I'm officially a real woman now...I have a jewelry box! Matt bought it for me for my 29th birthday yesterday. I can't believe it took me this long to be able to put all my jewelry in one place that does not create a tangled mess. Really, I'm not kidding! Only Matt could have endured the chaos this long. He actually got to the point where he was throwing away any bobby pin he found lying around, and I actually had to pull the last two I had out of the trash can. He knew the right gift to give me, and I absolutely love it!
Birthdays have always been times of reflection for me, a time when I can assess the important things in my life, where I have been and where I am going. I love hearing from the Lord on my birthday. As I open the door on this day each year, I walk into a new calendar year as well, and a new vision and hope for that year. This year I felt the Lord bring to mind the scripture, "You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace." Not knowing where that passage was, I looked it up and discovered it was Isaiah 55:12. I read on to verse 13 and felt the presence of the Lord speaking His promise over me again for the new year.
"Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
The year 2008 has held tremendous joy through the birth of my sister's son, Jackson, and then my second son, Levi, as well as the adoption of my nephew, Timothy. But it has also held great challenges and heart ache. I have felt the Lord maturing my character and my heart this past year. The Lord's promises still stand even through those challenges.
About a week ago, I was driving home from a meeting and I was listening to a song about the Lord making all things new. And before I knew what was happening in my heart, I began to cry. And I kept crying even after I had parked at our house. There I was, sitting there, engine off, in the darkness, head in my hands, realizing how much I was holding inside. And it was amazing to believe that the Lord does make all things new, in one moment. I felt his promise wash over me, and a hope rise up in my heart. A tiny flickering flame growing in intensity within me. I believe! I believe the thornbush will be replaced by a thriving, strong, and established tree, swaying beautifully in the wind of faith.
This is a new year! And I walk into it with fullness of faith in a God who can turn sorrow into great joy, and anxiety into a peace that surpasses my own understanding.
Birthdays have always been times of reflection for me, a time when I can assess the important things in my life, where I have been and where I am going. I love hearing from the Lord on my birthday. As I open the door on this day each year, I walk into a new calendar year as well, and a new vision and hope for that year. This year I felt the Lord bring to mind the scripture, "You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace." Not knowing where that passage was, I looked it up and discovered it was Isaiah 55:12. I read on to verse 13 and felt the presence of the Lord speaking His promise over me again for the new year.
"Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
The year 2008 has held tremendous joy through the birth of my sister's son, Jackson, and then my second son, Levi, as well as the adoption of my nephew, Timothy. But it has also held great challenges and heart ache. I have felt the Lord maturing my character and my heart this past year. The Lord's promises still stand even through those challenges.
About a week ago, I was driving home from a meeting and I was listening to a song about the Lord making all things new. And before I knew what was happening in my heart, I began to cry. And I kept crying even after I had parked at our house. There I was, sitting there, engine off, in the darkness, head in my hands, realizing how much I was holding inside. And it was amazing to believe that the Lord does make all things new, in one moment. I felt his promise wash over me, and a hope rise up in my heart. A tiny flickering flame growing in intensity within me. I believe! I believe the thornbush will be replaced by a thriving, strong, and established tree, swaying beautifully in the wind of faith.
This is a new year! And I walk into it with fullness of faith in a God who can turn sorrow into great joy, and anxiety into a peace that surpasses my own understanding.
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