That Low Place

There are times in our lives when each moment is difficult...we look to The Lord during these times for our strength to make it through the moments.  We dig down deep to find the joy in the deep places of ourselves-down past the hardships, the sadness for what we have lost and still it comes...the perfect peace, the ability to pick each other up in the mire and challenge and cheer each other to go on.  Questioning why we are here and wondering if we choose to go on...charging through hard, making tough decisions, walking the balancing act, asking for help...hard...it can be hard.

Sometimes, we rush into change and sometimes we don't understand why we have to drastically alter our course but we do it anyway with great fear asking for God to chart our future... The one who sees our future where these things will be past, we will be refined by His fire,and God will be glorified for holding us up and wrapping his loving arms around us.

Humbled

and

crying out to The Lord

for answers to difficult questions....

What seemed for so long ---deafening silence to our pleas...the flood gates of answered prayers.  A place to start the healing...a safe place....

Are we strong enough? Ann Voscap says you've got to look for the glory and hunt for the grace and seize the beauty in ugly and laugh brave and defiant in the dark and you can lose everything but nothing can steal Jesus and He is enough and you have to live....you have to live...live with an outstretched hand reaching towards the Savior and live the life He has put before you.

He says he has already equipped us for what we are walking through...again digging deep to find it in ourselves.  God meeting us where we are...on our knees before His throne.  Our strength giving us the courage to go on...the courage to take the next step despite the not knowing....the courage and trusting and surrender of self...knowing we will find healing for our children, ourselves and our family.

Lord, we are yours....trusting you, walking with you, loving you...every step if the way.

Happy Easter!

Church this morning at Raymond Baptist...awesome service and music! Off to spend lunch together at Cracker Barrel.  Then heading home for an egg hunt and company coming.

He is Alive!

Happy Birthday Jessica!

Yesterday we celebrated Jess's 21st birthday! We all traveled to Bucca de Beppos to celebrate!

A Good Day

It's been a long couple of months with a lot of littles struggling. It's been a long time since we had a good day ...a really good day. But...today was just what we needed...a gift...a sweet treasure to restore our souls.

It included hard work- hauling rocks and backfill by hand to build rock walls in our hill for our garden. Everyone pitched in a bit and the work was good. We spent lots of silly moments with our horses too!  We even had a bit of energy to work them when we were done. Thank you Lord for hard work and sweet family time!

Did You Hear It?

There is Rejoicing in Heaven tonight! Did you hear them?

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10

One little girl has been asking me all week about Heaven...."mom, does everybody go to Heaven when they die?" This has been repeated for days and I

have diligently answered her....today she asked again.  This time she said, "I know I don't have Jesus in my heart because I can't have the juice at church." She connected the dots on this one herself...a new break through! I just turned to ask her if she would like to change that and she smiled and said,"Yes!" Dad was close by and he came and did some more explaining and she eagerly accepted The Lord! That my friends is why the angels are rejoicing in Heaven tonight...

Cabin Fever

It has been a long winter. I have heard that over and over this winter. We have had lots of winter storms here in the northeast but living in New England--that is par for the course.  Things like sitting near the fire warm and cozy keep us going with hopes of spring on the horizon.  Thoughts of outside activities like camping, hiking or kayaking keep our hearts happy while we shovel for the umpteenth time!

This winter, we have fared a different kind of storm. Hope has kept us going....hopes of healed minds and bodies, miracles that have kept us going when we felt like we couldn't take another step, powerful lessons from the the one that loves us most and holds us in the palm of His hands.

We see glimpses of a different kind of spring and take each delicate step in faith knowing God is going to meet us right where we are. Knowing He knows our future, has our back on all the details.

He looks to us to die to self, 

He wants us to humbly wait for his direction,

Sometimes looking to Him to sustain us for a day, or sometimes by the minute. Life is not for the faint of heart but holding onto His promises that the JOY will come...in the little things...

a phone call from a dear one,

a note of encouragement,

a chance to help someone else despite what tumbles in our lives,

the break through of words tumbling out of a toddlers mouth,

the realization of a hurting heart that they really do just have to trust God...not because mom and dad say so!

a little one asking Jesus into her heart (smile!)

a healthy report from the doctor,

an answer to prayers that a precious child has found their forever family!

The Christian life is one of change--changing to become more of what we are being called to and less of what the world has to say about it.  Changing hearts and minds to reflect Christ.  Leaning on the one who created us and trusting Him in everything. We are waiting for with great expectations of the things HE has in store for us ...joy, Hope and love...what a gift!

Isaiah 43:2

When you go through deep water, I will be with you. When you go trough rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up, the flames will not consume me.

Kiara's Dance Excitement

Yesterday we saw Kiara's dance costume and found out about her being a part of Mary Poppins. She is dancing ballet to Practically Perfect. She is so excited!