God-shaped hole

Sometimes I can characterize time periods in my life by a certain song or by a certain artist. I recently rediscovered this song from a very distinct time period in my life. I was lost, empty, sad...everything was gray. Then a friend gave me this CD, and I listened and re-listened and re-listened. And for the first time in my life God began to speak to me. I wasn't saved until probably a month or more later, but I very distinctly remember feeling the reality of God being personal when I first heard this song and the others on the CD. I fell asleep listening to them and listened to them when I woke up. Could it really be that God was real? Could it really be that He would be willing to be at peace with me? Could it really be that He was actually the One seeking me?

There is a God-shaped hole in all of us. And it is a void that only He can fill. I still feel gray sometimes. Sometimes I even feel lost and empty and sad. And He's still the only One who can fill the void. And He can. And He does. I love You, King Jesus.

Beautiful fall

"For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise!"

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet girl!

Gulf Shores 2012

Charlie's 3rd birthday

Can you guess how he feels about Toy Story?

Cleared

In April (yes, I'm just now posting from allll the way back then!) we took Charlie to Children's Hospital for his final CT scan. It was clear! Because he was so good and grown-up (And because those nurses and staff are INCREDIBLE! The first picture is a lady demonstrating to our 2yr old how he would go into the "big doughnut" like the little boy she was holding.) he was able to do it without sedation. And because of that, we were able to take him to the zoo afterwards. We had such a wonderful time enjoying our precious, healthy, whole (not even one scar) son. God is so good.

Slave

I'm thankful tonight to be a slave. I'm even more thankful that I haven't had the same master all my life.

"But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart..." Romans 6:17

"Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, 'These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!'" Acts 16:17

Honestly, I write with tears of gratitude. Talk about counter-cultural! Oh God, thank You, thank You, thank You that I can be Your slave!