The summer before my first year in high school, my family moved from Alaska to Texas. We journeyed slowly in our minivan, and I remember enjoying the "in between" stage. I was leaving one chapter of my life, but I haven't arrived at the next chapter. It was a wonderfully blissful intermission, and I took time to rest, think and enjoy every moment. My childlike faith trusted that everything was going to be okay.

It wasn't until much later that I realized how stressful that time must have been for my parents. They had no connections, no home and no job where we were moving, and they had a family to provide for. I find it interesting that two people can be in the same situation, yet one person will find joy and the other anxiety. Now that I have a family, I find myself in the position of worry, instead having the childlike faith that everything will be okay.

I'm learning, though, that God gives us "in between" stages. He gives us "summers" to relax and enjoy life; however, many times we don't take advantage of His peaceful offering. We sometimes sabotage our Holy Holidays by worrying about tomorrow, but we want to change our doubt to faith. We are determined to seek rest in God's presence and enjoy those lazy days that He has for us. God takes immense pleasure in us, and He wants  us to take pleasure in Him.

The contributing writers in this issue desire to lay hold of God's peace and enjoy the blissful intermissions that He has prepared. The voices here discuss those things that define summer: playing at beaches, gardening, fishing and relaxing in the sun. They also write about family vacations, marriages and the changing of seasons. The warm memories that fill the long summer days scatter these articles like a starry sky in the late summer night. We hope you find a moment to relax and enjoy our gifts of restoration.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6.33-34 NIV).

Siesta Key Beach filled the horizon, and bright white sand meshed perfectly with sparkling sapphire water. Umbrellas dotted the landscape like trees, while dozens of sun-seekers walked along the water's edge, admiring one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida. A surprisingly graceful pelican swooped at the water in search of lunch. My toes curled into the flour-like sand as our boys ran excitedly toward the waves.

Six-year old Cole was on a mission to start a seashell collection while his brother herded seagulls on the shoreline. Chase's screeching laughter was drowned out by the seagulls annoyed cries and the gently crashing waves. Cole spent much of his time hunkered down, diligently searching through the seashell blanket connecting water to sand. After a few minutes the tattered Wal-Mart bag in his hand was bursting with sharp seashell points and damp sand. I offered to trade Cole my nearly-empty bag and he eagerly accepted.

As he headed up the shoreline to fill the second bag, I looked down into his collection of shells. Expecting beauty, I found brokenness. Instead of whole seashells, I counted dozens of shell pieces. The only common element was their obvious imperfection. Cracked, damaged seashells stretched the sides of the bag. Nestled among seashells were a few unusual, sea-mangled rocks masquerading as shells. How different from my small seashell collection!

The few seashells I picked up that sunny afternoon were perfect and pleasing to the eye; I specifically overlooked the broken shells on the water's edge because they weren't whole. I saw no beauty in what was obviously damaged, yet Cole was fascinated with his motley collection of sea-tossed beach treasures.  I praise God that He does the same with us.  

I'm a cracked, imperfect seashell. We all are. Some might even feel like a misshapen rock hiding among seashells, or that we're broken into irreparable pieces. But our gracious Heavenly Father gently picks us up -- in our broken, useless state -- and places us securely in His treasured collection. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NKJV).

Battered by the pounding waves of life and floating along the tide of sinfulness, we're a world away from beauty and perfection. More accurately, we're a Garden away. Yet God loved us so much that He sent His perfect Son in order to redeem His creation.  What amazing grace! At salvation, our brokenness is perfected by the righteousness of Jesus. Not of ourselves, but solely through His completed work on the cross. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, NKJV).

As Cole ran excitedly down the beach carrying his second bag full of broken treasures, I gave thanks that our loving Creator did the same for each of us.

Kerry grew up exploring the woods in Connecticut and reading any book she could get her hands on,

sometimes at the same time. Now transplanted to sunny Florida, she still loves to read and write, which come third only to her love for her Savior and to her loud and very ticklish family. Her patient hubby Trevor keeps her feet on earth and their two bouncing big boys, Cole and Chase, give the best hugs ever. She finally worked up her courage to join the blogosphere, A Lamp, a Light, and a Writer, where she enjoys writing about God's work and His Word in and throughout her life.

