The Season

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Cozy

Such a flawless day. Though many sharp souls may disagree, seeing rain, cold air, dark skies, and little life on the sidewalks, I beg to differ. It's cozy, slow, and full of great scents- scents of holiday candles, fresh coffee, baking bread, a clean home, happy dogs, and the Christmas tree. A family favorite movie plays on the television as I type, and a smile covers my make-up-free face.

The only things missing on this cozy day is my love. Jeramy Ziegler.

I long for the day God brings us together, for good. Forever. Unified. One. This beautiful, unique love that could only come from the Divine Creator, the Master Artist, is so thick between us. It continues to pull our hearts closer and closer together. God has answered our questions. He has come down from the heavens to show us firsthand that we are right. We are good. The relationship... the couple He has created is good in His sight, and made in His image. What comfort I can rest in, knowing I'm done searching. What joy I can live in, knowing my God is pleased and excited with me for the future of this love.

Praying that you find the coziness in this day. Praying you find the joy of true life and the hope of secure salvation, if you find your heart searching for something more. Praying you feel His divine presence.

Kathleen

Egg nog, mistletoe, parties, bows, and purpose.

13 days until "The Day". The day our Great Savior, redeeming Father, remarkable God, gave His son on my behalf. On your behalf. The day He gave the brightest example of selflessness.

It's going to be a very special Christmas for me. Unlike last December 25th, this time around I have my whole family back, to sit around the tree and demolish piles of wrapping paper- together. There will not be a Skype call this Christmas. The Lord has brought us back together to celebrate Him. He IS our celebration!

My shoulders have been heavy lately, my mind ransacked by tasks. My patience has been non-existent, my confidence just as low. It's been a season I knew was coming, and is almost over. Christmas Day marks the end. I've only conquered the Balancing Act because of His strength in my bones. I don't even know if I'd call it conquering. It's more like I've learned how to balance, how to keep striving, how to move forward even on the hardest day. Him.

His strength is stronger than any force of this earth; His mercy more beautiful than the most expensive jewel; His love deeper than the deepest hurt I could ever face; His grace sufficient; His goodness ridiculously incredible.

Jesus, YOU are our celebration. This season is all Yours in my heart. Thank You for Your gift to me. It didn't need wrapping paper or bows. It was perfect just the way it was!

Awaiting Cool Weather, Awaiting Transformation

I awoke to chilly toes, two dogs curled up in tight balls at my side, the birds chirping loudly, and bright sun shining through the broken blinds... These signs could only mean one thing... COOLER WEATHER!

If you live in the Jacksonville area, you've been a part of what I call "The Buzz". People begging each other, and even God, for cooler weather. We've been waiting, waiting, complaining, waiting. Now, this day, it is finally here. As I walked outside this morning to experience a taste of it for myself, and see if it could really be true, it was as if walking into a huge celebration. Yard sales galore, family after family walking the sidewalks laughing, talking, jumping, riding bikes.. Birds flying every which direction, singing at the top of their lungs.. squirrels playing tag in every front yard on the block.. a beautiful, brisk breeze chilling my face as I wrapped my arms around myself... and the smell of contentment. The humans finally got what they've been begging for!

I sit here, garage door open, pondering this dramatic change. A simple, though long-awaited change in weather transformed cranky people into the happiest beings! It's as if the earth and everything in it (or at least Jacksonville =) has awakened from its sleep.

Then, it hit me!! This is so identical to the spiritual state some of us may be in. We're waiting, complaining, waiting, begging, waiting for a change. Waiting to come out of this dry season that's suffocating our souls... waiting to walk out the front door into a celebration of Life! It's so similar... though there's one difference, which is the reason we are free, the cause for true Life. The difference is that WE can CHOOSE when the weather changes in our life. Unlike the poor people of this city who have no impact on when or how quickly or how drastically the weather changes, we can choose that today will be the day.

