by Kimberly | Oct 10, 2014 | glory and grace
God is strong, and he wants you strong.
So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials.
And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything
the Devil throws your way.
Ephesians 6 – The Message
Are you ever weak in your faith? Do you ever wonder what God has in store for you? Are you tempted to doubt?
I have these thoughts. I know many ladies who fight every day to believe that God is their BEST!
I love knowing that God is true to His Word!
by Kimberly | Oct 9, 2014 | glory and grace
Do you love where you live?
I mean the actual place you live – your home.
Right now our home seems a bit unsettling to me. Its 1000sqft smaller than our home in Little Rock. Its temporary. We’re renting. We’ve too much stuff for our space, but don’t want to sell it because when we move, we’ll need it. Ack! Anyway, my unsettledness in our home makes me think of how I want to be so settled in at home with God – like this verse says!
by Kimberly | Oct 9, 2014 | 31days, hymns
I’ve been reading the Bible lately and all the personal pronouns are jumping out. So, when thinking through what hymn to do today – this is the one I started singing in my head.
If Jesus is your Savior – He HAS to be personal to you. You can’t keep Jesus at a distance. He longs to be there, right with you – all the time. And the Spirit lives in you to make that happen.
This song, as a hymn, builds in power when being sung. You can’t help but meditating on the first few stanzas than singing at the top of your lungs the last one. I love it. And I have a deep desire for the Church to sing this with hands lifted high, smile on their faces, head flung backwards, gaze lifted upward.
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
by Kimberly | Oct 9, 2014 | creatives, Uncategorized
When I wake up in the morning – I stare at the bits of light streaming through our mostly-closed blinds. I see creativity. When I settle in for the evenings, I peak out and see the moon winking down on all the city. I see creativity. When I stare into the blue eyes of both my babies and see the wonder and excitement about everything that life will hold. I see creativity. When I scroll through bloglovin and see the many faces and pictures of blog posts that I read – of people I know and don’t know. I see creativity.
I would say the first passion in creativity that I had was music. Piano playing and voice. I wanted to be Barbara Mandrell – and thank goodness I’m not. I did sing on the stage at the Strawberry Festival – but that was a lifetime ago.
The next was photography. I took pictures of everywhere and everything and everyone in high school. That’s why I was class historian and presented a scrapbook of our class to the school upon our graduation ceremony.
The next was cooking. I seriously had cooked and grocery shopped as long as I could remember, but not until college did I love doing it for other people.
I didn’t come to love writing until seminary. In high school I was definitely NOT encouraged in my writing ability – and therefore never though I could write. And even now, sometimes discouragement sets in, sometimes I remember that I helped create a curriculum and wrote for it the first year – and I remember that we all have a writing style.
Here are the ways I engage in creativity today:
Photography: here is a goal (thinking through my place in life) – I want to continue to take photos and learn and save and do shoots – for the end goal of not only capturing moments and people – but starting a small business when the boys start school. I don’t have the time to do a small business now, but I can learn all I can for the next 3 years.
Snail Mail: lettering, art, and notecard making is an outlet of creativity. I love it. And it brightens mailboxes on other street corners.
Cooking: I still love to cook, plate, and photograph food. It is something I have to do, but MOST days it is also something I like to do. I love introducing my men to new foods. I love making yumminess for other families as a blessing.
Writing: I still do write. Maybe I don’t get paid – but I write devotionally. I would like to get better at food writing. I think all of writing is gift and practice. My brother is a great writer. I know many other great writers – and they all have a style that is all their own. Embrace it!
How do you engage in creativity – no matter the life you lead or the time restraints you have?
by Kimberly | Oct 8, 2014 | Link Love, Women
You know, I started this whole post because of the first link.
Yes, I did.
And hopefully I will be making for Eric to have as his littles and wife leave him next week to visit some friends out of state.
This glazed pumpkin pound cake. Yes please. Maybe he will save me a piece!
Speaking of traveling, my little transportation geek would love this as we make road trips now!
So tempted to make these as one of the three seperate desserts I need to make to celebrate Sebastian’s one year birthday next week.
This is most interesting especially since hearing Christine Caine speak at The Grove last month – has any reformed gospel conservative had any thoughts on this program being started at Liberty?
by Kimberly | Oct 8, 2014 | 31days, hymns
I’m reminded even as I write this that I’m not the only person learning this truth today. God is in the business of bringing himself much glory through our lives – and we rejoice that His name will be made great.
I got to tell of the provision that God made today to the officer who came to the house to fill our the police report.
This is an old hymn that I don’t even know but the words are great (what do I expect from John Newton). I pray that the words are a blessing to you today, dear friend, as well.
When Satan appears to stop up our path,
He fills us with fears, but won’t lose our faith;
He cannot take from us though hard he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise, the Lord will provide.
In the midst of this morning’s wallet fiasco, I yelled at Elijah, I cried to my husband, I was short with some ladies at Bible study, I was impatient. Blah.
God is good and his grace abounds.
by Kimberly | Oct 8, 2014 | Bible, glory and grace
Steep your life in”
God-reality
God-initiative
God-provisions
Don’t worry about missing out.
You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Matthew 6 – The Message
I’ve learned a lot about having needs and having every single one of them met through God’s gracious giving heart and the people He uses to meet those needs.
Our life is rich. Even when my wallet got stolen.
by Kimberly | Oct 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
What a morning? Let me back up – what a 24 hours!
Real life: my mister and I didn’t have the best 24 hours in communicating about finances. God is good. Communication is good. A husband who pursues wholeness in our marriage is good. Thankful for him.
