Hope

A New Week for Hope to Sing

The birds outside my window sing fortissimo this morning, like they’ve been storing up their song for a while. Like they know last week was long and held cause to pause.

I know how they feel. I bet you do, too.

We don’t get everything right in this country, but this we do: When tragedy hits us square in the jaw, our strengths blast brighter than any weakness. The heartbeat of our nation is the people inside it, and when evil touches some of us, we all mourn with those who mourn.

We are helpers, not hinderers.

Some people will use their free will to push evil onto open city streets or closed-in hiding places. But in the end, evil doesn’t get the final say. Sometimes Hope pulls back a corner and sometimes Hope charges forward with floodlights. Either way, evil comes to a grinding halt and we rejoice with those who rejoice.

Hope brings a new song.

May you hear it strong this new week.

Sing God a brand-new song!
Earth and everyone in it, sing!
Sing to God—worship God!

~ Psalm 96: 1-2 The Message

April 22, 2013 10 Comments Filed Under: Hope

Because We All Need Someone Who Creates Light and Shows Us Ours, Too

By Kristen

Rebecca and I stare transfixed by the Thomas Moran painting. I scout out the ceiling above in search of a light shining down, but there isn’t one. The light shines from the painting itself. An early American artist best known for his paintings of the American West, Thomas Moran painted light and contrast in profoundly unique ways.

How does one use color and tools to create light such as this?

Not only did Mr. Moran posses an amazing talent for painting light, but he was also gifted at removing clutter from a scene so he could paint a landscape’s natural beauty. In the painting above, entitled Green River Cliffs, Wyoming, he removed signs of the town’s commercial development so he could focus on the colorful buttes rising from the water.

In his ability to strip away all excess – the insignificant – and drench the heart of the scene in light, he was able to show us a landscape picture that reflected God’s image, His holy creation.

As I walked around the gallery, I couldn’t help but think how the most inviting people do the same. They see you the way Jesus does, beyond your hurts and imperfections. They minimize your insignificant and highlight your good.

They use tools – their words, their heart, their service, their presence – to create a light that reflects the best parts of you. They see you as the gift you are, part of God’s holy creation.

I want to be that kind of inviting person, too.

Holley Gerth writes like Thomas Moran paints. She uses the Word to drench hearts in Light, to help us see ourselves the way Jesus does. And today? Well, today she invites us to a celebration because she’s having a baby girl! A book baby girl named You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream: Opening the Door to All God Has for You. This beautiful book not only shows you how to give wings to your dream, it will personallly speak to you as it brings you to rest straight into the heart of God. It’s spiritual, practical, inspirational, and it will bless the livin’ daylights out of you like nothing else you’ve read.

{And I’m not just saying that because I’m in it, but because Holley really is our nation’s encourager-in-chief and her books are the next best thing to having her in your living room.}

Won’t you celebrate her book’s birth day by visiting here or here? And if you order You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream from DaySpring, use the code holley25 for 25% off! That makes the book around $8. Woot!

I hope you always feel welcome here, friends. Wish we could all hang out in my living room today.

Have a wonderful weekend!

March 1, 2013 10 Comments Filed Under: Authors Extraordinaire, Being a Woman, Confidence, Friendship, Hope, Writing

For the Days You Think Your Grown-Up Report Card Reads Straight F’s

By Kristen

My boots clip-clop clip-clop on the linoleum floor as I canter into the school auditorium. Today is Faith’s “Student of the Month” luncheon, and I come bearing her requested lunch treat: Subway. When I round the corner and my eyes find her, I’m surprised she looks trembly. As I set her lunch down and swing my legs under the long table, I ask what’s wrong.

Her doe-eyes clouded, she replies,

“Oh, nothing. I just thought you forgot.”

She smiles feebly in her relief.

I look at the cafeteria clock and see it reads five minutes into her lunch. Goodness. I’m five minutes late and she’s worried I forgot completely. Then again, it’s no small wonder she thinks I forgot since I completely and totally forgot both her brothers’ student of the month lunches earlier this year. My saving grace is that both middle school boys assured me that most middle school parents don’t come because mom, it’s really more of a little kid show, anyway.

The next fifteen minutes hold chatting and smiles and hugs. By the end, Faith’s eyes laugh happy. But as I make the short drive home, my mind travels back to this morning when the bickering between two of the three young’uns clawed at my head like fingernails on a chalkboard, resulting in my very unSunday school voice telling both perpetrators exactly what I thought of their behavior.

Losing patience with kids. Late for lunch. I see my parenting grade for the day.

Parenting: F

So I walk through the garage door – the one which opens to the laundry room – and see laundry laying on top of floors that need mopping next to school papers that need organizing. And really, that’s just the tip of the housework iceberg. My mind tallies up another grade for the day.

