Thoughts for Thursday

Happy Thursday!  Today I'm linking up with Annie.  Show her some love today!

 

This my friends is where I share a little piece of my heart. Ready, go.

Any big move can make you feel like you've had a rug pulled right out from under you.

The most difficult challenge for me is staying connected to the Lord in the midst of all of these changes.  Even in the most beautiful of places, with the most wonderful of husbands, I am disgusted by how much I find myself distracted from just listening for Him.

Jon gets up early. Like super early hooah style.  I've been pulling myself out of bed with him so I can see him off and stay on relatively the same schedule.  The first thing I've been doing in the mornings is getting into God's Word. (well of course after I make a cup of coffee you know...can't be falling back to sleep on the Lord.)

I've been so hopeful for this time, and I still am, but to be real, I'm surprised at how much I'm still struggling to hear Him. I know He's there. No doubt about it.  I feel like I can so easily fall into the morning routine of checking social media or turning on the Today Show. (I <3 the Today Show... Jon and I were on it in January)<--- You see, there I go getting distracted again.

Once I get to clicking on Instagram or Facebook or into the day's latest headlines I feel like my mind has already been compromised over things that are so fading.

So I've been getting up super early, and getting right into what the Lord has to say about this life.  What's so crazy to me and so disgusting is still the attitude of my heart.  For example, I read something like Proverbs 2:3-5: 

yes, if you call out for insight

    and raise your voice for understanding, 

 if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures, 

then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.

and I think, yeah, this is me seeking insight.  This is me seeking understanding, Lord.

What really struck a nerve with me was "if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures" because immediately I thought, gee, the only thing I've been seeking like silver is a font for the blog and I've been searching like my hidden treasures were included in the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  Sad, I tell you. And mighty difficult to swallow.

The Lord wants so much more for me.  For you.  I'm still so unsure of how exactly to seek Him, or what that looks like.  However, what I'm beginning to realize, probably for the 63789783788th time is that seeking things of this world is not seeking Him at all.

Thoughts for Thursday: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." [1 John 4:18]
 
Fear.  No one likes to talk about it; perhaps because talking about it makes it feel more real to us.  I had a beautiful study this morning with some of my Women of the Chapel ladies.  As we sip our coffees and share amazing recipes, I think each of us is hoping, praying that the Spirit would work in us to stir one another up and to encourage one another in our weakest, most vulnerable moments.

The Lord undoubtedly worked among us today to break down barriers, to cast out fear; and ladies, it was amazing.  You see, it's difficult as a military spouse to be moving around frequently and develop close friendships.  It's even more difficult sometimes as a sister in Christ to go beyond that to levels of deep, trusted, vulnerable fellowship.  In other times, it's amazing to see the almost immediate connection you can have with other believers when the body of Christ comes together.

So what keeps us from sharing? from being vulnerable? from trusting other sisters whether we've known them for two weeks or two years?  My dear friends, I think it's fear.  Yes--we have all been stomped by putting ourselves out there, but I think the enemy uses that stomping, that previous hurt, to keep us from trusting even among the body of believers.  Is there a chance we can be hurt by sharing our deepest hearts, our "silliest" ideas?  Yes, but to assume that will undoubtedly happen is to live in the bondage of the lies of the enemy.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." [Galatians 5:1]

Sisters, we are free.  Free to live without fear.  (I need to say this to myself in the mirror each morning. Perhaps I'll start that.)  I definitely live in fear, believing the lies, but all I know is that sitting with beautiful sisters this morning, His perfect love cast out the fear, and we were vulnerable, and broken, and because of it we were able to more clearly gaze upon the magnificent beauty of our Father.


Linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday.

#namesofGod2014//post 2

Hello from Starbucks again, my friends!  It seems as though this has become my only place to sneak in some blogging time as Jon and I are moving.  We officially leave post today, will stay the weekend with my family, and report to our next duty station on Monday.  So exciting!  Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers during Jon's deployment, and now as we experience our first PCS together.  It has been wonderful catching up with friends in the area over the past two weeks that Jon and I have had here.

