Even the Little Things

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Kristin

Yesterday was a rough day.

It started out with me waking up at 4:30 in the morning with a terrible headache.

I get a bad headache a couple of times a month usually, and they usually last a couple of days. Typically I can take 1 excedrine, or use a little peppermint oil and it goes away. I have tried all sorts of things for headaches over the years and found many options ineffective.

So when I woke yesterday I took 1 pill and went back to bed for an hour and thought when I got up it would be gone.

But it wasn’t and it was really bad. Another pill, some oil, some Ibuprophen…massaging my temples. Nothing was working.

I reached out to a group of friends that was going to be meeting over the lunch hour to pray for our God-sized Dream team. Each Tuesday several women gather over Google Hangout and pray for the team. It is such a gift to have people praying for you and there is power when they are gathered.

I asked for prayer for my headache. And then forgot that I had even made the prayer request.

Over lunch I noticed that the headache just stopped. I figured that the meds must have finally kicked in. But it was gone and honestly it didn’t return for the rest of the day. This isn’t typical for me. When I get a bad headache like this it will come back, it will last into the evening, it will be there in the morning when I wake up. For at least 2 days, sometimes 3.

Last night I got a boxer from my friend Christine and in it she reminded me that they prayed for my headache….at approximately 1:45 EST. I was having lunch at that exact time (CST)….

During the exact moments that my dear sisters were lifting me up in prayer I was finally feeling relief.

When Christine left that message I just had chills.

He hears our prayers. No they aren’t always answered in the time frame that we would hope…or even with the answer we are looking for. But sometimes we see an immediate answer….and yesterday was one of those times.

I am just so grateful.

Grateful that I have faithful friends that are willing to stand in the gap for me and lift me up in prayer.

Grateful that God loves me enough to hear and respond to even the little things like a bad headache.

I am not sure where you find yourself this morning….struggling with a bad headache, or maybe something even bigger.

I want you to hear just this one thing today – God hears your prayers, even the little things. He hears them. It is worth our time to keep lifting them up. And when we see answers – share it with others!

Give God the credit for how He loves us!

Last night I jumped on our FB group page to thank the women who prayed for being faithful. We need to be faithful in the praying, but also faithful in the praising of God when we see the answers come!

God, thank you. Thank you for hearing, for healing and for loving me so much. Even in the little things. I am awake this morning pain free and praising You and grateful for my faithful sisters who stand in the gap for me.

Do you have a prayer need that I can be praying about today? Please leave them in the comments and I will be lifting you up in prayer today!!

Joining my dear friend Holley in her #2014EncouragementChallenge. Sharing words of encouragement and hope each week! We’d love for you to join in on the fun!!

Photo Credit: Zach Alexander

God’s Amazing World – Giveaway!

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Kristin

I love books. And I especially love children’s books that are fun to look at and teach a good message. I was given the opportunity to review “God’s Amazing World!” by Eileen Spinelli and Ideals Books.

My children look at the world differently that I do at times.

They can see the beauty that I take for granted, they find wonder in the bugs that are crawling in the grass and the birds that are in the air. When I think of all the things that God created I am amazed. How often do I miss it though?!

But God, He thought of everything!

And what a story to share with your children. The way in which God created us, this world and everything in it. When we give our children God’s words, His stories, they keep them in their heart and remember them.

Just the other day I was talking to my 4 year old about Dominic having to work late and feeling bad that he was alone and Elijah said “He isn’t alone silly, he is never alone because he has God in his heart.” I had said that very thing to him weeks before when he said he was feeling lonely.

Our children are listening and remember what we say. What a better way to give them truth than in a book about God’s Amazing World?!

I love that because Gabriel is old enough to read on his own he can help read to his brother and sister. While they were listening, the minute I wanted to take a picture they wouldn’t sit on the couch, of course! 😉

In God’s Amazing World! “Gracie and her cousin Bo explore the seven days of Creation, all without leaving the backyard!”

The pictures are beautiful and as they discover each new day and what God created special for that day, kids are not only learning about the Creation story, but also about seeing God’s hand in everything around them. Even in their own backyard!