The Fruitful Soil

I am an independent thinker who usually believes she has the right answer for most situations. I am also an only child who went to college, has a stubborn streak, was not afraid to take the lead in areas where I felt confident, lost my father to cancer at age 16, and became a survivor--albeit a sensitive one. All of those traits can be healthy when you are making decisions on your own.

However, when you find the man of your dreams in your mid-twenties and you are ready to waltz down that white-lined aisle of a church bedecked in carnations and daisies, those traits need tempering. As my mother used to say, "Marriage is like fitting two feet into one shoe." A rough Italian translation that means, "It's going to be uncomfortable making two different personalities blend into one."

As a knowledgeable, educated young woman, I assumed I knew better than my mother's old world sayings. In my marriage, we were going to make all the right decisions. "Holly Hobbie" and the eternal optimist lived in my heart. It was just that my emotions did not always agree with all that logical, Biblical, head knowledge I had gained over the years. The emotions would scatter all education, determination, and beliefs into the cars of a roller coaster racing down the "Scream" at Six Flags. Something was bound to fly out before hitting the level tracks.

From these rough, jostling rides, I've garnered two lessons:

1. "Do not let the sun go down on your anger." Ephesians 4:6 That is an Amen!
2. And submit that stubborn streak to the one whom the Lord appointed to be the head and protector of your household.

When the topic of submission comes up these days, everyone skirts the issue. For good reason. Submission has been misused by some as a way to abuse another verbally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically--all in the name of Christianity. It has also provided a way for one spouse to manipulate the other in such a way that he always has the final word.

Upon close examination, that is not what the Holy Spirit is speaking through Paul in Ephesians. The other half of the passage admonishes a husband to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. If the husband is acting in a sacrificial way, his love will dominate the household, not his self will. I would advise you to read the whole passage in Ephesians 5:22-33 and seek the Lord's heart.

With that clarification, I would like to retell an event in my life where the Lord made it clear to me how He was calling me to be more submissive.

There are few times when my husband has imposed his will upon mine, but they stand out in our marriage as times where the mighty hand of God was moving.

One such instance occurred on a cozy winter evening while I was cuddled up with my plans for the week ahead. Our monthly Women's Fellowship was just a few days away with the promise of refreshment and encouragement. As I contemplated that evening, I pictured the day that would follow it and our drive into God's glorious snow-covered mountains.

As I savored these delightful plans, my husband broke into my reverie and announced we would have to leave for the mountains a day earlier. "This would not work," I thought. "Women's Fellowship is that evening." I was sure once I explained this to him, he would agree to resume our original plan.

However, my husband refused to budge. He insisted we travel up with one of the other families. In my mind, nothing could be more important than Women's Fellowship! We argued the benefits of each one's viewpoint, but in the end I reluctantly buried my plans and allowed my husband's decision to override mine. The words of Ephesians 5:22-30 echoing off the wall of my mind. The Submission passage. Wives submitting to husbands as to the Lord.

Submission is one of those spiritual attitudes that sticks in the mind and gets clogged on its way to the heart. My heart wrestled hard against the idea of leaving one day early. With legs of lead, I headed to the bedroom, mentally packing for the snow.

A few days later as we journeyed with the other family up the winding, dark mountain road, my husband discovered we had a few car issues. Not enough gas--and chains that did not fit. Rounding a bend in the road, we spotted a beacon of light--an open gas station nestled in the mountain.

We all pulled in, the other husband shaking his head, amazed and amused. They were always prepared and here was our family--ill-equipped, yet bailed out. The gas station closed as we maneuvered our now well-equipped cars onto the road. It wasn't long, however, before our friend's car encountered serious mechanical problems.

As his engine sputtered, we searched for a safe pullout snug against the mountains. While the husbands poked their heads under the car's hood, I flipped on the overhead light, and turned to play with our cherub-faced toddler in the back car seat.

I could see our friend shaking his head again--this time in disbelief. Our befuddled friend asked my husband the question lurking in his mind, "How does an ill-prepared family such as ours get bailed out while his family, who was well prepared, struggle up the mountain?"

