Dear Brit..

Last week, you celebrated your birthday, not only did you celebrate your birthday but the birthday of your first daughter. I remember sitting in the car about to go into the gym to watch Joey coach, when you told me you were pregnant with Lillian. I remember the joy that rose inside of me, knowing the pain and the hurt and the struggle that had led up to this moment. I remember walking with you through that first pregnancy and seeing the joy in your and Joey's eyes when Aub and I came to the hospital to meet Lil for the first time. I remember walking into my house to pack for a week of sorrow and hearing a knock at the door, knowing without even question who would be on the other side. I remember Target trips, movies, dinners, laughs and tears. As we get older, life goes on, life changes, life happens. But there are moments where we must stop life and remember, we remember what the Lord has done and we look forward with anticipation to what the Lord will do. Throughout the last seven years the Lord has done a lot in each of our lives and in our lives together, there have been moments of closeness and moments of busy and separation, life happens, but through it all there has been a steady love and care that is truly unique, that is truly a blessing. So I remember with thankfulness the past, the times of growth, the times the Lord has moved in and through us together and separately, the friendship and the relationship He has ordained, and I look forward with anticipation to what is to come, the birth of a child, the growth of children, the growth of a friendship, and the continued work of the Lord.
Thank you for being you, in all your unique and beautiful ways, you are truly you. Thank you for being the person that at any point of doubt in my life, I hear a voice in my head saying "Trust the Lord..." knowing you were the one you first drilled those three simple yet difficult words into my head and thoughts. Thank you for being an example of a mother and a wife who is a sinner saved by grace who years to raise her family knowing the Lord, serving others, and letting me see the good and the bad. I know one day if the Lord desires, I will be a better wife and mother because of knowing you. Thank you for loving me through the last seven years, the difficult the ugly the just plain sinful and the happy joyful and truly amazing moments as well.
You are a blessing to all who meet you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you, May He grant you peace in all you do, May He give you strength to face each challenge, May He shower His love upon you in ways you can not imagine in the next year. You are loved...

Dear Daddy...

I know this is a few days after your birthday but I have not forgotten. They say the relationship between a father and a daughter is unique, special, much like the relationship between a mother and her son. Fathers are the first men to love their daughters, the first men to pursue a relationship with their daughters, the first men to show their daughters they are beautiful. And daughters look to their fathers for love, support, provision, and protection. Fathers are truly the earthly example of our Heavenly Father. So on this day, I celebrate you Daddy.
At first glance, there is no question I am your daughter, from the thick full auburn hair on my head to the thin shape of feet I am my father's daughter. The years I wondered if I was adopted because I looked nothing like my sister and mother I always knew I was at least truly your child. As I grew into adulthood, the similarity in looks took a backseat to personality and character. Like you, I am introverted, reserved, yet personable and once you get to know me, somewhat extroverted. I process and reflect before speaking, I desire justice, I desire truth. I serve humbly behind the scenes. I work hard and do not give up on my desires and dreams. I am strong willed, stubborn, opinionated. But I desire to know the Lord and His Word more than anything else. I am my father's child.
Growing up, I knew no greater man than you through you. You challenged me to pursue my dreams, you knew the hurt and pain that I went through with basketball at Gaston Christian yet you would not let me quit. You challenged me each day to keep playing, keep practicing, and to use my pain and hurt to one day treat other people fairly. And I did, I kept playing, I kept practicing, and the Lord gave me my desires by allowing me to play at Erskine. I saw the pride you had in me when I wore that jersey, I may not have gotten much time on the court, but that did not matter to you. You knew the pain the tears the hurt behind the jersey and you were proud. And I did, the pain the hurt I experienced has propelled me into loving each athlete that walks through my door. No favorites, no treating one better than the other, but treating each of them fairly and listening to each athlete, helping each of them pursue their dreams and desires, knowing that I can make a difference by just taking an interest in their lives. You challenged me in my faith. You were the one who cried when I was leaving for China, you were the one who cried as they laid hands on me and prayed over me. You were the one who to this day I quote to parents as they watch their children leave the home or pursue missions, because you were the one who looked out over the congregation and said "we raise them to send them." You were the one who knew that when you raise a child, you are not just raising them in the admonition of the Lord but you are raising them to pursue the Gospel. You are raising them to send them into the world to share that Gospel. You were my biggest fan, my biggest supporter, my protector when I was hurting because of the unfair ways I was being treated and my provider of all my needs, from my first cars to my first phone to my first computer and everything in between. There was no greater man in my life.
And there still isn't any greater man. The Lord has blessed me with thirty-four years of singleness and I pray that as I have grown and moved through adult hood that you are proud of me. That you see the lessons I learned from you being played out in my decisions and the way I approach life. And while I am not married yet and I have not had to fully leave and cleave to a husband, I have had to grow up and mature. I have had to leave and cleave to the life the Lord has given me at this time, in this season. I have had to make decisions a part from you. I have had to move out and create my own household. Some decisions you have agreed with others you have not. But through it all I just want to make you proud.
Happy 60th Birthday! I am proud to call you my father, I am proud of the hard work and dedication you put into pursuing your dreams and desires. I pray that the Lord will bless you, that He will make His face to shine upon your dreams, your desire, your marriage, your life. I pray that you will know the Lord more in the next chapter of your life than you have in the first 60 years.
I pray above all you know how much you are loved and appreciated and pray over and prayed for.
I love you Daddy...
Jynne

To My Grandparents...

I sit in the living room, my parents, uncle, grandfather, and grandmother surround me. The conversation is minimal, talk of the weather, the farm; the piano bench has been moved from the piano to allow for a wheelchair in its place. I keep glancing at my grandmother. Her eyes have a glossy look to them, her hair unkempt, her mind in another world. Every once in a while, she will catch my eye and a big smile spreads over her face and as quickly as it appears, it disappears, replaced by a blank expression. Having lost two grandparents, I know that these moments are inevitable.

National Grandparents' Day was not too long ago. I always thought growing up, I was the 'norm.' I knew all of my grandparents and all but two of my great-grandparents. As I grew, I realized that so many never have the opportunity to develop relationships with their grandparents.

As I hear my parents talking, my uncle and grandfather working out the week's schedule, I know I am blessed. I am who I am because of my grandparents. My personality, my faith, my looks, my body type, my likes and interests, I can trace back to my grandparents. 

