Hiding

June 9, 2016June 8, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

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This past week the reminders have been quite vivid and stir my soul. When God works, he does an amazing job. He unceasingly works on our behalf and I must stop and call attention to his handiwork.

I am amazed when I witness the tender loving care of a Father who knows exactly what we long for and desperately need. Our need and pain are not lost on him. When we relinquish control of our will and plans and rely totally on him, he speaks to our need. We may not even know exactly what it is we need, but he does.

What a loving, personal God.

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He could have set this world in motion and stepped aside to see what we could come up with. Watching from a distance. And waiting. But he didn’t.

And, most certainly, we make a mess out of things. Our pain comes from our own hands or from selfish desires around us.

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No matter the depth of our brokenness and regardless of how far scattered the pieces of our hearts, his beautiful grace works a breathtaking miracle. If we let him. When it is the easiest to hide and shelter our hearts, that is when we must step into the light.

Vulnerable and available.

He longs to bless and comfort and mend the broken shreds. But, so often we shrink into the shadows. People hurt. Rejection screams. Loss tears and rips at the fiber of our souls. And we lay in a heap. Broken. Devastated. Wounded. Desperate.

Desperate for a loving grace that brings healing.

Truly, desperate to be known, and yet loved.

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He knows our weakness and our vulnerability. How desperate we are for him. He longs for us. He seeks us out. He searches and finds us.

Do we hide because we are undone and naked? Who of our fathers and mothers was that again?

Are we the only ones? Are we walking in the company of a great swell of witnesses? Those who have walked through shadows cheer us on.

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What do we lose if we quit? Who remains lost because we refused to be known? He knows and sees anyway. All is already clear to him anyway.

Why do we feel the need to hide?

He has healing in his hands. Pours out the oil of gladness and a peace that no man can conjure. In my depths, I look up for hope. He is our hope waiting along with peace and joy. Healing.

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What man and the snake intended for evil, all will be made right.

The gift of the cross made right our broken souls.

It made clear what the serpent sought to do. Death was in the serpent’s lie. Death is the tongue and jealous desires of man. But, no man can ever separate us from the Love of God. No schemes or plans can ever cause our release from his grip.

It’s a grip. A grip of grace, of love, of hope, of joy.

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Hiding causes us to miss it. In the moments of hiding and closing off our hearts, God holds the remedy. A salve only found in him.

He does all things well.

The Psalmist of long ago cried out with such beauty and desperation I feel it in the depths of my soul:

“I think about the heavens.

I think about what your fingers have created.

I think about the moon and stars

that you have set in place.

What are human beings that you think about them?

What is a son of man that you take care of him?”

(Psalm 8:3,4)

Yes! That is me! My human self!

My micro self in the sight of a macro God. There is awe in the reality.

Why in the world should I hide?

I am known by him and yet I am desperately loved.

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I’m not a burden or disappointment. Ever.

I am my beloveds; he is mine.

And, you, too. Created and kissed by God. He created us and called us good.

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I am safest when I hide in his hand.

Not hiding from his hand.

Healing is in those hands. For he has engraved us upon his palms.

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Getting Through The Storm

May 26, 2016May 25, 2016 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

This week we have a friend of mine–a fellow blogger, Nicolette Pennisi, at https://thesoignesoul.wordpress.com–joining in with a guest post. Nicolette is a recent add to my world, but she has quickly found a dear, sweet spot in my heart. A young adult, a Senior at Regent University, she has a mature, yet sensitive soul. Thanks for stopping by this week. I know you will enjoy her perspective.

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Last week, Amberly wrote an insightful post on the Lord being the Great Designer of our lives. Walking by faith and not by sight is something that even the most seasoned believer has to be reminded of. This involves having faith during our sun-filled seasons and our torrential downpour seasons.

It seems the biggest confusion amongst new (and even mature) believers is the concept of following Christ on smooth road. It seems easy to follow Christ when we’re feeling the blessings of clear skies and calm waves. The minute the clouds cover and the waves clash about, my faith can falter. Often I find myself thinking my salvation is a guarantee for an effortless life, when I find that it’s the exact opposite.

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Your storms are meant to sprout you not stunt you.

Relationships start off positive. Never do we expect there to be any troubles because how could we ever disagree with the person we find wonderful from the start? Our relationship with Christ starts off on a high note: we are diligent in reading, praying, and worshipping.

We are hopelessly in love with our Savior. But just like our earthly relationships, our relationship with God is meant to grow. After I experience a hardship in a relationship, often that relationship is stronger prior to the complication. Christ expects that after our trials.

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When Jesus calmed the storm in Matthew 8, verse 23 tells us that the disciples followed Him into the boat. The next verse tells us that a storm arose while they were out at sea; the tempest wasn’t present when they came on. It was easy for them to willingly follow when there was no difficulty in sight. The moment the storm came, they allowed their fear to consume them. I bet they questioned why they even got in that boat in the first place. If they had known there was going to be turbulence, I’m sure they wouldn’t have placed a step on there.

