Good Company

Oh, how I miss writing! There is just no time to SIT at the computer anymore. If I have any extra time, I get the PRIVILEGE doing the mountain of dishes in the sink.

I do have something I believe God has placed on my heart to share though so I am going to type as fast as I can... before someone needs me. 

We are busting it to do what God has called us to do. It is a gloriously high and crazy calling to mother 7 world changers. I don't deserve a minute of the life God has given me. 

Tim and I have gone through some hard stuff during the last couple of years. Trials that knock the breath out of you. Cruel attacks of the enemy. A lot of disillusionment and trying to find center.

I have isolated myself as I try and cope with the stress and pain of it all. I tell Tim,  "no one could possibly understand this stuff". He says, "would you want them to?" My answer is "no. never. I would never want anyone to go through this but it sure is comforting to have someone to talk to... who understands".

The enemy loves to make us feel alone. And believe that everybody else's life is a cake walk. 

The truth is we are all going through trials and suffering. If you are living for Christ in this hostile spiritual environment, my guess is you are getting pretty beat up by spiritual opposition.

You. Are. Not. Alone.

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are."

1 Peter 5

Now, more than ever, we have to be alert. I 100% believe we are living in the last days. That is why we are seeing such serious attacks. Attacks that fall into one of these categories...

"in the last days there will be very difficult times.  
For people will love only themselves and money. 
They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.  They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly." 2 Tim 3

We are fighting battles our forefathers didn't fight. 

It is a new era. 

A new era of rampant prescription drugs and electronics. 

Slandering on social media. 

Reckless people who have no concept of authority and truly consider nothing sacred.
We have to learn how to not only stay alive but serve God in this war.

Living in the last days is hard but it comes with such OPPORTUNITY if we stand firm!!

“ In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. 
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions"
Acts 2:17

Our kids are going to be used in ways we could have never dreamed of as God pours out His Spirit!

That's why the enemy wants to destroy marriages and Christian families.

Godly marriages have a huge bulls eye on them. If the enemy gets a crack, he can get in and start destroying. 

Imagine the President walking around without body guards! It wouldn't happen because he obviously has haters. 

You better believe marriage has haters.

Why would we not put great protection around our marriages? 

Spiritual secret service!

Song of Solomon says if you have a blooming vineyard, foxes will come.

"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."

Song of Solomon 2:15

I found this helpful when studying foxes...

1. First, foxes are mostly nocturnal creatures, or that is, they are creatures of the night.

As creatures of the night these little foxes do their evil work in darkness. In the darkest watches of the night when no one sees and when the caretakers are drowsy with sleep, the foxes quietly gnaw their way through the hedges and dig their way under the walls of the vineyard. Spiritually speaking, darkness is a type of evil, and wickedness, and of sin and corruption. The devil is called the prince of darkness, and the whole world lies in spiritual darkness. These little foxes come from out of the darkness of spiritual wickedness to do their evil and sinful work in the Lord’s vineyard. They don’t do their work in the light of day, because the light exposes them for what they are.

2. Secondly, the little foxes are sly, cunning, and crafty little creatures.

Foxes are very sneaky and quiet, and very cunning. How often do you ever see a fox? Not very often, but they are there. In the spiritual world, foxes are also very sneaky and quiet and cunning. They are very deceitful and perverse. They slip into the vineyard ever so quietly. They sneak in as quiet as mice so as not to be noticed. They steal into the vineyard as innocent little lambs and as angels of light, but inwardly they have an ill work planned to destroy the vineyard and all of its works and its tender grapes.

3. Thirdly, foxes are wild and vile by nature.

Foxes cannot be tamed or domesticated. You can’t make a house pet out of a fox. They are cute and fuzzy when they are small, but they grow up to be wild animals, and will surely show their true nature. Spiritually speaking, you can’t tame those little foxes that come into the vineyard from the kingdom of darkness. They might seem cute and harmless when they are small, but they will surely grow up to show their true destructive nature. You can’t give place to a fox. You will never tame him or reform him. As the old saying goes, “a fox is a fox, is a fox is a fox”; or was that “horse is a horse is a horse”- Oh well, it is certainly true of a fox! And the little foxes are even more dangerous, as our text points out, because they are very small, and they creep in unawares and unbeknownst to the watchmen and caretakers of the vineyard. Often times, by the time they are spotted and identified, they have worked much havoc, and done much damage, and have grown into big full grown foxes!

