"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.." Ephesians 3:20
This has been my theme with this little treasure of ours.
Her name means "abundance and this verse has been this constant voice in my mind that reminds me that no matter how inadequate I might feel sometimes, He__Is__Abundantly__Able.
He is always abundantly able.
This treasure has kept us so close to the Lord in a million tiny ways.
She's not a difficult child by any means, her life is simply a reminder.
It's a reminder of His faithfulness.
It's a reminder that He's faithful when gives
and He's faithful when He takes away.
It's a reminder that this whole crazy life is one giant gift.
And so, for her first birthday, we wanted to celebrate her, but we also just wanted to praise HIM__
To lift His name HIGH.
So we had ourselves a Praise & Pie Party here on the farm.
The Cowboy and I have a handful of scriptures that we pray continually over our kids. My treasure-friend, Tara, made cards with the verses that we picked specifically for Shiloh, along with a prayer for her.
At the party my Joey shared a bit of our journey with our kids and our heart to praise the Lord through all of it. Then each family got a card and we gathered under the leafless scrub brush, around the big table, and we read His Word, and praised His name, and THANKED Him for His faithfulness.
There is a verse that my thoughts go to often. It's a verse that is the deepest cry of my heart and so I pray it constantly. I pray it over my kids, over myself, over those most dear to me and over those who don't yet even know Christ.
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." {Philippians 1:20}
There was a time in my life where I struggled to read a few verses at a time because I felt they didn't apply to my life, or I didn't understand them.
As years have passed, I have found that I can spend months, even years, pondering the tiniest portion of scripture over and over again because there are long periods of time in my life where my deepest desires are the same. In fact, Philippians 1 might be one of those portions that I soak myself in for the rest of my days.
It was no coincidence that my precious friend Libby, who also lost a little one in a similar way that we lost our boys, got the card with Philippians 1:20 on it. My heart rejoiced as she slowly read the words through her tears around that picnic table yesterday. I don't know her thoughts in that moment, but in my own heart I was thinking about the beautiful things that the Lord does in our pain. And how it truly does take "sufficient courage" to not run from the hard in this life, but to truly trust that God is always in the business of making all things new.
Those twenty short minutes around the table were a sweet time for my soul to savor all that the Lord's given, when He didn't have to give anything at all.
How I LOVE that ALL truly is grace.
{On Saturday, my Grandma and I spent the day making my Great Grandma's pie recipes; Lemon, pumpkin & apple.}
{These two are two peas in a pod.}
{All the kids wanted to "help" Shiloh open her gifts.}
Her pregnancy, her birth, her first year has been the most tender season for me with the Lord. The way He's pursued me and challenged me, and strengthened me, and allowed me to break in the most fruitful of ways.
My life is crazy.
My house is full.
My days are busy.
And my mind is on constant overload.
But in the midst of it all, I am finding myself in a posture of praise__
Longing, trusting, believing that He is using my one willing and surrendered life for His glory.
Happy Birthday Joy-baby! You truly are an Abundant Gift and I've loved every second I've had with you!
