a surrendered life

Have you ever thought something awesome was about to happen-- only to find out it wasn't? I have. Through the ups and downs of life, there is one hope that emerges above and beyond all others: the hope in Christ. Most of us know this intellectually. I can't count the times I've given my homeschooling, my home-searching, my organizational issues to Him, like "please take it, Lord!!!" But it often works its way back into my lap. The mistake I've made is to think the "hope of Christ" means He's going to work out my issues, or at least the top three-- here's hoping. No, this is more wishful thinking. His goal is not to make me some super homeschooling, organizational wizard with a nice house. (Then I'd probably get distracted at how awesome I am.) Nope, the hope of Christ is more stable than that. This means even though I am weak and incapable of being all that I need to be, HE IS ABLE to live through me. Amen, right? Now, what does that ...

Separating our body from our spirit makes living out spiritual truths impossible. This problem stems from a misconception: our spirit has little to do with our daily, earth-bound life. Sure, my spirituality will help me in heaven, but this isn't heaven. Practically, how do spiritual truths apply to the here and now? All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 Every spiritual blessing in Christ should impact our daily grind.  Here are three practical applications: 1. Contentment. If I live in light of this reality, despite my hectic schedule and lack of material wealth, I can be content. 2. Gratitude. It's hard to complain when I'm thankful for what Christ’s done. 3. Faith not fear. The Lord's blessed me, who can curse me? Ponder this: what are other practical ways we can live out this reality? My prayer: Lord, help me to ...

While reading through the old testament with my kids, the Lord convicted me with the story of Achan in Joshua 7. He disobeyed the Lord and kept some treasure from Jericho. When Joshua sent men to fight Ai, a small city, they were brutally defeated. Joshua knew this meant the Lord wasn't with them, and he exposed Achan's sin. The lesson for us? We cannot have victory over even small struggles in our life if we have unconfessed sin. May the Lord give us sensitivity to His Spirit, and may we allow His light to expose every area in our hearts.

Teaching my children is rewarding. My older two kids sit with folded hands awaiting instruction, while my preschooler and seventeen-month-old share Legos happily on the floor. "She's taking the red lego- it's mine!" A wail from the preschooler.  Like I was saying, it's rewarding. I give my first grader his math packet, and detail our review section. He smiles and can't wait to start. "This is too long, Mommy." A moan from the first-grader. Ok...welcome to the real world. Teaching my kids isn't easy, but it's worth it. Rewarding doesn't mean they like their work- or even each other half the time- but it does mean we learn together as a family and we're growing together.  I'm letting go and allowing the Lord to teach my children through me. This means surrendering of my curriculum plans, constant prayer, and filling my mind with God's word. Not only do I have peace, but I have purpose. And I'm enjoyin...

If the Experimenters know, then the glitch is closed. An ancient man trudged the narrow road, muttering to himself. The journey was pointless at best, foolish at worst. Still, Orian walked. The sun warmed his back, making the sloping descent pleasant. As it rose high over the flat horizon, he saw the familiar shape of a black orb in the distance. The dark metal sphere marred the deserted land, and- for the first time since he left at sun’s rising- Orian hesitated.  The darkness he’d lived in for so long- that he alone escaped as a young man- would consume him once more. Unless I overcome it. The thought was enough to make him take a few steps back. But there were people living in the orb- still breathing, eating, sleeping, and dying- in darkness. He had found what the Experimenters hid, what they in their schemes neglected: an exit. He walked back toward the sphere, one step, then another, his long, twisted stick assisting his aged frame through the rough patches. Half...

It never fails; I'm eating some chocolate truffle, candy, ice cream, chips, something no-so-healthy, and one of my kids asks for it. I feel the guilt before I look down at happy, expectant eyes. So I give them a piece of it. Most often, they already had their fill of junk, and my ill-judged timing affects their bedtime. Should get a lock on my closet to indulge the truffle in peace? But wait. What if it was a carrot that I was muching in secret? Now I'm convicted. And it's not because of truffles, but a deeper principle. My kids watch my every move- what I do, eat, watch, read- everything. They want it too. If I watch sinful movies, read evil stories, and indulge in the world's entertainment, my kids want it too. And what's worse... I'm more tempted to let them have what I'm having, because I've justified it in my own life. "Do not love the world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father i...

Quite frankly, I want the easy way out. Often I find myself grumbling because of a hurdle of inconvenience; I go to the laundromat but I forgot the soap or I need to cook dinner but the dishes are all dirty and my kid's are fighting. These little trifles are tests that prepare me for true hardships. "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.   And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." James 1:3-4 As the world changes around us, it is not hard to imagine a storm of epic proportion blowing ashore on the beach of our lives. Every passing drizzle, every stubbed toe, God can use to prepare us; let's become stronger by the power of His Spirit and thank Him for these strengthening obstacles. Ponder this: Corrie Ten Boom calls her life a "perfect preparation" for the major trial of the concentration camp. She needed to trust God...