There are many potential themes for the songs we sing with our lives. We can sing songs of accomplishment, songs of anxiety, songs of self-sufficiency, songs of overwhelm, songs of hurry, songs of importance, songs of the almost good. But allowing our song to be one of praise suggests an anchoring, a steadiness throughout the chaos that is life. Praise is the song that is appropriate for every occasion, when other songs become irrelevant. It suggests that for every circumstance, we turn to the God who is present and faithful and enough. It suggests that even when life is hard, God is comfort. That when life is good, God is the…
-
-
Revelation 21:5 | Memory Verse Collection
As we begin afresh with another year, I’m thankful for the promises of newness we find scattered throughout our lives. Each new year. Each new season. Each new morning. With every sunrise, I see this verse displayed and am filled with gratitude that we are made new in the same way the days are made new—over and over and over. I find this act of being made new to be less destination focused and more a matter of process. There is beauty waiting not just at the end, but also in the becoming, in the unfolding of that beauty along the way. I find encouragement in the way that after…
-
Ephesians 3:19 | Memory Verse Collection
I’ve already made about twenty lists to organize myself and my thoughts for the Christmas season: people to see and gifts to buy and cookies to bake and ornaments to make and menus to plan and blog posts to compose and cards to send, etc. I’ve already gone to the craft store far more times than one should and have spent far more time than I’d like perusing Amazon for the perfect toddler gifts. There’s been very little quiet and stillness and it actually has nothing to do with the fact that we have a two year old in our midst. My mind just grows exceptionally chaotic this time of…
-
Lamentations 2:22-23 | Memory Verse Collection
Our memory verse for November is found in Lamentations 2:22-23: “The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh every morning.” It seems appropriate that this month it would be a verse that focuses on abundance. That as we count our blessings, we would intentionally dwell in the abundance of God’s love and mercy. I find encouragement in the reminder of mercies anew each day because on the days that are hard and discouraging, it’s a welcome reminder of God’s ability to break the cycle of darkness and replace it with light. We carry around a lot of expectations…
-
John 1:16 | Memory Verse Collection
Since we desire to raise Graham as one who seeks hard after the good, the true, and the beautiful, I wanted to begin intentionally introducing him to truths that have enriched my own life. I find the memorization of scripture a helpful anchor to remember who we’re called and created to be. In my own life, I’ve been feeling prompted to be more intentional about extending grace. I’m grateful for the refreshing presence of a few friends in my life who embody grace for me, who inspire me to be the sort of person who is quick to assume the best of others, rather than the worst. Around them, it…
