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It’s the 4th of July and you know what that means! Wait, do we know what that means? 

Of course, it means barbecues, parades, rodeos, and fireworks. Duh! 

But what does it really mean? Yes, we know it is Independence Day, but what does that mean?

A couple weeks ago Jeff got up in the middle of the night to discover his wife, sitting in a rocking chair, reading the Declaration of Independence. 

Pregnancy makes us do crazy things. 

Actually, for the last couple months I’ve been endeavoring to grow as a teacher, going through a self-paced process recommended by some folks from Leadership Education.  First, you simply immerse yourself in the classics processing what you learn. Then, you’re instructed to read The Declaration of Independence, looking up any words or ideas that are unclear, and then write about 10 ideas that strike you as interesting, and discuss those with two other people.

Hence my midnight reading materials. 

It just so happened that this was right before the 4th of July, so it was the perfect opportunity to discuss this document with our kids. So, last night, over dinner, Jeff and I jumped in, and we enjoyed a spirited conversation about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Though I had no intention of this being a blog post, I thought I’d share it here, because it really was a worthwhile discussion as a family. So often we observe or celebrate the current cultural expression of a holiday, rather than taking the time to learn about the event itself. So, in case you want a quick brush-up on what this day is all about, consider a quick read of The Declaration of Independence, which was formally adopted by the Continental Congress 242 years ago today.

Here are the 10 things I found most interesting:

1. “Self-evident: That all men are created equal”: Humans have been created. A Divine, intelligent Creator has fashioned and formed each and every human being on the planet, and has bestowed WORTH on them. This worth is not based on their IQ, appearance, or geographic location. They may grow to become more or less valuable to society, based on whether they are virtuous contributors or wicked destroyers, but at their core, each one has been created equally, with worth each equivalent to another. This means the unborn baby with downs syndrome, the handicapped child, the elderly, the deaf or blind, that all have equal value.
2. “Endowed by their Creator”: This worth is given to them by God. God IS the Creator. Without recognition of the Creator, a higher Creative Intelligent power that endows us with worth, we are left to our own estimations of worth and value. We make ourselves God. This worth, this equality, cannot be taken because it has been endowed not by man, but by God.
3. “Unalienable”: Like a birthright, this worth, this equality is something that cannot be bought or sold, stolen or confiscated. These rights cannot be taken away or denied.
4. “Right to Life”: The most basic human right is the right to live. After recognizing a Divine Creator, who alone endows worth and value and rights, it only follows that we yield to that Creator and recognize that that which He gives life to, we have no right to extinguish. Just as I have no right to enter another man’s property and burn down his house, because it does not belong to me, I have no right to take away the life of someone who belongs to God, our Creator.
5. “Right to Liberty”: Nowadays, we use the word freedom more than liberty, but they are the same thing. Throughout the gospels, we read that Christ came to set free the captives. For freedom Christ has set us free. The Creator, in fact, chose, as the distinguishing characteristic of his Creation—FREE WILL. Without free will, true love, obedience, intimacy, courage, none of these things could be. Without freedom there is no opportunity for virtue. Coercion cannot produce true fruitfulness and godliness and virtue. Only by allowing free will, that is liberty, are we given the most precious opportunity of all: To choose Christ, to choose love, to choose obedience, to choose virtue, to choose good, to choose what is right.
6. “Right to the Pursuit of Happiness”: This, of course, is the least clear of the unalienable rights. What is “happiness” – I suppose it is the pursuit of peace, stability, comfort, security, the pursuit of non-enmity with God and others. Bibically speaking, It is Shalom. And since it is the right of all, then our own right to pursue happiness extends only so far as that it does not impede someone else’s pursuit of happiness. That is, in order for this “right” to be effective, we have to think collectively, recognizing that some “happiness” may lead to another’s harm, so the obligation of a society is to pursue those happy ends which mean happiness for all, as much as possible not causing the harm of others in that pursuit.
7. “Governments are instituted to secure these rights”: This is the purpose of government: To secure and protect the unalienable rights of the governed. That LIFE is first and foremost to be protected. That FREEDOM is then to be protected. And that we protect the people’s right to pursue happiness, within the confines of what contributes to the happiness of others as well. In other words, the government’s power is FROM the people and FOR the people.
8. “Safety and Happiness”: The form of government shall be determined based on what will best provide, by the consent of the people, Safety and Happiness. In short, what will allow the governed people to thrive. To be kept alive, safe, and free. Happiness cannot thrive where life is not secured, happiness cannot thrive where constant threat is present. Happiness best thrives where basic needs are met and relative security and safety is ensured.
9. “Appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world”: Yes! How wise to recognize that there is One Judge, ultimately. That all efforts and wars and revolutions must bow the knee to this One Judge and recognize that all authority and power comes from Him, and He is ultimately the only One who can judge right and wrong. All true justice comes from Him.
10. “With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence”: Far from being a declaration of their independence from God, this document is an affirmation of their dependence on God. They use the word “reliance” rather than “dependence” but it is the same idea. They recognized that ultimately their protection, favor, and justice would come from God alone, the Creator who had given them equality and worth, so they reaffirmed this reliance even as they made a stand against Great Britain. As I read this document, I do not detect a spirit of arrogance or superiority, but one of reasonable evidence and a humble recognition that God is the ultimate Judge and Protector.

