A word for my evening

My friend, you are precious to God. If there are areas of your life where you are bound and captive, bow before Jesus Christ and ask Him to set you free. Get to know the Lord as your best friend and he will never let you down.

Brother Yun - Living Water

Favorites

I love when Abel gets the little smile that happens when he's trying so badly to hold it back. It's closed mouth and reaches wide across his face. I have yet to get an adequate picture of that precious little jewel.

I love getting my hair played with, cut, or accidentally touched when someone is scratching my back.

I value and also have fear of those brief moments when I realize how fragile we are walking around in these temporary bodies. But, at this moment I'm reminded of how invincible are our souls. Cool.

I love Carl's Jr. chocolate chip cookies, but I really don't like anything else about that place.

I have a new found love for horchata. Honestly, I feel like Starbucks could put it in a fancy clear cup, name it something froofy, and make millions.

I love Helga, our body pillow. She was introduced to our bed when I was pregnant and couldn't enjoy sleep anymore without her help. Since the pregnancy, Rob has stolen her and we have renamed her Olaf.

I love freckles. When I was little I used to take an eyebrow pencil and try to darken mine and make more.

Our consolation

Yesterday I was reminded in Brother Yun's Living Water that God is always on the throne and nothing takes him by surprise. Whether or not he causes things to happen, he is still in control of all things in the past, present, and future.

Rob and I have had to remind each other of this truth at least four times today. Today wisdom and trust will be displayed in how well we can let go or jump in depending on the Lord's leading.

Welcome Back

Three seemingly unrelated things:

1. I realize that I've totally let this blog go in the last couple of months. But now I'm inspired again to begin writing.

2. In the last year I've grown in the Lord in some ways and slipped back in others. I've grown in my faith in the workings of the Holy Spirit. I've slipped in my discipline to be in the Word and prayer regularly. I try to blame it on mommyhood, but really it's a lack of discipline and a "losing of my first love" - Rev. 2:4-5. Obviously this is not ok. I'm very motivated right now to repent and begin doing the things I did at first, which is really simply being in the word and prayer regularly.

I read today in Living Water that God only uses those who are in intimate relationship to him. I totally agree. I think I've been used less and less as I've let my love grow cold.

3. I'm hungry to see the power of the Holy Spirit. I've tasted it, but I want to see it all around me. I've seen someone be miraculously healed. Rob has met a man who God used to raise a young girl from the dead. I know people who have stormed the gates of hell in Mount Carmel-like prayer battles - and won! I've met a man who was healed of insanity.

So, yes, I've tasted. But, I read in Acts 1:8 "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." I read a book called Defeating Dark Angels that tells the story of a born again woman who used to be involved in the occult. At that time, she had the ability to sense people's spiritual power. She recounts that they could always discern who the Christians were because they had the most spiritual power out of everyone. However, they were rarely intimidated because Christians don't know how to use the power they've been given.

I'm ready for that reality to come to an end and the power of the Holy Spirit to be the well-known characteristic of every believer.