Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

Is God Doing a New Thing in Your Life?

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As I started writing this post yesterday, I was sitting at my desk, looking out the window. It was a beautiful sunny spring day. Our roses and some of the other plants in our backyard are blooming. Spring has sprung, as they say.

Appreciating the spring view outside got me thinking about new beginnings. Things that were inactive all winter are coming back to life. There’s a sense of renewal, a freshness in the air.

With all this change around us in nature, I thought it would be good to consider what might be changing in our own lives. Because changes, big or small, come along fairly often.

Changes can make us nervous, sad, or excited. But typically it means that God has something new planned for us.

My own big change is coming up when my daughter goes off to college in several months. I’m thinking it will be weird at first to go everywhere as a family of three!

Your change may not be that drastic. But we all have new things to face. Some of them are just part of life, expected in a sense, while others come as a surprise.

Here’s my favorite Bible passage about new things.

“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” ~Isaiah 43:18-19

God orchestrates new things. In this case, He’s making a way for His people in the wilderness and meeting their needs by providing water in the desert.

God offers reassurance here because sometimes new beginnings can be scary. They might involve waiting – often a struggle for us! – or uncertainty. We can begin to doubt ourselves, and maybe we even doubt God.

We wonder, “Can this be right? Is this how it’s supposed to go ’cause I’m not real comfortable here! I was comfortable back there in the old way.”

Then we go back to how that chapter of Isaiah begins.

“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” ~Isaiah 43:1,2

We are his. Wherever we go, He is with us. We may feel overwhelmed by what this new stage of life is bringing, but the Promise Keeper says those waters won’t overflow us and that fire is not going to burn us up.

This way, this change is new to you. You haven’t been this way before, but He has. He sees the end from the beginning.

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” ~Isaiah 46:9, 10

We don’t dwell on the old, or look longingly back to what used to be. But when the doubts and uncertainties come, remember what God’s done in the past. He’s guided us through change, through new, before. He is faithful.

I have a sweet friend whose mom passed away this week. That dear lady experienced the greatest new beginning of all. As a Christian, she now has fully partaken of the hope of heaven. She’s received her incorruptible, undefiled, unfaded, reserved-for-her inheritance. [1 Peter 1:3,4]

Spring is a beautiful season. Just as we’re seeing new growth in nature, the blooming of flowers and trees, so I hope that God is doing some new things in our lives. May the change that’s happening grow our spiritual lives and help us be closer to Him.

Related posts:

Saturday Salutes ~ Boundaries for Kids and Gifts They’ll Remember

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We have some beautiful roses growing in our backyard this spring.

Ayanna shares Why Your Kids Need Boundaries.

I loved Joshua Becker’s list of 35 Gifts Your Children Will Never Forget.

A post from iMom gives 6 Ways to Respond When Your Husband Annoys You.

If you’re struggling with an ongoing issue (like organization), read through Tracy’s post Do You Wish to Get…Organized. She gives tips on making changes in a particular area of life (and uses organization as an example).

These Carrot Cake Blondies sound intriguing, but I’m trying this Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle for our Easter dinner dessert.

I trust that your weekend will be full of worship and praise as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!

7 Truths To Meditate On as We Prepare Our Hearts for Easter

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I’m not sure if it’s because Easter is in late April this year or if it’s just my general frame of mind, but I don’t feel like my heart is properly prepared for this season.

In case you’re in the same boat, I came up with a plan. I’m challenging myself to think about all that Jesus’ death accomplished. There’s not enough room to cover every aspect of that here, so I’m focusing specifically on what Jesus’ blood did for us.

None of these truths are likely new to us, but hopefully as we meditate on them, we’ll realize anew the redemptive work that was finished at the cross.

1. No matter how wicked we’ve been or how many times we’ve sinned, Jesus’ blood cleanses us.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” ~Isaiah 1:18

2. The blood of Jesus is the only thing that could redeem us. It is pure and precious.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” ~1 Peter 1:18-19

3. Jesus loved us so much that He willingly shed His own blood for us.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” ~Revelation 1:5

4. It’s the richness of God’s grace that allows us to be redeemed and forgiven.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” ~Ephesians 1:7

5. Our redemption is eternal. His blood bought us a life with Him that will never end.

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” ~Hebrews 9:12

6. Because of Jesus’ blood, we can have fellowship with God.

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” ~Ephesians 2:13

7. Because of Jesus’ blood, we can have fellowship with other believers.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” ~1 John 1:7

And just for a bonus truth, I thought I’d throw in an appropriate hymn to remind us that Jesus paid for ALL of our sins. Don’t let Satan throw guilt your way! Jesus’ blood covers every sin. And because He paid it all, how much we should want to love and serve Him.

