After our meeting, I made my way over to her. As the mother of four, I knew exactly what she was talking about.

When I went home that afternoon, I emailed this young mom and encouraged her to attend a marriage study that my husband and I will soon be hosting in our home. What I thought were originally tears from an exhausted mother, ended up being much more…

“I would love with all my heart to do this study with my husband and maybe someday we can. But you see, one thing I didn’t tell you today is that he’s not (yet) saved.”

Not the answer I’d expected. My heart hurt for her. But, I was grateful she typed the word “yet”. She still had faith. She was believing God for a miracle. I knew how she felt. I was once the only Christian in my marriage. Thankfully, it was a season of less than a year. I know of many who suffer much longer in a relationship where the Lord dwells in only one spouse. I shared with my new friend, the words of encouragement given to me when I was walking the same road. The verse I shared with her was this…

In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives. –1Peter 3:1-2 NLT

I went on to encourage her more in the email:

“And if I can share just one more thing with you…don’t talk to your husband about Jesus, show him Jesus. Remember, Jesus loved and served the undeserving. On those days you want to scream or cry, or throw in the towel, or throw the towel at your husband (something I’d want to do), ask Him to give you the strength to get through one more minute, one more hour, one more day. He will. He is the one true and living God, and He lives and dwells inside of you. When you call on Him for help, stand back, because girlfriend, He will help.”

Friends, if you feel like you are standing on solid ground alone, reach out for Him. He is there. And remember, He desires to live inside your husband more than you will ever know. Release your worries, anger, frustrations, disbelief, and impatience to the One who can bear it. Then show your husband the merciful, grace-filled love of Jesus Christ.

Lord, I pray for each woman hurting today without a spouse to share in the saving grace of your son Jesus Christ. I ask that you would dry their tears and fill their hearts to overflowing. Remind them of the days when they too walked alone and ignorant of your love. Place Godly people in the path of their loved one so that they will feel their burden to guide their loved ones into the Kingdom lightened. Remind them Holy Spirit, that only you can turn hearts toward Christ. Remind them it is your work alone, and that you are working even now as they read these words.

My oldest is moving out on her own. At almost eighteen years old, she is too much like her mother. Now in college, she wants to experience everything, taste and see it all. I have done my best to hold her back, and my not-so-best to hold her back.

She leaves happy, on a good note. Her father and I have helped her gather up belongings and will lovingly place her bed and dresser in her new home. But still the questions haunt me.

Have I done enough? Taught her enough? Encouraged her enough? Loved her enough?

I’m counting the days and hours before a mother’s death sentence… letting go. I look into her beautiful blue eyes and see a desire to step out from under the confines of a home now keeping her, smothering her, with too many rules. She doesn’t understand. She doesn’t know what lies beyond the door. I want to keep her from it. But I can’t.

“Every good mother, sooner or later, must understand she is denied ownership; she is merely granted stewardship.” T.D.Jakes

Her mission soon begins. Mission: a group or persons sent to a foreign country to conduct negotiations and establish relations. She will be stepping out into the world where I pray she will make a difference for Him. “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” Psalm 127:4 Like those arrows, she is meant to soar.

But, does she truly know what I know about her? She is gifted. Does she see in herself what I see in her – opportunities beyond her wildest dreams.

Only a few miles away in a simple cottage, enjoying the freedom she craves. Still close enough to stop by and raid the refrigerator, do her laundry, and remind me once again she is no longer mine.

She is His.

“…I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1

His 8 -year-old perfect timing = smack dab in the middle of The Dollar Store.

Samuel: How much does a foster kid cost?

Me: What???

Samuel: How much does a foster kid cost? My new friend in class is a foster kid. He doesn’t have a family, Mom. Do you and Dad have enough money to buy him?

Dad: Well, I’m not sure if we do son. Have you thought this through Samuel? If you had someone living with us your age you would have to share your room.

Samuel: I don’t care Dad. I feel bad he doesn’t have a family.

