Brian and I are doing the Bible study, "Seeking Him" right now with our church and God taught me something cool the other night so I thought I'd share it with you all. This week, the topic was on grace and so we went through saving grace and sanctifying grace and the section on suffering grace really hit home. The author was sharing about when his wife died unexpectedly from cancer, leaving him with four kids. God says "my grace is sufficient for you" in 2 Cor 12:8-9. That night, I was feeling sorry for myself that life is rough with Brian being gone and the kids being sick this last week and then I realized I really don't have much to complain about at all... and whatever hardships I DO have, His grace is enough to get me through it for His "power is made perfect in weakness." I know that He's always with me but it was just a needed reminder of how much power and strength is available to me if I only admit that I need Him and ask for help. In 1 Peter 5:6-7 it says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you." We all know that verse and have probably memorized it a time or two but I never really thought about it in depth. Our study asked us where God places his hands when we are humble... Above us to cover us and beneath us to carry us. Isn't that neat? When we can't handle it, that's exactly when God wants us to run to Him so He can hold us in His hands-above and beneath- to help us and grow us through it.
Maybe that's not a huge revelation for you but it was for me. The next day, Natalie was looking at/singing from her Bible song book and the picture for "He's got the whole world in His hands" is a world with two giant hands wrapped around it. We talked about how God is always holding us and taking care of us so throughout the day, she would cup her hands and say, "Jee-zus. Word (world). Hands." Isn't it awesome how God can use even a little 22 month old to remind you of his love? :)
Enough of the devotional... here's some pictures of our time at the "Puh-keen Pash"
I told her to lay on the pumpkins so I could get a cute picture. She didn't really cooperate and I never got a good pose all day. Oh well.
With Jess and Carter (why did I wear white pants to a pumpkin patch?!)
Some more of Blake since he slept through the whole thing.
She wanted him to have something to look at too. So thoughtful. :)
4 comments:
Thanks Jen. That's a good reminder for me!
Cute pics of the kids!
I couldn't get my kids to pose at the pumpkin patch either.... And isn't it weird to be hot when you are picking pumpkins? I was thinking that when we went out this week!
That's a great insight! Jason and I are currently reading that little Randy Alcorn book I got at the Hospitality House called "The Grace and Truth Paradox." Grace is really an awesome and unfathomable thing. We don't have to understand it, just accept it. :)
You might like Chuck Swindoll's book, "The Grace Awakening". Love seeing your family and looking forward to seeing all of you at Christmas!
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