Hope - Here Our Purpose Exists; Hearts Open, Patiently Expecting

Hope is a funny thing. When you’re in deficit it is like going to swipe your card at the store and the warning sign, “insufficient funds,” appears in a glaring verbiage shooting fear and panic through your body. When our balance of hope is just enough to live off of we keep it to ourselves, because we are holding our breath in tense anticipation that losing any might send us into a hope debt. But when we are living in abundant excess, we should share our wealthy hope, making it rain on others.

We are always one step away from a changed life. I hate to simplify it, because I’m a big believer that life is never black or white, that tones of greys to yellows and every hue in between is where we all operate in. But as I sit here next to my person, the one whose picked up my emotional baggage and carefully packed it away into the drawers of our joined life, I reflect on these last 5 years. When is the last time we’ve held hands walking through the store instead of hastily stuffing them in our pockets? When is the last time we ignored what was on our phones and got lost in a conversation to get to know each other better?When is the last time we let that small greeting peck linger into a tingle worthy kiss? When is the last time date night was leisurely instead of a rush to enjoy our children’s company over each other’s?

Called to Love In the Middle of a Political Storm

I wish as much as each person we had the superpower to read each person’s thoughts pointing us to the map of their hearts. Then intentions wouldn’t be hidden left for us to unjustly question and assume. Thankfully that monstrous task is left to God alone.

So what are we called to do when we feel shipwrecked by this political storm?

Tis' The Most Gluttonous Season of the Year

Tis’ the most gluttonous season of the year. We all are guilty of it and a lot of people are waking up to this realization ready to make some changes in the midst of holiday parties, feasts of food, and treats galore. Over indulgence doesn’t have to be the default during these last few months of the year. Here are a few small, but really impactful tips that might help you battle the holiday food woes.

You Might Be a Mom to Bad Sleepers If...

-Sleep regressions are laughable to you, because your child came out of the womb regressed.

-Your Google search history has things like, “normal baby sleep patterns”, “is my baby broken?”, “will my baby ever sleep?”, “can a 12 month old actually be a nocturnal creature?” and “how much is a plane ticket to Aruba?” 

We have all faced sleepless nights, so I know every mom can relate to these, some more than others. As much as we know it’s just a season, the night feels like it will last f.o.r.e.v.e.r. I often wonder why God gave me this lot in life. My earnest prayer is that these long years of poor sleep is shaping me. As I sat with my sweet baby in my arms at nap-time today (because she absolutely didn’t want to be put down, of course), God quietly whispered to me, “this is the most important job I will ever give you and it will be the foundation for all the things I ask you to do in the future.” So I soaked in some extra cuddles, thanking God that I am able to enjoy them for this moment in time.

A Million Little Breakthroughs

I keep waiting for that breakthrough moment. Like the cinematic magic of Will Hunting’s emotional realization that its not his fault in Good Will Hunting, the moment in every rom com when the guy/girl realizes they can’t live without love as they chase it down in a fantasy filled music montage scene, or the pinnacle of sports movies when the underdog finally defeats their grossly outranked opponent in the championship game.

Community Over Cliques

Don’t you just love the English language, how we can so easily turn a word from a simple definition into a cultural cuss word. As soon as you hear the word clique I’m sure vivid images come to mind, whether it’s a memory of a moment you felt excluded or maybe a scene from Mean Girls is playing in your mind. In rushes waves of feelings, and usually not pleasant ones.

Breaking Up With Convictions

Sometimes I just want to scream, “ENOUGH ALREADY, I AM DONE WITH ALL THE CONVICTION!” As I press the rewind button and review how its all unfolding I realize I am swiping up, dismissing the Holy Spirit, and falling back into the trap of comfortably doing it alone. In the Psalms David gives us a grave warning about this, “You refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash.” Ouch, I send God to voicemail so often my mailbox is full!