God Goes Before Us

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Kristin

Oh friends do I have a story to tell. I wish I could share ALL the details, but for privacy reasons I won’t. But here’s the thing….the specifics don’t really matter.

Because really THIS, this is a story about God. A story in which without Him, none of it would have been possible.

I know I posted once already today but I can’t even think straight because I am so overwhelmed by God’s provisions and goodness……it just HAS to be told.

As I was getting out of the shower yesterday morning a thought came to mind that I needed to do something very specific for someone I know.

I think best in the shower (maybe it’s because it is the only time in the morning no one is awake to want or need something from me) 🙂 and this has happened before….often people are brought to mind and I figure there must be a reason I should pray for them right then.

It was an interesting thought and one that I didn’t act on immediately, for various reasons, but mostly because I was busy focusing on getting myself ready for the day. (Because in my selfish head it is all about me)

But God planted a seed at that moment….one that wouldn’t sprout for a few hours, but it was there.

Several hours later I was contacted by a friend in regards to the person I had thought about earlier that morning. That friend’s message spurred the very specific thought I had and I shared it (although it seemed just the slightest bit crazy).

We discussed it and decided to act.

A message was sent and I was pretty sure that our idea would be turned down.

And then the response. Oh the response!!!

Oh my goodness here is where it gets good friends…I am in goosebumps over it still. God is just SO good!!

A prayer had been issued out that morning for the VERY THING that had been brought to my mind hours before.

THE VERY THING.

Even more incredible to me is that because of the timing, I know that the prayer had not even been spoken before God placed the answer on my heart.

Can you feel the magnitude of that?

God loves us so much that He answers the prayers of the faithful before they have even left the lips of the ones praying.

He was already working out the details……none of us knew it at the time, but He was already in it!

Even greater than that is the fact that none of this would have been possible if so many other God-filled things had not occurred in the past year.

God knew a year ago that on January 14th 2014, He would give me a message and my friend a message that would help answer a very specific prayer that would be lifted up on THAT exact day.

God goes before us. Can you see that?!

And today I am reminded that it is my job to be open to hearing His still small voice…even if it seems like a crazy thought because He is working out the details of something magnificent.

I am selfish by nature, and I don’t always act on something when I hear it. Thankfully this time God worked in a couple of us to bring everything together. But what a reminder to me to remain watchful and then act!!!

I think I am being called to share this message, even though it lacks all the “details” because God is the only detail that really matters. He makes ALL things possible and yesterday I was blessed to be a witness to how amazing that can be.

Be listening friends, be praying, and ask God to guide you in fulfilling His plans!

Photo Credit: ankakay

You Are Loved

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Kristin

I love the picture above. Our photographer Heather captured it this fall when we had our pictures taken. When I see it, I see my sweet little princess and her daddy.

What you might not see in this picture that I do, is how fiercely independent Karlena is.

Oh ya’ll (I know I am not Southern..but this is a ya’ll moment for sure!) she is only 3 and it is so bad!

She will only let me help her on HER terms.

If I ask her to hold my hand because it is icy, she runs ahead and shows me she is fine.

She insists on peeling her own Halo oranges…even if she has to do so like this to avoid getting juice squirted in her eyes…

Nope she doesn’t need my help, unless of course she does and it is her idea – but you get the point!

And tonight as she stomped into the door after work, carrying her own bag and declaring that everything was “mine”….I had a glimpse into what God might see in me at times too.

I shouldn’t be surprised at her behavior, because haven’t I done it myself so many times?

“God I’ve got this….it’s MINE”.

“No I don’t need to tread slowly because I am going to be fine”

I race on ahead and when I slip and fall….well I wonder where was God?!

But as frustrating as Karlena can be at times, I love her fiercely too.

How could I not love her – look at her!!

And when I look at her in her pretty, purple, princess dress I imagine that is just how God sees us. Beautiful. (<==== Click to Tweet)

You see even though God knew we would sin and throw fits, we would run to unsafe places and act disrespectfully….He loved us so much that He sent His ONLY Son to die on the cross for our sins.

That ya’ll, is love 😉

So today I want you to remember how very special you are. How much God loves you, fits and all! (<==== Click to Tweet)

John 3:16-17 “¹⁶“For God so loved the world,^[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

I am joining Holley Gerth today for her Encouragement Challenge. If you need an extra dose of love hop on over and read even more encouragement!

A Love of Words

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Kristin

I have been a storyteller all my life.

Maybe not always a good one, as evidenced in some old home movies that my parents shared with us kids over Christmas! But telling stories, sharing about my life is something I have always enjoyed doing.

I have memories from long ago of an old cassette recorder that my parents had and let us use. This memory had remained pushed back into the recesses of my mind until this week.

I started thinking about what dreams I had as a child for my life, and while I couldn’t remember what those might have been, I did remember this cassette recorder.

My brother, sister and I would make recordings of our everyday life. We would sing and tell stories and laugh at how silly we thought we were.

It was an innocent time and we believed that our words mattered.

