Let Freedom Ring...

Emerson was laying in bed the other night and suddenly burst into tears. I flipped the light on and sat up. 

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I picked the wrong person!" she sobbed into her tiny hands. 

"What?" I was thoroughly confused. 

"I picked the wrong person!" 

"What are you talking about?"

Through tear-stained cheeks she lamented, "We voted in school today to pick the people we wanted as president and I picked the wrong one!" her little body wracked in sobs. 

For the next twenty minutes or so, we discussed who she had picked, why she picked that person, and why she thought she had picked wrongly. We talked about the Democratic process and how we get to vote for whoever we want to vote for, and that as long as we had taken that vote seriously, had asked our Father to guide our vote, and were convicted about the person we were choosing, there wasn't a "wrong" choice. 

I maybe didn't agree with the words I was saying whole-heartedly as the thought of having to draw a closing line on my ballot for either Hillary or Donald made me physically ill. I sat in front of my ballot for probably not less than weeks thinking, praying, asking my Heavenly Father what was best for our country, what followed His will. 

Tonight as I read through my Facebook feed, I realize that I have a lot of angry and disappointed friends. Friends that are worried and scared. Friends that are casting their "shame on you, America" words to their counterparts that potentially cast a vote for Donald Trump. I am heartbroken that in a time when we should be bonding together and praying for this great nation, we are lashing out in anger at each other, already pointing fingers, accusing the people that voted for Trump of being stupid and ignorant and backwards. 

We need to stop! This needs to stop! This country was founded on turmoil and strife. We were built on Revolutionary Wars and a nation declaring its freedom from oppressors. We have been torn down to our core numerous times in the past and we have risen from the ashes and become a nation united, a people bonded by the common fact that we are Americans! And we are resilient!!

We are not who our president is! We are beautiful, loving people with amazing potential. We are the sum of the citizens of this great country, United together in faith and hope and peace and love. 

We don't need Hillary to be our president to be "Stronger Together." And we certainly don't need Donald to "Make America Great Again." We have the potential for both of those things no matter who our leader is because We, the People, of the United States of America are a brave people. We are a wise people. We are a strong people. We are people together, fighting to save this country and fighting to save our relationships. 

So, I implore you to stop with the divisiveness! Stop with the unkindness and the anger. Stop with the hate and let's bond together NOW! Bond together to heal this nation and get her back on the path to being the greatest nation in the world. You know what I did see in those Facebook posts? Passion! So much passion! Let's channel that, and use that, and bond together, and fight to save this great nation!

As we look towards the end of this week, let's focus on what has really made our country stronger, and the people that are really responsible for our freedoms and making America great - our Veterans! They fought for us in each growing pain toward freedom in this country. They fought for us to keep us safe. They fought for us so that we might rest in peace at night while they sacrifice their time and families and some of them ultimately, their lives. Donald Trump may have won the election. But HE does not define who we are as a nation. We do! We, the people! We are what makes America great! We are what is needed to get this country back on track.

As I watched the election results come in on the television, I had an overwhelming sense of peace. Why? Because I've been focusing a lot on Psalm 27:1 throughout this election and campaign process. It says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Peace...not fear! Peace! I have faith that God will protect us. I have faith that God will bless our president, no matter who that may be. I have faith that this will make us stronger! I have faith that Father God has a plan for me, for my friends and loved ones, and for this country! We will move forward in faith and peace and hope and love and we will become stronger together and we will make America great again. 

So let's stop with hateful, angered talk!  Enough with the fighting and bickering and blaming!  Be done with attacking each other! Put down those feelings, and just know that God is in control! He's got this! And He's got us...right in the palm of His hand. 

I am grateful this election season is over, and I speak peace over the times that are to come and I pray for our great nation! As we embark on this new adventure as a country, I stand here today and declare that "I'm with HIM!" My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! For through Him, I am made stronger everyday, and I have faith that He will make our country stronger everyday as well! Stand with me! Peace, hope, faith, love...I'm with Him! Amen!)

Picture Perfect

Photographs are an interesting medium. A picture is a snapshot in time, a glimpse inside the lives of the person or people that are the subject of the photo. Often I find myself staring into the eyes of people in a photograph, wondering what was going on behind the scenes of their lives when that particular photo was snapped. Were they happy? Was something wrong and they were faking the smile for the camera? Was the photo staged or was it by chance snapped in a moment?  Pictures are an important part of how we maintain memories of people and events. 

