The Testing Of My Faith Produces Perseverance

The Testing Of My Faith Produces Perseverance - of Great Worth

I sat to write and couldn’t. The doctor’s appointment was at noon and it was well past three o’clock. I hadn’t heard a thing.

Before I realized it had been three hours, I didn’t have any concerns that this appointment might bring even a hint of bad news. I’ve had this sort of ‘blessed assurance’ about this baby going full term and being healthy.

Until I sat down here at the three hour mark [and you know how it goes when you sit down… I thought, “What if?”

What if God took another baby from them? From us? My mind processed. I walked through the valley of the shadow right there inside my heart, and again, surrendered and declared my trust. I trust Him with my dearest treasures: My children, and their spouses, and my grand babies. My family. My friends.

I realize they are never really mine, these gifts from Him. They are gifts. Letting go of two gifts has so impacted me regarding the incredible miracle . . . the extreme value of one teeny-tiny life.

Losing Theodore was extremely painful for our boy and his bride, and for us who love them. But in the midst of the pain and heartache, the Lord was so near. His nearness was tangible. And sweet. As I cried out to Him for so many specific things, He answered every single cry of my tender heart except the one for Him to keep Theo in there. God took his son home to Heaven, and we traced His hand in the details of the journey. Enough to surrender any and all rights to having him here.

Losing baby Joy, [That is the word God gave me to pray over the next baby when we first learned Caitlin was pregnant again: Joy] baby Joy stopped growing at 7 weeks, I’ll admit, the loss was shocking. “She” was a Christmas miracle, announced in December around when Theo was due.

Again, we processed through the grief and surrendered. This time, less trauma than our loss in August.

And no matter what happens here, there remains this enduring hope because of Jesus.

Soon after the second loss, we learned of another new baby. And we rejoiced.

I’ve been praying fervently for this baby to stay in the womb for 40 weeks. [guess which ‘word’ God gave me for this baby? ABIDE!] And I’m praying for a healthy and safe delivery.

We love God and our love is proven genuine when we trust Him in the dark.

He proves our love for Him when, in His wisdom and sovereignty, He withholds something from us that we earnestly cry out for. And because we know He is good and He is love, we trust that any withholding of His power and mercy from us must have extreme value for us and for His Kingdom purposes. And it is only temporary. [and all good parents can relate!]

Dear Job, thank you for enduring in faith. Thank you for setting your hope and faith on God.

Dear God, thank you for your word and your Holy Spirit, guiding and comforting, solidifying our faith, which you say is more precious as pure gold.

Because . . . Heaven. Forever. Abiding in Your glory. And. I. Can. Hardly. Wait!!!!!

Thank you Job, and the rest of the great cloud of witnesses, for fixing your eyes on Heaven; for encouraging me through enduring suffering, loss, hardship, persecution . . . and your being burned at the stake, crucified and sawn in two.
Hebrews 11:36-40

And thank you God, that even though sometimes we suffer here, your abundant grace and goodness are poured out on us every single day, even in the dark.

Our Theodore, “Gift of God” has a legacy that already speaks of God’s faithfulness.

“Knowledge of our pain bringing about beauty is powerful. If we can see that even though we’ve been broken another soul has bloomed, we can take one more breath and move forward for one more day.” ~Caitlin Schwanke

I did get a call a few minutes after I sat down to the keyboard. The appointment just went long. The voice on the other end, obviously joyful – pricked my heart and my own joy leaked out through thankful eyes.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

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"I’m no longer ashamed that I am a big feeler. After a long time of feeling inferior for owning this burden, I came to terms with having been wired that way. One day a friend outright said, “Kathy, you don’t have to apologize for feeling deeply, God made you that way!” Immediately my mind shifted from shame to acceptance of my “weaker” self and I will love Diana Anderson forever for that service to my soul. Thank you, friend! (I wonder why we see feelings as weakness when feelings are part of our human make-up!)" [Read more on my Substack: Link in profile]
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Happy Sunday! Let’s fill the earth with praise! 🙌🏼 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. — Psalm 33:18 To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! — Psalm 67:1-7
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Thoughts on seeing (or not seeing)— Reading Luke’s gospel, I’m watching the religious leaders watching Jesus. They watch with an eye to destroy him. He does mighty miraculous works—the good things of restoring shriveled hands, healing men from leprosy, casting out demons and most importantly, freeing the captives from being dominated by sin and subject to death (ultimate separation from God) and they hate him. They seethe with fury. They seek to trap him. They are so blind to reality because of their pride. Too proud to acknowledge what they’re seeing is a better way. A powerful way. A glorious way. The right way. At once I see the whole world minus those who truly see Jesus for who he is—cannot really see. Cannot really see him as he is. Unless Jesus opens our eyes, we cannot see the obvious about Jesus—or about much of anything for that matter. He must pull back the veil. Seek Jesus and truly see.
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We need wise leaders. We need wise parents. Last week I posted on the importance of discipline. It’s essential to this life and the next. I believe our society and the church is suffering greatly from failure to discipline. Just like the Israelites that whined in the desert lost their lives, so are we (generally speaking)—losing for being so squishy with ourselves. Why do we understand this when it comes to winning in sports and making big bucks, but failing when it comes to developing character and self-sacrifice and integrity? Our priorities reveal what we worship. Fear God and you have nothing to fear. Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
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Every Day. Everyday experience is learning. Every moment matters. Make the most of moments. 🩷🩷🩷
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They talked grandpa into making a fire. S’mores FTW!
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Jesus. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
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It’s not hard to see— He’s all fun and funny and charming personality. Or how in-demand he is, and why. (Pictures—worth a thousand words 😉and sorry, Caitlin, for using “that one” but, it’s so funny!) 😆 It’s such a joy to see my son grow into a man of integrity, a faith-filled faithful husband and father, who works hard to keep his priorities and balance life’s demands with nurturing his marriage and raising his children to love the Lord. Happy Birthday Ethan @dadbod_810 I love you!
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It’s quite amazing—freedom and life are synonymous. Let Him who is life (the way, the truth, the life, the light) rule your heart and you’ll be alive and free, eternally. 💜
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The Bible is, among many wonderful things, an invitation to seek and find. Reading the Word, like looking for the words … I just had to share this bit of light over here from today’s reading of my One Year Bible plan. God is so amazing!! How I love His word—and most especially the first two chapters of Luke!! Luke 2:36-52 After the glorious blessing by Simeon … we read one tiny paragraph about one tiny powerful prophet—Anna, faithful, devoted, and in tune with the Holy Spirit. I just think it’s so cool that there was a papa-prophet and a mama-prophet to speak the confirming truth over the baby-prophet. 🕊 Then, we see the boy, Jesus, lingering with the teachers, asking questions, seeking and growing in wisdom. He who was the Word at the beginning, the Wisdom that was there when the world was made, learns of Himself through the mouths of human teachers. He is like the earth that drinks the rain that comes from the clouds which have received their fullness from the earth.
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Thots and things— On the crucifixion. Illumination from “The Unseen Realm” by Michael S. Heiser (get this book!) Planters springed up at church. C.S. Lewis quote on repentance.
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Afternoon. While Dale collects sap (his new love), I read in the Jeep. Aaah, this refreshing air. The sound of silence between creaking trees. #naturetherapy #earlyspring2024
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A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. — Psalm 57:1-3 🕊 Psalm 57 … I think I’ll tuck myself under Your wing again, Lord … I’ll feel your love … hear your kind-strong heart beat love. Oh, the consolation of Your nearness … the comfort of Your faithfulness to me. I remember. I remember all the ways You’ve been so good. You made my blind eyes see in the light of Your love. You surgically removed my self-reliance and tended the fear-fissure of my once hard and tender heart. You’ve heard my cries a hundred thousand times and You made my trembling heart … find rest. What miracles are these!?! It’s You! My Prince of Peace. It’s Your steadfast love that sustains me in this rugged-wild land—this world full of devils and dis-ease. I can be at ease? Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! For on that resurrection Day! You did it! You won my VICTORY!
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Spring 2024 The pond is nearly empty after a mostly snowless winter. These charming dilapidated structures have history. And history has meaning. People dreamed, decided, and did some stuff. I will be going to the house of mourning for the third time this year on Saturday. I also have a person close to me who has been entangled and has been entangling others (reminding me that ALL of our decisions have an impact!) by making costly decisions. It has been a very sobering year so far. It’s difficult to scroll the socials, watching people in their various pursuits (home reno, business building, political activity, etc) when I’ve been this close to death and to the cost of deception. Life on the surface of earth feels trivial—even though I’d rather dwell there, I’ve been forced into the deep. It’s also Lent—a time to focus on the reason for Jesus—HE CAME TO SET THE PRISONERS FREE from the self-destruction of our sin. He came to offer peace and joy and hope and freedom. And today, even in an impending earthly drought, a looming election, a staggering amount of gloomy stories—Jesus—His life, death and resurrection are all that matters. He alone is HOPE! Hope for Heaven instead of hell upon death. Hope for freedom for the prisoners from their bondage to sin. Hope for those left in the ashes of death or groping in the wake of another’s sin. Knowing Him who is our King of kings and Prince of peace and Savior from sin is assurance of GOOD coming from whatever difficulty or destruction or even death that He allows on the surface of earth. Do you know Him?
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In a garden, Jesus knelt in agony to pray. In this tension: Human impossibility combined with Divine infallibility— At once CLASHED in the soul of the God-Man in the Garden. And after surrendering his will to the will of the Father, Jesus stood up, courageous, knowing what he was walking toward. The blood of sweat spilled before the Lamb was killed. “Why?” Pilate asked when the crowd released a criminal and cried “CRUCIFY!” of the innocent. Why? Why did He have to die?
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Dreamy March day.
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Trouble? Are you having a hard time hanging in there? We see him on the cross, staying, every moment. When He has all power and authority but chose not to use it— And all the moments between Gethsemane and Golgotha—He stayed the course. This God of love who CAME DOWN so we could be raised up! Such love …
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Who is Jesus? Who is Jesus and why do Americans celebrate Easter if they don’t seek an answer to this question?! Kahlil Gibran illumines the way that many look at Jesus on Easter and then go on their merry way without being impacted. Most people think He is weak, a victim. Or they don’t think at all. He writes: “The Nazarene was not weak! He was strong and is strong! But people refuse to heed the true meaning of strength. Jesus never lived a life of fear, nor did he die complaining. He lived as a leader; he was crucified as a crusader; he died with a strength that frightened his killers and tormentors. Jesus was not a bird with broken wings. He was a raging tempest who broke all crooked wings. He feared not his persecutors nor his enemies. Free and brave and daring he was. He defied all despots and oppressors. He saw the contagious pustules and amputated them. He muted Evil and he crushed Falsehood and he choked Treachery.” ~Kahlil Gibran; The Crucified, entry 23 in Bread and Wine by Plough Publishing 📸 of a Sunday school class I taught —to women seeking to know Him who made us and loves us and died to redeem us. ✝️
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Why? Why did they? Why did we? Why did I crucify innocent Jesus? And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. — Mark 14:65 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” — John 3:19-20 “Innocence accuses its accusers,” writes Walter Wangerin Jr. And just prior to that statement, “True goodness accuses true evil; the better the good one, the worse the bad one, and the more outraged for being shown so. To sinners, the mere presence of goodness can feel like an attack. It triggers guilt. Guilt hurts. Guilt forces us to notice ourselves, thereby to question and to second-guess ourselves; and such an internal process destroys the joy of an unconscious life. We are altogether too conscious, suddenly —too self-aware. Doubt destroys the thoughtless satisfactions. So: who provoked such complications and pain? Him we hate! Goodness is a spotlight. It shines on our shame, our filth, our deformities; it picks out the parts we hide from the world and even from ourselves. We will strike at that light. We’ll haul it into court, discredit it, and smash it in order to put it out. We’ll spit on it and belittle it. We’ll blindfold it, hit it, and ask it to prophesy—all to prove what a fraud this “prophet” is! (And to dehumanize him! Get it?) Where patience shines, impatience is revealed and hates the attention. Kindness shows unkindness to be hideous. True joy intensifies true bitterness; gentleness enrages belligerence; and self-control proves the pig to be nothing but a pig.” ~Walter Wangerin Jr. 🌟 The prodigal son came to himself in a pigpen. Then, he decided to run home to the Father and the Father threw him a party! Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame of it for the JOY of accomplishing our redemption. He is the LIVING HOPE for everyone who runs home to Him! Blessed are the unclean when we run Home to be bathed in Jesus! MERCY!
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beauty To you, we are drawn. You allure the eye to drink deep, the ear to listen, intent—and both land in the heart that considers, ponders, meditates upon what it sees and hears and delights in. The Creator reveals His heart through His creation. Wonder and mystery; the music of Heaven, given. The Word put on flesh and dwelt among us, He is the exact representation of the Creator—the Father who spoke it all to LIFE. And if He who did not spare His only Son, but gave Him up for us all … will not He who gave all—the sun and moon and stars, fields of bread, vines for wine, sunsets for love, oceans for wonder, mountains for awe, humans to co-create the arts of wonder with Him … will not He give us everything we need? Oh, man of dust who thrives on breath from Heaven—we can trust. Trust Him who lives among us, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Ruler of the Universe—He calls out with beauty, “Come, take your rest in my love. Enjoy Me. Live free from anxiety. Lift your eyes, incline your ear, let Peace rule your heart.” It’s hard. Hard for humans to “let” when we so desire love and are imprisoned by fear of not being, compelled to grab, compete, fight or flight. But the offer is in the continual call of beauty: LOVE … see and hear and understand … God. He is all the love you and I need. And when we are satisfied in Him, He pours through us, and earth is filled, not with war, but hearts ruled by Peace.
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The Set Apart Conference 2022 🩷
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Discern We live in a day of devaluing discipline which results in enabling. And enabling is not love. Enabling fails to move people to be productive, responsible citizens which erodes everyone’s quality of life. (Have you noticed this fallout?) We want to alleviate pain and hardship, which is a good desire, but the desire requires using wisdom. Ask, “Will my alleviating this pain help this person UP to be more? Or might it foster lazy dependence and ‘drain you to the dregs’?” Here’s the thing: we think we are saviors, but that’s self-worship. Every decision we make that makes us the savior PREVENTS people from depending on the only REAL SAVIOR: JESUS. You are not the savior! Don’t let your human love get in the way of people finding out that they need Jesus. Don’t be a pain-shield. Be a pain-steward.
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TRIAL— And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. — Mark 14:60-65 The weight of darkness suffocates me when I feel it—You too, Jesus, until You prayed in Gethsemmane— “Take this cup of wrath, Father. Yet, not my will, Yours.” Dear God, Your wrath is to be feared more than theirs—and theirs is like cast iron on my chest. Thank You for saving me, Jesus. ❤️
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The Global Church is gathering on March 1, 2025, and I’m going to be there (hosting a gathering)! Christians from every nation will join together in prayer, worship, repentance, and commissioning. This is a gathering like never before. I hope you’ll join me at @Gather25 (For more info see Gather25.com)
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We cozied things up at church tonight at our Winter Refresher … it was delightful!! Food•Laughter•Conversation•Message by @JennieAllen “Find Your People”•questions for a panel of Seasoned Sisters •Games•Watercoloring•Snacks👌🏼🤩 We have found that @emilylexstudio watercolor guides are a PRIME activity for engaging hand and heart and conversation.
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Why? We must consider this question about Jesus’s death on the cross which stands as the marker of TIME. All our counting of our years centers on Him. Barbara Brown Taylor writes: “THERE ARE MANY WAYS to tell the story of what happened on Good Friday. According to John, it involved a collusion between religion and politics. While Pilate and the chief priests conspired to solve their mutual problem while managing to remain enemies, Jesus stood at the center of the stage like a mirror in which all those around him saw themselves clearly for who they were. One way we Christians have avoided seeing our own reflections in the mirror is to pretend that this is a story about Romans and Jews. As long as they remain the villains, then we are off the hook - or so we think. Unfortunately, this is not a story that happened long ago in a land far away. Sons and daughters of God are killed in every generation. They have been killed in holy wars and inquisitions, concentration camps and prison cells. They have been killed in Cape Town, Memphis, El Salvador and Alabama. The charges against them have run the gamut, but treason and blasphemy have headed the list, just as they did for Jesus. He upset those in charge at the courthouse and the temple. He suggested they were not doing their jobs. He offered himself as a mirror they could see themselves in, and they were so appalled by what they saw that they smashed it. They smashed him every way they could. One of the many things this story (of the cross) tells us is that Jesus was not brought down by atheism and anarchy. He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly mix. Beware those who claim to know the mind of God and who are prepared to use force, if necessary, to make others conform. Beware those who cannot tell God’s will from their own.” ~Barbara Brown Taylor
