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Given Over
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:28. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:49-52 Gifts are best when given over to the Lord. Every good gift comes from God (see James… Read More
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A Season of Letting Go
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne (Hebrews 12:2). Everyone eventually faces a season of letting go. Sometimes we are ushered into this inevitability without warning. The day we raced through midnight chasing the helicopter that bore our son to a burn trauma center was one such moment. The night my best friend sped over twisty mountain roads to the hospital where her dying daughter lay was one such hour. Strange and terrible that so many seasons change in the darkness of night. Sometimes we know a season of letting… Read More
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Outgrown
@audreycfrank Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NASB). The rubber plant in my dining room is reaching toward the sun this morning. Day after day I have walked past it without noticing. When I brought it home the first day so many years ago, it was a small starter plant that I hoped would grow to fill the immense ceramic pot in which I placed it.… Read More
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The Question Parents Can’t Answer on Google: Will my child be okay?
for David, and myself Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) In the past week, I have Googled everything from sparrow photos, tossed broccoli salad, what causes insomnia, and where to find a halal sheep farm near me. More than revealing my eclectic interests and lifestyle, the ability to search such a wide range of topics in an instant discloses how dependent I have become on going to the internet to answer my questions and provide solutions to daily problems. On a tough afternoon as I battled anxiety about one of my… Read More
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The Key to Rest in Midst of Life’s Riot
@audreycfrank We are desperate for rest. It was this great need that drove me to plan a vacation with my husband and three children to a remote national park this summer. No technology, just sand and sea. We unplugged for eight days and tried not to go nuts as we rediscovered how to do much of nothing. Over that week the many bumps and bruises caused by blind busyness were healed and hearts were renewed. As the vacation drew to a close, only one thing remained to make the week complete for me. It was the last morning, and I was determined to wake up and watch the sunrise. Our rustic little cabin rose on stilts along the dunes, offering a view of the horizon… Read More