If You Remain Silent

If we were to sit and have coffee together, I would listen. 

I would listen for ways to encourage you.

I would listen for giftings. Wisdom. Talent. Hidden treasure.

And I would do my best to encourage you not to remain silent any longer.

I would do my best to help support you and figure out a way to help you out of the 

silent, fear, frozen, denial, pick somebody else, mindset.

I would tell you this.

God didn't create you so that you would remain silent.

He created you with incredible creativity and wisdom and ideas and gifts and talent and abilities.

To speak.

As women, we can speak any number of ways.

For years, I thought I was supposed to be silent. The voice that God had given me was buried under years of pain and abuse and worthlessness.

And so I spoke through creativity without even realizing I was using my God given voice.

Through flowers and styling and event planning and photography and then through words... I spoke with exclamation marks by using beauty and making people feel loved.

Doubting every bit of it the entire time.

Even when my favorite magazine called to feature my work.

I still doubted.

And wanted to remain silent.

And so I gave those things to Him and focused on speaking through motherhood.

Learning years later, that we don't always have to choose. 

Sometimes, He gives us more than one way to speak. More than one voice. More than one platform.

You may have read the book of Esther. If you haven't. You must. You must. You must.

Esther will rock your world. 

There are at least 50 sermons in that book of the bible.

One of my favorite pieces of scripture of all time is found in the book of Esther, Chapter 4:14

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"

Did you know that God will speak through you? Through your words? Your art? Your parenting?

Your marriage?  Your music? Your landscaping business? Your catering business? 

Your platform and ministry? Your books? Your photography? 

He uses vessels to speak and teach and minister to the hearts of His people.

In my years of listening to the hearts of women, I've found the following to be true.

We remain silent because of guilt.

We remain silent because of fear.

We remain silent because of our own insecurities.

We remain silent because of an abusive or controlling person.

We remain silent because of self doubt and worthlessness.

We remain silent because of spiritual abuse.

We remain silent because of fear of failure.

We remain silent because of fear of rejection.

We remain silent because of limited resources.

We remain silent because of past criticism.

We remain silent because we are waiting on perfection.

We remain silent because we are waiting for permission.

Just to name a few.

So today I wanted to leave you with something to encourage you.

I wanted to leave you with a pretty, pink permission slip from your heavenly Father.

"Who knows but that you have come to your royal position but for such a time as this?"

God did not create you to remain silent beautiful friend.

He created you for such a time as this.....

If you are waiting on Him or waiting on perfect or waiting on everyone to cheer you on first....

You don't have to remain silent any longer.

Step out in faith today. Ask Him for courage.  He is faithful to send the confirmation.

Peoples lives will be changed and blessed and transformed because you chose to walk in your called, chosen, anointed and appointed royal position and speak....

Love and Splendor

...and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. ~ Isaiah 61:3 

We can spend much of our life creating our own plans and dreams and goals and many, many times, the Father simply has another way. He has a better way.

It doesn't always turn out like we thought or hoped or asked or prayed.

Sometimes there are years of pain and suffering and sorrow involved.

But He is purposeful. Intentional. Careful with His people and in the end He is faithful to display His love and splendor in the most beautiful ways.

One of the areas that I struggled with for many years was trying to grow my family.

We have three babies in heaven.

There was a season that I thought- it would never happen. 

My dream of a house full of baby boys and girls.

I wanted to wake up every day with a bed full of scrumptious babies and step on hot wheel cars and barbie shoes on my way to get my morning coffee.

I longed for tea parties and dance parties and bed time stories and flash light tag and apple bobbing and too many pictures to even mention.

I dreamed about finding R2D2 in my coffee cup and scooting dinosaurs and naked barbies out of the way in the shower.

I couldn't wait to carry and labor and deliver and nurse a precious life.

I wasn't sure what He would give us or how He would bless us or even if He would, I just knew that we wanted more children and a big family and our pastor prayed for that very thing during our wedding ceremony.

Motherhood had stolen my heart and captivated me at the tender age of 18 years old.

It was my calling.

Certainly not perfection.

Certainly not without falling short and plenty of mistakes and some really hard days.

And definitely not without clinging to Him on a daily basis for wisdom and guidance.

But motherhood....

With all of its love and splendor is what makes me weak in the knees and keeps me close to Him.

Our dream has never been to have a big and fancy life.

We dream in children and family and lots of tiny feet running through the house and sleepless nights.

By His grace, I am overjoyed and humbled and honored to share our news. 

We have been sweetly blessed again....

Our children are just a tiny bit excited.....

A blue million pictures and gender reveal coming soon!

All photography by my dear friend Meredith Teasley of Teasley Photography.

And Peter ~ A Repost

Morning Glories,

I hope you all had a blessed Easter weekend.  For those of you who didn't and who may be struggling with the whole Easter celebration, this post is for you. 

Because I know you are many....

I felt it was worthy of a repost.