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When difficulty arises, I question my choices in the same way. Had I known I was going to face the trials that I have, I wouldn’t have gone into certain situations. Some difficulties derive from bad choices and some are simply the result of following after Christ. What we fail to realize is the minute we follow Christ, a storm arises. That is, immediately, there is spiritual warfare being fought. The last thing Satan wants is for us to devote our lives to Jesus. He will do anything to deter us from our final destination.

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Salvation salvages your eternal destination and your earthly dilemmas.

If Christ is big enough to save us from Hell, He can surely handle our problems. In the midst of the storm, Jesus was asleep while the disciples were freaking out! Jesus knew it was coming. God knows the difficulties we will face, but He uses those to grow us into a beautifully new creation in Him. It’s up to us to choose to “walk by faith and not by sight.” Trusting in Christ is the only way for us to sail through all storms of life. Our faith will be made stronger through these.

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“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10.

His victorious right hand will lead us through. Just as Christ rebuked the winds and the sea, He will do the same when we put our complete trust in Him. We can’t allow our fears to keep us from doing so.

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Jesus’ glory is bigger than your fear.

“And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” Matthew 8:27.

When Christ calms our storm, you will stand in awe of it.

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When we go through the fire, we are purified and are strengthened after it. It sheds away the new to reveal the new and improved. At the end of it all, we have nothing left but to praise our Savior for making it through.

Jesus told us that He overcame the world so that we may have a greater life. To live a greater life is to walk faithfully with Christ, letting Him rebuke the storms that may come our way.

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Enough

April 28, 2016April 27, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

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Do you ever feel like this?

Like life is a cross between “hang on for dear life, dig in and paddle fiercely…all this with eyes squeezed tightly shut.” Maybe you can relate.

I’m learning to live blueprint-free.

Learning to be fed daily from His hand. To rest and trust. These are scary, uncharted waters for a Planner. Oh, I always felt I trusted God to lead my life. I worked hard to surrender my will and follow Him and His plan. But, I guess when the paycheck is rolling in and security is sure and there aren’t any real risks in your life, it’s easy to “trust God with everything.”

Oh, well. I’m no longer there.

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And it is either trust or flail. Those are the options.

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The one clear message I hear over and over is “rest, be still, be quiet, trust.”

“I’ve got you; I’ve got this; quit trying to do this in your human strength; I will fight for you.”

Over and over for the last four months. When it’s easy to remember and when it’s not. He plays the message in different ways and in different methods. Some days I get it, some days it is harder for me to grasp.

Sometimes, weariness overcomes and wears me down. Often, the hurt from loss threatens to overwhelm. There is a very real understanding that we are not enough.

We are not enough.

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In our own strength we are never enough. Only in our weakness is His enough-ness allowed to shine forth. We take our small broken pieces…bundled up or scattered by the winds of life…either way. The only way you can be enough is when they are surrendered and placed at His feet.

The broken shards. Some pieces have been so pulverized there isn’t much to show for it. Just scoop them up. Scrape them all up and lay them down.

Then. And only then, are you enough.

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I can’t do enough, be enough, plan enough, or think enough. No amount of strategizing, fixing, understanding, speaking out, or even forgiving is enough.

It’s all nothing.

Nothing in the eyes of the Father. He doesn’t want all of that. He certainly doesn’t need all of that. All that doing only serves to enslave us and wear us out.

Trying and trying and trying. I am finding that is a favorite word for me. Interestingly enough. Trying. I tried. I am trying. I try. I say that about accomplishing “important” goals or certain mindsets or mastering certain disciplines. For the love of goodness! No wonder I am weary!

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I am busy doing all of these right and holy things in order to live the right way and learn the right things and please all the right requirements and all the right people.

How have I managed to slip into law living?

I have nothing.

In myself.

I’ve given Him me and with that everything He wants I give Him free reign. And that, my friends, is costly.

He can’t do much with the know-it-alls, self-righteous and the Pharisees. Those missing the grace component. These are not pliable or teachable enough. Those who ignore the plank in their own eyes, nearly tripping over it, yet scream about the log in someone else’s.

He isn’t impressed.

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Until we realize our nothingness without Him, we are a miserable lot.

NOTHING + JESUS = EVERYTHING.

I have recently found myself a part of a community whose mantra is this very thing: NOTHING + JESUS = EVERYTHING. And you want to know what is cool and beautiful about that? There is nothing to prove!

They don’t try to impress and they don’t need me to either. They just love.

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It is a grace-filled living. They are open arms and grace-filled hearts. For whether we think we have something to bring to the table or not, we don’t. Not really. If we live in grace, we don’t get to pick and choose who deserves the gift of grace. We know we all are nothing in ourselves and in desperate need of grace at any given moment.

Resting is not something I do well.

