S Club Mama

The most formidable sin any of us will find lurking inside is all of our false identities. God urged the Israelites to not have any other god before him. This was no joke. Foreign gods ran rampant all around them. Yet they had the living God, who rescued them from Egypt and parted the Red Sea, dwelling among them in a pillar of fire and a cloud filling their tabernacle!!! One would think that their identities were surely set in stone - people of God. via wallpapercreations That's not what we see in the Scriptures, is it? We see them continually turning away from their Lord (my son would remind us that this is cycle of apostasy), pursuing a human king, worshipping idols, persecuting the Lord's prophets because they cannot see the sin in their own lives. As a Christian, I can often judge the Israelites on their wandering hearts. Then when I look at my own heart, I can see it there, too. I set my identity in Christ...but is it in Him alone? We are called to forsake all ...

I haven't written anything personal on my blog really since December 2016. It's been nothing but reviews and things of that nature - nothing wrong with that, of course (or I wouldn't be writing this), but I'd like to explain why. I have been lost in a sea that I had only vaguely known prior to this past season of life. The sea of depression. It's weird to even write that, to be honest. I think I had some postpartum depression after my second son, Squirt, was born in 2009 but I started running after that. I think the endorphins honestly helped me get out of that fog. Fast forward a few years. I injured my foot in 2013 and I'm still not sure if it's healed properly. My running hasn't been the same since, so less endorphins. I believe that has left me vulnerable emotionally. In 2015 we welcomed our sweet Princess into our lives but that first year of her life was marred by the epilepsy of my oldest son, Moose. He had brain surgery last summer, 2016, to ...

As I've grown older, I've come to realize that my identity is not found in what I do. Not found in whether I work or stay home (or both). Not found in whether my house is clean or messy. Not found in how I dress up or dress down. Not found in my hair style, my marriage, my motherhood. Not found in my weight or size or shape. Not found in my devoutness to spiritual disciplines even. No. My identity is found purely in Christ. It is He who has covered me with his sacrificial blood who determines my identity and worth. He says I am beautifully and wonderfully made. He says I am worth sacrificing for. He says that He has a plan for me, a purpose. He says I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. He says I am loved and worth loving. My identity is Christ. Identity is very important to a person. It shows us who we are and points us in the direction of where we go and who we are to become. On August 1, a television series will help point people in the direction of thei...

Tonight we watched an Andy Stanley DVD series portion from his Big Church DVD series. It's not about the church being big but more being a big deal. I've been thinking of the afterlife a lot (my great-grandma passed away last weekend), so it meant a lot to me to hear this sentiment. In the church, we talk a lot about stuff. Where we sit. What we sing. How we dress. We also talk a lot about theological stuff. End of times. Gospel discrepancies. Baptism - sprinkle or dip. Communion - single serve or community cup. On and on. We talk a lot. None of it's bad to talk about. But when it overshadows the most important thing, it's bad. Here is that most important thing: Jesus Christ died for our sins (yours and mine). He was buried. He was raised. He appeared.  I pray that with my grandma's passing, everyone at the funeral will hear the gospel message and so decide to have that relationship with Christ, our Savior. So when they pass, they will be home with ...

1. 2 miles walked this morning in peace. Not running (yet) but walking will do for now in my injury rehab state. 2. a house. Too many in this world don't have a stable place to live. And even in year we've been here, I feel I take this luxury for granted. 3. family. I love holidays that equal days off for Big A. It's so lovely to have us together. We've played games together, read together, shot off some fireworks, and rested. Later - fireworks! 4. watermelon. It just doesn't feel like officially summer until we eat some watermelon. And I think $2.98 watermelon just tastes a little sweeter, right? Well, not quite as good as the free (!!) peas from my garden will taste (seriously, I have peas in my fridge that I picked from our garden). How cool are gardens?! What are you thankful for today? Independence? Nice weather? Good food? Music? Thank you to the soldiers who have provided so many nice freedoms that I enjoy every day. This is a sweet holiday, a sweet...