​“God will never put more on you that you can handle.”
I believed this lie for 28 years of my life.
 
But do you know what? I believe that “more-than-I-can-handle” isexactly where God wants us to be.
In fact, I would say that if you’ve “Got this”, you probably haven’t stepped out into the bigger plan God has for your life.
 
As a fisherman, Peter was an expert at sailing the water.
IN a boat.
Not walking on it.
 
But Jesus called Him out on the water, and there was no way Peter could do it alone, without keeping His focus on Jesus.
 
 
I used to have a good handle on my life.
I could fulfill my wifely, motherhood and career roles without much need for Jesus, except for the occasional “Help-me-God-I’m-in-BIG-trouble” moments.
That was until I stepped out.
God called me out- to fulfill a dream He’d long-since prepared for me.
 
Now? I don’t “got this”.
Now I spend every day thinking,
I don’t know how to do this
I’ve never done this before
Is it possible?
…Then plowing into the throne room, desperate for Jesus.
His love, His wisdom, His help, His miracle-working ability.
 
Peter probably felt the same way-
I don’t know how to do this
I’ve never done this before
Is it possible?
And so He did the only thing He knew how- fixed His eyes on Jesus and continued towards Him.
 
A lot of people focus on the fact that Peter looked away and began sinking and the Lord had to reach down and save him.
“Oh Peter. Why didn’t you have more faith??”
 
But the truth is- Peter walked on water. ON water.
Have YOU ever walked on the water?
 
While you and I will more than likely never walk on literal water, we have the chance to “walk on water” by choosing that Big Dream God has for our lives.
 
That dream that seems
Too big,
Too scary,
Too impossible.
 
What water is God calling you out on?
Don’t fall into the lie that if it seems like “too much” then it must not be God.
 
For quite the opposite is true--
If it seems like too much for you to handle, then God is likely setting you up for a legendary walking-on-water-sized miracle.

I’ve wanted to be a mom pretty much my entire life; since the time I WAS a kid, I wanted kids.

But some days my dream-come-true feels more like one of those nightmares where you show up for class completely unprepared.

Do you ever feel this way?

It’s tough enough in the trenches day in and day out, but trying to keep up a facade of having-it-all-together on top?

That’s just insane.
 
When we choose to carry the load instead of unburdening it on the One who’s already carried it anyway (Jesus)- we lose out on true fulfillment and peace in our God-given role.
Instead of unloading on Him we pile it on...

Guilt,
Discouragement,
Shame.
We vow to “do better” next time.
 
What if we stopped focusing on the “leaves” for once?
You know, instead of spray-painting the dead ones,
Filling in with some fake ones,
and attempting to force out the occasional sprout…
 
What if we just are.
 
What if we just do what trees are meant to do:
Grow roots,
Deep into the Father.
Let them spread wide into His endless love.
Feel out the depths of His grace.
 
What if we soak in His love, letting it nourish us and make us strong, producing pure and lasting fruit that blesses those around us.
What if we rest in His finished work and stop trying to prove ourselves before Him as He whispers,
​
“You are enough.”
 
What if we sit back and watch Him do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or think or even begin to fathom in our lives…
 
Not because we “try harder” or “do better”-
But because we are rooted.
 
Colossians 2:7  //  Ephesians 3:14-21
 
Fellow Moms, I’m happy to announce a brand new website aimed at providing you daily encouragement so that your roots may grow deep and you may experience the joy, peace, confidence and fulfillment God intended  for you.

Head over to www.RootedMoms.com today to check out a message from our team about our launch in just two short weeks on February 2nd.

I am excited to see this dream come to life and hope you’ll join me and an incredible team of moms waiting for you over atRootedMoms.com.

There’s a piece of scotch tape on the window, and permanent marker on the wall, hidden behind the well-worn sofa.
 
Fingerprints “decorate” our doorway and the once-flawless hardwoods, these days, remain coated with smudges, crumbs, spills.
 
You can find a toy in every corner of our modest home, and the bathroom smells of the scent that only a little boy could produce.
All the while our laundry basket overfloweth, clothes climbing the wall behind like a healthy vine.
 
 
My life is messy,
But my heart is full.
 
The mess still gets to me sometimes. But not so much.
Because now…

That tape- it reminds me of the birthday party my kids threw for Nana last year. The boys excitedly decorated with purple balloons and a homemade sign expressing their adoration.