A strong work ethic-my Granddaddy Stowe, my love of others and love of structure and organization-my Grandmother Stowe, my servant's heart-my Granddaddy Thomas, my strong will and ability to stand up for truth-my Grandmother Thomas....my love of sports, the Braves, love of music, playing piano, love of others, love of Jesus, love of the country, love of food and many many more can be traced back to my grandparents.
I know that one day, and one day soon, I will no longer have any grandparents with me. Life goes on and time allows the Lord to take them home to Him, yet I know that inside of me they will always be. They will always live because a part of them is carried in who I am. I pray that I become more like them each day, that I continue to make them proud even as I age. I pray that the Faith of My Fathers will be passed down to those I come in contact with, to my own children Lord willing, to my spiritual children. I pray that when it is time for the Lord to reunite me with my grandparents I will have left a legacy just as they have.

1. Faith of our fathers, living still,
   In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
   Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
   Whene’er we hear that glorious Word!
2. 
   
3. Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
4. We will be true to thee till death.
5. Faith of our fathers, we will strive
   To win all nations unto thee;
   And through the truth that comes from God,
   We all shall then be truly free.
6. Faith of our fathers, we will love
   Both friend and foe in all our strife;
   And preach thee, too, as love knows how
   By kindly words and virtuous life.

Dear Aub...

I apologize for this being published so long after your birthday. I have not forgotten you nor expressing how special you are to me and to so many others. From the outside, many would say our friendship should not be as it is. You are married, have three beautiful children, considerably younger, how can we find something to talk about? How can we find something in common? Yet despite all the "differences" the Lord has taken our friendship and has molded it into where it is today. And I am forever grateful. From deaths to births to trials and joys, I have been blessed to call you friend. I continually stand amazed at your gentle spirit, your strength, your faith, and your transparency. You were one of the first "married with kids" women to embrace me as a friend, you saw past the differences and into the heart. You have opened up your home, your life, and allowed me to see the good and the bad, and have adopted me as family. You have found the differences and embraced them and the similarities and built from them. We can talk about running and movies as comfortably as we talk about life parenting and marriage. And through it all, you have allowed the Lord to be glorified, the Lord to be seen. As a mother, you have shown me how to truly live in the sovereignty of the Lord, how children are a gift from God and therefore belong to Him, how to allow children to be children yet still have structure and discipline. As a wife, you have shown me how to trust your husband, even when things are difficult; how to love unconditionally through all circumstances, how to submit to his authority and leadership in the home even amidst your own doubts and feelings. As a friend, you have shown me how to correct gently, how to love through service, how to be patient through trials and tribulations, and how to be joyful through all things. I feel, no I know, I will one day, Lord willing, be a better mother a better wife, and I am already a better friend, because of you.
So even though it is no longer your birthday, you are celebrated dear friend. You are loved. You are special. And I pray the Lord will keep you, the Lord will bless you and your children, the Lord will bless you and Josh. I pray the Lord will protect you, guide you and give you peace in all that comes your way.
Happy Birthday Aub! Thank you for being "You" to me and to so many others.

Shared From A Sister in Christ (and a former student athlete!): Open Letter Woman to Woman

A former student athlete of mine, Sheliah Williams, shared with me this link to a post she had written on her webpage. I am truly thankful to see young women of faith speaking truth unashamedly and encouraging other women of all generations in the Gospel. We are all Proverbs 31 women, married, parents, single, divorced, widowed, we are ALL Proverbs 31 women! Let us all take the challenge she issued at the bottom of her post, let us encourage other women and let us also seek to find our identity in Christ, let us see our value, our worth, our beauty. What a blessing (simply copy and paste the link below):

http://sheliahwilliams.com/2013/07/25/open-letter-woman-to-woman-2/

Thoughts from "The Verdict"....

My heart is heavy over the way I have seen the church react these last few days. Throughout Facebook I have been appalled by the statuses screaming for death and full of hatred and bigotry for others. What would happen if we, those of us who call ourselves by the "c" word on our profiles, that is Christian, that is the body of Christ actually exemplified Christ? What if we showed the world forgiveness and mercy just as Christ forgave the thief hanging next to Him on the cross, just as Christ uttered "Father forgive them, they know now what they do" as He was murdered for our sins? What if we realized our own propensity to sin and dealt with the sins in our own lives before pointing out the sins in others? What if we demonstrated love not by bashing those who appear different based on race or culture but by loving regardless of what they look like or where they came from? What if we like Christ washed the feet of others in service? What if instead of running to the president in outrage were thankful we live in a land with a president and a democracy instead of a land with a dictator and a dictatorship, do we truly want to live in a land where the government dictates, or do we want to live in a land of the people by the people and for the people? What if instead of taking to the streets with cries of injustice we took to the streets and prayed over the poor, sought out the broken and served our brothers? What if we rallied in our churches between our denominations that all were created in the image of God, male and female we were created, that He knows us our frame, he created our uniqueness in the womb, that we all came from one man and one woman and instead of crying for death, valued life, even in the midst of disagreement and heartbreak? What if we, the church, the body and bride of Christ, every race and Christian denomination, every Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic stood as one and actually believed and pursued the words we all say routinely "our Father, which art in Heaven...thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"? I am a 33 year old single, no children of my own, white, educated, Protestant female raised in the south, I desire a husband and children, I have lived as a minority in Asia, I know that deep down we are all the same, each of us desires to love and be loved, and I believe His kingdom is here His will is being done and I pray each day my life is an example of Him, that He is what shines first when I am met, not the color of my skin or the accent in my voice but the light of Christ going before me and the aroma of Christ lingering behind me. Rise up church, read your profiles and statuses, are you being Christ or being the world?

Dear Christy...

