The Clearance Table Bride...

         I think that it's so interesting to see the different ways that God speaks to us as we go throughout our day. I had one such instance happen to me Monday night at work. I was standing by the clearance table talking to a co-worker and I looked down and saw this cute little bride sitting there on the table.

          I don't know what it was that made me pick her up, but something did. Whether I realized it at the time or not, there was an unconscious curiosity going on there, a question that was being asked in my mind...Why is she here? What is it about her that got her put on the clearance table? As you can see from above, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her...There's no marks or blemishes on her, she has her arms, she's not cracked or broken...So why?? I turned her over to see the price tag  be...and sure enough there it was- with this handwritten message on it...

          As soon as I read it, I just started cracking up laughing...Why?? Well the thought that immediately raced into my head was, "Wow...I don't think that you could more perfectly describe my life in my mid to late 20's as a single adult in the church better than this. Perfect description, right here." And to find it the day before Valentine's Day?? Well that was just the icing on top of the cake! I figured that this one was just too funny not to share, so I decided to take a couple pictures of the little bride and her sticker to share on FB, something with a cute little funny caption like "Can I get an Amen from all the single ladies out there?" But then as I thought about it some more, the Lord really impressed a few things upon my heart about that dear little bride and her clearance table sticker...and I knew I had my next blog post topic. 😃

        

Consequently here we are! And those thoughts that the Lord placed on my heart? Well I am so glad that you asked me! I am hoping and praying that they challenge and encourage each one of you in the same way that they did me! The first thought that I had was thankfulness. A soul deep thankfulness that the Lord has actually brought me to a place in my life where I can see something like that, and it makes me laugh. Believe me, that was NOT and has NOT always been the case at all. It is progress for sure! But then, on the heels of that was the more somber thought of the fact that for so many women (especially those in the church today) that this is their reality, our reality. How many of us wrestle with feeling like we are on the clearance table of life? Some days we are great, but then others?? We too feel like we could be carrying around a sticker on us that shouts, "NO GROOM. AS IS. 50% OFF"  

And I HATE that!!! For EVERY woman out there who has ever felt that way, I want to let you know that that is a LIE from our enemy the father of lies! That is NOT what your Heavenly Father thinks about you at all!!! God absolutely DELIGHTS in EACH one of us!!! It brings Him such JOY to be able to spend time with us! That is why Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better thing...Not because anything that Martha was doing was wrong, but rather Jesus was saying, "Hey, there's time for that later...but for now, while I am here.. let's hang out. Come, relax and spend time with me...That's all that I really want from you..Just the gift of your presence." So Beloved sisters, the next time that we feel our emotions running away with us, let's make an intentional effort to take those emotions and hormones and bring them before His Throne. Praise Him!! Seek out His Truth! Ask Him to speak to you and and to show you how much He delights in you! I guarantee that He will meet you THERE! I know this not only from experience, but also because He promises it in His word as well! In Jeremiah 29:13-14, He says," You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity." So this is my prayer that I leave with you today. Seek the Lord, allow Him to come and meet with you. Know that your IDENTITY is rooted in the fact that YOU are LOVED by Him and allow THAT TRUTH to tell you who you are!! Believe me, I know that it can be hard to open ourselves up and be vulnerable, but it is more than ok to trust your heart to Him. There is ABSOLUTELY NO ONE who will handle it better or cherish it more. He is truly the Lover of our Soul.  Love you ladies and Happy Belated Valentine's Day!! 😃💘💖😍

Early Morning Sunrise Thoughts

 Just a quick thought from earlier last year-

        So back in August, we were on our annual family beach trip when all of sudden I realized that I had never seen a sunrise on the beach!!! Plenty of sunsets, NEVER a sunrise! Immediately deciding that I needed to change that fact, I set my alarm for 6:22 am and the next morning groggily rolled out of bed to see the sunrise. It turns out watching the sunrise on the beach can be a little addicting, even if you're not a morning person...(I know...I was shocked too!) Thursday was the 3rd day that I had made it out to watch the sunrise, and as I came out that morning, I noticed for the first time how bright the moon in the Western sky was as it was going down. Now it had already occurred to me before that the Sun and the Moon had an interesting relationship to each other, similar to the one thst we as believers have to Christ, but this morning it took on a whole new dimension/meaning!
       The obvious analogy here is that just as the moon reflects the sun's power and can do nothing without it, we can do nothing without Christ. However the thought that came to my mind was the verse in the Bible about how weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Then, as I turned around, I noticed that just as quickly as the sun had come up, the moon had disappeared. Now, of course, the moon was still there (in the sky) but you couldn't see it because the light of the sun was so bright! All this made me think of how in the same way we should be shining brightly for Christ during these dark times just like the moon shines bright in the night sky!
     However, on that day when Jesus does come again it'll be the dawn of a New day, the Glorious Sun of a new age and nobody will be looking at us because they will all be looking at Christ in his glory and falling to their knees in worship of Him. What about you? How has the Lord used the glory and imagery of his creation in nature to speak to you? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