Peace...Round Two.

For the past six years a part of my yearly faith journey has been to pick a word to funnel through my relationship with God for the upcoming 365 days. In past years my focus word was often a word that came to my heart right away. The timing was clear and I could almost sense what God wanted to teach me through my special word. Last December in 2014, as I began to pray about what was coming in 2015, I kept sensing the word peace. The first several times it came to my heart, I avoided it but in the end it was clear that this was my focus word...to really seek God's peace and rest for any and all circumstances. The verse I have tied to this word this year comes from Jesus speaking from the gospel of John, Chapter 16: "that in me you may have peace." I have prayed for my heart to truly find rest and trust in the peace that can only come from a life built within surrender to Christ.

2015 has been a year full of change. A year full of unexpected. A year full of unknown. With that has also come much opportunity to trust and surrender in knowing only God can provide and protect in the ways I long for most. There have been countless joys and blessings every step of the way. These 12 months have made me realize that this is not just a calendar year focus for me. This is a season where I must continue to seek the peace of Christ and allow it to be my focus and filter. My worn Mudlove band may need to be changed to withstand another year on my wrist but the word will remain the same...for now...for this season.

"You will keep in perfect peace

    those whose minds are steadfast,    because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

Waiting & Expecting

Being raised in the church, feeling called to full time ministry at a young age and working in a local church for the past ten Christmas seasons has meant that Advent has always been on my radar.

We usually start thinking about it in our curriculum and calendar planning late summer. I love the Christmas story in the Gospels. I often study it again in July because I am always drawn to God’s use of those unexpected players in the arrival of His Son. I love the shepherds and their casted out, dirty job that was used in such a bold way to share the news of Jesus in the world. I love the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph as young people seeking to be obedient. It is not lost on me that Jesus entered the world in a humble and beautiful way and that God seeks to use each of us in humble and beautiful ways.

If I’m honest with myself, Advent has never been a season of waiting or expecting for me beyond my own busy calendar and ministry schedule. I have always held on to the fact that I love the story. It’s the heart of the season. Emmanuel, God is with us. But to really grasp the knowledge that these weeks before Christmas are to be a time of clinging to my Father for His hope---between the Christmas parties, open houses, musical performances, it never crossed my mind, mainly because I did not leave space or room for its meaning to do so.

The weeks of Advent this year have been heart changing. In the past month, my entire focus and heart shift has been about waiting, expecting and trusting God to show up with His hope. Instead of loving the Christmas story of how Jesus came I find myself feeling like I can relate to those who lived out that first Christmas. The sense that in the midst of what feels scary and impossible all I can do is cling to my God and wait for His timing. To trust in my Father who WILL show up always.

This is not a post saying to cancel your Christmas parties or clear your calendar. What a joy each of those events can bring and add this season. This is a post simply saying that this year I truly get it. The waiting and expecting have broken my heart as I seek the Hope that is to come. In the countless of times that await me when I do not understand or when I fill up my days with busy again I am clinging to the Hope that my Father will remind me. He will remind me that in the waiting He is with me and I can continue to expect Him to show up in the best ways I cannot even begin to imagine.

Thank you for all your continued prayers for my sister in law, Amanda! We are so thankful for such an amazing team of prayer warriors!! To follow Amanda and Andrew's family blog you can read at: https://thehousewebuild.wordpress.com