I am sorry this is not being written on your actual birthday, but thankfully I was present with you on your special day! It is so crazy to think you have now turned 30...and what a 30 years the Lord has blessed you with. Usually in life it is the younger sibling looking up to the older sibling, and I know there were those moments growing up that you looked up to me. You followed me into every endeavor from piano to sports. And hopefully I was able to be someone you could look to as an example during those years. But I feel the roles have changed as we have gotten older. The things I have desired and longed for my whole life, you have been blessed with and now I look to you. In you I have found a hero, a role model, and a best friend. You have become a wife, who struggles with how to fill the role of not only a wife but a pastor's wife and a serviceman's wife. You have become a mother, who had to see a child buried long before their time. You have a best friend, who loves you dearly and would do anything in the world for you, including leaving her own family and child to be with you in your need. You are a hero of the faith, you have overcome so much in your 30 years that most of us do not have to experience in a lifetime. The quiet and gentle spirit, the joy, the thankfulness, the love you show others despite the circumstances in your life is truly a testament to the faith that lies within you. You are a role model to follow. You have reached a milestone in life as a wife and mother of 4. While your counters aren't always spotless and Rapunzel runs around the house leaving a trail of feathers from her boa on newly cleaned floors, you exhibit a grace and peace that only comes from Him. Your children and husband should rise and call you blessed and one day they will. They can not help but see the love you have for them, the patience you exhibit to them, and the desire you have for them to grow in their faith. They can not help but one day rise and call you blessed. You are a best friend. You have shown me how to be patient within relationships, how to let the Lord lead even in friendships. You have been someone who cares who listens who cries and who laughs. You truly have shown me how to let things go and let the Lord do the work.
So on this day, I celebrate you. I am thankful for the Lord blessing me with a sister who loves Him, who follows Him, who desires to grow in Him. I am thankful for a sister who trusts me, who allows me  times and moments with my nieces and nephew and does not worry. Who allows me to take them places and love on them as if they were my own and make those memories that will carry through life. I am thankful for a sister who realized early in life the Lord gives and takes away, that He is sovereign over all and that all things come through His hand. I am thankful for a sister who loves me unconditionally, who challenges me, who places the Lord first even in our relationship.
You are truly someone we all can look to. May the Lord continue to bless you, may He continue to shine His face upon you and may He continue to give you peace.
Love you,
Jynne

Dear Mom...

Dear Mom,
Today is your birthday. A day to celebrate you and who you are to so many. I do not think we ever out grow the need of our mothers. There is something about a mother's love that transcends time and generations. There is something about the intimate bond a child has with their mother in the womb that is continued well into the child's life.
Through the years, I remember watching you battle and struggle to provide for Christy and I. I remember you working so that Christy and I could attend a Christian school, play sports, take music lessons and dance lessons. I remember you giving up your time to take us to recitals and games. You never missed a game, competition, concert, or recital, always there, always supporting. I remember you teaching us how to cook, how to sew, how to manage a household, clean, wash clothes. I remember watching you sacrifice so that we could have, watching you serve so that others may have. But above all, I remember you waking up early each morning to spend time in prayer and Scripture reading. I remember you saying you have written in your prayer journal prayer requests for and over Christy and I and that you know the Lord will answer those prayers. To me, you were a prayer warrior. I knew that if no one else was praying, my Mom would be. I knew that if no one else cared, my mom would be up every morning on her knees praying for me.
Life has not been easy. Growing up never is. As time has marched on, you lost your Mother. I can not imagine a life without a Mother. I know one day I will have to face this trial, not having a Mother to call, to be at your side when you are in need, has to be extremely difficult. Losing Grandmother was difficult for all of us, I miss her daily and would do anything to hear her say "You see this girl right here, this is my firstborn granddaughter, this is my special girl." Losing Emeline was a tragedy we did not plan nor expect to happen, yet the Lord had planned and did know it would happen. I never want to see my child suffer like I had to see my Sister suffer. But look at where we were and where we are. And losing your Father, your last parent. If losing one parent is difficult losing them both is tragic. Granddaddy was someone that I admired, someone I knew loved me. I can still imagine my lying on the couch and Granddaddy tickling my toes as he walked to the kitchen. The twinkle in his eyes when he knew something special was on the horizon. But life is not easy. And life will not be easy.
Christy and I admire you, we love you, we look up to you. We know that one day it will just be she and I, like it is not just you Kathy and Janet. But we are blessed because we have been given the gift of faith. We have a faith that has withstood trials and tribulations a faith that because of our Mom, while shaken can not be moved. And we have been given the gift of prayer. We have a Mother who has prayed for us before we were born and every day of our lives. No one else can take the place of a Mother's prayers. And we now pray for our children (my nieces and nephews) with the same faith and prayer we have seen demonstrated each day of our lives.
So happy birthday Mom....may the Lord bless you and keep you. May He draw you closer to Him each day of the coming year. May be restore unto you the joy of your salvation and may He give you peace.
Love in the coming year...
Your Oldest Daughter...

Lenten Post 12: When I Survey...

                          When I survey                            


the wondrous cross





on which the

Prince of Glory died;





my richest gain

I count but loss,





and pour

contempt on all my pride.





Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,





save in the

death of Christ, my God;





all the vain

things that charm me most,





I sacrifice

them to his blood.





See, from his head, his hands, his feet,





sorrow and love

flow mingled down.





Did e'er such

love and sorrow meet,





or thorns

compose so rich a crown.





Were the whole realm of nature mine,





that were an

offering far too small;





love so

amazing, so divine,



demands my soul, my life, my all.

Lenten Post 11: Jesus Friend of Sinners...

A woman living in adultery met her Saviour at the well, never condemned only loved but commanded to live in sin no more; a tax collector, the chief of sinners, asked to provide a meal for the Saviour, never condemned only loved but commanded to live in sin no more. A rich young ruler, proud and strong, in need of salvation, never condemned only loved but commanded to give away all he had. A criminal on the cross, one last parting hope for salvation, never condemned only loved shown forgiveness in his dying moment. A murder on the road to Damascus saw the Light of the Son, never condemned only loved but commanded to live the life of killing no more. Jesus, friend of sinners, never condemned only loved, but never allowed one to stay in their sin, he commanded them to turn from their sin. It does not matter how many times a Father has told the son to not play in the street, it does not matter how many times He has told the son of the destruction and pain that could come from playing in the busy street, the son still will test the Father, yet the Father can not sit idly by and watch his son play in the street, he will join him in the street, pick him up and place him in safety. The Father can not let a child live a life of destruction, He will love her and convict her, there is NO condemnation for those who love the Lord, there is salvation, a freedom from bondage and sin. A man will not let his child befriend someone of darker skin, a woman picks up the phone to tell of another's misfortunes, a husband deletes a text in fear of his spouse reading it, a woman sits afraid in a room with her hand on her stomach and hears her name called by the nurse, a student glances on the paper next to them for an answer that has alluded them, a sister brings hurt to their sibling, a man is tempted to enter into acts with another man, a teenager gets behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking and wakes up with a warrant for their arrest, a mother will not let go of hurt and brings bitterness to her family, a father left his family for another family and has caused pain, a word slips of the tongue of a friend and hits another like a dagger to the soul, a scale has determined the cause and the worth of a young woman instead of the truth of the Gospel, a young boy and young girl think they are in love and give themselves away, a thought in the mind that leads to another thought that leads to a feeling that leads to a wrong action against a friend....Jesus friend of sinners, never condemned only loved but never allowed one to stay in their sin. We love because He loved us, we care because He cared for us, we befriend because He befriended us. There is No condemnation for those who love the Lord only salvation. We are called to love, to befriend, to serve. However, we are called to live in truth and in Spirit. We are called to be a light, we are called to shine a light, through prayer and petition to the Father through the Son, into the darkness this world is living in. We are not called to become like the world, we are not called to become of the world, we are called to live IN the world. We are not called to separate completely from the world but to live IN the world, loving caring serving praying. We are not called to agree with the world to tolerate the world to allow the world to govern our hearts and minds, we must live lives that are different that are intolerant of falsehoods and lies that are governed by the truth of the Gospel. We can not be ashamed nor sit idly by. We must recognize we are all sinners all hypocrites all living lives that at times contradict the Truth but we are saved! We have a hope! We have a cross and a Saviour that is risen and that when we sin we are forgiven! We have been shown grace and mercy and salvation and that is what we are to show the world! Throughout this Holy Week, let us remember the cross, let us remember where we were, and where He has brought us. Let us remember we too are sinners in need of a Saviour. And let us remember, Jesus friend of sinners. May we not live a life of disobedience to the Gospel, may we not be ashamed of the Gospel, but may we also not live a life of condemnation but walk in the Spirit, living in the Spirit. Galatians 5 sums up the truth:

"13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Lenten Post 10: Dear Lindsay...

(Having written to each of my nieces, I have decided throughout this year I am going to dedicate a post to family and close friends on their birthdays...)

Dear Lindsay,
There are times in life where the Lord leads us, and we do not understand why. We are obedient and the blessings that come from obedience are abundant. I still to this day am amazed the Lord ordained a "meeting at the rehab pool" that has turned into a life-long friendship. When I went in to speak with you that day, I had no idea a friendship would be born. But what a blessing in knowing the Lord works in all circumstances, while I went in with the idea of you mentoring a young student, the Lord had other plans. Words can not express how grateful and thankful I am to the Lord for bringing you into my life. It is as if the Lord knew I needed another "sister." (And seeing how closely you and Christy resemble each other in your treatment of me, I often question His "thinking!"...this past weekend, both of you on the sofa asking for me to wait on you?!?) Christy had moved to Charleston and the times I had spent with her and her family were no longer as frequent, my grandfather had just passed away, I was about to move, and the Lord moved you into my life. In the eyes of the world, not the best of timing, but in the eyes of the Lord perfect timing. He ordained each step in the beginning of our friendship and He has continued to ordain each step along the way. There have been moments where it seemed our friendship may fail, there have been moments where it seemed we would give up and walk away, there have been moments where all we knew was frustration and disappointment, anger and hurt. But out of those moments of darkness, the light has shown and in the place of frustration disappointment anger and hurt has grown patience encouragement forgiveness and love. The Lord has molded our friendship like none other, the Lord is the center and will be the center of our lives. He has taken us together from the depths of hurt and placed us in the ocean of joy. I praise Him for He is faithful to answer the prayers of His children, He is faithful in restoring those He chooses to restore. I praise Him daily for our friendship, our true sisterhood for He is Who has made it great, He is who has sustained it. You are truly irreplaceable, uniquely you, no one else can serve the place in my life that you serve, for the Lord created you distinctly you. Lindsay, you are a beautiful and talented woman of faith. Your love for the Lord is contagious and passionate. Your desire to follow Him is so zealous that when you fail you are truly heartbroken and discouraged. However, do not see your failures as disappointments, do not hold on to the guilt and pain. You are forgiven you are loved; you have been shown mercy and grace. The Lord has spoken over you and claimed you, you are marked with a seal and can not be broken. Your battles have been won, your victory is there. You are greater than the world because He Who is living and moving inside of you has already overcome the world. The last chapter of your story is written, the last battle has already been fought, the outcome has already been decided! You will suffer, you will fall, you will hurt, you will be broken down battered and abused. For our time here on earth is short but we are to suffer as He suffered, we are surrounded by a world and a flesh that want to tear us down and keep us down, but take heart Sis, you are not of this world! You have been bought with a prize, you are a treasure, you are an heir, you are clothed with strength and with dignity! Through all my years of attempting to mentor young women (and young men), I have learned that I can not change them, I can not make them change how they feel how they act how they see what is around them, but I can pray. I can encourage. I can uplift. I can be. I look forward to the day with eager excitement and anticipation when your chains are gone, when the bondage is no more, when all your desires and passions are met, when you can dance with joy over the blessings the Lord has provided, when you see all you have prayed for come to fruition. I praise Him for all He has done and is doing in your life. I praise Him for the woman of faith you desire to be. I praise Him for the woman of passion and love you exemplify. You are loved and you are loved abundantly. May He do far more in your life than you can ever imagine.....Love you so much...Your Older Wiser Sister...

Lenten Post 9: Strength for Today...

I am finding this season of Lent to be extra difficult. I do not know about everyone else but there are seasons in life that never seem to end, this is one. I began this season of fasting with a desire to grow closer to the Lord, I have failed at my fast, I have tried to persevere, but it seems Resurrection Sunday will never come. How often do we stand at the crossroads of life, looking for a glimmer of hope, only to see the glimmer fade into darkness? How often do we feel we are caught in a vicious cycle of failures, discouragements, mistakes, tests, trials and as we find our way through, another one hits and then another?  How often do we desire to grow closer to the Lord, only to see our faith and hope dwindle? How often do we pray for Resurrection Sunday to come, only to experience another loss another trial? As believers, we know the truth, but it is hard to swallow the truth. We know that in order to grow we must also suffer as Christ suffered. We know that in order to experience eternal joy we will have temporary pain. We know that while we have a Father Who loves and does not hurt us, we live in a fallen world that will hate and hurt us. We know that we have a Father Who disciplines and corrects not punishes and condemns but in understanding the difference we can only see the worldly ones who punish and condemn and therefore we see our trials as punishments and our tests and condemnation. We know that in ALL things the Lord works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His will and purpose but we wonder where is the good. We know that we are forgiven of all our sins and our claimed as righteous through the blood of the Lamb and there is no shame nor guilt yet we see our hearts our filth our sins and we wonder how could anyone love us, how could the Father love us. We know that if we give all we have to the poor and we tithe to the church and we spend our money not on things for ourselves but on things for others and we are good stewards of what we have been given, we too will be blessed but we see the bills piling up, we see the debt continue to rise and we wonder where are the blessings. We know that the Father gave the ultimate sacrifice in the Son and that He experienced loss and that in order for us to experience joy and salvation there was a sacrifice yet we doubt the Father understands our loss and we question how He could allow things to happen. Believing the Lord is Sovereign and all things pass through His hand, believing the Lord is a Father who loves His own, believing the Lord is a Healer, a Miracle Worker, a Provider, a Warrior, a King, a Ruler, believing becomes difficult. We see the Lord as a Healer but not a Provider; we see the Lord as a Ruler but not a Father. We stand at yet another crossroad in life, in an unending season, and we realize we have a choice. We look behind us and we see while it may not have been easy, we have survived. While it may not have been pretty, we have found beauty in the midst. While we may not have what we want, we have always had what we needed. While we have had loss, we have been given. We look in front of us and we see nothing, blackness, we know we have been unfaithful at times, we know that we have doubted, but we see a glimmer in the distance. We look back, we remember. We look forward and we trust. We slowly move a step and we realize we have strength needed for that moment. We step again and we gain a little more strength. And as each day passes, we see we have strength for today, hope for tomorrow, He was faithful, and He is faithful. Strength for today...bright hope for tomorrow. Resurrection Sunday will come...but as for today, strength for today...hope for tomorrow.

