By His Wounds

The passage that we read in church today had a verse that said, "By His wounds you are healed."
It reminded me of the song by Mac Powell:

He was pierced for our transgressions
And crushed for our sins
The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him
And by His wounds, by His wounds we are healed

We are healed by Your sacrifice
And the life that You gave
We are healed for You paid the price
By Your grace we are saved
We are saved

Jesus suffered horribly so we could live and be free from sin. Although sometimes we may make light of this or think it's no big deal, it is. And that verse was just a reminder of the incredible gift our Heavenly Father gave us.

Oh Yeah!

I loved what Becky wrote yesterday.  It made me smile....so true and so simple, yet so profound.

Little Finn...He's got it.  And I pray that none of us ever forget it.

Girls...Our God is Big.

No matter what you got goin on....He's big enough to handle it.

I cannot tell you how many times in the midst of some kind of crazy worrying fit of anxiety, over who knows what, I have heard God's still small voice echo deep into my heart, "Am I not big enough to handle this situation?"  And I have had to release the grip those worries held over me to say, "Yes God...You are Big enough and I will trust You."

Praise you Jesus that You are Big.  Bigger than a blue whale.  Bigger than anything we hurt over.  Bigger than any problem we have.  Bigger than Life itself.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Is God bigger than a blue whale?

My four year old, Finn, is just enthralled with ocean animals. Whales and sharks are his favourite, but he loves them all. He knows a shocking amount considering his tender age - in fact, age aside, he knows a shocking amount! I have learned more about the ocean and its inhabitants in my last year of life than I did in the 29 previous years! His vocabulary is astounding laregely because his favourite DVD to watch is the BBC's Blue Planet: Seas of Life series - an 8 part documentary about the water that covers the earth and all the strange and wonderful (and sometimes down right creepy) creatures that live in it. He listens to the dignified voice of Sir David Attenborough and incorporates (and correctly so) the same manner of speech and vocabulary into his own, four year old, everyday conversation. I am constantly surprised by phrases and words that he uses. The other day he informed me that copepods are a type of deep sea shrimp, and on the same day that he loves to draw bioluminescence!! What is perhaps more impressive than his vocab. is the intensity with which he takes in the information he has learned and really mulls it over. Quite often you can almost hear the cogs turning in his little brain. He processes the information and almost always connects it with something else he has learned, or is thinking about.

Did you know the blue whale is the largest creature on the planet? It can reach 30 metres in length and can weigh up to 200 tons (a baby blue whale is born at a meagre 3 tons!). Its tongue alone weighs the same as an elephant, and its heart the same as a car! Its arteries are so massive, that a toddler could crawl through them. This is a BIG creature! I can't even fathom this, despite the previous comparisons. Somehow, my four year old CAN fathom this!

One of Finn's favourite questions right now is asking how big God is. Is he as big as a house? A truck? It is when he asks me if God is as big as a blue whale that his mind really starts to ignite and his eyes really become large. In his mind, a blue whale is the ultimate in terms of measurement. There is none bigger than the blue whale, so when I tell him that God is bigger than this immense mammal, he is just floored!

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds... Genesis 1:21

A God that is bigger than a blue whale, that created the blue whale, is a God worth putting your trust in. He is worth calling to when you have had a nightmare. He is the One to whom we should ask for protection. He made the tongue that is as heavy as a car. He envisioned and set into place the network of mammoth arteries, and so He is the One that we ask to heal daddy's mouth after his wisdom teeth come out. He is the One that we call upon to help us find our favourite toy. He is the One that we serve.

I have a God bigger than a blue whale. That's big!!

Twelve Days of Mexico

This past week and a half, I have been in Guadalajara, Mexico on a missions trip. That's why I haven't been writing posts these past two Saturdays :) Anyway, it was an incredible trip where I made many friends, experienced new things, and learned so much from God. He taught me that spending time with Him every day is so important, and that it really helps me get through the day. He also taught me that being vulnerable is sometimes a good thing, and that sharing where I'm at in my walk is important to help me grow. I hope to carry these lessons and friendships with me through the rest of my life. I pray that God will be with my team and my Mexican friends... that He'll bless them and protect them. :) I'm so glad God called me to go, and I hope someday to return.