I used to brag. I would say, “I don’t rest.” My friends would joke about me sneaking a nap on myself. I don’t brag anymore. The mandate is clear.

I’m learning to rest.

It’s amazing what becomes “normal” living. And, when it is ripped away, you begin to breathe and see the unhealthiness of whatever it was. I’m getting it.

I just need Him.

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All but the very essentials in my life have been stripped away. And, I do not exaggerate. The tearing away has been painful and great.

It is not punishment.

It is a realigning, calibrating, and refining.

The souvenirs from the past journey don’t translate to this new one. The stripping away is of divine appointment and not of my own hand.

Run and leave; and don’t bring anything with you from one journey to the next.

Don’t long for the past. Exhale.

It’s feels like looking through a glass to the other side of the window.

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This is divine rest.

It is a separating from the old in order to be ready for the new.

There is preparation in this separation.

If I don’t rest, I feel a panic bubbling up from the deepest parts of me. And weariness. And here we are again. God knows. So, for the umpteenth time, until I finally believe it down deep, He calls me to rest.

It is counter-intuitive. Everything screams to plan and prepare. To do and do. But, His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Yes. I will sit and rest in His arms.

Give up the nonsense.

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He knows it all. He sees it all. And that is becoming enough for me. I can’t settle the score or balance out the scale or bring to pass that which needs to be.

I leave that to Him. And that is enough.

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Gifts in Odd Little Packages

April 13, 2016April 13, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 6 Comments

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Rainy days.

Following God.

Trusting Him.

Relying on Him.

Depending on Him.

Sometimes the answers don’t come in the way you expect. Sometimes the answers are not sounding like what you had in mind. Sometimes the gifts are wrapped in odd looking packages. They even come a little banged up and looking a little worse for wear.

Some days come with the rain drops and grey skies. Some come full of sunshine and gentle breezes.

As a mom, I would give anything for the gifts to always be sunny and blue-sky filled. What do you do when the answers and the gifts look anything but that?

Needles and IVs and tubes and wires and beeps and clicks. Hospital beds and quiet rooms. Where is the hope in this and where is the joy in the promises?

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Teaching your children that some things don’t look or sound like good gifts, but indeed they are. That’s the starting place.

How I wish our gifts and answers didn’t require doctor visits and hospital visits and infusions. Yet, here we are. Good people given to administer health and care to hurting and tired bodies.

That’s a gift.

Compassionate hands and tender souls working to understand the pain and do something, anything to make it better. God knows.

I could let myself run free down the highway of fear and burden and disappointment. A young body feeling older that it should and hurting more than seems fair.

But, let’s point to God.

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Yesterday, I realized I had lost some very important birthday cards I had bought a few days earlier for two special little people.

I could not for the life of me figure out where I had put them. All I know is we have had some crazy-wild wind blowing through and everything felt like it would blow away if it wasn’t bolted down. A neighbor I didn’t even know met me at the driveway, said she found some cards in a sack blowing around the empty lot….were they mine? She thought maybe they would be. Yes, yes they are.

This is such a funny, cool story to me.

No, they weren’t priceless and irreplaceable. Just a couple of birthday cards for some cuties. But, I was perplexed at their loss and just moments before had searched the car for them. She dropped them by, all fine and good and undamaged, although they had taken quite a ride on the wind.

This made me laugh!

Somewhere between being unloaded from the car and before making it inside the house they were whirled away for the ride of their short, recycled-paper life. Soon to be picked up and rescued by friendly neighbors.

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Now.

This is not meant to be some overly-spiritual analogy or goose-bump-filled story.

It was just a gentle reminder whispered to me in that moment. As silly as a couple of cards are, and seemingly insignificant in the whole scheme of things, they were needed. I realized that if God can help me get my missing cards back, He can answer anything and be everything I need him to be.

Please don’t roll your eyes and exit out of this post! It’ll be worth it, I promise!

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Here’s the deal.

We are well on our way into a new adventure.

Currently, no job.

The Husband is wrapping up law school with graduation in May.

Without a job, there is no insurance and no income.

Fortunately, our insurance is extended into the summer. But, if I’m not careful, I begin to ask what about after that?

No insurance–how do I make sure my Love receives the best gift in medicine he can?

It can cause a Momma’s heart to fret. But, not to worry.

These last few months, God has been busy showing me in various ways He has a plan. He had a plan before we knew we even needed the plan. What men intend for negative, God turns for good, in the lives of those who follow Him. We can ride that all the way home!

God is helping me understand His shoulders are broader and His arms are stronger than my cares. He loves me. He loves my children. He loves my family more than I can ever fully understand. He knows our need.

He has the plan.

In fact, He only does things really well, and works to bring all things together in perfect order, in just the right timing. And, further, He knows what we will be needing BEFORE we even know we have need—long before we are in need.

So, with our future unknown to us (but NOT unknown to God), I sit here in this special unit of the children’s hospital watching my child being infused with a medical gift. This will be a regular occurrence for the foreseeable future. No, I wish this was not part of his journey. Surely, to never have this need in the first place would be an amazing gift. But, God’s divine plan is better.

And, I will trust.

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This man-size boy just trying to live life to the fullest.

Following his passions…running bases and hitting balls, making music and loving his family. God has a beautiful plan. Even in this imperfect story, God is weaving great gifts and miracles into the fabric of who this man-child is.

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I am thankful for the gifts God gives and the hope and peace that lies right within reach.

I only need to focus on the promise of Him never leaving or forsaking.

So, whether they are little paper-reminders of God’s awareness or flesh on hands or the beeping and clicking of monitors, I choose to see these as extravagant gifts He gives.

My hope is built on nothing less than Christ and His love for me and mine.

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Raise Them Strong

March 30, 2016March 29, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

The other day my youngest and I were out and about with friends and headed to the zoo. I’m not sure what the girls were even talking about. But you know tweens. They talk, laugh, and giggle at just about anything and everything.

We were headed down the interstate and I hear mine say,

“Life is severe!”

I can’t remember anything else she said after that. That got my attention.

She’s 12. And, life has proven to be severe for her. Now, in all good perspective, I understand we aren’t sitting in a cancer ward, or at a funeral home, or living in a war-torn village. All things considered, it is an overall blessed life. But, for her, it has had some challenges.

She has had to walk away from a community that she has known since she was four-years-old without barely a goodbye. This was where she realized her passions and had some dear and strong friendships. This community had become incredibly personal to her and the center of much of her life. Her father’s job was over and she was soon cut off from many she considered family. Her world was turned upside down over night and a once safe place, was no longer safe.

She has faced anxiety about her future and the loss of the only world she really knew. Unfortunately, she has learned tough lessons on rejection and betrayal, grief and loss.

I’ve been thinking about my children and how, as a parent, I have gifts I need to give them. After some of the things we have been through lately, resilience is one of the very best I can give.

It’s not something I can bestow upon their heads by tapping a diamond encrusted wand and sprinkling some pixie dust. Now, wouldn’t that be a trick! So much cooler…and easier! But, alas, this gift doesn’t come that way. But, its value almost can not be measured.

“Life can be severe, but you will make it! You will be just fine.”

One of the worst things I can do is kill myself making everything work out exactly so to my children’s specifications and requests. Because, life happens. Jobs change, you don’t always make the team, the doctor’s report comes back ugly and scary, you aren’t always the chosen favorite, and sometimes people walk away.

As a young adult, I had my first taste of hardship. No matter how hard we tried, things didn’t seem to go our way. Instead of the Midas touch of gold we had the leaden touch. It was quite a rude awakening. Up to that point, we had enjoyed lots of success in college and things ran quite smoothly.

I know there are many who learn hard lessons way too early. Much earlier than anyone would ever wish. But, I grew up in an upper middle class, church attending, two-parent household, with a younger brother, a dog, and a cat. Everything, pretty much, except the picket fence.

So, you can imagine my shock and fear when I was faced with significant hardship for the first time. I was a young married pastor’s wife starting a church from scratch. It was tough. We barely made enough to live, much less bring another human into the world. Yet, we did.

It wasn’t an easy path. Fast forward 15 years and unknown to us, a whole new level of hard was stretching out ahead of us. Yet, this time, we had three very impressionable, young humans in tow.

When they were younger, we could protect and shield them from much of it. But, now, not so much. They are smart and perceptive.

I get discouraged when I begin to think through questions that rattle through my brain. I feel a panic that threatens to scorch my heart.

Why do my kids have to experience such things?

Why do they have to experience loss, rejection and betrayal?

So many things I didn’t have to experience until adulthood.

But, here is the next question.

Why not?

Self pity rises up and threatens to suck the life and light out of everything if we don’t ask this simple question.

Why not?

Who are we to expect to escape hardship?

Seriously. Jesus said we would have trouble, but to take heart, because we can overcome because of Him.

So, as unpleasant as it is, we have to face the truth. We are not exempt. Our great hope comes, however, from our great source. We live in this fallen world. But, we are journeying towards the other side. Bumps, bruises, scars and all. We are stronger, smarter, wiser, tougher and more resilient than ever. We have a story to tell.

A story of a God who walked through the desperate darkness with us. Church hurt is excruciating. Being wounded in the house of our friends is a tough pain to swallow. As, a mom, I would give anything to protect my children.

There is much we can shield them from, but you can’t shield them from life.

If we want to raise strong, emotionally healthy adults, we teach them how to walk through pain and disappointment. It is better to learn how to be strong and resilient early in life. You are then equipped to walk this life out with grace. These aren’t lessons merely talked about, but lived out day by day.

I have met some of the most open, grace-filled, and loving people in the last few weeks. They are becoming our new community. These people have been through about as much as we have—maybe more. But, they are good, kind, big-hearted people. They know what it means to travel through the hard, dark places and come out stronger on the other side.

That’s what I want to be. And that is what I want my children to see.

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Life is Beautiful!

March 7, 2016March 6, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 10 Comments

During these last few months, I have been on quite a learning curve. If I’m honest, I have to say I recommend a mid-life plot twist and I don’t! It’ll be the ride of your life!

But, really.

Just imagine going back to graduation—high school or college—just as a young whipper snapper. With all sorts of possibilities and the world as your oyster, you look with anticipation toward all your options. That is where we are. And it is breathtakingly beautiful and scary–all at the same time!

I remember a couple of years back being envious of my oldest as he was setting off for his first year at university. So much youthful excitement and a no holds barred approach–I was envious.

I was so excited for him and all the unscripted future had for him. I remembered what it was like to have your whole life ahead of you. So much hope and promise. So much anticipation to follow new paths and dreams!

And, now, here I am. I am ready.

I have spent 25 years of ministry serving as a pastor’s wife. I use to tell my Love, I love being his wife, no doubt about that. Just maybe not a “pastor’s wife” sometimes. I learned much and gave everything I had. The role comes with difficult tasks. With some cool opportunities and blessings thrown in along the way, too. Now, though, I am ready to do new things…serve in a different way.

Our new beginning is before us.

Given to us as a gift.

Staring into the sunshine, the road is wide open in front of us.

Only this time I have three world-changers in tow. This road we chose over 25 years ago, has presented them with many unique challenges and opportunities. Each child has processed and walked them out differently.

As I sit and look at the bright and shining future, we have these amazing kids to guide and shepherd. This time around, it is not a solitary journey or private decision to be made. Change is hard for even the strongest of us. I have no doubt God has a beautiful future for each in my tribe. We just have to guide them into this bright new future.

Shepherding.

That was the word God gave me for this season with my babies (they will always be my babies. can we just agree to let me call them that? just humor me!) Even with all the excitement of a bright future the transitioning has been challenging. More so for some than others. Loss is hard. But God is greater.

My Love and I must shepherd our children well through this transition.

We have a responsibility to guide our children through the shadows. Through the tears. The goal is to get EVERYONE to the other side. I told my youngest Little,

“In this family, we are all for one, and one for all”.

We stop and sit with, pick up and carry, hold the hand, give love and receive love. We shepherd our children through the pain of rejection, loss, betrayal, and disappointment.

No one will be left behind.

I have always hated the pre-flight airline spiel about putting your own mask on first and then your children’s. I understand the logic and know it is best. But, my overly compassionate self screams, “I will put their’s on first, thank you very much!” But, that doesn’t really make sense, does it?

So, I have decided I am in a similar spot in my life. It is time for me to get my oxygen mask on first and then I can administer life breath to them.

These world-changers deserve the very best I can give them.

There is wisdom to give and hope to share. There are dreams to help them dream. There is a future brighter than anything of the past. Even with all the beauty we did experience, there is more to be had.

I need something to give to them. So, here is what I am going to do to strengthen myself.

Exercise and build physical strength.
Write…which is following my own dream.
Give creative Bible journaling a try.
Attend weekly worship at a safe and loving church.
Read for enjoyment and growth.
Stay accountable to wisdom.

There it is.

I have been busy working hard to keep my family between the ditches…putting out fires, battling fears and wiping tears. Because, sometimes life just hurts. All of that is incredibly important.

But, now it is time for me to get out of that defensive position and into the intentional, offensive position.

Now, here is the next important piece of the puzzle.

My Love is leading spiritually intentional and strategic discussions during dinner on Wednesday evenings.

With a preteen and a teenager in the house, it can’t get too serious or stifling. But, God gave this idea as the perfect way for us to shepherded them. Like most moms, I do much of the crisis management throughout the days; one of Dad’s roles is to give purposeful direction. They need his voice and strength cloaked in velvet.

We will not allow the negative to win. We will not leave anyone behind. We have bright future days. I will not live on the defensive, but work from a place of intention and strength. For what the enemy means for destruction, God transforms into beauty. He will shepherd us. We only need to cooperate.

Unexpected Graces

February 17, 2016February 16, 2016 / morgancreynolds / 13 Comments

Well, here I am sitting in the saddle. It feels good! I have missed this place! I’m glad to be back.

It’s been a rough and tumble couple of months since I last sat down. When I took a break right before Christmas, I never anticipated the journey I would embark upon. Frankly, it was like someone gave a monkey a match. It has been quite a ride.

I needed this time to regroup and set my heart and mind right. I have been too afraid to write, honestly. Afraid of what just might come out. But, it is time. And, I am grateful.

In an effort to cope with our pain and lighten the mood, our family began to refer to this season as a “plot twist”. In stark reality, our lives have dramatically changed. Due to painful circumstances, my Love resigned his position at the church we pastored for over seven years. Sometimes, it is just time to move on. There comes a time when you realize the odds are not in your favor and for everyone’s sake, you have to make an exit. You just hope to do so with grace.