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Concrete Hard, Dark Blind & Dead God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, They say. By asking him to yield his way. “Obey” He could have chosen the other way: To submit to God To serve God’s say. But hearts of stone are blind, you see. And hearts unborn are bound, not free. His will was set. His way, he thought best. He resisted God, And you know the rest. He and his soldiers, drown in the sea. His nation impoverished; Hard hearts cannot free. Moses was the sayer back In Pharaoh’s day. Now Jesus is here to show us God’s grace. “I will give you a new heart, one that is free! I will take your hard heart, give it to Me!” I’ll put My Spirit inside of you, Then you’ll do what you cannot do. Kill your dark pride. Surrender to Me. Drink in My grace and you will be free! And this is the way of the cross; it is hard. But the pain of surrender leads to joy in the heart. Beauty and vision and attachment to God. Hope, joy and peace forever with God. #LentenMeditations #poetry
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Why? Fleming Rutledge writes, “When you reflect upon Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross of shame, you understand the depth and weight of human sin. How do we measure the size of a fire? By the number of firefighters and fire engines sent to fight against it. How do we measure the seriousness of a medical condition? By the amount of risk the doctors take in prescribing dangerous antibiotics or surgical procedures. How do we measure the gravity of sin and the incomparable vastness of God‘s love for us? by looking at the magnitude of what God has done for us in Jesus, who became like a common criminal for our sake, and in our place. When you really come to know, the unconditional love and forgiveness of Jesus, then you will also come to know the depth of your own participation in sin. And at that very same moment (this is the glory of Good Friday) you will come to know the true reality, the true true joy, and gladness, of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Just couldn’t stop. #cuernavacasunrise
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Why the cross? Why do we celebrate Jesus and Easter? J. Heinrich Arnold sums up the reason in Bread and Wine; readings for Lent and Easter, maybe the most powerful answer to the whys and whats of all time: “Christ died on the cross to break the curse of evil and vanquish it once and for all. If we do not believe in the power of evil, we cannot comprehend this. Until we realize that the main reason for his coming to earth was to do this on our behalf - to free us from the powers of darkness - we will never fully understand our need for the cross. We can search the whole world, but we will find forgiveness of sins and freedom from torment nowhere except at the cross.” ~J. Heinrich Arnold
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Elements of beauty from Cuernavaca.
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Home.
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Bus ride to Mexico City with a sunrise. 🇲🇽
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Final workday. Hung the sign! Malegro de Vida Miracle Of Hope Children’s Home Cuernavaca, Mexico ❤️ Some of the ladies who heard my message on Wednesday brought us a yummy cake. 🍰 Gary with some of the children. Dale and Travis built the cabinets. Yours truly stained and polyurethaned them. Look at those two satisfied cabinet makers. Finally, a video of the children’s play area(!!) What a week!! •Curtain rods and curtains hung. •Doors painted and trimmed upstairs. •Kitchen cabinets built, installed and finished. •So much concrete poured!! •Three bathrooms painted. •Swing set built. •Children’s playground up. •Yard cleaned, gravel, black dirt, and grass seed spread.
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Familia. The Team. We were gifted a dinner at this lovely restaurant yesterday, which hosts a Sunday men’s gathering. Pastor Randy spoke at their gathering on Sunday morning.
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Day 3 Sunrise out my window. Ladies gathering … I gave a message about holding the Hand that holds you. Back at “the ranch” … The playground is coming along. The guys building it tell me they want a lounger up there for the view. Betty and crew making us a most delicious Mexican meal. Men on the concrete crew. Unfortunately the cement mixer crashed (in seeking to restart it, the pull-cord broke!) so they finished by HAND! Annalea helped flute the edges of the homemade tortillas.
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Day 2.2 Bunch of Dudes doing stuff. Or not. 😉 (It’s hot!)
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Day 2 Morning. Blackie. Children’s play area. Outdoor laundry. Children’s play area. Ready for school. Black dirt. Children’s play area. Annalea. Sidewalk prep.
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Cuernavaca Workday 1 📸 1 & 2 Annalea (16) and I painted three bathrooms. 📸 3 Gary & Mike ready for the day. 📸 4 Rod and Randy hung curtain rods and many of the curtains I brought down. 🎥 5 The men leveled a large pile of gravel to prep for black dirt in the courtyard. Concrete was poured for an outdoor laundry area. 📸 6-10 The men are building a play area fit the children in the courtyard while Dale and Travis build cabinets for the kitchen. The large pantry is installed! We are eating very well with Pastor Chaio and the family and the children. Ready for WorkDay 2!
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From Bread and Wine: “The status quo is too alluring. It is the air we breathe, the food we eat, the six-thirty news, our institutions, theologies, and politics. The only way we shall break its hold on us is to be transferred to another dominion, to be cut loose from our old certainties, to be thrust under the flood and then pulled forth fresh and new-born. Baptism takes us there. On the bank of some dark river, as we are thrust backward, onlookers will remark, “They could kill somebody like that.” To which old John might say, “Good, you’re finally catching on.” ~William Willamon (Link in stories)
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❤️ V A L E N T I N E ❤️ S N O W ❤️ I don’t know if I’ve ever been so happy to see snow (except for Christmas!) … and the walleye at @dallescafeandcoffeehouse was spectacular. Plus a 🌹?!!! 🥰 The man scored!
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The truth is, we atrophy without engaging challenges with faith and prayer and grit. Apathy, passivity, entitlement and unbelief reap death.
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Tomorrow is the start of Lent. Giving yourself to embrace the journey of these 40 days leading up to Resurrection Sunday will be good for your soul. (I recommend reading Walter Wangerin Jr’s rich work: “Reliving the Passion” as a companion) https://a.co/d/dkS24tv Today, I read Matthew 27–the crucifixion of our Christ. When I read verses 51-54 … my heart tore with the curtain, split with the rocks, broke open with the tombs and I MARVELED at the thought of the people coming out of their tombs and visiting Jerusalem! (And I wondered how they went back into eternity!!) Such anticipation for answers to all our questions!! Come, Lord Jesus!! TALK ABOUT HOPE!!! ✨💫✨💫✨💫✨ And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” — Matthew 27:51-54
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Living … always in fear of how we are perceived by fallible people—or grumbling about how those people are failing us—might be the most debilitating ball and chain there ever is. What can set the prisoners free from this bondage to human opinion or this bondage to putting our expectations on human perfect performance on behalf of our self? I wonder if the one key to freedom and to really receiving the radical, free, faithful LOVE of our One True God is understanding that we are humans made of dust who don’t deserve anything good … who, without God have no power. At all. Is it from that place in the dust that keeps us always looking UP and seeing the beauty of the sky with grateful hearts, and the clouds and rain and pain as gifts too? When we live before humans and according to what they do or see or say, we fear and fight. When we live before God, according to what He does and sees and says, we live free and rest. Live seeing humans see us and be in bondage to humans. Live seeing God see us and be confident we are His beloved. #wholeandfreepodcast #livefree #JesusSaves #turntoJesusandbefree
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Nothing quite like a pile of children! 🎈
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BELIEVE We are the Light of the world and the darkness will not overcome it.
