Time is a funny thing; it can be seen as a friend or a foe, or sometimes both.  Although we sometimes wish differently, the VCR of life has no fast forward or rewind button; it is invariably stuck on play.  Hopefully, the song “Only Just Begun” can serve as a reminder that as a child of God, your life has meaning, regardless of whether or not you are enamored by what you’re doing this very minute.  Every string of events leads to another string of events, and through it all, we must remember that all of these stepping stones are integral in making us who we are today, in this very moment.  So soak it in and remember that God is just getting started on you, working everything out for your good and more importantly for His glory.  Be confident as Paul is in Phillipians 1:6: “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

“The Fall” grew out of a time in my life that was a constant trial for me, both physically and emotionally. Out of the fog of pain and struggle, there was a blessed moment of clearing when the words of this song poured out of me, almost in desperation. I was reminded of God’s faithfulness in my life and saw purpose in what I continued to face, even after this song was written. God drew me to Himself in a powerful way, and refined me, tested me, strengthened me. I was reminded of the fact that even through the inconsistencies of life, God is constant. Anything worth having is worth the struggle. And God’s promise is true and good: if we fall down on our knees and humble ourselves in His sight, He will lift us up. I am so thankful to God that this time of struggle did not last forever, that my mourning was turned to laughter, and I was able to appreciate simple things more than ever. But I know that there will be other struggles. I pray that in those times, I will remember that being lifted up anew in Christ Jesus is really worth the fall.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10

I have been known in the past to say, “I could never be a pastor’s wife.” Well I’m sure God got a huge kick out of that one…and I’m sure the college and career pastor at the church I was attending did as well, especially since I am now married to the man. Throughout my entire childhood, I observed broken marriage after broken marriage and while I wanted to get married, I certainly had low expectations of this “covenant.” When my husband and I were engaged, countless people told us that the joy of love will soon wear off and that marriage is nothing but a hardship and another responsibility to add to your list. I hope that our marriage has and will continue to prove these theories wrong. Marriage is so much more and serves a much greater purpose. It is a unique relationship in which two become one and are called to reflect in their union the union of Christ and the church and the unconditional love shown therein. Grasping this reality is difficult in a culture where marriage is seen as a casual, inconsequential, and dispensable thing. The more believers grasp that by loving their spouse they are reflecting the good news of Christ, the more unconditional their love is bound to be. I now thank God that I am married to a man who loves ministry and God’s Word. I love Jeff more today than the day I married him. Seeing my husband’s unconditional love displayed for me moves me to love him more, just as it should be with Christ.

“For this reason a man will leave His father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the Church.” Ephesians 5: 31-32

GOD IS POWERFUL. While I was watching it rain….and rain….and rain, and the water levels rise to cover an interstate near my apartment, all I could think was how MUCH damage a little water can do. It seems like we often take for granted how much stronger God’s creation is than anything man creates. How BIG the Creator is and how helpless we are without Him. Thankfully, this powerful God humbled Himself out of His great love for us. What an amazing thing to think about!

GOD IS FAITHFUL. I have been absolutely amazed at the response of fellow Nashvilleans jumping at the chance to help others in need after the flood waters began to recede. In the midst of all of the wreckage, God calls His Church to simply love, serve and offer the hope of the gospel as an expression of His faithfulness. Most importantly, I am reminded that despite the circumstance, God is faithful and the hope of salvation through Christ is more than enough to survive any storm. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” Isaiah 43:1-2

GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING ON US. Certainly one thing I have been reminded of during this time is how selfish I generally tend to be. When I see people in such need all around me, I am easily moved to act in whatever capacity I can. But how often do I close my eyes to the needs around me day in and day out? Thankfully, I know that God continues to work on me and mold me into who He wants me to be. My prayer is that even in “times of plenty,” I would live with my eyes wide open.