Love in Action Journey

Hello 2016 ... and hello JOY. Every year I seek a word that I can be mindful of growing and practicing in my life. This year I am being more mindful to CHOOSE JOY. I say "choose", because joy is so much more than just a feeling that randomly comes and goes. I believe it is a powerful choice that we can choose to embrace and welcome even in tough moments and situations.  Just yesterday my husband taught in church around the verse from Hebrews 12:1-2 which shares "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him , He endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat sown at the right hand of the throne of God." These 2 verses can be such an encouragement to us. Every day we are running the race of life. God in ...

There are times in our lives when it feels as if the cup falls from our hands and to our sorrow we see it crack or break. For some this could be dealing with disappointment, job loss, disability, injustice, betrayal and for others it could be loss or trauma. It was in a time like that in my own life where God taught me some really precious things that allowed me to see Jesus even more clearly than I had ever seen Him before …  as the master potter, craftsman and mender of my own heart. It was 4 years ago for me when I watched in slow motion as the beautiful cup that I treasured slowly fell and broke into what seemed to me like thousands of broken shards. My husband and I walked through what we thought was unthinkable … the loss of our precious little boy. Negotiating the pain of our own loss and the added hurt of seeing the loss and pain of our 2 little girls broke our hearts. But what I came to experience was a journey and a legacy that precious Jesus had entrusted to us … ...

I've been having one of this weeks where I'm not feeling 100% (getting over a head cold), and when I'm like this ... just one little piece of chocolate is most definitely not enough ;0) It's cold, I'm at home and all I can think of is the cookie jar and sweetie tin which is safely housed in my sweetie cupboard. Yes you heard me right ... in this house we most definitely have a sweetie cupboard. It was the first cupboard that was created and filled on my first grocery shop 18 years ago when I got married. I wish I could have captured Brett's face on camera that first shop. The man was shell shocked as he stood by and watched me put chocolate after chocolate into the cart. (I had not informed him about the sweetie cupboard quite yet). Here he was panicking that his petite little bride had big time plans on doubling in size. (hee hee) I calmly assured him that of course I planned on sharing :0) I have continued to explain to him over the years that the sweetie cup...

I don't know about you, but for me one of the giants that I tackle every now and then is self-doubt. Its that inner wrestle of how I could have or should have handled certain moments better than I did. Or the inner chiding that I should be doing more than what I am already doing ... or sometimes rather the fear that maybe I am not the best person for the job that has been given to me. Camp long enough in that headspace and you can really start to feel down. I was having one of those melancholy moments yesterday when the gem-of-a-husband that I have gave me a 2 minute pep talk and a big hug and all of a sudden the dark cloud above my head began to clear. Encouraging words and a heartfelt hug always bring hope and perspective back to the heart. As I was mulling over my feelings from yesterday I just had it on my heart to encourage you today. When is the last time you took a moment to appreciate and accept the gift that God made you to be? It sounds a funny thing to say, but ho...

Oh my goodness ... why this feels like a familiar place ;)  It's been absolute ages since I have blogged and yet somehow this little corner of blog-land feels like home. I may not get here very often, but when I do, I feel my heart begin to smile as thoughts start to flow from my heart. When I started thinking of all the many explanations and excuses I could make for my lack of postings here on my blog, I finally just stopped as one word in particular stood out in my mind ... the word " Seasons ". I had the opportunity almost 2 years ago to sit in a talk by a woman of God that I greatly admire. Her name is Sally. She and her husband have lived as missionaries for over 40 years and are amongst the most humble people I have met. They have been willing to go to places that I would never have dared to go to show love and share the goodness of God to those who are searching. The little talk she shared was simply her sharing her heart with a room full of ladies some of the...

Lately I have loved seeing on Facebook how many people are practicing the gift of thankfulness with their commitment to "100 days of giving thanks". When we really take a moment to look at our lives, so many of the relationships, memories or things that can so easily skip our notice in the busy-ness of life all of a sudden shine out as precious gifts. Things that we take for granted are finally seen as precious treasures. Thanksgiving is such a powerful principle to release joy in our lives. I can't help but smile or giggle when I read many of the comments. It has the incredible ability to encourage, uplift and release honour to those around us. No wonder there are so many incredible passages in the bible encouraging us to give thanks. It lifts our eyes off the heaviness that can so easily weigh us down and re-focuses us on just how kind and good God truly is in our lives by surrounding us with people who love and "get us".  Something that I am truly thankf...

Dear Zac, Today is another significant day for us as your family. Yesterday would have been your 3rd birthday and today your "Heavenly birthday". While we have come a long way from the excruciating pain of loss, our hearts still miss you dearly. It comforts my heart as your mom to write out the thoughts in my heart and take the time to sit and remember the precious moments entrusted to us through the time Father God gave us with you. I like to imagine our precious Jesus holding you in His lap reading you my letter ;0) I know where you are and have peace in that, but man how I long for even just a tiny little glimpse of the sweet little toddler that you have blossomed into in Heaven and just one more beloved snuggle. I continue to write out my heart, because over these last 3 years I have come to meet many other precious moms and dads who are hurting from walking similar journeys. My prayer is that the healing that Father God has so graciously been working out in our hearts...