A Little Announcement!

I am so excited (and very humbled) to share that I will be guest-writing a blog post for some friends of mine who are, in a few weeks, launching a new blog meant to be a collection of posts by women who are following Jesus. (Their words, not mine!) They have asked me to share our story of trying to have a baby and all that God has been teaching me in the process.

I am humbled, obviously, because anyone who desires to have me write is a total God-thing. I know me well, hence I know very well how full of sin I am! That God would use me in the midst of my ugly state is an honor; that He would make a way to allow me to share our story is a privilege.

I am also so excited for this opportunity because I realize this is God getting glory for the gifts He has given me. Let me explain!

A few weeks ago, I was exposed to some very valuable information that I have been itching to share! This is the type of information that, when really applied to our thinking, becomes a total game-changer.

Daniel and I recently made a big change in our lives in the form of leaving our church of nearly 6 years. It was a bittersweet decision; through that church I became a Christian and Daniel and I first met. To say it enabled life-change is an understatement! But, over time, we began to realize that God was leading us elsewhere, so we followed.

We have only visited one church so far, but we have enjoyed each visit thoroughly. A few weeks ago, the teaching pastor shared this message about how we can figure out God's will for our lives. He explained that in order to really begin to understand how God could use us, we should first understand the gifts He has given us: the thumbprints of God on our life.

Isaiah chapter 64 verse 8 says, "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."

Psalm chapter 139 verse 13 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Based on this scripture, this is how we can be sure that there are thumbprints on each of our lives. Our God created each of us specifically for a purpose, and He is clear in His word that His work is wonderfully made. He tells us in Isaiah that He forms us as a potter would his clay. The potter works with his hands, really getting into the substance with which he works. He sculpts and molds and does not cease until he is finished with his work. You can bet that at some point of the process, the potter's fingerprints are on his product. It is no different with God. Because He carefully formed each of us, His fingerprints - his thumbprints - are all over us! His thumbprint is clear in the ways He has gifted each of us.

Maybe you excel at art; you can transfer scenes from your memory into a beautiful image, turning a blank canvas into, truly, a work of art. Maybe you can cook very well, putting even the most famous chef to shame. Maybe you thrive when put in a leadership position, able to inspire others with little effort. Perhaps you enjoy pouring out your time and effort at the benefit of others, having been given a servant's heart. Possibly, you are great at organization or someone who makes people feel at home just by being around you. Maybe you have a beautiful singing voice, or you love to dance, or you love to write.

Whatever part of your character that comes naturally, know that this is a thumbprint of God! Though it might be a little difficult to connect some of these gifts with glorifying God, they certainly will when utilized in the right way. Sometimes, though, the first step is accepting your gifts as, well, gifts. The teaching pastor went on in his message to talk about how most of us deny God's thumbprints through false humility; when other people affirm our gifts, we try to deny their compliment. We're afraid that by simply saying, "Thank you" we are inadvertently admitting to being proud, narcissistic, crazy people. By brushing off their affirmation, we are really denying the gift God has given us!

This has me written all over it.

I can't tell you how many times I've brushed off affirmations from a family member or friend. And every single time, I truly believed I was acting out of humility when what I was really doing was more like the translation below:

Friend: "I knew I could come to you to help me make this DIY door wreath; you're so crafty!"
Me: "*Laughing* Noooo, it's not that big of a deal. I'm just good at following online instructions."

Translation:

Friend: "Through my words I am affirming that you are good at creating things."
Me: "God, I don't believe you've given me a gift of creating things and I am going to deny this gift because by saying "thank you" I'm really saying "I know, I'm so amazing at life and everything I do."

What the?!

Truly, this is comical. I don't think for a minute that my friend would have heard me say "I know, I'm awesome" by simply saying "thank you".

And guess what? Neither will your friends or family members or even perfect strangers who can clearly see you've been gifted with whatever it is you are great at! So next time, don't play the deny game. Just say thank you! Give them some pointers on how to make a wreath, or a bow, or whatever it is you can make. I promise, it does not make you a narcissist.

It is true for all of us who struggle in this; that as we embrace the gifts God has given us, allowing our hearts to be opened to God's continual molding in our lives, we'll embrace the plans He has for us. We'll trust Him each step of the way. He'll get the glory, and we get to be a testament of His goodness, grace, and love.

By agreeing to guest write this upcoming post, I am choosing to deny false humility, and instead, embrace an opportunity to use the gift God has given me! I embrace that this is one step in many that He will lead me to take.

After all, it is His thumbprint, and I'm proud to have it.



Thank you, Jesus, for your work. We praise You!

It's my Re-Birthday!

For anyone wondering what a "re-birthday" is, I am so excited to explain! Six years ago, today, I gave in to a beckoning far greater than anything I could understand and gave my life to Jesus Christ! On this day, six years ago, I was reborn. God washed me in His grace, He made me a new creation in Him. He took away all my sin, my guilt, my shame and replaced it with mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Just as the vast ocean of regret and pain in which I was drowning became too great, God rescued me. He saved my life!

Somehow, this date sneaks up on me every year.

It is nearly half an hour before this day ends, and all at once I remember. In just a moment, I find myself overwhelmed with thankfulness and weep for all the ways God has repaired my broken life. Yes, He saved my soul that day as I crossed from death to life, but the saving didn't stop that day. He has continued to renew my soul each and every day. He continues to mend my brokenness in ways I am not always fully aware of. He is constantly working to free me of chains that bind. This is the business God is in: redeeming the lost and healing the broken!

I have mentioned before that I am a nanny, a position that I love so very much and one that I am incredibly thankful for! I keep two sweet children two days each week, and they are both SO much fun! While big sister, who is six years old, is at school, baby boy and I spend the majority of each Monday together. Baby boy is two years old and a joy to watch as he learns more and more about his world. In the past few months, he has begun to pick up more and more words, which makes our Monday's much more interesting. I can't always understand these words, so often he goes misunderstood. For example: The past month or so when I put him down for his nap, he would say a word that sounded, to me, like "walk". I understood this to mean he wanted to walk a little bit before his nap, to which I would remind him it was nap time, not walk time. Today, I finally realized what he has actually been saying: "Rock." As in, let's rock in the rocking chair. I felt pretty silly for not catching that earlier! I obliged him and decided to sing a few songs to him, too. I searched my mind for lyrics of worship songs I love, but could recall none at the moment, so I sang Jesus Loves Me. When I finished that, Amazing Grace popped in my head, so as the melody flowed, I worshipped in my heart:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, My Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood, His mercy rains
Unending love
Amazing Grace

Growing up in a Christian family, I have been familiar with this song since childhood and it has always been a favorite of mine. It wasn't until God saved me that the words came to life in my heart. I finally understood God's amazing grace because He poured it out on me, even after I had turned my back on Him time and time again. I felt the flood of His mercy, because I knew the punishment of my sin was death. Jesus took my place. I felt it, I knew it, I received it; finally.

Anytime I sing this song, I think about the moment Christ met me face-to-face and pardoned my life. So, even though it took me a little while to remember the importance of this day, I worshipped my Savior today in the form of a lullaby for a toddler and remembered when He found me. I remembered when He made me new.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!"
         - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Thank you, Father, for saving my life. Thank you for your mercy that you show me everyday, thank you for a love so great that you would die to save me, save us.

I am not worthy, but I receive what you pour out.

Thank you for offering each of us the choice to be free; thank you that in you we may find peace, we may find rest.

Thank you, Father, for the work you are doing. We praise You!