My Sanctuary!

There are so many things I love about my home! I love the people that inhabit it with me. I love the location away from the chaos of city life. I love the view from my front porch. I love the marks in the kitchen doorframe that measure how my precious kiddos have grown. The list could go on and on but one thing I love the most is that I have been able to call this place home for almost 10 years now. Yes! Almost a whole decade! I have never, in all my 42 years of life, ever lived in one place that long. If you really want to know, I have moved 19 times over my 42 years and I've been here for almost a quarter of that. Shew!!!!!!! When we moved here in 2005 I told Matt that I was done moving and when I die (of course, hopefully not for a really long time! Lol!), he could bury me in the back yard. Haha! That would be the last move I would make. I would move on up to heaven with Jesus and this shell of mine could stay in the yard. Ha! In all seriousness, if God calls us, we will go wherever He leads but I am thankful He has allowed us to stay put for a while!

A few years after we moved here, the big housing collapse happened and all the busy construction in our neighborhood ceased. So there are many undeveloped lots all throughout our section of neighborhood and my favorite area is the one undeveloped cul-de-sac on the other side. This place has become quite special to me. There have been lots of bike rides & walks with my family down that road. Ben had many driving lessons prior to getting his license and now Callie is getting her turn as well. But the one thing so special about that cul-de-sac is that it has become a sanctuary for me. My prayer walks always seem to stop there. It's not glamorous but the beautiful scenery of God's creation surrounds me and I lift my hands in praise, sing songs of worship, and pray to my Father in the solitude of undeveloped land. What sweet sweet time! Tears of joy and tears of burden have been shed on that concrete slab but the presence of the Holy Spirit overwhelm my soul and His glory shines!

Maybe you have a place like that too. A sanctuary away from the craziness of life when you can just "be" in the presence of Jesus! A place to make memories. A place to listen. A place to praise. A place to sing. A place to worship. A place to cry. A place to rejoice. A special place!

Today, I'm thankful for that place! I'm thankful for the amazing moments with Jesus and I pray that He continues to work in my life to mold me more into the woman He wants me to be. I'm a work in progress! But today, I praise YOU, Father, for our special place! Have YOUR way in me!

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him."

Psalm 62:5 (NIV)

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness."

Psalm 150:1-2 (NIV)

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."

Psalm 150:6 (NIV)