An Undivided Heart

An Undivided Heart

I have read this verse many times, but recently the words “give me an undivided heart” have really stayed with me.

There is something powerful about knowing the circumstances surrounding this prayer.

Psalm 86 is a prayer of David. We aren't told exactly what situation prompted him to write it, but we know he was in distress. He describes himself as poor and needy and speaks of arrogant and ruthless people coming against him. He was asking God for help, protection, mercy, strength, and comfort.

And yet, in the middle of all of that, David says:

“Teach me your way, LORD.”

Not just change my circumstances.

Not just make this easier.

Not just tell me when this is going to end.

Teach me Your way.

That really makes me stop and think.

Because if I'm being honest, there have been plenty of times in my life when my prayer has been more about asking God to change what is happening around me than asking Him to change what is happening inside of me.

I want answers.

I want clarity.

I want to know what is coming next.

I want to know how everything is going to work out.

And sometimes I want God to show me the destination when He is simply asking me to trust Him with the next step.

But David's prayer goes even deeper.

“Give me an undivided heart.”

The NKJV says, “Unite my heart to fear Your name.” The idea is a heart that is made whole or single-minded in its devotion to God.

An undivided heart.

What would that look like in my life?

It would mean trusting God when I understand what He is doing and when I don't.

It would mean believing He is faithful when I can see His hand and when I can't.

It would mean not allowing fear, worry, disappointment, circumstances, or my own desire to control things to pull my heart away from Him.

Because isn't that what happens so easily?

We can love God and still worry.

We can trust God and still try to control everything.

We can believe God is faithful and still wonder, “But what if this doesn't turn out the way I hope?”

We can have one part of our heart saying, “God, I trust You,” while another part is quietly saying, “But I need to figure this out myself.”

Maybe that's why David's prayer resonates with me so much.

He wasn't praying this from a place where everything was perfect.

He was praying it in the middle of trouble.

And perhaps that is when an undivided heart matters most.

It is easy to praise God when everything is going the way we hoped.

It is much harder—and perhaps much more meaningful—to say:

“Lord, I don't understand this, but teach me Your way.”

“Lord, I don't know what comes next, but help me rely on Your faithfulness.”

“Lord, my heart is being pulled in a hundred different directions, so unite my heart and keep it focused on You.”

I think about how many times God has already proven Himself faithful in my own life.

Looking back, I can see things I couldn't see while I was living through them.

I can see prayers that weren't answered the way I thought they would be, but were answered in ways I didn't yet understand.

I can see places where I thought God was absent, only to realize later that He was protecting me, redirecting me, growing me, or preparing something I couldn't see.

And I can look at where I am today and know that God's faithfulness was never dependent upon my ability to understand His plan.

He was faithful then.

He is faithful now.

And He will be faithful in whatever comes next.

That's why I think this verse is more than simply a beautiful Scripture.

It is a prayer I want to pray over my own life:

Lord, teach me Your way.

Not my way.

Not the way that feels easiest.

Not the way that gives me the answers I want right now.

Your way.

Teach me to rely on Your faithfulness rather than my own understanding.

And when my heart becomes divided between faith and fear, control and surrender, what I want and what You are doing...

unite my heart.

Bring me back to You.

Remind me who You are.

Remind me of everything You have already brought me through.

Remind me that I don't have to know what tomorrow holds when I know Who holds tomorrow.

And may I be able to say, just as David did, that I will praise You “with my whole heart.”

Because at the end of the day, that's what I want.

Not simply a life where everything goes according to my plan.

But a heart that belongs completely to God.

An undivided heart.

A heart that trusts.

A heart that listens.

A heart that follows.

A heart that remembers.

And above all...

a heart that is fully His.

Lord, teach me Your way.

Tim's Elbow Update

                   

Tim's Elbow Update

We went with Tim to see Ortho today to discuss his elbow, the plan of action, and the next steps toward getting him back to competing.