When Brian and I got married, we talked often about having photos taken. I had been married all of maybe three hours when I got pregnant with Amelia, I believe. We would lay in bed together and talk excitedly about having a baby to take pictures of and share with the world. It was a wonderful dream! So every November, I would call and make our appointment at JC Penneys to have our family Christmas photos taken. Then we would eagerly sit after the session and choose which pictures would be perfect for our Christmas cards. It was something I looked forward to every holiday season.

And then Brian died, two months shy of our first family-of-four opportunity for Christmas pictures. I almost didn't go through with pictures that year, but then I decided I needed to. I needed to have pictures of my little family, even if it was a member short. I hired a different photographer and met her at her studio in Port Orchard. She got beautiful images and we left. And I sobbed all the way home, angry about how unfair this was that he wasn't in our pictures with us. 

A few weeks later I got the CD of images and they were stunning. I was smiling. The girls were happy. We looked like the perfect little family. Anyone looking at the photos and staring into our eyes would never know the "negatives" that were developing in the background. The death of my husband, the girls' father. The horrible articles in the paper. The flowers and plants that still filled our home in condolence. The tears that were shed and the sleepless nights. The dread of even waking up some mornings. Our family, in the glossy shots on the CD, looked happy and normal. 

Pictures can either be the best things, or the worst things, depending on what phase of life you are in. When my other dad, Tom, was nearing the end of his journey here on earth with us, I went through this phase where I tore my house apart looking for pictures of him. Him with my dad. Him with my girls. Him with me and my sister and my other sisters. I wanted those pictures so I could desperately cling to the better moments, the happier times where he wasn't sick and we were laughing and having fun and enjoying life as one big happy family. Those pictures saved me some nights. 

My family pictures before Brian's death? I don't want to see them. There isn't a picture of him hanging in our home. His ending time on earth was so negative, so awful, so filled with grief and turmoil and raw emotion that I wanted him and his memory to just dry up and disappear. I have his pictures tucked away in my closet for those moments when one of the girls might ask to see him. The "negatives" that developed in the background were just too painful for me to see. And still are sometimes. 

But, the photographs that we take tell the story of us, no matter if it's good or bad. They are the little snapshots of our journey in this life that walk us down memory lane and are proof of the life and times that we lived. I don't hesitate to take photos. I am always making my girls pose or my parents pose. Kristi and I snap a photo together before the start of every football game. I cherish the photos with Julie and her kids from summer adventures where we're together. These memories, even the memories of Brian, are important to developing the story of us. 

I had the honor of attending a family photo shoot this morning. My talented friend, Michelle, went with us to capture some family pictures for people that we love dearly. As I was watching the photo shoot take place, my heart was filled! This family, who is so very important to the girls and I, are walking through a storm right now. The "negatives" they are developing in the background right now are more than they should have to bear. But standing back and watching Michelle snap pictures of them in various arrangements and poses made all of those negatives disappear. The photos didn't show the tumor that was just diagnosed. They didn't show the aches and pains and tremors that he goes through. They didn't show the worry and heartache and anger and roller coaster of emotions they are going through. There was no sign of the exhaustion and fatigue from long days and sleepless nights. The screen on the back of Michelle's camera only showed love. It only showed smiles and happiness. It captured giggles and teasing and affectionate glances. Small, amazing, important moments in time for them to cherish and treasure and look back on with fondness. It captured a family that is full of love and hope and faith and peace. It captured a family that is stronger everyday as they walk through this journey with each other and with God. 

Philippians 1:3 says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..." and that says it all. Pictures are important. If anything, they give us the visual reminders of the people and the time and the love that Father God has blessed us all with! Concrete evidence that we laughed and lived and loved, even if it wasn't for as long as we wanted. Tangible proof of the blessings that we are granted. 

I should be looking at those pictures with the heart of what an honor it was to hold Brian and love him and grow babies and a family with him. His untimely exit doesn't change any of that. I was still greatly blessed by his presence for those few years I knew him and loved him. And the photographs from that time serve as my reminder of the journey that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with. 

