sabbath

Sabbath...

A day for hearts to be...

As still as statues...

To let our beauty be polished...

By those we love.

To choose the joy of seeing...

Being silly...

And...

Press our lips deep into the sweet.

A day to pause...

Relishing the sacred...

And the people that share our spaces.

A day for lovies...

Sabbath...

A day for practicing our play...

Giving a karate chop to work...

To start and end the 7th with set apart stillness.

May yours be rich with rest.

Sabbath blessings!

Love,

The Hopefuls

walls

As the walls over on Ridgegate...
Press on towards nakedness...

We not only remember what was...

But the power that IS.

This is a tent of HOPE...

And even if the sign no longer hangs...

It doesn't negate it's truth.

So thankful...

That in the midst of the stripping...

Our Good Papa is ALWAYS near...

Teaching us how to use new tools.

Reminding us...

To not only... 

Point to the anchor...

But...

To also take...

And embrace...

That which holds ALL THINGS TOGETHER.

In the midst of packing up...

Only our Papa would continue to teach this princess.

Showing up among the holes...

The boxes...

The chaos..

And the joys.

Inviting me to focus on the areas in my life that need a little "touching up."

May I be attentive not just to our the walls over at Ridgegate...

But the walls of my very own heart as well.

baton of hope...

Over a year ago...
When Pastor was invited to seek alternate employment opportunities...
We began dreaming.
Discussions began that haven't stopped since.

It was during this time....
Our life's calling was revealed...
To be Hopefuls...
Reviving His life and light in the poor and needy.

Papa has added to our exams over the past year.
We are still learning.
But I am SO joyful to see progress.

As we become more alive in His presence...
We grow more in grace...

New techniques and skills are learned...

A desire for higher things sets in...

Aligning our posture...

Freedom is fanned into flame...

Taking what was meant to shackle...

Allowing it to become an accessory... 

Adding beauty to our stories.

Creating atmospheres of victory.

Because in all honesty...

When the baton of hope is offered...

Even in our deepest hurts and fears...

We all want to be twirling ones...

But it takes many drops...

Bonks...

Bumps..

Bruises...

Before...

The learner has something of value to offer.

Ah... the baton of hope.

It does not come without cost.

Desiring and destined to be a lifetime learner of the twirl.

His Light shining behind me...

Bidding me to extend my hands...

For His glory alone.

Still dreaming.

Still growing.

Still hoping...

Always looking for an opportunity to pass along...

His baton of HOPE.

Psalm 74:21

"Let the poor and needy praise your name."

children of love

1 John 4:7
"Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God."

Love...
It entices us to move...

Requiring all our strength...

Motioning us with great intentionality...

Closer to The One that holds our affection.

When One has captured our heart...

We long to be near...

We long to be like...

We long to love.

When we really love...

The work is no burden...

It is simply a means to an end.

When you love...

Presence is the main passion of your heart...

A burn to share...

The sacred...

The silly...

The simple.

Love...

An atmosphere changer...

Drawing available hearts.

Ever nearer.

When you see it...

When you experience it...

You want to wrap your hands around it...

Hold on tight...

Unwilling to let go.

Love...

A gift to be enjoyed...

Never meant to be a task...

Instead a treasure to share.

Love...

A gift I continue to learn more about...

Not safe... but so ALIVE.

The main thing that makes me...

More like the One I have been born of... 

The One I know.

Love...

Sure to make the children of love...

Do CRAZY things.

write it out

This morning...
As I was preparing to pull my lazy bones out of bed...
I received a good word.

I have been studying in Jeremiah lately...
A tough read for sure.
They don't call him the weeping prophet for nothing.

As I embarked on today's learning...
Certain words really struck me...
Chapter 30:2
"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel,
Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
For behold, days are coming declares the Lord,
When I will restore..."

It spoke to my heart...
Reminding me again to RECORD FAITHFULLY.

I got to my "get to's."
First on the list... find a date in Pastor's old planner...

I've always hated that thing.

Still...

It has served us well.

Today's mission...

Find a date archived within.

What I found brought unexpected awe.

As I opened the book...

The first thing I ran across was this...

September almost 3 years ago...

Day number 26 grabbed me...

What in the world?

Sure...

At that moment...

 Pastor was just recording a very important football schedule.

Today...

It makes me wonder.

What is Papa up to?

What might He be saying.

I know He likes to play and have fun.

Today... 

I choose to play.

For next month...

Perhaps the 26th?

We will be home in Ohio.

Faith has been in the works... 

A dream in these hands...

For quite a season.

Ready for the pieces to come together...

For...

Surely He is restoring...

And...

I shall be faithful to write it out.

starter...

No better start to the day...
Than a feast with The King.

Thankful for His feeding ways...

Providing eyes to help His Bread feed anew...

Bringing deeper sustenance and life...

Magnifying who He is...

What He's up to.

He's always growing something...

Feeding and filling in ways our hands cannot contain.

Eternally good...

Worthy of inscribing the invitations He issues.

Binding them on our work spaces and tools of worship.

His pleasing gifts abound...

Reaching to the ends of the earth... beyond... and back again.

Psalm 118:24

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let US REJOICE and be HAPPY."

Yes!  I am happy... may I choose it be true everyday!