Lenten Post 8: Trust...

Trust, small word hard concept. Trust God, small sentence hard concept. We have heard it many times and in many different ways, trust is one of the hardest things to earn yet one of the easiest to lose (and hardest to re-gain).  Why do we have such a hard time trusting? Why do we have such a hard time trusting the Lord? Quite simply, humans fail. As quickly as you learn to trust someone and become  open and vulnerable, something is said or something is done and the trust you believed was there is gone. Your best friend lies, your husband cheats, your children deceive, your co-worker competes, your character is attacked. You go through months of false accusations, miscommunication, and misunderstandings; you feel all blame is being placed on you, when in truth all you have done is love, listen, and care. You go through months of seeing others "happy" on behalf of your hurt and pain. Trust, so quickly broken, so slowly regained. It is no wonder that when it comes to trusting the Lord, we as humans constantly struggle. When all we know is how we feel, and how we feel is broken and used, and all we see are humans failing, how can we trust Someone we can not see to never fail us nor leave us broken? One of the greatest mistakes we as humans make is placing godly characteristics on humans (they will not fail us) and human characteristics on God (he will fail us). We expect humans to be more like God and God to be more like humans. We see the hurt and the pain that our friends and family have caused yet expect them to never hurt us never make us feel pain. We know the Lord is faithful and we can trust Him because He is the same yesterday today and forever, constant never changing, yet we expect Him to hurt us and make us feel pain because that is what here on earth we constantly battle. So how do we respond to broken trust, to hurt, to pain? How do we trust the Lord and others? We respond by forgiving, loving, and believing. Forgiveness is the first step towards learning to trust again. We must forgive others for the sins committed against us. We forgive because we have been forgiven. Will it be hard to trust again? Yes, it will be. Will there be times where we wonder and doubt? Yes, there will be. Will the relationship always be mended? No, it will not always. Will there be moments in mended and reconciled relationships where the one who has broken trust must understand the struggle of the other to trust again and be patient and forgiving and loving towards them? Yes, there will. But in order to move forward in trusting we must forgive. The Lord was denied three times before His death, yet He still uttered "Forgive them..." But it does not start and stop with forgiveness, we also must love others despite the sins committed against us, despite the broken promises deceits and hurts. We love because He first loved us. Will it be hard to love someone who has hurt? Yes, it will be. Will it be hard to love unconditionally and despite the pain? Yes, it will be. Will we always act out of love towards the other? No, we will not always. Will it take understanding by the other and their loving of us? Yes, if reconciliation of trust is to happen. But in order to trust again we must love. The Lord hung on a cross for us out of love, despite all we had done, despite all our sins, He still loved. And we believe, we believe that true reconciliation is possible. We believe that forgiveness and love can conquer a multitude of sins. We believe because even despite our faithlessness, He is still faithful. We as believers in Christ can see that despite the pain and hurt and trials of this life, He has never changed, always the same, His love has never failed, His forgiveness and mercies are new every morning. And we can believe that reconciliation and restoration is possible. Will every relationship be mended? No, it will not. Will every person who has caused feelings of hurt and pain seek forgiveness? No, they will not. But we have the power within us to forgive, to love, and to believe that with Him we can trust again, that even if we are hurt again, that even if our trust in someone is broken again, we can always Trust God because He is faithful even when those around us and even when we ourselves are faithless. During this Lenten season let us begin to truly grasp how deep and how wide is the forgiveness and love of the Lord and we let us truly believe we can Trust Him through every season. 

Lenten Post 7: Wounded...

This world is cruel. We are tempted and we are tried, we are knocked down and we are pushed flat on our faces. We fall to the traps the world has to offer and we seek contentment and pleasure in fleshly gains. We are wounded. We are battered and tattered and we are broken. When we read stories in the Bible, we often relate to the characters not because of the good they have done but the sins they have committed or the hurt they have felt. When we think of Eve, we see the snake that has tempted and fooled us. When we read the book of Job, we see the multiple losses we have sustained. When we hear of David, we see the immorality in our own life. When we read of Paul, we see the hatred and bitterness rooted deep in our heart. When Judas betrays, we remember our own betrayal. When Peter lies and denies, we too realize how many times we have lied and denied our faith. We are wounded. We are battered and tattered and we are broken. We forget that Eve was disciplined for her sin yet granted forgiveness and allowed to live. We forget that Job never once denied the Lord and stayed true to his faith even when his friends were tempting. We forget that David was the apple of the Lord's eye and was the one in whom He found great favor. We forget that Paul was blinded by the light and became one of the greatest teachers and preachers the world has ever known. We forget that Judas never repented and killed himself because of his betrayal. We forget that Peter was called the "rock on whom I will build my church." We are wounded. We are battered and tattered and we are broken. We find it hard to believe that we, we who love so deeply and desire Him so passionately can be swept away by one word, one action, one temptation, one person, one mistake into a spiral of sin. We find it hard to think that one phone call can push us to our knees. We find it hard to believe we have a propensity for sin, that we are totally deprived, that we are not inherently good. We find it hard to think that sufferings and trials are a part of this life. And then we remember we are living in a world, a fallen world, that we are surrounded by the flesh daily, that we are born into sin and are totally deprived, and that we too must share in the sufferings of Christ. And we remember that while we are wounded, battered, tattered, and broken, we are not defeated. We who are in Christ, we who are passionately seeking Him, we are forgiven. We are redeemed. We have been washed by the blood of the Son. We must repent, we must walk the road to the cross daily, we must gaze upon the cross daily. We must turn from our sin, daily. The cross and Resurrection are not a license to sin but a freedom to live. We who are in Christ must daily see our sin, daily take up our cross and daily follow Him. Lent, a season of repentance, a time where we fast from the world and its pleasures in order to rejoice in the Resurrection- we are wounded, we are battered and tattered and we are broken. But we are made whole in Him, we are found not guilty, we are redeemed, there is no shame, we are made new! And we are brought to life with His life and Resurrection! Rejoice for the day of Redemption is near! 