How about you? What strikes you about this document? Happy fourth of July and thanks for reading!

PS 39-weeks today! Justice is coming! I welcome prayers for a smooth and blessed delivery!

I remember, so clearly, being about 8 years old, and attending the 40th birthday party of our friend and pastor, Paul Hunter. All the balloons were black with “Over the Hill” printed on them. It was a great party, but I remember asking my mom, “What does ‘over the hill’ mean?” She explained, something about being done with the first half of your life, and my little mind filled in the rest. That means…

…the rest is downhill? 

Yes, I was a sensitive child, but this distinctly bothered me. My own dad was several years older than Paul. Did this mean he was already on a steep descent? How could this be?

My, how things have changed. At least, in my perspective. Forty is young! True, I never dreamed that we’d celebrate Jeff’s 40th birthday today by anticipating the imminent birth of our baby (!), but I dare say there is nothing downhill about this man. He’s a climber, a fighter, a victor. No matter what physical strength comes and goes, his spirit is full of vim and vigor.

I have been struck this past year by this simple realization:

What the world values will decrease with age.

What God values can increase with age. 

Charisma will wane. Stuff starts to sag. Jeff won’t always be the fastest guy in the race. I dare say my most beautiful days have long gone by.

But Jeff, my love, you are most definitely a more godly, wise, humble, courageous, selfless, faithful, and admirable man than you were 15 years ago when I pledged my life to be your wife.

But here’s the thing, and this is what makes me admire you the most:

This growth of godliness-with-age does not happen automatically. 

Youthful foolishness, left unchecked, simply snowballs into aged foolishness.

It takes true strength not to become “set in one’s ways” but to grow in grace, humility, teachability, wisdom. It’s a trajectory of Christlikeness that will only increase with age.

Jeff, I see this trajectory in you.

Here you are: As I type these words I am sick in bed, sad and frustrated that I’m too sick to do much to celebrate your birthday. Most of our weekend plans have fallen through. I’m enormously pregnant, with a list of ailments as long as my leg and wishing I was a more fun wife for you right now. Not only that, but you are still recovering from a concussion! But instead of looking inward, you have selflessly, joyfully, and tirelessly served me. As we speak you are outside scrubbing the patio furniture because you know it would bless me. You are BBQing your own birthday dinner because I’m curled up on the couch. You are offering to attend to the ginormous rat that Dutch and his friend caught, but goodness knows I want nothing to do with it. You are keeping the kids outside so it can be quiet in here. And you are periodically checking on me, to see if I’m ok.

What man does that?

You. Because that’s what Jesus could probably have done, and every day you are growing more and more into his likeness.

It’s bittersweet today,  I know. It’s not only your 40th birthday, it’s Father’s Day.

And it’s your first Father’s Day without your father. 

And you are preaching and leading a church and a family today and recognizing milestones and preparing for a new baby and grieving the loss of your beloved dad. And just like that Little House episode we watched this week…we honor those we have lost by living in such a way that they would be proud.

I dare say you are doing just that. Your dad was always proud of you, and you continue to live in a way that would make him prouder than ever:

A wise son makes a glad father (Prov. 15:20).

He’d be gladder than ever to see you today. 

And so, my love: Happy 40th birthday.

