A Place of Rest

After listening to some of the IF Gathering conference last weekend, I started to read the book of Joshua. I'm not getting far very quickly because God keeps stopping me in my tracks. Yesterday, I spend the day contemplating what it means to be strong and courageous. I'm still not sure what that looks like, but let's talk about God providing rest.

In the first chapter, Joshua commands the people to prepare to take the promise land. Moses is dead and God has charged him with leading the Israelites. Remember that this is what they have all been waiting for. After 40 years in the wilderness, it's finally time. Do you think they are tired? Do you think they are not only physically exhausted but emotionally wrecked? I do. I can't imagine what it would be like to hear a promise from God and have it take so long to come to fruition.

When Joshua spoke the words "a place of rest" I can almost feel the people of God take one big sigh of relief. It's almost here, they can almost breath. My ESV Study Bible footnotes say "rest suggests freedom from threat, the enjoyment of one's inheritance, security within the borders of the land, and a state of all-around well-being."

God spoke life into me as I read these words this morning. I think they are true for us too. After God calls us to great things, often hard things, he will provide a time of rest. A time for us to rejuvenate and gather our strength. Do you ever feel so tired, so sick of working and fighting? I know that feeling all too well. But we can persevere because we know that it won't always be so hard. God will provide us a place, a season, of safety and peace.

I hope these words speak hope into someone's heart. Keep up the good fight, friend - rest is just up ahead.

Back

Hey friends, I haven't disappeared. But a lot has happened in our family, work and hearts.

On October 11th, Abel was born! It was a wonderful experience and he is an amazing little babe. My heart grew leaps and bounds the moment he was placed on my chest. He's a giggler, snuggler and sleeper. Abel turns four months next week. God has been so good to bring him into our family!

In December, I started working with Young Living Essential Oils to share with others how oils have been so good for our family. My website for essential oils is www.laurajadeessentials.com. I'll be sharing some of our oils journey here but there will be way more on that site and blog. I'm still doing graphic design work too.

I'm a different woman than I was four months ago. Along with the birth of our sweet boy, came the birth of a more relaxed Laura. I can't even explain how it happened, except to say that God worked something big in my heart.

I'll be writing more about those things in the next few posts. I used to be a big writer in my journal, but not so much anymore. I want this to be my journal, my place to process what God is doing in my heart, my family, my church and our world.

Love you All. And I missed you, seriously.

Grumbling in the Wilderness

God takes grumbling and complaining seriously, it makes him angry. As I am reading through Numbers, I'm reminded how much I can resemble the ancient Israelites. They wandered through the desert guided by a cloud during the day and fire at night (a visual representation of God). They followed a God who brought them out of slavery and promised them a land flowing with milk and honey.

In Numbers 11 the Israelites complained because they had no meat and in Numbers 14 the people rebelled because they are scared of the nations surrounding Canaan. Sometimes their grumblings seemed petty and sometimes they felt justified.

The Israelites were not trusting that what He had in store for them would be good. They wanted to return to Egypt into slavery. They must have forgotten what they had been saved from. Doesn't that sound like us sometimes. I often forget the despair that God saved me from when I was 13. A life without faith in Jesus would have led me down some terrible paths. But somehow I neglect to trust that the circumstances that God has brought into my life are good. I am quick to complain and make plans to get out of them. In my head, I create scenes where life looks different, perfect even. 

God has put so many amazing blessings in my life and my grumbling devalues all that God has done for me. I am chosen by God to be his child and the last thing I want to be is an ungrateful daughter to the one who gave me life. It's so easy to look at the Israelites and think about what a messed up people they were to want to go back to slavery. But those are my people, and I'm not that different from them when discontentment starts to creep into my heart and thoughts.

photo found here

Make Me Brave

I am a timid and often fearful person, but I think that God wants to make me brave. He wants me to step out and be bold and confident in him. I want to get swept away in all that God has for my life and not be stuck holding onto things that make me feel comfortable. My heart can just imagine all the joy that comes from a life lived in complete abandon to God. I want that. My prayer today is that God would make me brave and call me out to himself!

Life at 111 Updates

It's been forever. Let's hang out over a cup of coffee this morning.

This blog is like an old friend that I think about often but forget to call. Life the past few months has been full of changes. Mike is off for the summer and we are expecting another baby in late October. Really the second part of that is the super duper exciting part - not that I don't love having my husband around more. We found out that I was pregnant in February and just last week learned that this little baby is a boy! I can't wait to see Miles as a big brother. It's hard to picture how he will be with a newborn since he seems like such a baby still. Miles will be 22 months when baby number two arrives.

I've been feeling pretty good but these high temperature days are getting to me. Believe me, being pregnant in the fall and winter trumps summer for sure!

How have you been friend?

A Little Blogging Hiatus

Hey, it's been a long few months. Life was getting hectic between work and family life, and I had little drive to write. But we've been busy with good things. Work exploded, Mike finished his year teaching (yay for having him home now) and I took a calligraphy class. Beyond that, I've been having a blast with Miles. He's 16 months now and this is the best age to date. He's loving the nice weather and playing outside on the sidewalk. I've never seen a child so in love with chalk. He always has one piece in each hand and tries to give them to anyone who walks by. I love watching him grow and develop his own little personality and interests.

I'm hoping to blog more now that some balance has been restored to our house. I've missed writing and spending time on here.

Blessings!

Processing

I need to process things. Things like my relationships, purpose, time commitments and spiritual growth. If I'm not processing, I'm not being intentional. Lately life has been blowing by me without me taking any time to reflect.

That needs to change.