We don’t experience our reality we experience our perspective.” When Steven Furtick a preacher I listen to on line spoke these words I had to stop and replay it.

Over and over I listened to these words. I have been talking about trying to choose joy these last few months a lot. For some reason Furtick’s words struck a cord with me.

Weekends are especially hard for me. I guess because Jeff and I spent every minute of the weekend together. It was very unusual for us to be apart. As I sat here at home one night last weekend I could feel the emotions start to bubble up. Please hear me when I say I have enough friends to keep me busy every minute of the weekends but the longing is for my man. Also, when I am busy loving and caring for others I don’t struggle with the emotions. Its when I sit alone and begin to think about my reality. Oh, and I could easily go down the wrong road very quickly. So I have to take literally every thought captive at that moment and go to Gods word and know what is true! At that moment!! Perspective!!

Today as I am writing this I turned to the verse Exodus 3:7-8 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good spacious land a land flowing with milk and honey.”

So here was my lesson for today. You see my reality of living the rest of my life without Jeff could be what takes me down. I could become a bitter, angry, resentful woman and close myself off to the rest of the world. Instead I am choosing  another perspective to experience. I am going to serve an Almighty God who is concerned about my suffering. His promise is to always rescue me and HE is going to bring me up out of this broken world into a good spacious land that is flowing with milk and honey in HIS time.

Lord, I don’t know why you took Jeff and left me here, but I do know one thing, I will keep my perspective on YOU and YOUR WORD all the days of my life. I wont do this perfectly but I know YOU will show me the way.

Lord I pray today that each of us would be able to take every thought captive and live our lives worthy of the ONE that has called us to live here on earth. I pray Father that you would help each of us wake up every morning and in spite of our circumstance be willing to lay down our lives for your plans Father. Help us keep our eyes fixed on you no matter what. In Jesus Name I pray ! Amen

 

 

We don’t experience our reality we experience our perspective.” When Steven Furtick a preacher I listen to on line spoke these words I had to stop and replay it.

Over and over I listened to these words. I have been talking about trying to choose joy these last few months a lot. For some reason Furtick’s words struck a cord with me.

Weekends are especially hard for me. I guess because Jeff and I spent every minute of the weekend together. It was very unusual for us to be apart. As I sat here at home one night last weekend I could feel the emotions start to bubble up. Please hear me when I say I have enough friends to keep me busy every minute of the weekends but the longing is for my man. Also, when I am busy loving and caring for others I don’t struggle with the emotions. Its when I sit alone and begin to think about my reality. Oh, and I could easily go down the wrong road very quickly. So I have to take literally every thought captive at that moment and go to Gods word and know what is true! At that moment!! Perspective!!

Today as I am writing this I turned to the verse Exodus 3:7-8 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good spacious land a land flowing with milk and honey.”

So here was my lesson for today. You see my reality of living the rest of my life without Jeff could be what takes me down. I could become a bitter, angry, resentful woman and close myself off to the rest of the world. Instead I am choosing  another perspective to experience. I am going to serve an Almighty God who is concerned about my suffering. His promise is to always rescue me and HE is going to bring me up out of this broken world into a good spacious land that is flowing with milk and honey in HIS time.

Lord, I don’t know why you took Jeff and left me here, but I do know one thing, I will keep my perspective on YOU and YOUR WORD all the days of my life. I wont do this perfectly but I know YOU will show me the way.

