It's Going to Be Okay

On the radio this morning there was a segment where people call in and share something that they would've liked to go back in time and tell themselves if they could. This lady came on and said, "Hang in there. It's going to be okay." When she was just fourteen years old her parents divorced. Her father left her and as a result of her life feeling torn apart she made some bad decisions. Today, she has a wonderful life in which she holds on to Jesus Christ for everything. She wanted to share the truth that God is in the business of redeeming the stinky stuff of this sinful, fallen world. She said that during her teen-aged years she had lot's of people tell her "it's going to be okay" but now that she is older, she realizes how true that statement was. This lady learned that in Isaiah 52:12 it says that God will never leave you, but that he will go before you and guard you. She sees now how while her earthly father certainly did, her heavenly father never once

abandoned her.

It is the same for all of us. We need to hear this. We need to hear that it is going to be okay. I cried in the car listening to her testimony because I could just imagine how many fourteen year olds that are going through similar things need to hear this. In Christ we can be confident that the Lord is bigger than anything that we are going through and that he can redeem and restore what is broken. He can cover in forgiveness all the ways we have messed up. Hang in there. It is going to be okay.

Radically Blessed

I am currently knee-deep in another amazing read.

The book is called "Radical" by a guy named David Platt. He is pastor at a mega church out in Birmingham and he is a man passionate about the Lord and His Word.

He begs the question, "Is Jesus worth it all to you?"

In the last couple of weeks I have been faced with thing after thing about how blessed I am and the blessings that God gives. Sometimes I am tempted to feel like I just might deserve a blessing every once and a while, but I don't. I have to fall flat on my face countless times before Him and remind myself that I am so unworthy. Scriptures like this one reminds me what, ultimately, it ALL about...

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude
that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches
in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."

Revelation 7:9-10

In the end, it will be God who will be glorified, not me. Any way he blesses me is so that I can glorify him further on earth. David Platt talks about how "God blesses his people with extravagant grace so that they might extend his extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth." As I see this greater purpose for God's blessings, I want to make the decision not to hoard and hide the blessings I recieve, but to use them to make him famous.

Waking Up

"What if this happens?"
"What if that happens?"
"What if I can't do it all?"
"What if..."
"What if..."
"What if..."

What are your thought like first thing in the morning? I feel like my mind always goes 100 mph despite the fact that my toes haven't even touched the floor! So many mornings, I feel like those first few moments laying in bed are my weakest moments of the day. I let fear and all the "what ifs" overwhelm me and I know that the enemy really loves it.


What I have learned about myself is that I must jump out of bed in the morning and straight into God's word. I realize the power of calling out His name in my weakness. I know He is always with me and so strong even when I am not (which is most of the time). Everyday, when I begin my day spending time with the Lord, I am reminded that I am not walking through my day alone, but with my heavenly father and friend who will never leave me.


For me, waking up in the morning doesn't just include opening my eyes but also opening my heart to God. I love how He is such an intimate God who wants to walk through every part of the day with me. With Him and Him alone, I can avoid the "what ifs".

Gray Hairs

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles
are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

As beloved children of the Most High God, we have no need to loose heart. You know why? Because though our physical bodies are growing older, weaker (and maybe a little grayer) it doesn't really matter. What is important is that we have the opportunity to be renewed inwardly day after day.

As I grow older, I want to avoid complaining about wrinkles and those pesky gray hairs. I don't want to be an adult who dreads every birthday. I want to concern myself with my life and "age" spiritually. I have an eternity with God to look forward to. So really, each new birthday signifies one year or moment closer to spending forever with God. No momentary trouble should keep me from the joy of that eternal perspective that we should all think of more often.

So, I choose not to lose heart. I will rest in the promise that He is, was and will forever be holding me in is hand.

"Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:3-4

Me + two people who aren't letting a few gray hairs get in the way of doing great things for God! I love them so much!

Tasting

Taste and see that the LORD is good...

Psalm 34:8

Everyday, I want to taste and see that the Lord is good. I want to just enjoy Him and experience His goodness. I realize that I will not be able to see that the Lord is good without first tasting of Him. For me, that is going to include spending special time in His presence and making myself more aware of Him all around me. I will wait upon Him in expectation. So, today I want to work on tasting of the Lord.

Aren't these little cupcakes just divine?! Emilie and I discovered a little bakery that makes them and we are in love! Whenever I eat one of these scrumptious things I will remember to taste and see that the Lord is very good indeed!

[Insert Name Here]

This is one of those verses you just have to insert your name into to make it personal : ) My mom taught me how to do this...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts [Lindsey Johnson],
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

What is This Strange Bright Light??

Basically, in the last week, Georgia has been flooded with buckets and buckets of rain. I've gotten a glimpse of what Noah experienced when the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened! On Wednesday, the sun showed itself for the first time in what feels like weeks. I was like, "What is this strange light in the sky!?" as I squinted my eyes to get a better look...haha I got really excited about sun coming out and it seemed to absolutely brighten my mood! I got outside and it felt like everything was so new and fresh! I snapped a few pictures around the neighborhood.

The neighborhood pond is filled once again to the brim ...I think we'll break out the kayak.

My sweet sisters and I...soaking up the sunshiny rays!

The trees seem to be appreciating the sunlight! : )

Herschel loves the sun too...even though he looks a little grumpy in this pic. haha

"Samuel, Samuel"

Do y'all want to hear what I learned from Samuel?
1 Samuel 3:1-10

This is one of those incredible stories in the Bible in which our holy, holy God's voice is audible. When I was a kid, this story didn't even phase me. I thought it wasn't surprising at all that God would choose to speak in an audible voice...it was NORMAL.