So take all the pictures you can! Capture the moments of those blessings that you have been granted! Look through the memories and remember the fun times and the laughter, the giggles and the teasing. Father has blessed us richly! And how awesome for all the evidence we gather! Share your picture memories with us all! For in doing so, we are praising God for his beautiful and perfect timing, the amazingness of His creation, and the arrangement of His universe according to His will!

I can't wait to see what continues to develop, for my family, and for all of the families we hold near and dear to our hearts! And I will indeed thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

and hold you close in my thoughts and prayers. 

The Worst Day Since Yesterday...

Ever have one of those days where you just wish there was a reset button? A day where you just wish you could crawl back into bed and have a do-over? A day where you just close your eyes and hope that the world stops spinning for just a second so you can catch your breath and gain your balance once more?  Ever have that day turn into a bigger chunk of time?

When we were going through everything with Brian, it seemed to be a never-ending string of those days. When the first incident kicked over the first domino of doom, it seemed like nothing could top that event. But then it was one thing after another. After each event, my daddy would cradle me in His arms and say "It can't get any worse!" After the third fairly huge event, I looked into his eyes, put my hand gently over his mouth, and begged him to stop saying that! It seemed to be a challenge to the universe to find something bigger than the last thing that happened. Every event, whether it was big or small, seemed to threaten to bring me to my knees. And some of the events did, both literally and figuratively. There came a point where I would throw my hands up in the air and giggle, not knowing how else to react. Not wanting to think about dealing with one more thing. I was quickly sliding to the end of my rope. 

I have been a Christian almost my whole life, but I have become immersed in my faith and my feelings towards God recently, in the last couple years. For a while on my journey I was spinning my wheels, unsure of who exactly might have been in charge. I was thankful to be able to lean on my God, but I don't know if I took it very seriously. I worked very hard to try and handle things on my own.  I worked hard to fix things and let people see that I was tough and strong and brave and could handle anything.  Occasionally I'd throw up a prayer or two, but honestly there was a lot of "Why me" and "Seriously, I think I'm good in the tragedy department" thrown into the mix. He walked me through those times, but it wasn't until recently that my heart was set ablaze by His goodness and grace and mercy and I realized just how good life could be with Him!

Does being a daughter of the King mean that I am protected from tragedy? No...Does being a follower of God mean that I don't still reel and grieve the loses I have experienced? Not at all...Does knowing Jesus and my Lord and personal Saviour mean that every day is hunky dory? Nope...but all of those things above have gifted me with the strength and faith and resiliency to know that every step I take is hand-crafted and planned by Father God. Each moment of my time here on earth is orchestrated by Him, to help me walk with Him in faith and hope and peace and love. All of the moments of my life, the good and the bad, are placed in my life exactly when I need them, to either teach me, train me, prepare me, or grow me up in my faith in Him. 

I am so glad that I had God to walk me through those dark times in my life. Even though many times it seemed to be a half-hearted following of God, I was still loved and protected and carried by my Heavenly Father. 

How about now? Sometimes it seems that things get stacked up again. A friend who is my other family receives a devastating diagnosis. I watch them and love them and support them through their journey the best that I can, but I also watch them have one thing after another happen to them. A car accident. A flat tire. A broken microwave. A power outage. Little things it seems, but when you're dealing with one big thing the little things seem to threaten to take you down. Satan and his minions at work to try and unsteady the faith, tear apart the peace, steal, kill, and destroy however they can. But, my friend and prayer partner, walked me through my journey. We have become stronger everyday through all of our steps together. We can see the bigger picture and know that even though this might be the worst day since yesterday, it's not a big deal when you are walking with the Lord. I see my journey and the pain and heartache that I went through, and I praise God for those days because it made me stronger in my faith, stronger in my resiliency, stronger everyday! And it lined me up perfectly to be able to walk my friends and family through this journey, and any other journey we may come upon. 

So, worst day since yesterday? Not a big deal! We are in training! We have faith!  We know that God will use this situation for a greater good and that we will see that God is on the move, in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives, in our communities. We have an opportunity to find beauty from ashes, in Jesus's name! We have an opportunity to love and grow and help others in His kingdom to do the same!  We have an opportunity to take our bad days, our tragic moments, and turn them into days of love and peace and hope and faith! We choose to have faith and walk in faith and to share our faith!