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✨ I woke feeling anxious this morning, I told Jesus, “I feel like I’ve been bombed.” I’ve had too many fiery darts aimed at me too close together. When I am anxious I sit with Him who sees my heart and knows me better than I know myself. “Lord, I need Your peace!” The quest for rest involves QUESTions. A quest to get to the heart of the matter. I’ve used an @annvoskamp acronym from her Way Maker book to process what’s going on inside: SACRED Stillness to know God Attentiveness to hear God Cruciform to surrender to God Revelation to see God Examine to return to God Doxology to thank God This process asks questions and questions draw out the unbelief hidden in the heart that is causing unrest. The other tool came recently through a sermon from @fcchudson with a diagram of sun ☀️ and 🌳 and ❤️ The rays of the sun are “heat or pressure” in your life. Things like: Sadness Sin Sickness Satan Sinful people Suffering Success The ❤️ is the ROOT of the 🌳 The FRUIT on the 🌳 in your life stem from: Emotions Actions Reactions Which come from the ❤️ The QUESTions to ask to uproot unbelief from your heart: What do I want? What do I fear? What do I trust in? I most often find I am fearing failing to do my part, forgetting that it is God’s GRACE that enables me to do anything—which puts me in performance mode and then I become anxious. Galatians 2:20 is the remedy for performance-based striving. Remember: it’s never about you getting things right, it’s about BELIEVING GOD is going to make all things right. It’s never about you fighting the battle it’s about trusting He already won the battle. It’s never about you holding it all together, it’s about Him who holds all things together. I’m grateful to have learned (and I keep learning) this lesson: When I fail to steward my heart in the heat, I inevitably get in God’s way and suffer for it. Freedom comes through surrender. Be still and know that He is God and I am not. Amen.
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Life is war. Almost every day we meet our sinister opponent, unbelief. Discern. Engage. Win.
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My heart yearns … For people to be set free from destructive mindsets. The Bible calls them “strongholds” because they’re hard to break—like ditches in the brain—addictions. We understand addictions to drugs and alcohol. But we tend to label addictions of the mind with “mental illness” which, I believe, keeps people bound under labels. We even bind ourselves in these strongholds when we say or think things like, “it’s just the way I am.” Or, “I’m like my mother.” We bind others in faithless words like, “he will never change.” Do you know people can be “addicted” (chained) to anger, lying, laziness, cynicism, etc? The good news is —always— that Jesus told us the TRUTH (He is the Truth) will set us free when we KNOW and BELIEVE it. The beautiful thing is, He offers HOPE for everything to CHANGE by His enabling grace—through FAITH in the TRUTH. He came to set captives FREE! Truth and Light and Life are all found in the One who resurrected—He broke the prison chains! The word “repent” is much like the alcoholic at AA, admitting the sin is the first step to freedom. Then, offering the life to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. See also Isaiah 61:1-3 ❤️ Warning against deception and unbelief: Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. As I pray for freedom for captives, I was reminded of the stanza in my favorite hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God “And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.” It is FAITH in God’s power over darkness that enables us to form new grooves in our mind and be FREE!
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“The marvel of the Redemptive Reality of God is that the worst and the vilest can never get to the bottom of His love.” ~Oswald Chambers That person you hate? The one you criticize or complain about? (A President or a former one? Your nemesis?) Pray for their soul and your own will be humbled to know the love of God more deeply and purely.
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May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. — Psalm 25:21 Waiting for the Lord is hard for us, no? Especially when what we want and are fighting for seems so good to us. But here we see that waiting on the Lord, which is born of integrity and uprightness, PRESERVES us. Waiting for the Lord preserves us because our actions without Him are most often destructive or lead to destruction. And when we fail to wait for Him we actually compromise our integrity and our ways become crooked. (For wisdom supporting this truth, see Proverbs 3:5-6) 📷 from last year when it actually snowed in WI.
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“Indeed, everything may be at stake in the saying: he wants to suffer us, and we are indeed suffered by him. Can we suffer those who are different from us? May the others suffer us? Can we suffer ourselves? Whom can we “not endure“? We are always causing suffering for each other: siblings, husbands and wives, parents, and children, neighbors, and colleagues. These spheres of suffering are deeply implicated in the church and politics. If we ourselves are not able to suffer, then, nothing can possibly please us. But if we are able to suffer, then we take nothing amiss. The love of God, which is infinitely capable of suffering, reaches us in Christ. His love is passion: passion for human beings, and their worth, passion for the creation and its peace. Through his suffering because of us and through his death for us, Christ has accepted us and brought us to the glory of God. We must again, and again become deeply absorbed in the passion of Christ, if we are to know that he suffers because of us, for he wants to suffer us. In the depths of his suffering, we perceive the greatness of his passion for us. We are disarmed, whenever we recognize the suffering of God, which has borne, and still bears his passion to us.” ~Jürgen Moltmann Called To Community; Plough Publushing
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So. Much. Fun!!! It was a happy birthday for Elliot and all of us!!
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Finding photos of Elliot on his birthday was a bit challenging because unless we have him alone, he’s off to the races engaged in adventure. In the past we called him Ferdinand because if he saw a flower (or a dandelion) he stopped to pick it for whichever girl was nearby. He is bent toward art, is quite gifted at drawing, but is equally eager about swords and saws and light sabers. (And camping, fishing, kayaking and swimming!) He is a hard worker who cares well for their goats and he loves to help grandpa split and stack wood. Happy Birthday Elliot!
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I never imagined I would announce my next speaking event is in Cuernavaca, Mexico. But it is! Of all the years—and there’re been a lot of years 😅—this year when I’m aching for sunshine, God already planned this blessed departure from bleak, WI, to sunny Mexico to serve Him. 💕
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John 3 is a favorite study for me, because conversations with and about Jesus are my favorite. He’s so amazing!
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“Called aside— Oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone; In secret oft His deeper love is shown, And learned in many an hour of dark distress Some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness.” [1/22 Streams in the Desert] “Into the desert place apart” (Matthew 14:13) To move out, away from daily rhythms, to be with another. In the case of adults, to quiet your soul with your Maker. To be still and listen, to read His love letter and let Him speak, is to come to know. Is to come to BE like Him. Our time with our children and grandchildren—these mutually beneficial love-investments, produce. Reflection of the time spent together. Elliot (8) and Lincoln (6, pictured here with Grampa) asked Grampa if they could stay overnight and “help do wood”. They cut and haul it out using a rope hooked to the big machine that runs on twin tracks. I hijacked photo number two from my daughter’s story yesterday—of baby brother watching big brothers through the kitchen window—working. A reflection of the training they’ve been receiving by being WITH the fathers . . . and the mothers. I noted today that many on my prayer list who have deep needs this morning have absent fathers. Fathers who’ve left them by choice or by death. And I pray mostly that they know the love of our Heavenly Father who reparents us as we are called aside to His side to learn His ways through the gift of His eternal word. Re-making us, a beautiful reflection of Him. He is Father to the fatherless. And a wonderful, perfect father He is. Blessed are the ones who are called aside and come, spend time with God, our Father.