Me: (Trying to keep my composure.) So, how much do you think your friend costs?

Samuel: He doesn’t know. He said he thinks he is free, but he’s going to ask his foster family tonight. He’s going to tell me tomorrow how much he’s worth.

That was all it took. On came the water-works, crying right there in the middle of the gift wrap aisle at The Dollar Store.

I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that this precious child was trying to figure out what he was worth. His greatest desire…to belong to someone who would love him.

Friends, how many times have we felt worthless? Each time we feel this way, God is watching us and wondering how we don’t know, why we don’t understand just how much we are worth to Him.

Do you realize how precious you are to the Lord? He tells us our worth is far above rubies. (Prov. 31:10) Your value to God makes the Hope Diamond look like a gumball trinket.

The God of the universe bought you with a price, His one and only son. What kind of love is this? A love that cannot be measured. You are worth it all to Him.

Pray Samuel’s friend learns this too.

“For you were bought at a price…” 1Cor.6:19

When Maverick sat down outside of the court room, dressed all in black, it was clear to me, his body language screamed, “Leave me alone and stay away.” Yet, his whole demeanor saddened me.

I couldn’t help but overhear as his social worker sat down beside him, and began talking with him.

“I just finished reading your reports Maverick. I am so proud of you. You are doing great! You are my shining star.” she said, while smiling from ear to ear.

It was almost as if I was watching a deflated balloon fill up with air. With each word of encouragement and praise, this young man’s whole countenance changed. The once wilted flower began to stand tall after a long and much needed drink. I wanted to cry for him. God’s Word says,

“The tongue has the power of life and death…” Proverbs 18:21

It reminded me of how important words of encouragement are to our children. We see a perfect picture of an encouraging parent in Matthew 3:17, after Jesus is baptized, His Father makes it clear to all of us, just how He feels about His precious son.

“And a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.’”

I make a point to tell my children how precious they are to me and how proud I am of them. No matter how old my children are, from time to time I will peek my head in their room at bedtime and tell them, “How in the world did I get the best eight-year-old in the whole wide world?” My children usually respond in a giggle or a joyful wiggle under their covers. One night after I’d asked the same question to my ten-year-old, she answered, “Because God loves you.”

My child had learned that encouragement is a two-way street. Now, it was my turn to grin from ear to ear.

Why haven’t you finished what you started for Him?

I have been feeling the sweet nudgings of my Lord to finish the book He put on my heart to begin last year. I have written eight chapters of a twenty chapter book, sent off book proposals and I’m far from finished. My friend Celia has offered to let me write in her home in the woods not too far from where I live. This means I will be able to head over there one day a week and sit on her wooden deck overlooking the most beautiful pine trees in our area. I am looking so forward to it. We just finalized my writing plans last week.

And then I read my devotion yesterday.

When I finished up the Book of Acts for my morning devotion, the most natural for me would have been to continue on and read the Book of Romans. But, for awhile 2 Corinthians kept coming up in my day to day goings on. So, I went there instead. This was the verse I read yesterday;

And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. (2 Corinthians 8:10-11)

He has spoken to me loud and clear. I am feeling quite inadequate for the job at hand, but I am going to take Him at His Word.

What about you?

My daughter had a little friend spend the night last night. With spatula in hand, my robe on and wet hair hanging around my face like the mythological creature Medusa, this child quietly comes up to me and announces she doesn’t want to go to church with us as planned.

Now, I am not one to force church attendance on anyone…but I was irritated. As adorable as this little girl is, I had only minutes left to get everyone fed, run this child home and head back to make myself presentable and get to church.

Like Cruella Deville I sped through our little town to take this child home. After ringing her doorbell until my index finger was numb, I discovered her parents weren’t home.

Can you feel my growing irritation?

Racing back home in our Suburban, thoughts danced in my head. “My hair is going to look awful drying on its own. I bet the breakfast dishes are now stuck by syrup to my kitchen table. Why did I eat pancakes for breakfast today anyway? I feel like I have a brick in my stomach. Why didn’t Paul offer to take this child home?”

