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.
So often fear makes us want to turn around and go the other way.
Or we think we must hurry ahead to achieve all the things we want to. Staying steady, our hand in his hand is often hard. The enemy comes in and tells us that uncomfortable is not the place we want to be. He says “in control” is better.
But, oh beloved what joy is found in surrender.
“For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13
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’s a lot of things grasping for our attention, Situations and circumstances that would draw our hearts away from the one who brings LIFE. Proverbs 4 speaks a good word for us beloved. It reminds us to….
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
Setting our gaze on the right thing is the difference between overcoming or being overcome. In Peter’s situation it was the difference between walking on water and sinking into it. I know it can feel SO very hard but today, right now, what if you just “lifted your eyes?” What if you took them off that THING and put them on your great God? I promise you, Jesus makes everything look smaller. And He will sit with you in the midst of it all. #seekandsavorpodcast #hopeforthefuture #changeyourperspective #renewyourmind #wordofgodspeak...
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...
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. ❤️...
There is no better place to dwell, to take up residence and abide,than in Him. When the things of this world feel like they are shaking me I check my heart and ask myself “Where are you abiding?” When I look back at the faithfulness of my God not just to me but to the generations that have come before me my heart is lifted up. He is worthy, beloved! He is worthy of our praise, our trust and of our teaching the next generation. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will hide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Ps 91:1 He is a safe place to hide our heart. ❤️ #asafeplace #renewyourmind #hopeforthefuture#athousandgenerations#seekandsavorpodcast...
“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...
This was us…. 10 years ago ,about an hour after the doctors in Chicago told us to go home and set up hospice.
The light in my eyes is supernatural.
I guarantee you there were many tears that came too. But in that moment, I was overwhelmed by God’s Grace. I was there, in the city of my birth, and God was pouring bountiful snow on my head as the worst news was delivered. I felt carried in His bosom, seen to the depths of my being. And while my heart felt broken beyond repair, I also knew I was deeply loved.
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me, your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” Psalm 138:8
I ran across this quote one day that I’d saved from T. Davis Bunn- “The whole world’s out there screaming for our attention and only one little voice in our heart is whispering ;The answers not out there. It’s in here.” Oh how I want to listen to that still small voice beloved!
There have been times in my life I desperately wanted to hear from God. I know you have too. Write it on the wall, Lord. ❤️ Isaiah 30:21 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, This is the way, walk in it.” Now more than ever it’s imperative that the sheep know the Good Shepherd’s voice. We could just make up our own path but why would we do that when He can see down the road? He can direct our steps and lead us in triumphant procession. For more on this check out my Seek and Savor podcast and search the episode, “The Good Shepherd.” #seekandsavorpodcast #hearinggodsvoice #liftupyoureyes...
Lifting up our eyes to our faithful Father changes everything, especially us. Find more encouragement on my Seek and Savor podcast. 💕#seekandsavorpodcast #liftupyoureyes #rejoicealways #lifeafterloss...
