Oh, Happy Day!

 

The greatest day in history, death is beaten
You have rescued me
Sing it out, Jesus is alive

The empty cross, the empty grave
Life eternal, You have won the day
Shout it all, Jesus is alive
He's alive

Oh happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed

When I stand, in that place
Free at last, meeting face to face
I am Yours, Jesus You are mine

Endless joy and perfect peace
Earthly pain finally will cease
Celebrate Jesus is alive
He's alive

Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious way
That You have saved me
Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious name
Jesus!

 

On Friday my dad wanted all of the big kids to watch The Passion of the Christ movie.  Most of us had never seen it before, including myself.  I felt ready, but a little nervous (I don’t handle bloody stuff very well:)). 

I got through it and I was shaken.  I think I cried a steady stream of tears the entire movie.  There is just something about acually seeing an almost perfect reenactment (even down to the original language!) that makes it so much more real.  I know they are only actors, but they did a really good job!  What hit me really hard was Mary, Jesus’ mother.  While watching, I just couldn’t fathom how any mom could do that.  She followed Him all the way to Calvary and saw all of His suffering.  She is so strong.  Blows my mind.

I didn’t even know what to pray that night.  My words seemed so pointless and small.  So, I ended up just writing out the lyrics to Jesus Paid It All and thanking my Savior.  I let those lyrics seep into my soul. 

Then at church on Sunday our pastor preached on the blood covenant that God made with us through Jesus.  There is just so much significance to everything!  I learned that the meaning of ‘friend’ in the Bible is, “someone that will always do what’s best for the other, even to their harm”.  Whoa.  We have watered that word down a lot!  That definition makes God calling us His friend even more astounding.  He’s not just our buddy.  He’s our friend.

I am really thankful right now.  Please join me in praising the Alpha and Omega today!

Love and Life

“Where you invest your love, you invest your life.”

-Mumford and Sons (Awake My Soul)

I just love those lyrics.  Mumford and Sons is a secular band, but even they understand that deep truth.  I love the word ‘invest’.  That implies action, and love is a verb.  We have to choose to love, and who we choose to love determines our life. 

I choose to love God.  Because He first loved me.  The rest of my life, well, if my love is invested in Him, then it will be one perfectly wild adventure.

As we celebrate Easter and the most loving sacrifice ever to be displayed, let’s thank God for His abundant love.  Because without it, we would be left to die, with no hope.  But what a glorious Savior we serve! 

Thank You, Jesus, for Your blood that washes my crimson stains white as snow.  Thank You for the love You have so lavished on me.  Help me to love as You have.

My Bug Bug (Selah)

Ask anyone-- Selah and I are BFFs:).  Her first word was ‘Mattie’!  I’ve said before that I love her like my own daughter, which is kind of a weird statement to most people since she’s my sister.  Let me explain:

As I said in my testimony, when Mom and Dad went to Ukraine to adopt Conner and Cooper us kids were left to take care of each other.  Most people would look at that situation and blame my parents for being awful to us for placing such huge responsibility on our shoulders.  It wasn’t like that at all.  My Nana died unexpectedly just three weeks before my parents were leaving for Ukraine.  Since she wouldn’t be able to come stay with us, my parents asked us who we wanted to come help us.  We refused to let anyone come help.  We wanted to hold down the fort on our own, and because my parents’ awesome friend, Stephanie (our school teacher), lives here on our ranch, just a hop, skip, and a jump away, my parents agreed to allow us to stay home.  Stephanie would be here 24/7, but she would sleep in her home, unless we asked her to stay in our home overnight. 

During that time, all I could tell people when they asked how I was doing was, “I have never felt so completely in the center of God’s will.”  There was something so fulfilling about using my hands and feet to really make an impact.  Without us big kids staying home and taking care of all the littles, we wouldn’t have been able to adopt Conner and Cooper. 

I was reminiscing about that time in my life the other day, and I had a revelation.  I kept Selah alive and well for two months of her life!  I was her mommy for that time, and I enjoyed it!  Sure, I was really tired after being up all night, having to go to school, doctors appointments, and all that, but it was phenomenal.  I grew so much in responsibility and maturity. 

I want to thank my parents for being so in love with Jesus that they would have the faith that God would equip us big kids to get the job done, and to leave the country to rescue my sweet brothers!  My life would be so much more empty without the blessed extra chromosome my brothers have. 

Back to Selah, we grew very close in that time.  She is my Sweet Love, Bug Bug, Sugars, Selah Ka-wis, Turkey Monster, Mi Vida, and Miracle.  I adore every inch of her!  I get all emotional thinking about my life if she weren’t in it.  Sounds like a mom, huh?:)  That girl takes my breath away, and I will forever be grateful to God for her life. 

I’ll close with this story:

The other night we were driving in the car and I was sitting next to Selah.  It was all girls and we were listening to the song Call Me Maybe, one of Selah’s favorites:).  She loves to sing, “Call Me BB!”. Anyway, we were all dancing, swinging our arms up and down, and I look over and there Selah is, looking right at what I’m doing and giving it all her two year old self.  She was getting down!  She was trying to throw in her own moves, too, and it was all isolated and choppy, so adorable!!  I almost started crying I was so in love.  She is getting to be so much fun:). 

I pray God blesses you to love someone as I love Selah:).  Children with special needs are a blessing, no matter what anyone tries to tell you!

Words

Before you read this post, please click HERE and be praying for those precious boys!

Proverbs 18:21, “The power of life and death is in the tongue.”

Those are some heavy WORDS.  God has been reminding me so much lately about the power of words.

Most of the time, I don’t like to think about the consequence of my words.  “They’re just words…” I think to myself.  Every word has the power of life and death in it, says the Word of God.  We have the ability to bless or curse in our tongue.  Curses are real, not just hocus pocus.  Why do you think that in the story of Balaam and his donkey in the Bible that they tried so hard to get him to curse Israel?  Blessings are also real.  When we speak positively and encouragingly, we bring forth blessing through our words.  Words are serious.

There’s a new song out by Hawk Nelson with Bart Miller from MercyMe called “Words”.  I encourage you to listen to it if you haven’t already heard it.  What he’s saying is so true.

For a long time I have struggled with controlling my tongue.  I have a very strong willed rudder for my ship:).  I can’t even count how many times I have regretted what I spewed out in my anger or frustration.  In doing a study of James, I was very convicted.  I repented but still struggle.  I cannot control my tongue without Jesus!  I absolutely cannot be what my Father desires in my own strength.  I am forever grateful that Jesus does not leave me stranded!  When I mess up and send some hateful words into the atmosphere, and I humbly admit to my Papa that I have indeed sinned, again, He takes me right back!  It blows my mind.  What a gracious God I serve! 

I don’t ever want to pervert grace, don’t get me wrong.  I desire with everything in me to bring glory and honor to the One who deserves it everyday, and I know God looks at my heart.  When I ask for forgiveness and try (in His strength) to be conformed to His image, He looks past my failures into my heart.  Praise be to God Most High!! 

Will you join me in the fight against our depraved tongues?  Let’s be like Isaiah and admit that our tongues are sinful, but accept His cleansing.  Although the purification process through fire can be painful, we will be able to see our Creator’s reflection in us even more clearly than before.  Let’s take Jesus’ hand and show Satan Who’s boss!!!!