We will also have bad days...we will have days when we cry and grieve and maybe stomp our feet and ask "why me" and declare "enough already!" But by the grace of God, we will remember that He is there, in the midst of our bad days. He is there, counting every tear that we shed. He is there, holding our hands and walking us through the tough days. 

We choose to be stronger everyday, even in the days that are worse than yesterday. Those days? Those days we drop to our knees and ask Father God to lead us, and guide us, and protect us. And humbly ask Him to use is as an example and a light of faith and hope and peace and love to others. For even in the tough times, we choose to thank and praise His most Holy name! 1 John 5:5 says, "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God." We believe! We have faith! We join together in love and praise and worship and prayer! And our faith will overcome the troubles of the world! 

Worst day since yesterday? What a blessing to know we get another opportunity to praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! How blessed we are! Another day...another day to be stronger...

There's a Tree...

When I have something that weighs heavy on my heart and soul and mind, I have a tendency to take it out on my sleep. I don't sleep well when I am dealing with things. It just doesn't happen. I mull it over and stew and think and pray and read and plead with God. All. Night. Long. When stuff happened with Brian I developed the habit of pacing. I pace around my house all night long sometimes, talking to myself, praying to God, as if walking 100 miles a night is going to get me closer to the solutions I so desperately want. 

Last night was a pacing night. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't shut off my brain. I couldn't stop the flow of tears that washed over me and over me again. So I paced. And prayed. And cried. And asked God to take control of the situation that I am struggling with. 

As I was pacing my house a voice encouraged me to pause by my front entryway. In my entryway, hanging on the wall, are four signs that I bought after Brian died, to remind me of the virtues I felt were strong in my home and in my family. One is a picture of a nest that says  "The home is a nest where love is found to be." The next, a bird, that declares "To our children we give two things, one is roots and the other is wings." One with a tree on it tells us "The tree will always be there for the family tree is home." And the last, a close up view of birch trees that reads, "Our family tree thrives in strength and love. With every bud and every branch the tree grows. Every joy shared adds more love and every storm faced together only makes the tree grow stronger."

My family tree. I come from a long line of amazing people. They have been strong in adversity. They have fought hard battles to survive life as it comes at them. They are a family of wise, strong, courageous people. 

My personal family tree branches off of those people. The three women that live in my household, our tree is also strong. We have deep roots that press down into our Lord and Savior. We have that foundational root system that grows deep. Our little tree of three has many branches to it. My parents. My sister and her family. They love us and they bolster our tree with branches to make us grow big and strong. 

Then there are the branches that have been grafted to our tree. Friends and loved ones that have become more than just friends and loved ones. People that have been accepted and absorbed by our tree. People that have withstood the storms in our life that have made us stronger. People that mean the world to us. That love us and know us and want what is best for us. People that have put solid roots down next to us to hold us upright when life got super stormy. 

When I was growing up, our favorite days were spent camping at Kalaloch. We would wake up on any given day of our vacation and walk far, far down the beach as a family. Oftentimes we would walk so far we'd get caught by the tide and have to spend the day swimming and playing in the secret cove that was just ours. On the walk, my mama and I would walk together and hold hands and sing. We loved to sing and harmonize together. One of our favorite songs was a song by country artist Tanya Tucker called "Strong Enough to Bend." The song starts out with these words:

"There's a tree out in the backyard 

That never has been broken by the wind. 

And the reason it's still standing 

It was strong enough to bend."

Strong enough to bend. My tree, bolstered by the love and faith and peace and hope of family and friends was strong enough to bend. My tree, deeply rooted in love and faith and peace and hope in my Heavenly Father was strong enough to bend. We didn't break. We didn't topple over. We were strong enough to bend. 

The current situation that I am facing has me pacing again. And God has me watching the walls for messages from Him. This message was important. This message feeds right into the motto we have developed: Stronger Everyday! Our roots and branches are being blown and buffeted, twisted and tangled by the fierce storm that is upon us at this time. We cling to each other and cling to Father God and pray that we can outlast the storm. But we will! God will see to it that we do! Because He has walked us down paths in a journey that we wouldn't wish on anyone. Step by step He was there conducting our dance through evil and pain and heartache. And He is here, doing the same for this round of evil and pain and heartache too. 