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TRUTH — We’ve all heard it even if we don’t have our nose in the Bible regularly: the truth will set you free. — I’ve always had an innate desire for truth and an inability to be comfortable telling lies. Though I have, at times, been more uncomfortable with something else which made lying my perceived best option ... until I found out it wasn’t. — Lies, in truth, will never hold up. We might try to hide behind them; people might try to imprison us in them; labeling us falsely with judgements ... but only the truth is real! The only times lies can hold us hostage is if we believe them! — TRUTH is the sweetest gift God gives (Jesus is the Truth) and it is the sweetest gift we give ourselves and others. Truth hurts sometimes, but always toward the good-for-us. LIES always hurt and if unconfessed, wreck lives and relationships. — When we FEEL something is true, we must sort out our feelings to find out if they are accurate. Often our fears, our discouragement, our anxieties are based on lies. Lies can be born from fears, from comparison, from repetitive badgering from bullies, or from listening to culture’s ever-shifting perceptions. — It behooves us all to search for and find the TRUTH. It is for FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE. Stand firm then, and do not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
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I cherish these people. I’m extremely thankful for gatherings and photos. It’s really hard to minus one. (Peter) To minus two is horrible. (Dad) Minus 3 … really?!! (Janie) 💔💔💔 Not one will escape the minus. Thank God for Jesus! He is my certain HOPE!
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God has a goal within all of our disappointments in the humans who continually fail us. (Are you infallible? Why do we expect goodness from one another when we ourselves fail to be good?) Human fallibility is meant to shift our eyes 👀 upward, to move our hearts into Him, the only perfect Place of Peace because He is the only One Who is Perfect Love. So, every disappointment in people is an invitation to find satisfaction in God. The more we practice this, the more free we will be and the more people will feel free around us to be human and not gods. Blessed are those who can smile with love when they are struck by human sin because they’ve learned to abide in the love of God. To keep their eyes 👀 on Jesus. #wholeandfree #wholeandfreepodcast
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Subzero temps sting the skin like death the soul of those left behind. “I just want to get in where it’s warm!” and … “I just want to exit this dark hole.” Yet shafts of light beam into the cold-dark, and the soul somehow becomes … fortified, more sober in a world of war, reminded of temporality and hope of the truest, realest life: eternity.
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Spurgeon (continually) nails it. ✨ If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. ~ 1 John 4:20 ESV
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“It has been commonly thought that protected ease is the most favorable condition of life, whereas all the noblest and strongest lives prove on the contrary that the endurance of hardship is the making of the men, and the factor that distinguishes between existence and vigorous vitality. Hardship makes character.” (Streams In The Desert; 1/13) Discipline, I’ve heard, I’ve observed (!!) means “scheduling the pain of life, first.” Discipline is choosing the pain of self-denial and self control in favor of future unavoidable painful consequences.
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12 Have You Ever Been Alone With God? By Oswald Chambers When they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. — Mark 4:34 Our Solitude with Him. Jesus does not take us alone and expound things to us all the time; He expounds things to us as we can understand them. Other lives are parables. God is making us spell out our own souls. It is slow work, so slow that it takes God all time and eternity to make a man and woman after His own purpose. The only way we can be of use to God is to let Him take us through the crooks and crannies of our own characters. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We do not know envy when we see it, or laziness, or pride. Jesus reveals to us all that this body has been harbouring before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look in with courage? We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves, it is the last conceit to go. The only One Who understands us is God. The greatest curse in spiritual life is conceit. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we shall never say — “Oh, I am so unworthy,” because we shall know we are, beyond the possibility of stating it. As long as we are not quite sure that we are unworthy, God will keep narrowing us in until He gets us alone. Wherever there is any element of pride or of conceit, Jesus cannot expound a thing. He will take us through the disappointment of a wounded pride of intellect, through disappointment of heart. He will reveal inordinate affection — things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. We listen to many things in classes, but they are not an exposition to us yet. They will be when God gets us alone over them. January 12th https://utmost.org/classic/today/
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What a gift photographs are. Thanks, Mom! Funny that me, my 4 sisters, our little brother, friend Renee, cousin Mary are having a parade … with Dad’s manure spreader in the background. 😂
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❤️‍🩹 “No real growth takes place without pain. Nothing is born into the consciousness without suffering.” ~Elizabeth O’Connor
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“God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.” ~Dr. Jowett 💔—>❤️‍🩹 (Streams In The Desert // Isaiah 40:1; 2 Corinthians 1)
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On my first “date” with her at Caribou Coffee, when she was still in college and dating my son, I asked her a question. “What do you really want to do?” She was still undecided about career direction. Her response: “I’ve really always only wanted to be a mom.” Today is her birthday. On my search for photos, I discovered that I have zero photos of Caitlin by herself. If she’s not with Ethan, her arms are most often cradling. On occasion, she’s strapped a baby on her back while holding a paintbrush or roller. This, of course, brought a smile at seeing the fulfillment of her desire and my own joy at the fulfillment of the aim of her heart. #grandparentingisthebest Also, I think she would agree, I’ve been her tutor with the paintbrush. 👩🏼‍🎨 She’s grown so confident with her brush that I don’t get called to help anymore. Which, I suppose is okay since there are other “things” I get to help with. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 I celebrate you today, @caitlinschwanke you are a home-maker extraordinaire shining light on the blessing of marriage, motherhood and home-keeping. You’ve brought such joy to our family. Happy Birthday, daughter!
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The things we cannot see are the most powerful things. The fact that our resting is producing is counterintuitive. Many of us would get much farther by pulling the reigns back on our endless striving and running, and just quiet ourselves in the Presence of Jesus and learn to live in response to His leading rather than in response to the tyrant of urgency or the fear of pain or lack. Many say they can’t, they’ve too much to do. “It all depends on me.” They think they bear the burdens they’ve been handed while forgetting God’s promise in Matthew 6:25-34. The hamster wheel won’t slow unless we step off. And stepping off is an act of faith. At some point we all must assess: are the things we are chasing—or the things we are running from that are meant to forge our faith—that urgent—or that unbearable in light of eternity? To all the strivers and runners, I offer you this little word: LET. Let go. Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts. Let God have your anxieties. Let Him who made you carry you, lead you, feed you, clothe you, hold you, strengthen you, renew you and refine your faith worth more than any gold you chase or any strain you aim to flee. #jesusisIAm
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This encapsulates the fuel for my word for this year. It’s a soft and humble heart that ENGAGES with Jesus—receives, by faith, the Truth that sets us free. ENGAGE and get FREE! #whole&freepodcast #engage2024
