both directions, it’s usually obvious which path seems to be well worn or is less traveled. Depending on your personality, you will find yourself drawn to one or the other. Paths that seem well worn and traveled by many usually appeal to me because I find some comfort in knowing that others have traveled in that direction and I won’t feel so alone. Others may desire to be alone and avoid the path that is well worn like the plague.
As appealing as that well-worn path is to me, it is typically the path that is less traveled that God often leads me down. As life continues to have its moments of splitting off, I am coming to the realization that it’s not so much about the path and how it appears, but it’s more about praying that God would lead me and keep me at the center of His will. Keeping prayer and the desire to be centered in God’s will as my focus, removes the rat race from my mind that often accompanies tough decisions, and it redirects my focus on where is should be -God! It allows me to rest in knowing that the God who calls also faithfully leads each and every day, and a split in the road will not interfere with His leading.

The path that is taken that results in “making all the difference” in our lives will always be the one that centers us with God’s will, and ultimately that is the best place we can be. Often, the direction we take in life is not about what we see and how the path appears, but rather recognizing God’s will. Christ Himself, bowed to the Father’s will and followed the path that was not pleasing to the eye and said, “Father, if you are willing, take this this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Therefore, our following God’s will is an act of living by faith and not by sight! When life’s path seems to split in different directions, and you’re not sure what to do, stop and pray, seeking only for God’s will to be done!

Is today the day that God may be saying to you that it’s time to stop praying?…. What a bogus question to ask, right? Or is it? Now, before you write me off for asking something so outlandish, please hear me out. I promise there is good reason for asking a question such as this.
I truly love praying! Cast ALL of my MANY cares upon the Lord??? Umm…. YES, PLEASE! Prayer is a privilege and it allows us to commune with God. He calls us to come to Him with all sorts of prayers and requests at all times of the day! Time and time again, I have gone back and read through my prayer journals and I have enjoyed reading past prayers and then recognize that God has answered so many of them in amazing ways. Even small little prayers that I had forgotten all about! Praying and watching God lovingly respond, is such a blessing and is a major faith builder for me.
But, is there a time when God calls us to stop praying about something? And surprisingly, I believe the answer is YES. If you are familiar at all with the book of Exodus then you already know that this book is all about God’s deliverance. I never get tired of going back and reading this book! How in the world can reading about God splitting the Red Sea so that He could lead His people out of a land of slavery get old? It’s such a faith builder and it helps me keep a true perspective of God as it beautifully puts His power on display.
But as I was reading this week, I stumbled across some verses that had never stood out to me before. Just as the Israelites were nearing the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s army continued moving closer to them. Fear quickly overtook the large crowd of escapees and Moses assures them that on this very day they would see the deliverance of the Lord.
But it’s the verse following this that really grabbed me.
Exodus 14:15 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you still crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”
Wow! “Why are you still crying out to me?” This is what the Lord asked Moses as they stood in front of a large body of water with a massive army getting closer to them by the minute. I believe I would have still been crying out to the Lord too!
But what God was saying to Moses here in the middle of an intense, scary, and chaotic moment, is that there is a time when we are to stop praying and to start walking in faith! God had heard the cries of His people and their prayers were being answered with each passing step. They just had to trust the God who was delivering them and allow their faith to be greater than their fear.
So could it be that God is asking us the very same question, “Why are you still crying out to me?” Maybe you have continued to pray about something and as God is answering your prayer, He is calling you out into the unknown and to trust Him.
I think that it’s important to ask ourselves, and to recognize if today is the very day that God is saying it’s time to stop praying and it’s time to start walking!

After all the rain we’ve had lately, this candle seemed too good to pass up. The rain may continue to dominate the forecast, but yes, there are still sunny days ahead. We love the days when they are only filled with sunshine, but do our days ever really stop being sunny? The sky may have a thick layer of gray and the rain may continue to fall, but each day is still sunny. The sun hasn’t failed to shine, and inspite of the thick clouds that linger, we still know the difference between night and day. Even in stormy weather, the sun’s rays still penetrate and let us know it’s day. That’s the beauty and the power of the sun.

There is tremendous beauty and power for those of us who are in Christ when we find ourselves standing in the light of the Son. Life’s weather never affects His presence! He is always there and He is always shining! No weather condition can stop that! Even if thick clouds seem to linger, His light will still shine through, always faithfully making His presence known. We may long for only sunny days, but rest assured that each day is indeed sunny with Jesus! He is our everlasting light!