But our message in the mess? We are strong enough to bend! We are strong in the Lord! And we are STRONGER EVERYDAY!!

Love, blessings, and strength to bend to all of my family and friends. No matter what you're going through, let me plant myself next to you, bolster you up, and help you ride out the storm. Stronger Everyday!

If I Could Turn Back Time...

October is a month that I would prefer was just bypassed on the calendar. If it weren't for football and my mom's birthday and Halloween fun with my girls, I would be perfectly content to tuck myself in bed on September 30th and not wake up until November 1st. It would be perfectly fine with me to just completely flip the calendar past this whole month. 

I have told myself for the last six years that it's just a page on the calendar. It's just a number. It's just squares on a calendar, easily eradicated from the page with a simple red-line X, marking the day off forever. If only forgetting were as simple as that. If only October 18th could be erased from the calendar as a day that never existed. If only I didn't drag myself through the beginning half of the month, to the 18th of the month, knowing that this date will forever be the date that my husband chose death over life. The day that he decided that life wasn't worth living. The day that he died.

I will say that this year has been the easiest in terms of reliving my grief and heartache. I have grown so much over the last year and learned so much about myself. I also have had the heartache of a different worry to keep my mind distracted from the details of this time period. My days and nights have been filled with prayers and praise and thinking of other people, which has lended itself to me thinking of other things, being distracted from what was looming, until my Heavenly Father called attention to it yesterday morning on the treadmill, and planned the writing of this blog post with me. 

The realization that we had made it to the time hit me a bit like a ton of bricks. In the middle of my run I realized that I was only a day away from what could easily be one of the most difficult days of my life. And kickstarted some of my lowest, darkest days. 

With any anniversary I feel like you are led to a period of reflection. The anniversary of a death is no different. As I now sit firmly in the day of the 18th I think back six years ago. Six years! This is one of those situations where it seems like just yesterday on one hand, but it also seems like a million years have passed since that day. I feel like I will forever be able to close my eyes and walk through the events of those days. My faithful side realizes that this is and was all part of God's plan. That He knew how this was all going to play out and He had a purpose in each of us going through what we went through. My doubting side looks at all of this and thinks, "Why did this happen? What did I miss? I should have looked closer. Paid more attention. What if..."

If only I could reverse time! If only I could go back to certain moments that I now look at and see was part of the journey that led us to October 18th, 2010. If I could go back to July 2010 and stop things that happened. If I could go back to October 1st on the couch with my husband. What would I change about words we exchanged? Would I still ask him to leave? What if I hadn't walked to work the next day? What if my sweet friend Kim hadn't been in her office? What if I could have fixed it then?  What if...

What if I had seen the double car payment earlier in the day on the 18th and realized it was part of his last day plan? What if I had called him? What if I never forget the phone ringing and his mother asking me where he could have gone, that they found notes in his room? What if I hadn't taken my parents and drove to Sequim that night? What if I never had to stand in a front door and have a police officer tell me they had found my husband's body? What if...

The what ifs will drive you insane and maybe I let them do just that for a while. I was a lost person for a few years. If my friends and family hadn't stood at my side and dragged me through for a while I'm not sure where I would be today. If I didn't have two beautiful little girls living with me and depending on me as their sole-surviving parent, my journey could have been very different than it was. 

Ecclesiates Chapter 3 speaks to the what ifs:

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain and a time to lose; A time to keep and a time to throw away; A time to tear and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace."

God has perfect timing. He knows what we need, when we need it. Throughout this journey I've learned that to everything there is a season. He has every part of our lives planned out for us. He knows what is going to happen before we even think it's going to happen. Does it always make sense? No! Especially when we are in the depths of the despair of the moment. When Brian died and my world was turned upside down, I certainly did not cling to this verse, or any verse in particular. I was sad and reeling and angry and confused and hurt. And I didn't understand why any of it was happening. I couldn't understand how in the blink of an eye, my entire existence had changed, had been taken away from me. Now that I am six years out on this journey, I see his love and protection and purpose in all this! The message in my mess! The testimony in my test!  To everything there is a season! And I am a new, beautiful, reborn person because of all that happened in the last six years. My children are strong, independent, amazing little people because of all that happened in the last six years. My faith is deeply and firmly rooted in my Heavenly Father and for the first time in a long time, I see not just THE purpose in all that we have been through, but I see MY purpose in this life!

