Buon Compleanno!

Today, I am thirty. Over the past few years God has brought me through some beautiful, deep (one might say terrible) places. He has graciously allowed me to emerge here at this age much different than I ever anticipated. I am "becoming." This humbles me.

The question you are asked when you are a new parent is, "Are you getting any sleep?" When you answer positively, people have no idea what to say. People miss out on the greatest part of the blessings of God because they focus on the negative. Most tend to think that turning thirty would be a negative experience for a woman. This excites me. I have determined this to be the greatest year of my existence. It will be a year of accomplishment, friendship, and love. This is the year I burst forth and embrace what God has called me to. For my birthday, I am crying out for personal revival. This year, I will come out of my shell, boldly embrace the life Christ offers me and spill forth on my sisters in Christ. At thirty, I embrace my God given abilities to be a wife, to mother, to write, to exhort, to be kind. My pursuit of the terribly interesting has just begun.

The secret I have realized is that terribly interesting people have a quiet confidence that makes you think they know something you don't. There seems to be some unspoken depth to them...as if the creativity of God looms about them (and they have no need to tell you any of their accomplishments). They are a peaceful people. That is my desire for thirty. May we have no need to share our accomplishments and just enjoy who we are. We are the righteousness of God. We are the head and not the tail. We are the lender and not the borrower. We are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We are His workmanship walking in the good works created beforehand for us to do. We have boldness and confident access through faith.
We are the bride of Christ.

Ravish Your Bride

Neil McClendon started off his Podcast with a prayer.

"Jesus, come ravish your bride, the church."

This amazing phrase has become my petition of late. I want to encourage you to get this Podcast. The Holy Spirit uses this tool to speak to me more than any other. Dish some up for yourself.




Below are pictures of flowers from around our house and a few of our baby girl.

Let Your Faith Share You

We attended The Greenhouse Gathering at Alamo City fellowship in San Antonio last night. Neil McClendon was speaking. Here are a few quotes I would like to share. May the Holy Spirit speak to you and you enjoy Him.

"* Stop trying to share your faith. Let your faith share you.
People have heard the Gospel, but they have not seen it with flesh on.

* We have learned manners, but few of us have learned to eat.

* Get over yourself. Today's churches sell a "Christianity" that more and more allows us to fall in love with ourselves.

* Affirmation comes from men. Authority comes from God. Immerse yourself in the message.
What kind of acreditation is on your life? A lot of people are looking for a piece of paper. Only God can grant authority. Don't get caught up on signs and wonders. Jesus acreditates. The life of Jesus is verifiable.
The church puts the fear of man all over you.

* When is the last time you said anything that cut people to the heart?

*A preacher was remarking on how Neil's church was growing. He asked who their target audience was. GOD is their target audience. He said we should be ashamed for trying to pick and choose who we share the Gospel with.

*The Gospel came to you on it's way to someone else.

*Prophets came to us from the desert, not the temple, Denbigh Cherry."

His Permanence

Over the last few months I have devoured many a baby book. One of my favorites (second only to To Train Up A Child) is Baby 411 (given to me by my lovely friend Tiffany Atwood). In this book I read that babies have no concept of our permanence for the first few months of life. This means that when they cannot see us we no longer exist to them.

A few short days later this theme re-emerged to me in a devotional speaking about God's permanence. As soon as I read it, I stopped and stared at it. I knew what was coming. This was not a coincidence. The book is Praying the Names of God. The name I was on was
Yahweh Tsuri. The Lord My Rock. Yahweh Tsuri gave me a swift rebuke that day. He revealed to me how limited my own view of His permanence was. Even when I cannot see Him working, God is still at work. God is still bringing rest and answering the cries of His people. God is still God whether I trust Him to be there or not. I am praying that my own concept of His permanence be enlarged.

"You humble me Lord
Humble me Lord
I'm on my knees empty
You humble me Lord
You humble me Lord
Please, please, please forgive me"

-Norah Jones, Feels Like Home album 2004

One Twelfth of One Candle

Today, our sweet baby girl turns four weeks old. Where has the time gone? They grow up so fast. This first month of life has been decadent and rich with blessing. We have been learning who she is as she has been learning who we are. It fascinates me. It humbles me. The fact that God trusts us with His children is far beyond my comprehension. We celebrate this miracle today.
If you are free at 6:36 p.m., come on by for some cake!

Happy one month, Laomai!