We are all shipwrecks

There is a difference between things being hard and things being out of control.

Sometimes in the moment we believe that the latter must be stabilized before God can work in and through us. We grasp to get things under control before we turn to God. Why? I've done it because I think I'm unworthy to come to the cross as a broken person.

How incorrect I am when I think this folly. For it is the broken-hearted who find rest{oration} at the cross; those trying to be perfect before approaching the cross continue to busy themselves with just that when they get there- trying to hold it all together.

The cross held the broken body of our perfect Saviour,

why do we think we need to come looking any better?

It's when we are in the center of out-of-control that we most realize our need for God and should call out to Him. But fear keeps us at bay sometimes, doesn't it? Maybe it's the fear that God won't rescue us, won't accept us, or will see how broken we really are.Or perhaps it's really the fear of accepting that we can't rescue ourselves, accepting our own brokenness, and we project that onto God. But He sees our brokenness... every tiny crack in our masks. And He loves and accept us.

There is no storm that God is overwhelmed by and no face of hardship He cowers away from.

We are all broken. And we are all welcome at the cross, in our brokenness.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

Walking it Well

Walking it well - I’m intrigued by the phrase. It’s a goal to be sure. There are ways in which we can be walking through and responding to difficult times unwell. Those methods are pretty obvious in hind sight, and may have some regrettable consequences. It would be nice to avoid them altogether.

What does walking it well look like? I can’t measure success in this like a true/false quiz; there’s no studying for it beforehand. How do I know if I’m doing it right? Can 40% of my grade come from motive and my desire to do well?

There’s no grade, Sarah. I’m gently reminded.

I believe walking difficult times well begins with a soft heart, which is so hard to develop and live with in a difficult space. Having a soft heart means you live in the reality of the pain more often. And who wants to do that?

In a difficult, painful season of life walking it well requires work and effort that we may feel too exhausted to offer at the time. It means watching our actions and words even more closely because our moral compass isn't pointing straight north with our emotions flying around as they do.


But we do not walk alone, which makes the goal of walking well an achievable option. We won't be perfect; we will trip and fall at times, but Jesus walks with us.


Emmanuel, God with us.


Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Disciplining Kids.:.

This past summer after a week of kid's camp, a leader older than I, and parent himself, approached me and said, "Sarah, you're really gifted at disciplining kids."


Thank you, I think?

It got me thinking.... the point of discipline is restoration, not humiliation. Disciplining a child in the moment out of frustration you're experiencing, just because you need a few moment's peace is not the way to go.

That's reacting instead of responding.

When kids react poorly to a sitution, we often find ourselves asking why they are behaving that way. Perhaps they have forgotten who they are.

"We all have moments of spiritual amnesia where we forget we are sons/daughters of the King. It's not a matter of head knowledge but of the heart." -Michelle Anthony

If we're honest, our own poor life choices stem from insecurity, where we too have forgotten who we are, and our worth in the eyes of the King. And further honesty would admit that at one time, we were where those kids are.

Disciplining a child without providing a glimmer of hope about who they were created to be is pointless. Children know right from wrong - especially when they have been wronged.

The goal rather should be partnering with the work God is doing, helping each child see their potential and empowering them to make better and wiser decisions as they grow.

As a parent or children's ministry worker, you have a golden opportunity to facilitate and foster Biblical Discipline:
- a discipline that brings them closer to God rather than pushing them away;
- a discipline that embraces rather than shuns;
- a discipline that extends grace, over legalism.


"Grace understands that the only real solution for our children’s sin is the work of Christ on their behalf. . .  Legalism uses outside forces to help children maintain their moral walk. Their strength is based on the environment they live in. Grace, on the other hand, sees the strength of children by what is inside them—more specifically, Who is inside them." - Tim Kimmel


I've found the conscious parenting page on Facebook to be a great resource for similar daily reminders and some tips.


Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Workouts.:.

When was the last time you had a really good work out? I'm talking about one of those good-for-the-soul, gave-a-little-extra, feel-on-top-of-the-world-even-though-you-can't-stand-up-anymore workouts. Maybe you went for a run or perhaps you participated in a group class of some kind? I confess I haven't had one of those physical workouts in a while.