If I could turn back time, would I do it? Maybe for some pieces, but I don't feel like those pieces are from God. The pieces that want to turn back time are pieces of regret and shame and guilt and blame. The what ifs that are overwhelming if you choose to live there. I am firmly planted in the today! I don't want to turn back time because I like the outcome of the time I have marched through. I love where I am at in this day! I love who I have grown into and who I continue to grow to be. I am strong and resilient and growing leaps and bounds in my faith daily. And I get to pay it forward! I get to share this message with all of you, but I also get to now today take the hands of the people that are most dear to me and walk them through what might be their worst October ever. I get to share His divine plan and His timing with someone else that will remember these days as days to erase off the calendar forever. I get to deliver a message of hope and a future because I have made it to the other side. And I don't want to go backwards anymore. 

God's perfect plan! God's perfect timing! To everything there is a season! And I hope that no matter where you are on your journey, no matter what you are struggling with, no matter what you are going through, you can see that there is a divine plan for you! Don't wish to turn back time! Enjoy the season you are in right now! Don't dread a date on a calendar, for that date has or had a specific purpose to create you into who you are today! 

To everything there is a season...don't wish to turn back time! Pray to have your eyes opened to the purpose of the time you are in right this very second!

October 18th...just a day. Just the day that was the beginning of me being a new creation in Him! What a blessing this day should be celebrated as! What a blessing!

So it's not if I could turn back time, but rather if I could live for today! His plan! His timing! His peace! His love! His joy! His timing...

Let's leave October where it is for now. I'm learning to like it more every year. 

Shelter from the Storm...

This post finds me sitting in a chair in my living room, staring out the window, watching for signs of the impending storm the weather people have been predicting for days now. A gust of wind here and there. A sudden burst of rain against the windows. Bits and pieces of weather trying to come together to create the storm we've been promised. 

I have always loved storms. Thunder and lightning and wind and rain. I love being cozy in the house watching from my chair. Hearing the rain on the roof. Watching clusters of leaves blowing across the yard. Watching the multi-colored clouds blow quickly through the darkened sky, swirling and moving and creating fluffy painted scenes on the horizon. 

God blessed me with two little girls who are my light and my life. They do not share my love of storms. They stare at the window and see angry skies. They cover their ears with every crash of thunder. Hide their eyes at every bright flash of lightning. They hold their breath with every gust of wind that forces it's way into every inch of our home. They are afraid. They are scared. They don't share my love of storms. 

Scrolling through my Facebook page, I have seen video after video of storm footage. Waterfalls swelling. Water rushing down the street. And maybe most impressive are the videos of the oceans and bays in our area. Giant, crashing waves, huge swells, white caps, blowing foam. Many might see that footage and see fear and darkness and and terror. I see God. Hope and light and power and peace!

Those videos are just like real life. One second the ocean is clear and flat and crystal blue. Smooth sailing to wherever you are aiming to head. Clear waters and clear sky looking toward the horizon from all directions. Suddenly, the skies turn dark, wind and waves begins swirling and raging, waves get bigger and seem to swell out of the ocean, and soon you are staring at walls of waves on either side. You try to steer your ship, waiting for the waves to crash down around you and take your ship out. 

God promises us that He is in the storm. He is with us in the storm, the storm that is raging outside of my living room right now and the storms of life that are swirling all around me. He is there. He is there as I watch my patio table blow across the deck. He is there as the trees are swaying back and forth across the street. He's there as I slowly come up on the anniversary of the death of my husband. He is there as I hold my friend and cry with her over the diagnosis of her husband's cancerous tumor. He is there as they walk through the steps toward treatment and healing for him. He is there as we fervently pray for the miracles that we know God is so very capable of. 

Psalm 107:28-31 says, "Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Amen! He calms the storm! He calms the storms of life. He brings us out of our distresses. We only need to call His name! We only need to call out to Him in our trouble and He will bring us through. 

So, as I watch the storm swirling all around outside my window, I know that God will protect me and my family.  He will keep us safe from the swirling winds, the torrential rain, the flying debris. God will protect my heart as I march toward October 18th, keeping me from falling into the depths of darkness. God will protect my friend and her family and my family as we all walk through the storm we are heading toward. 