Anyway, enough of that for now. :) I am so thankful for the study Rachel and Nicole are leading/hosting in our sweet blogging community.  Even if you ladies haven't had the chance to follow along this go round, I highly recommend it.  If you are going through the study with us, I sure hope you'll join us for the link-up that they're hosting today.  Just like some of you have said, I am a few days behind in the study as well, and I love that that's okay.  The point is not the speed at which we get through the study, but what the Lord is teaching us in the midst of it.  I am so thankful that He gives us freedom from the crazy timelines of this world.

A couple of days ago, I was reading through the section that talks about God as our El Roi, the God who sees.  Upon first glance, this didn't seem like any new, mind-blowing thing for me.  That is, until God breathed some major truth my way.  In studying our El Roi, Arthur had us look at the story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, particularly through the eyes of Hagar.  Now, I've definitely never been in a position like Hagar's, but we all have experienced what it's like to feel unheard or unseen despite our desperate attempts to be heard and seen.  Ah, sweet sisters, how this spoke to my heart.  

^"So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me." --Genesis 16:13

Oh my goodness, what a sweet message of promise this story offers us.  How desperate and deep the longing is in each of us to be heard and seen.  I'm so thankful to the Lord for unveiling the gravity of a longing I quickly overlook or don't understand. We are designed to desire this, but specifically desire it with our Father.  I can't quite describe with words the natural temptation to seek fulfillment in being completely heard and seen by my husband, my friends, my coworkers, my family.  While I am totally blessed with an amazing husband, friends, and family, they, like me, are sinners.  How wrong I am to seek or expect to constantly be fully heard, seen and understood by anyone or anything other than my mighty Creator.  Praise God for breathing truth that this desire is real and that it can only be fulfilled in Him.  How precious. How real. How faithful He is.

Just as Hagar was freed from her attitude of contempt toward Sarai because of what God revealed in Himself, I am so thankful for the freedom that God offers us as our El Roi.  Although the enemy, along with our flesh, will always attempt to deceive us, we are completely set free from the frustrations of ever feeling unseen.  What beautiful rest He offers us in the comfort of knowing that He sees.  We need not ever fight to be heard or seen, sweet Sisters.  He always sees us exactly where we are.

#namesofGod2014

Hey there, Sweet Sisters!  I'm sorry it's been so long since the last post!  I'm definitely not professional enough to have planned posts ahead in my absence.  However, I have been quite occupied with Jon RETURNING from deployment and all!:) Praise God!  I promise to post more on that in the near future.  Our schedule is crazy right now, with me snagging time in coffee shops to read and write as we move over the next week.  I love you guys, and even though I'm not always a faithful blogger I appreciate you following along on this little adventure.

One thing I have managed to make time for is the amazing Bible study I'm doing with Rachel and Nicole.  They are two outstanding women of God, and it has been so encouraging to see the Lord moving in their lives.  Right now they've invited everyone to join in reading Kay Arthur's Lord, I Want to Know You.  I hope y'all are reading through with us.:)  

Although I haven't had the opportunity to post on the study yet, reading along with you ladies has been such a tremendous blessing to my heart.  I have no particular structure to posting on this study, so I'm just going to go with it.  Arthur reminds us in her introduction that "What you have learned, God intends for you to share."  This was such a great reminder to me that anything I learn in this study isn't just for my own knowledge or growth, but to be shared.  It seems so simple, but the hard reality is that I probably don't share half of what I learn from the Lord.  I'm so hopeful that God will enable us to learn, grow and share with each other in this study.

She also makes the point that "to boast in" also means "to trust in".  How many times in fellowship do we encourage each other to boast in the Lord?  This is so much easier said than done for me.  It also caused me to revisit "boast" as a parallel to "trust".  It's crazy to me that I have somehow developed a way to openly tell others about the Lord, all while the actions of my life fail to display trust in Him.  Praise God for revealing this to me. 