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Death and all the dark clouds that surround it, the waves of emotion—terror, wonder, grief, heartache, joy in remembering—that weaves through our experience of it—is extremely humbling and sobering and also enlightening. When I look back through our valleys of its shadow—saying goodbye to my 20 y/o niece Nicole in 2003, my 27 y/o brother Peter in 2006, my dad in 2014, my grandson Theodore in 2015, and now my sister Janie, this year, 2024–there is a deeper seeing, a greater clarity of so many things. People matter most. Every soul is extremely precious. One absence affects many lives, deeply. Our responsibilities increase. We need to remember the children who’ve lost parents and have been left with a gaping hole. Family becomes everything you forgot you needed. Phone calls speak immense love in a day of texting. (Thank you for timely calls from my kids @kayla_j_nelson @dadbod_810 and faraway friend @angieryg and my Pastor, Eric) New Years come and go and each day is a new year day. Looking through my 20 photo albums from prior to digital age HIGHLIGHTED that despite the fact that there are always hard things happening in our lives, the snapshots display the JOY of being TOGETHER, and how beautiful life is—and CHRISTMAS. There is a wonder to it beyond how we already feel—it shows up in death. How God made Family and established celebration as a way to BOND and be His gift to one another. While there are many photos of friends. The photos that mark our timelines are those of FAMILY. No wonder the devil works so feverishly against it. But, the good news is, with God, when we fight the right enemy (the devil and not each other) we win! And that is the reason He gave me my new word for 2024 in mid December: ENGAGE Life is war. The devil is bad. God is almighty and He is FOR us. When we engage, we win. Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. — Romans 8:37 Time can stand still and life can be put on hold and it really doesn’t fall apart when we step out of the race to be still and not do.
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A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. (Taking this reality to heart in “this life” keeps us steadfast in living for the Next.) Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. (In other words, it is good to remember we are humans who need God who gladdens us with hope for help and happiness.) ☀️🌈✨💦 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Mourning implies love. To fail to mourn for what is broken implies shallow and self-centered hearts.) It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. (It is more comfortable to live in the surface, to only want happy. But resting in the shallow pleasures of this life causes us to miss the glory of the Next.) Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? — Ecclesiastes 7:1-13 God, grant that we stay humble and contrite before You, and never fail to honor You as our good and perfect and wise King.
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My sweet little sis. Janie. Number Five, if we have numbers. 😉 And you—God gave you five of your own—those beautiful souls you and Dave have offered to the Lord to bless the people God made with their own offerings. It’s not right and it’s not fair. And that really is life on broken planet earth— but we wait for the New eternal whole Kingdom where you now reside. Your home. Janie! What’s it like?! I can only imagine! We who love you are left here with a gaping hole. Missing you, wondering how we will get through the goodbyes and how we will press on without you. But we will. We’ve been through this olive press already. The crushing won’t kill us. It’ll just change us—and with Jesus, it’s always going to be for something beyond what we can see or imagine, good. Jesus, what you went through for our good wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair—you were completely innocent, falsely accused, and condemned as a criminal. It looked so bad. It felt so horrifying. But—it was good—because now, we have 1 Thessalonians 4’s promise!! The PROMISE! The PROMISE!! Our Christmas GIFT! The Coming of the Lord 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,d that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. We will see you again, Janie. Give all those who’ve gone before a big hug and a high-five from me. Love, Kathy, number one, if we have numbers 😉
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Happy New Year, Family and Friends! I offer you a few gold nuggets from the archives as a gift. Perhaps you need to grab one for the start of your new year. Since our souls and the souls we touch with our lives are the only things that last eternally, words that lift and move and empower us to live wisely before God, are our eternal coins. I pray your year is BLESSED—and in case you need reminding of what a true blessing is—it’s not gold or homes or high-end cars. It’s not fame or fortune or financial security. It’s not even peace on earth, unless you mean the Prince of Peace is finally ruling on the earth. Here is His skinny on blessings: ✨💫⭐️ 5 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10) Blessings, then, are those things that move us toward the heart of God, and make us more like His humble Son—He is our eternal GOLD.
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When you read the last two chapters of the old testament and the last two chapters of the new testament on the last day of the year, 12/31/23 (123123) and you’ve answered the invitation of Revelation 21:17 to “COME!” You’re HOME. You kind of wanna just get up and waltz or polka! ✨💫⭐️
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God promises to work ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR OUR GOOD when we LOVE HIM. What’s to fear? Celebrate the wins. Surrender the sins. (Yours and other’s) and MARCH ON to the next win!
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You are hurting, you are human. You’re forgiving, you’re divine. Oh, that we could all bubble wrap ourselves to insulate against pain. But we wouldn’t grow without pain. We’d BE a pain without experiencing it. 😅 We must embrace the call to endure in hope. To arm ourselves with the expectation of pain. God has purpose for allowing it. And He is always working it for good. Remedy for pain: turn and return to Jesus. pray. trust. obey. And watch for the good that is sure to come!
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Another wonderful Schwanke Christmas for the books. (Or the squares, as life here would have it!) Unique, in that the kids played in the SANDBOX — since there’s no snow! And some took walks in the rain. And we scored, Dale & I, with our hand-made gifts. This time our efforts were on the adults. 🏡 🏠 🏡 And God brought Light into the darkness once again . . . Jesus, our gift unto peace and freedom and JOY! 🎄✨🎄 …and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love and wonders, wonders of His love!” … ❤️
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Ring the bells! Herald the GOOD NEWS!! Merry CHRISTmas! Happy BIRTHday! The Spirit hovered over the dark formless chaotic void and the Word said, “Let there be Light.” The earth was birthed. Light was born three days before the sun, moon, and stars were created. The Spirit hovered over the dark void of a virgin’s womb, and the Word willed the Light to be birthed into the earth, veiled in flesh. And that Light is the Life of men. Satan sought to snuff out the Light on a cross, but the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not, will not, can not overcome it. ✨ Then, the Spirit came and hovered over the heads of the apostles like flames of fire and the Word burst forth Light from their lips. The Word of God is the Light born for you on Christmas INVITING you to be a vessel of light to speak Life into the dark chaos that is this broken world just waiting for a good Word from God! So, go tell it! Go tell it! Go tell it on the mountains, over the hills and everywhere! Go tell it on the mountains, that Jesus Christ is born!
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From Walter Wangerin Jr.’s “Prepare For Jesus” Advent devotional. Merry Christmas Eve. ✨
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Our Merry Christmas card. The reason for the season: FORGIVEN What time I was awake today. And some reminiscing … photos from days gone by. 🩷✨ #goodmemories
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Brennan Manning writes of us, the shipwrecked (those who know we can’t float our own boat): “Pious imagination and nostalgic music rob Christmas of its shock value, while some scholars reduce the crib to a tame theological symbol. But the shipwrecked at the stable tremble in adoration of the Christ-child and quake at the inbreak of God Almighty. Because all Santa Clauses and red-nosed reindeer, fifty foot trees and thundering church bells put together create less pandemonium than the infant Jesus when, instead of remaining a statue in a crib, he comes alive and delivers us over to the fire that he came to light. … The shipwrecked at the stable are the poor in spirit who feel lost in the cosmos, adrift on the open sea, clinging with a life-and-death desperation to the one solitary plank. Finally they are washed ashore and make their way to the stable …”