Now that I'm older, I pray more than ever for that child-like faith; to see God as HUGE and STRONG... instead of putting him into a box or limiting him. I appreciate the story of Samuel far more now! What an encouragement to hear this story again and be inspired by God's literal calling on the young boy's life!

I believe with everything in me that God is as living and active now as he was in Samuel's time. Unfortunately, God doesn't seem to speak to people ( at least not to me) in an audible voice as much as he used to. I think it probably has something to do with how loud we are! : )

Anyways, here's my little summary of this awesome story...

*1st off, Samuel is growing up in the temple of the most high God. He is sleeping where the Ark of God is! (vs. 3) Can you imagine?!

*Now, this is where Samuel hears God. God's voice must have been very clear because Samuel thought that it was Eli, the priest, who was calling him!

*I can just picture this old guy, Eli, trying to get some shut-eye, when Sam keeps keeps on showing up at his bedside waking him up! haha (vs. 5)

*Well, God continues, trying to get Samuel's attention. (vs. 6) He calls Samuel not once, not twice, BUT three times! "Samuel, Samuel!" He says. Can you imagine God calling your name like that? The very thought gives me goose bumps! Finally, Eli gets the picture and tells Samuel that it is probably God calling him.

*So finally, Samuel answers! He says, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (vs. 10)

Honestly, how often do we ask God to speak to us? Ha! Most of the time, we are rattling off our requests to him or complaining. Man, I hope God owns a pair of ear plugs for all the times I absolutely talked his ears off! : )

Samuel could have easily started talking to God, asking him questions and listing his complaints (or gone back to sleep!). But, this young boy realized how amazing it was that God wanted to speak to him. (And God wants to speak to our hearts too! )

Way better than doing all the talking, Samuel absolutely just basks in God's presence, listening to what all he had to say.

When I personally think about it, I would much rather hear from God than doing all the talking my self! There is no such thing as a one-way conversation! : )

A challenging question to ask is...

How often do we ALLOW God to speak to us?

This is one gigantic lesson that I'm learning from Samuel's story.

I need to be quiet sometimes; listening for God's still small voice.

Lindsey A

Just like Maddie Kate's speedy adoption process (from the time we heard about her birth mom and to the point of holding Maddie in our arms was less than 4 months!), my sweet new friend Lindsey's adoption has been very quick! Our good friends the Worley family first found out about Lindsey little more than a few months ago. Now she is a part of their family and will be "officially" adopted very soon!

There is plenty more to this awesome story, but basically I can sum it up by saying that God's plans are so much greater than our own! I have gotten to see God's hand all over Lindsey's placement and adoption! It is super exciting! Jamie, Lindsey's new mom, laughs that she would've never imagined that she would "give birth" to a teenager!

It has been so great getting to know "Lindsey A" better! She has such an awesome personality and a contagious, enthusiastic love for God! (I think we share a lot more than just our name.) We have been dubbed "Lindsey A" and "Lindsey B" by our families. Some people think "A" and "B" is like "1" and "2" but actually it is because of our middle names, "Anne" and "Beth"!

I thank God for Lindsey and her wonderful testimony!

This is her blog...http://landoflindsey.blogspot.com/

Mr. Smitty

During phase 1 of our Texas trip, we passed through Shreveport, LA to visit some very special friends. We go way back!


Mr. Smitty and his daughter, Andrea have known me since I was just a little kid. Andrea was my mom's best friend and they have been through thick and thin! Andrea was diagnosed with brain cancer a long time ago and because of all the treatment, she has no short-term memory.

It is very heartbreaking to visit Andrea and her dad. It is crazy that because of their conditions, they are both in the same nursing home together. Mr. Smitty had a stroke a few years ago that caused him to loose movement in the left side of his body. He is such an amazing man of God and I look up to him so much! He has had a very rough time, feeling useless. Every time we see him, we encourage him and tell him that his life has purpose and that God is not finished with him yet.

I had a moment alone with Mr. Smitty while we were visiting. I was telling him that I liked the nursing home and that it seemed very nice. I told him that I look forward to visiting when we come through at Christmas. He said, "Well, I'll be here. I'll be here 'til the day I die." Oh! My heart aches for this man! I told him that I look forward to heaven someday and that I feel like such an alien to this earth. "This isn't our home," Mr. Smitty said "It's our home away from home."

I wonder what It would feel like to be Mr. Smitty. To know that each day, you are either a day closer to dying or a day closer to Jesus coming back.

Mr. Smitty is a person who inspires me to wake up each morning and live it like its my last. To open my eyes and say, "Thank you God that I'm alive! Use my life for your glory!"

Wow.

The last few months, I have found myself beginning many of my journal entries with the word 'wow'.

For example...

"Wow! Thank you God!" or "Wow! Look at what God did!" and "Wow! I really need to update my blog!" ; ]

Even if I didn't start out a particular journal entry with the word 'wow', looking back at what God has done in my life usually induces a 'wow' or two.

At this point, I should probably change my blog's name to "WOW! My God is so great!"

My goal for the coming days is to post more of what I like to call, "Wow God!" posts. I don't have too many exciting things to blog about as you have probably noticed. The only thing exciting about my life is God! He is my EVERYTHING!!

So without further blabbing...prepare to be wow-ed!