Reflections and Beauty

It’s November…a lot of people probably do their reflecting in December and January as they contemplate their resolutions and goals for the coming year. For me, it often starts in November and corresponds with our thankful tree. As I reflect on what I’m thankful for it makes me reminisce on the year.
This year has been quite a whirlwind. In January I stepped completely outside my comfort zone and invited about 20 women to my tiny, cramped trailer to share the vision God had begun to show me. 12 showed up to hear what I had to say as I shared my passion for Titus 2 and what that looked like with a community approach. That meeting launched a small group that we have named Barnabus Tribe, a young ladies Bible study and the Mommy/Daughter group was solidified.
Shortly after that meeting I found out I was pregnant. Surprise! And I thought isn’t that just like God to wait until I launch several small groups to breathe new life into my old hope of having a large family. It was time to  find a house, like now. We had been looking and looking and He only opened 1 door and it was in a different town and further away than we wanted to be. But, our family was growing and we were already stuffed like sausages in our tiny 2 bedroom trailer so we bid on our new home.
We miscarried the week before we closed on our new fixer upper. We spent 2 months gutting the house before moving into a construction zone. The kids met the neighbors and made new friends and eventually started the new school year off at new schools. One kid loves it and the other is set on missing and hanging onto his old friends in the next town over.
The small groups are amazing. They have blessed me in ways I can’t yet describe. To see ladies grow in their walk with the Lord and take seriously the command to love our neighbors as ourselves, such an honor to watch. God continues to build this desire for community deep in my heart. Yes, I know, funny that He would give this introvert such a love of people and desire to be a catalyst to deep and meaningful relationships. I want to be a place to connect people, to have get togethers and watch as people meet and friendships develop.
The young ladies Bible study morphed and I was introduced to a whole new set of ladies. Watching people fall in love with Jesus and have Him rock and rebuild/restructure their lives is one of the coolest things to get to witness!
Then we found out we were pregnant again. Now, why at age 42, 10 years of a faded desire for a larger family, without making any changes, I would find myself pregnant again…no clue. Jason was over the moon and I was reserved and didn’t want to tell people yet. I was thrilled and scared. We were going to tell our parents at Thanksgiving. While at girls night Friday I started having a miscarriage. I knew what was happening but didn’t say anything because it was fun and I knew that would make it awkward and end the festivities. There are 2 sides to that coin, my not wanting to be center of attention and their desire as women to nurture one that they love.
I have no idea why in this beautiful season and all that God has done and is doing that we would suffer 2 losses. My sweet tender-hearted girl is heartbroken. My logical and analytical son says I told you I wasn’t getting excited this time until there was actually a baby. My tender-hearted hubby thinks this is his fault, punishment. I can’t wait to see how God brings beauty from these ashes. Because there’s no doubt in my mind that He will. I am still weak and in pain, it is a fresh wound for us. We are trudging along like we do. God has been so good to us and those 7 years of adventure He knitted us together in such a cool way and prepared us to support each other when things are rough.
I am more grateful than I can say for the army of women God has surrounded me with. Last night, for the 1st time in my life, a girlfriend brought my family supper…beautiful gift. Community is an awesome thing.
#journeyingtogether #journeywithme #titustwojourney #communitybuilding #strongertogether

Muscle Memory

The other day the kids were watching the new karate kid. I was doing other things but kept catching snippets of dialogue which sent my brain on a jog. Mr. Miagi offers to help the kid learn to defend himself. He has the kid doing basic exercises (taking off his coat, putting it back on), lots and lots of repetition of these basic exercises. The kid agrees to do things Mr. Miagi’s way until he gets frustrated with the monotony and lack of fighting skills.
We live in a social media run society. Most of our interactions involve likes and how many likes a post gets. Everyone is important and thinks it’s all about them. We were told as kids that we can be anything we want.
How often has God asked us to do something simple? And we agree and even have a great attitude in the beginning. Then when we think we have done our time and our visions of grandeur are not being fulfilled...have we walked away? Have we said: I must have misheard? There has to be more than this.
Mr. Miagi comes in and shows the young grasshopper how to take his muscle memory actions and turn them into useful defense moves. There was a reason behind the routine, the monotony, the same thing over and over.
Are we so busy wishing we were on stage? Or writing a book? Or leading a conference? Or something else that seems earthly important and status changing? That we have totally missed the muscle memory exercises that are necessary for the calling and purpose that our obedience is going to walk us into?
Our spiritual life is much like a muscle and it must be used, flexed, stretched and challenged.

#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme

Stand for Truth

I am thoroughly enjoying reading through Daniel right now. It comes on the heel of Ezekiel which I had a hard time with this time around, but as I turned the page to Daniel God so encouraged my heart with his plight. I know the stories of Daniel are taught over and over and so we can approach it with a dull “I already know this” attitude. But, God gave me a newness as I have been reading, a refreshing as He opened my eyes to the realness of the emotions Daniel would have felt as he stood steadfast for His God.
As he and his pals headed to the furnace he said: even if God doesn’t save us I won’t turn away. It also says that the king had the furnace heated to 7 times it’s normal heat, it was so hot that the soldiers leading them to the fire were killed. The king was in awe because 4 men could be seen in the fire (what kind of furnace must this have been for them to be able to see inside and contain that kind of heat?). They went in fully clothed, turbans and layers and all. When they came out there was nothing singed nor did they smell of smoke. They didn’t even smell like smoke!!! How cool and awesome is our God?!
I have only read the 1st 6 chapters and already Daniel has been highly sought by 3 kings. Not only was Daniel highly sought after, but because of his steadfast devotion, these kings saw the real and living God. These pagan kings praised, honored and glorified God. And, not because Daniel’s life was easy and made of comfort, but because no matter what he faced, he stood for God.
He had real fear. He had to interpret a death sentence to one of the kings. It says that he was stunned when he saw what he had to interpret; I’m thinking I’d have been shaking in my boots. But he gave the king the interpretation and he was given a position of honor and power and the king fell dead.
The next king was tricked via his ego and made an edict to worship the king or die. Well Daniel continued to fall to his knees daily to his Lord and was ratted out. The king could not deny his edict and threw Daniel in the lions den and sealed it with signet rings so there would be no doubt that he was properly locked up. That king was so twisted up that he fasted and didn’t sleep a wink but also didn’t order up entertainment so that he could ignore his feelings. He raced out at dawn to see Daniel. Then the king issued a decree that everyone must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel.
I am just blown away by how God was magnified! A faithful man in the deep sea of sin and depravity, a pagan nation ripe with idolatry, witchcraft, mediums and sex for hire made a massive difference in 3 generations of kings and their kingdoms. A faithful man. More and more I have this deep-seated feeling like the church will soon be required to stop straddling the fence. The time is coming when we must pick a side and stop warming seats. Will we be found like Daniel? Oh, how I want to be found like Daniel. The one matters. If you host a small group and only one shows up, it matters. If you have lunch with one and change the protectory of their life it matters. Jesus left the 99 to find the one lost sheep. One matters. Who can you impact today? You don’t have to be famous or have a huge following, it matters that you are faithful where God has you right now.
#titustwojourney #journeyingtogether #journeywithme #Daniel #faithful #standforTruth

Call to Prayer

Call to prayer. I don’t know about y’all but there is stuff going around all around me. It has been quite a week! I am both heartbroken and annoyed. God has called us to love like He loves but also called us to be warriors. Ephesians 6 is a well known passage to many of us. It tells us to put on the full armor of God. But it also tell us to never stop praying for the saints.
I have friends that need health miracles, marriage miracles, jobs, wisdom, kids fighting for freedom from the world, so many things just in my circles.
Jesus left us the Helper, the Holt Spirit dwells within us. Jesus sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf and the Comforter intercedes for us when we don’t know how to pray. We must stand firm. And pray. Who are you interceding for?
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#titustwojourney

Emotion Surge

When you do life closely with others, there are many highs and lows. People are amazing. Sometimes amazing in a beautiful way. And sometimes amazing in a 'I wish I didn't need to learn this' way. Either way each encounter we have brings us something.
I love to walk with other believers. I love to teach them how to sink their teeth into Truth. I love to encourage them. I love to help guide them and offer insight or ask a timely, thought-provoking question. I am in a season of life where I am surrounded by people, God has so kindly gifted me with a beautiful community.
However, this week has been full of blows. Friends fighting all kinds of difficulties. One of our tribe is fighting for her every breath. And, yet the seconds keep ticking, time keeps moving, I am still wife, mom, employee, friend, daughter, aunt...the many hats that us women wear, they stand still for nothing.
On my knees, through the tears, I keep battling an unseen opponent attempting to wreak havoc in our lives. Today, my family and I headed to the springs to play and enjoy life and clear our minds. I knew we needed to get out, I knew we needed the exercise and the Vitamin D and the laughter and the time to get away. But as we were driving I wanted to turn around and crawl in my bed and cry my heart out.
There is this heaviness all around. I know to Whom I belong. I thank my God for all the years that I have sought and hidden His Word deep in my heart. I know Who wins this war. I know this world is not our home. I know that I am His beloved and that He quite literally died for me. But, when we watch our loved ones suffering...this is tough. I think it seems to be harder to watch my loved ones suffer than to walk through it myself.
I was just remembering that before I knew the Lord, I had so many walls built up, people were not allowed in, I was a shell and trying as hard as I could to not get hurt. God has crushed my walls and shown me such depths of mercy and friendship and His loving kindness that I can't imagine going back to my self-imposed prison. I can't imagine doing life without the people God has put in my life. Jesus promised that in this world there would be heartache. In Psalms it says that He bottles and counts all our tears, they are not wasted. One day we will walk on streets paved with gold and rejoice and huddle at His feet. Until that day, I will put on my battle gear, the full armor of God, and be boots on the ground, the hands and feet of Jesus.
Let's remember to pray for each other. Life is hard. God is good. And the saints need to be encouraged and covered in prayer.
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#titustwojourney
#emotionsurge

Stay in your lane

Do y’all ever have great monologues in your head? I’m not sure who I’m talking to but sometimes I compose these great speeches in my brain...and it’s not praying. When I catch myself on one of these rants I turn it into a prayer and ask the Lord about these thoughts and sometimes they become blogs and sometimes they become cries of my heart.
Anyway, this morning I was thinking about men. My desire is to lift men up and give them a place to hold their heads high and come back to a place of honor. But, I also know my calling is not for men directly. My calling is to women. To teach the gifts of influence that we hold in our hand. Do you know how very destructive men bashing is? Going out with the girls and bashing all the men in your life, especially your husband, gives the enemy such a foothold, so much ammo to use against you. The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down (Pr 14:1).
I am not talking about having a confidant or a mentor, someone to walk with you and grow with you. It’s always a heart issue. So if you are sharing with a trusted friend and are looking for ways to solve the problems then I think you are headed in the right direction. However, when your goal is just to complain and then have a competition about whose husband is worst and woe is me with what I have to put up with. That is stirring up strife and dissension, that is not soil in which peace, honor, respect and love will grow.
In Peter he talks about our husbands being saved by our gentleness and faithfulness. In Corinthians Paul talks about love not keeping a record of offenses. In Ephesians Paul says a mans most basic need is feeling respect.
So many little pesky problems disappear when we stop complaining. Remember and seek out the things you fell in love with. Be friendly, funny how as women we need the reminder to be friendly to our husbands but we get so caught up in all the work that we forget to smile and enjoy.
#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#stayinyourlane

Purging the dross

This morning I was reading in Kings and Chronicles. What a mess! We like to sit around and bemoan the state of our nation and how much sin there is. But, you know, sin is not new. Song of Solomon says there is nothing new under the sun. And if you look at parts of the Bible you can see the depths of what was and the lives and sins that were already committed. 1Kings 16:30 says that the king did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him. Sin is always increasing. It is never satisfied. Whatever crumbs you offer it will grow and inflate.
When I worked at the girls’ home we taught it as: what I do in moderation they will do in excess. I have also heard it said: what one generation tolerates the next generation will embrace. This concept is not just in the OT, it is laced throughout scripture…I just happened to be reading here today. But, this is a serious thing to me. As I raise my kids, I am constantly aware of what am I doing or tolerating that they will one day embrace. What am I doing that I know I have freedom in, that they don’t understand and could ensnare them.
I so desperately want to teach my kids to know and love Jesus. I was telling someone in small group the other day that my goal is not to have good kids, I’m not interested in people pleasers or rule followers. I’m interested in their hearts. God is interested in their hearts. David with all his flaws was touted as a man after God’s own heart. In scripture God says that man looks at the outward appearance and God looks at the heart. So, as I discipline my kids and offer consequences I work as hard as my flesh allows to balance grace, consequences and the Truth behind their behavior and it’s connection to the underlying heart issue.
Life is messy. Humans are messy. I am a mess! But! I have this love affair with the Lover of my Soul that flows over into every facet of my life. I so desperately want to pass this love affair onto my kids. I am more keenly aware lately than ever before that my kids (now 10 & 13) will have to stumble and fall to find their spiritual legs on their own. The time is coming where all the stuff that has been poured into them will be tested. The refining process will be hot as the dross is removed from their hearts and they are transformed more and more into the new creation that they are and fulfill all that God has prepared for them.
#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme

Gifts

Ladies! The Bible says you are fearfully and beautifully created in the very image of God! Pause, breathe. The image of God. Let that settle deep inside of your heart. He loves you, He created you, He gifted you uniquely, He had His hand on you in your mothers womb. He gave you gifts and talents to do the purpose He created you to fulfill.
I don’t know where we got the notion that we have to be superwoman; that we have to be good at everything, that we are an island. It’s a lie! We are all a part of a body, we each have unique giftings that are necessary for the Kingdom of God. Spend more time speaking life into other women than jonesing for their giftings. When we appreciate others more we are more content and more able to see our unique gifts.
Jealousy and comparison leads to competition. You are not in competition with other women. As we gather together and join forces we will be quite the army, a fierce enemy of our enemy!
Also, we rarely know others’ complete story. So comparing ourselves not only leads to discontentment but also foolish assumptions. For instance, J and I have a beautiful marriage and we work together and have fun together. But, if you just look at this season you miss the beginning. To get here J and I walked through 7 years of hell. 7 years of grit determination (and lots and lots of grace) to not hire lawyers and end our vows. 7 years of buckets and buckets of tears. Did you know the Bible says God bottles and counts our tears. None are wasted! There’s no telling what the person you are looking at has walked through, and you may not want to walk through their fires anyway. God has yours all ready for you.
Thank God for the gifts He has given you. If you feel giftless, that is a lie, take time to ask God to reveal your gifts and talents. And then take time to be thankful for them. Don’t hide them, put them to use.
#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#gifts

Truth is Truth

We are a stubborn and hard of hearing people. We like to look at the wandering Israelites and say we are nothing like them. I’m not sure I agree.
Recently both my husband and my son heard something that I have said repeatedly and suddenly it clicked. And guess who got the credit: not me. And my 1st thought was to nag and demand they acknowledge that I have been saying that for years. Breathe. Gods peace washed over me. There’s something to this whole pausing before we speak thing. So I didn’t speak, I just let them revel in their new found Truth. And you know, I don’t really care who got the credit, I'm just glad they heard it.
I think sometimes we have to be primed to hear things. Especially things that reach deep inside of us. So moms: be a broken record. Speak words of life and Truth into your kids. Speak them over and over. You be primed that someone else may receive the recognition of saying it. But also know in your heart they wouldn’t have had ears to hear it if you had not been faithful in priming their ears.
Also, don’t feel like you have to reinvent the wheel when they ask the same questions over and over. You can keep the answer the same over and over. Keep the answer simple.
My brother refers to hearing things we already know as conviction. I often think of conviction just in reference to my sin and repenting. But I like the idea of Truth being confirmed and convicted in our hearts. Truth is Truth even when its repeated. The Word of God does not change. Society, times, technology all change and evolve but Truth stays the same. It may look a little different in the nitty gritty and types of conversations we have to have. But Truth is timeless.
#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#truthistruth

Unchanging

We say many things about ourselves and others. We have many labels. We take for granted the one label we should wear as a Banner: Child of the Most High and instead give voice to things like: trust issues, commitment issues, focus issues, daddy issues and on and on.
If we hooked Gods character to an EKG machine He would flat line all around. He is unchanging, immovable. He is always Love. He is always Truth. He is always Just. He is always Provider. He is always Creator. He is always YHWH. He has many attributes, I encourage you to dive into His Word and find some that are near and dear to you in your current season and stand on them. My personal favorite has always been Adonai, there are seasons where I seek His other attributes but I always come back and rest in His Sovereign Lordship. It means the weight of my world does not rest on my shoulders, it rests on His.
If you hooked me (or you) up to an EKG we would be all over the place, up down and side to side. People say I am wise beyond my years, sweet and love to laugh. But, depending on the day, or the heat or the kids bickering I can make poor choices and be more prone to angry outbursts which negates the 3 attributes I used.
I have been studying the life of David for the last month and he mentions several times in his Psalms that ‘human help is worthless’. He turns to God and says ‘Whom my help comes from’. Paul tells us that in our weaknesses we find His strength.
Put on your identity (label) as a Child of the Most High, The King of Kings and The Lord of Lords and loose the human labels so you can find rest and peace for your wearied mind and body.
#titustwojourney
#journeyingtogether
#journeywithme
#unchanging

 

 

Teaching and Learning

I have such a burden for young women, wives, moms. Titus 2 tells us that we are to impart our wisdom into the generations following us. In order for that to work properly the younger generations must be willing to listen and have life spoken into them. So often we try so hard to look like we have all our ducks in a row and we don’t need advice or encouragement. That is so not the spirit of Christianity. The early church (Acts) lived in intimate community, sharing and giving, receiving and blessing. God created us for relationship, I am coming to believe that it is our greatest gift. We need each other. We sharpen each other. We encourage each other.
So, young moms, take a breath. Exhale. God appointed you to be mom to the babies/kids in your care. Enjoy them. Create structure but have room to breathe and re-calibrate when things don’t go according to plan, because they rarely do. Teach them to love our Savior. They will bless you with their simple faith and prayers and sometimes make you smack your forehead, like yeah I should’ve known that.
Make home a safe place for your family. A sanctuary from the world. Guard what comes in. Honor your man. Remember to be his friend and lover. It is your first ministry. One entrusted just to you.
There is a blessing in saying no. You don’t have to be on every committee or serve in every ministry at church. Take time to enjoy the seasons of motherhood. Sometimes you dive in and serve others deeply. Sometimes you pull back and serve your family and remember your 1st love. Its an ebb and flow. Everything doesn’t fit into every season. Your gifts and talents won’t expire because you take time during diaper season to just rock and snuggle. God grows during all seasons.

Winging It

I don't know about you, but I just wing it for so many things in my life. I get the impression that people think that I am a detail oriented, planner. However, I am not. I have this life goal that steers my ship and all the other things are just heading in that direction, but I don't necessarily sit around planning it. My life goal is to race toward the Kingdom of God and have God say: Well done my good and faithful daughter.
I have spent years studying the Word and God has gifted me with the ability to teach on the fly and take everyday things and make them relevant. But, when asked about my parenting style or how I teach my kids I usually respond with I'm winging it.
I lead this Barnabus Tribe small group and I often approach it as I'm winging it. But, that's not entirely true. The truth is I wake up way earlier than I think is a reasonable hour. I study His Word, I spend time just sitting in His presence, and I pray. When I have random thoughts throughout the week, I write them down. So while I don't over prepare for my group, I'm learning that just winging it, is not really the correct way to word it.
I definitely approach meal prep this way. And frankly, I think my family is tired of it. I usually don't know what I'm making for supper until I am in the kitchen cooking. Now that doesn't mean that I haven't mentally detailed what items are in my frig throughout the day. But, I also don't make time to find new recipes and when I do find a recipe I make it several times until my family is tired of it and somehow it replaces my memory storage of where another recipe was stored.
I remember when I first started out on this blogging adventure I wrote a blog about how I had done some research about doing blogs but that I was just going to wing it. Well, after all these years of winging it and it really just being a hobby...I think it is time to do something about it. I have been looking at domain names. I am mentally preparing myself to use a hashtag for the 1st time! I have been told several times this year alone that I need to write a book. Honestly, that scares me. Frankly, my response is: who on earth would want to read my book? But maybe that is fear talking. I mean while I get great responses (on occasion) to my blog, I don't get shares or comments or even that many likes. I have just created an IG account and signed up for a writers conference. It is time to allow God to fan this flame and stop dong things halfway. I have been looking at this quote that a professor said at Bible college, it sits on my desk: "Don't ever expect God to reveal more of His will to you, if you're already not obeying His revealed will for our lives".
I say this to say that maybe my lackadaisical approach to things is not the best way. While I don't want to have rigid 5 year goals and 5 step plans. Maybe, having a more planned, INTENTIONAL, approach to where I feel God leading me, is not worldly but falls under being disciplined. And that is something that I want, I want to be intentional and disciplined.