Arthur reminds us that in biblical times a person's name  represented their character.  In this study we are focusing on the names of God not just to know His many names, but to know Him.  How wonderful and merciful He is to give us the gift of knowing Himself.  This is the only place where true peace, rest and delight are found, and I thank Him so much for opening our eyes to this truth. "Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God." --Isaiah 50:10

One of the names of God we have studied is El Elyon, the Most High.  This is the name that designates God as sovereign.  The sweet reminders of God's sovereignty could not have come at a better time as Jon and I are making the next big move and transition in our lives.  It's so so easy for me to get wrapped up in the lists the world helps to create for us, and to feel God's sovereignty in it all is the largest blessing that I do not deserve.

I hope He's using this study to encourage each of you where you are.

Peace: In the job search

So, I have begun the job seeking process again, y'all.  For the first time since college graduation  I am resume tweaking and filling out applications.  Ah, how I had forgotten the anxiety and uncertainty of it all.  I have been tremendously blessed to have an awesome career in my field for the past three years, but with Jon and I changing stations upon his redeployment, we have reached the bittersweet period of transitioning to the next chapter.

I had forgotten just how vulnerable the job search could make me.  As I sit and write my heart out to try and impress my potential employer, the pressure to 'earn' recognition and success can become overwhelming.  I think, "If I just had the perfect wording in my cover letter..." or "If I just had one more letter of recommendation...", then I could get that dream job.  While working to gain skills and experience that better equip us in the workforce is important, I have been all the more humbled and struck by the reality that my career, like everything else, is ultimately in God's hands.  While having an awesome resume might seem to increase my chances for employment, I am thankful to find confidence in the fact that God is in control no matter how tweaked the resume.

This has filled me with such peace.  I have been going through Sarah Young's Jesus Calling this year, and yesterday's reading was super impactful...a great reminder that we need only trust in Him.  I hope this snippet helps you find peace today wherever you are, Friend.

One Year Ago Today: The Proposal

Happy Monday, Y'all!

I am especially happy today despite the sleep deprivation of daylight savings time.  Jon proposed a year ago today, and we have so loved talking and reminiscing about this special time in our lives.  :)  We feel so blessed and humbled to look back on everything The Lord has done in the past year.  He is so good.

Read our proposal story here.

Hope

Good morning, sweet friends!  I hope everyone's Monday is off to a great start!  Mine has already been eye-opening.  I have a little over an hour commute each way to my job, which serves as the perfect opportunity to pray and praise Jesus while jamming with Pandora.  As no surprise, one of the first things I pray for is my sweet Jon.  I pray for his protection spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally and largely for his safe (and rapid) return.  Prayer is very interesting.  To me, it is the clearest window to our hearts, so as I pray I can usually determine the desires of my heart pretty clearly.  This is a great gift, which can often be very convicting, because I feel it also shows me what I am placing my hope in.

This morning I felt The Lord shining light on where I have been placing some of my hope.  While I think it is totally acceptable for me to hope tremendously that Jon has a safe return, I cannot find the hope of my life in it.  I felt very clearly that God was trying to remind me that I have all of the hope I will ever need in this life.  He has already given it to me, in His son, Jesus Christ.  What beautiful news.  I hope you ladies are able to find your hope in the only, true Anchor this morning.:)

Five on Friday

Happy Friday, Y'all!

Today I'm linking up with Christina at Carolina Charm, Darci at The Good Life Blog, Liz at A. Liz Adventures and Natasha at Hello! Happiness for Five on Friday!  Please join us!

-one- Again this week, my #1 is that I get to see my husband! Yay!  We've had to do long distance again this week so I could finish up work, but I'm heading straight to him this afternoon! Thank the Lord!

