When Every Day is a Battle

By my boss, I was recently given one of the top things on my wish list, the puritan prayer book, “The Valley of Vision”. I was so encouraged by the introduction of the book, I thought I’d share it with you. This is especially for my brothers and sisters who are in a difficult situation right now, who feel like they are at their lowest low, and know each morning when they wake up that the day is going to be a constant battle. To you, I grieve that you are in these lowlands, but pray that while you are in the valley, God gives you clearer eyes to see Him.

The Valley of Vision

“Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,

Where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

That the way down is the way up,

That to be low is to be high,

That the broken heart is the healed heart,

That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

That to have nothing is to possess all,

That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

That to give is to receive,

That the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find they light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty

Thy glory in my valley.”

Don’t give up. God is close to the brokenhearted (Ps. 34:18), He see each of your tears (Ps. 56:8),He will never leave you (Heb. 13:5), and He will sustain you (Phil 4:19) through this, and every difficult day.

What Calvin and Hobbes Tell Us About God

My younger brother owns all of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. We’ve spent hours reading them out loud to each other, laughing all the while at these brilliantly crafted funnies. What a great time!  Along with comic strips, I love (appropriate) comedies, the humor section on Pinterest, and friends that laugh with me, at me, and make me laugh.

Don’t we all?

Isn’t there something wonderful about humor?

Scripture tells us that “ever good and perfect gift comes from above” (James 1:17). And I am pretty darn tootin’ sure that includes laughter.

You know, He didn’t HAVE to create us with funny bones; we would have functioned just fine without them. We wouldn’t have known what we were missing if He had never designed us to throw up heads back and roar with laughter, or laugh so hard that we cry, pee ourselves (cough, cough, Carrissa) or until our abs hurt.

But instead he made us to be creatures capable of joy and laughter-solely because of His grace! He made it so “a joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22) and gave us times to laugh (Ecclesiastes 3:4)!

God is infinitely more creative, kind, and brilliant that I can even begin to imagine. But today I read a classic comic strip and was reminded of a small part of his graciousness, and so I praise Him for it.

What’s something YOU can praise God for today?

What Photography Tells Us About God

The last few speaking engagements I’ve booked, the organizers of the event have asked me for a bio and a headshot.  Being the unprepared young lady I am, I would quickly jot down a few lines about myself and submit a selfie from Facebook. Real cool. Real professional.

(note the sarcasm)

Fortunately for me, and anyone looking to have me speak, I have a dear, sweet, INCREDIBLY TALENTED friend, Olivia Craft, who took the time to take photos of me for headshots!

Here are some of them:

Isn’t that crazy? What great lighting, shots, poses and angels! Trust me, that has nothing to do with me! I don’t look that fly in real life-Olivia works magic! The session experience was so very pleasant! She was so very encouraging, and kind, and incredibly helpful! She made me laugh, made me feel like I was doing a great job, and gave me lots of tips to help me know what to do with my hands/feet/head/hair/anything!

In the midst of this, you know what I thought?

God is awesome- he thought of photography.

He brilliantly made a way for images to be captured, frozen in time, and printed. He didn’t have to do that-it is out of his abundant grace! Before time, he fashioned the ideas of lenses and flash. He created the ability to zoom and edit. Before matter was formed he had already thought of negatives and dark rooms and film and prints and focus.

Why?

1. He is incredibly kind (Isaiah 30:18)
2. He is creative and loves for us to be creative (Ephesians 2:10)
3. He loves for us to recall, remember, reflect, and look back (Psalm 105:5)

So next time you appreciate photography or a photographer, don’t worship the creation, but rather the creator (Romans 1:25). Take time to thank God for his kindness, his creativity, and our ability to be creative too. Then, think about what He was teaching you, what lessons you learned, and what you can praise Him for concerning the event photographed.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

What pictures do YOU have that you praise God for?

P.S. Do you need an amazing, sweet, encouraging, relaxing, talented photographer? Check out this brilliant, beautiful young lady at her website- http://www.oliviaraephotography.com/

If I Was in an Arranged Marriage

Imagine with me, that my awesome parents set me up in an arranged married.

Scary, but let’s go with it.

So they tell me that they have my amazing groom, and, crazy as it seems, hes royalty. Duchess Betty, now that has quite a ring to it. Anyway, I am going to marry this guy in a few years (he’s got family things to attend to before wedlock can happen) and that fortunately I am going to be able to talk with him via email, letters, chat, etc., but I won’t be able to see him face to face (or even Skype!) until the wedding day.

Humph. Well that is a bummer.

But just because I can’t SEE him, isn’t going to stop me from trying to get to know him AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE before we actually get hitched. I am going to talk with him ALL THE TIME, and read about his family and their history, get to know what his country will be like, and prepare myself to be his wife. Because, as much as possible, I don’t want to be surprised by anything! I want to know him so well so that when I finally do see him face to face, I already know him, and being with him is just what I imagined it would be. It won’t be a stranger I see in white that day, it’ll be my long distance best friend, and acclimating to full time life with him will be a breeze. 🙂

It would be really silly, unbelievable even, to be apathetic about seeing him. I would be a big ol’ goof if I didn’t want to get to know him as much as possible before the wedding, right?

Well…here’s the thing. I believe that one day I am going to see Christ, face to face. After years of getting to know him through letters and late night prayer conversations, finally, I will be with him. 

So here on this earth, I want to get to know him, and tell others about him so that they can get to know him. Just because I can’t SEE him, isn’t going to stop me from trying to get to know him AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE before we actually start spending eternity together. I am going to talk with him ALL THE TIME, read about him throughout history, get to know what his kingdom will be like, and prepare myself to be his bride.Because when our day comes, as much as possible, I don’t want to be surprised by anything! I want to know him so well so that when I finally do see him face to face, I already know Christ, and being with him is just what I imagined it would be. It won’t be a stranger I see in white that day, it’ll be my long distance best friend, Savior, King, and acclimating to eternity with him will be a breeze.