(IN)Courage

[Judy Harder]

For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15

[Judy Harder]

4 Simple Ways to Hold Onto Christmas
Dec 24, 2012 12:20 am | Sarah Mae




That's the way Christmas feels these days, lonely, quick, gone too soon.

Tonight is a whisper, tomorrow will be loud, and then...

it's over and Christmas is wrapping paper that is so easily thrown out.

The nativity's go back in their boxes, the tree to the curb, and my heart? It feels lost in all the motion of the season.

I want it all to last. The lights and the trees and the feeling and the peppermint mochas and the manger. Christmas is red and January is blue, and I'm already feeling sad.

How can I hold onto Christmas? How can I live Christmas?

I think this...

4 Simple Ways to Hold onto Christmas
The Nativity Stays
I have a thing for nativities, and at Christmas I put out four nativity sets. This year, I will tuck three gently away, but one will stay, all year long.

The Meaning of Christmas Will be Framed
These words will be put in a frame in my dining room:

"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

I Will Serve
I will use this Christmas countdown as a reminder and guide and pick two "serves" a month that I can do with my family. I will do this because...

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

A Candle is Lit Each Week
A Candle lit, because all year is advent, all year, all the years and the hours we wait. Let us not forget that there will come a day that His Light will shine before all men, and all will bow, and all will be made right.

Have a beautiful Christmas eve, friends, and a beautiful year of Christmas.

[Judy Harder]

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

We wish you a very merry Christmas!

[Judy Harder]

Still
Angela Nazworth




The last few weeks brimmed with activity. Many times I felt like one of the gifts I prepared to place under the tree: closely examined, shaken about and wrapped a little too tight.

But amid the flurry of decorating, gift-buying, baking, and visiting rested pure joy. Joy in celebrating the birth of our Savior. Joy in the nightly page-flipping of our advent calendar to share the message of hope with my children.

Today, as the kids play with their new toys and my husband heads back to work, I plan to be still. I'm not going to clean, run errands or organize. I'm not going to write down resolutions or work on another project. Instead, I plan to immerse myself in feelings of gratitude and wrap my heart in the peace Jesus provided so that I can be refreshed and renewed in Him.

What are your plans for this day after Christmas?

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Judy Harder]

The Best of Everything 2012 (and a Giveaway!)
Dec 27, 2012 12:20 am | Ann Voskamp


You hear it, too? The clock ticking down on this year?

Oh, we're all lingering in the wonder of these holidays a bit longer, and pulling up a chair just for you, and passing down your cuppa warm.



Ah, it was the best of times, wasn't it?

Well, really, it wasn't in the least, and it completely was because now is always the miracle that might not have been.

Either way, 2012 came — and it's about to go. And like an old friend, this year needs remembering for all of the best moments — the ones where you wanted to grab a girlfriend and say, "Hey! Did you see that wink of a minute, that falling star of a moment, that crazy grace time bestowed?"

It's going to get happiest loud in here, because we're all Jonathan-friends and we're all leaning in with the good times and don't be shy about what the Lord has done!

So, let the whole (in)courage hood chime in, (and if you're here, that's gorgeous you, sister) and let's make this the best end of the year block party –

The best recipe you couldn't not make again?
The best book you couldn't put down?
The best song that you just couldn't get out of your head?

The jeans that fit best? (It's paramount never to wear pants that hurt...)

The tool/gizmo/idea that worked best? (It's true: One good idea in hand is worth two good friends knowing about it too!)

The risk that returned best? (It's why angels always say it first: "Do not be afraid." You never start living until you stop fearing.)

The best link of 2102?  The best laugh? The best living?

The best thing you didn't want to do — but you did anyway? (Happiness comes to them who pursue hard things.)

What was the best habit?
The best holiday? The best gift?
The best sacrifice? (The best way to have more is to give more...)

And wave your friends in here too —  the more we share, the more joy we all give each other.

So... what was the Best of Everything 2012?

(Pouring your mug of grace times in the the comment box and we'll all be pitching in with our "Best of..." there too!



Can't wait to hear your "The Best of  Everything 2012″ ... and for every comment you leave (one, two, ten)?

Every comment's another entry to win 4 gifts that are, oh,  about Four Thousand Gifts! : The One Thousand Gifts gift set  of 2 books with the calendar — and the brand spanking new One Thousand Gifts Devotional (with numbered journaling space to write down your own "1000 best of everything moments" for 2013!)

"The Best of Everything 2012″ party will just keep singing on here on until Saturday evening, 8 pm EST, and then we get the happy joy of updating this post with the recipient of the One Thousand Gifts gift set who then gets to start the countdown of her own "1000 best of everything" 2013!



Let the best of times begin! Let the linking and the laughing and the loving and the remembering begin!

Email readers and RSS friends, come on join in with your beautiful voice at "The Best of Everything" party right here...





Meet Me In The Kitchen
Dec 27, 2012 12:10 am | jencleveland



There they were night after night; those dishes, waiting for me.  That post-dinner mess, with post-lunch mess included, postponed from earlier in the day.  Our kitchen lacked the modern convenience of a dishwasher, so it was a chore.

The Lord would be waiting for me there too. He always knew where to find me.  But I typically didn't recognize this.

When my children were small, my only quiet moment seemed to ironically come while washing dishes.  Food eaten, vegetables negotiated, and dessert obliged meant that soon after, the cleanup process would repel everyone far from the kitchen.

Our house was busy with four young children.  We struggled through a very difficult marriage.  Quiet was what I really needed.  Good Christians had a quiet time every day, and took time to pray uninterrupted.

I mostly focused on was all that wasn't.  I longed to be better; a better wife, a better mom, a better believer.  Failure was all I saw. I had a daily portion of despair with a side of guilt and anxiety.

One night as I worked through the dirty dishes and pans, a Voice spoke to me over my shoulder. It wasn't audible, but it was unmistakable and startling.  It was like a husband standing behind his wife, resting gentle hands on her shoulders, and whispering in her ear.  He was the One that I had been seeking, even though I didn't have a quiet time that morning, like all those other good Christians.

What He spoke to my heart specifically contradicted what I had been told by someone close to me that day.  It was something that gave me strength.  It was surprising, personal, and healing.

The Holy Spirit is waiting near our messes, literal or figurative.  He knows that we need His grace to navigate them.  We need His presence.  He is not repelled by our situation, He is our way out of it.

In the commotion of raising a family or earning a living these days, everything works against discovering the hidden moments when God is speaking to us, waiting to connect.  This is what we must fight.  We must guard the desire to discover.

We must keep our spirits open even if our calendars are full.

There have been other such kitchen moments, not when I was expecting but exactly when I needed them.  Those mundane things like dishes and driving are times to be quiet and listen.

You never know who might join you.

Jennifer

The Quiet Place

[Judy Harder]

Where Norman Rockwell Leaves Off
Dec 28, 2012 12:20 am | Jennifer Schmidt


Thanksgiving on the homestead

The candles flicker on the table, while the fire crackles from the side room. The aroma of our feast awaiting permeates the kitchen, while kids storm in from all areas of our family homestead.

We gravitate around the table and naturally reach for the hands of those beside us. We've done this before, it's life breath to most of us. My father, our patriarch, leads and prays words of truth and blessings over our marriages, friendships, occupational choices, ministries and our time together.

It's the kind of evening that Norman Rockwell captured. The kind of evening in which everyone wishes they could be included.

Nearly two decades ago, my family choose to buy land together. With lots of acreages, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and a plethora of cousins, we chose to build houses sprinkled around 20 acres, and have our young families grow up in community with one another – a kids' dream land.

My parents place a life long value on our generational legacy, and they continue to breathe and ignite that vision into us (their now adult children), but little did any of us know the cost involved in making community "work."

Yes, just like the history behind some of Normal Rockwell paintings where tears, poverty, and injustice, were mixed side by side with celebration and joy, being in community, whether with friends or family, is never easy. Often, we don't see those struggles plastered on any magazine covers.



Family tradition of free Christmas Day coffee at Sheetz after delivering meals to those in need/refugees

Statistically, the week following Christmas brings melancholic feelings to the surface for many. With expectation, we wait to capture that perfect Normal Rockwell scene, yet it never comes, and the post holiday let down now surfaces.

As I reflect on my varying relationships, my desire to approach this new year with a renewed sense of purpose towards building community reminds me just how intentional I need to be in this decision.

Yet to breathe life into authentic community, where my desire is to really be known and to know others, comes at great cost and sacrifice of time.

There are no fast forward buttons that come with friendships. It's a decision to work hard in those relationships, and be willing to let go of the "little stuff" (which feels rather large and overwhelming at times). There's a cost to stay committed, even when it's inconvenient, and a cost of extending communication, or as I like to call it "care-frontation", even when we'd rather stay silent. In some of my circles,  I've been coined the Queen of "Forced Bonding." Often, someone needs to take that role, and I gladly acknowledge the title.

At (in)courage, all of the writers have focused on varying aspects of community this year, and there has been an out pouring from you, our readers, that this theme truly resonates.

I look at community in the body of Christ much the same way I do community within our family homestead. When people ask how our "Norman Rockwell" family is as close as we are, I chuckle.

"First, nothing is ever as it seems. Second, not everyone desires the same kind of community, and third, it takes commitment, prayer, grace from an All Mighty God, and hard, hard work."

Often within the church, we view community as a "warm and fuzzy, let's sip Starbucks around the fire and share life together," kind of endeavor. There are blissful moments like that, but realistically, it's a  "I choose to love and be in community, even when it's painful," kind of journey.

But when that happens, when true community ignites, and we choose to dive into the nitty gritty of life together, the cost is so worth it.  Some of you have experienced that, haven't you?

It's then that we sit at the feet of the master painter, and marvel at the real masterpiece He just created.

Romans 12:9-10

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

I want that, don't you?

I'm willing to take the risk in 2013. Won't you join me?

What's one baby step that you can take to bring community closer in the new year, or if you already have a place you belong, can you share encouragement for those still on the journey?


Jen Schmidt: author behind Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and 10 Minute Dinners.

[Judy Harder]

A Heart's Homecoming: Taking a Different Route
Dec 29, 2012 12:20 am | Bonnie Gray


A heart's imprint, one winter morning

"Having come to know Jesus, we are forbidden to return by the way we came." St. Gregory

The new year is approaching.

It's right around the corner.

One moment, I'm sure of where I'm heading.

Another moment, I'm thinking, maybe it's time to change course instead.

It's a voice that's not very loud.

It's a voice that's soft.  Still.

Like a stone cast upon a pond standing cold in the winter, my heart thinks it's resting when it feels a ripple cascade from the center.

Come back to me, Bonnie.

But, don't come back the way you came.

I want you to journey ahead — by traveling another way.

Like the wise men who traveled long and hard, to follow the star that finally led them to Jesus, God is telling me in more ways than one.

It's time for your homecoming.  And I want you to return — by a different route.

Homecoming
I was talking to Marguerit in the church quad after worship service.  The week before Christmas.

I tell her it was my birthday a few weeks ago.  And it wasn't such an easy occasion to celebrate.

I had mixed feelings about marking a milestone.  I looked back on where I've been and I feel the pressure to make this year different.  To make it count.

Marguerit is an expert in gerontology.  She teaches on the social and psychological aspects of aging.  Yes, I know I'm really not that old.  People say I look young.  I can't take any credit.  I tell them it's my Asian genes, that make me look like I'm just hardly out of college.

But, inside I feel old.

This past year, I've had to relive old wounds and memories, that have come alive through post-traumatic stress.

With each flashback, I'm sucked back into a time machine, and I'm four again.  I'm alone, standing barefoot, in the dark of a basement.  I'm cold and crying, standing tippy toes against the window pane of a gray sky, wondering if my momma has left me for good this time.

The other day, as I inhaled a bite of winter air and moved my legs in its rhythmic pace for my morning walk and prayer, I noticed a heart-shaped imprint left on the dirt path.  I thought about the girl who wore those sneakers, and I'm suddenly feeling seven, with floppy hair and choppy bangs that poked me right below my eyebrows whenever I ran.

I remember how lost I felt, gripping my little sister's hand, as we walked down my grandma's driveway, to climb into my father's old green Nova and sit on vinyl seats in the back.  Unlike my parents, I never signed my name on any divorce papers.  Divorce was a brokenness I experienced in my heart — during those last visits with my father weekends.

Even against the rattle of his old Chevy engine, I rode in a vacuum of silence.  But my heart was far from being quiet.  There was world of pain that comes from separation that I never allowed myself to experience.

Returning to this world of pain, to journey through it — it's what Jesus calls healing.

This is the journey of healing is my heart's homecoming.

My Full Voice
I was the strong one.

I was the one who always smiled, who only cried just a little.  And for the times I cried a lot, it was always alone.  And never for too long.

This is how I came to Jesus as a little girl, drawn by the love and the light of a loving Savior, a gentle Shepherd who spoke my name and smiled to see me.

But, now God's taken me on a spiritual journey that leads me back to the places where I've been wounded.

Jesus is there too. But, I'm finding a different Jesus walking with me.  He is Jesus with eyes dripping with tears for me.  He is intimate friend, chest heavy with understanding, sullen and sober with my memories.  He knows the pit of loneliness.  He's still my Shepherd, but His arms open to hold me, rather than nudging me to walk forward as He's done in the past.

I'm seeing with painful clarity the truth of life's imperfections and the marks they've left on my soul and in my story.

And it's very disorienting to understand why Jesus would want me to revisit the past, at a time in my life when I feel there's so much more I can do without the healing.

Jesus doesn't seem to explain very much.

Which can be very frustrating.

Instead, Jesus keeps pointing to the changes He wants me to make.

These are not changes that are easy to check off a list.  When I make these changes, there will be people who will not be happy with my choices.  Expectations are a very painful thing to break.

I don't know how my life will look like, but I recognize the Voice of Jesus, who whispers –

Speak.  In your full voice.

I won't be able to explain very much.

I will feel frustrated.  Yes, even afraid.

But, I must go.

Because I want to go where God leads me.

I want to go the other way — where the Shepherd of my Heart calls for me to return.

"I am the way, the truth and the life."
~ Jesus, John 14:6

Home Another Way
I'm sure the wise men expended a great many emotional, financial and personal sacrifice and expense to keep following the star — for so many unknown number of days.

You'd think having finally found Jesus, they would finally return home the way they came.  In peace and with ease.

The moment they found Christ, they were overjoyed and ecstatic.  They were able to finally give their gifts to Jesus and experienced the thrill of reaching their goal.

But, their journey wasn't over.  They could not return home the way they came.

They received news their lives were in danger.  They had to go home another way.

If you're like me, looking into the new year and wondering, how in the world will I navigate my plans in the midst of sudden changes?...

If you are burdened with anxiety, fearful it's too late — that the journey of faith is taking too much time — with too many detours...

Jesus may be calling you to take a different route, to bring your heart to a new homecoming.

A Different Route
It's scary to unexpectedly find ourselves in a disorienting position — especially if you've traveled long and hard to reach a personal goal or dream for many years.

You and I have journeyed through many different lands, believing we had finally arrived at the cusp of what we thought would give us closure, joy and peace.

But, having reached that place in life, we discover ourselves in circumstances we could have never predicted.

Marguerit tells me God's timetable is different from our own.  Jesus himself lived 30 years of his journey hidden, yet God chose to call him while He was single with only three years time to share His purpose.

God chose a different route for Jesus to make His way back home.

It's time for us to make our way back home too.

It's our heart's homecoming.

Back to that place inside us where Jesus is at the center.

To travel together — back to where we are at home with Jesus — feeling safe and loved.

We need to go back via a different route.

—-

"And having been warned  in a dream not to go back to Herod,
they returned to their country by another route."
~ Matthew 2:12



—-

What is the different route God is calling you to take?

How is God encouraging you — in that quiet voice — to take the next step to your heart's homecoming?

Pull up a chair.  Click to comment — Share your thoughts, as we turn over a new year.

—-

Written by Bonnie Gray, the Faith Barista, serving up shots of faith for everyday life.

Join Bonnie on her blog, as she continues her heart's homecoming journey — returning as the beloved — into the heart of God.

[Judy Harder]

20 Questions for Reflecting on Your 2012
Dec 31, 2012 12:00 am | Tsh Oxenreider




Happy New Year's Eve! Whether you're headed to a party or headed to the living room with a bowl of popcorn, New Year's Eve is a great day for reflection. A whole year has passed since the last one. You're a year older. Are you a year wiser?

It's that time of year again, when I share 20 questions to help you reflect on the past 365 days (or in the case of 2012, 366 days). Use these reflection questions however you see fit over the next few days. Feel free to think over these throughout your day. But if you'd like to be a bit more intentional with them, every year I provide a free PDF download over on Simple Mom—head over there to download the document, fresh off the press.

Want to answer these questions solo? Grab a cup of coffee and a pen, and use the space provided on the first three pages of the free download.

Want to chat over the answers with your spouse or with friends? Use the last page of the PDF to cut each question into squares, and then toss them in a hat to draw, one at a time.

On January 1 (tomorrow!), I'll share another round of questions (and another PDF) on Simple Mom. This time, they'll be to help plan your goals for 2013. What are your plans? Your hopes? What would you like to happen for you personally, for your children, for your family?

But for now, use the next 48 hours to reflect on the past 365 366 days...

20 Questions for a New Year's Eve Reflection
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

5. Pick three words to describe 2012.

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2012—don't ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you. (If you're not married, have fun guessing the answers from other friends and family, or just skip this question.)

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2012—again, without asking.

8. What were the best books you read this year?

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

Happy reflecting! And pass over that bowl of popcorn.

By Tsh, Simple Mom

[Judy Harder]

10 Reasons Why You Should Register for (in)RL – Reason 1
Jan 01, 2013 12:45 am | incourage


On January 14th registration opens for (in)RL 2013.
You're not going to want to miss it. But don't take our word for it. We asked 10 women why you'd want to tune in for an online webcast that last year connected nearly 2,000 sisters in Christ from across the globe. And especially why you'd want to step outside your door and meetup with other women (in) real life. Here's what they said:


Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam shares why you won't want to miss (in)RL this year.

Bonus reasons to register:
It's FREE!
Everyone who registers on the day registration opens (Monday Jan 14) gets a copy of our (in)courage 365 Daybrightener while supplies last (US residents only).
Everyone gets a copy of our first eBook: "Best of the Beach House 2012."
Meet you back here January 14th when registration opens!





God-sized Dream = a desire in your heart for more of what God has for you.

Hello, Brave Sister...

I'm talking to you today.

Yep, even if your knees are knocking in your cute boots a bit right now.

The one who has a desire that tugs at your heart.

The one with the God-sized dream that's been waiting.

The one who sometimes wonders, "Is this all there is?"

I'm inviting you to open the door to a God-sized dream in 2013.

Now before you get too nervous, let me assure you that God-sized dreams are not really about size at all–they are about what perfectly fits YOUR heart. It's really another way of describing your purpose. And we all have one.

What's yours?

Whether a crystal clear answer pops into your mind or you don't have a clue, this journey is for you.

You really can take the next steps toward what God has for you this year. Two small ways to start today...

Download The Do What You Can Plan: 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better. {You can get it on any computer and it's FREE just for January 1st. Happy New Year from Revell!}

Then join me and your sisters for the God-sized dream series. We'll give you the tools you need and plenty of encouragement.

Are you ready?

This year can be different.

You can be different.

WE can be different.

And when we are, the whole world is too.

What's the God-sized dream you'd like to open the door to this year?

by Holley Gerth



p.s. Next week the God-sized dreams series will kick-off with a blog link-up. Just write a post about your God-sized Dream {or how you're scared silly to have one–whatever you want} and share it with us over here on Tuesday the 8th. Psst...you'll be entered to win the print above from Red Letter Words when you do.






We're counting down to January 14 when registration goes live for our (in) real life conference! It's FREE this year – whoot! So save the date for April 26 & 27, 2013.  In the meantime, we're delighted to be featuring a few of our favorite posts from women who participated in last year's event. We're sharing them here so you can get a peek at what all the excitement is about.



Over the last couple of years, I feel like I have been shedding layers of tough, self-reliant soul-skin, rubbed raw by the experiences and people in my life. Vulnerable moments, painful conversations, life-changing decisions, paradigm-shifting truths, all chipping away at my gnarly exterior that wants to keep saying,

"I don't need you...my life is fine...and by the way, keep your distance."

A year of studying the journey of Jesus through the eyes of Luke, learning anew how the people of the Way are meant to live. We are designed to live in community, modeling the consistent and authentic life of Jesus, as he spoke loving Truth into the people around Him. That is our calling as well.

Finding myself in a place where I couldn't be just "fine" anymore, even if that meant allowing myself to be vulnerable. Being prayed over while I sat weeping with big, gulping sobs. Finally learning that accepting help from your community is just as important as giving help to others.

Making time to commit to community. Not institutions, but individuals. Investing in others, one person at a time, even if it doesn't fit my schedule, my personality, or my tolerance level.

Continuing to journey down the path of motherhood with my "board of advisors," some on Facebook, others through blogging, some over the phone, and many more in person. With every question about how to get lip stain off of a toddlers face or pen off of leather recliners and every passionate discussion about constipation or screen time, I become stronger and more confident. Alone is not an option.

And just this past weekend, I found myself sitting a room of women I barely knew, on a bleak day where I was chilled to the bone, participating in a webcast hosted by (in)courage. I wasn't sure why I was there, but as the words connected with my heart and the group started to share, I felt another layer of soul-skin starting to loosen.



The afternoon was full of beautiful words. I scribbled a sentence from Ann Voskamp, "The guards you put up end up being your own prison that keeps you alone" and circled it for good measure. I wrote in capital letters, "STOP SAYING FINE!" and gritted my teeth in determination. We talked about communities of prayer, the challenge to "do the things we are uniquely wired to do" and how we need to stop worrying about all the things we "don't" do.  It was an unexpectedly sacred time for me, unhindered by life's distractions, focused only on soaking in the truth of using our words as "anchors in a storm", and actively participating in community.

I left some of my insecurities behind in that room, replaced by the supple skin of Truth. Love God and love others, and do it well. It felt good to refocus on what is important. Not because it is good for me, but because it is what we are called to do.

By: Rachel Hammond

[Judy Harder]

Sure Foundation
Jan 02, 2013 12:20 am | Jennifer




I love you, Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1

I discovered this nest not long ago. I had walked by this particular spot many times in the past few months and had never noticed it. Just a short time ago the leaves of the tree surrounded it and it was hidden. As the seasons began to change, the leaves fell away and it was revealed.

I was surprised when I saw it there and started to think. Through all these months, through all the wind and storms... here it is. The nest remained. Nestled there in the right spot, in the support of those branches, it survived. It was sheltered. It was protected. It was safe.

It made me think about how important it is to know where we find our support. Much like those branches that came together to hold that nest up and offer protection.... so He is our support, our strength, our refuge. He upholds us. He is our place of safety.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

It reminded me of how important it is to have a strong foundation. Much like this perfect spot to build a nest, a home... so He is our foundation. He is our sure foundation.

With God as the foundation of who I am, when circumstances of life weigh on me, when fear begins to creep up, there is no doubt I can withstand it all. I can withstand the hard, harsh winds, just as this sweet, little nest withstood them.

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:6

As this new year begins, I look ahead with such great anticipation because I know where my foundation is built. He is my sure foundation. My life is built on Him and with that proper foundation, I can do anything! My prayer for you... with Him as your foundation, you have a blessed year ahead.

What are you looking ahead to this new year?! We would love to hear!

By Jennifer, StudioJRU