Nurture...

nurture - to nourish
There are select days that I would not say as much, but for the vast majority of the life I live, I am so thankful for the "vocation" that God has called me to live out. I love being a child-of-the-King...I love being the wife to a most amazing helpmeet and friend...I love teaching and training the two precious lives that God has blessed us with...


There was once a time in my life that "service" and "ministry" were the priority in my life but now I clearly see the proper order of priority and I am grateful that my God and my Saviour revealed such a profound reality to me. Living out that reality has brought a great deal of freedom, rest, fulfillment and contentment to my once "harried" life...a life I lived for far too long where I tried to be all things to all people. Living out that reality defeated God's true purpose of my life and in turn lots of things and people were being nourished except the ones that had been entrusted to me...my family. I was so busy doing this and that and running here and there that I couldn't "see" who was hurting and where I was lacking. As in all things, the cost must be counted and my three most precious possessions were receiving the meager remains of my inheritance. I was spending the first fruits on the permissible but not the perfect. Those are times and seasons that are now behind me. I've repented, found healing, changed courses...scars still remain yet I am thankful this day for God's sufficient grace to start over, begin anew, recreate. I am thankful for a family (especially a near 16-year-old) who can look back and say, "I am thankful that you aren't who you used to be but for who you are today." I chuckle each time Mallary hits a "road-block" in school and things are a little "tense" and MaKayla says, "Oh honey, you have no idea. Just be glad Mom is who she is. You should have had her when I was that age!?!" :o) I'm glad I can hear those words and see the transformation that Jesus has brought to my life. Transformation for His glory, for the fruit of my family and for the inner fulfillment in my heart.

This morning Kyle got up as usual and started getting ready for work. (Note that he and I are both very schedule oriented persons that function best in a normal routine.) Life has been somewhat (or a whole lot) overwhelming for him lately...physically, mentally and emotionally and it is literally taking its toll on him to the point that he is having some "flashback" symptoms of his UC that he hasn't experienced for months. As I came out of our bedroom and was preparing to "take my turn" in the bathroom this morning I could tell in the way he was carrying himself that he wasn't doing well. I immediately began praying for this one whom I adore and the Lord said, "Lay aside your routine and nurture." I listened and followed where my Saviour led... It was a time where I could encourage, comfort, nourish and pray over a life I love more than my own.


I'm finding more and more that God's greatest desire for my life is to have ears to hear, eyes to see, a heart to feel and the determination to obey. He's given all of those things to me...it's my choosing what I do with them.

The more I listen, the more He speaks.
The more I watch, the more He reveals.
The more prepared my heart is, the more He manifests Himself.
The more determined I am to follow where He leads,
the more courage He pours out on me.

God has told me who He desires me to be.
God has shown me how to love my family.
God has impressed upon me the virtue of nurturing.
I am determined...I have courage.

More of Thee...less of me!