The doctor we saw was, by far, the best we've seen so far. He was extremely informative and took the time to explain what he believes is going on and what he feels we need to do moving forward.

In a nutshell, Tim will be spending the next six weeks working with a physical therapist who specializes in the type of elbow injury he has. Apparently, this is something they see quite often in baseball players.

The doctor believes Tim has a sprained UCL, with the possibility of a tear that may or may not require surgery down the road. He also believes Tim has a bone spur that is further complicating things.

The next six weeks of specialized PT will help us better understand just how serious the injury is. If PT helps and Tim responds well, he could potentially get back to lifting sooner rather than later. If it doesn't improve the issue, we could be looking at surgery to address the bone spur as well as the UCL.

One thing we really appreciated about this doctor is that he doesn't just jump to surgery. He explained that, more often than not, a good PT specialist can get elite athletes back to their sport without further intervention. And if Tim does ultimately require surgery, it will mean a longer healing process, but he should still be able to get back to his sport.

So, at least as of right now, this isn't a “you'll never lift again” scenario. It's a “when will you be able to lift again?” scenario. And we'll take that.

Tim has been beyond frustrated through all of this, but he knows this is something that has to happen in order for his elbow to heal properly. He's taking it in stride and is willing to do whatever it takes to get better. He just wants answers, wants to heal, and wants to get back to doing what he loves.

And that's where we come in.

We're going to continue being there for him, supporting him and helping him keep his head on straight as he jumps through all of these hoops he has to go through in order to move forward.

It's not the road he wanted to be on, but it's the road he's on right now.

So we'll take it one step at a time, trust the process, and keep moving forward because Tim loves Olympic weightlifting—and he's not ready to give that up. 

Keep praying in agreement with us for his complete healing as he does all that ortho and the physical therapist advise him to do. 

Let There Be Light

Let There Be Light

Before God spoke, the earth was described as formless and empty, with darkness covering the deep. There was no order, no beauty, and no life as we know it.

And then God spoke:

“Let there be light.”

And there was light.

This is the first recorded command of God in Scripture. God didn't need materials to create it. He didn't need to struggle against another power. He simply spoke, and creation responded.

There is something especially significant about the fact that God created light before the sun, moon, and stars. Those heavenly bodies aren't introduced until the fourth day (Genesis 1:14–19). The light in these first verses, therefore, isn't simply a description of sunlight. It demonstrates God's authority over creation.

Light existed because God commanded it to exist.

Then Genesis 1:4 says:

“God saw that the light was good.”

God distinguished the light from the darkness, establishing the pattern of light and darkness, day and night. Throughout Genesis 1, we repeatedly see God bringing order out of what was previously without form and filling what was empty.

And there is a beautiful theme here.

The Bible begins with darkness.

And God's first recorded creative word is:

“Let there be light.”

That theme of light continues throughout Scripture.

Light becomes associated with God's presence, truth, righteousness, revelation, and salvation. Later, Jesus declares:

“I am the light of the world.” — John 8:12

John's Gospel intentionally echoes Genesis when it begins:

“In the beginning was the Word...” — John 1:1

John goes on to tell us that life was in Him, and that life was the light of all mankind, and that the light shines in the darkness (John 1:4–5).

So Genesis begins with God bringing physical light into a dark creation, while the larger story of Scripture ultimately points us toward Christ bringing spiritual light into a dark world.

And this is where these verses become personal for me.

I've had seasons in my own life when things didn't look anything like I thought they would. Times when I didn't understand what God was doing. Times when I couldn't see what was ahead or how He could possibly bring something good out of circumstances that felt anything but good.

But looking back, I can see something I couldn't always see in the moment:

God was there.

He was working even when I couldn't see Him working.

He was bringing order where I couldn't see any order.

He was making something beautiful out of things I might have considered broken, empty, or even the result of my own poor choices.

I've learned that God doesn't need everything to already be in order before He begins His work.

Look at Genesis.