This book is a new favorite and we have read it over and over again! I am very excited because Flyby Promotions has given me an extra copy to give away to one of my readers!! If you have children you will want to enter this!! Just leave a comment below and tell me what is your favorite children’s book?! A winner will be chosen on Monday March 31st! #ShareAMoment

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“You Love Me Anyway”

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Kristin

We are in the season of Lent…anticipating the Easter celebration that will come in a few weeks, the culmination of the Christ story, the fulfillment of God’s promises.

But are we living out that gift of life that was given to us on a daily basis?

We are studying Revelation in church right now and it is very interesting and scary stuff. Scary for those that will be left behind. We see in greater detail God’s wrath on a fallen world.

But still there is hope in the story.

God, in His loving mercy, sent His only Son as a way out. Payment for our sins. God wants all to know Him and accept this gift of grace.

But do we live in that grace?

I have been a believer for a long time. I have also had a very skewed view of what that means. I am a failure at being a good Christian most days. I am not kind and loving with my family at times, I can talk about faith but don’t always live it out well, I am a hypocrite, 100%.

So who am I to stand here, writing about the grace and mercy of God?!

Those are lies that the enemy whispers to me often. Do you hear them as well?

Our pastor shared something at the end of his sermon on Sunday that really struck a chord in me and I just felt like I needed to share it here today. Maybe you find yourself in this very place as well….

As Christians we often hold ourselves to a kind of “to-do” list to keep us saved. Get up early for prayer time or Bible study, pray pray pray, go to church…etc.

All of these things are great. They keep us in communication with God, help build that personal relationship with Him that He so desires.

But it doesn’t keep us saved.

Christ’s shedding of blood on the cross is what was the ultimate payment, the covering we all need to remain in the presence of God for eternity.

I accepted this gift, and committed to walking in relationship with God but what happens on those days that I really need to sleep in and skip my quiet time? What about those times that I forget to pray for my husband and children? Or those times that I am selfish and ungrateful?

How could God possibly love a sinner like me?

And THAT is the point friends….

He doesn’t love us any less when we aren’t playing the Christian “part” to perfection!

God loved me so much (knowing EVERY sin that I would commit) that before I was even born He sacrificed His ONLY Son to die a painful and unimaginable death on a cross, so that the shedding of blood would be an eternal covering for me, if I would just accept the gift.

How powerful is that?!

It isn’t what I do, or blog about, or how often I get up and do a BIble study….He doesn’t love me for those reasons….and He doesn’t love me less in those times that I fail.

God loves unconditionally.

I can’t even fully grasp what that means because as a human, and a failure, I don’t know how to love unconditionally…I put conditions on my love all the time – even if I am not trying to do so….I think a hint of it is always there.

But God, in His great grace, pours out His love on us no matter what!

We should be walking in freedom friends!

Accepting this gift for what it is. A love offering from a God that cares more for us than we can even imagine. I am not going to loose His love when I fail…no, I already have His heart 100%. And so do you.

So start living in that redemption. It is your free gift to accept. And stop believing the lies that because you fail, that you have lost God’s favor. Your failures are the exact reason we have the cross.

A beautiful song the represents this is “You Love Me Anyway” by Sidewalk Prophets. Let the words fill your soul with hope today and walk in freedom because He loves you!

I am joining Holley for her #2014EncouragementChallenge. If you need some encouragement jump on over here and join the fun!

Photo Credit: www.ForestWander.com

Looking for God in a Billboard Sign

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Kristin

In the early 90’s there was a movie called L.A. Story. Steve Martin played this man who was trying to find love and somehow had a “talking billboard” that helped guide him along the way.

I haven’t ever forgotten that movie, not because it was filled with amazing acting or special effects….no I can relate to wanting to have a message spelled out to me, in BIG letters, an unmistakable message from God.

Really how easy would that make life?!

Driving down the road in prayer time and asking God for direction….then you pass one of those large electronic billboards and your answer appears.

Talk about a burning bush kind of moment! How could I argue God’s direction if it were plastered on a billboard just for me?!

As I thought about that again tonight I realized that while that scenario might seem like it would be perfect….where does that put me in my relationship with God?

What happens to faith and trust when we are just looking for answers and being unwilling to move forward until we find them?

I am realizing that those times when I have faced the unknown, the times that I have to trust God’s love and provision for me and my family even when I can’t see or feel it right at that moment, are the times that I am closest to God.

It is those desperate moments, those intimate moments, those on my knees grateful and shaking my head in unbelief moments, that bring me to the feet of my Savior.

