Egypt

The past 9 months, huh, funny, 9 months..... I was told I was laboring and preparing for a new birth.  The past 9 months have literally been like a spiritual pregnancy.  
I recently wrote about the happenings of the last 9 months in my post 
the hmmmm-ing, the haa-ing and the hemming, take a peak for a good read!  
It is incredible to me how God speaks through others.  When this person told me I was laboring and preparing for new birth, I sort of understood what she said.  It has been a very exciting past nine months and yet incredibly uncomfortable.  Truly I could compare it to pregnancy!

I asked a question on facebook this past week.  It was, "Just a question, doing a little research.... Answer me this... What were your 2 favorite things about pregnancy and your 2 not favorite things about being pregnant...? If you have more than 2 of each, please share. And NO, I am not pregnant! Lol"

I received many wonderful answers, and each one I could compare in the spiritual.  

for example, one of the answers read like this, 

" upside, feeling the life move inside of me and giving birth to Gods gift - downside, the pressure (i carried low) and hmmmmm I LOVED being pregnant both times."

This is exactly how I've felt!!  I was thrilled as I watched God move through the different scenarios that presented themselves!  Knowing that this was from God for me, and for Him was amazing to me, and still is!  New Life, fulfillment of a calling in my life, and the desires of my heart all wrapped up in a beautiful package!  Of course, none of it was easy, and yet when I gave up my need for control and knowledge, it really wasn't difficult at all!  

Another one of my favorite answers was, 
"favorite - being excited about meeting this new little person. Least favorite - Being terrified about being responsible for a new little person. Other Favorite - feeling the first movements,
researching baby names. Least Faves - Worrying about a loss (and every weird symptom), the
 nausea and exhaustion at the beginning, the fear of labor, the braxton hicks, the false labor, the 
not being able to sleep....

Again, spiritually speaking, this is exactly how I felt, even the losing sleep....
If God hadn't shown me, and spoke directly to me about taking my eyes off of the process and focusing them on Him and what He wants to do with me, outside of the process, I would have been swallowed up by the process and quite possibly lost this new life!

Recognizing God in all of this was of utmost importance, for my faith and for His calling on my life..  I easily could have missed it!  
How often have I missed God in my circumstances?  I can think of a few times where I have missed it....  However we serve a beautiful God full of mercy and grace, who recognizes that we are human!  He always managed to turn things around, He would call a little louder, convict me a little harder, but His love always remained the same!  How privileged are we to serve the incredible Creator!

An update on our situation is that we've got the house!  Our possession date is July 1, 2013.  We are so excited!  This new home is incredible for our family!

Let me tell you though, as much has God has provided a picturesque home and property for our family, it really isn't about us at all!  It is entirely about His plan.  This home will be a place of ministry, day in and day out, our hope is to share the love of Christ with as many as we can!

We have named the house, "The Nest".  For those of you who know me you will have full understanding of this name.  Once my husband and I become empty 'nesters', our hope is to open this home to women of all generations going through difficulty.  A home for the hurting to recuperate, refresh, and rebuild there life and identity in Christ.  This will be a house of LOVE, founded only by the greatest LOVE of all, Jesus.

Please be praying for our family as we move in to this new life that God has provided.
If you are ever in Shoal Lake, please stop by and share your story with us!  We would love to see you!

What if?

What if, in our desire to become more Christ like, we disposed of all judgement in our hearts?
What if we focused more on becoming one with Christ than what those around us are doing?
What if we actually pulled the log out of our own eye before yanking out the splinter in someone else's?
What if we worked on our own inner issues rather than focussing on the outward issues of others?
         

                                           I am guilty.  I am guilty.  I am guilty.

What if we lived by the true acknowledgement that sin is sin?
What if we lived in the consciousness that one sin committed is all sin committed?
What if we lived in the truth that we are all guilty?
What if we lived in the truth that we are not above anyone?

                                 "For God does not show favouritism." Romans 2:11  

What if we truly grasped the grace and forgiveness given to us?
What if we extended that same grace and forgiveness to all?
What if we recognized that the only difference between "us and them" is that we have received that forgiveness that is offered, through Jesus Christ, to all?
What if we lived accepting that we are all forgiven?

                                                  We have all been forgiven.

What if we truly realized that Christ's death on the cross was just as much for them as it was for us?
What if we spent as much time loving and serving in His name, as we do harbouring resentments and hurts?
What if we drew the line in the sand instead of throwing the stone?
What if we didn't feel the need to understand why people do what they do?
What if we just loved them?

                                                           God is LOVE.

What if we grabbed hold of the resurrection power within us?
What if we operated in it every day?
What if we were committed to changing our own hearts rather than the hearts of others?
What if we recognized that changing others hearts is not our responsibility but the Spirit's?

                             "With great power comes great responsibility."  Voltaire

What if we dared to truly follow Jesus lead?

What if we spent more time with the hurting?

What if we loved them as much as our family and friends?

What if we loved each other the way Jesus loves us?

                                   "Love your neighbour as yourself." Luke 10:27

What if we truly let Jesus in?

What if we really let Him love us?

What if we let Him increase while we decrease?

What if we let Him truly love through us?

                            "He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30

What if we really died to ourselves?
What if our spiritual senses were as alive as our physical senses?
What if we were reeking of His grace, love, and mercy?
What if we were the vehicle of His truth?

                                 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show 
                                  that this all-surpassing power is from God
                                      and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

What if we really allowed it to be all about Him?
What if we let go of the me in our circumstances?
What if we lived acknowledging that we are nothing and He is everything?
What if we all shared God's story in our lives?

                                                    It's about Him

What if we let go of shame?
What if we laid down our pride?
What if we leaned into Him?
What if we were intentional for Jesus?

                                                     FREEDOM
                     
What would that look like?
What would the world look like?
What would that do for the hurting, the oppressed, the hopeless?
What would that do for all of us?

                                                     Live for Him
                                              Let Him love you fully
                                                   Love with Him


                    "For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

                                                                    ©