Journeys of one mom

So, here I am again... my random moments that I get to actually sit down and blog! Last night, I was praying about what God wanted me to read in my devotions.  As I prayed, I kept being drawn to this one particular passage.  I keep praying and asking God... what is it I am to learn here or see here... The passage is Matthew 26:6-13.  Jesus Anointed at Bethany 6  While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7  a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9  “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10  Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11  The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12  When she...

I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately.  It feels that everything has hit hard and all at once.  We as humans get tired.  We start to feel like we can't say that one more prayer begging for a change, we can't make that next step of faith to trust tomorrow is going to be Ok, or maybe we aren't even sure if there's hope for tomorrow... Some may read that and think, "Well how depressing!" but when the battle is strong and the fight goes on and on... at some point, we grow weary!  We become so tired that we aren't sure of ourselves and we just don't know how to cope with it.  Today, I was praying.  For me, I'm battling chronic illness, both in me and in my children. I'm at a place that I'm having to figure out how to cope with unwanted changes in my body.  The things that I used to do, there are many that I can't do at all and many that have become a struggle for me to do.  In that moment, I have to start to realize that I hav...

Valley... what do you think of when you hear that word?  Me, I often think of the times in life that I've felt like the mountain (or problem) before me was just too overwhelming and too hard to handle.  It's a point in life I'm down and feel defeated like there's no way out.  Many think of that and other things when they think of the word valley.  The actual definition of Valley is a low area of land between mountains and hills.   Today, I was doing my usual afternoon routine when I got a text from a friend.  The text had a picture of her calendar that showed her word for today.  The passage she shared with me made me smile and made me think about the wonderful love of our God.  Soon after, a song came on that went right along with what I just read.  Ever have those God moments where you just sit back and go WOW?  I have friend that always said, "I just got God (goose) bumps!"  That's where I was in that moment.   So, ...

What good is it?  Ever ask that of yourself?  Ever look around you and question why you try, why you care, or even what good it is to try to do right or to do what you know God wants you to do?  I think we all have, to be totally honest!  This morning, as I read the Bible, I sat thinking about this.  I'll be honest!  I have done that.  There are times we struggle... whether it be financially, physical health, desires... that list can go on and on for every one of us!  Then I see someone who's never gave much effort or has lived a life of doing nothing but everything against God... and they appear to be blessed or to have it all... A little jealousy sets in... right? Then you start to look at yourself and your own life and wonder why on earth you try so hard every day... Then I'm tripped up... my favorite line is God's got this... but I can stray from that! How easily I can stray from that! Then this morning, I asked God... what is it you want me...

So, this morning, I woke up wondering what I should read... what direction is God wanting me to go this morning.... Psalm 29... Something greater! As I read these scriptures, I was kind of like, "Really God? What is it I need to see here..."  Then, the last verse caught me... "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." So... what makes this so significant today?  Well... just like my title... something greater!  Let me share with you what the rest of this passage says... The voice of the Lord is over the waters The God of glory thunders The Lord thunders over the mighty waters the voice of the Lord is powerful The voice of the Lord is majestic The Voice of the Lord breaks the cedars The  voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning The voice of the Lord shakes the desert The of the Lord twists the oak and strips the forests bare And in his temple we all cry GLORY! Reading all of this... Our G...

Yesterday, while doing devotions with Abby, we read a story in the Bible that I haven't read for quite awhile.  It was a story of a woman who had hit rock bottom.  Ever been there?  Man, I sure have! This woman, many of us know her story, but I wonder how many of us have really stopped to ponder the details in her story?  This is the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years.  She was an outcast.  But also, she had spent everything she had trying to fix what was wrong with her and right in the scripture, it says, she only grew worse!  She had nothing left.  Nothing but a disease that continued to take her life away.  Then, one day, this sick woman heard Jesus was there!  The crowds had pressed in around him.  BUT!  This woman, she knew in her heart just who Jesus is and she believed with everything in her that if she could just touch... not talk to, not beg, not have his full attention, or even corner him alone... if she cou...

Many times in life, things become too much in our lives.  I think each person has a different way of dealing it.  Me, I retreat often within but I am also a talker and when I can't talk through my emotions... well life gets a little... hmm... shall we say... ugly!?!? I've been in the ugly this week.  Life has thrown so much at us at one time.  We seem to be at a place in life that we feel we are learning a brand new normal, and that comes with an unwelcome tag!  But in those places, we have to remember something... we have to hold onto a truth... WE ARE NOT ALONE. I'm not talking about people.  I'm not talking about family.  I'm talking about that place with God.  The root of who we are and who we have always been.  YES, faith does waiver at times.  I know often we are told how strong we are and what a testimony our lives are.  But there are many days we waiver and many days we struggle to put that next foot forward trusting tha...