Randomly Strewn Together

I have posted before about being in neutral, which is a great learning season...but it has kept me from "choosing" to sit down and write.  Recently, I had a couple of people call me out on it...people I adore, but don't get to visit with that often; ladies who don't mind pointing out in a loud social environment that they have not read a blog in quite sometime...I love you.

So today, a couple of things, randomly strewn together, for your reading enjoyment (hopefully).

1. In January, I began reading the book of Ruth.  Every night, for four weeks.  Ruth is captivating.  This (previous post reveals the power of 'This') woman left one comfort zone, refused to return to her family and where she grew up, and forged ahead as a foreigner with of all people, her mother-in-law.  With the men in their lives deceased, and Naomi being of advanced age, Ruth gleaned the fields every day in order to provide their basic needs.

Gleaning is going behind the harvesters and gathering what remains have fallen to the ground off the sheaths of wheat, barley, etc.  When I read the word "gleaning", God was kind enough to highlight it in my heart and surround it with a marque and Hollywood lights.  From February 2016 to February 2017, all I could emotionally do was glean.  The upheaval in my life had left a path of scraps, all I could muster each day was one foot in front of the other, clinging to God, no comfort zone in sight, feeling foreign in my own space, and gleaning the tiniest pieces of faith that I could find to nourish my soul.  

Boaz.  You all, God is our Boaz (better than Boaz actually).  When He sees us willing to do the lowest of the low work to provide for our family (blood, church, community, whatever...), when He sees our loyalty to what is good, our obedience to uncomfortable zones, when we don't fit in with the harvesters, but are still thankful to glean, when we feel that no one will ever accept us for who we are...He calls us His.  He restores us when we are lost, He welcomes us and our family into His home, and He creates a legacy beyond any we could have imagined when we thought all was lost. 

2. Two things happened in one week to enlarge my circle of  hope.  When I leave for work in the mornings, the sun is most often, just breaking the horizon.  In my little black car, I usually flip on the head lights.  One morning, I did not.  I made it the entire 23 minute drive, virtually in the dark.  

Later that same week, the entire town was without power due to an issue at the main substation.  I got ready for work by the light of my smart phone and headed out the door with 13% left on my battery and flipped on the headlights.  

As I thought about sitting down to blog, that week, God gently reminded me that He will bring me safely through the dark times.  Those mornings when I forget to embrace, shine, and remain in the light, when I attempt to paint on a happy face while looking in a mirror of shadows, God sees me to my destination and lets me know that we are approaching the end of this dark tunnel.

This week is Spring Break and I am blessed by my wonderful family of four.  We kicked off the break with a W at the baseball game Friday night.  My boys got up Saturday morning and headed to Texas to look at some colleges and catch a few baseball games, while my girl drove the interstate (AHHHHHH) to stay with a friend for a couple of days.  

Me, well I hosted my WBS group for a salad buffet, prayer, crafting, laughs, and tears.  Sunday was church, some completely unnecessary retail therapy with a dear friend, and a second coat of chalkboard paint on my prayer cubby.  

We logged some steps at another college campus for my daughter, of which she fell in love and is ready to fly the nest (AHHHHHH), and celebrated fifteen years with my son.  We plan to visit my baby brother's restaurant this evening for dinner and will end the week the way we started with a W in baseball.

Life is good.  It is not good in the way I ever thought it would be, but I love the three people that fill my comfort zone beyond expression.  I am doing my very best (with the help of vitamins and a good doctor) to let God do what God needs to do and simply get out of His way.  

I am not the same person I was ten years ago, when I did the exact opposite of Ruth, and returned to the comfort of close proximity to my home town.  I am not the same person I was five years ago when we lost everything but each other.  I am not the same person I was a year ago when a variety of losses left me gleaning in the dark.

3. As you read this last paragraph today...I need you to keep a totally open mind.  Those of you that know me, or have a similar sense of humor, you will laugh.  Some of you, will be appalled...all of you...you do you.  I did test this on four Christian women who "get me", so I know that I have them :-)  But, to get to the point:  As I was reading my daily scripture and devotions on March 8, in Jesus Always by Sarah Young, she writes, "But don't forget to enjoy the satisfaction of accomplishing good things with Me, through Me, and for Me". What do I write in the margin?  w.t.f.  Yes...yes I did.  

