grace

Unqualified

freedom, grace, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

Three Summers ago my stomach was in knots as I hit the send button emailing in my application to work as a camp counselor. I was afraid I wouldn’t be accepted because of what I had been through. I doubted I was worthy or qualified. I wondered if my divorce would make me appear as a negative role model that the staff wouldn’t want around their teenagers or own kids. Thankfully, I was graciously accepted and blessed with the opportunity to serve at Camp Northward’s high school week for the last two years. This year my church, Crossroads, started their own senior high camp and I had a familiar flutter of insecurity when…

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God is in the Restoration Business

faith, grace, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

He breathes life into lifeless places. It doesn’t matter if it’s a relationship, your health, your emotions, your dreams…. He brings dry bones out of the grave and wraps them in flesh once more. He Restores the years you lost, the love you lost, the friends you lost, the faith you lost, the dreams you lost, the opportunities you lost.   Over and above what we can even think of or imagine. He makes all things new, again. If you let Him. If something in your life needs total restoration, read these promises below and be encouraged. He CAN do it. He HAS done it for others (including me). He WANTS to do it…

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And yet…..

faith, freedom, grace, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

My incredible friend Gaynelle helped me with a section in my book about combating the lies and falsehoods we hear in our own minds. She shared with me an incredible resource called, the “Complete Personalized Promise Bible for Women”. I snagged my own copy for my Kindle and am pretty much using it as my devotion this year. (It’s awesome) Each section/topic has scripture, then a faith confession, then a list of all the verses from where that faith confession came. I’m having so much fun studying God’s love letters to His children – to me – that substantiate many of the faith claims and confessions that I repeat to myself on the…

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Worth Fighting For

grace, Life Lessons

We ran into a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran in Vancouver, when my husband thanked him for his service, he turned and looked him intently in the eye and said, “you were worth fighting for.” Makes me tear up again just typing it. Though vastly underappreciated, what an incredible generation of warriors. And what an honor to be told we are worth their sacrifice, even at the times we don’t deserve or appreciate it. Kind of reminds me of Someone Else I know who tells me I’m worth fighting for even when I don’t deserve it….. #sundayfoodforthought

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Amazing Amazing Grace

grace, marriage, relationships

“The thing I find most amazing about amazing grace is the chance to give it out; Maybe that’s what love is all about.”  – I’m Not Who I Was, Brandon Heath This past week, I ran across the poetry and memoirs I wrote during the whirlwind five month romance that lasted from the day we met, to the day I married, my ex-husband. It was ironic, and a little heartbreaking to read. What I wrote most about was all the good things I saw in him and how bright our predestined future together was.  I wrote about seeing him through God’s eyes, the way He had created him, and all the things he…

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Surviving High School

grace, Life Lessons

Saw an article yesterday about a beautiful 16 year old girl who committed suicide over Christmas and I feel convicted to say this to my younger friends on here: High school, like many things in this life, in this world, is temporary. Keep the big picture in your mind at all times. I know it’s difficult, but think more long-term than what is happening this week or this month. Be about bigger things in life. Build your name, your reputation, on things of character. If you have really messed up and made a mistake, or made a fool of yourself – it’s ok, we’ve all been there. Apologize where necessary, forgive yourself and…

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The Believer’s Freedom

faith, freedom, grace, Life Lessons

I remember the first time I had a revelation about this verse it set me FREE: “Everything is permissible–but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible–but not everything is constructive.”  – I Corinthians 10:23 What Paul is saying is you can do anything you want, but not everything is going to make you happy, or satisfied, or peaceful, or prosperous. Especially with where I was in my life at that point, I needed to know I wasn’t being told “what not to do”, that I could make my own decisions and God would still love me and forgive me. What I needed at that time in my life was not more rules and…

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Things I Learned in 2009

grace, Life Lessons, relationships

Sometimes despite all your best efforts, cautions, standards and tenacity you just get hurt. Sometimes you just have to let people go. Sometimes you end up hurting those you love most. Sometimes you just screw up and miss it all together. And in those times when you just don’t think you can get any lower or screw up any more… You find grace. And realize it’s all going to be ok. Sometimes you just have to let people IN, despite how vulnerable that makes you feel. Because in the end they will end up helping you grow, making you a better person. Sometimes you discover things about yourself you never knew. Some of…

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