Love & Zeal

Love & Time

“They could not remember a time, until now, that forever didn’t seem long enough”

You hear it all the time….
Time goes by so fast….
Remember these moments because they grow up so fast….
Just wait until you’re my age, then time will reeeeally go by fast…

But I don’t want it to go by fast.
I’m in no hurry to see my little boy grow up. When I catch myself saying something like, “I can’t wait until he’s crawling or I can’t wait until he’s walking or I can’t wait until he starts playing soccer or little league” I stop myself. I know those moments are going to get here fast enough with out me willing it so. And instead of enjoying what B is doing right now, I can so easily become focused on all the awesome things I hope he’ll get to do in the future.

But I don’t want the future to get here any faster than it should. I want to experience every hour, every day, every year in the precise amount of time that they require.

Lord, help me to live intentionally. Help me to recognize a seemingly mundane moment as something to be cherished and remembered. Help me to be present. Help me to remember what’s truly important; that playing with my son or taking the time to cuddle with him when he’s teething or overtired is vastly more important than the next item on my to-do list. Father, please continually reorder my mindset and my priorities, because I don’t want to look back on this time and think, “man, that went by so fast that it almost feels more like a dream than real life.” 

Remind me of what truly matters God and help me to fully live.

Amen

Make Me New

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

-Beautiful Things by Gungor

Hope & Tears

Heart-wrenching but wonderfully inspiring:
The Real Miracle from LOTH Blogs

I’m not entirely sure why I enjoy reading stories like this. Is it so I’ll cherish what I have and be thankful for the health of my own son; of my own loved ones? Is it because it inspires me to fully trust the Lord with all things; good or bad, joyful or painful? Is it because it gives me hope that, if faced with similar sorrow, I too will be able to remain faithful through Christ who strengthens me?

I don’t know. But, somehow, through the tears that never fail to fall as I read every one of this man’s posts, I feel hopeful. I feel inspired. I feel my love for the Lord grow stronger and deeper.

So I will keep reading.

Wholesome Talk

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” - Ephesians 4:29

Words have the ability to bring life or death; love or hate; peace or war. When I read Ephesians 4:29, I think about my words; my life, and how different they would be if I truly lived out this command.

How often do my words tear others down rather than build them up?
How often do my words truly benefit others and shower them with grace?
How often do my seemingly harmless jokes and sarcastic remarks leave wounds and scars?

It’s my belief, after studying the Word, that we are called to only speak words that are honoring. Words that bring honor to ourselves, and to others. Words that bring mutual edification (Romans 14:19). Words that build others up. Words that spur others on towards love and good deeds (Heb 10:24). How often do we waste so much breath on gossip, slander and sarcasm?

Ephesians 4:29
Read it. Meditate on it. Let it challenge you. Maybe let it frustrate you. But ultimately, let it change you.

Word of the Day

“For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace” - 1 Cor 14:33

God our Father in Heaven is not a God of confusion and turmoil, but of peace. He is the calm after the storm; the light at the end of the tunnel. He isn’t the wind or the earthquake or the fire, but the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19). He is the still small voice.

He is never anxious and he never worries. His hands are always steady.
He is the constant amidst the chaos.

To my family and friends, may your Christmas holiday be filled with overflowing peace, from the God of peace.

Word of the Day

“Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap  destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will  reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” - Galatians 6:8-9

My relationship with the Lord needs to be what motivates me to do what is right. If I become more focused on results (i.e. more people coming to church, people being healed) then I will surely become “weary in doing good”. The lack of results will be in the forefront of my mind and the fruit that is actually being produced will be missed. Instead of praising the Lord for the way He’s moving in and through me, I will only be disappointed by the lack of results and will therefore, find no real purpose in doing what is right.

I fear this happens all too often: in my life; in the Church; all around. But “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” so that we can continue to preach the gospel and do what is just and loving and good, without becoming weary.