The more I thought about it, the more I thought...what a great reminder to stop and pray.  When the situation leaves me with a more secular desire to say w.t.f. - I can stop, close my eyes, and say, "with Him, through Him, for Him".  Sunday, my friend added "happiness, health, and peace" to my shotgun prayers for all things annoying.  I purchased dark sunglasses a few weeks ago, so I can roll my eyes in peace.  I am human just like all of us and far from perfect.  

Titus 3:2-5 (KJV) To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men,.  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice, envy, hateful, and hating one another.  But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

I love this book of the Bible.  It is about our character.  How we are "foolish, disobedient, deceived" and how only God's righteousness saves us.  I am working on being a loyal gleaner in the hopes that one day, God will promote me to harvester.  I am walking out of my season of darkness and appreciating His brilliant light.  I am merely a person, imperfect and full of questions, but seeking God nonetheless.  

Won't you slip on your sunglasses and step into the sunrise with me?

Trust the Process

Lately, I can procrastinate with the best of you:  clean, groceries, laundry, dust, cook, journal, blog, vacuum.  I can totally set all these aside and curl up on the couch with my Kindle and Pinterest in full force.  This morning I decided that the several designs forged in my dusty table tops called for a deep cleaning.  I kid you not...miracles were performed here today.

Please know that I am aware of the face you will make when I make this next statement, "I love to clean the bathroom."  Hear me out.  It is the room in the house that I can see the most progress and feel completely accomplished.  Soap scum - gone.  Toothpaste in the sink - disintegrated.  Spots on the mirror (you all know) - swooshed away with a miracle cleaning cloth.  Toilet - ewe - can swirl and flush the bleachy goodness with my eyes closed.  Fresh towels, toilet paper filled, trash emptied, shower curtain closed, fresh hand-towels...I even "magic-earasered" the light switches and wall.  

It is a process, but I have done it enough to know that the thirty minute commitment and hands that need an extra dose of sanitizer and lotion are totally worth it.  

My husband came home a couple of weeks ago and said that a change my son had made in his baseball form had finally clicked.  He said he kept telling him, "trust the process."  And there it was...this big pressure from God placing a firm hand on my leg, my husband who had no idea what he had just said...Trust the Process.  

Sometimes is all the tiny things that we feel have little impact, negligible effect, and no reward for the kingdom...are simply the process.  To be faithful in the small things, so that we can be trusted to glorify God in the big things.  To work on a minimal change in our feet and hands for two months only to finally hear the crack of the bat and know the process had worked.

Luke 12:26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

We are looking here at God taking care of all the "small" things of this world so that one day, we will all rejoice together as family.  The flowers, the birds...no worries.  He takes care of them and so, wow, he will totally care of us.  

I have also been going over and over the book of Ruth this month, with God again applying his gentle pressure every time I glance at the word "glean".  When we are faithful, when we choose the unknown over the comfortable, when we are willing to follow behind the lead workers and glean what remains...we will be redeemed.  Ruth gleaned for over a year...the scrap work in the fields.  

Trust the process.  No matter the path, no matter the small work in the fields, no matter the message in the dust, the ring in the toilet, the one inch shift in our hands, no matter the grief, uncertainty, exhaustion.  The work we do today is part of a much bigger result and one day it will all click and sparkle like a reflection in a freshly cleaned faucet.

May you write a little prayer in the dust and know that God, in His time, will wipe it away.

Notconsumed.com

What's in a Name?

Your eyes do not betray you!  As I got on this morning in the hopes that God would provide the words I need or more important, that you may need, I decided it was time for a make-over.  As I looked for a new font for the "Lantern No. 7" title, a new script caught my eye, "Covered by Your Grace".  Even if it was a wonky font, it was clearly going to be the winner.