Lord I pray today that each of us would be able to take every thought captive and live our lives worthy of the ONE that has called us to live here on earth. I pray Father that you would help each of us wake up every morning and in spite of our circumstance be willing to lay down our lives for your plans Father. Help us keep our eyes fixed on you no matter what. In Jesus Name I pray ! Amen

It was night night time and Kate and I had just settled in bed to read a bed time story and her “demotional.” Kates hilarious way of saying devotional. This child brings me more joy than I can even begin to tell you. So we read the demotional and then I asked her if she had someone or something she wanted to pray for. She said “ Mimi how many more sleeps (her way of asking how many more days) until I see Papa (Jeff) and Jesus?” It’s a good thing it was dark because tears began to fall down my face as I tried to reply to this very simple question. I said “ Sweet girl I don’t know how many more days we have before we see Papa and Jesus again but I know that Papa is happy to be with Jesus and they are playing and having a great time together.” For the next 5 minutes she asked me question after question about heaven. A sweet longing from a three year old to see and play with her Papa again. I pray that as Kate grows that she will continue to have a deep thirst for the things of God.

At 47 I have that same longing. I know that only my Creator knows when I will be with HIM and Jeff .  Just like Kate I have a million questions to ask him, but for now I go to HIS word to give me all the comfort and peace I need.

Jude 20-21 says But you, dear friends build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

We are waiting Lord and for now we dream in wild expectation of being with you one day!

It was night night time and Kate and I had just settled in bed to read a bed time story and her “demotional.” Kates hilarious way of saying devotional. This child brings me more joy than I can even begin to tell you. So we read the demotional and then I asked her if she had someone or something she wanted to pray for. She said “ Mimi how many more sleeps (her way of asking how many more days) until I see Papa (Jeff) and Jesus?” It’s a good thing it was dark because tears began to fall down my face as I tried to reply to this very simple question. I said “ Sweet girl I don’t know how many more days we have before we see Papa and Jesus again but I know that Papa is happy to be with Jesus and they are playing and having a great time together.” For the next 5 minutes she asked me question after question about heaven. A sweet longing from a three year old to see and play with her Papa again. I pray that as Kate grows that she will continue to have a deep thirst for the things of God.

At 47 I have that same longing. I know that only my Creator knows when I will be with HIM and Jeff .  Just like Kate I have a million questions to ask him, but for now I go to HIS word to give me all the comfort and peace I need.

Jude 20-21 says But you, dear friends build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

We are waiting Lord and for now we dream in wild expectation of being with you one day!

 

Jeff and I were married on September 17, 1994. This Wednesday we would have been married for 20 years and together 24. It seems like just yesterday that we stood in that little Nashville Wedding Chapel and said I do. Looking back we had no idea the blessings that our life would hold. We had no idea how God would bless us beyond our wildest dreams. The first four years were not easy, but we persevered and as hard as I try I will never be able to put into words what a blessing this man was in my life.

Jeff wrote me a note almost every day of our married life. I wish I had kept them all. I do have a few hundred of them that I keep safe in  boxes next to my bed. As I read through them again and again, I am just amazed how a man could love a woman so deeply.

He shared with me the deepest parts of his heart. He gave me that piece of his heart that he never gave anyone else, and he taught me how to do the same with him.

What a blessing God gives us in marriage. There is no other relationship on earth that is bonded together like a man and a woman.

On our 15^th wedding anniversary with a help of a friend Jeff had a beautiful breakfast table set up in the middle of a park. White table linens, flowers, music, and my favorite breakfast. I remember sitting in that park feeling like the most loved and adored person on earth. There were people all around but I could only see him and his love for me. That’s beautiful love. I remember sitting in crowded rooms of people and looking across the room and finding Jeff’s eyes on me, true love!!

I believe that God had us recognize this deep love that we had for each other years ago for just this time in my life. Jeff and I talked about it and we did not take our deep love for one another for granted. We knew we had been given a gift.

I hope this letter today of me reminiscing about my love will spur you on to go and love big and boldly on the love of your life!!

Today I encourage you to go pray with your spouse. Go and love them like God intended for you to love them. Go and play with them, hug, kiss, forgive, laugh and dream together.

Just remember my friends God tell us this…

Though one may be overpowered

Two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly

broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

So for now I keep this note that Jeff wrote me framed at my bedside. It reminds me that love really does go on forever, and that the promises of God do too!!