Lenten Post 6: Forgiveness...

Lent, the season of repentance, the season of seeing our sin as sin and turning towards the Cross, but with repentance comes forgiveness. Forgiveness, while it is a powerful and intriguing concept it is difficult to comprehend and truly practice. How can Someone, Who knows me inside and out, Who knows my thoughts before they are brought to mind, Who knows my words before they are spoken, Who knows my actions before they are enacted, Who knows ME, forgive? Yet once it is tasted is as sweet as honey. The freedom that comes from forgiveness can only be found in the grace and mercy of the Cross. When I think about the Lord, when I think about Me, when I realize the One person Who knows me better than I know myself, loves me unconditionally and once I seek repentance and forgiveness am forgiven and need not bring it back to Him because He has thrown it as far as the east is from the west, I can not help but be filled with an overwhelming joy and a peace. However, this joy and peace, this grace and mercy, this repentance and forgiveness is not just to be shared between Our Father and ourselves; it is to be shared with our brothers and our sisters, our neighbors and our coworkers. We forgive because we have been forgiven. It is hard to not understand why the Lord commanded us to forgive seventy times seven, because we are human and to forgive someone is the most difficult discipline to practice. How often we say, I will forgive but...I will forgive if...I will forgive when....instead of, I forgive. We justify, we qualify, we harbor bitterness anger grief shame guilt. It takes seventy times seven for us to forgive the simples of sins. What freedom we would find if we just forgave, nothing required just pure unconditional forgiveness. I love you therefor I will forgive you. I do not know you but I will forgive you. Those closest to us, those that know us, truly know us better than we know ourselves, will be the ones who hurt us the most. Yet when we think back to the cross, to the One hanging there, Who took all my sins on Him and Who still loves me greater than I even imagine, has forgiven me, how can I not forgive? And how can I not forgive myself? Many of us find it easier to forgive others yet can not forgive ourselves. We believe that the guilt shame heartache we live with is our punishment for our crimes. We believe that we can never be truly free because of the actions or words we have let slip from our lives. But that same forgiveness that same freedom and sweet honey that is given to us from the Cross of Christ that is poured out on others is poured out on us. We can forgive our selves because we have been forgiven. We can live in freedom because we know the Freer. We can cast off all shame and guilt because our sins have been cast out. Repentance is just a step. We can stop at repentance and never understand forgiveness, or we can repent and live in the freedom of the forgiveness we have been given. This Lent do not stop at repentance but move into the freedom that comes from the Cross and the Resurrection the forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting. 

Lenten Post 5: Dear Elisea...

Dear Elisea,

I was going to wait a few days before writing this post to you. Especially considering I just wrote to your sister. But yesterday I had a conversation with your Mommy and well, there is no better time than the present to write. From the day you were born, you were considered a miracle child, a blessing, a gift. Your birth came on the heels of a tragic time in the life of your family and friends. You were born into this world without knowing the hurt and pain we had experienced. To this day, you do not understand nor I pray you ever will understand the pain and hurt of tragedy. But the Lord gives and He takes away. And when He gave you, He gave us a gift. The first time I laid eyes on you I knew there would be a special bond between us, because of things beyond your control you had been thrust into the role of a firstborn child, and that is a role only a few are called to fill. However, I did not know the first time I held you I was holding a "mini-me," I only saw a "first"born daughter and I knew that our relationship would be different than any other niece or nephew. But as I have watched you grow I see glimpses of me in you, from your strong willed ways to your stubbornness to your leadership qualities, but most of all, I see your servant's heart your caring spirit, your spunk, your desire to pray for others even if you do not know them, your love of Jesus. Do not let others look down on you for being strong willed, independent, young girl, your ability to stand your ground and not back down will keep you from many wrong decisions, heartaches, and failures in life. But do not let your stubbornness and strong will keep you from missing out on the opportunities the Lord may present you or the ability to care and empathize for others, even if you do not agree with them. I see a natural born leader in you, the ability to command the room and all of those in it. Being a leader and the desire to lead is a God-given trait, but use it with all wisdom and discernment the Spirit gives you. Lead by example, lead by actions and if necessary lead with words. Words will be important they can encourage, they can critique. A true leader knows when they are necessary. Those traits that are difficult to parent right now as you grow in the love of Jesus and as you understand His word will begin to produce fruit, spiritual fruit. I know you are a prayer warrior, even at the ripe young age of 4. I have seen you pray for people that you do not know only because you care and want them to know Jesus and His love. I have seen you pray for healing and for hearts. Do not lose your desire to pray. Do not let the world take this from you, if you do not see answers it does not mean your prayers are not heard. If you are discouraged and do not feel the Lord even cares about your prayers, do not let these thoughts from satan keep you from praying. You have a prayer warrior's spirit, may it never be quenched. You are a servant, I see moments where you desire to serve and care for others over yourself. Never let the temptation to think of yourself before others come to fruition. Fight the temptation and keep the Lord first others second and then yourself. This does not mean to be week and timid easily taken advantage of, but this means even when others do not understand, even when others think you are indecisive or being taken advantage of, to stay true to the Gospel and truly think of others before yourself. It will become a way of life, it will become an innate gift that you will know no other way to live. Dying to self and living in Him. 

When I held you for the first time, I felt a bond a deep sense of love that I have never felt again. While I desire strongly to have a family, a husband and children of my own. I know my desires are in His hands and in His timing. And I desire to one day feel this joy and love again, but I know what it feels like. I know the raw emotion of seeing this tiny face look up and you and the joy of knowing you have been given the opportunity to help raise this little being. And then to watch you grow and have people closest to you say she is just like you, what a humbling honor to know the Lord has given me the chance to help mold you. To guide you and love you, to hopefully keep you from making the mistakes I have made, to protect you, to love you through all the ups and downs this life will give you, I know the Lord has great things for you. He would not create you with the unique personality He has without having something great in store for you. He would not have brought you into this world exactly when He did without having a great journey for you to take. 

I pray you never know a day without the Father's love, I pray you never know a day without the love of your family. I pray for the day you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart He was killed for your transgressions and He was raised from the dead to bring you life. I know that day is coming and it is coming soon. The communion you have with the Spirit and the Father already is evidence of the work of the Spirit the moving of the Spirit in your heart already. 

