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The first day following man's first breath was a day of rest. God intended His creation to know that the nature of their existence was not solely or even chiefly one of production but of communion. . We all know the next part of the story. The entrance of sin into the world ripped shalom at the seams. The peace and rest that pervaded human existence was severed in a moment's time. . No longer did closeness with God evoke joy and delight, but at the sound of His voice, God's beloved creation shook with fear. The shame that enveloped them testified of broken communion. Only blood would make for a covering stronger than shame. . No longer would God's people look to Him for purpose and security and identity. The lie Eve walked into now trapped her and everyone of us since, that we could be like God, masters of our own identity. — A glimpse into the content I shared on Biblical Rest today at @storyandsoulweekend. Bless the Lord for His Messiah who secured for us a Sabbath rest for our hearts and for eternal communion and dwelling with God. . #sabbath #rest #wordsworthnoting
These people❤️they took the time to write out the ways they love me and what I mean to them for my 30th birthday (best gift from husband ever). I couldn’t make it through even one of them without needing to clear the tears from my eyes in order to keep reading. . I could not be more grateful for the Lord’s kindness to entrust this community to me, to allow me the privilege of knowing them and being known by them. They enlighten my heart to the wonder of the gospel in new ways and convince me over and over that it truly is the Power that transforms, the Hope that balms, the Treasure that meets all our desires.
When you come to the end of yourself, what do you see? On the days when everything goes according to plan, and nothing hinders your hopes or your to-do lists, the end of yourself may stay at arm’s length. . But when interruptions collide, when pressures overwhelm, when real life happens, we’re brought to the end of ourselves quickly. And if we’ve been living in our own strength, pursuing our own agendas, seeking our own satisfaction, what we see in those moments aren’t usually a sight worth beholding. . Frustration, impatience, despair, anger, stress, anxiety—whatever the fruit is for you, let us look beyond the end of ourselves to see the kindness of God. The grace of our Father to expose how we’ve been living apart from Him. . Instead of wallowing in shame or pressing on in will-power, let’s embrace a broken and contrite heart and be restored to nearness to our God through humble repentance. His forgiveness and grace alone can change our desires to align with His Kingdom. His mercy alone can sustain us for whatever may come our way. . #preachingtomyownheart #repentance #motherhoodissanctifying #womenintheword #wordsworthnoting
30 is here🙌🏼 . I love the gift of birthdays, how they provide the space to reflect on change and growth. My hope is that the measure of my life would always be growth in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore more into His image. . This kind of change, I realize as I get older, doesn’t primarily come from the tangibles—through community, both in person and virtual (👋🏻writer’s group), motherhood, Sabbath, writing, speaking, counseling. It comes as the Spirit allows the Word to intersect those places and brings it to bear on my life, transforming me in personal relationship with my God as I live. . This kind of change comes through small, quiet, intimate moments of surrender, of repentance, of choosing to acknowledge and join in the work God is doing in the inner contour of my being. To rejoice in His faithfulness not to leave me as I am, not to leave me to myself, but to make me holy, better fit to abide in His presence. Where fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore abound. . And every year I come back to this: there is nothing more satisfying and rest-giving than walking in nearness to my King. Than knowing and being known by the Treasure of my heart. What a wonder, another year to know Him more. . #birthdayreflections #wordsworthnoting
We’ve got a single strand of lights and greenery that she insists we turn on at all hours of the day. I plug them in, and we both light up ourselves, clapping and shouting, “Christmas!” . We walk through stores, and before I can point out the trees and decorations, she shouts, “Christmas!” . We take lots of orders to the post office because it’s almost...”Christmas,” she giggles with excitement. . And without even realizing it, I’m teaching her what to value. What I take delight in, she takes delight in. What I get excited about, she gets excited about. I love Christmas. I love the music, the family time, the traditions, the Christmas cards, the giving of gifts, the wintry decor. . But honestly, what I love most about Christmas is the way our hearts shift to Christ, the way we get intentional in thinking about Him, and I love how easy it is to turn the conversation to Him. I love taking in the wonder that Jesus left heaven to achieve redemption. I love the gift of Advent. . If you need a little help shifting your heart to dwell upon the incarnation, I’d love for you to download our Advent Bible Reading Plan for $5. You’ll travel across the whole Bible and get lost in the story of waiting, of longing for the dawning of a King who came unexpectedly. . Advent starts on Sunday!! We pray this plan makes your heart light up amidst the darkness and rejoice at the good news that our God came to us. . #advent #adventreadingplan #womenintheword #risenmotherhood #wordsworthnoting