He knew we had a different relationship with the Lord than he and his family. The questions were coming fast, and my husband had the opportunity to share with him about the Lord's great provision when we humans are weak.

The rest of the weekend was flooded with questions about the Lord, our Bible Study, our community of believers, the foundation for how we believed. For our friends, this was their beginning of a journey with Jesus. When I looked back on that weekend, I wondered what would have happened if we had stayed behind the extra day so that I could be filled with Jesus at the women's gathering? I would have been filled, but what about our friends?

For me, that weekend was a lesson on how "submission meets love" when I choose to obey the Lord. I can't say that I always follow the lesson learned, but that I have to relearn it often as I have a strong-willed, independent, only-child streak that runs through my thinking.

"Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22 NIV
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." Ephesians 5:25 NIV

~ Janis Van Keuren

Writer, wife, mother, and a special education assistant, I'm full of joy at how I have experienced Jesus in the everyday, ordinary life. I'm a seasoned woman, married to my ever-patient, loving husband of 35 years, and we have two adopted sons who are grown young men with careers and adventures of their own. I've tasted the Lord in His creation, in the treasure of long-time friendships, in giddy girl times, in answered prayer, in His Word, and, yes, in journeys with Him through the valleys of life. Through my experiences and insight, I hope to inspire others to find Christ walking right by their side.

Links for me include my blog: http://openmyearslord.blogspot.com

twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/openmyearslord

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Author Interview: Susan Lawrence & Bible Study Giveaway

Discover Pure Purpose - in the midst of your experiences, questions, and relationships - and discover who God is and what he intends for your life. Finding the answers won't be easy. You'll need to commit to digging into God's Word and looking in the mirror at the reflection of the woman God intends you to become. You'll be challenged to apply what you're learning in everyday life.

You can start Pure Purpose on your own or with a small group. You'll begin each week with a Starter Session, followed by five Make It Personal sessions. Three of the sessions will be personal study, and two will include reflection and action, during which you'll apply several verses to your life as well as take action. God's Word is essential - so essential that we need to both know it and live it out in our everyday lives.

Q: Your first Bible study, Pure Purpose, released last year. Did you always inspire to be a writer?

A: Yes...and no. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a writer, but I also dreamed of becoming a zoologist, gymnast, mom, and physical therapist. I started writing Pure Purpose out of necessity with no plan to publish it. A small group of women at church were searching for a Bible study that would challenge them as women of God in all areas of their lives. They wanted to experience significant growth in a relevant, relational way, and they asked me to write it. I repeatedly said "no." They persisted until I agreed to pray about it (yes, of course, it would have been a better idea to start with prayer!). Guess what? God apparently had plans that differed from mine, and it's been quite a journey since I place my steps in each footprint he's making just ahead of me!

It's funny how we sometimes learn the very lessons we're teaching, because that's really what Pure Purpose is all about. We struggle with decisions. We wrestle with the past, get paralyzed in the present, and stress about the future. God uses us just where we are when we're willing. We can spend our time trying to figure it all out, or we can spend our time getting to know God's character. When we peek at ourselves in God's mirror instead of our own, we see ourselves as God sees us. As we learn what God says about obedience, service, love, discipline, humility and more, we draw closer to him, and we rely on truth more and struggle with our own junk less.

Q: You begin Pure Purpose with a chapter on Baggage, which might be uncomfortable for women. Share why you chose it to begin the study.

A: I think most women are uncomfortable when dealing with baggage, because we've been taught all baggage is bad and should be left behind. I disagree. When I pack for the beach, I need certain things, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, and a towel. When I hike in the mountains, I need water, hiking shoes, a snack, and a map. We need supplies along the way, and we use baggage from our past for the present and future. The problem isn't the baggage itself; it's discerning what needs to be left behind and what's useful for today or for tomorrow. We need to go through a process of letting God decide for us what to throw away, what to set aside, and what to pick up and carry.

Pure Purpose is a journey, and until we deal with some baggage, we're going to be ill-equipped. We'll be unprepared or overburdened. God doesn't want either for us. Because Pure Purpose is a journey that goes beyond a 10-week study and impacts everyday living, I was certain we all needed to start dealing with some baggage.

Q: Your second Bible study, Pure Emotion, releases the first week of June. Can you tell us a little about it?

A: As I consult with women in ministry around the world, I hear the emotions pouring through their words. I see emotions dancing and weeping in their eyes as I speak at conferences. So many of the emotions we experience entangle us. We feel like puppets responding to and making decisions based on our emotions. We excuse erratic behavior because of our emotions. We also enjoy life because of emotions. We passionately serve out of emotions.

I was compelled to search God's Word for the truth about emotions, and the truth is - emotions saturate Scripture. God is an emotional God - not in the same way we talk about an emotional woman or emotional person. But God is certainly aware of the runaway emotions we're referring to when we put a negative spin on emotions. We can't escape God's presence. That means he sees and hears alongside us, including our (often messy) emotions. And if we let him, God will replace those untruthful messages we've learned about emotions along the journey of life with the truthful messages reflecting his character, will, and commands.

Pure Emotion is a process of learning the difference between godly and ungodly emotions, including fear, jealousy, anger, anxiety, peace, frustration, guilt, shame, and joy.

About the Author:

Susan Lawrence is a women's ministry consultant who is passionate about equipping and encouraging women. In addition to authoring two women's Bible studies, she regularly contributes to Internet Café Devotions, Just Between Us magazine, Expresso and more. She's a national speaker and loves to lead Bible studies near home in central Illinois. Susan loves dark chocolate and long walks, especially when her toes are in sand!

www.purepurposebook.wordpress.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/PurePurpose

www.facebook.com/PurePurpose

www.twitter.com/susanhlawrence 

Win a copy of this powerful study! Email sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com to enter! Winner will be chosen 5/8/11.

"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." (Genesis 3:8, NIV).

Summer is great for many reasons:  ice cream, swimming, and flip-flops. But, my favorite part of the day is in the evening when the warmth and heat -- even the heat of activity and busyness -- comes to a slow cool. Peace washes over my thoughts and the calming evening quiets my mind as I walk around the shady backyard. While this is a simple act, walking amongst the cool, it is easy to dismiss this activity in our busy lives. But, why is this?

Jesus walked with God in the cool of the day. Through their talk and walk, God refreshed and renewed Christ; infusing new life into his flesh. Jesus went into the gardens, mountains or fields to pray and he did this to restore himself and renew his strength. God also walked with Adam and Even in the cool of the day in Eden. Can you imagine that? A real, daily conversation with God.

While I tend to recover my energy at the day's end by plopping down on the sofa to watch a show or the news, it is not an ideal action. Though it's not bad, I have to wonder: Where does God place in my life? Is it only in a quick prayer before sleep? Or is it a petition-filled monologue first thing in the morning? If God walked with Adam and Eve and with Christ in the cool of the day, how much more does he want to walk and talk with us? We are sinners, now saved by his son's own death. Does that not give us a huge right to be with him too?

In order to know God, to really know him -- and to witness miracles and answered prayer -- spending time with Him is a must. Today, when the sun goes down, I plan on stepping onto the patio to talk with him. If this isn't an option for you, take a jaunt down your street. Immerse yourself in nature, even if it's a lone tree, or a small flower patch. This is a place for God to walk and talk with you; a place for you to speak and listen to him in the cool of the day--morning or night. When we search for him, we will find him and see that was already there, waiting for us.

~ Heather Spiva

Heather is an assistant editor, freelance writer, poet, and most importantly a mom and wife. She loves spending time with her two young boys and husband. When she's not doing this, she is either reading or writing, or searching for vintage treasures for her online shop. And when she's not doing any of those things, well, she's not certain what she would be doing ... because it has never come to that. She can be found writing at her blog www.heatherspiva.blogspot.com

and her vintage treasure blog www.theperennialpast.blogspot.com.

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Running Barefoot

My husband and I recently watched The Thing about My Folks with Paul Reiser and Peter Falk (it is a good movie but there is bad language in it). The story is about a husband who finds a note from his wife of 47 years that she has left him. Paul Reiser and Peter Falk spend the week together as father and son discussing the marriage while they wait to find out where the mother went. I don't want to give the storyline away if you haven't seen it so that is all I will say. One thing that intrigued me about the movie was how a parents' marriage and its health has effects even on adult children. 

