This is the place you’ll find hope. The kind of hope that can carry you through those hard places you unexpectedly find yourself in.
I’m no stranger to the hard life throws at us and in the midst of trying to find my way through one of those dark places I heard 4 words deep in my spirit,
“Lift Up Your Eyes.”
It was a gentle reminder from our great God that I needed his perspective instead of my own to walk through my husband’s unexpected journey to Heaven.
Those words carried me and you too if you’ve followed along with me. They also led us to creating the Seek and Savor podcast which equips us to lift our eyes on a daily basis.
I’m Mama to four amazing young adults and Nana to six darling grands with two more on the way.
My sweet husband got to meet his Savior at the age of 47 after a year long battle with brain cancer. We miss him every day.
Life for me, felt like it was ending but God was doing a new thing.
I don’t know where life finds you today beloved, but God, He is all about doing a new thing in us and it begins when we fix our gaze on Him instead of our circumstances.
Life may be filled with hard things dear one, but we were made to do hard and holy things and in the process we become vessels of beauty, fit for the KING.
“My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. ” Exodus 33:14
I’d love to connect with you.
Email me using the form below and I’ll respond soon. I’m also available for speaking events for women of all ages and stages. For a list of topics, please visit my Speaking Page.
“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.” Jer. 15:16 Don’t miss today’s episode of the Seek and Savor podcast, “Feasting on your Word.” #liftupyoureyes #seekandsavorpodcast #renewyourmind #wordofwisdom...
She isn’t tiny anymore. But as I look at her little bowed head and heart full of faith I am reminded that God is faithful. We may live on a battlefield and feel the tug of war over our hearts and those we love but we forget something beloved. Our God is able. He isn’t dependent on our earthly wisdom. He doesn’t rely on our ability to figure things out. Even as a mature grandmother who walks with God I find my own heart forgetting. I find myself anxious about waves that come against us, the ones that threaten to overtake us. But when I quiet my soul, and surrender I remember. I am not alone. We are not alone. He fights on our behalf. Will He use us? Yes. But the answers, the relief, the rescue lies in Him. I got the joy of talking to this dear girl this week who isn’t this little anymore, about hearing God’s voice. We talked about how to recognize it, and how to make space for it. Ah… that is the rub isn’t it friends?
“My soul waits in silence for God only. From Him is my salvation.” Ps.62:1 “My soul waits in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.” Ps. 62:5
When was the last time you waited in silence? If your heart feels conviction you aren’t alone.
Who is willing to wait on the Lord with me?❤️ #waitonthelord #hopefortheworld #seekandsavorpodcast...
I sat in a room this week where we talked about obedience coming from a place of love. And I remembered a simple prayer I have prayed for years, “Increase my love for you, Father.” It is a prayer I have prayed on repeat. Then today God took me back to a little swing I sat on beside a lake in Minnesota. I was a young college student with a freshly broken heart and God’s presence with me on the swing that day was tangible. He was tending my heart while also inviting me deeper. All these years later I am so grateful for his invitation to go deeper, and to remember we don’t have to do any of this alone. I am human and I forget. Sometimes my heart defaults to fear or anxiety. I forget the invitation. But I believe that simple prayer to increase my love for Him has been guarding my heart all along. When I forget I’m not alone He reminds me. When life feels unbearably hard, He lifts my chin and says, “ Lift up your eyes beloved.” When I am walking in times of answered prayers, surrounded by love He calls me to notice it. Love for Him increases in my heart and I am compelled by His love to continue this obedience journey. I am compelled to follow Him. “I love those who love me and those who diligently seek me will find me.” Prov. 8:17 How have you seen God pursue your heart? #drawmedeeperlord #liftupyoureyes #seekandsavorpodcast #renewyourmind...
God always goes before us in the sweetest of ways. Yesterday, I got an unexpected delivery from someone dear. I also fell and injured my leg pretty badly. Today my kids gathered (minus Jake and family) to remember that it was 10 years ago today that Alan moved to Heaven. Life if full of unexpected things. It presses me to fix my gaze on Jesus and ask Him to show us what He wants us to learn. Form us into your image oh God. Fill our lips with your praise and may no weapon formed against us proper. Here is some good news friends,though the weapons may form and satan intends them for evil. God intends them for our good! He is for us! Going before us in power and love and following us with His mercy and grace. ❤️ Where do you see Him showing up for you? #seekandsavorpodcast #liftupyoureyes #rejoicealways #lifeafterloss...
