Praises of a Wife and Mommy

 One sweet surprise during this healing journey has been the gift of a paint by number set. On the days when the house was quiet—when everyone else was gone—it became a lifeline for me. I’d turn up the worship music, pick up my brush, and just sing, paint, and cry before Jesus.  There’s something so comforting about those moments. The act of painting slowed me down, the worship reminded me I wasn’t alone, and the tears reminded me I was safe in His presence. Sometimes it was just me, the Lord, and the canvas—and honestly, those were some of the most intimate times of prayer I’ve ever had.  I ended up painting red flowers , and as they came to life on the canvas, I couldn’t help but think of the blood of Jesus that makes all things new. The flowers were beautiful, but even more beautiful was the reminder that He brings beauty out of pain, joy out of mourning, and healing out of brokenness.    Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and sav...

  “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” — Colossians 1:17 (NIV) One of the hardest parts of this healing journey has been learning how to be still. If you know me, you know I love to stay active. I wear a Garmin watch and get excited about hitting high step counts and joining step challenges. Having that taken away from me—literally not being able to walk—has been harder than I ever imagined. And to be honest, I don’t think anyone can fully prepare you for the mental side of surgery recovery. It’s tough physically, yes, but when the house is quiet and my family is gone at work or school, the battle in my mind is even harder. In those moments, the only real option I’ve had is to lean into the Lord—crying out to Him, resting in His promises, and letting Him meet me in the silence. One song that has carried me is “Quiet” by Elevation Worship. The lyrics remind me that I am not alone in my healing. God is always near. A few lines that have been my prayer...

One of the sweetest gifts God has given me during this season of healing has been worship. Music has always had a way of reaching deep into the soul, but in this journey of injury, surgery, and recovery, I’ve experienced it in a whole new way. I’ve been especially encouraged by artists who have walked through their own valleys and allowed their pain to become praise. Forest Frank and David Crowder—both of whom have walked through healing journeys—teamed up to write a song that has touched me deeply. Seeing the Body of Christ come together in unity, sharing testimonies of God’s goodness even in pain, has been a powerful reminder that we are never alone. During the long days of waiting and the restless nights, I’ve had these songs on repeat: Forest Frank – Lemonade This song reminded me that God can take even the sourest seasons of life and bring something sweet out of them.   Forest Frank – Selah  “Selah” became a pause button for my heart—an invitation to rest, breathe, ...

What should the pastors do when Covid-19 shuts down the church building?   Well we made a tent in the middle of the sanctuary and watched inside with comfy pillows and blankets.   It was more like the balloon said, "Party."   We turned lemons into lemonade!  While my husband was not used to preaching to a quiet room we still provided distractions having the tent in the middle of the room.  

How old am I again?  Thirty something!   Darn Covid-19 has us getting creative for my birthday too  It truly was a great day for me.  We had takeout from a new Mexican restaurant. Then I had sweet notes and a dance party!   The dance party even had amazing glow balloons!  Then we followed it up with some praise and Worship time!  It was a great day!     

Take some time to spend with your Father!  :) 

I have always enjoyed Jeremy Camp, he has a great testimony!

So after cheering on the Packers last night I started thinking about how I was cheering and reflecting to make sure that I WORSHIP JESUS with that same enthusiasm and heart!  Overall I think I give my heart to God when I worship but I do think there are times when I sit back and never fully enter in to worship.   So what is worship to me??   Worship is an intimate experience with my daddy!  For me it is a great way to communicate with Him! Of course praising him and giving him the Glory he deserves but also surrendering everything else that could be taking my attention off of  him. Its a time to focus everything i have on him, to praise him, to listen to him, to see him, to receive comfort, to pray, to reflect on what he is, what he has done. Its a time where he reveals things to me, gets my heart in check or listen to his voice on direction. Yes worship is a way of life too, I truly enjoy singing and humming around the house praising him while doing my othe...