I chose the title Lantern No. 7 for a couple of reasons.  The first one being my all-time favorite bible passage, Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

When I think of light, my visual mind automatically gravitates toward a lantern and it's ability to shine, whether placed on a hook, sat in the corner of the back deck, centered on the dining table, through cold, heat, and perfection, weathering sun, fog, rain, wind, snow...yet it shines.

We are chosen to be the light of Christ.  To stand tall, as if always on that hill, not hiding from the sorrows of the world, but instead using every ounce of energy to shine on it.  To shed light on the glory and grace that He freely offers and when fully surrendered, no basket can contain.

Second, seven is God's number of perfection.

In Genesis:  The world is created in 7 days.  Cain avenged 7 times.  Noah waited 7 days after the rain to send the dove.  Abraham set aside 7 sheep.  Seven years of famine for Egypt.

Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Daniel all work work in sevens.

In Matthew: Seven loaves and fish, 7 baskets, forgive 70x7, 7 brothers, 7 sacks leftover.  Mark and Acts...sevens.

In Revelation:  Seven churches, 7 stars, 7 torches fronted the throne, 7 seals, the lamb has 7 horns, 7 eyes, 7 spirits of God, 7 angels with 7 trumpets, 7-headed dragon, 7 disasters, 7 bowls, 7 kings.

Just as prominent as seven, is the theme of light.  Thus...Lantern No. 7 - Shining God's perfect light.

This year has left my lantern a little tarnished and the feeling that I am probably more of a three or four than a seven.  I have a couple of cracked panes of glass and my light has been covered in fallen leaves and knocked over by some unexpected storms.  Though I have felt like a dull glow for a couple of months now, I know that I have to do all I can to seek to stay lit, to climb the hill, and to remember that I am not promised a life of comfort, nestled safely in a warm basket.

As the promise of a fresh twelve-month calendar looms, I am vowing to start fresh.  Here are seven things that I am putting on my list:

1. New look for blog - check.
2. New way to study the bible - no longer relying on "devotions" of others to start my day, but sincerely seeking through studying only the Word in my new ESV Reader.
3. Consistent Prayer Journaling. Praise. Repent. Ask for others. Ask for Yourself.
4. Saving money to purchase a passport for future mission trips that I have always felt called to do.
5. Read 52 books this year.  (I did this a few years ago and it was amazing!  Some weeks I would read one book, other weeks I would hit a series and read three or four, but at the end of the year, it averaged 52).  David Cook offers a free Christian e-book each week, so my Kindle is LOADED!
6. Banish guilt.
7. Take off my six Christmas pounds because I am totally human and my pants are giving me a little tighter hug.  Although I did receive a couple of cute tunics to camouflage the battle.

I ask your forgiveness in my inconsistent posting these past few months...it has truly been a difficult year and I have spent a lot of quiet time trying to figure out what that means for me, though I am not entitled to any answers in the now.  I am aware that I am not alone in my grief and transitioning and please know that I continue to pray for each of you as you seek a "new normal".

I pray that God reveals big things to you in 2017, that you climb and lay claim to your hill, and that "this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine," becomes your walk-up music.

Cross the Road Little Squirrel

Well, it is that time of year when life centers around all things thankful, turkey, pumpkin, and lawns full of fallen leaves.  I stand in affirmation that these are all wonderful things that bring families together and fill us with warm fuzzies, but since it has been exactly one month since my last post, I am going to take it in a different direction.

Squirrels.

What God has been working on my stubborn heart, for who knows how long now, is pick a side of the road, do what you need to do to move on - stop hovering in the middle of the road waiting for something large and dramatic to respond to.

The place where I work has been faced with a challenge of sorts.  Not one that anyone there has created or asked for.  Many days we all agree, that the hardest decision is just knowing where to start.  There is so much to address, accomplish, and gather, that is incredible difficult just to begin.  We find ourselves standing on the side of the road we started on, hoping for God to provide the answer, thinking that if we wait long enough, all the traffic of the journey in the middle will clear, and it will be easier to move to the other side.

Then in truly Godly fashion, a devotion lands in my lap that basically says, we are so busy focusing on the answer that we miss all the deep and abiding work He is doing in us along the way.

When we stand on our side of the road, we are being taught acceptance of our situation.  It is during that interlude that God is working the plan, aligning relationships, changing our seasons, and paving the path.  The middle of the road is the hardest work.  If we choose to forge ahead too soon, there are lots of large, quick-moving obstacles that can threaten our success, halt our progress, injure us physically and emotionally.  If we move forward with God in prayer and trust, the road will be paved with people who are watching out for us, who slow down and allow us to make hard decisions, who cringe a little when we come within inches of disaster, and breathe a collective sigh of relief when we make it safely to the other side.

Sometimes that middle road is completely uphill.  Other times it is a deep valley that gets very low before it begins to ascend again.  Still yet, we may get to the other side before we realize that there are four more lanes to go.  It is then that we look back to where we started and realize how incredibly far God has navigated us, it is amazing what we have done and should realize without a doubt, that it was not in our own strength our power.

Luke 10:33-35:  A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’

One of my favorite lessons from WBS is the story of the Good Samaritan.  We all know it, but this time it affected me in a new way by asking, "what side of the road are you walking on?"  Are we standing where we started, looking only for the answer we want?  Are we avoiding the hard work because it doesn't fit in our schedule or someone might see us helping someone that isn't on the "right path".  Do we take the long way around hoping to avoid the hard work that is in the middle?  Have we passed by deep and abiding opportunities to help others because they aren't like us?  What about the people that God sends to help us?  What are they sacrificing in their obedience to get us across the road to safer travels? Reputation, finances, safety?

The little squirrel gathers and prepares, in anticipation of a long season, but when it comes down to it, hesitates when it is time to commit to moving forward.  I can prepare myself by reading the Bible, doing devotions, and offering up prayer, but when it comes down to it, am I willing to do the hard work to get to the other side?  Sometimes, the hardest decision, is knowing where to start...we humans want the answer before we commit to the work.  And if we could have the quiet country road rather than the eight-lane highway Lord, that would be nice too...

Take a deep breath, look both ways before crossing, count your blessings, and move forward because God, in His strength, has already brought us so very far.  The work will be hard, excruciating at times, but we can't appreciate His peace and rest, if we don't experience the sacrifice it takes to make it safely to the other side.
This song brings me to tears every time I hear it..."or do I go deep, and try to change...they're the choices that made me".

**I am thankful for this journey that I am on.  I have a story, and I am not sure how God will use that, how much more forgiveness or acceptance I have to work on to move forward...but I have a beautiful family, a roof over my head, food in my pantry, and squirrels in my yard.  I love this crazy life**

Letting Go in Order to find a new Hope

Letting go is hard.  Us humans in our fleshy emotional selves, are faced with all kinds of situations that require us to let go in some way:

The death of a loved one.
A relationship that is no longer healthy.
Carbohydrates.
Dreams.
Control.
Size 4.
Grudges.
A sixteen year-old driving down the road, alone, for the first time.
Social Media.

When I was laid off at the end of February, God kept whispering, "be still".  As I drove to see my grandpa that last day, the conversation centered around, "be still".  As I pulled out the gift from my grandma, "be still".  The week after my grandpa passed away, I chose to "be still", as I sat for forty-five minutes and permanently marked another long journey in my testimony of God's goodness and provision.

 Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.

Ephesians 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still.

The Hebrew word for still, centers around letting go and surrendering.  We surrender in order to acknowledge that God is in control.

The Greek word for still, is to "hold peace", rest.  To rest, knowing that God will give us peace.

I have had to let go of a lot more than I could ever have imagined or wanted to these past seven months, some of them unexpected, and some of them long overdue.  Then one day, Justine Brooks Froelker - When Hope Grows Up: Finding Hope in His Plan found its way into my devotional rotation.  She writes (summarized):

...that too often we see hope as a badge or a reprieve when stories of hope are tied to the "happy ending".  We should not just share our highlight reel of victory, but also of struggle, conviction, and perseverance - remembering fosters faith.  Owning our stories, means owning ALL the parts.  Sometimes we have to redefine our hope and let go of a dream.  This doesn't mean that we have given up, that we quit, or that we have chosen without loss...

