Meet Tara

35 years ago today I married Alan Dickson.
It is strange when the one you would celebrate this milestone with is in Heaven.
It is worth remembering and celebrating.
Though it be both bitter and sweet I make space to grieve the things that are not and give thanks for what is. I am a glass half full person. Not because I was born that way but because I have learned to fight the good fight that way. I have learned to endure and lead my heart back to a place of trusting God .
It doesn’t mean the grief is gone. It means I can feel everything and land in a place of looking up.
❤️#lifeafterloss #grievingwithhope #onethousandgifts ...

Who can stand in the middle of a battlefield and find peace beloved?

Peace isn’t found in the cease-fire. You CAN find it while the battle still rages when you allow God’s spirit to sift through your life and simplify things.

In the sifting some things have to go while others stay. But space is made to hear His voice and there is peace in His presence. This is your invitation to join me as we quiet our hearts together over on the Seek and Savor podcast. Let’s simplify our lives by listening to His voice. ❤️
The link to listen is in my bio.
#simplelifestyle #peaceofmind❤️ #resteasy ...

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 ...

Have you ever found yourself holding your breath, not even aware you were?

Maybe you are anxious about all the things staring you in the face.
They may even be accompanied by the potential threats of what could happen tomorrow .
 It’s hard to follow the instruction not to worry about tomorrow.
 And yet God’s word doesn’t just say. DON’T WORRY for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.
He tells us what to do instead.
Today’s episode of the Seek and Savor podcast is, “In Need of Joy.”
We don’t just talk about needing it. We look at God’s word for instruction on how to attain it.
Find the link to listen in my bio. #seekandsavorpodcast #findingjoy #womenoftheword #christianpodcast ...

Maybe, like me you need this gentle reminder.

The Lord’s love for us is great beloved! His compassions never fail.

When we wake up in the morning His mercies are there to meet us.

Truth is meant to be spoken over our own hearts. Try it... OUT LOUD.

It might feel weird at first but I guarantee you the more you do it the more you begin to believe the words you’ve been reading.

They become a charge to your own heart. A fire is IGNITED to believe his promises, the things he says about His people and the HOPE we have in Jesus.

He is our portion.

He is all we need...so we can wait on him to make everything right. In this world, in our relationships, in our own hearts.

Trust him beloved.

P.S. Waiting on God is a place of honor. Go read Ps 147:11 He favors those who fear him and wait on his lovingkindness.

He’s got us. ❤️
#seekandsavorpodcast #renewyourmind #speaktruth ...

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 woke up this morning with these words coming out of my mouth. “Up from the grave He arose.”
But they continued…
“With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a VICTOR from the dark domain
And He lives FOREVER…”
These words are from a song written by Robert Lowry.
But my heart claimed them aa my own upon waking.
The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came that we may have LIFE friends!
I don’t know the things you may find yourself wrestling with in your everyday life.
I don’t know the wilderness season you may find yourself in or the grief that may feel like is breaking your heart.
But I do know this good news is bigger than a day!
It was for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
It will carry you when you feel weary and hide you in the shadow of the Almighty as you wait for deliverance.
The good news that Jesus came, He died and He rose from the dead is for EVERYONE!
It’s for you beloved.
John 14:1 (ESV)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.“
Psalm 9:10 (ESV)
“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.“ ...

I’ve been asking the Lord for more.
I’m realizing I need Him more than I’ve reached for Him in the past.
What I mean by that is, of course we need Him to save us, friends.
But, He didn’t just sacrifice His life for ours and stop there.

Psalm 139 says He is intimately acquainted with all our ways.

When my husband went to heaven and the fog of constant grief started lifting, I began to see how very much alone I was..

Who would help me make all the decisions I was used to making with a partner?
The ones, we take for granted like; What’s for dinner?
What color should we paint the house?
Is it time to replace the water heater or should we wait?
And the bigger ones like how should I handle a conflict with my child or is it time to sell the house?
It only took a few weeks before I had decision fatigue.😰
Then one day out of frustration, I said, Lord, since he’s not here, I need you to do all these things….And you know what?
He did.
As I waited on Him, he answered.
I began asking him to be everything: my counselor, my friend, my physician, everything.
So, it was no surprise to me after one particularly stressful week, I came across this verse in my reading.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statues of the Lord are trustworthy making wise the simple.”
Ps. 19: 7(NKJV)

There He was again, giving me the perfect prescription for a dry, weary soul crying out for direction.

What do you need the Lord to do for you beloved?

Ask and he will answer. Seek and you will find.

Tag a friend who needs to remember that He wants to be our Everything!
#liftupyoureyes #seekandsavorpodcast #heiswithus ...

God will always shine his light in the dark places for our benefit. He wants to tend our hearts. Are we looking for His light?

Removing things, that are dead or just taking up space will actually make room for LIFE friends!

And something wonderful happens each time we surrender to God. Whether that be the first time we surrender our lives to him or when we surrender on a normal day in an ordinary moment.

Hop over to the Seek and Savor podcast as we learn to disciple our hearts. ❤️
Link to listen in my bio. #seekandsavorpodcast #newheart #lightoftheworld ...