Mornings are my jam. I go to bed excited about my coffee. Looking forward to the early morning quiet.
In recent days, my eyes pop open around 5:00am. I take my thyroid medicine I faithfully put in a tiny, colorful, ceramic bowl on my bedside table the night before. I lay in bed for about thirty minutes because you can’t eat or drink for that long after taking the medicine. I pray, usually reciting, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” My mind often starts to think about the day ahead. I try to push back on the mental to do list—it’s not quite time for all of that.
I start my day with an apple peel. Weird, but there’s purpose, according to Joel Greene.
Then, I pour my coffee and take my bed-head self outside to sit and just be.
I hear the birds chirping. Sometimes I feel a breeze. There’s a stillness to the morning that only lasts for so long before it’s replaced with roaring trash trucks, buzzing lawn mowers, and the heat of the day.
The other morning the clouds filled the sky in a gray haze. For a long while it remained darker than normal. I prayed for Josh, Ruby, Molly, and Mack in all their days had in store for them. Praying they would walk in God’s purposes and sense His good presence with them. I prayed for our church and our need for a new pastor—praying that wherever that man is, he would even now feel a restlessness stirring as God prepares him for his next steps. I brought a certain situation to the Lord that has for years been a part of my prayers. Years. There is uncertainty around it. Frustration. Doubt that I am doing anything right in regards to this situation. A real need for wisdom and help and belief that things will turn around.
As I looked up to the hazy sky, hoping some of the obstructed sunlight was somehow making its way into my eyes so my circadian rhythm can be in tip-top shape, I spotted a little opening. That opening was bright blue. The sun was shining just like normal behind all the clouds. It so clearly reminded me that God’s perspective is never, ever, ever blocked or limited. No matter how dark and hazy my eyes tell me things are, God is always working, always seeing things perfectly clear. Unhindered. Unrestrained. Unlimited.
I see one tiny corner, and God sees the entire landscape. His ways are higher. His thoughts are not like mine—thank the Lord for that.
Maybe you’re walking a gray, hazy, cloudy path. Let faith arise. Continue to believe that God sees it all and can be trusted with every detail whether or not you see a break in the clouds just yet.
Josh and I had a blast taking a drive over to the mountains of Georgia to watch our friend’s daughter get married. These aren’t just any old friends. They were the very first newlywed friends we had. And we realized quickly we lived in the same apartment complex. When Josh started teaching our Sunday School class, they started taking care of the class role and getting info from our visitors. This went on from roughly late 2001 til 2016! They are as faithful, steady and consistent as they come. And we were thrilled to watch them marry off their daughter. The little baby girl we remember being born. It was surreal. I don’t feel 49 years old at all, but when I saw the Mother of the Bride walking down the aisle and then the Father of the Bride walking down the aisle with baby Kayla and then mustering up all that is in him to get out the words, “Her mother and I do,” well that was just a lot to take in. I sort of felt all of 49 in that moment.
All of these people are all just the best. So funny. So caring. So dedicated to one another. So generous towards their kids. Just the best. I am so thankful for all those younger years we had together. “Doing life together” or “Living in Community” is thrown around a lot in churches these days…well, we were doing that when it wasn’t called anything in particular. And it was such a gift. A gift I am more appreciative of now than I was even then.
Josh and I spent the night before in Gainesville and enjoyed getting out of town for a bit.
We found a trail after breakfast.
We watched MOlly’s church online.
And we got an update on Rolo while she was at daycare.
Always fun to be with Josh no matter where we are!
I traveled to Indonesia in 2010 with a group from my church to visit a friend. We were also hosting a women’s event for other ladies who also moved across the world to do the same thing my friend was doing.
We went shopping one day. My friend helped me with negotiations and communication to buy this mug.
One early morning on our trip before the women’s event was set to begin, I sat in an upstairs room of a building facing Singapore. It seemed as if God planted me there in this particular chair and made sure I was just so situated where I could see several large ships moving slowly over the vast waters. There were ports along the coast. The sun was coming up and the sky was clear. I was set to read from Psalm 107 already in my Bible reading plan.
At the same time, back home, we were in misery because we had over-extended ourselves to build a beautiful dream home that we really wanted—until we got it and it nearly took us under. It was 2009 and 2010 when we built and moved into the home, and the after-effects of the 2008 market crash were upon us. Josh was in the commercial real estate business. Things were not going well. The Lord used His Word and His presence to help us see that we needed to sell our dream home. This was all going to be in my future as I sat facing Singapore. I didn’t know how it would all work out, but I knew God was prying my hands open from all the things of the world that I thought I wanted…that I thought would bring happiness and peace. And the Lord took me halfway around the world to remind me He rescues His children. He sees them at their wits’ end and comes to help. He was in charge of the details that kept me awake at night. He was going to perform miracles for us even though it was our mess we got into all on our own.
Psalm 107:23- 31 “Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters; they have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their souls melted away in their misery. They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, and were at the their wits’ end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet, so He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness and for His wonders to the sons of men!”
In our case, He guided us back to our first home. We had leased it to a family, and they were moving out as we sold our dream home and needed a place to live. Let me tell you—we were so happy to be back in that house. It was like we could breathe again. The Lord worked out every detail and rescued us.
Ok, so what does this have to do with this mug?! Well, after that trip I used this mug for my coffee every morning as I sat with my open Bible and open heart to hear from God. Many mornings I sipped from this mug, journaling and praying while Mack stood and played with his hot wheels “quietly” on the table next to me. I held this warm mug through asking for wisdom on home schooling, on being a wife and mom, on how to be a good friend, on how to accept the shape of my body, and more. This mug was with me as God showed me clearly He was going to get us out of our home without making one single penny on the sale.
One day when I picked up the mug, I heard a quiet “cracking” in the handle. I decided to retire the mug and set it in our glass cabinet on display many, many years ago. It hasn’t been used in so long, but when I was rearranging some things in our kitchen over the weekend, I held this mug and thanked the Lord for His lovingkindness and His wonders He worked for us in that season.
It’s good to remember the times God met you in your messes. It’s good to remember His loving ways, His graciousness, His kindness, His miracles, His provision, His guidance…and speak them out loud! Tell your children. Recount it with your spouse. Tell a friend. It will fuel your faith for the trials you face today. I know it did mine!
There is a lot more to this season of our story. But suffice it to say, this pretty little mug reminded me that my cup runneth over! God has been good to me.