Know how much you are loved....Aunt Jynne

PS: I have NOOO clue where she got the pose from in the last picture...Aunt Jynne does NOT take pictures with her hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side;)....(guess little eyes are always watching!)

Lenten Post 4: Dear Julia...

Dear Julia,

November 9, 2010, a day I will not forget because it is a day I was not able to be where my heart wanted me to be. I had seen the birth of your sisters, Emeline and Elisea but because I had moved to Durham, I was not going to be able to see you enter this world. A few days after your birth, I traveled late in the night to come meet you for the first time. I had fallen asleep for only a few hours on the sofa when I heard your first cries. You weren't like your sisters, you had this powerful yet petite cry. This small but loud sound coming from this small petite little body. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and stumbled down the hall to see you. Your mommy had just finished nursing you and rose to hand you to me. I have never known the joy of holding my own child, at least not yet. But I know the joy can not be much greater than holding the child of someone you love. And I have had the opportunity to do that multiple times. You see Julia, the Lord may bless you with your own children, or He may not. It is not for us to determine but Him. He knows our hearts, He knows our desires, and we have to trust that He is faithful to bring those to fruition in His timing and in His own special way. I know the joy the contentment the love that comes from a child, the child may not have been birthed from me, but they are still a part of my heart a part of who I am. Maybe this is the secret to contentment, being joyful for what the Lord has given even if it comes in a package you may have not designed. Holding you for the first time, seeing your little petite body, I fell in love all over again. When Emeline passed, I made a promise to her to the Lord that I would love each moment I had with my family, but especially the little ones the Lord placed in my life, as if it were the last. I would protect and cherish, I would love and discipline. I would laugh and I would cry with them. Mommy's and Daddy's have been given the most important job on earth in raising a child, but Aunties's they have been given just as important a role. We come in and out of your life and are only given a few days here and a few days there to impact, to teach, to have fun, to love. The time we have is more precious than any other time because it is here and then it is not. We have been given the right and the privilege to love you as our own and to partner with your parents in raising you in His image and in His Word. But we can spoil you with a little more candy, a piece of cake, a day at the park, a new outfit or toy. We can light up your eyes within a moment just by walking in the door unexpectedly. So my dearest Julia, you have been the baby now for a few years and are about to be the middle. You have a sweet yet mischievous spirit....you are loving and caring yet funny and definitely you are you. I pray as you grow each year that you will know Who the Lord is in real and amazing ways. That you will never go a day without knowing His grace and His mercy. That you will be the baby sister the middle sister you have been created to be, the peacemaker, the one who changes the moment with a smile or a joke. You do not have to be a leader, your sister has already established that role and has been gifted for that role, but you do not have to be a follower either. Lead when needed follow when needed but be you. The world will bombard you with falsehoods with images with temptations, if you ever are caught in the middle of a path and not sure which way to go, I am here. I will help you, I will guide you, I will pray for you. That's what Auntie's are for, when you need a little guidance and you can not talk to your parents, we are here. Not to keep a secret from them but to be another person who is helping raise you and guide you. I am not perfect, nor will I ever claim to be, but I pray as you get older you can look to me as an example as a role model. Whether it is something I have done wrong for you not to emulate or whether it is something I have done right, look to me, follow me. And if at any point I am not pointing you to the cross to the Father then I pray the Lord convicts me and shows me of my sin. My sweet Julia when the Lord brought you into this world, He knew exactly what you would look like, He knew your frame your beauty, do not let the world take this from you, find your security and your assurance in Him. He knew you would light up the room with a smile, keep smiling. He knew you would make people laugh you would have your quirky ways do not change because the world may tell you to change. You will fall down, you will make mistakes, but do not live in the grief and the shame and the guilt, when you are weak He is strong, repent and let the freedom of His forgiveness cover you and move you forward. There is something special a special bond that occurs the first time you hold a newborn baby, a feeling words truly can not describe. My dear Julia I pray you never will go a day without knowing how special you are and how loved you are. May the Lord bless you may He keep you safe, may He bring about a work and a journey for your life that none of us can even imagine. You are a child of the King and one day I can not wait to hear the words come from your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Saviour of your life. I love you from the moment I first knew you were to be my niece....Aunt Jynne

Lenten Post 3: Kingdom Culture...

As I was putting away my computer yesterday morning after writing, I noticed a post that was on a dear sister's Facebook page. It pulled my interest to it and I began to read. What unfolded before my eyes was a dialogue between a white woman, about to marry a black man, and a black man's response to this woman's letter. What unfolded before me was the woman complaining about the looks and feelings directed towards her, her explanation of why black men would rather be with white women, a "A" list of famous people married to white women, and the man's response that "brothers see white women as docile, easy, not strong..." As I read this dialogue, first I boiled with anger over what was said about women and then my heart completely broke for both of these individuals and the world we live in. Having lived in a different culture, having traveled to different cultures, racism stereotypes biases are not just an American issue, they are a world issue, they are a heart issue. Ever since the fall of man, there has been a fight to become the best the greatest the most successful. Ever since the fall of man people have been judged by what they wear, the color of their skin, the language they speak, the amount of money in their possession. And sadly enough, this prejudice, this bias is present even within the walls of the church, even within the body of Christ. How many times have I heard a believer say "I have nothing wrong with interracial dating, I will marry another race but I am not going to marry a black man." To which I say back "And why not?" (I have yet to receive a justified answer.) How many times have I heard a believer say "Those Mexicans, those black people, those Chinese..." Or how many times have I heard a believer say "I wouldn't send my kids to that school.." "I wouldn't live in that house..." "I wouldn't drive that car..." Bias, prejudice is not just based on color of skin ethnicity or culture, go to a women's bible study and you will see it goes even deeper. Mothers judging over those who breast feed and those who do not, those who homeschool public school and private school, those who work and those who do not, those who punish their children by making them wear over size bows and those who do not. Go to a church any given Sunday and listen to denominations talk of other brothers and sisters, they baptize infants we do not, they sprinkle we dunk, they have wine for communion we have Welch's grape juice, they raise their hands we stand still, they have all races we have one. As I listen to the body of believers I can not help but think we have our heart wanting and desiring one thing and we are completely going about it the wrong way. If we are truly to represent the Kingdom of the Living God here on earth then we need to all be a part of the Kingdom Culture, not the black culture, not the white culture, not the homeschool culture, the Baptist culture, but the Kingdom Culture. So what is the Kingdom Culture? I read a  quote from Ann Voskamp, as she and her family are currently ministering in Haiti, and this is what she says: 

"How in the name of heaven, could ever I forget that it. is. all. grace? That Grace alone is the gossamer thread that holds your life together. That life isn’t made up of atoms — it’s made up of amazing grace. That it isn’t DNA or SATs or IQ that determine your existence — but His grace alone." 

