~ Strength For The Journey ~

One year ago tonight, I began a new journey. This journey was not one that I would consider pleasant by any means or that gives me warm fuzzy feelings when I look back. But, this journey was the commencement of a life-changing encounter with my Jesus that I will never forget!

When we encounter a change in our path we can look at it in a couple of different ways. First, we can ask God, “why me?” or we can ask God, “why not me?’ I will admit that at first I was the one that asked God why he chose me to go this path. I told him that this was something that I didn’t feel I could handle. It was too hard and the path was too unknown and a little scary for me. I was praying for all of it to quickly end and let me get on with my life. Oh the road that lay ahead….

What I have experienced on this unexpected journey is that constant source of peace and comfort from the Savior of the world! When every turn I took looked bleak and made no sense, HE made sense and his Word brought comfort! My faith and trust were tested beyond anything I had ever encountered but my Abba Father, in his mighty presence, continually wrapped his big fatherly arms around me and carried his daughter through the storms. My Jehovah-Shammah, he is always present (Ezekiel 48:35)! After each storm, my faith would be stronger, my trust would come a little quicker, and my passion would shine a little brighter. So, when another storm would come, I would reach for my Father’s arms because I knew they would be there to get me through again.

There have been many Scriptures that have brought me so much comfort through this trying year and I am so grateful for those special people in my life that surrounded me with God’s Word just when I needed it. The texts, messages, prayers, and beautiful cards lifted me up and encouraged me in this beautiful, but sometimes trying, walk with God. I sit here tonight, one year after the journey began, reflecting where God has taken me, with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart. Yes! Joy, unspeakable joy to my Jehovah Rapha! My Healer! (Exodus 15:26)

When I look back over the last year, would I want to do it all again? No! Would I trade a minute of it? Absolutely not! You see, I learned more about my Lord this year! I have been in his Word more than ever! I have drawn closer to his heart and I am so in love with him! My faith has grown and I have truly learned what it means to trust! So I can now say to my Lord, “why not me?” He will always see me through!

My life verse through this last year has been,

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Wherever the journey leads you, hold on to Jesus! He will make you stronger!

Blessings~

Allison

~ You Are A Star ~

I was hurrying through the grocery store the other day trying to pick up enough groceries for the next couple of days. This was one of those weeks where Matt was out of town and my week was packed full of work and appointments so in those 30 minutes I had before picking up the kids from school, I ran like a mad woman through the grocery store aisles trying to make some semblance of meals and lunch box ideas. Of course, I was not well organized and didn’t have my grocery list made out and arranged by map of that particular store so my time was very chaotic. My list was all systemized in my head, but as a busy working mother of 3 who, most weeks, is a single mom; anything systemized in my head becomes quite disorganized at the first distracted thought that pops up, and trust me, many thoughts pop up. You know, “Do we need bread?”, “I need to pay bills when I get home”, “I need to get the oil changed in the car”, “Caleb has a doctor appointment coming up”, “Oh, look at those cute shoes that girl has on”, Hahaha! You know how that goes! Once I see the cute shoes, everything else gets lost in translation. Oh well! I don’t consider myself A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder) by the world’s standards but I do consider myself M.A.D.D. (mom’s attention deficit disorder)! Can I get an “Amen” from my other mothers out there?

Well, this particular day was just like that, hurried and unorganized, but you make it work! As I was turning to go down the frozen vegetable aisle, every time I would take a step, the lights in the freezers would come on. It was like they were shining the spot light for me! (Yes, yes, I know they are using energy saving bulbs, but humor me for a moment!) I felt like I was walking the red carpet and I was going to accept my Oscar! I almost started waving my royal princess wave and stopping to pose for the paparazzi but then reality of being in the grocery store, pushing a germ infested buggy down the aisles to load up food for my hungry crew set in and I just kept moving forward laughing under my breath! For me, it’s the small things in life that keep me laughing!

After I got home that night, I began thinking about that scenario once again. Most of us go through the daily routine of life and will never walk the red carpet and get the spot light treatment, but I just can’t help but think of how special we are to our Creator! We have confidence from his Word that God loves us! The God of the universe loves YOU! It cannot get more special than that! Praise the Lord!

I John 4:16 “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

There are days when we feel that we just go through the motions of daily life and we are nothing special. Another day of work, another trip to the grocery store, another bill to pay, another night of homework to help with. But when we think about our value to Almighty God, we should be beaming from the love our Abba Father! When we turn our face to our Creator imagine those lights shining on you because you get his full and utmost attention! He loves his children! He is enamored with you! His face lights up when he sees his child! There is never a moment in this world that our Father doesn’t have for you. He is there and waiting to tell you how precious and beautiful you are to him. His word is full of his love for you! I John 3:1 tells us that he lavishes his love on us.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Whatever you may be facing, feelings of worthlessness, feelings that you are not good enough or that no one cares, well take heed of his Word my dear friends. God loves you and he is enthralled with your beauty! He has made you just the way he wants you and he is so in love with you! You are a star! Praise God for the beauty that is you! Praise him for your place in this world. When you go to work, do it for his glory, when you walk the aisles of the grocery store, do it for his glory, when you help your child with one more math problem, do it for his glory and know that he is beaming with pride for his special child!

I pray that you feel his mighty presence this week! I can almost shout “Hallelujah” sometimes over the joy I feel inside by knowing that I am a child of the King! He is my worth, He is my joy, He is my life! Please know that you are special to our God but you also are special to me. I have prayed for you dear, precious friends. This “teachable moment” has really burdened by heart for you. I have lifted you up in prayer and I know that there are some of you hurting and longing to feel that love and appreciation. Know that you are! If you need someone to pray specifically for you, I would be honored. You are welcome to email me or message me on Facebook to ask for a specific request. Lifting requests to our Father is an honor I hold in high regard so please don’t hesitate if you have a need.

I want to leave you with one last scripture tonight. This I have posted many times, but is so fitting for our devotion today.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Blessings for a joy-filled week~

Allison