Tag Archives: Hope

July 17, 2015 · 10:58 am

Faith, food and fitness…

This morning I came home from my 3rd run of the week and was hungry.  (Imagine that! Mike would say I am ALWAYS hungry! :))  As I was thinking about breakfast, I remembered I had just picked some butternut squash from our garden.  The cool thing about the butternut squash is that I didn’t plant it intentionally.  It grew from table scraps we threw out in our raised bed garden. I googled recipes and found a great one – butternut squash hash.  I made my own adjustments to the recipe and presto – breakfast was served.  It was pretty amazing if I say so myself. 🙂

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BUT, the awesome thing about this recipe was it was on a blog named Food, Faith and Fitness.  This summer God has been tweaking things in my life and these three words were impressed on my heart on 23 June 2015.  I wrote them in the order – Faith, Food, Fitness.

This past year my journey has truly been all three of these combined…the puzzle is finally coming together in terms of wholeness – spiritual health, mental health and physical health! I was so encouraged when I found the site I started looking around.  I found a blog post from April that truly hit home with me today considering the events of yesterday.  It was just a series of photos/quotes/scripture written or taken by random people.  I wanted to share some of them.  They hit home for me!

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Let’s remember where our hope comes from – it comes from the Lord!

The blog Food Faith Fitness can be found here:    http://www.foodfaithfitness.com/

Stop by…I was encouraged and I know you will be as well!

Now to my run…today’s run was a 5K at 85% of my 10k pace.  I was not looking forward to this run.  It meant keeping a steady pace without a race environment.  Tomorrow’s time trial 5k will be the same. 😦  But, this is what makes us stronger.  I also thought a lot about the blessing of being on the road today.  My mind shifted to the ones affected firsthand yesterday.  Some of the first responders and police personnel are my friends.  I workout with them.  I have run with them.  It made me give thanks once again for every step I am able to make…  Their lives were forever changed yesterday as mine was in Boston on April 15, 2013.  We will forever know where we were on those days.  It changes you!

As today’s run pushed me to places I didn’t want to go…it made me better! It made me stronger.   I can refuse to get out there and do it or I can move forward through it.  Some things are thrown at us without us knowing they are coming and we are not prepared…and others we choose to do and go through.  In either case, our attitude and our faith in the process can and will get us through!  One step at a time…we do get #stronger!

Joshua 1.9 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for theLord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Friday run – 5K at 85% of 10k pace – done

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July 16, 2015 · 10:12 pm

#strong….

#strong – Whether it be #chattanoogastrong, #noogastrong or #bostonstrong – The word “strong” has been paired with cities that are close to my heart and has gained new meaning for most of us over the past several years.  It’s pairing has followed senseless tragedy.  A tragedy where innocent people lost lives and where phenomenal people have helped save them.

When we feel a personal connection to the tragedy it does something inside.  God has placed me close to two of these cities…two of these tragedies…way too close!  As I ponder it, I know there is a reason.  I don’t know what the reason is and I don’t know that I ever will on this side of eternity.

We live in a fallen world.  We live in an evil world.  BUT, we also live in a world of selfless individuals who are willing to protect and serve for our freedoms.  Today we lost four of those heroes and several more were injured.  Senseless is the first word that comes to mind – senseless!  In the middle of the chaos heroes were made and communities were made stronger! #strong

I went back to the blog I wrote the day after Boston 2013 to help me process the activities of today.  It has been so hard to get my mind/heart wrapped around it all. And why it keeps happening!  The statements I wrote then, along with the scripture brought calm back to my soul…

God is showing me He is in control.  Tragedy causes people to search for reasons why…to search for a sense of hope.  We may never know why but God is providing hope.  He is in control.  Romans 8.28 – For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

A friend sent me a devotion today.  It was talking about being thankful in all circumstances.  My brother sent me 1 Thessalonians 5.18 – here is 1 Thessalonians 5. 16-18….16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  It is so hard to be thankful for the tragedy that unfolded on Marathon Monday but in the devotion it stated again, we can’t see the big picture. He can.

“Remember who our God truly is, a God who is there and a God who cares.  So let us pause to consider our Great King. Let’s look on heavenly things for a moment to calm our nerves.”  Full blog here: http://wp.me/p1uMx6-lo

#strong in Christ is what gets me through daily.  He has shown me through tragedy and through triumph HE is there and will be my strength when I can’t do it alone….which is often.  Hope is found in Him and Him alone.  We are just passing through this chaotic world…thank goodness.  Love others! Pray often! Stay #strong….I am proud to say I am #chattanoogastrong and #bostonstrong BUT most importantly I am #Jesusstrong Because we know HE wins in the end!

Psalm 119.28 ~ My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

Ephesians 6.10 ~ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Isaiah 40.29  ~ He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Philippians 4:13 Art Print

I want to say thanks to all of those  in our community who did an amazing job today bringing calm back to our city.  You will be in my prayers as will your families.  Praying for peace and comfort for the families who lost loved ones. Praying for peace and comfort for those who were injured as well as their families.  Here is my prayer for all involved:

Isaiah 40:27-31
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
31 but those who wait for 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.

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January 6, 2014 · 11:30 am

Do we anticipate Christ’s return like teachers/students anticipate snow?

Last night as I was falling asleep thinking ‘snow’…hoping for ‘snow’…wanting ‘snow’…it hit me – Do I think this way about Christ’s return? Do I wait for it? Do I hope for it? Do I anticipate it like I should? Do I live expectantly for His return?

What  does the Lord say to us about Christ’s return in His word? A lot(more than 300 times in New Testament)…but here are a few key scriptures that spoke to me as I searched out the answer for myself:

Do we know when He will return?  Should we be waiting and ready?

Mark 13.31-36

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.  35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

John 14.2-3

2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

2 Timothy 4.7-8

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

How are we to live while we wait?

Titus 2.11-4

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Why do we wait?

Philippians 3.20-21

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Revelation 21.4

4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

So, should we anticipate Christ’s return like we(teachers…lol) anticipate snow? YES and more so! This gentle reminder from the Lord reminded me we should be living as if Christ could return today…because, yes, He can! 

S tay focused on the Lord daily…

N ever losing sight of our eternal home…

O pen and willing to share His love with others…

W ith anticipation of HIS return!

snow

He will RISE again…let’s get excited!!!
Song of the day – Chris Tomlin – I will Rise!

http://youtu.be/Bms0ZiM_KG0

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