Summer Soul Food

If you are a voracious reader like I am you likely have a summer reading list. Books that have been recommended to you by friends, the New York Times best seller list, biographies you have been curious about and books you’ve been meaning to read that have piled up on your night stand collecting dust. Ah summer. An invitation to ignore routine and bask in the laziness of unscheduled days. Seems like the perfect time to whittle away at the list. Alas, my reading list has become just that…a list, while I indulge in less challenging choices like magazines that offer a myriad of mind numbing headlines such as “Angelina gives birth to Jennifer’s baby. Shocking fertility mix up that is causing heads to roll. “ Okay I made that up…but well, aren’t ALL the stories in these magazines made up?

I have two baskets in my living room. One is packed full of literature and the other basket overflows with “light reading.” Okay, trash. So why do I gravitate to the trash? Perhaps because after a day of running through sprinklers, trekking to child friendly activities in 100 degree weather and coming home to 18 loads of laundry, I am not exactly energized enough to read Anna Karenina. Let’s face it, magazines offer a 10-minute escape. No brainpower required. Is there a happy medium? A quick read that can actually feed my soul? Yes! Yet as I pass the checkout counter I am still drawn to my friends Angie and Jen. I’m working on it.

I’ve challenged myself to fill my baskets with more God pleasing material. Check out the link below and subscribe to a little summer soul food along with me.

Top 10 Christian Magazines

(Why you won't find a bible in my reading baskets? My bible has a place of honor in a fancy tray in the living room.)

Making a Difference One Pancake Breakfast at a Time

1 Peter 4:10
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Imagine you are 10 years old. You wake up from a great nights sleep to the smell of buttermilk pancakes wafting through your bedroom. You go to the kitchen and see your mom in her apron, smiling. She tells you that several of your friends are on their way over for a pancake breakfast. Juices line the countertop. You watch as your mom scoops up a handful of chocolate chips to sprinkle in the pancake batter. The griddle sizzles and fills the room with a buttery smell so delicious you salivate. The doorbell rings. Your friends are here!

You think to yourself… mom is good!

Flash forward six years later. It’s Friday and you’re up early. You and your mom share stories as she makes the first batch of pancakes. You notice as the morning sun illuminates your moms blond hair. A girl arrives at the door. It’s 7am. You read with her from the bible and have a laugh over an inside joke. She finishes, thanks your mom and heads to her school, 45 minutes away. It’s a long way to come, but she wouldn’t miss it for the world. 5 more kids show up. Laughter, fellowship, sharing and prayer fill the kitchen.

You think to yourself… life is good!

You’re now 20 years old, on your own and a college student. Every weekend you head home to the familiar smell of pancakes and mom’s smiling face. Friends you’ve had since you were a kid make their way over to your house too until there you all are at the counter again, just like old times, laughing, sharing…eating moms pancakes.

You think to yourself… GOD is good.

Nicole Bryant has made pancakes for her children and their friends every Friday morning before school since her first born son was 14 years old. The tradition continues for her daughter. Yes, she’s been told she’s a fabulous cook, but her passion for teens and her ability to love on them, serve them, and build lasting relationships while sharing the Lords message with them has been her greatest gift.

I met Nicole for the first time a few weeks ago and when she shared her story with me she literally glowed while talking about making pancakes for these kids and how through the years, this simple tradition has blessed so many, herself included.

“It’s not about the pancakes,” she told me. “Sure, the kids love them but it’s really about providing a safe place where the kids can look forward to coming every week. In this kind of environment, the kids really feel like they can open up and share what’s on their heart. They feel loved, cared for and know that this is a home where Jesus is served. We were never the “party house” and the kids still came. Every week they came because they wanted MORE than a party. They wanted to feel special and to belong to something special and at my house they did, every one of them.”

Gifts come in many forms but they all start with KNOWING and LOVING our Father in Heaven.

When you meet Nicole it’s obvious that she knows, loves and serves the Lord with all of her heart and she is truly using her gifts to make a difference…one pancake breakfast at a time!

The Women We Know

When you share with your girlfriend intimate details of your life, shortcomings, disappointments, fears, joys, successes, challenges, health issues, family drama, and the "Ins and Outs" of navigating through this thing called life and the person you are sharing with meets you with prayer, support, a shoulder to cry on, a smile, a Kleenex, hope, humor, and looks at you with understanding do you not just want to yell THANK YOU GOD! Thank you for this gift of a friend because when I'm with her, I feel normal.

Human.

Understood.

Loved.

I am just so grateful for my friendships and for all the ways they touch my life. I really feel like the women we know are the threads that stitch up the biggest warmest invisible quilt that we wear when the storms of life come.

Celebrate the women YOU know in every season of life and Thank our Heavenly Father for the spools of thread that adorn your quilt.

Job 12:7‑10

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

My husband woke up before sunrise, cleared his schedule, drove for two hours and then hiked a mile to photograph this breathtaking scene. It made me think how in life if we truly want to see the beauty of our relationships, we have to wake up early, walk the mile and clear our schedule to give our all. If we become distracted by temptation, get off track, or decide to quit, we miss out on the greater blessing that waits. Like this picture, I want to reflect God's amazing beauty in all my relationships...peaceful, breathtaking, God inspired beauty. His hand IS the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind! Have a blessed day. I hope you find YOUR waterfall.

