Selah, Pt. 1

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We were half way through quarantine when I lost an appetite for coffee and meat and really all foods that weren’t cold or white (cold AND white? Even better!). I didn’t know it at the time, but my body was changing, which I’d find out the day before Danny’s birthday. My period was several days late, so I decided to pee on a stick, and did that nervous back-and-forth-pace in the bathroom until two minutes passed and the vibrant plus sign was undeniable– we were pregnant.

I have peed on many sticks over the last two years, but none have been pregnancy tests until April. Every month I pulled out an ovulation test to confirm that, yes, my cycle was “regular” and, yes, I was ovulating. But I never needed to take the other test– the one we all want to take unless we don’t — because my period always came… right on time. And then it didn’t.

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Do More of That

I wonder if we overestimate the things we can do to make an impact. We assume we need stages or science or speeches.

Does encouragement come easy for you? Write down kind words to a friend and drop a note in her mailbox. Do you make great cookies? Bake a dozen and bag them up for your coworkers. What are you already doing? Where are you already going? Do more of that.

You don’t need to go big to make an impact when God is already mighty in you.

The Fourth

I’m happy to be an American, but my deepest hope is in the citizenship I have in heaven. It’s a land that doesn’t run out of seats for anyone ready to know an unshakeable freedom not tied to a political party, but permanently paid for by Jesus.

Lifetime of Learning

If you’re like me and have an Instagram feed full of recommendations of what to read, who to follow, and what to listen to— let me suggest starting with one of them.

It is so important to learn about racial reconciliation, but don’t be tricked into treating it like an exam you need to cram for. Loving your neighbor is a lifestyle, and learning takes a lifetime.

Don’t You Care?

Mark 4 tells a story of a wild storm that came out of nowhere one night while Jesus and his disciples were out on the water. Jesus was sleeping, and the disciples screamed “DON’T YOU CARE? DON’T YOU CARE THAT WE’RE GOING TO DROWN?” and I get why they questioned God in that moment, and I get why they were fearful, and I also never want to forget how Jesus responded. He woke up, told the storm to stop, watched the wind die down + waves become still, and then he asked his friends why they didn’t trust him.

When the world is out of control, God isn’t. When all signs point to a sinking ship, our greatest comfort and rescue will always be in Jesus. He hasn’t forgotten about us.

A Lesson From Kids

Characteristics I’ve learned to be true of God: he is attentive— he hears and responds to the needs of his children. He is loving and delights in seeing us delighted. He’s interested more in our obedience than anything we have to offer; more in our redemption than how often we get it right. He’s a good dad and a safe place to land.

Characteristics I’ve learned to be true of myself: I’m a child of God and an heir to the riches of heaven. I’m needy of him telling me who I am and how to love and life works out best when I listen to what he says.

Hold On To Hope

Our azaleas served as a visual reminder that plants bloom at different times and humans do, too. When we’re unsure about timelines, we can rest assured that God is never late. If you think you have it all figured out or hope seems lost— you don’t and it’s not. We can’t know for sure when plants will bloom, but we can hold on to the hope that they will.

Upgrades

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Image by Olivia Herrick Design

Things I’ve considered buying in the last week:

  • Floral-printed curtains
  • Gold cabinet knobs
  • Outdoor fire table
  • So many rugs
  • Milk frother

If you’re like me and need a reminder: upgrading your home won’t upgrade your happiness. Fill your camera roll with all of the things that make you feel grateful and then take some time scrolling that instead of Instagram.

A Woman of God

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Matthew 27:55 makes a note about the women who looked on from a distance. It tells us they followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, which would have been a three-to-five-day journey.

A woman of God loves Jesus with all of her heart, soul, and mind and will follow him anywhere.

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Matthew 27:61 says that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sat near the tomb where Jesus was buried before it was time for them to go home. I imagine they were grieving and confused.

A woman of God loves Jesus with all of her heart, soul, and mind and stays close to him when hope feels lost.

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Matthew 28:1-8 says that two women found the empty tomb and encountered an angel of God who told them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is alive. Verse 8 says they ran to tell the news.

A woman of God loves Jesus with all of her heart, soul, and mind and runs on mission with news of a resurrected life.

A Resurrection Reminder

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Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

On Thursday I noticed that one of the tulips had wilted after sitting in the sunny window all day. I took a photo because it felt like a visual representation of the spectrum of feelings people might have within the same situation. I left the flowers in the vase.

This morning I woke up and noticed that the wilted flower had perked back up. On the Saturday of Easter weekend, it was a welcomed reminder that just because a situation looks hopeless doesn’t mean that it is. God was quiet on Saturday, but on Sunday he silenced death forever.

If you feel tired and God seems silent, it won’t be this way forever. The promise of spring, the sureness of the sunrise, and the victory of Easter… they’re all reminders that we are rescued into resurrection.