It was formless.

It was empty.

It was dark.

And God spoke.

“Let there be light.”

And there was light.

That doesn't mean every dark season in our lives disappears immediately when we pray. Scripture certainly doesn't promise that. There will be seasons when we don't understand, when we have to wait, when we hurt, and when we simply have to trust God in the middle of the darkness.

I've had to learn that too.

But these verses remind me of who God is in the darkness.

He is the God who creates where there seems to be nothing.

He brings order where there is chaos.

He brings beauty where there is emptiness.

And He brings light where there is darkness.

Sometimes we want God to show us the whole picture before we can trust Him. We want to know what He's doing, where He's leading, and how everything is going to work out.

But Genesis 1 reminds me that God doesn't need me to understand what He's doing.

He simply needs me to trust who He is.

Because He is still the God who speaks into darkness.

And when God speaks, darkness doesn't get to argue with Him.

“Let there be light.”

And there was light.

That is the God I know.

And that is the God I trust.

Darkness may be present, but darkness does not have the final word when God is present.

Genesis 1:3–4 isn't merely telling us that God created light. It introduces us to a God who speaks into darkness and brings forth something good.

And if He can do that with creation, I believe He can do it in us, too.

Happy National Son's Day

Happy National Son's Day

Happy National Son’s Day to our amazing son! 💗

Where has the time gone? From the little boy we watched grow up to the strong, determined young man you are today, we couldn’t be more proud of you.

We’re proud of who you are, not just what you accomplish. Your strength, determination, heart, and the person you continue to become make us incredibly grateful that God chose us to be your parents.

We love you to the moon and beyond! 🤟

Happy National Son’s Day, Tim! 💙

Whoever Has Ears to Hear, Let Them Hear

Whoever Has Ears to Hear, Let Them Hear

In Mark 4, Jesus is teaching a large crowd gathered beside the Sea of Galilee. The crowd is so large that Jesus gets into a boat and teaches them from the water while they stand along the shore.

He tells them a parable about a farmer scattering seed. The seed falls on four different kinds of ground:

• Along the path — the seed is quickly taken away.
• On rocky ground — it springs up quickly but has no depth and withers.
• Among thorns — the plants grow, but the thorns choke them.
• On good soil — the seed takes root and produces a harvest.

Then Jesus says:

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

He wasn't merely talking about having functioning ears. Everyone in the crowd could physically hear His words. Jesus was talking about something deeper: Are you really listening? Are you allowing God's Word to take root in you? Are you willing to respond to what He is saying?

Later, when Jesus is alone with His disciples and those around Him, He explains the parable. The seed represents the Word of God, and the different soils represent the different ways people receive that Word.

That makes Mark 4:9 a very personal verse. It causes me to ask myself, Am I really hearing what God is saying to me, or am I simply reading His Word and moving on?

I have read this Scripture many times, but sometimes a verse we've read over and over suddenly makes us stop and think about it a little differently.

Jesus says:

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The interesting thing about the parable is that the seed itself isn't the problem. The difference is what happens when the seed lands on different kinds of soil.

That makes me think about my own heart.

I can read my Bible every day. I can underline verses, write notes in the margins, listen to sermons and Bible teachers, and spend time studying God's Word — and I do all of that. But am I really hearing it?

Am I allowing God's Word to correct me when I need correction?

Am I willing to change when God shows me something that needs to change?

Am I listening when He reminds me to trust Him instead of trying to figure everything out myself?

Am I hearing Him when He tells me to forgive, to be patient, to love someone, to let go of worry, or simply to be still and trust Him?

There is a difference between hearing words and truly listening to them.

I think that is part of what Jesus was getting at when He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

God's Word is speaking. The question isn't whether He has something to say. The question is whether I am willing to stop, listen, and let His Word take root in me.