This is Kingdom Culture....realizing that it is not the color of our skin, the degree we hold, the number of children in our household, the denomination we attend but His grace alone that defines who we are. We can not hide the fact we are all different; we all have different looks different ways of doing things different desires. But His grace and His grace alone is the tie that binds. When people ask me what is the most important characteristic you are looking for in a husband, I have one simple answer. I desire a man who loves Jesus more than he loves me, regardless of race ethnicity culture or background. I desire a man who believes in the power of the Cross, the forgiveness of sins through Christ alone, the power of the Resurrection, the moving of the Spirit, the inerrancy of Scripture, and there is only One True and Living God. Shouldn't this be what we all desire? Of not just a spouse but of the world, of the church? Shouldn't we desire to reach all nations and creeds not because we are better but because we have a story that will change their lives forever and eternity??

If we deny differences, we are denying the beauty and uniqueness of God's creation. Race, ethnicity, culture, denominations, education, social status, these will always be present. But the Word is very clear, "every knee shall bow in Heaven and on Earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord." Heaven will be filled with every race every culture every ethnicity....during Lent, let us remember His grace alone determines our existence. Let us bring a piece of His Kingdom to those around us, let us see each other through the eyes of His grace. 

Lenten Post 2: Season of Repentance...

I always think it odd this time of year, we all struggle to figure out our Lenten fasts and then proceed for forty days to deprive ourselves of some of life's most glorious pleasures. I go to eat with a friend and they have given up meat or sweets. I go to send someone an email and they will not respond until Easter. Music, phones, TV, meals, alcohol, the list goes on as to what is given. I myself have even been creative and given up buying coffee before, only to have others buy it for me!:) Currently I am working on depriving myself of mindless technology  and social media such as always turning on the TV in the mornings, always turning to Facebook or Instagram when bored, does it really matter what is going on in the world of social media?? If they are truly a friend, will I not know? and always searching the internet for random facts and knowledge...I am moving towards using this time to pray for a friend, prayer walk through my home, write blogs, read Scripture...or just be still. And trust me a technology detox is not easy.
While I am not opposed to fasting, in fact it is a spiritual discipline that is quickly overshadowed and pushed aside in practice, I do believe we have taken this season of Lent and misconstrued it to be something it is not. Lent is not a time to deprive our self for the sake of our self. Lent is not a time to lose a few pounds, drink a little less, put our sugar rush away, exercise a little more; no! Lent is a time, a season, of repentance. A time where we do these things, where we give these things not for our gain but to draw closer to the Lord by seeing our sin, repenting of our sin, and feeling the full freedom of forgiveness from our sin. Is Lent not the time leading to the glorious entrance of our King into the city, to the night He was betrayed, to His own best friend denying Him three times, to His brutal beating, to His body hung on a tree, to His death, and to His glorious resurrection? Is Lent not the time where we fast in order to meditate on what the cross truly means? Do we not break Lent with the Gospel? Our sins, ALL of our sins, every sin we have committed and will commit, every sin that has kept us from freedom and satan will use to fight against us in our freedom, every sin that has brought shame and guilt, EVERY SIN was hung on a tree, was pronounced dead and is no more! And we now have the right, the privilege to go straight to the Father Himself through the Resurrected Body of the Son by the initiating of the Holy Spirit for forgiveness and freedom from sin! We no longer need to sacrifice because we have the Ultimate Sacrifice! We fast not because we want something but because we have already been given! We fast not because we realize the weight of our sin but the freedom from our sin! We fast because we are grieved at the death of our Saviour because of our sins but we are joyous in the Resurrection of His body! If our motive for Lent is purely selfish, then let us all have a heart check, there is still time to truly recognize this season for the purpose it was created to serve. Let us start our journey to the cross with a true understanding of Lent. Let us see our sins not as burdens failures guilt and shame but as redeemed and forgiven. Lead us to the cross, lead us to truly understanding once and for all this season of repentance and the joy that comes in the morning. Great is Your Faithfulness in forgiving through grace and mercy!

Lenten Post 1: Starting A New...

It has been a while since I last sat down and put my thoughts to words on a page. A lot has happened, from the birthday's of my nieces to holidays to the birth of a new little one, trials have mounted and blessings have abounded. We are almost a week into Lent and while I have already failed miserably at my Lenten fasts, I know today is a new day...so I am starting a new. As I have grown older it is easier for me to write than to speak face to face. Now, do not get me wrong, I love public speaking. If only the Lord had called me to be another Beth Moore, but there is only one Beth....she is truly one of a kind. But He has called me to be Jynne Stowe...with all the faults, sins, desires, goals, dreams, characteristics, talents, and gifts He has given me. So to the blog I will yet again head, starting a new. I may make it a year of writing, I may only make it through Lent, but I know the Lord has placed words on my heart, and if they are only for me to write to Him then that is all He truly wants. If they happen to bless others in the process then praise Him. One thing I have learned as I have gotten "wiser in my old age;)" is that the Lord's mercies are truly new every morning, that when our head hits the pillow at night and when it rises the next morning there is a new day He has given, there are new blessings to be counted, there are new opportunities to be taken, and the past is behind. His mercies are truly new every morning. And the one thing that never changes from dust to dawn is His faithfulness. Now, this does not give us the right to live as we desire constantly making excuses for "known" mistakes sinning with the thought of "I know I will be forgiven, tomorrow will be a new day." His forgiveness, grace, and mercy are not to be taken lightly nor for granted for if we truly desire Christ will will not desire to live in the flesh, sins and mistakes will be made but they are quickly repented of and turned from. But it does give us the comfort in knowing that what has been, has been and what will be, will be, but through it all His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is the same yesterday, today, and forever. To all who have started a Lenten fast and have already failed before even truly starting, start a new. For all who are struggling with the past, start a new. For all who are bogged down with the weight of sin, start a new. For all who are battling so many thoughts of the mind it feels like a 3-ring circus has come to town in your mind, start a new. His mercies are new every morning, Great is His Faithfulness....when we are not faithful, He is faithful, because He does not and can not disown His own. Today is a new day....praise Him in it, no matter what may come no matter what may fall in your path, He is faithful yesterday today tomorrow and forever.