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Chorus:

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.

Jesus Paid It All by Elvina Hall

May you be blessed and encouraged as you think about Christ’s death and resurrection over these next few days!

Related posts:

Saturday Salutes ~ Fighting Fearful Thoughts and Sharing Jesus with Your Kids

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After a week off from sharing any personal pictures, I’m back with a photo of our oldest daughter before her Junior~Senior Banquet last Friday.

Then this past week we were in Greenville, SC, for a national fine arts competition with their school. Their band won first place!! This is the second piece they played – Avalanche by Jonathan McBride – and is probably my favorite song they’ve ever performed.

Our girls play saxophones, so they’re hidden in the second row.

I’m telling you, literally every week brings some “last” moment or event for our graduating senior…but I’ll not go down that emotionally-charged road today!

Here are some good posts I read this week.

Anna shares ideas on How to Ease Tension in Your Home.

Jenn gives us 5 Everyday Ways to Share Jesus with Your Kids.

Michelle tells us How to Fight Fearful Thoughts and Win.

Sarah Joy’s Cottage Style Kids Bedroom is just adorable!!

There’s a bunch of helpful resources in Michelle’s and Annie’s list of Simple Steps to Get Ridiculously Organized for a Stress-Free Summer.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

You Get to Choose One, But Not the Other

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One of my daughters likes to put inspirational sayings up on her bedroom walls.  We’ve gotten nice digital prints of a couple of them, and put them in pretty frames.  They’re all positive and encouraging.

When my girls became teenagers, I thought about posting the following statement somewhere in their rooms.

You can choose your sin, but you can’t choose the consequences of your sin.

It’s been many years since I heard that quote (and I can’t remember where!)  I doubt it exactly qualifies as inspirational, but it’s definitely true and worth remembering.

I’ll apply this first to our teenagers (or really any age children.  And don’t worry, it will get more personal later.)

They have a free will.  In spite of what we’ve taught them and the truths they know, they will still sin.  We all do.

But I want my girls to understand that when they choose to sin, there will be consequences.  Some of those sins, perhaps the private ones that no one else knows about, may only affect their personal relationship with God.  The fellowship is broken.

Other, more public sins, may have more public consequences.  Regardless, when they make the choice to sin, they open themselves up to ramifications.

The point is to hopefully help them understand this concept so that they will stop and think before they make the choice to sin.  I think a great Bible verse to reinforce this concept is Galatians 6:7.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

What better Bible story to demonstrate this truth than that of Adam and Eve?  They chose to sin.  Yes, the serpent beguiled Eve, but she took of the forbidden fruit.  Then Adam ate also.

What happened at the end of Genesis 3?  God allowed them to continue to live on the earth.  He clothed them with animal skins.  But the consequences of their sin – pain in childbearing, a cursed ground, having to leave the beautiful garden – still had to be suffered.

Not only that, but those consequences still affect us today.  So it often is with our sin.  The impact of the consequences reaches into other people’s lives.

Remember David’s sin with Bathsheeba and the subsequent killing of Uriah.  We know David’s passionate plea for forgiveness in Psalm 51.  He was forgiven, but his infant son still died, and there was ongoing violence in his family.  [2 Samuel 12]

And while it’s great to illustrate this to my teenagers, it’s every bit as true for me at my “advanced” age as it is for them.

I can choose to gossip, but I don’t get to choose whether or not that gossip will be repeated to the person I talked about.  I can choose to say something negative about my husband, but I can’t choose how hurt he will be if he finds out.

I can worry and doubt God, and the consequence will be the loss of peace that He can provide.  When I choose to sin, I open myself up to its consequences.

Some life lessons are hard.  That’s true whether you’re experiencing it yourself, or watching one of your children go through it.  And having to live with the consequences of your sin is usually painful in some way.

But as we repent, God forgives.  In His mercy and grace, He continues to grow us.  And if we will learn from sin’s consequences, we can move ahead in victory in our walk with Him.

Related posts:

Saturday Salutes ~ God’s Grace, Trusting His Will, and Thinking Ahead to Summer

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I’m giving you a break from pictures and videos of my daughters this week – though with their last home soccer game of the season on Thursday and my older daughter’s Junior~Senior banquet last night, I could certainly fill a post, lol.

How about some pretty azaleas instead?

Source

Hope you’re enjoying some pretty spring weather! Now on to some good reads I found this past week.

Julie shares 6 Examples of God’s Grace in Grief.

Jessica has 10 Awesome Weekly Traditions for Your Family.