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‘Twas the week before Christmas …baked cookies with my girl and her boys and their other granny. Took Ona to ballet. Brought kiddos to my house to finish Christmas projects. Enjoyed my tree, immensely. And I worked my job, creating graphics and scheduling Susie’s posts. Not shown: projects and wrapping and letter writing and addressing envelopes and morning hours reading, working out, cooking meals, laundry, and connecting with my people. Today: grocery shopping and planning and cleaning. Tomorrow: food prep. What a FEAST, Family! What a WONDER, Advent!
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The deets on my accidental DIY Memory Tree project.
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“We prefer to think of ourselves as givers—powerful, competent, self-sufficient, capable people whose goodness motivated us to employ some of our power, competence and gifts to benefit the less fortunate. Which is a direct contradiction of the biblical account of the first Christmas. There we are portrayed not as the givers we wish we were but as the receivers we are.” ~William Willimon; Watch For The Light
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A show like this might be meaningless to many who scroll through the socials not knowing me from Jack or Jill or Jane. But to us as family, golden joy. To Jesus, divine glory! 🙌🏼 Lord, bless the children. And May we be like them. Trusting. And free.
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Notice Gifts & Thank God When you practice this, you’ll smile more. Your hope will grow. Your joy will increase, as your outlook will shift dramatically. #lookup
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You can’t really get the full experience from a photo, but I just sit here marveling at how this accidentally came together and how wonderful it is to sit and look at reminders of God’s GIFTS in the last 12 months. By accidentally, I mean, I saw somewhere and a few times over the years, people printing photos to hang on their tree. Photos were 2x2, but I couldn’t find a place to print a square smaller than 4x4. Since my ornaments are larger, I decided to go for it. Finding the glittery card stock in the exact color of the glitter on my Walmart ornaments was a SWEET surprise (what I pictured doing, I could do!) —and it’s even better than I imagined—as the glitter surrounding the photos with lights twinkling is magical! I had, I think 70 photos printed, and once the tree was “full enough” I decided to use my empty curtain rod—V’wla! A memory valance!
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Ann’s words reveal the irony and really, lunacy, that we believe in ourselves and our (little) power more than in Almighty God. Prone to worry myself, but also having acquired a faith which overrules my self-worship, I’m sitting with this, afresh. God is in control. He always has been, always will be. And He is good. What could I ever lack? What could go wrong ever that He is not ultimately making GLORIOUS?! OH! Worship this King! He alone is worthy! #Jesus
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The two year old being “kept” by grandpa during cleanup. (Kept contained, that is!) And … the two year old in granny’s lap when she’s filming his siblings recite Isaiah 9–and Ona’s quick recovery after her fall 😂 And the whole troop of Sparrows kids gracing us with enthusiastic wonder. It may not show here, but this gig is glorious! The way these families are loving on one another and the kids, investing time and energy and life into the future. #thisiswealth
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The prophet Micah is, as are most of the prophets, pronouncing judgment on God’s people for their sin. In the midst of the awful warnings, as is typical of our good and loving God, He gives a promise to the remnant of faithful people: 💫✨💛 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the LORD at their head. — Micah 2:12-13 When the LORD is our head, we are LED in the good way of protection, provision and peace! Chapter 3 is a rebuke of the HEADS who are oppressing the people and leading them in evil ways. (Go read it, it’s awful!) Chapter 4 is a PICTURE of the glorious goodness of living under the Lordship of Christ! Read: NO MORE WAR!! In verse 6 of chapter 4, God gathers the lame, weak, afflicted people and makes them . . . glorious! 💫✨⭐️ In God’s kingdom, those who admit they’re lame are the wisest and the most blessed!
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I’ve added memories from the past year to my tree. I have such anticipation for the children to delight in them! God’s heart is to have His children Home with Him. He is earnest for our well being and for our confidence in His love and our value. I’m a mom. I’m a granny. I get this. God gives His heart to us all—made in His image. To have all our children happy and healthy and Home. Don’t ever doubt God’s love for you. Don’t ever doubt your value to Him. Don’t ever doubt His willingness to give you unending mercy and grace and goodness. Just remember CHRISTmas, the Gift of His Son and all He has done—has won—for you.
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It’s Christmas. God’s gift to you. Give yourself to Him who loves you. HE IS! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. — John 1:1-5 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:10-13 Jesus, the Word, REVEALS the mystery hidden for ages, but now revealed. 💫✨⭐️✨💫✨⭐️ In the letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, there are repetitive phrases. Each one opens with a different description of Jesus. I wrote them in my journal this morning: 1. Him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the lamp stands. Our high priest: THE LIGHT. 2. The first and the last who died and came to life. THE CREATOR AND THE RESURRECTION. 3. Him who has the sharp two edged sword. THE WORD; THE TRUTH. 4. The Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. THE HOLY ONE WHO SEES ALL AND STANDS FIRM FOREVER. 5. Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. THE LIFE! 6. The holy one, the true one, who has the key if David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. THE WAY. THE DOOR. 7. The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA. THE WORD.
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It’s stunning to think—to KNOW—that all of history and all of the future hinges in this tiny babe in the center of my mantle. It’s hard to imagine humans throughout history AD, celebrate CHRISTmas, but not him. The Lamb of God—His Son Born to a virgin, Laid on the hay. A seed, this wheat. Bread to eat. An olive tree. Light for me. Jesus, Lamb, Slain to cover, Determined lover. And now a King Turning everything— Home.
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A soul knowing its poverty can bow low to receive. That is, after all, the only power one has, the holding open of hands for receiving grace. To run, to paint, to build or bake, one needs breath and body and bones. No soul can make its own. Go low and be raised all the way to Heaven. Don’t and you won’t. To know our poverty is to be open to mystery and live in wonder . . . and love. Love as a verb, that is. Only the receivers can give this. 💫✨💛 “Even adolescent self-absorption recedes as one’s capacity of hospitality grows: it is only as one is at home in oneself that one may be truly hospitable to others-welcoming, but not overbearing, affably pliant, but not subject to manipulation. This difficult balance is maintained only as one remains … cognizant of oneself as valuable, unique, and undiminishable at core …” ~Kathleen Norris, Annunciation— Watch For The Light
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She has ribbon. And there is snow!
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For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. — Romans 12:3-5 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. — Romans 12:9-21
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The crèche and the cross. The most unlikely places of glory, tell the story. The God who created came cradled. Jesus crossed. He crossed the great divide between Heaven and earth. He crossed from cradle to the wilderness testing, proven. Then, He proved to us the Father’s love, living as a sacrifice, giving His life, crossed. And now, His Spirit crossed, broke through our crossness, and we cross too. Cross the wilderness. Cross the great divide. Surrendering to our own cross, suffering our own loss for the sake of His crossing. The glorious cross for our crossing—that bridge—that ladder to Heaven from earth. The one He came down to bring us across on.
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