I've been reading through the Bible this year with The Bible Recap plan on the Bible App, and one thing I continue to realize is that God's Word isn't meant to simply give me information. It is meant to change me. It is meant to shape how I think, how I live, how I treat people, and how I respond to the circumstances of life.

Sometimes God speaks something that encourages me.

Sometimes He speaks something that challenges me.

Sometimes He speaks something I don't necessarily want to hear.

But if I truly want to follow Him, I need to have ears that are willing to hear all of it—not just the parts that are comfortable.

That is my prayer:

“Lord, help me not just to read Your Word, but to truly hear it. Give me a heart that is good soil. Help me recognize Your voice, receive what You are saying, and then live it out.”

Because having ears to hear isn't simply about listening to God's Word.

It's about being willing to do something with what we hear.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Lord, I'm listening.

Do Not Be Wise in Your Own Eyes

(I had AI make this for me. It's amazing at how well it can follow instructions.)

Do Not Be Wise in Your Own Eyes

I love reading Proverbs. It's one of my favorite books of the Bible to read.

I heard it said many times when I was younger that if you can't read the entire Bible in a year, then be sure to read the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I've done my best to do that over the years, although I haven't always succeeded.

But there is something about Proverbs that keeps drawing me back. There is so much wisdom packed into those chapters, and so many of the verses are practical reminders of how we're supposed to live.

This verse is a great reminder:

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and Shun Evil."
Proverbs 3:7

When I read, "Do not be wise in your own eyes," I basically take it to mean don't think your wisdom is better than the Lord's.

And boy, can we get ourselves into trouble when we do that!

It's easy to think we know what is best. We look at a situation, make our plans, follow our feelings or desires, and convince ourselves that we've got it all figured out. But the Lord sees what we can't see. He knows what we don't know. His understanding is far greater than ours.

Being wise in our own eyes is really a matter of pride. It's saying, in one way or another, "I know better."

And I've certainly had my moments of doing that.

Then the verse goes on to say, "Fear the Lord and Shun Evil."

I don't take "fear the Lord" to mean that I need to be shaking in my boots because of what the Lord will do to me.

Fear can take on so many meanings, but when I see "Fear the Lord," my mind goes to reverence, honor and awe.

I need to hold the Lord in the highest regard. I need to recognize who He is and who I am in comparison to Him. I need to give Him my utmost attention because of all that He has done for me. And I need to give Him the praise, honor and respect that He deserves.

In other words, I need to trust His wisdom more than my own.

And then there is that last part: "Shun Evil."

I take that to mean that anything that isn't honoring to the Lord shouldn't have a place in my life. I shouldn't flirt with it, entertain it or make room for it.

I should shun it.

It needs to stay behind me. It needs to have no place in my heart, my mind or my life.

Man, have I had ample opportunity for evil to really take up residence in my life by trying to be wise in my own eyes.

I remember a time when I lived like a hellion even though I knew better. I wanted my way, and there was nothing anyone—not even the Lord—could say or do that was gonna stop me.

I thought I knew what I was doing.

I thought I knew what I wanted.

I thought doing things my way was going to make me happy.

But ya know what?

That only works for a short while.

Eventually, living that way begins to eat you up inside because deep down you know better. You know when you're going against what the Lord has shown you. And no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise, doing things our own way doesn't bring the true peace and fulfillment we're looking for.

I've learned that God's way really is better than my way.

That doesn't mean following Him makes life perfect or that I'll never struggle. It means that I've learned I don't have to figure everything out on my own. I can trust the One who sees the whole picture when I can only see a tiny piece of it.

And maybe that's part of what this verse is reminding me of.

Don't be so wise in your own eyes that you forget who God is.

Don't let pride convince you that your way is better.

Don't let the things of this world take up residence in your heart.

Instead, humble yourself before the Lord. Reverence Him. Trust His wisdom. Follow His ways. And when something isn't pleasing to Him, shun it.

So what this verse teaches me is this:

Don't live for yourself.

Give the Lord the respect, honor and reverence that He deserves.