{May we all grow in wisdom, and make our Heavenly Father glad. Thanks for reading.} 

That’s right! TODAY ONLY, download Sacred Mundane for FREE, on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Also, if you have been blessed by Sacred Mundane, maybe consider writing an Amazon review and help spread the word to others? Thanks so much, and happy eclipse day!

I hesitate to write more about grief, only because I don’t mean to belabor things or draw attention to myself, but I keep feeling like God wants me to be transparent about my experiences, so I will.

So often we think that our ministry, our service to others, flows out of our strong places, our joyful places, the places where we feel confident, secure, whole. But recently, I’m realizing how much of ministry flows out of our weakness, brokenness, the places where we haven’t arrived or been made completely whole. So I wanted to share just a few more things God has been ministering to me this past week.

~

In January, I was unpacking a box of things that had been overlooked during our move. As I pulled out items, I found this card (above). I’d never seen it before, and the inside was blank. I was struck by the picture, and felt so clearly, sharply, that somehow this was a picture of my year, the year ahead.

I didn’t like that picture. All I saw in it was pain. Besides, God had also given me the phrase YEAR OF PROMISE for 2017, so it didn’t make sense.

Was this a year of promise or a year of pain?

Yes.

As the year has gone on, I see why he showed me that picture, but now I see it differently.

Now, when I look at this picture, I don’t see pain, I see comfort.

He’s holding me. He’s holding you. And 2 Cor. 1 tells us:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Jesus promised us that in this world we would have tribulation, BUT, in our tribulation we will experience the comfort of God, the Father of all mercies, so that we may comfort others. Every ounce of comfort that we receive from God is meant to be poured out on behalf of others who are aching as well.

~

As some of you saw on IG, last Thursday I had an experience where all the waves of grief seemed to come at once. Grief is weird like that. It lurks there under the surface, and you’re totally fine, skipping along, and then some small thing triggers and it rises up, overwhelms, swallows you whole.

That happened when my kids’ beloved cat, Max, went missing and we slowly realized he was gone. My kids were completely devastated, and I think just all the cumulative sadness came on all at once, triggered by the disappearance of Max. In just over a year we lost three family members, three pets, and two unborn babies, and I think it just all added up for my kiddos. So of course, my mama heart broke for them. 

Then that morning a memory-photo popped up on my FB feed, photos of my mom. I won’t go into it, but the timeframe and the memories, and all that they represented, and all that is and all that isn’t, and all I’ve hoped and prayed and fasted for and all that sorrow and grief surrounding my mama, it all just rose up like an ocean wave and dashed us all on the rocks. All of it. The news headlines, the sorrow of this world, the division, the pain, the brokenness, plus issues of my own sin and brokenness that I am working through, all of it just rose like a flood and seemed to swallow us whole.

But then.

I took Heidi to a friend’s house, as she already had plans to play for the day, and I decided to let Dutch have his first ever time staying home alone. He was happy to have time to himself, and I was too, so after dropping Heidi off, I had an afternoon alone, free. Normally, when I’m feeling my usual energetic, productive self, I would have run errands or studied for a retreat or accomplished as much as possible. But all I could do was sing worship songs at the top of my lungs and sob, wracked, heaving sobs. I texted Jeff to see if I could come see him at work, and good man that he is, he dropped everything to sit in my car with me and hold me while I cried.

After I finished crying, I considered what to do next. I could go straight home, but I was in no hurry. Very clearly I had the thought that I should go visit my old neighbor, who I haven’t seen in 18 months, and give her a copy of Sacred Mundane. She’s a dear woman who has gone through many hard things, and I just had a feeling it might bless her if I went there while I myself was a bit broken. Sometimes letting people see you weak is a gift you can give them. Plus, I’m never in town alone, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity.

We had a great visit, and while I was there, I remembered another neighbor, who I’ve only talked to a few times, but whose husband died suddenly, tragically, this year. She’s now raising her five kids on her own, and I cannot imagine the sorrow and pain she’s experiencing. I wrote her a note, sharing some of the encouragement and comfort that had been shared with me from dear church family members, and left her a copy of my book. It felt good to take my own tears and turn them into words of hope for someone else.

But I was amazed when, an hour later, she texted me that it just happened that that day, that very day, was her daughter’s 16th birthday and her husband’s birthday (who had just passed away).

This was the first birthday since he passed away.

I had no idea.

I sat there in awe, how God took the comfort which he had given me, and passed it on to her, who was walking through something immeasurably more painful. I had been ministered to by dear ones from church who had also walked through pain, and the comfort was being passed on, and on, and on, and on.

Just like His Word says.

The greatest comfort to me, through all this, was that He loved me enough to use me as part of His loving plan. Despite my failures, shortcomings, weaknesses, He was still letting me be part of His grand scheme of redemption, of comforting a hurting world. He was still leading me, guiding me, loving me. And I knew that I had been able to pass on the comfort I’d received.

Now, someone else knew that they were held in the hands of God, just like me. 

Nothing’s wasted.

{If you are walking through some sort of grief, perhaps there is a way you can pass on the comfort you have received from the Father of all mercies. I pray you find the joy of passing on that good comfort and being part of the healing of this world He loves. Thanks so much for reading…}

At a retreat last weekend, we were asked, “What’s one thing you’re looking forward to this year?” The girl I was sitting beside quietly confided that she was excited to welcome a precious baby into the world on July 26th. I gasped, thrilled for her, and then quietly confided that I too was excited to welcome a precious little something into the world just one day earlier…

a book baby.

Of course, a book is nothing compared to a life, but writing a book does feel like giving birth — the mental and emotional investment involved are most certainly akin to carrying and birthing a child. Some of you know it has been a long, sometime tearful, journey. So, I’m happy to announce our “due date” — July 25th. 

Between now and then I’d love to gather a group of you, faithful blog readers who have journeyed along with me here in this place, who would like to participate in reading and sharing the life-giving, hope-filled, Jesus-saturated truth of Sacred Mundane. I’d be honored to share a copy with you, and just ask that if it blesses you, you share the love with others. 100% of my proceeds will go directly to benefit women and children in need through World Vision; I want women all over the world to be blessed by both the message and the money from this project. I’d love if you would consider joining me.

If so, drop me a quick contact here, and I’ll be in touch. Thanks so much, faithful blog readers. You are a gift to me daily–your kindness and camaraderie blesses my soul.

Thanks for reading. 

Oh Heidi, where to even begin? Yesterday you turned eight, and the day was FULL of watching you shine and love and receive and give, and I just sat marveling at how God has grown you into a lovely little lady these past eight years.

I was reflecting this week on how amazing it is to see prayer answered before my very eyes as I look at you. I went back and found this post from when you turned 2, and I was amazed to see that you have become exactly the things we prayed over your life all those years ago. I prayed that you would be:

• Calm. This may not seem like the list-topper of an attribute, but a calm woman who keeps far from drama is a blessing indeed.  I pray that you will be able to minister to others, remain hopeful and steadfast in every circumstance.  I pray you will not be easily angered or upset, but steady and calm.  May you bring peace into every environment.

• Cheerful & Thankful.  I pray you will be a woman who is thankful for everything (1 Thess 5:18).  I pray that each and every day those in your sphere will find you a cheerful woman. I pray that you will know the secret of contentment, whether in plenty or in need–a thankful heart.  May your countenance always be pleasant, and may you bring joy into every environment.

• Modest & Gracious. I cannot lie, my love–you have the most beautiful face I have ever seen. (But I’m biased)  I am afraid that you might be in for a life of compliments.  It scares me.  I pray with every ounce of my being that you will be a modest and gracious woman.  Everything you have is a gift from God, offer it all back up as a sacrifice of praise. God will use all that He has given you for His glory. Remember Whose you are.  Remember Who is the King of Kings and the LORD of Lords. Remember our beautiful Savior. And bow daily at His feet. Remember grace.  Let Your life be all for His glory.

This week has reminded me, The things we pray over our kids MATTER. Sure, they’ll have their fair share of successes and failures. We don’t pray to keep them from trials or struggles. But we pray to see God work wondrously in their hearts, minds, character, lives, to shape them into godly, kind, humble, wise, brave, beautiful beacons of LIGHT to shine in this dark world.

I’m encouraged all over again — let us not grow weary in praying for our kids. God hears. God answers. So much is at stake in their little lives. Let’s pray! 

Thanks for reading.

December 26th might be my favorite day of the year.

I mean no disrespect to Christmas, I love every bit of it, but there is something so glorious about that week after. Dec. 26th-Dec. 30th are my favorites, the days of absolutely zero expectations. They are the days of staying in your sweats all day, of kids content to play with new toys and read new books, the days of cleaning and tossing and organizing and attending exactly zero parties. Again, don’t get me wrong, those things are great. But by the 26th I am partied out, and I’m eager to hang up all my festive-wear and don a hoodie and messy-bun for five (or 50) days straight.

It isn’t just that I love holing up in my house (I do), it’s that this week affords time for introspective, reflection, musing, dreaming. These are my favorite things!

As I peruse the social media world, I notice that many are ready to set fire to 2016. Too many movie stars died and the elections left us bloodied and bruised. I get it– we lost not one, not two, but three dearly loved family members this summer. My kids had never been to a funeral and then they went to three within 6 weeks!

But let’s not set fire to 2016 yet. It would be a tragedy to move on too quickly. As I mentioned in last year’s post, we do well to spend ample time reflecting and evaluating the past year. If we don’t, we are apt to run headlong into the 2017, bound to make the same mistakes, not learning a lick from the events of our past.

Again, without meaning a bit of disrespect, I was saddened as I read through articles outlining the lives of various movie stars who had passed away. So much brokenness, drug use, immorality, depression, mental-illness. These are the people we’re paying billions of dollars to watch on a big screen or stage or arena? Again, I’m not saying these people are bad, I’m saying it seems like the entertainment industry often destroys people. It seems that our obsession with fame, beauty, and money has created a filthy breeding ground for every form of disfunction. 

So why do we keep feeding the monster? 

Various charities are struggling along, barely able to cover their expenses and their faithful employee’s meager salaries, while movies are netting billions of dollars and sports fans are forking out thousands for a single seat at a game.

Something is wrong with this picture, yes?

Similarly, we lamented our two choices in the recent election. But have we taken responsibility for OUR contribution? Have we acknowledged our own weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings? Have we acknowledged that both candidates are, in some measure, reflections of US?

I think what keeps us bound, more than anything else, is our unwillingness to acknowledge our own personal failure. I once read of a person who got divorced and was re-married three days later. Say what?! It’s as if to say the problem was the old person, but now that there’s a new person, the problem will go away.

But that’s not it. Right? A new person won’t fix us.  A new year won’t fix us.

The only thing that can “fix” us is when we honestly, humbly acknowledge before God the ways that we have personally failed. The ways we have neglected, overlooked, ignored, wronged.

Only God can fix us, and He only can when we admit we need fixing. 

I’m realizing this post is sort of a downer, and I don’t mean it to be! I just mean that before we can make glorious goals, before we can dream and plan and visualize a more glorious future, we must take the time to sit before our Father and ask the hard, but critically important question:

Where did I fail this year? 

Not in a vague, depressing way, like, “I’m a big fat failure as a person.” NO! That’s not it. It’s the stuff of:

1. I allowed myself to veg-out on social media, when I could have been reading aloud to my kids or investing in quality books.
2. I wasted a lot of energy obsessing over what people thought, instead of spending time in prayer asking the Father to speak His truth over me.
3. I ignored a His still, small voice when He convicted me about a certain thing, and I chose to do my own thing instead.
4. I stayed quiet in that situation where I felt prompted to speak, because I was afraid of how I might be perceived by others.
5. I ignored my neighbors and those in need, because we were so focused on ourselves.
6. I neglected my Bible reading and times of prayer with God.
7. I spent more time and money on entertainment, comfort, and amusement than on giving, alleviating suffering, and investing in the eternal kingdom of God.

Our culture is so obsessed with not wanting anyone to feel the sting of failure. But failure helps us! We will learn from it if we’re brave enough to admit it.

I’d venture to say we all want to live a life of no regrets. Interestingly, we do this not by ignoring our shortcomings or failures. If we are careful to reflect back on what we do regret, we’re more likely to make course-corrections, and when we get to the end we CAN look back and see a life without regrets. 

Are we willing to ask the hard questions? Are we willing to sit down, in the silence, alone with our Father and ask Him for HIS year-end evaluation? Do we know His love enough to trust His words? Do we trust His gentleness to know that He won’t destroy us, but that He’ll kindly and mercifully bring to mind the areas He wants to transform this coming year?

Perhaps, we might carve out a quiet moment, just an hour or two, and ask our Heavenly Father to speak His truth over our 2016. Even if it’s hard, we will bear the beautiful fruit of repentance when we’re let Him do His work. With all my heart, THANK YOU for reading along this year. We’ll talk about more fun things next time. 😉 Thanks for reading.