Just Wait Til' Next Month

Those words are a mantra at the Deasons. Seems whether it is money, health, family situations, etc; we are always waiting til next month for things to be better, for things to 'turn around'.

Next month must be here now, and being I am not the superstitious type and that I let the Lord lead me in my life to the best of my ability; I can honestly say that God has laid it on my heart that this is our time. This new season we are entering starting right now is a season of growth and a season of blessing. This season is one of stability and faith and reconnection with who we are in Christ. This season that we are entering into will be one where we are blessed coming in and going out. This season the Lord will restore what the Locusts have stolen from us.

The Word of God teaches us to pray the scripture over our lives. Isaiah 40:28-31 is so beautiful: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

When you really think about these words over our lives, have we not known, have we not heard? Do we not realize how BIG our God is compared to everything else in this world? He created EVERYTHING and he knows our todays and tomorrows and as long as we wait on him, we will be as the eagles, soaring where He wants us to be, running through this life with faith and mercy by our sides.

I am so excited for who He is and what He is doing in my life and what He is going to do through our family. God is opening doors that no man can shut and our path is being made clearer by the moment. So if this is just the beginning. . . Just wait til' next month.

Reflections

I was so moved today by an artist I have never heard of. The song is "Painting Pictures of Egypt" by Sara Groves. She has a unique storytelling approach to her songs and the sincerity of the lyrics ring true. I will be listening to more of this for sure.



As I just celebrated my birthday, it made me reflective of where I have been and where I am going. It is amazing what we outgrow and change to as the Lord continues to mold and shape us; it is amazing that until we stop and reflect we don't even see the differences in who we are.

I am so thankful that God lets us grow and evolve in His time instead of ours and that His agendas are not human to hurt or cause confusion. God's timing in all things is perfect.

Today I have an amazing thankfulness swelling inside me that He chose me to be His child. Somedays I think I take that for granted. I take for granted that I have Him as my guide. I take for granted that through all the past mistakes, failures and hurts He carried me down this path for this season so that I could be a better light for him.

Thank you Lord for who you are and thank you that while we remember our Egypt's; we don't ever have to go back to them

It's Just Weeds

I've talked about my backyard lately, how I want God to help me love this community that He has called us to be a light in. I have talked about the negatives I see all around this yard. Maybe the big problem is that the only thing I am seeing is the weeds and not the beauty around or below the weeds. I see every crack in the concrete that has scraggily grass trying to weasle it's way through the hard ground and rock to make it's way to the light.

Maybe the problem with this city is the weeds try to get bigger and bigger because they are growing in effort to find the light. Maybe the people here just want to find the light and they don't know how to act without it. So then are the weeds the problem or is it me? Is is my perception that I want to live in a wonderful community of fellow believers but am unwilling to pull the weeds toward the light? Well, now, that's just crazy. If I want to see the weeds to give way to beautiful growth I have to let them see the light. I have to be the light that Jesus wants me to be.

Brad preached an awesome sermon yesterday about sin and my favorite part was that sin astranges us from God. What astranges us from God more than not following His word that teaches me to love my neighbor as myself? I absolutely don't love my neighbor as myself and I know it. I pray that God helps me grow in this area. How can I love my neighbors as myself and I don't even know their names. I've never walked up and down the street and introduced myself or invited them to our bible study. How is that being a light to the world? I have a lot to learn about evangelism and love, don't I?

Yesterday we were going to lunch and we saw 4-5 very small children sitting on a street curb. In my mind I flashed forward 10 years. Would these kids be in a gang or a youth group? Would they be ditching school or teaching others about God's word? So much of that relies on the decisions that their moms or dads will make in their immediate future. Those parents need a light to guide them so that as the weeds are removed their children can bask in the light.

I am going to strive this week to get into the word more and to lovingly pull the weeds around me to give way for the area to become beautified for His glory. Whether that be my neighbors weeds, my weeds or maybe an actual weed in my sidewalk(that part is the most unlikely but hey, you gotta have goals, right?) ~ I am going to make an effort to involve myself and to invite others to share what the Lord is doing. Maybe then I won't be just another weed taking up space shoving others out of the way as I head toward the light.

Blessings,

Shelly