More than once he’s asked me not to leave my wallet in the car. I’ve ALWAYS left my wallet in the car (please don’t lecture me). Never have had a problem. This morning, I go to get in my car and notice a random hot pink knit glove in my seat. I have little boys, not a teenage girl. I thought maybe I’d picked it up from the gym somehow or one of the boys had. Then I got to McDonalds to get a Diet Coke to drink during Bible Study. No wallet. Sorry McDonald’s drive thru lady. Screaming boys because they weren’t going to get any coke. Call my husband who is in a meeting. Look briefly in the house but know its not there. Realize I’d probably left the car unlocked last night because of several trips I made to the car. Looked for my emergency cash stash and that was gone too.
Seriously. Right after having hard conversations about finances? Really, Lord?
Well, this is what I have learned in the last 4 hours:
1. God will never tell a child He loves I Told You So. He doesn’t spitefully throw our sins back in our faces. He doesn’t haughtily say that He is right (which He always is). He lovingly graces us with his continual presence even when we fail. Oh the joy and assurance of the gospel. My husband didn’t tell me I told you so. He graciously waited where he was till I got there so I could have 2$ in cash for the day. He called all of our credit cards and the cops to get the ball rolling for a police report. All of this while fighting ATL traffic on his way to work. I really just wanted him to tell me I Told You So and get it over with so I could have my punishment and go on with my day. Oh, the last words he said to me as he walked toward his car was “go in grace.” Oh, how he loves me – because Jesus loves him!
2. Acts 2 is graciously lived out in our local church body. I had just gotten our cash envelope for the week of groceries. Gone. This morning – God is so gracious. Thank you ladies for your gracious giving and your prayers. It was a tough morning. God is good.
3. God has told us He will provide for all of our needs! Matthew 6 tells us many of the things that we could and often do worry about – and how God has commanded us not to because he is faithful. He is faithful.
4. Also, a lady in our Bible study group this morning asked the question of how will Christ be exalted every moment of our lives. I then mentioned this incident this morning. I wondered if I have the opportunity to meet the young girl who stole my wallet how I will respond. How will I show her Jesus? I thought of her as I drove to church this morning: does she have parents who care? Does she know Jesus? Is she dealing with guilt that only Jesus can remove? Why did she feel the need to steal my wallet? What will she turn out to be when she grows up? Oh, Father – change her heart, right now!
Do I believe God?
by Kimberly | Oct 8, 2014 | marriage, Uncategorized
Today, we celebrate.
Today marks the day that my Mister and I have been married three years.
In some ways it seems like a lifetime (just the past 6 months seems like a lifetime ago), and in some ways it seems like we’ve just begun. Instead of writing a thank you card to my love to tell you all of his wonderful qualities – which the list would go on forever – I though I would tell you three things (for three years) that we are learning to pursue in marriage.
Pursue: to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish – especially over the long haul or for the duration
Pursue Intimacy. This isn’t just sex – though pursuing sex with your spouse is definitely wonderful and a lovely gift from God. But, beyond that – pursue knowing each other, pursue dreaming together, pursue hand holding, pursuit snuggling, pursue date nights (without the kids), pursue the little things that make each other smile. Pursue Intimacy.
Pursue Love. This may seem crazy that we would have to pursue that as we journey together in this thing called marriage, but believe me, it is so much harder than I ever thought. 3 years ago, a great friend of ours Landis read that (for memory) 1 Corinthians 13. I thought oh, I know this. But, then I got to review Ryken’s book on Love and then read it with some ladies in Little Rock – and I fail miserably at this…DAILY! Pursue forgiveness. Pursue putting the other first. Pursue not thinking of yourself. Pursue patience…when the days are long and they get even longer when traffic is bad. Pursue giving. Pursue the One who enables you to love.
Pursue Holiness. Set apartness. Pursue that with each other. You are not for anyone else…you are for your spouse. Your eye should not go in any other direction but that of your spouse. Something I say to Elijah all the time when it comes to helping him obey are : “Don’t even look at sin.” and “I’m helping you make a wise decision” Both of those apply to being married. Don’t look at sing. And help each other make wise decisions when it comes to pursuing holiness.
And the one thing I’ve learned the most in three years of marriage: my holiness and the holiness of our marriage is only by GOD. His Son Jesus imparted His righteousness to us. We shelter under the cross and live by the power of the risen Christ and the empty tomb.
Therein lies the strength of our marriage.
Photo props to GreenFlash Productions
Here’s to a number of years more, my Love. Happy Anniversary
by Kimberly | Oct 7, 2014 | 31days, hymns
Hymn number 205.
Growing up in a small country church we had times where we could just yell out numbers and that’s the song we would sing. My Mom loved this song – and therefore I loved it. (The link is to an Alison Krauss version of it).
It was great in the teenage years – because you never know what your life is going to hold.
It was great in college years – because the rest of your life seems so hopefully and scary at the same time
It was great in the seminary years – because who in the world am I going to marry and will I ever get my dream job?
It was great in the rough years – because it made me remember the faithfulness of God.
It was great in the dream job years – because only He knew if the writing I did would be accepted and successful (which it was).
It was great when I was courting my now Mister – because He knew His great plan for us as a couple and as a family.
It was great in pregnancy years – because He knew that He formed the boys growing in my belly.
It is great in the unknown future phase we are in right now – and in the parenting phase – and in the daily life with toddlers phase – because He is faithful and knows all things.
I’m thankful for old hymns.
