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Liberty in the Law

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

No one wants to hear this but it’s true. There is freedom in laws. When my kids follow my “laws” they are free to do what they want. Room cleaned? School done? They’re free to watch tv or call a friend.

God’s laws, commandments, statutes and precepts, were given so we could be free from struggle. We can be free from unnecessary pain, debt, even disease. I give my kids rules because I know what’s best for them. And our Heavenly Father is the same.

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The Right Door

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I loved watching game shows when I was you get. I always like when the contestants got to choose their prize by selecting from a group of closed doors. The audience would yell at them and they’d look around frantically for the right guess.

I feel like that’s how many of us live our lives. We don’t know what to do so we look to others frantically for help in making major decision. Where to live, where to shop, where to send our kids to school.

I wrote a few days ago about choosing peace. What I love about making this decision is that I already know what’s behind the door. The psalmist was going through a rough time but he made a choice that gave him hope.

He didn’t have to guess what would happen if he opened the door to hope, he knew his soul would be revived. This day, my prayer is for you to choose hope and walk through it. Nothing is too hard for our God. Your miracle could be on the other side of your hope.

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Seek First

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you charge into the restroom full speed? Do you stretch? Meditate? Pray? Grab your phone? Every morning we are presented with a new opportunity to start the day off in a way that will fulfill us or drain us.

When we choose to put the things of God first, the rest of life will come together. I can always tell when I haven’t been seeking God first. It feels like little by little, the other areas of my life begin to crumble.

We don’t have to go back to flip phones or delete social apps from our devices, but what if we seek before scroll? What if we read a scripture before taking that selfie? What if we pray before we play that game? When we take care of our spirits, our bodies tend to line up as well.

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Let it Out!!

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I’m so glad people can’t hear my internal dialogue. Don’t worry, I’m not thinking mean or crazy thoughts! But some of the thing I dream to accomplish or big goals I have are laughable.

But I’ve learned something very powerful over the past few years. Sometimes you just have to let it out. Sometime, you just have to say out loud what you want to do and I’ll take it a step further, you have to TELL YOURSELF that you will do it.

I could believe in heart all day that I could run a marathon, but if it stays just a thought, it may never turn into action. But when I tell myself and others that I am going to run a marathon, that confession holds me accountable to make sure it happens.

Maybe you need to tell yourself that you are a great mother, an accomplished author, a tidy person. Just taking that thought and making it a statement can change everything.

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Mileage that Meets Needs

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.

This Tuesday, I ran the longest I’ve ever run and will run until I complete my marathon in a few weeks. I’ve been training since May and while I’ve been met with a few setbacks, things have gone pretty well. My 18.5 mile run went surprisingly well and left me feeling confident and ready for my race.

I am running my first marathon with Team World Vision, an organization that my husband and I have supported for almost 13 years. I was made aware just this year that I could raise money for World Vision to provide clean water for people who otherwise don’t have access to it.

I also learned that 6 kilometers was the average distance that a person walked without access to clean water. That’s 3.5 miles of walking for dirty water to bath in, wash with and cook with.

I knew immediately that I had to be a part of this. I saw that I could run with a team in Madison, WI. When I went to sign up for the half marathon, a. Slight hesitation caused me to consider the full marathon. I had run a half before and just felt a pull to go a little further. I signed up for the full.

As I’ve been training, I’ve tried to stay focused less on my stats and paces and more on the reason I’m doing this. I want to help people who need help. I want to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Jesus said this “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew‬ ‭25:40‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

It’s important to remember those who can’t help themselves. It’s important to be apart of something bigger than ourselves. I’m excited to run my race at my pace and for the hundreds of people who will benefit from us coming together to help provide clean water.

If you’d like to donate, click here to learn more about World Vision.

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Believe and Live

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?””
‭‭John‬ ‭11:25-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I’ve been to 3 funerals in 2 months. I think I said this yesterday but today’s verse in the Bible app seemed to be in the same vein of thinking.

Seeing people leave this earth is hard. Whether it’s at the end of a long battle with illness or unexpected, experiencing the death of a loved one is never easy. I am, however, encouraged knowing that the 3 people whose lives were celebrated had a relationship with Christ.

I know that although they are no longer here, they chose to receive the resurrection and life while they were here. It doesn’t make grieving easier but it makes going forward capable.

This has stirred a new urgency within me to be more diligent in sharing the gospel. The book of Acts says that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. We just need to share that name!

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.

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Sheep Among Wolves

““I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I was at a funeral today. It was my 3rd funeral in the last two months. Death has the unfortunate ability to make you reconsider everything you’re doing. Your lifestyle choices, how you spend your time, how you spend your money.

I’ve found myself being more present and mindful in whatever I’m doing. If I’m running, I’m just running. If I’m playing library with my daughter, I’m just checking out books. I’m working to make sure my mind isn’t in other places when it needs to be where I currently am.

At the funeral I was at today, the person being honored was to some a father or grandfather, to others a pastor and leader, but to everyone who made remarks and those in attendance, he was a servant. He served not only his local church, but the global church, organizing decades of trips to Mexico.

As I listened to everyone remember him and then read this scripture today, I was encouraged to be more diligent and mindful about presenting the gospel to those who don’t have it.

Jesus sent his disciples out like sheep among wolves. We have a commission elsewhere to do the same. Our job as Christians is not to judge the world and shame them, but to share the love and gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have friends that need Jesus. I pass by people everyday who need Jesus. I don’t know about you, but this sheep is leaving the pen and going to the wolves.

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.

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Psalm 103:13- Compassion

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;” -Psalms‬ ‭103:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The application of this word could change the world. Instead of placing blame on people or trying to figure out how they got in what they’re in, what if we showed compassion. What if we didn’t judge a single mother, but asked if she needed babysitting help. What if we didn’t label the man asking for change a beggar, but bought him a coffee and offered a prayer?

God has been so compassionate towards us. The rest of this verse says “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”
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God could easily bring up every wrong thing we’ve done or said, but he doesn’t. He chooses compassion. He chooses to love us. And since we are made in his image, we should extend this same grace to others.

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.

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Asking, Seeking and Knocking

““Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” -Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

My son is a professional asker. He has no hesitation when asking to go somewhere, do something or buy something. And if the answer is no, he will wear you down slowly but sweetly! Eventually, he usually gets what he wants (within reason).

Many people think this scripture is about money and material things. We can ask God for ANYTHING! Need peace? Ask, seek and knock. What about joy? Ask, seek and knock. How about focus to get a few things finished? Ask, seek and knock.

God is concerned about we are concerned about. I bet he wished we would come to him with everything. Not just big, insurmountable problems but even things as small as a headache.

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.

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Plan for God’s Purpose

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As a planner, I believe God looked through the channels of the future, saw people like me and made sure this verse was put in the Bible! But I’m learning that I’d rather have God’s purpose lead and guide me than my own plan.

We can’t see what’s down the road but God can. I truly believe there have been accidents I didn’t get into and encounters I didn’t have because God’s purpose prevailed. He is ALWAYS thinking about what’s in our best interest and sometimes that is not found on our to-do list.

Find more inspiration and hopefully a few laughs on my podcast Seeking God, Loving Others.