Who

Words are only painted fire; a look is the fire itself.
Mark Twain

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

I couldn't resist.  December 1st, today and in so many ways, I'm glad November is behind me. I've been away from here for a while because I participated in NaNoWriMo. And I 'won'!  The experience is one I'm so grateful for and one which will take me who knows how long to process.  

Going in, I almost thought of it all as a joke- for me.  How would I write a novel, a brand new novel with all else in my daily life? But God, in His amazing way, found fit to bring to me an idea, to give me time off from my school, to come every day to where I wrote, and to teach me of Him, further and deeper.  It was all a gift. Whether anything happens ever with my story, I know that it was an avenue He used to strengthen my relationship with Him.

And in the midst of that beautiful gift, my home life went haywire. Thankfully, not due to all my time writing. But circumstances, hidden, God chose to reveal last month and here, there are not words to describe the feelings behind the happenings. And I don't understand the timing anymore than I understand the circumstance,but I know that as I wrote about a girl seeking Jesus, Jesus sought me.  

And so I don't know what the future holds. But I know Who holds my future. 

wonderland

Called

I've been called.  I don't know most days what that means.  How to take it beyond that.

Called into the light, given the mind of Christ, called to do all for His glory.

But most of the time, I lose sight of this.  Most of the time I feel like all I've been called to is being a mother and that I'm not even very good at that.  Then I wonder if I was even called to that.

But the truth is my very identity is His.  In Him.  He called me by name.  To be His child.  And He knows me intimately, loves me grandly.

It's an invitation, an appointing.  It's a daily submission, a daily seeking to figure out what all that means.

He calls me away, to come away from the world, to rest, to be with Him.

He calls me to serve, to help build His kingdom.  To give of myself as He gave of Himself.

And I'm not great at that.  But my name was called and the invitation is irrevocable.  And as His child I know that He does not grow weary of me, He has hopes and dreams for me, He sees the future and the good.  Where I am blind and tired and hopeless, I remember that I was called.  I am called.  And so I show up.  Every day.





Submitting at: holley gerth,  wonderland and