The Bigger Picture

This Christmas has been much different for our family than it has in several years past. There will be more explanation there coming in a future blog. This Christmas has been a time of adjustment, shifting focus, grief, anxiety, joy, celebration, more grief, refocusing, more joy....a cycle of many emotions and I'm seeing it in all of us. This morning it kind of all came to a head for me and the middle child, I think we're the two teetering between grief and joy the most right now. I also think he is trying to find his place in our family as most middle children do but for him it's been a bit more complex. His struggles weigh on me, as his mom I want to fix it. I want to make it all better and go on with life but it just doesn't work like that. It's not my job to fix it, it's God's. That aside though, as I sat down to my quiet time with the Lord He reminded me of something He's been speaking to me about the last several weeks, only this morning I finally heard it loud and clear. There is a bigger picture.

The last few weeks in church we've been talking about "The Big Picture" and each week little by little the Lord has planted truth in my heart as He continues to remind me that there is a bigger picture here beyond what I'm facing today. Along with that, I have had to fill in as worship leader a few times for my husband due to vocal issues (another story for another day), and as I've sung these Christmas songs that I've sung all my life He opened my eyes and heart to the lyrics and spoke that same deep truth to me, "There is a bigger picture."

This morning as I sat down after a rough morning with my son my heart felt heavy, I focused on that and became discouraged.  So, I began to read the Word and He reminded me as I read in Luke how God was worshiped because of the birth of Christ, how the angels praised God singing "Glory to God in the highest..."(Luke 2:13-14) and how Mary magnified the Lord (Luke 1:46-55) because of what He had done, was doing, and was going to do. They were focused on the bigger picture. A baby was going to be born who would be the Savior of the world. Despite all the hard things Mary was going to be facing she knew there was a bigger picture so she worshiped Him.

There is Hope

As I watch the last couple days unfold I have to say, it has grieved my heart. The uproar over it all, the Facebook arguments, the protests, there are so many despairing people out there right now. As a Christian I know my hope is not in this world, not in an earthly king but in the King of Kings. There are so many though that do not have that same hope. Thus their desperation. Last night I was watching these protests going on and wondering how we can reach out to these people, how can we bridge the gap? Where I landed was that we cannot, but Jesus already did. 

Where do we come in? We have that hope, we have that message to share. Instead of talking politics, how we believe this election may turn out for America's good, we need to be sharing about how God is for their good, if they turn to Him. (Romans 8:31)

No matter where you land politically, if you trust in and give your life to the King of Kings He is for you and your good and your family's good. He is over it all and only He can save (Hebrews 7:25). No human being can be a savior (Acts 4:12). Where is hope in a flawed man or woman? 

We have hope in the Lord, it is hope unlike any other and that is where we need to focus our minds, our hearts and our message. This world is but a vapor, here today gone tomorrow (James 4:14), the time is now. Let's not waste another day. The protesters are right, love does trump hate, lets love one another by sharing the greatest love there is. (John 3:16) (1 John 3:16)

Let There Be Light

I was going to start my first official blog post with a post, it was going to be about something that at this point seems so small considering the events that have unfolded where I live.

Last night an unthinkable tragedy happened, 5 police officers lost their lives and several were shot and injured. It is heartbreaking. The hate and the evil that has occurred and increased over the last several years is heartbreaking. How did we get to this point as a nation? Such pure hate, such pure evil. Such pure darkness. It is taking over. It's time we light up that darkness with the light of Christ. 

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:5-7 

Could it be that we as Christians are letting His light in us dim? Could it be that we are letting it burn out? The world is so concerned about being politically correct, no one wants to offend, no one wants to step on toes. Well, I say, it's time we start stepping on some toes, it's time we stand up and be bold in our faith. It's time to for us to live like Christ and love like Christ. The scripture above says, "if we walk in the light, as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another..." It is time that instead of posting on facebook and crying out in our prayers, "come Lord Jesus" that we realize He is here, He is in us and we need to get to work! There is a lost and hurting world out there and we need to be sharing with them the one and only person who can heal the broken and bring everlasting life to the spiritually dead. The light of Jesus Christ is the one and only thing that can bring us into true unified fellowship with one another. 

Will you join me in praying for revival? That we would all wake up and start being bolder and braver than ever. Let not another day go by where you keep His light to yourself. Let's be His light. Let's be His love. 

This is one of my favorite songs, this should be our battle cry:

Welcome

Hi there, welcome to my new blog! I'm so excited to begin blogging once again, it has been years since my last blog. Life has been a little cray and this momma just hasn't had time for that. Life is still just as cray, but I feel like I have a lot to share and I have been aching to get back out there and start sharing my heart once again. I hope you enjoy reading what I write and I pray that it will be encouraging and helpful to those who read it. This will be a blog about God, motherhood, marriage, food, urban farming, products I love or don't love, and just overall adventures of life. Can't wait to get started! So stay tuned and enjoy!

Blessings,
Momma D