Elizabeth says From Summer #21 as a Mom, the First 18 Sure Don’t Feel Like They Were All I Got.

Deb tells us 10 Ways to Trust God’s Will When Life Is Hard.

Carrington gives advice for parents of tweens and teens in When Your Home is No Longer the Center of Your Child’s World.

Off to a baby shower this morning, then out for my birthday dinner tonight. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

All Means All, and That’s a Comforting Thought

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Have you ever been in an argument with someone who said, “You always __________” or “You never __________” [fill in the blank]? Immediately you start running that scenario through your mind, searching your memory for that one time you actually did [stay under budget, get ready to leave on time, etc.] or didn’t [forget to put gas in the car, save important tax receipts, etc.]

I’ve heard the advice that you shouldn’t use “absolute” words like “always” and “never” in an argument because let’s face it – those are usually exaggerations. Maybe it’s rare that you’re ready to leave the house on time, but it’s likely happened at least once or twice in the past!

But thankfully there are absolutes when it comes to God. And Psalm 145:17 is a wonderful reminder of this.

“The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.”

Do you see that word “all”? It’s not “some” of His ways or “most” of His works. It’s all. Every. single. one.

So let’s break this down.

All of the Lord’s ways are righteous. We think of righteous as morally right, and it is. It also means just. Whatever God does is right and just.

We know that in a big-picture sense. But when it comes down to what happens to you and I on a daily basis, do we ever accuse God of being unjust or unfair?

Maybe we’re in the middle of a situation that just doesn’t fit with what we think should be happening to us. In our humanity, we can begin to doubt that God is working what’s right for us. But that’s because we can only see it from our point of view, with human limitations and lack of eternal perspective.

Nothing can come from God but good. We have to cling to this truth. Because of His character, He can only do what is right. Just because we don’t understand His ways doesn’t mean they aren’t good and just.

So what are we to do when God’s ways seem unjust to us? It’s that word that easy to say and hard to live.

Trust.

Trust the nature, the character of God. Not how we feel or what we see, but trust in the truth from His Word that all His ways are righteous.

The second part of the verse tells us that He’s holy in all His works.

Several commentaries say that the Hebrew word for “holy” here is usually translated “merciful.” How thankful we are for both of those traits – His holiness and His mercy!

When God works, He isn’t like we are. There are no hidden motives. He works from a heart that is always pure and plans everything for our good. And in the hard and difficult moments, we have to also trust in His mercy.

Remember Lamentations 3:22-23? “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.“

All of God’s works are wrapped in His mercy. Without it, there’d be no hope for us.

In God, truth and mercy meet together in perfect harmony. Anything He brings into our lives is for our good and His glory. And His mercy is available as we boldly ask for it in prayer. [Hebrews 4:16]

Today let’s take comfort in the always righteous ways and holy works of God.

Related posts:

Saturday Salutes ~ Grumpy Moms, Organizing, and the Books I Read in March

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I didn’t share any videos last Saturday, so I thought I’d link a couple today. These two performances are from my daughters’ fine arts competition earlier this month.

This is my younger daughter’s sacred piano solo. She got 3rd place.

This is one of two songs their high school choir sang. They received first place.

Here are a few good posts I found this week.

MaryEllen shares 5 Reasons You’re a Grumpy Mom (And What You Can Do About Them!)

Sarah has a comprehensive post on Organizing Essentials – A Guide to Organizing Everything You Own.

Read about how to Create a Christ-Centered Home at Creative Home Keeper.

Elizabeth has 21 Cute and Easy Easter Treats for Kids.

It’s almost strawberry season here, and these Strawberry Shortcake Trifle Cups look like a great way to use some of those strawberries!

I didn’t finish as many books as I thought I would in March. Part of the reason is that I’m re-reading Heaven by Randy Alcorn and it is loooong.

I did read two books, both fiction, and the first one is also a re-read.

Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss is a book that I enjoy more each time I read it. I always see some new truth that didn’t stand out to me before. I’ve read this book multiple times, and it’s an all-time favorite of mine for sure!

I also enjoyed The Book of Hours by Davis Bunn. It was a very entertaining read.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

7 Tips for Staying Connected With Your Husband So You’ll Still Know Him When the Kids Are Gone

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Over breakfast earlier this week, a friend and I were talking about how the seasons of our lives are changing.

‘Cause it’s getting real, y’all.

As of today, there’s just 45 school days left until my older daughter graduates from high school.

But this post – and my conversation with my friend – isn’t about our children. It’s actually about our relationships with our husbands.