I do believe it has been one of the most hurtful seasons we have experienced in life and ministry. After 25 years, we have experienced our share of disappointments and set backs. But, this, by far, was the one of the biggest gut punches of them all. The only other to compare would be the sexual abuse of our son by a trusted friend and church worker.

I have learned quite a few lessons in our time here in Virginia. Some are pretty tough. But all have been for my good.

Our time in Virginia has been anything but easy. We have endured some losses. But, I also can look and see some beautiful gains. I would be shallow if I didn’t recognize them.

A few years back I began my own One Thousand Gifts journey. It was a life saver, really. Each day I would count out my gratitude, line by line. I am beginning a new one. It’s important to remember the gifts from our journeys. If not, it could get terribly discouraging! So, it is time. Time to refocus my attention.

One lesson I’ve learned is, “God gives good gifts.” Some seasons we just have to look a little harder. Many times they are hard gifts. I look back at our journey…it is unlike ANYTHING I’ve ever experienced…yet, I still find beauty in the charred rubble.

Light only shines through cracked vessels.

So, when people ask me if I had known then what I know now, would I still have relocated to Virginia, I’m never sure how to answer. In the natural, it does not seem worth it. We have paid quite a high price. We certainly didn’t know all we were taking on.

Truthfully, I don’t like that question at all. My first instinct is to scream NO, of course not!

Injustice,

hatred,

jealousy,

abuse,

unfair expectations,

rejection,

financial loss,

illness,

anxiety and depression,

plots and schemes,

abandonment,

betrayal.

Who would?

When I look at that list of pain, it would seem hardly worth it. I could easily drown in that sea of loss and hurt. I do see, however, the gifts from God’s hand that He gave in the middle of such ugly hard.

So, I choose to look at the gifts. It is time.

Friendships,

children discovered their gifting,

memories made,

bound family ties,

new dreams inspired,

spiritual growth,

loyalty,

a sweet canine companion,

hope,

peace,

increased faith,

grace from unexpected places,

deep kindness,

lessons learned,

lives changed,

wisdom,

provision,

protection,

opportunity,

divine encouragement.

I am most certain I have forgotten many other blessings.

I have a sneaky suspicion I am not alone in this listing. We are not unique.

We all have experienced our share of pain and loss. I simply refuse to get stuck here. I don’t want to live in the muck and mire. I will not suffer needlessly. I want free of it. And, the only place I know to start is with gratitude.

Christ does not promise a trouble-free life. No, indeed.

This world is fallen and is coming undone. People disappoint. No amount of dancing can undo that fact. But, I have learned something else.

Light shines out of my broken places.

God is mending in such a way that light will warmly glow and draw others in. They will meet Him there. It isn’t about pretending to have it all together. No one understands such living. It is a fairy tale and too great a weight to drag around.

So, once again, I have picked up pen and tablet and will scribe my gratitude.

I won’t forget our pain, for it has left a mark. But, mostly I will remember with a heart of gratitude all God is and was to me in the pain. The strong arms that have held and carried. I will remember. All that was meant for my harm, is turned to good. Nothing can ever take me from His hand.

That is what I will remember. That will be my focus. There is beauty to out-sing the ugly. For it is well with my soul.

Christmastime–Oh Holiest Night

December 16, 2015December 16, 2015 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

Christmastime is a great reminder.

The candles are lit and sparkling beside the nativity. They focus my mind. No doubt we have fancied and freshened that holy night so long ago.

My nativity. Each piece set in just the right spot. I love these earthy colored pieces I have collected over the years. I have several Christmas collections, from Santas to Nutcrackers to reindeer. But this one? It speaks to my heart in such a deep way. Recently, I have begun adding my Advent candles to the display. I’m so glad I have! There is such a deep, beautiful peace residing in this scene. It draws me in.

Have you ever gone through something so challenging you felt as if you lost God? Or, maybe you thought, He just left. Circumstances and pain erect a barrier so dense it is hard to sense any Presence?

I have. It was the darkest, scariest period of my life. Everything I believed seemed in question and the pain threatened to choke all hope from my heart. Sometimes that happens in life. He warned us it would come. We all face trouble at some point. We are often surprised, shocked, and even, disabled by it. I was struggling.

But, here today, I don’t want to focus on that. Just believe me when I say it was a dark night of the soul. Even in that darkest moment, a miracle flicker of light began to shine through. When I was feeling God had left me, He spoke to me loudly and clearly.

I knew then and there He does not leave us or turn His back on us. Our pain in the darkness often hides the light, but He remains by our side. Where was I looking?

I was distracted by the pain. I lost sight of Him.

He is amazing that way. This giving of the greatest gift.

Christmas is the greatest reminder of the greatest love. Yes, He came on that holy night for us. But, it is a beautiful reminder to me He came and He never leaves. Joy and hope flutter to life in my heart when I sit and remember how He is forever with me.