Housekeeping: F.

And I remember two nights ago, how the hubs wanted to watch a movie but I shook my no and mentioned working on my ebook with a How ’bout tomorrow night? But then tomorrow night came and I forgot it was the one night of the week where David and I are two ships passing until 10 pm. And sure enough, the next grade shows up bright red.

Wife: F

And so I step over the mess and trudge upstairs to my blue and silver workspace and open the laptop to re-read some of my own blog words. I lean back in the white chair annoyed for choosing such a poor title and ending. That post didn’t get too much traffic, so I assume others agree. And while I’m at it, I’ll just assume my grade in this area, too.

Writer: F

So I slam down the laptop and decide to go make chocolate chip cookies, because if there’s one thing I can ace, it’s cookies. As the cookies swell in the oven, I stare out the window at the whirling snow that is gaining momentum.

Why do I let a mistake or two gain momentum ’til I believe I’ve gone and flunked the entire day?

“If I do not stop and pray immediately – restating His love for me and my righteousness in Him – Satan will take my wave of sorrow as a vulnerability to accusation, and he will proceed with a hurricane of condemnation.” ~Beth Moore, Praying God’s Word.

Sometimes tsunamis come and crush hearts in seconds. But sometimes the enemy gains more ground by grabbing onto a mistake or two and using them to chip away at our hearts a little at a time. If I give him an inch, he’ll take a dozen miles while mowing down my heart like roadkill.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because thorough Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” ~ Romans 8:1

I know there are practical things I can do to show up on time and better manage all 1,982 things I do each week. But the purpose of living a Christ-filled life is to walk in the power of resurrection. I can pray Scripture and let His Word keep Satan’s lies from carving rivers in my heart that turn into canyons of condemnation.

The snow covers everything outside, and I can’t get over how my corner of the earth here gleams white and clean.

I’m thankful He does the same for my heart.

Just a reminder, tomorrow is our next out of the blue link-up! Feel free to stop by and share how God used a surprise adventure to give you joy or grow your faith.

February 27, 2013 28 Comments Filed Under: Faith in Action, Family, Grace, Hope, Prayer

When You Want to Make Your Father Proud

By Kristen

Last weekend, we loaded up the van with out family of five, a cooler full of snacks, towels, and our folding green canvas chairs. We wound our way through the northeast part of Colorado Springs before arriving at Rampart High School, the location for Faith’s swim meet. After unloading the van, we move inside the high school to find wall to wall people stacked together like pickles in a jar.

Holy crowds. Are all indoor meets going to be safety-hazards full of people?

The place was so packed – especially the pool area – that we set up camp in a hallway. We pick up a program and scout which heats Faith will swim. While we wait for her warm-ups to start, we look around at the pool. She points to the little white platforms at the opposite end of the pool and swallows hard.

“Whoa, Mama. There’s the blocks. They look awfully high.”

Faith’s practice pool doesn’t have blocks, and this first swim meet will be her baptism-by-fire experience with them.

I crouch down, patting her back,

“Don’t worry baby. It’ll be like diving off the edge. It’ll just take you a bit longer to reach the water, that’s all.”

I hope I sound convincing.

After warm-up laps in the pool, her team lines up to practice from those blocks. Faith moves to the back of the line. But even the back of the line reaches the front eventually, and so she slowly inches herself onto the block.

She bends into position, hands at the edge. Even though I’m a fair distance away, I see her take a deep breath. In one motion, she moves her arms above her head and springs forward.

She dives again and again in both warm-ups and races. And each time she jumps in, I cheer like a crazy person. I’m anxious to tell her I’m already proud of her performance.

Three hours later, Faith finishes her last swim. As we pack up our things and walk into the bright outdoor sunshine, I think about how we all did a whole lotta waiting for three minutes of swimming.

Later that night, after she’s had her fill of pizza and ice cream, I tuck Faith under her purple butterfly comforter. She wants to relive the swim meet, and I tell her again what a joy it was to watch her and how proud her family is of her.

As I snuggle in next to her, I see a picture of the Father leaning in towards His daughters, His eyes watching as our toes leave the block and we dive bravely into something new. He’s already rejoicing over us simply because we did our best, regardless of the outcome. And during the waiting, waiting, waiting – because we stand there shivering fearful or because His timing hasn’t given a divine Go! – He is anxious to have us lean into Him during all the inbetween.

And when we dwell there, He’s anxious to tell us,

“Girl, I’m already proud of your performance.”

Giveaway winner: Using random number generator, the winner of the giveaway Holley and I hosted is – believe it or not – comment number one: Carolyn Marie! Carolyn, check your inbox and get back to me. Congrats, girl!