Pursuing More

My girls and I traveled to Kara’s home. (Kara will soon be one of my girls too, yea!) Knowing we only had that night to visit and part of the next day, no one wanted to go to bed and end the fun. We stayed up way past bed time and into the morning discussing wedding plans and invitation design with the kids. I relished each minute, ignoring my body’s plea for sleep. But it’s all fun and games until there’s no coffee. After readying my sleepy self the next morning, I headed to the kitchen looking forward to a nice cup (or three) of coffee. Coffee always fixes my morning sleepy head. No coffee? What kind of people are they? What kind of people don’t drink coffee? What kind of people don’t have coffee in the house? Heathens? Must be. I know God likes coffee; He and I meet over a steaming cup each morning. What now? I need my starter fluid…I need coffee! I tried to play it cool on the outside. I didn’t want anyone thinking I was addicted or anything…. (Oh, by the way, do not let my h...

Titling a blog is no easy task. To convey ones heart in a short, catchy grouping of words is difficult. But behind every blog title there is a story and so it is with mine. I enjoy reading about how others came up with their titles; and it is time I share my story. The battle of fighting the flesh requires daily focus. Preparation. A battle plan. I don’t know about you (though I could make an educated guess) but my number one battle is fought in the area of selfishness. I want…. I need… I have to have… I like… I hate… I can… I can’t… I will…. I won’t… I must… Expectations I place on others… expectations I place on circumstances… and expectations I place on God. My flesh naturally is drawn to magnify me. To get the best for me. To make it easiest for me. To show my best side. To manipulate others to like me. Self-important, self-seeking, self-centered. A universe is created, dedicated to ME and it’s all too often where I reside until God pulls me away and into the truth. The truth i...

I attended a bridal shower for Kara, my daughter-in-law-to-be. The decorations were beautiful, the refreshments were yummy and all the women enjoyed the chit-chat as usual. A nice shower with a good devotional. After the gifts were opened and the clean-up began, a woman approached me. She was the worship pastor’s wife at the church and I had enjoyed some conversation with her young daughter. Her words took me by surprise, “I have not even met you but I see something in you, in your face….I see Jesus in you.” My mind raced to make sense of it. “She definitely doesn’t know me, I’m nowhere near perfect….and how does she see something, I wasn’t doing anything special, wasn’t serving or ministering…” I was humbled. This wasn’t about me, it was about the One I have been with. Praise God, my glow was showing! What she doesn’t know is that for the past 4 months I have been in an accelerated class on trusting and waiting on God. The only student in this class tailored just for my heart a...

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Not because of the Bunny, because of the Cross. There is so much purpose in it. Christmas and the 4th of July have purpose, to be sure. But Easter begins with Good Friday, which was good for us, but I doubt Jesus would list it as one of His favorite memories. Yet, He allows us to call it Good Friday. Because this holiday is for us. His love for us. Divine love, stooped down from heaven to take the blame and shame for humanity. As I read the Easter story, I can’t help but wonder about Peter. Peter was warned during dinner that satan had demanded him, to sift him like wheat. He didn’t believe it. Yet just hours later, he did just that. He denied that he even knew Christ. And again. And again. Three times. Scripture tells us that when he heard the rooster crow, he remembered. Remembered? How could he have forgotten? And so quickly? Was this what Jesus’ words in the garden were about? “Keep watch.” Keep watch so he would be ready when satan would ...

I'm so excited to share this with you! I've been waiting by the mailbox for my very first book to review and finally it has arrived. "Soul Print" by Mark Batterson. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. It’s a great read and I can’t wait to recommend it to my friends! The first section was so good, I didn't want to put it down. Mark Batterson challenges, even inspires his readers to dig deep into themselves to see who they were created to be, to live at a level that surpasses the superficial and find their true identity in Christ. “The best form of worship is becoming the best version of who God has created you to be.” (p. 146) You were made for a purpose. Good deeds were designed for you to do long before you were you. No one has ever existed or will exist who can worship God like you. This is what Batterson calls your soul print, and it’s as unique as your fingerprint. Using the life of King David, Batterson wisks the re...