Priorities

This season has offered us several opportunities to find our priorities. So many things vie for our attention at any given time. But, so many things seem to vie for our attention on days that used to be earmarked for the Lord, set aside, not used for extra-curricular activities.

E joined Cross Country again this year and coach told him that the meets would be on Thursdays like they were last year. Well as they got into the season and the schedule was set, it turns out that almost all of the meets were on Wednesday. So, E was faced with the decision of Cross Country or youth group. He missed youth group once and then said, I don't want to sacrifice youth group. So, my 12 year old had to make a decision, we told him we would support whatever that decision was. Then he had to do the hard part and tell his coach. It actually went well and I am glad that he had to make the decision and face the coach, it is a great learning curve.

Then HG was put on the gymnastics rec team and turns out they do their meets on Sundays. Yikes! I gotta tell ya, this one was hard. There are only 2 meets a year, so that leaves 50 of the 52 Sundays free and clear. But still, there was the mental back and forth of can we support this if it invades Sundays? Are we sending the right message to HG? Are we sending the right message to the other parents? Will we be shining our light or looking just like the world?

Stretching and Reaching

As we moved my plants and trees from winter storage I noticed some things.
Some of my potted plants looked worn out. They had gotten root bound in their pots and desperately needed room to spread their roots out and bloom. Aren’t we just like that? We get stuck in our comfort zones and don’t do much reaching out. We grow complacent. But once we reach out, set new boundary lines and shine brightly we start blooming and growing. Same with my plants. After a few days in the ground and some sun and water I have seen buds and blooms.
Some of the potted trees had busted through their giant pots and the tap root had started searching for water. The Bible says that He is the source of Living water. He quenches our deepest needs with this water. John 4:14 "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life". When we are seeking Him we cant be contained as our tap roots reach deep and grow strong so that when the storms of life blow on us we stand firm. I have been pondering this thought recently and I imagine a giant oak tree with many, deep roots. An oak with a solid foundation. When the storms blow through, because they will, the branches and leaves may wiggle and rattle but the trunk is solid and doesn’t budge. I want to be like a giant oak, planted for the display of His splendor. Isaiah 61: 3 "...They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor".

Coming of Age: Celebrating the Journey to Manhood

This weekend the long-anticipated celebration to manhood took place. It was such a great weekend!

Did you know that the word ‘teenager’ was created at the turn of the last century and didn’t gain popularity until the ‘50’s with James Dean and Rebel without a Cause, Crybaby and later Grease. It came with the popularity of the automobile as it grew more affordable and the young adult crowd was granted more freedom to run wild. With it came an attitude that they are just teenagers they are gonna be rebellious and act out and be clueless.

Well…I disagree. I realize that as my young man grows in his walk with the Lord and as he makes it more personal that there will be trials and obstacles, poor choices and many, many growing opportunities. But I don’t plan to use the phrase “well, he’s just a teenager, of course he’s dumb”. I have poured into my son for the last 13 years, giving him quite the foundation to jump from. If he makes poor choices, there will be consequences. We have also worked hard to teach him that he is his own human, with his own sin who will stand before a Holy God one day. His choices are his responsibility. When he stands before the Lord (when any of us stand before the Lord) He will not ask about so and so, we will each give an account of the choices that we chose.

Not so long ago I sat with my son and asked him who he wants to become? Who he wants to be as he grows into the man God has called him to be? He came up with 5-character traits that he wants to possess both now and later. I had a friend turn those into a plaque and handed it to him at the party and had him read it out loud. Then my dad handed him a Damascus Sword. The Bible calls it the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17). Hubby called all the men to lay hands on my son and they prayed over him. Later he asked if he could open the cards and proceeded to read each card and after each one, he would seek out the giver and give them a personal thank you. My dad watched the entire scene and then said to E: that is not what a child or a young man would do, that is what a man would do.

I am so honored to get to be part of this amazing community that the Lord has just plopped us into. So many awesome people in our home, gathering around us and standing in to sharpen my son as he takes the next steps of his journey. So very honored to be part of a church where the children’s, youth and head pastor all came and participated.