That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless. By walking close to Me, you can accomplish My purposes in My strength. (Italics mine)
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this devotional book. It is simple, precise and God focused. This excerpt was from March 11th and speaks eloquently to me as I approach my 50th birthday. The last 12 years have been full of immense challenges: adopting a sibling group of three children with greater needs than we ever imagined; my sister's death at the age of 53; our oldest adopted daughter leaving for RTC and never coming back home; my parents having to go into a nursing home suddenly and dying within two years of each other, my mom to hypothermia outside her facility; and this past year with my son Joshua going off to college and Rachel getting married. I have faced many nights of insomnia, days and months of feeling years older than I am, fears of what the future looks like physically.
As I age, I have the choice to embrace my life with passion or face it with fear. I have an earthly body that was not designed to last forever. Aging is natural and with it comes experience and maturity. I can fight it with good eating habits, exercise and stress reduction but that won't stop the process. I love how this devotion puts the focus on trusting in God's strength, not our own.
I don't know what the future holds for us. My husband is finishing school and pursuing a church worship leader position. My children will grow up. Homeschooling will end. There will be changes and heartaches and physical pain, but I don't walk that path alone. God's strength is perfect to accomplish his purpose in me.
I love your heart! Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteMarty ((((HUGS)))))) to you thank you for posting this!!--I want you to know I read Jesus Calling every single day and what I read goes through my mind at the moment I need it the most--(remember there are days I am in the trenches:) --as much as my pride does not want always want to admit it and when things are good I have this crazy way of thinking Levi is cured and he will never struggle again with attachment :) don't I wish that was true! ha!
ReplyDeleteBut anyway I know it is truly jesus speaking though that book and I thank you and your blog for leading me to it!!! :)
You are amazing and you give me hope I am going to be 39 in a few weeks and i wonder all the time what we as a family will be doing in 10 years :) Maybe by then I would of have coffee with you! :)
Thank you for your writings! You need to write a book :)
Marty,
ReplyDelete"Therefore, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the father. . . " therein lies our hope. I visited from Be Not Weary today and am glad I did :)
Visiting from Titus 2 Tuesday...
ReplyDeleteI haven't read "Jesus Calling", but every quote I read presses me toward it.
Thank you for sharing...
Have a blessed Tuesday...