Our lives crash into the world’s agenda and, inevitably, pain and hurt comes.

Real, life-altering pain. Chaos and crises run rampant. But, we can rest in the knowing He is with us.

Ann Voskamp said in her book, The Greatest Gift, “No matter what intends to harm you…God is never absent, never impotent, never distant. You can never be undone.” That thing that was meant to destroy you and make you think God no longer sees or cares, will not be your end. In fact, He has a great way of taking all the broken, ugly bits and turning them into the most beautiful creation.

God will use it to set you apart from the crowd.

Yes, the lion roars and speaks lies of hopelessness and desertion and death. But, God. He intends no such thing. I don’t believe all things happen for a reason. It just doesn’t work. But, I do believe He takes all things thrown our way and will redeem them for our good. Now, that works.

And, while He is at it, He stays right there with us.

The JOY to come from such a realization is priceless. So, sitting here looking at my nativity and thinking of days gone by and the ones yet to come, I can rest in the knowledge I am never lost, forgotten or abandoned.

His very coming is proof. Proof of His abiding love.

Such joy comes from realizing no matter what comes my way, He’s got me. No scheme of man or evil plan will ever remove me from His hand. So, allow this Christmastime to set this truth in your heart. Every time you see a nativity, allow it to remind you of His never-ending presence in your life that was made possible because of that holiest of nights.

What Did You Say?

November 18, 2015November 17, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

Stuff happens. People say stuff. People do stuff.

What I am asking myself is, “Ok, so what are you going to do with that?”

Words hurt. Words get into your heart and soul.

I am noticing unkind words spoken about me or someone I love leave a mark. I am getting better at being able to look at what was said and putting them into perspective mentally. I can look at the situation and logically realize these people speaking have no real consequence in my life.

To put it honestly, they really mean nothing to the big picture of my life. I don’t mean that rudely. In relationship to my life, they have not invested in me nor are they a part of the circle of influence in my life. They have not walked with me or listened to my heart. They’ve not prayed for me and are not committed to my welfare.

Yet, words can be crushing.

The Scriptures say there is power of life and death in the tongue.

Proverbs 18:21 says,

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.”

Have you given any thought to the words you speak to others? I am paying more attention. It matters. It’s too easy to quip off something without thinking of the consequences.

But, my experience this past week has been on both ends of the spectrum.

I have heard words spoken to me and loved ones that were more poison than fruit. Words that had the potential to bring death. But, then I have also heard many loving words of life. Words that speak life, hope and encouragement.

Which ones am I listening to?

I have had to do some hard work to properly deal with the hurt that came from the hurtful words.

Logically I understood the place those words have in my heart and mind. Yet, the words caused a grief I could not shake. It settled over me like a heavy blanket. It took a couple of days to shake off the heaviness that covered me. The words were an indictment against who we are and everything we hope to be. Cruel and dark.

These words tried to carve a giant, black X over our hearts.

“Not good enough. Not EVER going to be good enough. Broken. Not loved. Hopeless. Death. Rejected. Inadequate.”

But, after my Sweetheart and I prayed over our hearts and those we love, the true work began. It has proven difficult to shake off the death grip of those words.

It’s not coincidence that hurt follows on the heels of victory or success.

The Scripture talks about a “lion who comes to steal, kill and destroy.” Lions are stealthy and swift. The lion worked steadily all week through a totally different and unrelated interpersonal issue. This work was meant to distract me and cause me to lose focus. Then on the heels of great joy and victory, a lethal strike came from a completely unexpected angle.

I began to wonder.

Why do I listen and take to heart more the words of hurt than the words of healing? Why can’t I shake this?

It takes hard work. I knew I had a choice. Either I was going to give up and lose the ground I had fought hard to win, or I was going to army crawl, if need be, through to victory.

What do you do when you don’t want to become the victim of a strategic spiritual attack? Scripture says we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against powers we don’t see.

Sometimes it is confusing. It isn’t so easily recognized. Hurt is hurt. Misguided and misinformed people often are unwittingly used to strike and wound. It sure looks human. But, really it is a spiritual attack in nature.

So, here is what I have done this past week to counter attack and increase my strength. It doesn’t come easily.

It requires a concerted and mindful effort on our part.

I realized I can either roll over and let this disrupt God’s work in my life. Or, I can fight, quite literally, the Hell out of my situation.

It’s working.

Pray over the words spoken to you. God has the power to nullify the effects on our hearts and mind.
Cry. It hurt. I am human. I can’t pretend it doesn’t—nor am I required to.
Remember, actively, who I am in Christ. He calls me good. That is enough.
Fill your world with worship. I’ve been listening to worship music quite a bit lately.
Read the Word and soak in life-giving words.
Turn to a trusted friend to hear your hurt. Mine was a safe place to bandage my wounds.
Put it into proper perspective. Remind yourself of the truth.
Keep moving. Keep doing the good you know you are doing. Don’t quit.
Keep giving it to God. We can be slow. It often takes repeating.
Be mindful. Be careful not to rehearse and relive the words over and over. They can settle in and take root.

