Faith. Hope. Trust

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What is Faith? 

In Hebrews 1:11, Paul declares, "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Faith is the heart of Hope which beats strongly in those who place their Trust in the Lord.

Faith anchors me to the foundation secured through prayer, scripture, in thought, and within the silence. He is my, Abba Father. My comforter and guide. He is my Peace.

I cling to Hope and have learned to trust, even when the answer is, "No". 

For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."  ~ Hebrews 13:5 

"I know now, Lord, why You utter no answer. You are yourself the answer." ~ C.S. Lewis

 

Hope. Faith. Trust. Love.

 Hope. What does this word mean to you? Poetically, it is an anchor from the Heavens that is my stability, my mainstay. Without this security, I am tossed and carried away in fear. It has taken hard lessons to remain.

Faith. What does this word mean to you? Faith is as lustrous, white pearls bound to my heart—a rare and beautiful gift to share with others.

Trust. What does this word mean to you? A hard one? Trust has been difficult to swallow in every aspect of my life. Through prayer and surrender, it is like my favorite, delicious coffee warming me with peace.

Love. What does this word mean to you? The richness of God's Love is like the perfect red rose that grows within my father-in-law's garden. Its petals are soft with a sweet fragrance. The thorns that grow upon its stem remind me of the crown my Savior wore upon His head.

When we place our Hope, Faith, and trust in the Lord and are open to His unwavering love, He will guide, protect, and comfort us from whatever may be.

My Faithful Companion

 

 

Kristin Higgins penned, “When an 85-pound mammal (dog) licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, It’s hard to feel sad.”

That is what my rambunctious 3 1⁄2-year-old beagle, tree walking-coonhound is for me. Ollie is an undisciplined, unruly, obnoxious, joyful, loving, loyal companion I have come to love and adore. And I am his person. Ollie is attuned to my every need. He brightens each day. That is for sure!

I was unaware of how much our family and I would need Ollie. Just as much as he would us. In a pandemic of uncertainty and loneliness, he brought exuberant laughter, drawing the Kids, Andy, and me closer than imagined.

Ollie is an example of faithfulness. He is always present and loves with abandon.  

There is one whose love is immeasurable and without condition. He knows how many tears fall and the number of hairs on my head. He is my Redeemer, Counselor, and faithful friend. He is the breath of Heaven that circulates within my lungs. He is the Mighty beat within my heart and is Mercy and rains Grace.

He is my Lord.

Maybe Christmas Means More

 

 

 

Each year, my sweet Mother-in-Law sends out a Christmas invite to the families to gather at their home for Christmas Eve. Upon the invitation she always ends it with a heartfelt quote. I think this year was my favorite.

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps… means a little bit more!”

~ Dr. Suess

The Grinch

Once November arrives, the days and weeks hurry by faster than the year before. Thanksgiving comes and then Christmas four to five weeks later. With the hustle and bustle of shopping, finding that perfect gift, we can lose sight of the meaning of the Season.

Christmas means Family. 

And family doesn’t necessarily need to be one of blood, but of community, fellowship, and love. It is the coming together for food and fellowship. It is the giving and receiving of gifts.

Most importantly, for our family it is about the greatest gift this world has ever known. His name is the most famous name around the earth. His birth was recorded in the most-read book ever written, The Holy Bible. 

The Messiah was born in a stable kept with livestock. He was wrapped in cloth and laid in a feeding trough for a bed.

 He was the bridge to Heaven as our Redeemer.

And his name is, JESUS!

This is what the true meaning of Christmas is to me.

"Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about," 

said Linus.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”’

 Luke 2:8-14 KJV

Lives On

 

 

I believe many of you can give testimony in one form or another to this circumstance. The loss of a loved one.

I dare say, since mid-October the sound of Christmas music, and my favorite movies playing can be heard throughout the house. 

I find a deep satisfaction and joy within their familiarity. Reminding us of celebrations to come.

Families coming together from near and far, with the multiple reasons to, give Thanks and have an attitude of Gratitude.

A new classic that I adore is, ‘A Boy Called Christmas’, put out by Netflix in 2021. Without giving this magical storyline away, it involves a grieving family and their first Christmas without their Mother. This strongly resonates with me as we will be navigating the Holidays for the first time without my Mama. 

There were a few lines that duly warranted to be copied down in my journal. “It’s always the way. The darkest night will end. The sun will rise, and Christmas mornings will come again when anything and everything can happen.”,

Aunt Ruth. I just love that! Christmas is the Season for Miracles.

But, it is this sentence that was extremely meaningful to me, “.....you are the best memory of her now.”

Beloved, though we will feel their loss during the Holidays that are before us, we can have joy in the knowledge that they are never truly gone. As Aunt Ruth reminded me, though Mama is gone, her very essence of faith, love, humor, and kindness, with the value and importance of family resides within us all. 

My life represents her memory. Her legacy. There is a peace that surpasses sorrow, for my Mama lives on.

Change

 

 

 Change is all around us, and Autumn is the perfect reminder.

I came across this on Pinterest the other day. The author is unknown.
"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go." Amen to that!

These past eight months have been out of my control.
And as one who likes to take charge, you can imagine how hard it has been. I learned a long time ago the definition of release and how freeing it is.
The fantastic translation in the MSG reads as such:
Ecclesiastes 3:2a,4b,5b,6b
A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,

It has been a journey to reach this place of peace and certainty. I've chosen to embrace my Mom's legacy and the precious memories I hold dear. The time for lamenting has passed.

Another scripture from the translation MSG is phenomenal It reads:
"Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it?"     ~ Isaiah 43:19

There is so much that life throws our way, with illness, heartache, loss, etc. However, I believe there is goodness and promise found in our hardships. There is healing, redemption, and forgiveness with the opportunity to forgive. There is beauty and miracles all around us. We must keep our eyes and hearts wide open, or we'll miss the wonders of metamorphosis that are taking place.

"Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward."?
                                                                                   ~ C.S. Lewis

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
                                                                                ~ Hebrews 4:16

The Love Passage

 

 

 

 

Most are familiar with the 'Love Passage' 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

 

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

 

Being human, we all falter in one area or another. But it's continuing in a course of action despite the difficulties that come our way. That is the essence of love. 

 

To love is seeing our beloveds through a lens of uncondition. It is holding on through the storms and dancing to the melody of the rain. 

 

My husband beholds our marriage and relationship in such a way. He embraces me in his loving arms and covers me in prayer. His character is a beautiful canvas of goodness, honor, and sincerity. He holds my hand in eternal love and devotion as we walk this world together. Laughter is our song of freedom. And our children are our triumph and glory.

 

Love is a journey, a gift to share and behold. Great is the reward.