a day (or two) in the life.

I feel as though my heart has gone through several “seasons” of growth in the past weeks since I have updated our family blog. The Lord has been busy at work in our family. There is nothing sweeter than His nearness to us, for He truly is our portion.

My lovely grandmother passed away in the middle of September. It has been a time of sorrow for our extended family. God’s grace has allowed it to be more sweet than bitter to my soul. His ways are so perfect. There are several  things I will always remember about her and hold dear. I am thankful that she was able to know Ayden and share the joy and anticipation of our twins’ arrival. Learning about life by observing and being close to those who have experienced more years than we have is a precious gift.

Most recently,  the Lord has begun the process of preparing me for these dear twins and for the beautiful gift He has entrusted to me of being a mother of three. I have been involved in a Bible study of the book of Jonah, which has been a wonderful blessing. Through this study, the Lord has introduced me to several mothers of twins and some dear ladies who I’m sure will become dear friends. He has also used the account of Jonah to teach me about a life interrupted. You know, when God seems to come to you from somewhere out of the blue, and calls you to be obedient in something you can’t quite wrap your mind around… We are faced with a choice: rebel and run in the opposite direction (like Jonah), or embrace the work He has called us to and go along for the ride in obedience and faith.  I have learned in my comparatively short years of walking with Him that the latter is always the better choice!

I am comforted when the Lord calls me to something that is clearly larger than anything I could possibly handle on my own because it is then I am certain to deepen my relationship with Him and have a front row seat to what He will accomplish. The enemy would never want us in an opportunity where we are required to trust God’s power and lean on Him more deeply. He would much rather us stay put. What grace that God chooses to use us! I know full well that He doesn’t have to.

I have to laugh when I look at where I began, and how the Lord has shaped me to  become what I am; and I grin with eager expectation, knowing that He is nowhere near finished! Even just 5 short years ago, I would never have guessed that this is what the Lord would call me to. I would have confidently told you that I was the absolute wrong girl to have twins, let alone be the mother of three before my third wedding anniversary!  It is always good practice to look back over your journey with the Lord and see where He has brought you from, and remember the pit from which you were redeemed! He can make something incredibly beautiful out of an absolute mess.

I have been encouraged by the truth that when we are obedient to God, and His anointing is on it, we can expect HUGE things! His anointing on whatever seemingly small thing He has asked me to do yields a huge and powerful working of His Spirit. People do not need to see me, they need to see the Lord and His redemption all over me. The fruit of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is the marking of God’s presence in our lives. As those who belong to Christ Jesus (Galatians 5:24-25), we are to have joy and peace and patience and self-control in our lives during seasons when others would say it doesn’t make sense to have those things. Why? Because the Lord has marked us with His presence and changed us!

Pure, simple obedience always yields supernatural results, whether we are being obedient in something seemingly small or in the task that is way over our heads. Supernatural results sometimes come when it appears that we do nothing at all – when we walk around the walls of Jericho and they fall to the ground!

So, what is my response and my resolve to God’s calling me to be a twenty-four year old mother of three, and a wife to my incredible husband of only two and a half years? It is to yield, and to fully engage in what He has called me to do, knowing that I will see divine results! This will not be an easy undertaking, but His Spirit and His Word are my equipping. He WILL bring blessing if we do what He has asked. He will produce supernatural results that will blow us away (Habakkuk 1:5). By His grace, I can embrace the great opportunity before me with BOLDNESS and COURAGE. The Lord does not supply a spirit of fear or timidity. The task is bigger and greater than I am, but I rejoice in saying, so is HE!

“Knowing the endless kindness of our God should not only catapult us to our knees to experience it but to our feet, to walk out a lifestyle of obedience that prioritizes submission to His will over all else.” (Priscilla Shirer, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted)

What is God  asking you to do?

Has He interrupted your life with a task that is far bigger than what you can handle?

To what divine intervention has He asked you to yield?

What is your response?

Go along with Him for the ride. Walk in obedience, and the work He accomplishes will blow you away! We have His word on it!

Tags: family, twins