Helloooooooo and Updates!

Hello Blog Friends!

I know there has been quite an extended period of silence from me on the blog. I am happy to report that I am back! and excited to begin writing once again! Between remote schooling and the shutdowns due to the pandemic, followed by summer and other life situations, there was little time for writing it seemed. I look forward to beginning to write once more and even adding a few new content areas and tabs to the blog. I look forward to you joining me as we explore and discover new ideas together!

What's to come on the blog...

Around the table- A new section of the blog will be devoted to gathering together around the table. I love to cook and I love to eat, but more than anything I love gathering together with loved ones around the table. I am passionate that time spent around the table is not just about consuming food, it is about connecting with one another, growing with one another, learning about each other. It is a safe space to share, to think, to care, to teach, to love those that God has placed around our tables. Here you will find family meals shared, conversation topics to spur on connecting as you sit down to share a meal, and other general ideas related to gathering together with friends and family.

Prayer Resources- If you know me in person, you know that one of my passions is prayer, and I am especially encouraged when praying together with other believers. In this new section, I may share prayer topics, prayer scriptures, and prayers on various topics that you can pray together with me.

On the bookshelf- I also love to read! This new tab will be for books I read and recommend.

These new tabs should be rolling out soon!

For my first post back, I want to give you just a little snapshot of a few of the things I have been both challenged by and reminded of during this very different year 2020 has turned out to be.

1. First and foremost, I've been reminded that God is sovereign and He is good. This is always true and does not change with circumstances. He has ALL authority. All things are in His hands. Leaders are in His hands. Times are in His hands. He is not on plan B, He is not looking for a silver lining because things did not go as He planned in 2020. He is not writing off this year as a bust. This is His plan A. In all things He is good, He does Good. He has good things for us. This goodness is not based on or found in circumstances, or in the hope of things settling down or getting better; rather this goodness is found in His very presence. He has invited us into His presence through the blood of Jesus, He has invited us and called us repeatedly to "draw near." It is here, in the holy place that we have access to because of Christ, that we experience peace, joy, hope, love, light, rest, strength, endurance, confidence, faith, freedom. It is here in His presence that we discover that He is good and we can always, always trust Him.

2. Prayer is our greatest form of intervention in any and every situation. Are you bothered by something? Pray. Are you stressed about something? Pray. Are you concerned for someone? Pray. Are you trying to make a decision about something? Pray. Are you grateful for something? Pray. Prayer is not merely asking, it is listening, it is relationship.

3. Hope is more than a wish...we can be certain of the hope that we have in Jesus. Hope is the certainty, the confidence, the absolute assurance that God is who He says He is, and God does what He says He will do. He is faithful...it is not merely what He does, but it is who He is. Much about this year has felt uncertain and unstable. I can catch myself saying, “well, I hope it’ll get better soon...I hope things will calm down....I hope cases will calm down...”. But I error in this; I am using the wrong word. Because in Jesus our hope is not merely wishful thinking, in Jesus our hope is certain, our hope is sure, our hope is yet to come but guaranteed nonetheless. This kind of hope anchors us in smooth waters and in turbulant storms. This confidence comes in knowing that our salvation is sure in Jesus. This hope is sure of our promised salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, it is sure of eternity spent with Him, it knows that every promise in scripture is true, it holds fast to the truth that He will always be with us and will never leave us nor forsake us. Hold your head high believer, don't grow weary but be renewed and strengthened remembering your hope is sure.

4. What is faith? What does faith look like? What does it do? I’ve been studying this lately and recorded this list just this morning in my journal. I’ll share it with you to ponder with me. Much of this comes from the book of Hebrews, particularly Hebrews 11.

Faith:

-is the evidence of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen

-believes that the blood of Jesus is sufficient to cover all of our sins and reconcile us to the Father

-believes that Jesus was the once and for all perfect sacrifice for sins and trusts in Jesus as savior and Lord

-believes that Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, and that we who believe might have eternal life through Christ

-is the means by which we obtain the grace of God

-is a belief in the person and promises of God

-is certain of what God has promised even though it cannot see it

-is what stands under our hope

-is persistent even in hardships and persecution

-endures even when weary

-always leads to action, to obedience

-triumphs over fear

-pleases God

-commends us before God

-doesn't always look perfect, but endures nontheless

-does not ensure an easy path, but a path you will never walk alone

-is authored by Jesus and completed by Jesus

-looks to the unseen over the seen, the eternal over the temporary

-believes in the truthfulness of God and acts on it

-changes our lives, plays out in our actions, shapes our attitudes

Again, I look forward to new updates on the blog to come! May you be people of enduring faith, of steadfast hope, of fervent prayer, and of unwavering belief in the character and promises of God. May you find life and joy, freedom and peace as you spend time in His presence today.