We Encourage Tuesday: Marvelous Monday

I actually like Mondays. Well not all Mondays but for the most part I'm as okay with Monday as I am with Tuesday or Wednesday or whatever day. I really don't enjoy having to get up before 8 a.m. any day of the week but I do because, well, I have to. Some times I really wish I was more of a morning person but after 2 years of 5 a.m. shifts at Starbucks and 2 years with my early riser, malakai, it still hasn't happened.

Rather than being the totally morning grouch I once was, I try to be thankful. Thankful for the beautiful children I wake up to. Thankful for coffee. Thankful for breakfast and friends. Thankful for a husband headed off to work to provide for his family. I'm not always great at it but I am trying none-the-less. (I'm actually always thankful for these things, just not great at showing it all the time)

This morning was one that I struggled to really be thankful but then I was reminded by my good 'ole friend, Holy Spirit of this...

"This is the day that the Lord has made;

 let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

(Tuesday)

I began writing this on Monday morning and was unable to finish it because I was consumed by the overwhelming pain that is a UTI. (If you've ever had one of these, you know exactly what I'm talking about) I made it to the doc and got medicine just in time because any longer and some one else would have had to take me. 

Today, I am thankful to be feeling much better. Ever so grateful for my husband who was willing to drop everything to come home and take care of our children so I could moan rest in bed. (SUCH a good catch I've got here) It was also a good opportunity to pray for those people that have been on my heart. 

Honestly, the Lord continued to remind me (even through the pain) that his truth is still true. This IS the day that He made. Let us choose to REJOICE. The circumstances of my day were not how I was hoping things would go but God is still the same God of peace and joy and rest. So I am thankful for that as well :)

I'm really not certain where I was going with this post yesterday... looks like God reminding me to be ever thankful. It really isn't hard to do when I sit and think about all He has done for me in His gracious mercy and love. My life is so blessed ♥  

What are YOU thankful for today?

EarthShakes

Today I felt an earthquake. I live in Maryland and I felt the earth. quake. Aren't I on the wrong side of the continent for this? Never in my life did I dream that I would feel my house move. Never did I conceive that I would be waking my children from naps to have them close to me because I really didn't know what in the world just happened or if it would happen again and be worse. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't freaking out... I really wasn't afraid. Today more than ever, I have seen the power of the Almighty. To see the affects so close to home- knowing, there was absolutely nothing I could do the change the situation, gave me a new perspective of how big my God really is. Here is the really cool part: the Bible says this,

 ¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family^[c] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

His power is at work within me! If you are a believer, it is at work within you as well!!! That same power that designed this earth, the power that is greater than the strongest earthquake (and lets face it, the one we felt today was weak compared to what this earth is capable of), that power is at work in me.

His power is my strength. His power works in and through me. Not because I deserve it. Not because I have done anything to earn his favor. Simply because He loves me. He loves you too. Nothing- get this- NOTHING can separate me from his love. That, my friends, is a good word. That, my friends, is the Gospel- the Good News. Jesus loves me and saved me and nothing can ever steal that away. I am His forever and He is mine.

I hope this encourages you today. No matter where you are in life, a mom, dad, sister, brother, friend, employed, unemployed, wealthy, poor, smart or... not... He loves you and there's nothing you can do or NOT do to make Him love you more or make him love you less. His Grace is sufficient. His sacrifice took care of it all. No more condemnation... just learning to let him love you and loving him back and the journey in between :)

Just for good measure... two of the most beautiful creations ♥

Ava and Lilly