Trust His wisdom over your own.

And don't allow evil to have any place in your heart or life.

Because I've learned the hard way that being wise in my own eyes can lead me down a path I never intended to go.

But when I humble myself, trust the Lord and follow His ways, I know I'm walking in the direction He wants me to go.

And that's a much better place to be.

Tim's 3 Sword Tattoo

Tim got his first tattoo today of three different swords. A center sword and then two crossing swords.

A three-swords tattoo generally represents resilience and triumph over adversity.

For Tim, the three swords tattoo represents the resilience he has shown and the triumph he has experienced over all the adversity he’s been through in his life so far. And they represent the continual triumph he seeks as he moves forward in life.

He told me that the three swords will also be a constant reminder to him that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are always with him.

He’s really thought through the design that he wanted for his first tattoo. I’ve always told him that if he’s going to get a tattoo, it should mean something to him. He shouldn’t get one for the sake of getting one. I think he has definitely accomplished that with the design he's chosen.

It’s not just a tattoo. It tells a story—a story of strength, faith, perseverance, and the determination to keep moving forward.

I personally have never gotten a tattoo, although I’ve always wanted one. For a long time, I was made to feel like getting one would be sacrilegious—that somehow I would be going against God.

As I’ve gotten older and grown in my faith, I’ve come to see things differently. I know many Christians who have tattoos, and their tattoos tell a story. More importantly, those stories often point back to God, their faith, their struggles, their victories, or something God has brought them through.

When you think of it that way, there's really nothing wrong with having a tattoo.

It’s not the tattoo itself that matters as much as the meaning behind it and what it represents.

And for Tim, these three swords represent resilience, triumph, faith, and the reminder that no matter what he faces, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are always with him.

That’s a pretty meaningful story to carry with you.

He's asked me not to share the actual picture of the tattoo because it's he's to share and not mine. Of course you got the general idea from the description that I shared above. I can however give you an idea of what he's after with these pictures below:

 

Something like this as the center sword.

Something like this as one of the crossing swords.

Something like this as one of the other crossing swords.

And for it to look similar to this once it's done.

None of those swords are the actual design as Tim gave his tattooist freedom to create something unique just for him. You will all know what it looks like at some point when Tim shares it but not until then. 

I have to respect his wishes on this. I'm just glad that I got to be there with him as he went through this first experience and that he actually wanted me there. 

Our kids have to live their own lives and become their own person—not simply the person we want them to be. As parents, we can guide them, love them, and support them, but ultimately, they have to walk their own path.

I have so much respect for the man Tim has become. His dad and I will always be here to support him, no matter where life takes him. He’s dealt with so much in his young life, and through it all, God has had his back every step of the way. We know God has got him—and He’s got us, too. ❤️

Congrats, Son, on your first tattoo! 🦋 Thanks for allowing me to be there with you as you took this first step into something that was your choice and your decision. I’m honored that you wanted me there. ❤️

Love you, Son!

May the Words of My Mouth

There are some Bible verses that seem to find us at just the right time.

Psalm 19:14 is one of those verses for me.

I love how this verse is both simple and deep. It is a prayer—but it's also a reminder of the kind of woman I want to be.

A Little Background

Psalm 19 was written by David, and I love the way this psalm unfolds.

In the beginning, David looks at God's creation and recognizes that the heavens declare God's glory. Then he turns his attention to God's Word, describing it as perfect, trustworthy, right, pure and more valuable than gold.

And then, toward the end of the psalm, David turns the focus toward himself.

After looking at who God is and reflecting on God's Word, David essentially says, Now, Lord, look at me.

That's where we find Psalm 19:14.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

I think there is something very intentional about David mentioning both his mouth and his heart.

The Words of My Mouth

Lord, let my words please You.

That's a pretty big prayer when you really stop and think about it.

It's easy to think about our words when we're sitting in church or talking about the Lord. But what about our words when we're frustrated? When we're tired? When someone has hurt us? When we're irritated or disappointed?

Those moments can reveal what's really going on inside us.

I've certainly had moments in my life when I've said something and later wished I could take it back. And as I've gotten older, I've become more aware of just how powerful our words can be.

Words can encourage someone.

They can make someone laugh.

They can bring comfort when someone is hurting.

But words can also wound.

Sometimes we don't even realize how deeply something we've said has affected someone else.

That's why I love that David doesn't simply say, "May the words of my mouth be good."

He says, "May they be pleasing in your sight."

It's not ultimately about whether everyone else approves of what I say.

It's about whether God is pleased with what comes out of my mouth.

And Then There Is My Heart...

This is the part that really makes me stop.

“...and the meditation of my heart...”

What we meditate on is what we think about, dwell on, ponder and allow to occupy our minds.

And God sees those things too.

Other people hear my words, but God sees my heart.

He knows the thoughts I don't say out loud.

He knows the things I worry about.

He knows the things that hurt me.

He knows the things I struggle to let go of.

He knows the thoughts that can creep into my mind when I'm frustrated, disappointed or discouraged.

And that makes this verse much more personal to me.

Because I can sometimes control what comes out of my mouth while still having thoughts in my heart that aren't pleasing to God.

I can say the right thing while thinking something completely different.

God wants more than just the right words. He wants our hearts.

As I've Gotten Older...

I think about this verse differently now than I might have years ago.

Life has a way of teaching us things.

I've experienced joy and disappointment, answered prayers and prayers that seemed to go unanswered. I've experienced loss, changes, relationships, family situations and all the things that come with simply living life.

And through it all, I've learned that I don't want to just look like a Christian.

I want my life to actually reflect Christ.

That means I want my words to reflect Him.

But I also want my thoughts, attitudes, motives and the things nobody else sees to reflect Him too.

That's harder.

Because it's easy to clean up the outside.

It's harder to let God work on the inside.

And honestly, that's where I still need Him every single day.

"My Rock and My Redeemer"

I also love how David ends this verse.

He calls God “my Rock and my Redeemer.”

My Rock.

The One who is steady when life isn't.

The One I can lean on when I don't have all the answers.

The One who doesn't change when everything around me does.

And my Redeemer.

The One who doesn't expect me to have everything figured out or to be perfect.

The One who can take my mistakes, my failures, my weaknesses and my messes and redeem them.

That gives me hope.

Because Psalm 19:14 isn't a prayer that says, "Lord, look at how well I'm doing."

It's really more like:

"Lord, I need You to help me."

Help me with my words.

Help me with my thoughts.

Help me with my attitudes.

Help me with the things in my heart that nobody else sees.

Help me become more like You.

A Prayer I Want to Pray Every Day

The older I get, the more I realize that I want to be intentional about what I allow into my heart and what I allow to come out of my mouth.

I don't always get it right.

But I want to keep growing.

I want to be the kind of person whose words encourage more than they hurt.

Whose thoughts are focused more on God's goodness than on life's disappointments.

Whose heart is quick to forgive.

Whose attitude reflects gratitude.

Whose life points people toward Jesus.

So this verse has become more than just a beautiful Scripture to me.

It's a prayer.

Lord, may the words of my mouth be pleasing to You.

May the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You.

When I'm happy, may my words honor You.

When I'm frustrated, may my words honor You.

When I'm hurt, may my words honor You.

When I'm alone with my thoughts, may my heart honor You.

And when I fail—and I will—may I turn back to You, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Because at the end of the day, that's really what I want.

Not just to say the right things, but to have a heart that is right with Him.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
— Psalm 19:14 NIV

That's my prayer today. And honestly, I think it's a pretty good prayer for every day. 

(taken from the Bible App)

The Faithful God

There are some Bible verses that seem to find you at just the right time.

Deuteronomy 7:9 is one of those verses for me.

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
— Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

I love those words: “He is the faithful God.”

Not He might be faithful.

Not He is faithful when everything is going well.

Not He is faithful when we understand what He is doing.

He is the faithful God.

Period.

But knowing the background of this verse makes those words even more meaningful to me.

A reminder before entering a new season

Deuteronomy contains some of Moses' final words to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land.

They had spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness, and now a new generation was preparing to cross the Jordan and enter the land God had promised to their ancestors.

They were about to enter a completely new season.

And Moses knew they needed to remember something very important before they did:

Remember who your God is.

God had chosen Israel as His people, but it wasn't because they were the biggest, strongest or most impressive nation.

In fact, Moses told them:

“The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.”
— Deuteronomy 7:7 NIV

God chose them because He loved them and because He was faithful to the covenant He had made with their ancestors.

Then Moses tells them to “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God…”

I think that's such an important reminder.

The Israelites were about to step into something they had never experienced before. They didn't know everything that was ahead of them. There would be challenges, battles and things they couldn't see coming.

But they didn't need to know everything about their future.

They needed to know who was going with them.

He is the faithful God

That phrase really speaks to me.

God wasn't promising the Israelites that everything would be easy.

He was reminding them that He would be faithful.

There's a difference.

Sometimes we think God's faithfulness means He will keep everything from going wrong. But that's not what Scripture teaches.

Faithfulness doesn't mean we won't walk through difficult seasons.

It means God will still be God in the middle of them.

He will still be with us.

He will still love us.

He will still keep His promises.

And when we look back over our lives, we can see His faithfulness much more clearly than we could while we were living through those moments.

I know I can.

There have been things in my life that I didn't understand when I was going through them. There were times I wondered what God was doing and why He allowed certain things to happen.

But looking back now, I can see things I couldn't see then.

God was there.

He was there when I was afraid.

He was there when I didn't have the answers.

He was there when I didn't know how things were going to work out.

He was there in the difficult seasons and in the beautiful ones.

And sometimes His faithfulness wasn't about changing my circumstances at all.

Sometimes His faithfulness was simply carrying me through them.

A covenant of love

I also love that Deuteronomy 7:9 describes God as “keeping his covenant of love.”

God's love isn't fickle.

It isn't dependent on whether everything in our lives is going the way we want it to.

His covenant love is steadfast, committed and faithful.

The Israelites would have plenty of moments when they failed God. Their history would include rebellion, disobedience, fear and doubt.

Yet God remained faithful.

That doesn't mean their choices didn't have consequences. They did.

But God's faithfulness wasn't based on their perfection.

It was based on His character.

And I'm so thankful for that.

Because I know I'm not perfect.

None of us are.

We have all made mistakes. We've all had moments when we've doubted, questioned, complained, worried or tried to handle things ourselves.

Yet God remains faithful.

“To a thousand generations”

When Moses says God keeps His covenant of love “to a thousand generations,” he's emphasizing just how enduring God's faithfulness is.

Generations come and go.

Life changes.

Families grow.

Children become adults.

Circumstances change.

People we love aren't always here forever.

But God remains.

He is the faithful God.

That makes me think about my own family and the generations that have come before me—and the generations that may come after me.

I don't know what the future holds for those I love.

I can't protect them from every difficult thing they'll ever face.

I can't make every decision for them.

And I certainly can't control what tomorrow will bring.

But I can pray.

I can point them toward Jesus.

I can share what God has taught me.

And I can trust the same faithful God who has carried me all these years to continue to be faithful to them.

I may not know what tomorrow holds.

That's probably one of the biggest things I've learned as I've gotten older.

I don't have to know everything that is ahead.

I don't have to understand every circumstance.

I don't have to have all the answers.

I just need to remember who God is.

He is God.

He is faithful.

He keeps His promises.

He loves His children.

And He doesn't suddenly stop being faithful because life gets hard.

So when I look at Deuteronomy 7:9, I don't just see a verse that was written thousands of years ago for the Israelites.