Our words were burned into those cassette tapes for all eternity (or until we erased them), but you get the point. Those tapes defined me, they were a reflection of my humor and joy, my love of music and storytelling.

But somewhere along the way, in the trials of growing up an awkward and nerdy teenager, I stopped believing that my words mattered.

In fact, at some point, I started believing the lies that I wouldn’t ever be good enough. I would never measure up and be popular. I would never make the cheer leading squad or the school musical.

I didn’t have anything special to offer.

Have you believed those lies? Can you remember a time when you felt you had a voice but don’t know how long it has been since you felt that was true?

Last week I put words to my God-sized Dream.

It was terrifying to me but I received some wonderful encouragement. Women shared that they felt the same way, they had unspoken dreams but they were being brave and taking the first step by speaking them out loud.

Oh the knee-knocking that was happening last week! 🙂

But finally taking that step and putting words to my dream was invigorating.

I could feel my “voice” coming back. That love of words that was stuffed away deep inside of me was growing in my heart.

I DO have a voice, and it matters – if to no one else – it matters to God. (<==== Click to Tweet)

So I speak because of Him! I speak on behalf of Him and I praise Him because He created me with this love of words. It was there all along, I had just forgotten about it.

I loved this excerpt from Holley’s 40 day devotional “Opening the Door to Your God-sized Dream”

“In many ways, God-sized dreaming is more about an attitude than an action. It’s living with an ongoing yes to whatever God asks of you.

It means choosing faith over fear

It means moving forward instead of holding back

It means believing God can accomplish his purposes for your life – no matter how hard things are right now.”

God has given me a love of words and has called me to share them.

It causes me fear at times and I wake most days feeling unworthy of the task. But I am holding on to the truth that He can accomplish His purposes in my life, regardless of how I feel about it! (<==== Click to Tweet)

There is freedom with that simple truth and I am thanking Him for that today!

What were the childhood desires of your heart? Can you see that God was equipping you even then to pursue your God-sized Dreams today?

Linking up today with other dreamers over at God-sized Dreams – if you blog we would love to have you come and join us in the fun!

Photo Credit: Nuscreen

Five Minute Friday – See

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Kristin

I am linking up with Lisa Jo again in 2014 for Five Minute Friday. A time when we commit to writing for just five minutes, and then link up with a community of writers who are doing the same. Will you join us?

Today’s word prompt is: SEE

It was 2010 and I thought I knew where we were headed.

Sure there were big changes and leaps of faith, but we felt confident that God had a plan and we moved forward with great anticipation.

A new job, a move away from all that we knew, a new church and new neighborhood. So much change but I felt confident that we were right where we were supposed to be.

And then in the winter of 2011 the bottom dropped out.

Unexpected unemployment – times two. Reality came crashing down around us and all I could see was darkness.

Hope was out of my reach, I only saw despair. Convinced that God had deserted us, or we had heard Him wrong in the first place I slipped into a deep depression.

How could this have happened?

But then, light.

Courage stuffing down the fear, my husband made some big decisions and a new business was formed.

I could only see the negative. I was convinced that it wouldn’t work, that all was lost.

My husband, he saw opportunity, and He trusted God had a greater plan all along.

It didn’t come easily at first, and has never been without a lot of hard work and determination. Today we are no where that I thought we would ever be. This successful business a part of our family, working together as a team now.

God provided immeasurably more than I could have ever imagined.

I couldn’t see it then, in the thick of what seemed like hopelessness.

But today my eyes have been opened to the many ways that God was at work all along. I can only fall on my knees in thankfulness and praise Him for all He has done.

“I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind, but now I see….”

Encouragement for the New Year

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Kristin

Photo Credit: QuotesEverlasting

As I sat down to write this post, hopefully the first of many, to offer a little encouragement here in the mid-week, I started to think of a word that would do just that.

Capable is what came to mind.

ca·pa·ble

adjective \ˈkā-pə-bəl, in rapid speechˈkāp-bəl\

: able to do something : having the qualities or abilities that are needed to do something

: skilled at doing something : able to do something well

How many times have you reminded yourself of how very capable you are?

If you are anything like me you may focus on all the little failures in your life, the reasons you aren’t capable and forget to look and see how amazing that you are.

Each of us was created with talents and abilities. Some of us have a nurturing spirit, others a gift for writing or singing, others are organized and some wildly creative.

While none of us are perfect, we are each capable of making a positive impact in the world around us!

Today instead of focusing on what someone else is doing better than you are – start by naming one thing that you do well.

It can be hard to name our strengths. But it is a good exercise and we need to remember that when we use our God-given capabilities, we are honoring Him.

So today I want you to say out loud – I am capable.

Every time a lie creeps in to tell you that you are not good enough – respond with “I am capable. God created me that way and today I will celebrate all He has done in me!”

And then start living in the freedom that reality will bring you. It might not be easy at first, but I promise it will be worth it.

Because you are worth it!

I am linking up today with Holley and joining Coffee for Your Heart – 2014 Encouragement Challenge. Join us each Wednesday as we dish out some love to one another.