How Pure Is Your Water Tank?

As per Wikipedia: Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from raw water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose. In general the methods used include physical process such as filtration and sedimentation, biological processes such as slow sand filters or activated sludge, chemical process such as flocculation and chlorination and the use of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light.

The purification process of water may reduce the concentration of particulate matter including suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi; etc.

Have you ever had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with a good friend and said to her after; “You are so refreshing!” Can you think of a time when someone has said that about you? I remember my husband saying it to me on our first date and eight years and two kids later I am wondering how often I am “refreshing” in the eyes of my family.

In our fast paced world filled with daily demands, pressures, heavy burdens and disappointments it’s hard not to feel like there is nothing left to give to those you love most.

When a woman is truly living life as God created her to be, she is like a drink of water to her family.

So the question is, what kind of water do you want to be? Contaminated river water or purified spring water? If your heart is harboring something that is inhibiting you from being a true blessing to your family what can you do about it? This week in my bible study group we discussed forgiveness. One sweet woman pointed out that as Christians we often assume that because we are Christian we think we should have it all together. Our leader said that being a Christian is all the more reason to make asking for forgiveness a daily part of our journey.

Like the process for purifying water, we too need to be filtered through God's amazing grace, which cleanses us from all unrighteousness, purifies our hearts and fills our tank so we can be that refreshing drink of water for our family.

How pure is your water tank?

2 Corinthians 7

¹Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Putting God On Speed Dial

Recently my husband went on a business trip. While he was away, my phone system broke down. I could not get a line out and because I don’t own a cell phone I was completely disconnected from him. It was strange not being able to hear his voice, ask for his opinion about the kids, get his feedback on the Olympics or find out how his day was. I missed him and I had no way to tell him so.

It made me wonder how often I am disconnected from God. I think I sometimes take for granted that God is even an option. Can you relate? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve consulted a friend, my parents or even Google for answers, comfort and understanding while the Lord waits for my call like a gentleman. Isn’t that an awesome visual? God, the perfect gentleman, waiting for you…waiting to hear your hearts desires, wanting to know the details of YOUR day, wanting to connect, to speak, to heal, to love. That’s it! I’m putting God on speed dial!

Three years ago while attending the ACF women’s retreat, Susie Davis gave an inspiring talk about slowing down. She encouraged us to find a quiet spot to just be with the Lord. I walked through the woods until I found a small clearing where there were logs placed around a fire pit. I sat and prayed and listened and watched for God to show me, speak to me, and connect with me. At that time my husband and I had been trying to conceive our second child. After three years and no baby, doctors had called it “unexplained secondary infertility.” All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother and to struggle with getting pregnant just tore at my heart. Wanting something that badly is tiring let me tell you! As I sat in the quiet, the breeze around me, my eyes became fixed on three hawks that were gliding in the sky. Their wide wings flapped only periodically allowing the wind to carry them. When their wings were still, they were graceful and beautiful. That’s when I heard God’s message for me. He said: You and your family are the birds. See how when they are still, the wind carries them? I am your wind. I will carry you. You don’t have to work so hard to achieve your goals. Let me. I wept and thanked him for freeing me. If I had been in the woods texting or talking on the phone, or even reading a book, I never would have heard God’s very important message for my life. Two weeks later I found out I was pregnant. The power of connecting to God is life changing and although he doesn’t always answer you in the way that you hope…he DOES answer and he delights in hearing from you. Will you put God on your speed dial and connect with him more often? He waits, a gentleman, and wants nothing more than to answer your call and be the wind beneath your wings.

Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God.

My Greatest Love

My Greatest Love

I met him when I was very young. I accepted him easily and spoke to him often over the years going to him to help me work out feelings of loneliness. He was always there for me and I took him for granted.

In my 20’s I still had a relationship with him but it was distant. I had my own agenda and no longer listened to his whispers of wisdom. I had a plan of my own and believed that I could achieve my goals without his guidance. I thanked him for the good things in my life but rarely consulted him in the decisions I made. My decisions were sometimes poor and clouded by my desire to be loved.

I eventually stopped listening to him altogether.

When I choose to dwell in a dark place, he forgave me before I even asked him to. I fell hard in the darkness and tried in vain to swim out of the murky water I dove into. Finally when I thought I might drown, I called for him, surrendered my life to him once again as I had as a child and he swooped in without questioning me, breathing new life into my soul. The love that overcame me was like a peace I had forgotten existed. I no longer had to strive and struggle only to sink…my life was in his hands and I could trust him completely. The love I had with the Lord freed me from my insecurities, my fears of being alone and gave me the knowledge that I could do all things through him that strengthened me.

I live a fulfilling life with my loving husband and two beautiful daughters and I know it is because I listened to God's plan for me that I am where I am. Life is not perfect and I do struggle like everyone else, but I know that during THOSE times, I can lean on Him and He will carry me through, whispering wisdom in my ear like he did when I was a child.

Today and everyday I will listen and know that He is Lord of my life, my greatest love.

Have a Happy Valentines Day.

May you love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul!