“I earnestly recommend that [Bible reading and prayer] be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances,” writes John Piper, “Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over his Word and in prayer, is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons. The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart. We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer.” (Taken from That Crazy 5 O'Clock Club Again by Nicole Whitacre)
2012 seemed like an avalanche to me. It started like a soft, peaceful snowfall, with quiet family activities accumulating around me and filling up the calendar. Then somewhere along May the ground shook and there came rumblings with the ectopic pregnancy and emergency surgery. Then a tidal wave of events: soccer games and tournaments, dance recitals, visits from family and friends, trips to the grandparents, starting school, van problems, car problems, air conditioner problems, window-wall-roof problems, emergency bathroom and leaking ceiling problems, work travels for Nic, additional health concerns, emergency respite caregiving, the blessing of serving with Safe Families for Children, an abundance of birthdays, traveling for the holidays. And it all seemed to come crashing down around me like an avalanche, wiping out my best plans to be organized and prepared. Yet with it came a peaceful realization that living in the moment with God, even in the midst of an avalanche, is far better than trying to remain in control apart from God.
Surely, this would have ruined me entirely if it had taken place in my earlier years of marriage and teaching when I still thought I could control the outcome of events if I just planned well enough ahead for every contingency. Oh, what God doesn't do to release us from the idol of self!
Nic's current position as a project manager and his current marketing/engineering reconfiguration project has led to increased travel to Scotland, Michigan, and in the future to China. This fall the entire family was able to join him on one trip to Michigan on our way home from celebrating Thanksgiving in Illinois. His other trips have left us at home managing as best as we can without him and hoping that nothing breaks while he is gone. This week, though, both sets of grandparents have stepped in and blessed us by caring for our children so that I can accompany Nic on his work trip to Michigan. What a fabulous blessing it has been!
I love the beginning of a new year and the opportunity it brings to start fresh. This year I have been given the gift to start fresh and refreshed with this week to read, pray, write, and reflect on God's faithfulness through the avalanche of blessings in 2012. It is my hope to use some of this time to catch up with blogging - however out order some of those posts will be - and catch up with opportunities to encourage friends and seek wisdom and refreshment in the Word for 2013.
One great resource for starting the year, as well as each day, refreshed has been the 5 O'Clock Club. You can search for it on facebook, or click on the link above. It is a place for thought provoking conversations on biblical womanhood, including encouragement to start your day in the Word and in prayer for your family.
And a super thanks to both sets of grandparents for this sweet time away!
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