The movie reminded me of Malachi 2:15: "Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth." I am becoming more aware of the importance of marriage because of its relation to our children. This verse points out that God made us one flesh with our spouse because He desires godly offspring. Our marriages provide a foundation for our kids, and it doesn't matter how young or old they are, your marriage still provides a stability for their identity. 

I have recently noticed those awful prickly weeds starting to grow in our backyard. Our backyard has been notorious for having those weeds and if you step on them, those pricklies get embedded in your feet. Last year, we hired a professional company to get rid of those nasties, but they are already coming back!  My desire for my backyard is that my kids would be able to run through the backyard barefoot. They should be able to enjoy the summer without a care in the world. And kids, especially my daughter, love to be barefoot, but those weeds make it difficult.

In our marriages it is very easy for weeds to grow in our "yards." Our "yards" is where our kids romp, play and learn about life. We need to weed our "yards" on a regular basis so that our kids can run through life, enjoy and not worry about getting hurt in their own yards.

Hebrews 12:14-16 reads," Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."

One thing that can begin to sneak into marriages is a root of bitterness. Bitterness starts out small and seems like not a big deal, just like those weeds. If the bitterness is not dealt with, it will get deeply rooted and begin to spread. It might not seem to affect your kids because it is so small but as days and weeks go by, it will continue to grow and spread and there will be a day your kids will stumble upon it and it will hurt them. When my daughter was two, she was running in our backyard and her whole foot got filled with those pricklies. It was not a pretty moment.

I don't know where you are in your marriage and whether you have younger or older kids, but no matter what I would like to encourage you to do some spring weeding in your marriage "yards." If you need motivation, do it for the sake of your kids. None of us would purposely send our kids out in a yard full of weeds to run around barefoot and get hurt. However, we often allow the weeds in our marriage to get out of control and we probably end up hurting our kids more than if they stepped on real weeds in the backyard.

Here are some verses that deal with uprooting weeds in the spirit realm:

James 3:13-16 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Ephesians 4:30-32 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

My prayer for you and your marriage is that you, your children and your spouse can run barefoot through your "yards" this summer.  

~ Jaime Farkas 

Jaime has been happily married for the last 8 years to her high school  sweetheart. She  has two beautiful children: a 7 year old boy and a 5 year old daughter. She is able to stay home with her children full-time and is currently homeschooling them. She leads women's Bible studies through her church. She had the blessing of growing up in a Christian home and is still a Christian! She loves the Lord and He is continually drawing her into deeper relationship with Him. Please visit her at her blog,  For His Glory Alone!

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Love Can Build a Boardwalk

Love can build a boardwalk...straight through the Alligator Marsh.

That's where I was this weekend with my family---walking through the swampy marsh of South Louisiana LOOKING FOR alligators!  Are you kidding me?  What were we thinking?  Yes, that is exactly what we were doing.  Very near dark, too.  As you can tell, we made it back safely to our humble abode just a few short miles from the nature trail in Fontainebleu State Park.

As we ambled along this fine structure of a boardwalk through the swamp, I of course had many thoughts.

"Son, don't fall in.  Please!"

"Will the light of a cell phone be enough to see the path on both the boardwalk and along the muddy trail through the woods to get us back to our car?  It is about to be dark, after all, and we didn't plan this jaunt, therefore we did not quite come prepared.  Are my Sunday dress shoes evidence of that?  Thank the Lord I wore flats."

"Is that really an alligator peaking his head out of the water right there?  What is stopping him from swimming right over here and joining us for dinner on the boardwalk?  How could he resist?"

"Oh, look at that beautiful, serene sunset over the marsh as the birds are flying off into it.  Wait---sunset---so how are we going to see our way back the whole one and a half miles through all of this?"

Yes, these were merely a few of my calm, cool, and collected thoughts on that unplanned jaunt into the Louisiana swamps.