My husband and I were married almost ten years before our older daughter was born. Once she leaves for college this fall, we’ll have two more years until our younger daughter leaves home. Combined we’ll have had twenty years with kids in our home full-time. But, depending on the Lord’s plans, we could have at least that many years ahead of us without them here.

As a wife, I’ve heard lots of advice about scheduling regular date nights and making sure you put your marriage relationship ahead of your kids. That all sounded good, but wasn’t always doable. Yet now that the reality of our children leaving home is here, I’m realizing how prudent that advice really is.

What I’m trying to say is that here’s what I would tell the thirty-year-old version of myself.

Let your children add to your life together, don’t let them take it over.

There are certainly times, especially during those newborn days, when your child needs so much of your focus. But those intense seasons shouldn’t stretch on for months and years.

I know I haven’t always done my best with this. I’m sure that on occasion I’ve given more attention to the kids than to him.

So if you’re in the thick of parenting little kids I get it. I’ve been there, too. And while older moms like me say that it will end one day, you’re actually wondering if it really will!

Staying connected with your husband just feels like one more thing you have to do and you don’t know how to fit that into your day.

But as often as you can, do something, no matter how small, to stay connected. Here are some ideas.

1. Pray for him.

If you know he’s dealing with a difficult customer or has an important meeting today, take a minute to pray for him. Set an alarm on your phone so you won’t forget.

2. Say one encouraging thing to him.

Thank him for taking out the trash or getting up with the baby in the middle of the night. Make a point of noticing what he does.

3. Write him a short love note or text him a thank you.

Yes, it’s a hard job being home alone with little kids every day or driving umpteen thousand miles to take them to soccer practice or being a mom who works outside the home. But it’s not like he’s on a relaxing vacation every day at his job! Make a quick connection with him during the day and let him know you love and appreciate him.

4. Find one thing to talk about that doesn’t involve the kids.

If you’re like us, many of our conversations revolve around our kids. And that’s natural. But make an effort to talk about other things that interest the two of you. It could be a sports story or a news headline or something related to his field of work.

5. Ask his advice about something. And listen to what he has to say.

My husband has so much wisdom. He often sees things through a different lens than I do. Whether it’s resolving a problem with one of our children or talking me down after a rant, it’s helpful to hear his opinion on things.

6. Respect his opinion when he gives it.

Sometimes if this is related to our kids, we may subconsciously think, “I’m the mom and I know best.” Wrong. Don’t write off his opinion. Seriously consider what he has to say.

7. Talk and dream about your future together.

This might be my favorite tip! No matter what stage you’re in, begin planning for your future. Want to attend a cooking class together? Go on a couples retreat? Take a special vacation with just the two of you? Begin anticipating what that new phase of life will look like.

We’ve never been the type to have regularly scheduled date nights. We fit them in as we could when our girls were little. And we’ve had a lifetime of fun watching them grow up, cheering them on at their basketball games, and taking them on trips.

But then one day your kids can stay home by themselves without a babysitter, and a whole new world opens up to you! Admittedly that’s about the time their ballgames and piano recitals and band concerts take over all your evenings, but at least there’s the possibility of easy date nights!

Regardless, I think we’ve made it a priority to stay connected. Now you can ask my husband – I haven’t done this perfectly by any means! But I am anticipating these years ahead when it’s just the two of us together again.

How do you stay connected with your spouse? Let me know in the comments!

Saturday Salutes ~ Life Update and Spring Decor

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The last two weeks have been full, fun, and a little exhausting!

I was able to spend a couple of days in Savannah with my husband on a work-related trip. The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time exploring the historic district (i.e. lots of walking, a bit of shopping, and some good eating!!)

I was home for a day, then headed to Columbia, SC for two days with my daughters at their school’s state-wide fine arts competition.

With their small instrumental ensemble…my daughters are the two on the right.

They placed first in band, handbell choir, handbell ensemble, and choral group, so they’ll be headed to the national competition in a few weeks.

This past week was their spring break, and we spent the first half of the week in Virginia visiting my family.

With their cousin Ryleigh Grace

As I’ve mentioned a time or two (ha!) it’s my older daughter’s Senior year. I can’t believe that she’ll be entering the final quarter of her high school career this week. I know these next two months are going to fly by!!

On to several good posts I’ve found lately…

Jordan tells us How to Effectively Share Your Faith with Your Friends.

Ruth shares Six Words My Husband Needs to Hear.

Find 6 Solutions to Screen Problems at iMom.

I enjoyed Rachel Joy’s Modern Farmhouse Spring Living Room Tour.

Chelsea shares a Simple Spring Tablescape.

And Potato Chip Toffee??? Yes, please!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!