Updated on July 21, 2015
Do You Feel a Bit Like a Seed in the Dark?
“He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches’” (Matthew 13:31-32).
My friend P.J. has a Mexican sunflower plant. She planted it with her boys as part of a homeschool project. It was just a bitty thing then–pretty, but bitty.
The other day she texted me that she was taking photos of her plant. She had to go up to the second floor balcony to do it.
Yeah. They’re that big now.
I have no doubt that the loving heart of the one who planted them is what has made this possible. That, plenty of time in the sun, and plenty of time–period.
Sometimes I feel like a small seed. The darkness that is chronic illness has covered me over and often feels suffocating. The downpour of pain drenches and soaks. I seem to be splitting from the loss and confusion and frustration that disability creates.
Hop on over to Rest Ministries to finish this post
and get to know the wonderful family there! <3
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 19, 2015
The Red Letters
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
– Jeremiah 31:33-34
Carissa got a new Bible last week. She adores it. As she was showing me all the wonderful traits of this new treasure, she found the words in red.
She said, “Look, Mama, everything Jesus said is red! Look how much He says on this page!!”
Stopped me cold.
He’s still writing. He’s bleeding red onto all of our hearts. He’s scribbling Hope as quickly as His fingers will fly. Think back on the hardest times you’ve experienced, Dear Ones. Now look for the red.
He’s there. He’s writing. It’s always a love letter. He’s constantly wooing.
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” – John 14:1-7
Father God, we love ALL of Your words. Thank You for constantly reminding us of Your deep and abiding love. It’s all we need, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on July 13, 2015
All or Nothing Usually Means Nothing
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. – Psalm 42:5
This life of chronic illness and disability causes us to search hard for the middle ground each and every day. Sometimes it causes us to stand in the gap and reach for just one simple accomplishment. Maybe that accomplishment is showering or dressing or spending 10 minutes in the Word. Seems like so little, but for us it is indeed a huge accomplishment.
But let’s face it, many of our choices require an “all or nothing” decision. And 90% of those decisions must be met with a resounding, “Nothing.”
Hard not to be downcast when this is our reality each day, isn’t it?
Answering with “All”, will only cause crashes and disappointment. Giving our all always makes our shortcomings so much more glaringly obvious. But oh, how we long for all… how we reach for it with every fiber in our being.
As I was pondering this today, God reminded me of something wonderful. It’s about the word, “nothing.”
It’s here, in this verse that speaks about Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:6-8
Not some teacher or Mommy. Not a writer or a singer or a homemaker. Not any of those things that mean so much to me, that I try so hard to make my identity. No, this is the Lord. The Lord, the One and Only Creator and Savior of Heaven and Earth. Only He could embrace nothingness, take it on, wear it like a badge of honor. Only He would want to.
Each day, as I make the small and the big choices… as I face the decisions where there is no middle ground, only all or nothing… I will do my best to remember that when “nothing” is embraced for the greater good, more can be accomplished than we can imagine.
God takes on our willingness to submit. He fills what seems empty and He molds what seems to have no form. And if we hand our “nothing” to the Father, He can use it to spread His Word, to shine His light, to defy all logic and swoop in to save.
I have no idea how, I really don’t. But I have faith that it can and will be used for His glory.
I’ve only got “nothing” to give today, Lord, but I’m turning it over to You.
Dear Lord, thank You for being the perfect example that You are. Help us to remember that You alone can make the best surprises out of even “nothing”. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on July 12, 2015
Sometimes the Darkness Closes In
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. – Psalm 4:8
I find myself often sitting in the darkness. The longer I sit, the more it bears down on me, until the darkness just feels like one big ache. I physically feel it, leeching out all the warmth and hope I gathered into my heart during the day.
The nights are so quiet. It starts out as a blessed silence, almost refreshing. But in no time at all, I find it difficult to breathe. Have you ever felt so alone that you think it’s a physical garment covering you?
I’ve been studying recently about darkness and light. So often in the scripture, darkness is portrayed as a time for evil, a place of evil. And yet, as pain makes sleep elusive, we so often find ourselves sitting in the somber, lonely, quiet of darkness and night.
The dark nights hold fear.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7
The shadowy dark means doubts and questions.
So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. – Hebrews 6:28
As darkness gathers, so do my worries.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. – Philippians 4:6
These evils, these separators of God and His children… they stalk me in the darkness.
So now each night I sing praises, chasing away the creepy crawlies. I turn the pages in the love letter He wrote to me. I turn every light on in the room I’m in to remind me of this truth:
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:4-5
Don’t let the enemy sneak up on you in the dark, Dear Ones. Shine the light with me, won’t you?
Holy Lord, please help us to find the relief we need to be able to lay down and rest at night. When we’re awake in the darkness, help us to focus on You. Thank You for the marvelous light of Your Son and Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on July 8, 2015
To Whom Do You Belong?
Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) – Acts 11:25-26
I was eavesdropping as my baby-girl had a heart-to-heart with her turtle, Sammy. She was explaining to her that her full name (since we’ve discovered she’s a girl) is Samantha Marie Hendricks. Samantha, of course, since her name was already Sammy and that’s the female version. Marie, because that’s Carissa’s middle name. Hendricks…. that one stopped me in my tracks a little.
See, it matters to my children that Sammy is a part of our family. They want it known, without having to explain. They want the introduction to tell the story. This may be a turtle, but she’s our turtle and we love her.
And so they have granted her our name.
Are you a Christian? Do people know, just from an introduction, to whom you belong?
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. – Ephesians 1:4-6
You, Dear One, are chosen. This gave Him great pleasure, this adoption. The adoption of YOU.
