Wide Open Spaces

I'm so very blessed by the church family God has put around me that I can trust to speak truth into my life. What a gift to have loved ones who challenge me to grow and cause to see my state and need for God.

Recently, a sweet sister came halfway around the world at a time such as it was to speak such a truth that rocked my boat and is changing my life!  Simple words spoken...faithful are the wounds of friend.  What were those blessed words that the Lord spoke directly from her lips to my heart?

People in all walks and phases of life need to feel the heart of the Lord for them and if they can't feel it from us...me...why is that?  Could it be that my "laws and principles" have made safety walls around me, barriers so to speak that can't be breached by me or anyone else for that matter.

Laws and principles I've had all my life....dos and don'ts.  I was shattered when she spoke these words to me...I saw my legalistic self.  I could live by these but I'm the one in the cage.  God was challenging me to come into an open plain and live by his grace that has no walls or barriers.

How can I reach others with the Gospel of Christ when I'm applying my laws and principles to everyone expecting them to live up to them as I do...miserably I might add.  Paul's words ring in my heart as I'm writing..You foolish Galations! Who has bewitched you?....Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Galations 3:1-5

I'm seeing in me how much I live by the law instead of Grace. But I'm encouraged because seeing it is more than half the battle and God didn't show me these things to leave me here! Praise the Lord he will bring me into great freedom like I've never known before and it's the power of His Gospel that is accomplishing this in me as I allow God to work in my heart deciding to die to my laws and principles and choose his life....freedom on an open plain of Grace!

What that looks like lived out I'm not totally sure but I've seen a glimps and I want it with all my heart! I want more!

Its ok to let go...

A friend of mine text this picture to me this week.  She lovingly visited the grave of my daughter as I know many people do. I know this because everytime I go to visit it there is something new placed along side.

Tokens of love from a community whose lives were touched and changed forever by her life and by her passing. I am so grateful to God that he knows all things and even though its hard sometimes I must trust that he knows more than me.

Us moms are special people, even after our children pass we still try to be the best mom we can be to them. We struggle and fight to keep their memory alive. Sometimes we think if we don't we're not being a good mom.

The truth is they are at peace and so we should be as well. Isaiah 57 verse 2 says, " those who walk uprightly enter into peace they find rest as they lie in death."  This got me thinking how can they walk uprightly and yet lie death at the same time?

My thoughts were taken to other scriptures in the word that speak of dying to the flesh.  In order to walk uprightly before God, we must trust in him and during that process our flesh must die. 

I had never looked at that verse that way even though I had read these scriptures (verses 1 & 2) many times to comfort me for the loss of my daughter.

Verse one is for her; verse two is for me. Much love to all you mothers who have lost your precious children.

Proverbs 3 verses 5&6 " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings; in all your ways  acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight."