What is YOUR Quest? ~ Guest Blogging Day

What is more, I consider everything a loss 

because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.   

I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, 

but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  

 Phil 3: 8-9 NIV

I'm not sure if you've ever watched the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but one of my favorite parts is when they are trying to cross a bridge and there is a man drilling them with questions before they are allowed to pass.  The man standing guard always asks the person who is attempting to cross the bridge, "What is your quest?"

As parents of children with special needs, we may find ourselves engaged in a daily battle to determine our QUEST, or our PURPOSE in life.  I know that I do!  

I look at ALL there is to do around me…all of the “causes” for which I need to fight; the IEP meetings to attend, the support groups to connect with, the doctors appointments to schedule AND keep, the family and friends who need me and I them!  

Continue Reading on Comfort in the Midst of Chaos...

He is Jealous for Me...

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
Oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves all
How He loves...

In a world riddled with pain, I read these words and feel the beauty of them consume me...

After writing in several Caringbridge guestbooks this morning, MY heart turned violently in my chest, and I needed to be reminded of our purpose, and why God created us, how God created us, who God created us to be...

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

God's love for us is so powerful, we are like a tree caught in the hurricane of his love...we bend, blown over by his love, his plan for us, his mercy...oh, to be bending under the weight of mercy and forgiveness...

...and then suddenly all the pain and afflictions we suffer here on earth are "eclipsed" by HIS glory...

Eclipsed: a total or partial cutting off of view (based from the observer's viewpoint), a dimming of importance, an obstruction or darkening...

So, while our pain and afflictions are still there, and they are still visible from another person's viewpoint; to us, the observers, the suffering is cut off from our view, no longer fully exposed but dimmed, darkened, obscured. The suffering we endure is nothing compared to his glory.

When we feel his glory wash over us, we realize how much God loves us.

He loves us so much that he is jealous for us, and will go to great lengths to have us turn to him. Whenever I start to stray, whenever I start to feel like I'm capable of "going it on my own"; I get blown over, and I wind up on my knees, face down in the ground waiting for the ocean of God's mercy to wash over me.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.

As his portion, we are part of his family; we have a unique claim to God's royalty and throne. He is our prize; at the end of the suffering here on earth, we will win our race and claim our prize. But we can't take short cuts, and we can't quit early...to get the prize, we have to finish running on the course that has already been plotted. 


May you all feel his grace overwhelm you today...
May you bend, but not break, in the hurricane of his love...
May the your pain be eclipsed by his glory...
May you know how he loves us...


(All song lyrics were quoted from How He Loves by John Mark Mc Millan)

Somewhere, Dreams are Waiting to be Dreamed

Have you ever wondered where dreams go when they die? Or where they come from when they take on life? 

 I saw some dreams come into existence over the course of these past few months of my life. I can only attribute it to prayer, everyday, and to listening to God's direction for me through His love letter to me. He reminded me that He has called me to a higher purpose. That I am not able to just sit by and watch life happen. That I have to take an active roll in the construction of my family and the community around me.

When you walk in God's will you receive the peace that only He can provide. So, call out to Him. And then listen. Listen for His direction...for His opportunities that come your way. Listen to His Word so you can recognize His voice among the many voices that fight for your attention.

There are limitless dreams waiting to be dreamed. Reach your hand up high to the sky and grab hold of them...God is just waiting to pour them out over you...