-two- Jon and I are in the process of moving into our first "home" together!  Although it's only a one bedroom apartment we are so thankful to be able to call it our home for the next 2-3 months. I'm praying for patience and understanding as we get settled in, and also that God would create in us servant hearts to open our home to others.

-three- Our wedding photos are in!  They are BEAUTIFUL!  Please stayed tuned over the next week as I share our precious memories.

-four- Dunkin Donuts. I'm not sure about y'alls places of work, but in my office, someone is always dropping by with tons of sweets.  This morning I've already enjoyed two delicious donuts. :) Looks like someone may need to visit the gym later.

-five- Getting more time in God's word.  Let's be real.  With maintaining a full-time job, what has been a long-distance relationship, commuting two hours a day, planning a wedding, packing for a move AND getting a healthy amount of sleep, it's difficult to "find" time to read each day.  I read most days, but I look SO forward to having time to enjoy God's word, to savor it, to swim in it, to clearly hear my Father speak to me and not just be "making time for it".  Have I mentioned what a beautiful example my dear husband sets for me?  He often gets up at the crack of dawn to spend time with the Lord before work.  His hunger for the Word is so humbling and encouraging.  One morning while in Tampa, we had the opportunity to read together before I dropped Jon off for his class.  I love precious times like these.

Five on Friday

Okay guys, here's my first attempt at a link up!  Five favorite things this Friday!

-one- Getting to see my little brother and sister-in-law this weekend!  Mom, Dad, Holly's sister and I are all headed up to spend the weekend with Chris and Holly.  I am SO excited to see these guys!  Here is a sweet photo of them from our wedding this past weekend.

 -two- Dad's birthday!  My dad's birthday is tomorrow, October 5th!  Can't wait to celebrate! Happy birthday, Dad!

-three- Virginia Tech football!  This weekend is homecoming at Virginia Tech, and Dad and Chris are both alums!  We plan to attend the homecoming parade, tailgate, and of course catch the game!  Go Hokies!

-four- The coffee mugs I gave my parents at brunch the day after our wedding!  I saw them, and just had to have them. :) Too cute, right?  Thank goodness they survived!

 -five- The Bible Jon gave me the morning of our wedding.  I will forever cherish this precious gift.  It even has my new name on it, and a sweet letter from him inside.  Sweetest.man.ever.=My Husband.

Happy Friday, Y'all!

Wife After God: Day 3, The Need for Companionship

Companionship has been a tremendous thing to reflect on this week.  Companionship is something that Jon & I both longed for this week.  As I said the other day, he has been in Poland for work the past few days, & although we wouldn't have seen each other during the work week (he's in NC & I'm in VA), it has still been a sad, strange feeling knowing that the man I'm becoming one with has been half the world away.

This devotional brought me a lot of comfort in missing Jon.  Sometimes I think we try to tell ourselves that 

we're silly for missing loved ones... that we just need to better occupy our time.

I know I'm guilty of this.

The truth is that we were created for relationship, created for companionship.

God created Adam because he desired to have relationship with him, to know him, to walk & talk with him & to protect him.  God created Eve as a companion for Adam to illustrate the importance of relationship.

As I was reflecting on this, I was better able to understand the deep feelings of missing Jon, of longing for him.  I was created for that.  The major conviction came when I realized that

however much Jon & I desire to be in relationship with one another, God desires to be in relationship with us SO much more than that.

It's been amazing to me how much my relationship with Jon helps me to better understand & know who God is.  I am very thankful, & hopeful that he will use our marriage in so many ways to teach us & draw us closer to Him and closer to one another. :)

Romans 5:8

We. are. so. loved.

I read this verse last night and can't stop thinking about it.

Wherever you find yourself on this Friday, I hope you are reminded of how truly loved you are.

Just as we were loved in our darkness of sin, we are called to love others regardless of how seemingly difficult it may be.

Happy Friday, ya'll. :)

Claire

Psalm 19:1

Goodness, how this verse makes my heart smile.

For so long I have enjoyed marveling at life's beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Our Father--Our Amazing Artist.