Like the godly woman I am (interject sarcasm here), I fumed on the way to church. I thought for sure my fake smile screamed “Hypocrite!” as I walked into church minutes later.

Leaning over to one of my girlfriends, I smiled from ear to ear and spoke through clenched teeth, “I am not in a good mood today.”

…and then it happened.

Worship began.

Have you ever tried to stay in a bad mood while praising God? It’s impossible to do. My anger and irritation melted away.

Replacing my foul, ugly flesh was a heart that needed forgiveness for snapping at my husband and for all of the ways I was imagining I would torture my children for creating such a mess this morning.

When we praise Him, we take our eyes off ourselves and place them where they should have been all along…on Jesus.

So, when you feel yourself heading down the ugly road of selfish, prideful, self-absorbed you, crank up the worship music.

I double dog dare you.

Has the Lord ever whispered to your heart, wait on me? Have your petitions and pleas been met by the quiet presence of a perfect God, reminding you once again that He is in control?

When God handed me four children to raise up He had to of been chuckling to himself. Patience was never my greatest strength. As a mommy I needed it in abundance and I needed to teach it to my own little ones. Not easy to do when I get antsy at a red light after only eight seconds. From the mundane wait for a frozen burrito in the microwave, to the excruciating wait of a phone call with test results, the chasm is wide but patience is needed just the same.

Lately the Lord has been telling me to wait on Him. “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Wherever you are on your journey today, have faith my sisters. Believe in the One who holds the world in His hands. Our waiting is for His perfect plan, His perfect timing. And not a minute sooner.

Christian music artist John Waller sings the song “While I’m Waiting”. In it he speaks of his waiting experience and goes on to sing how he will serve God while he’s waiting and how he will worship while he’s waiting.

Let it be the same for us.

…and has saved us and called us according to His holy calling, and not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. 1Tim. 1:9a

When the phone rings what do you do? Do you let it ring and ring and ring or do you answer it? Hopefully you answer it. Hearing a constant ringing can be extremely annoying. And trying to live and move around your home with a ringing phone in the background is almost impossible. Ridiculous even.

What about God? Has He ever called you? No, not on the telephone. But the example is the same. Has He asked you to do something for Him? Has He gently tapped on your shoulder trying to get your attention, all the while you ignored Him?

Once you finally answer Him, you realize there are reasons you have been uniquely made. There are gifts you have been given only you can do in the way you can do them. It’s only a matter of time before He calls you to use your gifts and talents for Him.

Your calling is many times something you already love to do. For some, it is a passion deep inside, a gifting of your DNA. For me, my greatest calling is to be a wife to my husband and a mother to my four children.

Most recently, my calling has been to write for Him. And thankfully He doesn’t expect me to be an Erma Bombeck or a Charlotte Bronte. He expects me to be Joanne at Blessed…, a woman who has been asked to use the little talent she has for His glory. I have not been called to be them. I have been called to be me. I don’t have to be the best, I only have to be obedient to His calling. And when the job seems overwhelming, it is His strength that carries me through.

So, how do you know your calling? Goodness, that’s a tough one. God can use many ways to get His point across to you. In my case I knew I had been called to write because:

• No matter where I am or what I’m doing I see things in words.
• The young mom at a coffee house trying to scold her poorly behaving toddler is soon a blog post or an article about coffee house spankings.
• Waking in the middle of the night to use the bathroom I am putting together sentences in my head.
• If I don’t write I will burst.
• And most importantly, God has given me scriptures of confirmation.

So, how about you? What have you been called to do for Him? What gentle nudging have you pushed aside to avoid the scary thought of stepping out in faith? What is it you love to do, but don’t feel good enough or smart enough, or talented enough to do for Him? Is pride holding you back from looking foolish? Remember, God says in His word,

“Anyone who trusts in Him will not be ashamed.” Romans 10:11

Do you hear what I hear? Aren’t you going to answer that?

At 23 years old he is at the top of the fame and fortune mountain and has every material thing possible for happiness. Yet, he was quoted as saying, “I don’t handle fame well. Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy.” LaBeouf says. “I have no idea where this insecurity comes from but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it and I’d be on my way.”

It reminded me of how we are all born with a hole in our hearts. Some fill the hole with material things like money or clothes, the perfect house, the perfect job. While others attempt to fill their hole with food or alcohol, busyness, education, exercise and of course their spouse or child. You name it, people have tried everything to fill it – coming up empty no matter what they try. LaBeouf said it right the first time. It’s a God-sized hole.

God says in His word we are all born with eternity in our hearts (Eccl. 3:11). Which means we are born already hard-wired to ask the questions; “Who made me? Why am I here? What is my purpose?” A gentle homing beacon, if you will, pointing us back to our Creator, our God. And because He loves us so much, He added the gift of free will. God is the perfect gentleman, never forcing us to follow. He wants us to love Him. If He were to force a relationship with us it wouldn’t be love.

Before I became a Christian I attempted and failed many times to fill the hole in my own heart. I am surrounded by people everyday, both friends and family, trying their hardest to fill their hole themselves. You’d never hear them say they need the Lord. Their pride wouldn’t allow it. If you asked they would tell you they are just fine, seeming like they have all the answers. They try and act real smart and overeducated that way. Yet, their anxieties, insecurities, and chaos-filled lives give them away everytime. They want to live the life they want to, no questions asked.

I can relate. I’ve been there. But, it’s still sad to watch. We are born with the fingerprints of God all over us. Yet, we look to anyone or anything else for fulfillment.

I make no apology for my great disdain of all things Hollywood. I look for answers about my faith, my politics and how to be a wife and raise up a family from God’s Word and His eternal perspective – not Oprah, Jon & Kate Plus Eight, or Bono.

We share with our children from time to time how the glitz and the glamor of Hollywood are all smoke and mirrors covering up Godless lives. So, I look forward to reading actor LaBeouf’s honest thoughts on Tinsel Town with my teenage daughter today. Confirming once again what her father and I have tried to convey for years. LaBeouf said it perfectly, “The good actors are all screwed up. They’re all in pain. It’s a profession of bottom-feeders and heartbroken people.”

I’d have to agree but take it even one step further. Everyone is in pain without God. But isn’t that where Jesus spent His time here on earth…with bottom-feeders and heartbroken people?

Someone needs to let Shia LaBeouf know that.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Eccl. 3:11

“Mom, have you been on your computer yet today?” he asked while getting ready for school. “No honey. I haven’t.” My laptop was where I’d last left it, by the side of my bed. “Mom, I think you need to open it up.” Samuel smiled, barely able to contain himself.

Walking over, I opened my shiny red laptop to discover the treasure inside. Lying on my keyboard my son had placed his prized package of flower seeds. His gift to me.

I hugged him tight and told him how much I loved morning glories. I told him I couldn’t wait to plant them, and hoped he’d help me. He just smiled and nodded enthusiastically. All the while my heart was hurting.

You see, I couldn’t help but think of something I’d heard author Elizabeth George say many years ago. “Where would someone leave a note for you, if they wanted to make sure you would get it?” She went on to ask, “Would it be by your telephone, or your computer? How about on your TV? Or could it be possible they would leave your note on your Bible?”

I couldn’t help but think of my own mother while growing up. As a child I knew exactly where I would have left my note to her…on her telephone. She was on her phone constantly. Making it very clear to my little girl heart that her friends came first. What I would have given to have her hang up the phone with her girlfriends and spend an afternoon talking with me.

I’ve been reminded today, I have only been given so much time. My family shouldn’t take every waking moment of that time, but should know they are ranked first on my to-do list.

I want to discover my next sweet gift pinned gently to the heart of my children.

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14