That was a great day.
 
The marker stain that even a magic eraser couldn’t heal reminds me that the years are ticking away at a very uncomfortable pace...

Two years ago we couldn’t turn our backs on our fearless Little Middle without him destroying something, but now he’s five years old and off to Pre-K. Learning. Growing. Maturing.
 
The fingerprints adorning every glass surface turn my thoughts toward my kids’ personalities- each one distinctly unique.
​
I continue to be in awe of their individual quirks and differences.
 
And as for those hardwoods…?
Well, I think the imperfections makes them look homier, don’t you? (wink)
 
You see, I’m beginning to learn how to treasure the imperfections of life and be thankful for I have— instead of all focusing my time, energy and thoughts on what I wish could be instead.
 
For surely there is a woman out there…
Longing for tiny fingerprints on her window.
 
A mom, praying for enough food that there would even be crumbs on her floor.
 
A family, wishing their Nana were still around to celebrate another year with a balloon, a homemade sign and a hug.
 
“They” say you don’t always know what you had until it’s gone…
But I say: Unless.
 
Unless you slow down, and really take in your surroundings.
Unless you take a moment to appreciate something you normally take for granted.
Unless you speak the words “Thank You.”
 
To God.
To your spouse.
To loved ones, and even strangers.
 
It’s a simple, yet life-altering change of perspective.
To discover the wonder, the treasure in the mess.

​New Year.
Ahhhhhhh.
Don’t those words just feel good?

A time of celebrating—or waving a happy “So long!” to—the year behind and dreaming hope-filled dreams about the one ahead.

It’s another chance to turn regrets into opportunities seized, and intention into reality…
For me that means writing.
 
So here it is: a fresh new year, a fresh new blog.
Against all fears, apprehension and self-doubt…here I am.
 
It’s a good start (better late than never).

Ahem. Anyway…

Today my boys went back to school after our two-week chaotic Christmas vacation extravaganza, so today I experienced something I hadn’t in two weeks: peace and quiet.

One of my two favorite New Year’s tradition (because who doesn’t love a good ol’ New Year’s Eve kiss??) is to take some time to seek God and ask for a word, or short phrase for the year ahead.

That Word becomes something I can come back to, time and time again—something I can keep in my proverbial “pocket” and pull out from time to time to keep me on track.
So as I sat down today in my cozy oversized chair in the stillness of my daughter’s nap time I asked with bated breath…

“Lord, what is Your Word for me this year?”

Over the years I’ve come to discern the still small voice of the Spirit, but in this instance it was like the answer bellowed—as if the Father himself let out a great big belly laugh and cried out…

“Enjoy!”
 
I smiled the cheesy kind of grin the Lord puts on my face fairly often and felt His words continue upon my heart,


“I have already given you so much— A beautiful family, My Son…And so much more. 
Now, ENJOY these things. Take pleasure in them—and in Me.

Be still and take in all the little moments that make up LIFE.

Stop. Look around. See the beauty of it all and ENJOY.”
 

Oh, of all the words I’ve received over the years, these have to be my favorite…
Because isn’t this so much like the Father??
 
If it were up to me I might have picked something like,

Be brave, or
Write more, or
Spend more time with the kids
(etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…)
 
But it’s as if God takes my silly lists of “do-betters”, crumples it up and tosses it to the can.
 
God doesn’t give us a list of resolutions; He points us to the Solution.
 
I think I need to try harder,
He says, “It’s already finished on your behalf.”
 
I list all my failures and twenty-nine areas of life I could improve on,
He says, “You’re accepted and loved just as you are.”
 
I set a “bar” I need to jump over to earn His approval,
He says, “I could never love you any more or any less…
Now, go—Enjoy!”
 
Isn’t it amazing that we serve a God who not only gives us life but longs for us to enjoy it?
 
Take it in…
The quiet (or not-so-quiet) breathing of your spouse sleeping beside you.
The glow of sunshine through the crisp, Winter trees.
All of the exhilarating, frustrating, tear-filled, wonderful, smelly, sticky, stressful, joy-filled moments with your children--
 
Take them in…take them all in.
The good with the bad, the better with the worse and
Really. Truly. Fully. Relish life.
Enjoy.
 
Happy 2015 Everyone.