Always More

            Cars were backed up as far as I could see. Traffic was insane and I was beginning to question my own sanity for even coming out in this mess. Horns honking, people screaming and cars inching along as if we were not going anywhere at all.

I have never quite understood holiday traffic. I swear these people come out of hiding just during December. This same trip across town a month ago would have taken 30 minutes and yet it took almost 2 hours. THIS IS NUTS!

I felt as though I would inch 2 feet forward only to move nowhere at all. My nerves were shot, lines were long and I honestly believe people were losing their holiday spirit by coming out in this mess.

My mind began to race as I thought of my own life over the last year. It felt crazy similar to this Holiday traffic. This last year has been anything but easy. In fact, this year ranks up there as one of the hardest and most challenging years we have faced in a while.  

Much like the cars, I felt as though I had been inching along only to hit a million bumps in the road. I had lost my spirit, my joy and so much more this past year. I felt as though any curve ball that could be thrown our way had been a million times over.

I was defeated. Depressed. Alone. Exhausted. Helpless.

It would be so easy to look on this last year and allow those feeling to encompass my entire soul.  It was so easy at times to let people and life situations still my joy and distract me from what was real and what was important. I was so consumed with the burdens surrounding me that I allowed my circumstances to take over. At times I honestly began to feel helpless and alone in my own surroundings that I forgot that I was never truly alone, and my circumstances never defined me.

The truth is, this last year was a year of growth, learning and restoration. A year where I was wrapped in an unbelievable amount of grace at every turn and frustration. My faith and praise failed too many times too count and yet the grace of my Savior never did.

This has been a season of growth and reflection. A season where I have learned that every day may not be perfection, but yet it is imperfectly perfect because I get to live it. There have been too many challenges that have left me on my knees before the Lord, but they have left me stronger and more grateful than ever for this life I have with my children and husband.

I will NEVER forget this last year of my life. I will NEVER forget the trails, the burdens, the growth and all I have learned by learning to lean even MORE on my Lord and Savior.

This has been a season when I have realized that He is always with me, always there, and ALWAYS MORE than I can ask for or IMAGINE.

No matter what you are going through today, RIGHT now. NO burden is TOO big for Him. There is nothing that you can't take to the foot of the cross. You are NEVER alone, He is able to do IMMEASURABLY MORE than you can imagine. Seek Him, go to Him, Trust Him today! 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

To Be NEW!

The crinkle the paper makes as you cling it tightly with anticipation...

The smell of a new bag...

The way the perfect pair of jeans fit fresh out of the store...

The smile on a child's face as they tear into the present they have been dying, yes dying to have for months...

There is just something about having a NEW "toy"  that makes us gleam with excitement. We often save, plea and bargain our way to even get this new gift until the excitement is simply overwhelming.

At first, our new gift is our biggest treasure. We use it and take it everywhere, often guarding it with every precaution. However, like children playing with new toys, the newness begins to wear down.

We become less cautious and often carless as our now "old" gift becomes entangled with our many other treasures. Our gift becomes trapped and lost within clutter and chaos. We lose all pride in the "newness" the gift once brought.

We allow it to become broken, trampled, and placed in no importance in our life.

Was this gift important?

What if this gift mattered?

What if this gift was your SALVATION????

As new Christians we are often eager and excited to learn and absorb all there is to know about the word and Jesus Christ. We soak in every word as if it were our only hope.

As time goes on, I think we get too comfortable. We become complacent in all we do. We feel as though we are past that early stage, we are set in church....and we think we are golden.

The truth is, we are not golden, we are complacent!

The newness has worn off and we forget why we are here in the first place. It is not about us. Yes, we should always be striving to learn more and grow more as Christians, but at some point it is about what we can do for Christ; not ourselves.

We allow our Salvation to be broken, trampled and lost in our lives because we let "life" get in the way. We get hurt and trampled by this world and way too often forget that God is more powerful than any storm that may come our way.

Life happens, but God happened FIRST!  Don't let the newness of your Salvation fade away. It is the one gift the has no shelve life and never needs to be lost in the chaos of life.

Remember, we are here to show others that what you say and do does matter because it glorifies the Lord.

Glorify the Lord in all you say and do today because you are blessed with the gift of Salvation; don't waist it!

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.