4. Fourthly, foxes come in different kinds and colors.

There are the gray, red, silver, and white foxes. In the spiritual realm foxes come in even more sizes and colors than in the natural realm. There are perhaps hundreds of species of foxes in the spirit world. They are so many in kind and color that it is sometimes difficult to identify them, and to tell them from some good creature. It takes a well learned caretaker in the science of foxology, to identify a fox and to label him for what he is, and to know how to extinguish him from the vineyard.

5. Fifthly, foxes are a kind of a dog.

The dog family is known to be scavengers, and predators, and pests, and nuisances. They are very unclean beasts, and in the Scriptures they are symbolic of the Gentiles and other unclean enemies of God and His people. Likewise the little foxes are vile and unclean creatures that would attempt to spoil and defile the clean and holy character of the vineyard. They corrupt the vines and the grapes, making them unclean and unholy, and worthless to any spiritual good. Foxes, like dogs and all other bruit beasts, are also carnal in nature, and sensual, and appeal to the flesh. They don’t mind the things of the Spirit of God. They appeal to the fleshly nature of the old man and his works and deeds. They don’t appeal to the new man, because the new man in every true believer is contrary to those vile foxes, and will not be influenced or corrupted by them.

6. Sixthly, foxes are expected to be found in vineyards.     

It is a foxes nature to be found in the same land where vineyards are planted. The two naturally co-exist. Where a vineyard is found, the little foxes will be found trying to get in and spoil the vineyards. The very land and ground where the vineyard exists, is the very same land and ground where the little foxes have their habitat. So where the vineyard is, the little foxes are sure to be found. Therefore it takes a continuous effort and watchfulness, and maintenance by the watchmen and caretakers of the vineyard to insure that the foxes don’t get in.

 *********************************************

Pray for God to help you be a foxologist! Foxes don't have to be "people" (most of the time they are though). Your fox may be something as innocent as select ball or as destructive as an addiction. Identify foxes and CATCH them like the verse says.

I love being married to Tim. The battles we have fought during the last 15 years are seriously unbelievable.

The other night we went on a date and we did what we love to do most: share our hearts and dreams with each other.

As he was talking, I was overwhelmed with the fact I get to sit in that seat across from him. What an honor to be the girl who gets to know his heart and have a front row seat to his life. 

We say our vows every year in front of the kids. This January, we happened to be at the beach.  Reece performed ceremony. They are getting used to it. Hope never tires of it.
We want them to KNOW the power of covenant. 
Not contract... covenant.

It was seriously one of the most beautiful days of my life. Funny how pictures are deceiving... looks like the perfect life. Well, if clinging to Jesus through trial is perfection then so be it! Tim has to (eventually) have a hip replacement and can no longer jog. :( 

 I have had post partum shingles AGAIN (3rd time). :(

Praying so hard that I didn't give the baby chicken pox. I have given 3 of my kids chicken pox this way in the past. We hardly get breaths between the waves of trial but it has forced us to a place of desperation. For the Lord and for each other. Most couples have places to run to, safety nets of some sorts. We have God and each other.  Tim says God did that on purpose...That our whole life is slanted... so that we will keep falling back down to the feet of Jesus. 

Pain does that. I don't ever choose pain. I like the "no pain, no pain" motto. But with pain, does come gain. And healing. And wisdom. And depth of character. 

I am studying Ezekiel 47 with the boys. It is BLESSING my socks off to see how God continues to lead us deeper until we are literally "IN OVER OUR HEADS".

I laughed out loud when I read that.

"and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through...

 Life will flourish wherever this water flows."

Ex 47:5, 9

This is where you find LIFE. 

When you lose yours. When you trade solid ground for the unknown.

When you die to self and go all in for Jesus Christ. 

I get to see miracles everyday. 

Fruit and healing are found in a life given away to Christ.

Sometimes I long to go back to the days when I was only ankle deep. It "seemed" safer but WOW what I would have missed. 

If you have time, read that chapter. 

Ask God to lead you further out.

It is scary, no doubt.

But it is WORTH it.

Lots more I want to share! We are having birthdays around here.

Hope is 7 and Lake is about to turn 10.

Worth is a doll baby.

Rhett keeps me HOPPING. 

Crew is a human ray of sunshine.

Older 2 are starting baseball and precious guys who love God.

I started this blog when I was pregnant with Lake. 

I'm so thankful God has been with us every minute of every day and will continue to be.

Be encouraged. 

There is always HOPE.

If you are single, wait.
Let God write your love story.
It is so much better than one you would write.
1 Cor 2:9

><>