But I'm really okay with that ... because recently, I have other muscles that are being toned, worked and pushed: the muscles of my faith. Don't get me wrong, I totally endorse physical activity as a healthy way to release stress, especially during difficult soul journey moments.

But sometimes the soul work the Lord is doing in us requires all of our physical strength too. Perhaps that's why it's so important to be in good shape - so that when our hearts and souls are in those immediate pressure situations, we can draw on the strength we have developed. At the very least, that is most definitely why we need to be strengthening our faith muscles in the off seasons.

So often though, we don't train our faith muscles in the less intense seasons of our heart journeys. Yet, it is in the quiet times where we rest and build up our strength for the times when we are tested. Reading the Bible, seeking the Lord, and practicing spiritual disciplines all contribute to exercising our faith muscles.

Jesus practiced in the off seasons. The Bible says that “Jesus grew in wisdom…” (Luke 2:52). Being fully human, he had to learn and prepare before he too was tested. And He drew on those lessons during his desert temptation - quoting scripture He had spent time memorizing. For a while, I thought that those verses and the strength to resist just magically came to Him because He was fully God. But He was also fully human, and He had to learn. What an amazing example He sets for us. We know firsthand that it’s not as easy as a wave of a magic wand.

When the muscles of our faith are tested,

it looks painful {just like the physical}.

Training is not easy work. It takes motivation, effort and discipline. It’s a very real reality for me that I pretty much need to exert the same amount of effort to psych myself up for a work out that the workout itself will take. But isn’t it true that the worthwhile things take effort?

Our faith muscles need to grow too. At times, it will be painful for us. It’s also painful to watch others go through those seasons – whether it’s our kids, friends, those we work with or other family members. But we have a trainer who knows what He’s doing. We can trust Him. He knows us so much more intimately than we know ourselves.

Are you in a time of training right now? Utilize it. Are you in a time of testing right now? Endure it. God is in control – you can trust that both of these seasons have value, and whatever one you’re currently in, have faith that you will see the other one soon.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.It's okay, right?.:.

Her five year old determination was taking over: the desire to be independant and able to do things on her own. She had already asked for my help once, she was sure she wouldn't need to again.

Riiiiipppppp.

The piece of construction paper had ripped almost in half as she had tried to pull it from the pack.

Oh no. How was she going to react? Tears? Anger? A firm resolve not to make a card anymore?

A look of startlement came over her face.

Blink. Silence. Blink. More silence.

Each blink seemed to parrallel an acceptance of the situation.

Processing... accept... blink. Repeat.

A few seconds went by, she looked at me and said, "It's okay that my beautiful pink paper ripped, right?"

A look of startlement came over MY face.

Blink {processing, accept and repeat}. Blink.

Why wasn't she upset?! She had been so careful, and now it was ruined.

My perfectionist tendencies emerged

and I projected my own internal immediate reactions onto her.

"Yes, it is okay." I responded, astounded by how the maturity her response showed highlighted my own immaturity.

She continued to take the page out of the book, placed it in front of her and started to decorate it.

The pink paper won't ever be the same, but it is okay. It will still look beautiful. It is still usable. It will still be loved by whoever receives that card because she saw it's potential.

Two hours babysitting... and the Lord teaches me about His grace and redemptive heart.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Shining Armour.:.

Last night, I read through Ephesians with some friends. Reading through a book of the Bible in one sitting is very different from reading through that same book slowly a few verses at a time, and both ways of reading are so enriching. This little section stood out to me last night:

Ephesians 6¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." (emphasis mine).

Standing and wearing the armour is sometimes enough. Other days, you fight and the battle is long and hard. But some days, just standing with the armour on will scare the enemy away, because you look prepared to fight... even if you don't feel like it. That is good news, friends. Because some days, all my energy goes into standing up and not an ounce of me is left to fight. {But just stand? I can do that! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...} Thank you, Lord, that you equip us for all situations, and that some days, to stand and wear the armour is all you ask me to do, as you fight the battle for me.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Daily Battles.:.

That voice inside you

that highlights others' successes

to remind you of your own failures?

It's time to ignore it.

A daily battle for a perfectionist.

You are equipped

with the Helmet of Salvation (Eph 6:17)

to take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5).

Be patient and gentle with yourself.

Another daily battle for a perfectionist.

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Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.