Three golden nuggets that shined for me in this article:

1. On paper, I am not qualified to do most of what God has placed on my plate.
2. I had experienced a genuine change of heart, but had allowed it to slip away.
3. ... but at least for today ...

It's so like God to use words written with one purpose to go out and speak something completely different to another set of ears. I love.Love.LOVE. that about His Word!!!

#1 speaks directly to that place in my soul that satan wants to chip away at, and attempts to do almost daily; to convict me of my lack of qualifications to (fill in the blank). BUT GOD ... (i also love those two words) is not calling me because of my resume or accomplishments, but out of His purposes for my life; and what He plans, His Word accomplishes.
#2 is a reminder regarding a subject so off my radar that reading those words this morning is like a wake up call of strong proportions. He is so clear in that sentence. He reminded me that He has already done the work I asked of Him almost a year ago, but that I have not nurtured that heart newness. I didn't even realize I needed this reminder.
#3 are five words that are breathing freedom into my soul and reminding me of the fact that HolySpirit is not here to convict me of what I didn't do yesterday, but convince me of who I am ... at least for today.

Thank you, Deb, for listening to the heart of the Father and being faithful to His calling to write what you hear.

Babs

"Grace breeds grace and gives you eyes to see the person, not the offense.”

Good Lawd, you could have just written that sentence and it would have been enough to slay me, but then you followed up with these words:

"It was hard because my heart wanted to hold on to judgment, but God was prodding it towards grace. He almost always wants to do that if we let him."

AND

"Our marriages are living, ever-changing exchanges between two imperfect people that need to daily draw from grace."

I asked HolySpirit this morning to speak into me perspective because last night I went to bed frustrated and miffed, and in all honesty, woke up that way too. [Just being real here.]

And then I opened my email and saw the title of this article sitting there, waiting for me. "The.Gracious.Wife." I had to grab a fresh cup of coffee because I just knew I was going to be wooed out of my pity-party and into the wise lap of my Father who understands my emotions but, more importantly, desires to align my heart with His.

Sometimes alignment hurts. Even more so, it's humbling because it requires choice. I can choose grace this morning, or I can choose offense. Oh, how my flesh desires the second choice. [Again, just being real here.] But, the Spirit of God ... well, He knows the beauty of grace and sings over me loud enough to cover the grumblings of my selfish soul.

So, I shall choose to join forces with HolySpirit and sing:

Grace, I call Your name
Oh won't Your smile fall over me
I'm cracked and dry on hands and knees
Oh sweet grace rain down on me
I need you grace...
I need eyes to be my guide
I need a voice that's louder than mine
~ Phil Wickham [Grace]

"After seeing the way my heavenly Father has pursued–and is continually pursuing–my heart, I cannot help knowing in my HEART the love He has for me."

Tender. Sweet. Romantic. The heart of a Father who woos and pursues. (rhyme not intentional).

love.Love.LOVE

"God seems way too content to leave things unfinished for long periods of time. He seems more intent on digging into our souls, than in satisfying our momentary needs for closure or comfort. He seems like He wants to grow us more than He wants to make things clear and predictable."

THIS is the mystery of the Living God. The very thing that keeps Him pursuing us, and us pursuing Him. To understand His ways requires a life-long, intimate journey, and even then we will not see fully until...

Give me a Father, indeed!

"If he [our enemy] can get you to believe any or all of those lies, if he can get you to build your container, then he’s achieved his goal. All it takes for him to get what he wants is for you to agree with him."

I am still learning the 'art' of disagreeing with my enemy and walking in full agreement with my Creator. It's a journey, seems like it's been a long one, but I'm so thankful that God is so incredibly set on shifting my focus that He's constantly speaking into that part of me that's still climbing out. Daily He's working on convincing me of the me He sees--He created--instead of the me I've believed I am.

This heart post is my today reminder; His whisper of who I am in His eyes.

Love and Hugs!

"For the greater good of all mankind, we remind our parents, our kids, our siblings, and sometimes our closest friends, of their past mistakes, just to make sure that they have learned their lesson, and don’t repeat their offense. When what they—we—really need is a complete release of the condemnation we sometimes unknowingly impose in exchange for some unsolicited forgiveness, grace and compassion for their situation or mistake."

BAM! That's it, right there. The lesson. The truth. The Gospel that forgiveness, grace and compassion will triumph over condemnation every time ... if we'll just walk out the former instead of the latter.

