sleepless nights

By Mary

In the last 14 months, I've learned how precious sleep really is, one of God's constant, amazing, overlooked gifts. I try to remember to appreciate it, now that I fully enjoy my little one's 12 hour sleep schedule. It's not hard though since there's a baby boom in our church and I get lots of little reminders from my friend's sleep deprived nights.

But then there's nights like these with the baby sleeping sweetly in her crib, probably on her tummy with her knees tucked up, and the dog probably stealing my empty spot in our bed. Restless, emotional, mind-wearying nights. Nights that, in the end, I love. Prayer rarely feels so powerful to me as on these nights when a simple conversation with God brings peace flooding through every part of me within the first few words uttered in my heart.

I see so many examples in the Bible of devotion to prayer...in the Psalms, Daniel, Jesus! I love to read how much time He took to be alone to pray, after every crazy thing that happened, before everything that lay ahead, always.  And it reminds me...it's such a blessing to pray! And whatever  difficulties I have prioritizing it, in the end I'm always far better off. What a gracious God!

trusting my man

by Alanna

   Let me just say that I don't recommend long-distance relationships, or long engagements. (Although it's helpful to have the first if you must have the second). My heart is more and more with my fiance. I'm impressed with the ways God is working in and through his life, and I can't help smiling because I feel incredibly blessed that God may let me be his help-meet someday. He is bold to speak the truth, to me and to others. And he is also kind and soft-spoken. And those two things combined in him, give me much to thank God for.
    We have some big decisions to make, about what to do after marriage. Currently, we're deciding between Minnesota and Honduras. (The sun factor makes this sound like a no-brainer). I've been praying about it, and thinking, although not as much as my man. The thing I'm realizing is that I really believe that God wants me to marry him. And I also really trust that God put him into the position of leadership, and that whatever decision he makes will be the right one. Not that I believe that he is perfect, but just that I feel secure in trusting whatever decision he makes. This makes me happy, especially because sometimes I find submission to be immensely difficult (of course it's only hard when you don't agree). I'm glad tonight, because God gave me a man I can respect, and He gave me this trust that He is sovereign over marriage. I pray that He gives me the grace to love well, and gives us wisdom to follow Him together.

rocking a baby

by Alanna

    This past weekend I got to hold a recently born little boy, and he was restless. He would drift off to sleep for a few minutes, and look so peaceful, but then wake up again. I wonder if he would have slept better if I had just set him down somewhere. Or maybe he was just not sleepy.
   I have vivid memories of South Africa, sitting in that little green rocking chair. I wanted to rock him to sleep, because I didn't want to part with him. And it was such a peaceful feeling to hold him near until his tiny body was at rest. But he was restless, and he always slept better after I laid him down in his crib. He needed sleep to grow strong, and so often I put him down sooner than I wanted to. Time is precious. And I never want to take moments for granted. Now, memories is all I really have.
  But it reminds me, that sometimes we have to lay down our dearest loves, so that God can grow them strong. He is capable and trustworthy.  I still think of him everyday, and my heart still aches. But I know, even in my ignorance, that God is doing something so beautiful and so right and so good in his life. A little over one year ago, I surrendered him to God for the first time. So I know, I've learned this lesson right? I'm so thankful that God taught me to lay little one down. Sometimes sacrifice is the very thing that God uses to build something beautiful. And I'm fully confident that whatever plans God has for that little boy, they are incredible.

love is...

By Mary

On Valentine's Day, love is red and pink and ribbons and lace, hearts and Cupid, Xs and Os, frosting and candy and flowers and cards. And I love all that. But I'm so thankful for real love, true love. The hard, messy, meaningful, beautiful love. The love that God is, the love He calls us to have, to be. The love that's not supposed to be kept only for a single person or for those we feel are deserving.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him^. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us."

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. 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. We love because He first loved us."

"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

 ^"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Happy Valentine's Day!   

tender heart of God

      {When He went ashore he saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.}