True confession Thursday: I just packed away my christmas tree (yes, April 17th)

Yes friends.. here is is.. True confession Thursday.  I just packed away my Christmas tree.  Yup. That’s the kind of year it’s been.  It’s been a crazy 2013. What a wild journey the Lord has had our family on.  I spent the night this week for the first time in my apartment in 2 months, well except for the week my Dad was in ICU which doesn’t really count because I do not remember much about that crazy hectic time (except that we ran out of toilet paper the first night that my mom stayed here with me.. poor lady.. i am sure she did not appreciate my suggestion of coffee filters as much as the missionary in me did!)

Been moving about from infirmary A (my parents house) to infirmary B (my sister and her husband and my niece and nephew) .  It’s been a bit nuts.  But I am so honored to get the opportunity to serve my family during this time.
If you have been following the Blog this year, you know this year has been the most difficult season our family has ever walked through.
But I would not trade it.
Well ok, let’s be honest I wouldn’t wish these nightmare days on my worst enemy.
BUT..
Since God has called our family to walk these days– I am so grateful for what He is doing in me.
It’s deep.
It’s a deep NEW (there is that word again) faith.
It’s a deep NEW knowing God as my refuge like I never have before.
It’s a deep NEW calling to trust God in areas that are completely out of my control.
It’s moments where I was at my breaking point and only God could hold me, keep me, make sense of it all.
It’s NEW.

So back to the Christmas tree.  I feel like God is taking me to a new season.
Christmas tree=winter.
Winter is not all bad.
You must have the season of winter for Spring to come.

God is in the winter to.
But I packed up my Christmas tree– I want to go into a new season.

Since God has walked us literally through the valley’s of the shadow of death He is teaching me a new aspect of His character.
He is my shepherd.

See when I think of psalms 23 to be honest I think of funerals, somber toned men in suits around a burial plot reciting it.
But God has revolutionized that Psalms to me.

This weekend I went away with the Lord.  During one of the sessions on the retreat they led us through a visualization of God as our shepherd.  God showed me that I was missing out on His healing hands as the shepherd because I thought sometimes I had to shepherd the sheep.
He reminded me of the power of His arms.
How like a little sheep He wanted to carry me.

Brings new exciting meaning to The Lord is MY shepherd I shall not want (Psalms 23:1) and John 10 I am the good shepherd

I want to spring into a new season with the Lord.

Even though circumstances may not have changed, I want to not be stuck in one season.  I want to pray for you as you come alive in your season to.  I want to challenge us to look for new things. I know the Lord is up to some new exciting things in my life. What about you?  Where are you seeing Him new?

That being said:  I have some exciting news.  Starting MAY 1, I want to lead you in an online Bible study on the book Godsized Dreams by my friend Holley Gerth.  This book is AMAZING.  It reminds me to keep dreaming new Godsized dreams. To keep expecting God to do God-sized things.  I would love for you to join us in studying.  If you leave a comment today that you want to join, you will be entered in a giveaway for a free book. I will be giving away some other goodies along the way.. but I want to know who is joining us for the study.

If you don’t already have the book, go out and get it.  Right now it is on sale at Lifeway Christian stores.

This book will impact you deeply.
I will be doing some video blogs, some discussions ect on this book.
More exciting details to come…

Let’s do NEW!