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. – 1 John 5:13
Remember the promise… you have eternal life. He invites you to call Him, “Abba”.
Whatever you are facing today, surely this will plant hope in your heart. You have been adopted into the only name that saves. The name under which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. If you haven’t accepted this Good News yet, what is hindering you?
Come, join the family.
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? – Romans 10:13-14
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. – Romans 10:9-10
Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. – Acts 2:38
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:10-11
Dear God in Heaven, we praise You because You are awesome and mighty. We are astounded that You would love us as You do. Thank You for this hope to end all hope. Thank You for gathering under Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on July 9, 2015
Give Yourself a Break: A Review & a Giveaway!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philemon 1:25
It’s time to start treating yourself the way you treat others
As children we’re taught to treat others the way we would like to be treated. But as adults, we often need to turn that old maxim around. We’re good at showing compassion to other people–but many of us have trouble showing that same compassion to ourselves. We say things to ourselves we would never say to a friend. And all this negative self-talk can have a devastating effect on our lives and relationships.
Licensed marriage and family therapist Kim Fredrickson wants you to stop beating yourself up. Grounding her advice in Scripture, she offers practical steps, specific exercises, and compassionate words to say in order to build a loving relationship with yourself. Through inspiring stories of transformation, she’ll help you learn to show yourself the kind of grace and understanding you offer to others–and to change your relationships, your outlook on life, and your view of yourself in the process.
Of course, I read this book through the lens of chronic illness and disability. We are probably more in need of this book than healthy readers are, honestly! We’re so hard on ourselves, hardly ever granting ourselves grace. And so much of our lives is out of necessity focused on ourselves, we refuse to spend any extra effort of self-care.
This book is written in a very caring way. Not only that, but it gives practical guidance and step-by-step instruction on how to go about caring for ourselves in a way that is NOT selfish or neglectful of others. I would highly recommend it, and am excited to give away a copy today! For a chance to win, please enter the widget below.
Give Yourself a Break BookYou can purchase the book here or here.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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Shelly
Updated on July 6, 2015
Are You Listening for the Whisper?
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave” (1 Kings 19:11-13).
It’s so hard to hear His voice. Some days it’s harder than others.
More often, I hear the windstorm of pain. It swirls and attacks and carries away all other voices. Sometimes I can’t even stand in the force of its gales.
But the Lord is not in the wind.
It’s all too easy to let the wind tear loose the rocks that I am clinging to, the ones I feel are solid. Doubt creeps in along with the racket, and before I know it, my rocks are just a pile of rubble at my feet.
But the Lord is not in the destruction.
You are invited to finish this post over at Rest Ministries.
I know you’ll feel at home there.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 5, 2015
Abba’s Child: A Review & a Giveaway!
I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. – 1 John 2:12
Is an impostor robbing you of God’s love?
We’ve bought into the lie that we are worthy of God’s love only when our lives are going well. If our families are happy or our jobs are meaningful, life is a success. But when life begins to fall through the cracks and embarrassing sins threaten to reveal our less-than-perfect identity, we scramble to keep up a good front to present to the world—and to God. We hide until we can rearrange the mask of perfection. Sadly, it is then that we wonder why we lack intimate relationships and a passionate faith.
All this time God is calling us to take the mask off and come openly to Him. He longs for us to know in the depth of our beings that He loves us and accepts us as we are. When we are our true selves, we can finally claim our identity as God’s child—Abba’s child—and experience His pure pleasure in who we are. Brennan Manning encourages us to let go of the impostor lifestyle and freely accept our belovedness as a child of the heavenly Father. In Him there is life.
This marvelous book tells the story of the unrelenting love of a Father for His treasured child. That child is you. Brennan Manning has such an in-depth and complex understanding of the relationship God longs for with His children. He explains it in a way that is unmistakable and inescapable.
This is a beautiful love story of each of us, just as we are. I’m happy to recommend it. I’m even happier to give away a copy. Please enter below for a chance to win.
You can purchase this book here or here.
Abba’s Child Book* I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House. All opinions are my own.
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Shelly
Updated on July 2, 2015
Happy Independence Day!
For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.
This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
For us, Dear Ones, every day is Independence Day. No matter the country, no matter the state of our health. And that makes this day a very beautiful day, indeed.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 2, 2015
Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School (Desperate Diva Diaries Series): A Review & a Giveaway!
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
Finding a good series of books for a tween-age girl is difficult these days! But now a series called The (Desperate) Diva Diaries by Angie Spady has come to young girls everywhere, just in time for summer break! The second installment is titled Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School.
Catie Conrad, fashionista extraordinaire, is back in action in the 2nd book in the Desperate Diva Diaries series, along with best friend Sophie, her brother the “Germ,” and of course Miranda Maroni—her least favorite person on earth! The desperate diva isn’t sure which is worse: the drama at school, or her stressed-out home life.
Luckily things get put into perspective as Catie Conrad finds that with faith in God, ALL things are possible.
Based on:
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Matthew 10:26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
My daughter Carissa reviewed this book. She is 12 years old. Here is her review:
I liked this book because she went through several real-life experiences and to solve them, read and memorized Bible verses. I like how her friend reminds her of the verses, and teaches her what to do and what not to do in these experiences.
This was a very interesting book for me to read, and I really enjoyed it. It is a really nice book because Catie has several experiences at school and at home that I do in my life. I think you will really love this book.
You can find the first book in the series here.
You can find this second book here.
Carissa and I are happy to give away a copy of the book! Enter below for a chance to win.
Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School* I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from the author, Angie Spady. All opinions are my own.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