The storms will rage on in life. Both literal storms and the storms that blow our way on the course of life. We may be scared and worry that we won't survive. We may feel like we're going to drown in all the waves that are buffeting us from all sides. We may lose sight of the course we are on, lose our way, be unsure of how and where to navigate. We don't have to worry about any of that! God will calm the storm, and our hearts. God will walk us through and ensure we survive. God will scoop us out of the storm and lift us to His high places. He will guide us in the direction we are supposed to go. 

The best part about storms? They don't last forever. You need to sit tight, hold on, and keep your faith that God will carry you through! He calms the storm. Trust Him that He delivers on His promises! He will scoop you out of the storm and cradle you in His loving arms! Have faith! Be of good courage! Look for the rainbow! And feel the presence of God in the storm!

Just Breathe...

Oxygen is essential for life. You need to breathe...in...out...in...out...repeat for your whole life. So I've always thought it was strange that when I get stuck in fight or flight mode I sometimes hold my breath. Or when something scares me. Or when I'm heading into a flashback or a panic attack. The breath in me leaves and I don't breathe.

We need oxygen! We need to breathe! I also find it funny that when I'm stressed these days, my first instinct is to run. That used to mean run away! Now it means run on the treadmill. Running is another activity that takes your breath away. Or at least mine! The longer I run, the more my lungs begin to burn and I find myself gasping for breath at times. But, I'm always taken care of and make it to the end of my run, breathing intact. 

My running time on the treadmill is my quiet time with God. I've mentioned this before in these posts. I turn on some form of worship music and I have a conversation with God. Many of these conversations lead to posts. Today's for certain was written with God to post here. 

This morning at 5:00 a.m., my friend and other dad, Clay, went in for a biopsy on a tumor in his brain. The text I got telling me that he had a tumor was another thing that took my breath away. And then my God whispered in my ear "Just breathe," and I knew this was all in His hands. This morning I sent a "praying for you" text to Melody when I woke up and started my run. The first few minutes of walking were ok. Then I started running. And then the tears started falling as I poured my heart out to my God, lifting them all up in prayer, asking for Him to cover them all with His wings, praying for steady hands for the doctors and a sure plan for recovery. Asking him to shrink and take away the tumor. And suddenly I found myself without breath. Running and crying really don't mix very well and my breath was hard to catch. And then...

The album I have been listening to a lot lately is Michael W. Smith's album Worship. The songs are soothing and bring me peace. In the middle of my prayer and my difficult time breathing, his song called Breathe came on, just in time. The first line of the song is "This is the air I breathe..." God's air. The air that He provides in the moments when it takes all my effort to remember the simple ins and outs of how breathing works. 

This is the air I breathe...His air for me fills my lungs and the Holy Spirit fills my heart and I am brought peace and grace and hope and all the wonderful feelings of knowing that I am a daughter of the King. 

And with each breath that He breathes into me, I declare a prayer! The world is such a chaotic mess right now! Politics and war. Clowns and hurricanes. The whole world needs a prayer! You could pray a different prayer with every breath you took and still not cover everything that needs prayer!

Well, I need prayer for my little corner of the world! I need prayer for Clay. I need prayer for Melody and Kristi and Dale. I need prayer for the miracle that God is oh so capable of! Inoperable tumors seem like a gigantic wall of fear and darkness and hopelessness, but when God's air is breathed on it, it is one more mess for our message! One more test for our testimony!

So pray! Don't know how? Find a friend! Hold hands! And just send positive thoughts out to Clay! Don't know what to say? Don't say anything! Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and just feel the Holy Spirit fill your heart and your soul and your minds. Turn on some music and just pour your heart out to Him. 

And while the prayers I hold for Clay and Melody and their entire family are the most urgent prayers I have for the week, perhaps there are urgent prayers you have in your life also! Share them here with us so that we may add those in too! For God hears them all! And answers them all! So share your prayers with us!  So that we may all breathe together, and pray for our needs according to His will!

Keep breathing! And keep praying! Matthew 18:20 says "For where two or three are a gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Let's join together in prayer!

And keep my family in Seattle on your list please! They mean the world to me and they need the comfort and peace and hope that our prayers being more than ever. 

Just breathe...and whisper a prayer with each breath you take.

This is the air I breathe...