God will send you the Word you need, the devotion you need, the people you need, at the exact time you need them.  When we are part of something for many, many years, and then life happens, people transition, philosophies start to change and/or new personalities take over...that is often God giving us the opportunity to examine our heart, motives, service, and determination of who/where our hope lies.

I have been contemplating a change for over a year now.  I was stuck a few weeks ago wondering if I had failed to be obedient when God first laid it on my heart, or if He needed me to walk the discernment process...As I prayed over the current situation, I knew it was time to let go, even though that choice would come with some loss.  I texted a brief summary to a friend for affirmation, because two big arrows were pointing at my vulnerable humanity...and asked for some prayers.  She immediately sent back, "guilt is not from the Lord".  Cue the waterworks...

The next day, my new BFF Justine wrote:  Healthier hope comes from learning to practice active acceptance of what we cannot change, balanced with the trust that He holds the end of the story.

It takes trust for us to let go of all the things that worry us, that keep us up at night, that distract from the now.  It took a brief and profound five-day devotional for me to realize that letting go is not giving up, quitting, or selfish.  It is accepting, redefining, and embracing a new version of you.  One that God has provided rest, peace, surrender, and His happy ending for.

Puppy Perspective

Well, hello there!  It has been a few weeks since I have been able to sit "quietly" and jot a few words down.  I am sitting here on a beautiful crisp October morning, a super-fresh cup of dark-roast coffee tempting my nose and delighting my taste-buds and energy button, a 56 pound basset hound at my feet (super warm by the way), and a tiny, rescued, 8-week, 5 pound-ish beagle/basset puppy teaching a rawhide a lesson under my chair.

The last time we had a puppy, was ten years ago.  The kids were also small at that time, we had just moved 90 miles, started new jobs, new school...but by the grace of God did I make it through that season.  I feel like I am a little more tolerant, albeit tired, of puppiness this time around.  Poop, is just that, poop.  I have learned to clean up bigger messes in my life.  Three-thirty a.m. bathroom breaks?  I was honestly, wide-awake anyhow.  You want to battle my maxi-skirt?  I can totally tie it in a knot above my knees until I am ready to head out the door.  "Get a puppy," they said, "it will be fun," they said.

Perspective.

I told a co-worker (so relieved to be able to say that again!) last week:  I think children of God are kind of like puppies.  We are learning and growing everyday.  Sometimes we make it to our destination, and sometimes we poop under our favorite chair (figuratively speaking of course...).  Some days we take in all the nourishment we are fed and offered, other days, we leave a little bit scattered in the corner of the kitchen.  Some mornings we want to sleep at 3:00 in the morning, and others, we sit on the front steps in the dark, cool air and talk to God while a little fur ball does her business.  Puppies can scratch, bite, and shout at you in their little "wookie" bark, and the next moment, they are climbing into your lap to give you cold-nose kisses and burrow into the crook of your arm.  We humans tend to get a little huffy and lash out, realize what we have done, and humbly nuzzle back into the arms of our Master, who can't help but smile, pat us on the head, and fully embrace us.

Obedience.

Every moment is a deliberate, repetitive lesson with a puppy: "no", "outside", "come-on", "don't eat that", "sit", "treat", "ahhhhhhhhh".  You all...God, the Father is working in us, daily, and I know with me, it is the same phrases, over and over:  "pray", "be still", "peace", "forgiveness", "you think you can do better?  Okay, I will be right over here when you are ready."

When I was matching up scripture to the message I wanted to share today, the funniest one came up:
 
Psalm 22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!

Matthew Henry's commentary says: That he (God) would deliver and save him.  Observe what the jewel is which he is in care for...save him from the terror...save him from corruption.

I am totally chuckling...this little jewel of a puppy in my care...who often we call a "little terror".  But not chuckling...Psalm 22 is speaking of the future death and resurrection of Jesus.

