Faith in Hope

At all times in this walk, this journey that we are on, our faith calls us to set aside desires that we cling to, longings of the heart that seem so big and so insurmountable, so difficult to let go of. And yet we are called to set them aside. When Christ hit his knees in the garden of Gethsemane, weeping and praying, he said in the end, "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Even the One who was there from the beginning of time set aside his own will, for the sake of the Father, and ultimately, the sake of us all.
But sometimes a longing just doesn't go away. It lingers, sometimes slumbers and other times rears its head just long enough to let you know it is still around. You hear it talked about in conversations, in daydreams, in places you go. Sometimes it just hovers over all that you do. Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
It leaves me wondering if God is speaking, reassuring me that He has heard my precious heart, He knows my deepest longings, even those ones that are unspoken. Or is my flesh pushing for something that ought not be? Am I clinging to something that is not to be, that is not for our best? Either way, my Father, I will trust in You in all things. If it is to be so, I trust that Your timing is the perfect path, and so I will wait patiently and confidently, sure that the place we are in is the place that You would have us be. And if it is not to be, then I will trust in Your perfect peace to know that the place we are in is the place You would have us to be. Whatever You want, that's what I want.
I will trust in the promises that I know to be true, and rest confidently knowing that You know the longings of my heart because You hold my heart in Your hands. I will trust in Your timing and Your will, and I will place my faith in the hope of Christ and all that is to come.
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1

Even Princesses Have to Walk

Our youngest daughter has been so cautious when it comes to walking on her own. She was more than happy to walk anywhere, as long as she could hold on to something. She does not fall well. This is a stark contrast to the first one, who just barreled through anything for the sake of being mobile. She would fall, stand up, dust herself off, and stumble off to do it all over again. Not Juju. She wants to get it right before she attempts it at all. But she is finally starting to take some steps on her own.



If you listen closely to her complaints in the next clip, you just might make out, "The Princess should not have to walk!! I should be carried!!"



In the meantime, I had sent our older daughter to get her pajamas after having taken a bath. I realized that she was gone for quite some time and that she was awfully silent. That is usually not a good a combination. This is what I found.


Caught! She was sitting on the floor, reading a book in the dark! She just makes me laugh! Funny kid. Give her a book and all is right with the world. My babies are growing so fast!! They are such a blessing to me.

Gazing in Wonder

On Good Friday, the girls and I went with my father to the zoo for the morning. I just love taking my daughters to the zoo, as they gaze in absolute innocent wonder at all the sights and sounds. They both absolutely love to see the animals, and I love to see them excited and happy, so really its a win-win situation.




It's so easy to be their momma. I just adore them.

Patiently Waiting for Sunday

Friday is past, and Sunday is coming, but today, we are stuck in Saturday. Friday is known as Good Friday and Sunday is called Easter, but there is no name for this purgatory where we linger now. Friday was a day of death, of loss and grieving, a day of gloom, while Sunday is a day of victory and triumph. But what is this world in between? This Saturday that has gone on for centuries, when will this sun finally set? Friday can be called Good simply because the sun must eventually set on Saturday, to rise again on Blessed Sunday, Easter, Resurrection Day.

But today has no name, no recognition, no place in history. It is the in between day where time stopped altogether. Heads hung low as we walked away from Golgotha, and the sky has grown dark since the curtain tore. Journeys that began Friday evening have led down paths of hurt. Quests for something better have ended in futility. It is a quest for Sunday while traveling in Saturday. There is now weeping and gnashing of teeth. Man and woman have been handed over to their sinful desires. Saturday is a day of glossy-eyed travelers wandering aimlessly, disillusioned by the death the night before. It is a day of searching for sense and reason, grasping for hope and purpose, seeking truth. It is a day of tears and hurt. This land has become Satan's playground, with God's children as his playmates. All of hell roars in celebration, believing that the One who was to save the world died a humiliating death on a tree. Heaven was defeated as the powerful God perished at the hands of man. He was nailed to a Roman cross as the very ones He created cheered it on. Saturday occurred in the aftermath of Friday's victory for the worldly kingdom.

But Sunday has not yet come.

All of God's family suffers as the demons of hell celebrate a seeming victory. Paths are distorted and journeys are led astray. Separation of the created from the Creator grows deeper. But the rejoicing of this short-lived victory will soon end. Evil will be silenced once and for all when Sunday comes.

Sunday is coming.

The rays of light will break the dark horizon and the cacophony from below will be muffled as the stone is rolled away. Dark eyes and hateful hearts will gaze in fear and wonder as the long awaited Light shatters the obscurity of the land, piercing through all that was once hidden and concealed. Voices of laughter and godless chatter will cease to utter more; they will tremble in horror as they see the One whose death was celebrated, standing in power and glory before them. Was He not dead?

All sounds from Saturday will be hushed in terror as an eruption from Heaven will fill this starving land. A flood of song and praise will wash over thirsty hearts, quenching what could not be satisfied before. As this blaze of glory brings in the new day, the angels and cherubims will make their triumphant race across the earth, reclaiming the broken-hearted and returning the sheep to God's flock. Tears will be dried and hearts will be restored. Those who had wept on Friday and endured Saturday will roar with victory as the sun begins to rise on Sunday…as the Everlasting Son rises on Sunday. The sick will be healed, the hungry will be fed, the outcast and persecuted will be welcomed and given rest. The Kingdom of God will be restored in all its righteousness.

Friday is past and Saturday seems endless, but the moon is soon to rise, laying out the red carpet for the new sun, for the Everlasting Son.

Patiently waiting for Sunday.

Happy Easter, friends.