Don't get me wrong.  I did enjoy the precious time with my family in such a beautiful setting our God created.  It truly was serene and inspiring, even as I struggled against my mother-thoughts, some of which managed to slip out of my mouth making me sound like a worrisome mother, I'm sure.

Amidst all of these musings, one stood out the most.

If you've ever heard of The Judds (a country music mother-daughter duo), then you probably are hearing one of their songs in your head right now, as I am.

Love can build a bridge...

Well, I realized that day that not only did our Father's love for us build a bridge (Jesus) to span the chasm that is between us and Him because of our sin and His holiness....but often His love builds a boardwalk for us.

Typically, bridges allow us to go over something. Boardwalks, especially like the one in the marsh the other day, take you right into the heart of the place. Rather than going over or around some of the things we face in life, oftentimes the way of our Lord for us is straight into it and through it.

In those times, His love builds us a boardwalk.

If we recognize His path so carefully prepared for us, and chose to step our feet of faith upon it, then we can avoid sloshing through the waist-deep muck and mire surrounded by swamp grass that smothers us in height.  Instead, we can walk boldly and sure-footedly right into and through the midst of some pretty dangerous surroundings.  We can observe and learn from what we see occurring around us without fear of being pulled under, stuck, or harmed by the many creatures lurking beneath the murky surface.

Are you facing some ominous swamp of life right now?  Are you ill-prepared without a flash-light in your Sunday best but staring at the Monday worst? Have you met The Bridge, Jesus? If so, have you found the boardwalk your Father has prepared for you to help you into, through, and out of this murky marsh? Does it seem as if there is not and never will be a boardwalk in your situation to help you through and out of it? Take heart!  We have been promised it is there...and it is. 

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."  - 1 Corinthians 10:13

The key is to recognize it and then to take the way He has provided. No matter how deep into the mess you already are, take His way out. Humble yourself. Admit your faults and your weakness. Declare your need for Him. Take His strength, hope, and guidance. Welcome the help He offers.

You are not alone. You Father has gone before you and made a way.  Look for the boardwalks. Ask Him to reveal them to you and to give you the strength, wisdom and humility to step onto them and follow them along His path for you. Trust Him.

~ Haelie Heard

Haelie is a follower of Christ, wife, mother of a five-year-old son, and a full-time Nurse Informaticist by profession. Her personal blog is To Not Decide...Is To Decide and you can also find her on Twitter. She also writes for and co-administers two other blogs: Faithful Feet and What If.... Her life mission is to be a voice, both written and audible, that unapologetically points to Christ and His sovereignly redemptive love and forgiveness.

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Summer in the Desert

"They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD." Psalm 106:25

From October to May, living in the Valley of the Sun ( Phoenix , AZ ) is a dream come true. Sunny days, gentle breezes and moderate temperatures - everything you need for picnics, hikes and fun days at the park, but then comes summer. 

By the end of May we are usually above 100 degrees and we're there to stay for about 4-5 months, with triple digit temps most of July and August.  It's those days that I thank God for air conditioning, swimming pools and popsicles.

I often wonder how the Israelites handled living in the desert for 40 years without those blessings. It's not hard for me to imagine the stifling air, burning sands and scorching sun, but I can't imagine living in a tent in the middle of it all. 

 Packing everything up to walk for miles and miles across the burning desert, never having one place to settle down, scorpions, snakes, no water, little food.  The only thing that would keep me going is the hope of reaching the Promised Land and knowing that God was walking through the desert with me.

In fact, isn't life like that? God has called us to follow Him; to step out into an unknown place and trust that He is leading us. Sometimes that means walking through the hard places in life, fighting the wind and the heat without knowing for sure when it's going to be over.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be in the desert one more minute than necessary, so let's be smart. Let's not grumble and complain among ourselves about the hard journey.  Instead, let's speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Let's sing and make music from our hearts to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19)  Because we, like the Israelites, can be sure that we are His children and that He will lead us to the home He has promised to us - our home in Heaven.

~ Jan Christiansen

Jan lives in Arizona with her husband Lee (33 years of bliss), a Schnoodle named Oliver and a mentally challenged poodle named Max. She lives just 10 minutes away from her grandsons, Ethan and David and has become the best grandson spoiler of all time. Aside from that, Jan heads up the prayer ministry at her church, teaches a new believers class, leads a mentoring ministry, writes several blogs Refreshed by the Word, Tweet Inspiration, She Fancied Herself a Writer and is the founder of Inspired Ink Writer's Group. You can also find her online at www.janiceeileen.com.

 

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Detours

Have you ever planned summer family vacation? I mean really planned as if you have been waiting for this moment since January. Then the day finally arrives and you are onboard the airplane, awaiting to fly off into the sky. You and your husband hold hands as you are about to take off into the sun and clouds. You see an amazing sight -- the art work that God has created in the sky with the clouds. Ahhh, you have arrived. You think to yourself, "Wow, this has been what I have been waiting for. God has blessed this adventure at the right time. Our kids are at the age where we all get along, and they can enjoy themselves."

Two hours into your flight you notice something. The plane has made a sudden turn and you see the plane is going in a different direction. Then the unthinkable happens: the flight attendant makes an announcement that due to unforeseen circumstances we are to divert and make a slight detour before we can reach our final destination. What? Seriously? This was not in the plan. I have packed and made lists of things to see and do with my family. This can't be happening. However, the Christian girl inside of you thinks, Okay, we can do this. There must be a good reason.

The past few weeks I have been studying the life of Paul in the books of Acts. In Acts 9:3-4 (NASB) we read, "As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?'"

"Who are you sir?" Paul asked."  All of a sudden, the course of Paul's journey was brought to a divine halt. Isn't that just like our God? No announcement. No warning. And the course of Saul's life is changed dramatically.

Girls, that still happens today. Without warning, life takes a sudden turn. You are packed and prepared and on a mission that you feel is from God and BAM, God has a different plan. He has re-packed your bag because now you are going on the trip he has for you. 

The reason why this particular story of Saul/Paul's life resonates with me is because my life has taken a sudden turn. A detour that has caused some turbulence, a change of packed bags for the family and a new way of living. We have a new little boy that is part of our family. He is three years old and a little firecracker to boot. He is my husband's nephew and due to this little boy's parents not being able to care for him at this time, he is now living with us. Talk about a sudden change off course in the flight plan of our family.

A few months ago I was knee deep in the preparations of planning to have my own business. I felt that God had given me this idea and the go head to take on such a task. Then all of a sudden, we received a phone call from the little boy's dad and suddenly our lives were changed that following weekend. I can't lie and tell you that this has been fun and I have embraced this with open arms. But I also wouldn't have changed a thing.

This little boy has brought an extra bag of love, laughter, and so much more with him. If you ask my children about this sudden turn of events, they would tell you that yes, having him has brought some joy, but also some inconvenience, especially to our seven year old son. If anyone has had some turbulence and change it has been him. He has gone from having his own room to sharing a room with a three year old. Talk about a detour!

As much as I do not like to admit it, it is not about me and where I dream of going and what I want to do. It is about where God wants me to go and do even if that means raising another child to become that Godly man. I need to realize that God's goal is not to make me happy, no matter how hard it is for me to swallow that idea. Life is not about being comfortable and happy and successful and pain free. It is about becoming the woman God has called me to be. Even if that means that I'm listening to Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues again and readjusting my day around snacks and naps.

How can really say that and mean it? In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Paul says, "...Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I'm weak, then I am strong." See he got it, girls! He went with it for the rest of his days. One thing that I'm learning on this new "trip that I'm on" is that I should be content. The very things I dread and run from in my life are precisely what brought contentment to Paul. He was content when he lost and when he was in distresses. He was content with difficulties and pressures that were so tight that he couldn't turn around. Why? Because when he was weak, HE was strong.

~ Tiffany Locke

Tiffany lives in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. She has 3 kids of her own and is currently raising a 3 year old. With being a pilot's wife of 19 years, Tiffany's personal statement is turbulence in life requires you to flexible. When things get rerouted, the best thing for you to do is to buckle up for take off 'cause you never know where God will take you next.

You can visit Tiffany's website and discover more about her life and her adventure of flying through life where there is beauty, encouragement, support and yes sometimes turbulence.wwww.takeoffandlandings.com

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