From the book of Matthew, Chapter 6:  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts (trespasses), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those that trespass against us).  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

As the rescuer and master of this puppy, I am tasked with providing for her:  nourishment, the right way to behave, grace and forgiveness when she simply doesn't, realizing that after two weeks of no accidents, one is bound to happen.  Our family has agreed to meet her needs of food, bedding, shelter, love, and the occasional special treat.

The difference is God promises all those things to us, the Lord's Prayer is a gift of instruction.  He is not capable of faltering...He rescues us and meets our needs (not to be confused with our wants) and the needs of all of God's creatures...in us, through us, and right exactly where we are...three o-clock in the morning, under the tall mulberry tree, is a beautiful place to be.

Rescued.  Perspective.  Obedience.  Get quiet today and discern these three words working in your life. Thank you Father for saving me, for giving me your Word as a map, and for speaking to my heart so that I may do my human best to walk in your ways.  Amen.

from Housemix.com

New Every Morning

So in true fashion of the life that is my life, things have been a wee bit crazy in our world.  As always God is affirming a theme these past couple of weeks..."new".

It started a couple of weeks ago as I left the house for my very first day at my new job.  As I turned out of my little town and headed east, the sunrise was Awe-Mazing.  The sun was just starting to break through the top of the clouds that were a beautiful blue-grey impending storm.  They offered a buffer to the blinding brilliance that usually accompanies that first break of light and enabled the sun to be directly looked at and the color was un.create.able...neonorangesalmoncoralredfushiapink, with a hint of glow.

mythoughtscaptive.blogspot.com

And as the whole horizon came into full view, Phil Wickham's "Your Love Awakens Me" hit the airwaves.  God could not have orchestrated a better gift for me as I set out on my new adventure.

My new job is located on a sprawling estate with walking trails, breathtakingly maintained flower gardens, and its own little lake.  The mission of the organization is Christian based and I was welcomed with cards from staff and a Starbucks gift card from a Board Member...my heart was completely won over.

It was a great first week with the beginning of many new relationships, attempting to learn multiple new names and faces, and a constant sense of peace.  Outside my window is an established white hibiscus tree that is frequented by the occasional hummingbird, which were a favorite of my grandma that passed away in May.

When I pulled into work my first Friday, Phil Wickham was again reminding me that "Your Love Awakens Me" and I really felt God saying, "this is beautiful, and this is for you".  My week began and quasi-ended with this musical reminder...

The next day as my daughter and I drove to see my grandpa, we had a lot of discussion about Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God...mostly in the context of tattoos.  We arrived at his room, and to be honest, it was really rough, the kind of rough that had my heart knowing that this might be the day...if not the very moment.  I did my best to focus on my grandma and ran out to her car for her to grab a coloring book she had purchased a few months back for me.  As I reached in her back seat and opened the bag to make sure I had the right one...the title of the coloring book came into view- "Be Still" - and it was in my favorite color...turquoise.

My phone rang shortly after I walked in the door at home that day and Hospice had indeed confirmed that it was only a matter of hours.  What a blessing to kiss his forehead and hold his hand one more time...and an even bigger blessing that morning as he was welcomed into Heaven, he was able to stop by my dream and give me a grand smile and a warm hand squeeze.  You all...Jesus loves us SO much!  That Sunday I was more moved to tears at the overwhelming love that our Father has for us.  That He would prepare a place for us; that He would allow loved ones that last good-bye; that He has a plan to make each and every one of us completely whole in Him someday.  It blows my mind and heart.

I arrive at work Tuesday to find a candle from my Secret Sister - 'Crisp Morning Air'.  In the card she writes that this candle is to remind me that His Mercies are NEW every day, EACH morning.  I flip over the calendar to September this past Friday after his funeral service and the verse is:

Lamentations 3:22-24 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

As my family figures out a new day without the physical presence of a great man, we are doing so in the presence of God.  He is fully aware of our new.  Our new grief, our new needs, our new progress, our new overwhelming joy in Him, and our desire to seek Him...even through the hard.

I encourage you to step back and fully take in the new He has in store for you this week.  Allow His walk with you to Awaken You until we are reunited in the dawning of a new Heaven and a new Earth...Be Still and Know.