This picture, like many, was taken on my drive into work.

I sometimes feel like such a dork, constantly snapping pictures of the sky.

However, this verse speaks to me, reaffirming that there is nothing to feel silly about by being in complete awe of His masterpiece.

In fact, that's the whole point.

Sights such as these are created by our sweet Father to do just that; 

to glorify Him,

to captivate us.

Today, take a few minutes,

and let the work of His hands captivate you.

Oh, how He loves us :)

--Claire

Good Morning:)

I just wanted to say Happy Tuesday, Y'all!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Mine was delightful!:)

I hope to post on it later today.

A great way to start my morning:

makes.me.smile. :)

satisfied in Him.

Love,
Claire

Memory Verse 10: Lamentations 3:22-24

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.” --Lamentations 3:22-24

Memory Verse 9: Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. --Romans 15:13

John 14-16

^{Chapter 14:12} Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 

Jesus is awesome.  These verses deeply touch my heart, and fill me with so much hope for life.  Sometimes we can find ourselves extremely discouraged in our ability to do great things here on earth.  Jesus sets us up to do great things in His name.  The crazy thing is that He even says we will be able to do greater things than those He did while on earth because He must return to the Father.  Doesn't this just empower you?!  Come on guys! Jesus wants us to ask and to do great things in His name.  What are we waiting for?! Let's go! Ask & Do! <sup>As if the gift of Himself isn't enough, Jesus also promises that the Father will provide us with the Spirit to live in us and be with us always.

Chapter 15:18</sup> “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

^{Lately I have really been challenged by thoughts, opinions and trends of this world, in non-believers, but also in believers who are still conforming to the patterns.  Just before Jesus is arrested He reminds us that the world will hate us just as it hated Him.  This is sometimes difficult to swallow, but at the same time restores so much hope in my heart.  It definitely helps me to understand and be at peace with the fact that others may not always see the explanation for choices I make in how I lead my life.  Heck, they may even make fun of me or hate me, but that's okay because the world hated Jesus too.  It is comforting to be reminded that the world does not love me as its own, because the reality is that Jesus has chosen me out of this world}.   

I love Him.  <3
 

^{Chapter 16:12} “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The gift of the Spirit is to me one of the greatest ways God shows His love for us.  He could have chosen to simply watch over us.  However, He blesses us with the Spiri^{t so that He may be} with us and in us always.  Oh, how He loves us. :) He desires to walk with us each step of the way.  I cannot think of a better or more thorough way to feel love than for someone to desire to guide us and experience everything with us.

He is beautiful. 

Memory Verse 8: Acts 15: 8-9

⁸ God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. --Acts 15: 8-9

Memory Verse 7: 1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. --1 John 3:1

Memory Verse 6: 1 Corinthians 15:58

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  --1 Corinthians 15:58

Genesis 1:26-28 & 2:15

^1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

^2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

My church will spend the next few weeks covering Genesis.  Now, if you're anything like me, you may think you have a pretty decent understanding of how it all went down in the beginning.  I know I did.  However, God is totally blowing my mind right now.

These verses are truly flattering, and reveal so much of God's character. Again, if you're anything like me, you have at some point wondered, "who am I?...who is the real me?".  The only way to answer that question is to ask, "who is God?".   In order to know and understand ourselves, we must know and understand God.  We must pay attention to His character.  

I am beyond flattered that when creating everything, God chose to create us in His image, a direct reflection of Himself.  Truly beautiful.  His character revealed is definitely one of creativeness, planning, orderliness and above all, generosity. God didn't have to create all of the marvelously intricate things that He did, but He did because He is generous.  He gives more than what is needed for functionality.  

In Genesis 2:15, we see that God placed man in the garden to work.  Work is our purpose. It is why we were created.  Work is a blessing in which we should delight as part of the body of Christ.  God is constantly at work.  He is constantly connected to us.  He delights in our willingness to work.

Give. Generously.

in His love,

Claire