I see a reminder for me today.

Remember.

Remember what God has already done.

Remember the times He carried you.

Remember the prayers He answered.

Remember the doors He opened.

Remember the times you thought you couldn't make it through—and yet here you are.

And most of all, remember who He is.

Because I may not know what tomorrow brings.

I may not know what the next season of life will look like.

I may not understand everything God is doing.

But I know this:

He is the faithful God.

And after everything I've experienced in my life, that's enough for me.

I can trust Him with whatever comes next.

Happy 74th Birthday Mom!

Happy 74th Birthday Mom!

Mom was 16 when she married my father and 17 when she gave birth to me.

Today, that seems almost unheard of, but back in those days, a lot of women got married and started their families young. They stayed home, took care of the house and kids, while the dads went to work and provided for the family.

I think about how young my mom really was when she had me, and then my brothers and sister. I think about all she gave up so young in life to become a wife and a mom.

Her life has not been an easy one.

My folks struggled on a daily basis to rub two pennies together to feed and clothe us kids. We never went without the things we truly needed, and they always found a way to make do, but it wasn't easy.

Mom sacrificed so much to make sure we had what we needed.

It's what moms do.

I've done that with Tim many times through the years. We have never been in the dire straits my parents were in—praise the Lord—but I've still given up things I wanted or needed in order to give Tim what he needed as he chased after his hopes and dreams in his young life.

And because I've experienced that kind of sacrifice myself, I understand so much more now what my mom gave up while raising us.

She never really had much of a youth.

She went from being a student in school, to dropping out, to getting married, to having babies, to taking care of a home and being a wife and mother.

Now that's a mouthful.

She went from being a kid herself to suddenly being responsible for a family.

When I was younger, I didn't fully understand that. Honestly, I don't think I could have. Young people simply haven't lived enough life yet to understand some things.

But now that I'm older and have lived more life myself, I look back and I can see so much more clearly.

What sticks out to me the most is her resilience.

She kept going even when I'm sure every fiber of her being didn't want to.

She was strong because she needed to be strong for us kids. She kept going because she simply couldn't stop. There were mouths to feed, a house to take care of, children to raise and a husband to care for.

And Dad was a hard man to keep happy. She did her best, even though it didn't always work out the way she hoped.

At 74, Mom is still doing life to the best of her ability.

She's had to do it alone since Dad passed away in 2002. Of course, she's had us kids to support and help her along the way, but that's not the same as having your husband beside you.

At 74, I can see more of the wear and tear that all those hard years have left behind.

But she's still a trooper.

She's like the Energizer Bunny—she just keeps going.

And honestly, I have so much more respect for my mom today than I ever did when I was younger.

Age has a way of changing your perspective.

When you're young, you see your parents as simply Mom and Dad. You don't always stop to think about the sacrifices they made, the things they went without, the worries they carried or the times they kept going when they were probably exhausted and didn't know how they were going to make it through the next day.

Then you grow up.

You become a wife. You become a mom. You have responsibilities of your own. You make sacrifices for your own child.

And suddenly, you understand things you never understood before.

I understand my mom a whole lot more now.

I understand what it means to put someone else's needs ahead of your own. I understand what it means to worry about your child, to sacrifice for your child and to keep going because someone is counting on you.

And I understand her resilience.

I'm sure some of that resilience and determination is where her kids and grandkids get our drive from.

Mom has been through a lot of life.

She's experienced hard times, loss, struggle and more than her share of challenges. But she's still here. She's still going. She's still doing the best she can with what she has.

And today, I want her to know that I see it.

I see the sacrifices.

I see the strength.

I see the resilience.

And I appreciate her in a way I don't think I was capable of appreciating her when I was younger.

Happy 74th Birthday, Mom!

I'm praying this 74th year of your life is your best one yet. You deserve to be celebrated every day, but especially today.

I love you, Mom.

Happy Birthday🎂🎈!