With the excitement of the upcoming trip (48 hours and counting!) to Washington and the busyness of everyday life, I'm beginning to feel a bit behind…well, in life.
As I type this, Georgia is in her room, not taking a nap like she should be, pulling all the clothes out of her dresser and trying on different ‘pretties'.
Owen is asleep on the couch for a little while longer.
My kitchen needs to be cleaned and the refrigerator needs to be eaten up and cleaned out before we fly out.
I still need to wash and fold four loads of laundry so that we can actually have clean underwear to pack.
Snacks for the plane trip need to be made, the car needs to be topped off with gas for the drive to the airport, and the worms need to be fed enough to keep 'em happy while we're away.
Couple all that with four chiropactor appointments, nursing, a two-year-old, writing a cookbook, paying bills, preparing meals, and daily cleaning and you can imagine the insanity that results.
Yesterday morning, I felt a bit overwhelmed. For a brief moment, I contemplated staying home from Tuesday morning Bible study to try and get a handle on said ‘insanity'.
But instead, I hurried with the kids off to the church for some fellowship.
And thank God I did.
There was nothing crazy about Bible study. No fireworks. No grand emotional epiphanies. But it was sweet and inspiring and glorifying.
I mostly sat there listening to the other women speak – they are wise and I love getting to hear their input and thoughts.
We are working through a book that teaches us how to see Christ throughout the Old Testament. And y'all, I just have to tell you:
I love me some Jesus.
Love seems like such an understatement.
I just feel this fire in my belly. This beautiful fire that makes me want to shout from the mountain tops.
To see how Christ can take such a horribly broken sinner and use them for His ultimate purpose is such a beautiful thing. As we sat around the table at Bible study, I could see it so plainly. None of us are perfect – so far from it. We all had prayer requests, all of us are being challenged, stretched, and grown in different ways. All of us were hurting. All of us struggled with selfish desires. All of us were broken.
But here we were, the whole messy lot of us, learning more about our Savior. The One who was sent to die for our sins. The One who's blood covers our transgressions. The One who has fully and completely paid our debts to a just God. The One who has chosen us as HIS.
I fear non-Christians somehow believe that being a Christian is an easy or painless process. Like it's just all good. But truth-be-told, it's anything but.
The Lord heals a sinner, no doubt. But He isn't content just leaving us as is. Instead, He uses circumstances in this life to challenge us, teach us, grow us, and sharpen us. As one convert put it, once your life is in Christ's hands, it's secure forever – but it's also a blood bath.
Just as farmer prunes his trees to ensure they bear healthy fruit, so the Lord also prunes His people. He cuts off our branches of selfishness, impatience, judgement, pride, idolatry, and comfort. He works within our lives to not break us, but built us.
To have a God that cares for His people that much is just incredible!
I don't want to focus on the dishes. Or the dog hair. Or the laundry.
I want to just rejoice, rejoice, again I say REJOICE in my Savior.
I want to see Christ in everything.
I want to talk about him. And learn about him. And spend time with him. I want to just be all up in his business in the best way possible.
Like his disciples, I want to walk along side him and build a personal relationship with him. I want him to be so ingrained and vibrant in our household that our children grow up shouting His praise.
I don't want to be distracted or loose focus.
I want to be a student and lover of Christ.
Yes, there is laundry to be folded. But I can fold that laundry with much great joy in knowing that God sent his son to die for my sins. I have been redeemed!
The struggles of this world aren't where it ends, my friends. Even though we can feel broken, tired, behind, and run-down now, we won't forever.
We have been given a Savior. A King.
What joy!!!
k milgate
Fantastic, uplifting article ๐ Thank you for being about His business in the writing of it ๐
Teresa Getter Messick
Roses will not bloom to their full potential unless they are pruned REGULARLY and WELL! I try to remember that when God is pruning me! Thanks for sharing this….good to know there are others out there who love him and find joy in all things because they know He loves!
Melinda
What is the book your Bible study is using? It sounds really good!
Jaimie Ramsey
Shaye, thank you SO much for this fantastic Gospel message! I’m going to write you a longer message on Facebook because I have more to say but don’t want to write a book on here, lol. ๐ Also, I wrote about something VERY similar today, if you’re interested in reading… http://jaimie-livinginthelight.blogspot.com/2013/02/abraham-living-by-faith.html
Noel McNeil
Shaye, why do you always post what I need to hear? Thank you so much for writing about what’s truly important, Christ. I’m serious, thank you. I hope you have a blessed time with your family and I hope you continue to find your rest in Jesus. My hubby and have found ourselves having to rest in Jesus and trust that He will lead us. What comfort knowing that my future is safe and secure in our Savior Jesus and not in myself! Praise Him!
gudrun
how did i get here? i know why: i needed to read this! and through some back way and alley i found what i needed to read tonight ๐ That is GOD at work again and again Thank you! ๐
Katie
Thank you! When all of your whirlwind slows down, would you mind sharing what snacks you prepared for the plane ride?
Stephanie Crooks
Hi Shaye I am still working my way through the blog from day 1 so no idea if you will get this. However, my husband and I are supporting friends through a life changing stroke which happened nearly a year ago. Challenging times for them and us. Long story short, this is a bad week for their marriage as in laws have arrived from Brazil and it feels like the fan has been hit. Gearing myself up for a difficult visit tonight, I thought I would treat myself to a bit of Shaye time! What wise and timely words even years after you wrote them. Bless you and than God for his mysterious ways! Steph in UK