And a learning process... journaled. Learn with us, share with us, send us your thoughts and we'll post them as well. We're all in this thing together, so let's do it!
This week my family and I moved ... back into our own house.
Long story. Maybe another time...
As I carefully packed quickly chucked things into boxes.... eager to get the job over-with, and closed the box with satisfying layers of squeaky duct tape - I found myself writing FRAGILE on almost every box.
Though my selection and care over what I was packing was minimal, though I felt little concern for the way things were done... I wasn't concerned. That's why, I think, it caught me off guard that as soon as I labeled them for any help who might move these boxes... I was quite sure that they must be labeled "fragile."
"Why the sudden concern?" I wondered. Honestly... I'm not a person who cares much for "things." I don't much enjoy shopping, the wear and tear we place on things is not worth being delicate, and I tend to grow more attached to those things which are the LEAST fragile.
When I stopped to think, I realized, that things became fragile to me when they were out of my hands.
If it was within my power to decide whether or not I'd throw them away, I had no problem. When I stopped to think whether or not we actually had anything that I couldn't replace or would be really disappointed if it was broken, the answer was no.
And yet, I labeled them... FRAGILE.
I think in some ways I am the same way with God. And I'm glad to realize it... and try to change my perspective a bit. There are some things that I hold very dear, mainly my family and my friends. I would surely label them "FRAGILE" if I felt the would be taken from my hands. But what a beautiful thought and relief it is to realize, that they have never been in my hands at all... never in the first place could I hold, control, or save them. Perhaps the most fragile of all would be me. And I know... because I've been held.... that I can trust Him. I know... because I know HIM... that YES we're fragile. And that's exactly why He holds us. That's exactly why He must take things out of our hands. Because we're fragile and He loves us far to much to trust anyone else with holding us. He knows the ultimate outcome of all things. He knows exactly how much weight our fragile frames can bear. We can entrust our dearest, those that we love most. And really... He's holding them whether we like it or not. We can't know or understand our circumstances. But we can ALWAYS trust the One who carries us through them.
So let's praise the One who holds us all this week as we face our circumstances head on. Why waste time complaining or whining about what we must walk through when we are being held so tightly... and carried to a destination on the other side of our circumstances.
Yes, I am more fragile than I like to admit.
But I am tightly held, I am greatly loved, and I am safe. What a wonderful Savior!
I don't know about you but I have a set thing I do during communion. I know you can pray, read the bible, talk to the person next to you or just sit and wait while the bread and juice is passed. I wanted to share what I've been doing for a couple years now, and it encourages me EVERY time. I usually start out praying, making sure I am prepared to be remembering what my Holy God has done. I then spend the remainder of my time reading Isaiah 53. I never get through the whole thing, but have you...
I have been reading a book by Francis Chan called 'Crazy Love' and can I just say he truly is a man of God. His words are very challenging, I don't even know how to summarize what I've been learning. I have been challenged hugely on my personal thoughts/attitudes about my Savior. How subtly ways I react (good intentions with wrong motives) are honestly huge disappointments to God. Why do I do the things I do?
Luke 14:12-14 says "Then Jesus said to his host,' When you give a luncheon or dinner...
Hey! I'm Kari Hunsley and I have lived in Roanoke VA my whole life (besides a year in New York for school). I am married to my high school sweetheart/best friend Drew, and we have been married for a year. :) He is a youth pastor and our desire is to encourage teens and allow God to use us to impact their lives. I also have a great job where I am a nanny for a 2 year old boy and 6 month old girl. :) I am so excited to be able to 'hear' about what God is teaching his followers on a more daily ... Continue reading...
Today I went running on some pretty intense trails through the woods with some of my friends. I'm training for a half marathon and my friend is training for a marathon, so we decided to go off-roading(much more fun then running on the road)! When we started running I was moving along pretty quickly in front of the pack, just wanting to stretch my legs, and out of no where pops up a root and down I go. I completely busted it! This made me think about life...
So I wanted to share a little something that God showed me last week through an author named Carolyn McCulley. The more I have thought about this, the more it makes me admire my Savior. It is so beautiful to me that it has litterally choked me up with tears three different times in this past week. Check it out! John 11:35 was one of my favorite Bible Memory Verses to quote as a child because of its sheer simplicity, but last week God totally knocked me on my tail with those two words. Th... Continue reading...
(a
shower... might I mention... for one of my favorite people EVER.)
I dragged my Saturday mindset to the couch
covered in footy-pajama children, hugged my coffee, and opened my Bible to start
the day with my Savior.
(And of
course... my children, my coffee, and the background noise of Saturday morning
cartoons. Hmm. Not always the best time or place... but for yesterday... it
worked.)
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has been overwhelming for me this year. I don’t know about you guys but I have been going NONSTOP in EVERY direction for the past few months. Amidst all the traveling and visiting I have honestly found it very difficult to have my normal time with God.
But the sad thing is this is NOT what I want. My heart longs for a BFF status with God. And the crazy thing is, he wants that too. SO BADLY. Isaiah 41:10 says, “ ‘You are my witnesses,’ declare...
Hey-my name is Katey Toller. I grew up in Roanoke, VA but now my family and I live in Virginia Beach, VA. In 2005 I married a wild Colorado man named Matt. He is a super awesome guy and 4 years later we still love being together. In 2009 we had our first child, a girl, who we named Kaiten Rae Toller (we call her Rae). She is the coolest kid ever. And I get to dedicate all my time to hanging with her during the day! I LOVE it! We also have 2 German Shepherds, Caeman and Koda, who make our fami...
This week my family and I moved ... back into our own house.