Today will be the day when my soul comes alive. Today will be the day when the clouds part and the sun shines deep inside. Today will be the day when we come out of hiding and unite back together with our Creator, our Lover. If you have been waiting for a change, or better yet as I love calling it, a TRANSFORMATION in your life, make the choice. Take the step. Choose to hand it over to Him, the one who calls you His own. Allow the Lord the privilege of taking Your heart back for Himself. For His work. For His glory. Stop waiting, and complaining, and begging... you don't have to. You've already obtained the Prize. You've already conquered the battle. Stop making this harder on yourself, stop drawing it out. Will you stop waiting and take hold of Change, today?

Am I a Sponge?

There are times in my week that I have opportunity to sit for extended amounts of time, in His presence. Yes, I'm ALWAYS in His presence, but I mean like really SOAK in His presence. Face down, or at the altar in a quiet sanctuary alone, or on my bedroom floor on my knees, or in my car in a parking lot. There are these times... so sweet, so deep, when one hand of Jesus wraps around me while the other reaches in deep, down into the pit of my heart and the depths of my soul, pulling out things He wants handed over to Him. Things I'm still holding on to after many painful days, or months, or some things even years.

I realize when I am in these moments that this is a time for me to "sponge-ify" myself. (Like the new word?) I see myself as a sponge, grungy and dry, with an occasional hole or two in the covering of my heart. And I see Jesus as pure, clear, cold water. Not dirty water or used, but that pure water that you get when you pour a fresh cup from the Brita pitcher! It's so refreshing, and you feel it travelling all the way down, from the entrance of your mouth to the bottom of your stomach. This is what Jesus is to me in these moments. I am a sponge, soaking in fresh water, fresh Word, fresh wisdom.

The fiery cry of my heart today is that I might ALWAYS be a sponge. I will learn how to sponge-ify =) myself, in every moment, every single day. Knowing when He is speaking fresh knowledge, knowing when He is pouring His fresh, pure spirit... and having the ability to soak it up 'til I'm dripping with it! Every day, soaking in the presence of my sweet, holy Jesus.

Father, pour Yourself out and into my life today. I receive, I soak it up. I want more of Your spirit, more of Your passion, more of the fire that is in Your heart to consume mine.

Seed

There is nothing sweeter that I've ever experienced than planting seed in people's lives. This can be done in so many ways- a kind, encouraging word or a tight, meaningful hug; leading them in worship, or praying for them as they reach out to the Lord; listening when they need to talk, and talking when they're desperate for a conversation.

As I communed with the Lord first thing this morning, He challenged me to live out "love". I asked Him to open doors for me to do so, and give me insight into people's lives and situations so that I would clearly know exactly how they need to be loved. It was neat to watch as the Lord did this, all throughout this day.

I love beginning each day with Him. Listening to His voice. Gaining wisdom through His Word and books of knowledge. Interceding for my world. Pouring out my fears, my doubts, my roadblocks, and my thoughts. Pouring out every part of my heart, and leaving it with Him for the day. I then can move forward, being bound by nothing. It's a very happy feeling.

It's been a month of incredible experiences- some may label certain ones as negative. But, I see every experience and every trial as an opportunity to cling tighter to my God, as He once again delivers me from my enemies.

My encouragement to you, as you read this, is to stay in tight, constant communion with Jesus. There is so much to know about Him. Keep pressing into the knowledge of God, seeking Him, and finding Him.

sweet, sweet sound

Reflecting on the song that has played in my car approximately 17 times in the last 48 hours. (Yes, I spend a lot of time driving!). "Sweet Sweet Sound" by Sarah Reeves. I'll be honest, I don't particularly love every song of hers, but this one... this one is different.

"Hear the song of my life

let it be a sweet, sweet sound,

let it be a sweet, sweet sound!

I raise this anthem high!

Let it be a sweet, sweet sound,

let it be a sweet sound!"

What IS the song of MY life? May it be one of love, passion, courage, purpose, and above all things FAITH. I want the song of my life to be loud, resonating above all my fears or problems, circumstances or roadblocks. I want it to be loud and true.

Father, this day I sing to You with my life. Your joy has overtaken me!