I can look back at all the times I cried out to God and said “Why won’t you just tell me already what Your plan is God?”….and while I didn’t get my answer plastered across a billboard, I found myself clinging to a glimmer of hope. Hope that He would make sense of it for me some day.

Time and time again God has taken the darkest most unredeemable moments of my life and transformed them. (<==== Click to Tweet)

If He had just flashed an answer that “it will be ok, don’t worry”….would I have missed the beauty that resulted?

I miss it all the time….His grace. I forget how much we have been through, how much we have changed and all the things we have to be grateful for.

There are still times of doubt. I am human and I have a huge problem with trust and fear. I have spent years waiting for the “other shoe to drop”.

Do you live in that place as well friend?

Just waiting for the next bad thing to happen, another disappointment or let down. Maybe it is a rejection letter, or another missed promotion. A job opportunity you were certain would be yours only to find that it was given to someone less qualified. You question the dreams you thought you would be chasing by now and wonder if maybe you are too old to dream big.

While an electronic billboard sign might be the easy way out…..I think that ultimately the journey to the discovery of all that God has planned for you would be so much less sweet.

When I start looking for who God is in His Word I start to find all the answers that I need. I start to see how parts of Naomi’s story, or Ruth’s are much like my own. I am encouraged by John and find myself relating to Thomas.

God used people, broken just like I am, to be an example for me today.

What if part of His plan for me is that someday, in the future, my words might be used to do the same for someone else?

Talk about God-sized dreaming!

So I carry on….we are called to be a light here, to share His good news with the world. I don’t do it perfectly and time and time again I find myself in doubt over His plan. But we must keep walking forward in faith.

The route may change, but it doesn’t mean that it is wrong. So today I am enjoying the journey and wow is it amazing!

I have the joy of linking up with my God-sized Dream sisters today…will you join us here?!

Photo Credit: jbcurio

Making the Tough Decisions

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Kristin

Elijah is our 3rd son and the only one of our kids to be born in the summer months. Isaac and Gabriel were both fall babies and Karlena is my Christmas girl.

Elijah has been going to this wonderful preschool for the past year and 1/2. This year they had 2 full days and a 1/2 day of school. He LOVES school. He seems to be outgrowing the daycare setting and I felt like he really should go to kindergarten next year since he turns 5 in May.

Dominic also has a May birthday and he did go to school as a young 5 year old. He was always the youngest and the smallest. He remembers not being able to get his Presidential Fitness Patch because he was too young, even though he had passed all of the tests. Not getting his driver’s license when all his friends were able to….

Dominic had pretty strong feelings about keeping him back a year, based on his experience. I had pretty strong feelings about moving him forward, and if I am honest it was mostly because my sister’s daughter is the same age (they were born 10 days apart) and I know she will be moving forward this fall and I have been worried about the fact that they will celebrate the same birthday’s but at some point will recognize that they are in different grades.

I had e-mailed his teachers a few weeks ago asking them if they felt he was ready for kindergarten next year. And today we had conferences today at Elijah’s preschool.

Academically they think he would probably be just fine if he moved ahead. But being a boy, and an active one who really needs to be able to play and move around, they felt he might get frustrated in the super structured environment of kindergarten. Apparently they are getting down to some serious business there these days. 🙂

Both teachers have children of their own that went through similar circumstances. Both held one back and not another…and both recognized that later in their schooling careers the ones they didn’t hold back probably would have benefitted from it if they had.

Then we found out that there were going to be full time classes available M/W and T/Th, along with the fun Friday 1/2 day. By signing him up for both he will be introduced to some new curriculum in the M/W class, where he will be one of the oldest kids, and then will do some repeat learning in the T/Th class with kids his same age.

I hadn’t considered this as an option going into the meeting but as we talked about it I felt such a peace about it.

While it may always bother me a bit that my niece is in the grade above him…I am guessing based on who Elijah is, he won’t be bothered a bit! 🙂

Ultimately we needed to make the decision that is best for Elijah. This also means that he and Karlena will likely be only a year apart in school going forward since she is a December birthday!

Decisions like this are difficult and as parents we may make mistakes. I have learned that I need to be open to the opinions of others and willing to give up my selfish reasons for making a decision and choose what is best for my family.

Have you had to make a similar decision? I’d love to hear how you worked through it and what you learned!