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Ps.113:3 This is more than a command beloved. It has knit within it the secret to JOY, in the midst of sorrow. It is the direction we all need on finding our way from hopelessness to full of hope. When we choose to praise the Lord, not just when things are smooth sailing but also when the waves threaten to overtake our little boats, God does something miraculous. He produces joy and hope in those dark places. Just like that tender green shoot unfurling from the dark grave of earth it was planted in, It produces. Something good is coming. So let’s praise Him while we wait. #praisehiminadvance #liftupyoureyes #seekandsavorpodcast...
It was just a couple of years ago, but I still remember it. She told her mama that Nana had to have this even though they had already bought me a present. Her mama obliged.
It was a necklace that said two words, “Immeasurably More,” A lump rose in my throat as I opened it.
My heart needed those words. It needed to remember that while I “lift up my eyes,” I also need to remember that God is able to do immeasurably more than I can find the strength to ask for or even imagine. This is for you too friend.
Our God is for us. His book is a love story. Sit down, and invite Him to speak to your heart. You are dearly loved. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen Eph. 3:20,21 #seekandsavorpodcast #heisforyou #renewyourmind #rejoicealways...
I am loving the Bible Recap with Tara Leigh Cobble as part of my daily reading this year. She dropped this truth bomb the other day and I had to push rewind and write it down. Truth from God’s word is worth savoring friends. The reality that God is Always working on our behalf and no man can thwart His purposes is an anchor for your heart on the days your circumstances feel like mountains no man can climb. We can trust in our faithful God beloved.
“In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.” Psalm 18:29
Redirecting my eyes towards the truth of God’s word always redirects my heart. ❤️#seekandsavorpodcast #hopeinhim #rejoicealways...
10 years ago we spent our spring break at the beach. Alan’s body had just been buried but I knew he was fully ALIVE. 2 years after that I penned words sharing what the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart that day. The truth of them is still breathing life into me today.I find myself growing in the fertile soil of them. I pray they will breath life into you as well, no matter where your heart is challenged in believing today.
“Yesterday as I worshipped I felt Christ brushing past the rubble in my broken heart. In some ways the pain of Alan’s absence can feel fresh all over again. It’s on those days I’m made aware again of how life doesn’t look like I thought it would. The shock has gone. The flashbacks of painful days are fewer and fewer. Yet, I often found myself kneeling in a graveyard of broken dreams, unable to find a vision for the future. As I would walk about seeing others grow old together, I would wonder what that would have looked like and sometimes the new dreams God was giving me felt too BIG or far away. But God…
I felt the Spirit whisper to my heart, ‘The graveyard is the perfect place beloved. I am not daunted by death. No, I conquered it. In fact, you must know something… I Still Move Stones.’ Cue the tears friends. He still moves stones!
Have you ever heard more beautiful words? I can hardly think of any.
Mark 16:4 says, “ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” That great big stone that covered the tomb where they lay our Lord’s body had been moved. He came to conquer death. Then He tells us in Romans 8: 11, “ The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you.” At work in us? How is that possible? He is in the business of moving stones. The resurrected one wants to resurrect our hearts. He wants to conquer death on our behalf . Not just once when our earthly flesh fades, but every day! He longs to take the stones of brokenness, sin , heartache and death from our hearts. He wants to move the rubble out of our paths so we can LIVE resurrected lives. Because He lives, we can too.❤️#seekandsavorpodcast #christinus #liftupyoureyes #sundayiscoming...
There is hope in the midst of the fire. Don’t miss this week’s episode of Seek and Savor. Find 10 minutes of pure encouragement at the link in my bio. ❤️...
Sometimes, we just need to step away and remind ourselves that our God knows all that is troubling our souls and He has not given us over.
I do that sometimes and on this particular night it was medicine for my soul. After I walked this historic horse farm I sat on top of a hill and witnessed the ever changing sky. Minute by minute the colors changed, chasing each other until even the lavender faded to black. I felt the tension leave my body.
It reminded me that everyday He goes to great lengths to show us He is present.
We can either stop and notice or continue on, overwhelmed by what our feelings are speaking to us.
He is for you beloved! How do you exhale all the things and remind your soul this is true? Tell me all the ways! 👇🏼 #exhalefear #inhale #joyforthejourney #rejoice #seekandsavorpodcast...
