simply me...

After all the holiday horns blew...

And the new year was ushered in.
My heart felt lost.
L.O.S.T.

Completion...
It's a beautiful thing...
It also means something new is beginning.
Beginnings have the ability to terrify...
Especially if you don't know where you are going.

I've been talking to Papa about what He desires...
For this next season...
Sensing an invitation to step away from former routines...
Fear quickly crept in.
I know how to do routine...
I am not amazing at "new."
This last week has left me without words.

All I could do was pray...
"What is it you want me to do?"

It's no secret...
I am NOT flashy...
I don't have a particular talent that wows...
I don't have a super skill allowing money trees to be planted in our yard...
I am no fashionista...
I am not technologically savvy...
I am NOT a genius...
I am an expert on NOTHING.
I am simply...
Me.
Don't get me wrong...
I adore being me...
I think I have just always wrestled a bit...
With not being an expert at anything.

So...
What does The God of The Universe...
Want from "simply me?"

I think what I heard Him saying this week...
Is the same message I have always heard...
"Know my heart...
Then...
SHARE IT!"
"Let your expertise be focused on love."

When I asked my smalls today...
What love looked like to them...
Charli's response struck me...
She said no words...
Instead...
Immediately...
She motioned...
Crossing her arms...

Using her little body...
To display love...
Reminding me love is indeed...
Less about words...
And more about action.

The other smalls had thoughts too...

Each expressing through their lens...
Their own hands...

What love looks like.

Love...
A giant topic...
Creating a GIANT learning curve.

So our entire crew...
Bigs and smalls alike...

Have decided to spend forever...
And especially this next season...
Being students of the greatest.

Because God is love...
To know Him...
Is to become like Him...
So to know love...
To share love...
Is to share HIM...

And that...
Is what burns in my heart more than ANYTHING...

Simply me...
Knowing Him...
Becoming like Him...
Sharing Him...
Changing the face of mountains.

December 31st marked the end...
To a chapter of...
"An Invitation to Eavesdrop."
Papa has declared that book completed.

January 7th...
Marks a day for the pursuit of something new.
Still not totally sure what it will look like...
But I am motioning forward none-the-less.
Free from self-inflicted pressures...
Rules...
Or boundaries...
Extra grace will surely be required...
And your presence and prayers...
Are always desired and welcome.
Still walking...
By faith...

Thank you for journeying alongside...
These past 600 or so days...
What a gift!
Expectantly,

The Hopefuls...

celebrate...

It is so  refreshing...

When we open ourselves up to celebration...

The sips and slurps...

Add joy to the small in all of us...

Especially when we are drinking deep...

Of "the real thing."

Enjoying the satisfying love...

Of Jesus!

Keeping our hearts connected to His Vine.

Not letting busyness...

Steal our focus.

We forget-not the letters given just days ago...

So we might line up word truths...

In the games of life.

In 2012...
The word that has marked us most...
My favorite 4 letter word...

H.O.P.E.
It sums up The Baby in a manger...
And our Brother-King on a tree.
All so we might...
Enjoy...
Life to full...
As we live together...
Play together...
And...
CELEBRATE!

Thankful for the new...
Letters...
Words...
Refreshment...
Learning...
And celebration that awaits us all.

sabbath...

Sabbath...

A day for warming up...

Cold seats...

Dusting off flurries of the unoccupied...

So sister-loves have a place...

To swing...

With feet kicked high...

Allowing the weather of the week...
To fall right off.

Creating...

Burden free opportunities...

To reach higher...

Drawing nearer...

To the One...

That invites us to play.

He is forever longing to...

Fill our hearts...

And mark our faces with delight.

May your sabbath be filled with opportunities to bless and be blessed.
Much love and delight,

The Hopefuls.

clear paths...

Even beauty...

Can prove hazardous...
For travelers on the journey.

Feeling very aware today...
Of the call on our lives...
To remove stumbling blocks...

Carry away...
Boulders that might cause...
Accidental hurts.

Thankful for Good Pastor...

A dedicated son of The King...
That works hard...
In every condition...

Digging...

Shoveling...

Removing layers and...
Clearing  paths...
So the beloved...
Might...
Find the path to love.

Thankful for the way...

He is busy...

Training up the next generation...
Starting with his own tender sheep...
To do the same.

Clear Paths, Lord...
Teach us how to make clear paths to You.

trek...

When climbing the "mountains" in life...

It's always good to remember...

The trek...

No matter how strenuous...

Is always worth it!

Joy anxiously beckons us...

Cheering us on...

From the other side...

And...

Invitations for the new...

To be fully formed...

Awaits us.

Many times...
The most wintery treks...
Lead to the warmest of joys.

call...

When the enemy comes...

As he surely will...

Aiming to disconnect...

Us from our calling...

We must press in...

NOT shrinking back...

We must keep believing in The One...

The Waymaker!

He is always putting new tools in our hands...
So we may continue the call on our lives.

Though the learning seems hard...
Sometimes frightening...
When connection is made...
His love overcomes...
Breaking through every obstacle.

As I see The Body...
Battling...
Aching...
Grieving...
Today...
I am reminded...
His love is the only way...

Him to us...
Him through us...
It's our best tool...
Our only Hope!

Love...
It's our HIGHEST calling!

Praying...
Pressing on...
Repenting of fear...
Seeking...
Aching...
Expecting!

Offering a sacrifice of praise...
To Him who is worthy...
ALWAYS!

adventure.

Sometimes...
New seasons...
Carry cold downpours...
Of the unexpected.

During these times...
Options are in abundance...
Freeze or Frolic.

My past...
Paved with freezing moments.
I want my future to be frolic-filled.
So...
Today...
I dressed for adventure!

Journeys are a part of everyone's walk...
Most days...
We seek the quickest vehicles to our destination.

Today...
Pastor and I do what we know best...
We walked it out...

We were present in the storm.
We heard...
The wind howl...
The thunder roar.
We felt the frozen rain beat on our faces.
We stopped to marvel...
As the lighting flashed.

And then we pressed on...
In the adventure.

Side by side...
We sought to obtain needs...
To nourish our growing ones.

Oh...
I am learning to love a good adventure...

Even if the walk is long...

I see that the shortest route isn't always the most fun.
Play...
It's becoming an important part of our story.

Blessed by unexpected opportunities...
That show up on our doorstep...
Adding so much joy...

In the midst of weathering the storms.
Playmates are SO valuable!

Thankful for the gift of warmth...

Togetherness...

Play pals...

Fun...

And Adventure.