New chapter, same Hope

Today is (was) the Day

Well, for those of you that don't really know many details, let me enlighten you. My Momma and Daddy moved to Eden Prairie, Minnesota today. They had to leave for my Dad's job and they should be there about 5-6 years. As most of you know, I'm a major Mommy AND Daddy's girl. My Mom is one of my best friends and my Dad is my hero. I love them so much and will miss them so much. This is the first time ever that they've been more than a 3-hour drive from me (and 3 hours away only lasted 6 months). You probably also know that I love to write, hence why I'm writing this to go ahead and start processing through all that's happening.

Did you ever do the "name poem" (technical name that I had to Google is 'acrostic')? I used to love doing them when I was little. I was the corny little sister that made these poems for my brother like:

Classy
Hilarious
Responsible
Intelligent
Social

*note, that is a real poem I made on a card for him that he recently found*

In honor of loving and missing my parents, I thought I'd make one for each of them...

Strong and dignified
Tender-hearted
Example of a great wife and mother
Pleasing to the Lord
Honest about anything :)
A follower and lover of Jesus
Not too far away! (only 2 1/2 hours) :)
In love with her husband
Elect, predestined, called according to the purpose of His plan (Rom 8:28-30)

Loving and gracious

Open and excited to share his faith

Understanding and compassionate

In love with his wife

Steadfast and dependent on Christ

So, you can see why I am head-over-heels for my Momma and Daddy. The Lord has truly blessed me with such great examples in how they walk with Christ and are so gracious. I love them so much and am excited to see how the Lord uses these attributes and gifts in them to reach the new city around them. Minnesota won't even know what hit 'em!

I love you guys so much!!!

Tug of War

NBA Playoffs, Battlestar Gallectica (don't knock it till you try it!), work, Facebook, Mahjong, etc, etc...these are things that I choose to spend time doing instead of spending time with the Lord.

If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago what spending time with the Lord looks like I would have said "It's when you get your journal and your Bible out and read and reflect." The period at the end of that sentence is so important. Is that really where it ends? Is time with the Lord supposed to end after your 30 minutes-1 hour?

A few weeks ago, I told my home group that my prayer life sucks. I didn't even know where to begin. Our leader said that it may help to think about how I approach the throne of God. Do I view Him as holy and worthy of my time and affections or do I view Him as my genie in a bottle (and I gotta rub Him the right way...right...?). Since that day, I started just praying that God would radically change my view of Him so I long for Him. He has already started answering that. It's been pretty hard and sobering, but fantastic and beautiful at the same time. He's been teaching me the importance of confessing. This past week, there have been two things that the Lord has been showing me that I've been harboring and becoming bitter about. The Lord has been teaching me the importance of confessing and bringing these things to Light because God's victory has already overcome those things.

With these things in the Light, I can now experience freedom from them. I'm still praying that the Lord will take away my guilt I still feel and make me truly believe that "there is now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1).

So, what does time with the Lord look like? It's a daily, minute-by-minute humbling of self before the Almighty throne of God asking Him to renew my mind and heart and continue to sanctify me and conform me into the image of His Son. Easy, right? Pshhhh...it's not easy. There are constantly going to be worldly, evil things pulling and vying for my attention and I have to ask the Lord for wisdom, strength and discernment to overcome those things. What's even more beautiful is we don't only have a God that will give us strength to overcome these things, but "we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:15).

It's because of this High Priest that we can "with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive grace, that we may find mercy to find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16). This Lord and Savior is sympathetically wooing and calling me to Himself daily. Am I listening? Am I ready to turn off the TV, shut the computer, turn off my phone and let Christ wrap the truth and the grace of the Gospel around me and allow me to confidently approach His throne? Are you?

I can't say, by any means at all that I'm a pro at this. I am learning, I am begging, I am seeking, I am failing, but I am redeemed and seen as holy through Christ's redemption alone! With that, I can freely walk in obedience and boldly approach Him and find mercy and grace in time of need!