Come sit with Me

Come. Come sit with me for a while. You've already shared your concerns with me; now I want you
to simply
be with me here on the swing.
Nice, isn't it? Remember Mary? She liked to sit with me. My sweet Martha would get frustrated with her, but I let Martha know that it wasn't time wasted. Mary knew. She knew it was good for her heart to rest with me. Listening to me.

She knew the sayings of Solomon and was experiencing this:
"Dear friend, listen well to my words;
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
body and soul, they're bursting with health.
Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
that's where life starts." Proverbs 4:20-23 The Message

I think you know this too, don't you? *chuckle* After all, it's your heart I care about. Your peace of mind. Your refreshment. And we both know I'm the Source. That's why I asked you to come sit with me. That's why I give this invitation,
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28,29

My precious one, I love you and always am with you. So, come. Be with me. I want you by me.

More please.

I was at a retreat last week - a silent retreat. I was there to help my sister cook for the women attending, but I was also able to be part of the silence and take part in the morning and evening prayers and the afternoon sessions. One of the questions we were asked to answer was, "What do you long for?"
My two part answer was, "Laughter, and more of God's presence."

I know that God is fully with me, but what I was expressing was that I want to want Him more, and be more and more aware of Him. That night as we engaged in responsive readings and sang refrains of praise, my eyes were drawn to an icon that was set on a shelf.

As I gazed at it, I was undone.

I was undone by the tender love between Mother and Child. I saw the giving and receiving of love in their form and face. I saw desire and being desired in their posture and and expression. Then I made the connection... and wept.

I thought back to another mother and child - a grandmother this time, holding her infant grandson, drinking in the precious sight and smell and warmth and weight of him. And wanting... wanting so much more of him. Wanting with all her being for the breath of life to fill his body so that days and weeks, years and decades could also be filled with experiencing him.

That's how I want to want Jesus - basking in Him for who He is to me right now, but wanting Him to increasingly be so much more to me. I want His love, His character, His Being to be even sweeter to me as the day progresses and the tomorrows come. Oh, how I want Him!

Blessed Child wrote on Wednesday and Sweet Freedom quoted her yesterday as I do today, "My Jesus, I WANT YOU!! More than I want anything else, more than I want anybody else. I want you to be my life, my all." Thanks Lauren and Julie, your posts this week encouraged me today to share this part of my journey. What a joy to walk through life with sisters who love Jesus and know His transforming love.

The evening I said I longed for laughter, God's display of increasing glory in the sunset was almost beyond belief. It was as if God kept saying, "You think this is amazing? I'll show you more amazing!" It made me laugh out loud as light and intensifying colours kept spilling over the mountains and water and clouds. I had to be conscious of keeping my camera steady as I laughed!






Father, our true Lover, open our hearts and minds to You and all You have for us. You are worthy of all our desire and longing. You fill the hungry with good things, You satisfy the desires of every living thing. We have tasted and seen that You are good, and now we want more of You. We ask You - and trust You - to do this for us. For our joy and for Your glory, Amen.

Puttin' On the Love

Ahh...Blessed Child...I love your heart.  And I echo your words:


"My Jesus, I WANT YOU!! More than I want anything else, more than I want anybody else. I want you to be my life, my all.  I am Yours."


Some words I have been praying through and meditating on that have been an encouragement to me, inspiring, challenging, filling and life-giving from Colossians 3:12-14


Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.


My sister is getting married next week...How exciting!  We've all been talking dresses and outfits for some time now...even Lulu has something special to wear!  My son is playing in the BC Summer Games...I sat tonight and looked at over 3400 athletes fill the football field dressed in their uniforms and colours for the opening ceremonies.  Awesome.


Lord...often what we wear says so much about us...what we are doing or celebrating or representing...Help us to know who we are...Chosen, holy and dearly loved.  Dressed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love.  So that all who see us...will know that we are yours.