Hope in the Midst of Pain!!

This photo speaks volumes to me this morning!!

The devastation
The darkness
The loss
The barrenness
The storm clouds gathering overhead

And yet the cross stands.
Jesus
Hope in the midst of pain.
Light in the midst of darkness.
Life in the midst of death

It's easy to see this visually when a tornado comes and rips apart a town.
It's more difficult to see when tragedy comes and rips apart a heart.

Oh that God would give us eyes to see
Hearts to feel
Ears to listen
Hands to serve
and feet to go

Love Never Gives Up!!

In my post yesterday I came to a tough realization. So many times I say the words "I Love You" without truly living out the words. What does it really mean to love someone? The first phrase mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 (The Message) is "Love never gives up"!!! What does it mean to give up? Well I did a handy, dandy search on the internet and found this answer

"To give up means to simply stop trying at something."

Ouch!!!

How many times relationally do I simply stop trying? More times than I would care to admit. Why do I do that? Busyness, Apathy, Hurt, Anger, Frustration, Boredom, Selfishness and a myriad of other reasons.

So, LOVE ALWAYS TRIES!! When I say "I love you" to someone that means I will try. That means I will put in the effort, even when I don't want to or I don't feel like it.

What would my relationships look like if I actually put this into practice?

Do I love or do I lie?

How many times have I said "I love you" to the people in my life? To use a phrase my oldest daughter says....a gazillion. This morning I read 1 Corinthians 13 in the Message. Even if you don't read the Bible much, you may have heard these verses spoken at a wedding. Shoot, these verses may have been spoken at your own wedding. My wedding was so long ago, I can't honestly remember.

Here's the words I read this morning...

Love never gives up
Love cares more for others than self
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have
Love doesn't strut
Doesn't have a swelled head
Doesn't force itself on others
Isn't always me first
Doesn't fly off the handle
Doesn't keep score of sins of others
Doesn't revel when others grovel
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth
Puts up with anything
Trusts God always
Always looks for the best
Never looks back
But keeps going to the end
Love never dies

Truth is when I read these words I realize that I often lie when I say I love you!!

22 x 2

This past week was my birthday. I turned 44. It seems like just yesterday I was 22 and about to marry my prince charming, full of dreams, full of ideals, full of excitement, and full of energy.

Fast forward 22 more years and here I am, still married to my prince charming, though he often leaves the toilet lid up which is less than charming. Many of my dreams have come true, though from time to time they might have felt nightmarish. Most of my ideals turned out to be a tad bit unrealistic. I am still full of excitement, but sometimes my greatest excitement of the day is when my head hits the pillow. And somewhere along the way I seemed to have misplaced my energy. That could have something to do with the four rambunctious children who have been added to the mix.

Only God knows what the next 22 years will hold. My hope is to follow Christ with reckless abandon wherever He leads day by day. My desire is to serve Him wholeheartedly hour by hour. My passion is to be who God made me to be moment by moment. I’ve spent many of the past 22 years comparing myself to others and trying to be someone I am not. I’m done with that. If only it were that easy!!!

I want to be who God made to be and do what He made me to do. (Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do).