I loved reading your Momma's heart, and the tender yet truthful ways you guided her through a hurting situation. It's hard to watch our kids' hearts hurt, especially when they know they've caused pain to others, but you showed us that with grace and compassion and words of wisdom, hearts can be mended and lessons learned ... without condemnation.

Now that we would all apply this truth and wisdom to our own lives and fail, learn, grow and teach with a covering of grace.

Love and Hugs,
Babs

Nancy,

A fitting article for me on a Monday. Many times my weekends are so full, even if they're filled with fun, that by Monday all I want is a day to just do nothing; because even on the weekends, Moms still have a house to run and mouths to feed. But then I run this mental game with myself about taking it easy or putting the house back together after the full weekend. Sit down and read blogs that move and inspire me and draw me closer to Jesus, which is such a favorite thing of mine to do? Or be responsible because the bathroom needs cleaning, laundry is waiting, and a home is never really clean enough, right? There's always more to do when just enough has been done.

But then I read your comment about sniping at the kids. That's a pretty clear sign to me that my spirit is restless, my emotions are on the fringe and my body is tired. Some would just blame it on PMS, but we ladies know the difference ... when there is a difference.

My home and my kids are my job. And even in that tired moment when I'll get to the point of voicing my frustration about not having "normal working hours", I still have that nagging in the back of my mind that it's not fair for me to be relaxing on Monday when Husband has gone back to work and the kids are back to school (both public and home).

Will my home-schooled daughter see me as lazy?
Will my husband ask what I did today and I'll shrink away from the question because I can't fill it with a laundry list of to-do's checked off?
Will I look back on the day and approve of the rest or feel guilty that I should have been productive? After all, doesn't a busy Sunday filled with fun really count as a Sabbath? Why should I get two?

Yes, this is my struggle--not for overall rest like you--because I don't burn any candle on 12 sides, but for rest on that day [Monday] when the time is available and my house is quiet (for the most part).

I think as I write, the answer is becoming clear. God works with me a lot like that. Somehow typing fingers are one of His favorite tools of communication with me. That's just how we roll together.

So, in the end, thank you for sharing your struggle and the rest God has called you to. And enjoy your December like never before! Unwrap each day like a gift and see what God has in store with each new morning.

Love and Hugs,
Babs

What a great analogy to what Bob wrote. Love how God reveals to bring even further clarity and purpose. Loved this.

Reading your testimony was like flipping through blogs of mine from a few years ago to today. Loss of business and home. Wondering where the next meal for your family was going to come from. Living on manna. But always having manna provided. (Amen!)

I resonate with so much of what's written here and even though I've walked such similar rodes, I still wasn't expecting your ending statement:

"The Lord was telling me that my bank account does not show whether I am in the Promised Land or not, but my heart does."

That is dripping with God's glory and truth!

Whether one has walked your road or not, those words fit into any situation, any circumstance, any testimony, any heart. You were the story. God was the period at the end of it.

Having walked similar roads, I get that this 'story' is not over. We, too, are still walking out of financial loss but watching the rebuilding as we go. Life is not about the pretty bow that ties everything up, nice and neat. It's not about the 'happy ending' we see in movies where success equals earthly riches. It's about lessons learned, hope restored, character built, and hearts changed. AND God receiving the praise and glory for all of it.

LOVED this!

"Esther knew where she had come from. She knew what her past looked like. She could have let that disqualify her, let it keep her from putting on that robe. She chose instead to put it on, despite her fear."

Nancy, I feel like this sentence sums up my past. That sounds good--my [past]--not my present, my right now, or my future. YES! Oh, that it's taken me 44 years to take the robe off the hook and put it on ... despite [my] fear, yet God still has great plans for the best half of my life that awaits me!

"Esther had been placed strategically within the palace; that’s obvious. But she had to choose to embrace her position. Nothing was going to magically happen. She had to step out, push through—be audacious."

I love,Love,LOVE this! StepOut&PushThrough! Sounds like a great title for a book, eh? My brain thinks like that often. But seriously, this is truth in action. I think we can sometimes get so absorbed by the truth and all its yummy goodness that we forget the next step ... ACTion!

As I sit here reading this on a this quiet Monday morning, your words have inspired me to continue to seek that which God so desires for me to do some 'SteppingOut' and 'PushingThrough'.

And ... this was bee-U-ti-FULLY written! It was like every word had a musical note attached to it and I was reading a song.

Hugs and Love to YOU ... A True Word Warrior!

~Babs