Somewhere Today,

It's such a beautiful day. I'm watching our boys play soccer in the yard, yet I am tearful and my heart is so heavy.

My heart is overwhelmed with prayer for a family. A family somewhat like ours. I'm watching our 8 year old heart warrior running and playing and at this very same moment there is another heart warrior in a hospital room fighting for his life.

Years ago, I remember entering a gas station a few days after receiving our son's devastating diagnosis and was shocked to see life moving on for everyone else. The thought crossed my mind "these people have no idea how broken I am."

Today, in my own little world everything is just fine, yet I know that somewhere today, someone is hurting. Somewhere today, someone is wondering if the people around them can see how broken they really are.

Somewhere today, someone is fearful knowing they can't pay their bills that are piling up. Somewhere today, someone doesn't know where their next meal will come from.

Oh, Jesus, help us to not be so consumed with our own little world that we forget that somewhere today, someone is broken and needs Your touch.

Open our eyes to see what You see, break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Fill us with Your compassion. May we be Your hands and feet.

Learning to Soar

Boys.....they're always diving into adventure. You know, adventure that sometimes stresses their mama out. Adventure like jumping from the top of the play house, or grabbing their BB gun and heading out to the woods.
Adventure like "look how high I can climb up this tree." You get the picture, right? Well their latest adventure has been skateboarding, so after much pleading, we took them to a skate park.

When we arrived, there was a little girl there skateboarding with her daddy. He would hold her hand to help her skate down the ramp. He eventually let go, and moved further away each time. She finally said "Daddy, stop moving so far away, I need you here." He said  "I will hold your hand if you want me to, but I know you can do this. I'm right here, watching you." With her eyes on the path in front of her and on him, she did it!! She soared off that ramp and he had the perfect view of watching his daughter conquer her fear.

She didn't find courage within herself but in her daddy.

I could not help but think of our Heavenly Father and how He lovingly encourages and nudges us out of our safety zones. We're on the ramp like this little girl looking down and thinking through all the "what ifs" and He's right there smiling, beckoning us to trust Him.

He doesn't mind holding our hand and affirming us over and over, but I believe at times, He enjoys stepping back and watching His children step out in faith.

This little girl's daddy celebrated over her for conquering her fear. I know our Father celebrates and sings over us each time we choose to say "ok Daddy, I'll do this if you want me to." Then, with our eyes on Him, we forget our fear and all the "what ifs" and we choose to soar. Our focus is completely on Him as He rejoices saying "that's my daughter!"

He makes us brave.

He makes us fearless.

He makes us soar.

He is a good good Father.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39

Interrupted Plans

Seat F-24.....that was my seat assignment on a recent flight. I was supposed to be sitting next to my friend that I was flying with, but something happened and our seats got mixed up.

So I was prepared to have 3 hours of quiet time with the Lord and His word until I realized it was hard for me to read while flying. I closed my Bible and sat, then realized that I should pray for an opportunity to minister to the one flying next to me.

We finally began a conversation about weather and where we lived. Then he asked, "Is that a Bible?" I knew that was an opening from the Lord. For the next couple of hours we talked about Jesus (or maybe I talked most, but he had lots of questions.)

I could literally see the Father's love for him. I did not have all the answers he was looking for, but I did have my testimony. With great excitement and joy I shared with him how Jesus totally pursued me and set me free from sin and myself. He said he would like to believe that Jesus was pursuing him as well but he just wasn't sure. I assured him that Jesus in fact was pursuing him and loved him and sat me beside him to tell him that.

Can I just say that it's ok to not have all the answers. If the Holy Spirit lives within you, you have everything you need. It's OK to say "I don't know" or "I don't understand that either."

But if we are the redeemed of the Lord, we should say so, Amen? He has given us all a testimony, and that testimony is to be shared, whether with a friend or a complete stranger on an airplane. He's been too good and too faithful not to share Him.

Revelation 12:11 says
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

In that moment it did not concern me that he most likely thought I was naive or even crazy, my desire was for him to know the love Jesus has for him. When you've been set free, you want others to be set free. I do not believe in coincidences, God placed me there to bear the name of Jesus and testify to this man. What an honor!

So the next time our plans are interrupted, may we remember to ask God what He's up to and how He would like to use us in that moment.

Is God nudging you to share Him and your testimony with others? If so, you have everything you need already, just follow His leading.

By the way.....this stranger promised he would ask God to reveal Himself and think about everything we talked about. So please join me in praying for this man, that he would experience Jesus!