Thankful for my Refuge

Some days are blustery and chaotic... but we have a refuge of peace in whom we can rest.

As I've been placing my feelings of restlessness, and discontent in the Father's hands, He is taking my restlessness and exchanging it for peace. Yesterday I read, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever..." -Psalm 138:8 There is much in my life that stresses me out and frustrates me... but He has promised to perfect that which concerns me. It doesn't mean that He will give me everything I want- or that He will take away all the frustrations- but He will perfect those things- He will make all things work together for my good. Praise Him! I am so thankful for His goodness and His provision of everything necessary for me to become more like Him.

And on this Thanksgiving weekend, I am also grateful for salvation, for my dear husband and sweet son, my precious family, faithful friends, good books, colorful autumn days and coffee (even though it has to be decaf)!

Life is messy!

So today while I was baking cookies, Caleb decided he wanted to play too! This is him in a pile of corn starch, happily playing in his mess. And I wondered why he doesn't mind the mess. As adults we try to avoid messes like the plague, it is our job to clean up, and it's easier to clean as we go. We are very rational about it all.

But Caleb didn't mind one bit. He thought that corn starch was the coolest thing he had ever seen, and the mess was inconsequential.

I like to hide the fact that my inner life is a huge mess. Take a quick glance at me, with my big smile, happy family and convenient job two houses down... and you'd never suspect that I am unhappy or struggling. This is not a cry for help- this is acknowledgment that life is messy- and that isn't necessarily a bad thing! It's definitely freeing to live messy. No image to uphold, or damage control to do.... no people to please, and no one to disappoint. I'm glad God likes me a mess... He's happy to pick me up and dust me off... touch the broken places... and make me whole ... not necessarily clean- but whole... and His. There is nowhere else I'd rather be.

I'm reading an amazing book called, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. His third step to emotionally healthy spirituality is to embrace the "dark night of the soul"... to not just hit the "wall" in your spiritual life- but actually go through the wall and emerge on the other side changed, and whole. Check it out. I've read a lot of books, and this is one I can honestly say every Christian needs to read! I'll share more about it later! Blessings.