And because there are so many thoughts published about Easter on actual Easter...and the days following this major holiday can be somewhat of a let down...

I felt it was important to post it after Easter.

Because Easter isn't just a day. 

It is a gift. 

And one that is available to each one of us, every, single day.

There are so many important pieces about that Easter morning many years ago, but nothing strikes at my heart and speaks to me with such volume as this piece of the scriptures.

And Peter.

After everything. The betrayal. The denials. Three times Peter denied Jesus. After all the wrong doing and after all of the falling short and all of the everything that just wasn't right at all...

Jesus knew that Peter would be feeling less than. And that He would be feeling really worthless.

I mean. Here the stone has rolled away. The resurrection has happened. Jesus is alive.

And Peter is going to miss the miracle because of the shame of his past mistakes.

But God wanted to make sure He didn't miss it.

He made sure by actually calling for Peter by name....

The scriptures tell us in Mark 16:7 these words...

But go, tell His disciples- and Peter.

The original post is listed below or you can follow this link. 

I know many of you are preparing to celebrate the gift that is Resurrection Sunday this morning...

But there are some of you who have no desire to celebrate Easter today.

Or maybe you would like to celebrate this glorious day, but you feel too far gone. The space between you and Jesus is as vast as the sea. Too much sorrow. Too much heartache. Too much sin.

Or maybe there are some of you who just feel that there is no way that a Holy God could love a girl like me.....

This post is for you beautiful friend.

Read this...

"But He said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples- and Peter- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." - Mark 16:6-7

There are two words here for you this morning.

And Peter.

After everything. The betrayal. The denials. Three times Peter denied Jesus. After all the wrong doing and after all of the falling short and all of the everything that just wasn't right at all...

Jesus knew that Peter would be feeling less than. And that He would be feeling really worthless.

I mean. Here the stone has rolled away. The resurrection has happened. Jesus is alive.

And Peter is going to miss the miracle because of the shame of his past mistakes.

But God wanted to make sure He didn't miss it.

He made sure by actually calling for Peter by name....

The scriptures tell us in Mark 16:7 these words...

But go, tell His disciples- and Peter.

This is one of the many miracles that happened on Easter Sunday so many years ago.

The stone was rolled away.

He is risen.

The guards never heard a thing. 

The angels appeared. 

The women arrived first.

The angel spoke and gave directions.

A request was made for Peter, whom they specifically called by name, to hear the news about the miracles.

The one who had denied Jesus. The one who had betrayed Him.

Jesus wanted Him to know about all of this right away.

Why?

Because He loved Peter. Because He was forgiven. Because He wanted Him to know these things. Because He wanted to reassure him and reach out to Him and let Peter know that despite all of it....

Jesus still loved Peter.

And He still loves you.

He walked through that first Easter Sunday for all of us. Not just for the ones who claim to be perfect.

Or the ones who have been raised up in the church all of their life or whatever it may be...

Sweet friend, the work of the cross, the suffering and the glory of it all- is for every, single one of us.

Today, while you are trying to decide if this post may be the Father gently wooing you unto Himself, I want to ask you if you would just repeat these two little words over and over again to yourself today.

And Peter.

And Peter.

And Peter.

He didn't leave Peter out of the miracle.

He doesn't want to leave you out either. There are miracles He wants to do in your life.

And sometimes we know this truth but we just need to be reminded...

I want to encourage you to change Peter's name to your own and repeat this to yourself today over and over again. Anytime any negative thoughts try to fill your heart, just crush those thoughts by saying these two little words...

And Jane.

And Charity.

And Angela.

And Robin.

And Paige.

And Jill.

And Edie.

And Kim.

And Macey.

And Starr.

And Betty.

And Sheral.

And Di'Anna.

And Misty.

And Jenny.

And Sarah.

And Ashley.

And Bridgette.

And Carole.

And Katie.

And Cherish.

And Rachel.

And KK.

And Bevy.

And Nancy.

And Claritza.

And Mel.

And Lizzy.

And Jennine.

And Maria.

And Donna.

And Andrea.

And Jaimeson.

And Jacki.

And Lissa.

And Hastings.

And Jennifer.

And Jenny Beth.

And Michelle

And Sherri.

And Cara.

And JuJu.

And Maggie.

And Vickie.

And Karen.

And Lara.

And Emily.

And Julie.

And Rebecca.

And Ann.

And Amy.

And Danielle.

And Elayne.

And then call on His name....

Because the same God who rolled the stone away over 2,000 years ago is here with us now and has rolled away every sin so that we could walk in forgiveness and love and hope and joy and grace and peace and the freedom to live life and life more abundantly.

Happy Easter to you beautiful friends. 

Whether you are worshiping Him from the pew of a beautiful church or worshiping Him alone in your own home or wondering how to worship Him at all.

Please know this....

He loves you so.

"They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares His own son who serves him." Malachi 3:17