I realized something the other day.

Have you ever felt God reveal something to you? Well, He did the other day.

He gently spoke to my heart.

“Who are they to mark what I have declared GOOD, as not good?”

That pierced my heart and mind!

God has called me and mine GOOD. He has taken our pain and wounds and broken pieces. He promised to heal and has done a mighty fine job! And, then someone declares that divine work “not good enough” and “broken”? That is not part of His plan.

God does all things well.

We don’t always know all the good work He is doing in a life. This very fresh lesson gave me pause even today as I sat and talked with a loved one.

There would be no carving of an X today.

Check Out The View From Here!

October 28, 2015October 27, 2015 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

I’m a crazy walker. When I go out for a walk, or even when I add in a run, I always look down. What am I looking at? I don’t get it. Am I afraid if I don’t look at my feet they won’t move right? Or is the sidewalk just so beautiful I need to keep my eye on it?

It’s weird.

I tell myself, “Pick your head up! You look goofy. Look up and see the beauty around you. You’re missing out!” Yeah. I will pick my head up…my thoughts center on the beauty in the sky and trees. I get lost in thought—maybe even whisper a little prayer. And, then, “Look at those feet walking. Look at that sidewalk. Yep, they’re still there.”

For goodness sake! I just don’t get it. This is a problem, I do believe. I’m missing out. Even when I have a walking buddy I do it. Before I know it, I’m focusing on the road right in front of me, instead of seeing all that is around me. They have been kind enough to just ignore it!

This has gotten me to thinking.

In life, what am I focusing on?

Am I focusing on the challenges and tough-going I have experienced? Am I looking at the past and wishing circumstances had been different or I had been dealt a better hand?

Where is my focus?

Perhaps I am focusing on how I wish I was different. Different gifting, different temperment, different anything.

Maybe I look at the ways I could have made different choices and would then be on a different and seemingly better path.

Focus.

What is my focus?

Too much introspection can lead to too much self-focusing. Sometimes I just have to get out of my head. It’s good to remember our past and what we have come through. It’s important to remember what we have learned. Gratitude is born out of remembering with grace our journey.

But, we can’t afford to get stuck.

A couple years ago I realized all my conversations were about all the negative things going on in my world. It was my habit. I was good at rehashing the injustices and idiocy I was enduring. My friends were so gracious. They commiserated with me. Even though it had to be like nails on a chalkboard, they loved on me and listened—and endured it!

I finally got tired of hearing myself talk about it. It was getting old. And, I knew it was a problem when I couldn’t think of other things to talk about. It kind of felt like a loser sort of life!

It’s amazing when God starts nudging you in a new direction.

I’m guessing He was tired of hearing all about it too—over and over and over and over—if you get my drift.

I was missing out on all the goodness He was giving. I was missing out on all the beauty and grace He so lavishly supplied. He was fully aware of all the injustice and rejection and hurt. He got it. He saw it and knew how it hurt. The Beautiful One was trying to give me beauty for my ashes. But, it wasn’t going to happen if all I kept focusing on was the pitiful parts. I was going to miss it all. What a tragedy—and He knew it.

I had to quit wallowing around in the ashes!

He spoke to my heart. He opened my eyes to the reality of what I was becoming. It wasn’t the image I wanted. I purposed in my heart I was done reliving it all and talking about it. I was done dwelling on the negative and the pain.

Oh, I remember. I have the scars to show for it. But, I was done allowing it to become my focus and driving force. I was done talking about and rehashing every gory detail of every injustice. I determined that chapter was done. I was moving forward.

You know, it made all the difference in the world in my heart and life.

It wasn’t easy. I had to think of new topics of conversation. I had to live purposefully in the here and now. Yes, I remember. And, at times there is still pain in those scars. But, it doesn’t drive me any longer. I no longer look down and behind but look up and ahead. This new way of thinking and being set me on a new trajectory. It is so much more beautiful here!

Psalm 103 is really great right about now.

It’s too long to post here, but I encourage you to take a couple minutes to read it. It helps in the refocusing.

What do I choose to focus on? Where am I looking?

Am I remembering all of His blessings?

Do I remember that He has healed my family and me and has raised us from our ashes?

Do I recall that He has redeemed me—that He has wrapped me in goodness?

That He makes everything come out right and puts victims back on their feet?

Do I focus on His grace and mercy and keep in mind He doesn’t give us what we deserve, but gives us what we don’t deserve?

Do I relish in His fierce love and His total awareness of me?

How about remembering His love is eternal–forever and always?

It brings into proper perspective the flaws of this world. No scheme of man will ever take me from His hand. I am His. Why so downcast oh, dear soul? Look up to the hills from which comes your help!

Change your focus! It’s beautiful up here!

Amberly reynolds

sweet sage lane

pain