It is hard to believe that last week we moved out of our beautiful home of 37 years. Ken and I lived the majority of our married life in this home in Baton Rouge. The love and memories shared there are a treasure that I will always hold in my heart.

Our purchase of property in South Carolina last July to be near to our children and grandchildren has totally turned our lives upside down during the last year. Little did I know when I started cleaning out the house during the pandemic that it would be for good. It has been an emotional, hard year of letting go,  yet the Lord is leading us on a new journey and we are so excited to see what the future holds! Almost all of our earthly possessions are already awaiting us in storage in Greenville, SC and now we are saying our goodbyes and preparing for our final choir concerts here in Baton Rouge as we live in the gracious hospitality of family and friends.

Last January, after our last Christmas in our beloved home I began writing a reflection. I share it with you today for this has been a place of belonging, a haven where the beauty, love and grace of God have held and shaped us in the joys and storms of life.

Within these Walls
 As I sit in the quiet of our home my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you Father for this home.
 
Within these walls You have sheltered our lives and held our laughter, our tears, our prayers, our hopes, and our dreams.
Within these walls You have shaped our lives and helped us to grow toward the vision of who You created us to be.
Within these walls we have studied your Word and learned to let You fill the emptiness within our souls and the deep longings of our hearts.
 
These walls have welcomed our new-born babies Maggie and Mary Elizabeth, who finally came after years of infertility. What a blessing and joy they have been in our lives! Here we have raised our children and known the wonder, love, and grace of beloved daughters. Here they developed into beautiful young women with tender hearts and gifts to share with the world in art and music. The pitter patter of their little feet has turned into the pitter patter of our precious grandchildren Evelyn and Audrey as Maggie married and birthed a family of her own with our beloved son-in-law Spencer.
 
Your doors have opened to new and old friends. The hearts and voices of hundreds have come to know these walls through the years as threads of friendship, faith and family have woven together the lives of so many. It has been a treasured journey where our faith has been strengthened, our hearts have known deep joy, and our souls have known the beauty of being well loved.
 
Within these walls we have feasted on the bounty of God’s provision and enjoyed the love of delicious Louisiana food. So many of our traditions have been built around the tables that have graced this home.
 
We have celebrated thirty- seven seasons of Christmas, Easter, countless birthday parties, tea parties, choir parties, dance parties, music and ministry, Bible studies, feasts and gatherings of family and friends through all our days here. They have been celebrations of deep joy, soul searching and praise.

​These walls have provided a place of healing from illness, surgeries, cancer, and deep pain.
Here we have mourned the loss of loved ones and been comforted and encouraged by the power of prayer, deep friendships and the love of family.
 
These walls have sheltered us from years of violent hurricane winds and torrential rains of tropical storms and floods. Through the windows we have watched the tall trees bend sideways and even fall and the waters rise and yet by God’s grace, these walls have stood tall and protected us from harm and flood. They have given us comfort from the hot, humid Louisiana summers and damp cold winters.
 
That grand pianos in the living room have filled our hearts with music that has echoed down through the years. Here we have nurtured young musical talents and released the sounds of praise as people gathered and lifted their voices in celebration. Through the teaching of others, the Lord has taught us deep lessons about His character and faithfulness. Here we have learned humility, steadfastness and the power of God’s love and grace to transform us all. 
Here we have learned how to serve others and use our gifts for His glory in ministry. 

These walls have been graced with beautiful art, mostly the creations of our daughter Maggie and family photos that span the generations. The colors have changed through the decades, but always these walls have held family pieces and heirlooms passed down through the years, a testimony of the homes and hearts that held them before us.
 
My earthly father Sleepy McCarty built this home in 1983 out of his deep love and skill when we were just a young couple ready to start our own family and teach young musicians in the studios that he built for us.  Within these walls our heavenly Father taught us how to build a marriage and home on the foundation of Jesus Christ and it has stood through the joys and the trials of our lives. It was a sacrifice and offering of love by my mother, Grace, and father and here we learned the hard lessons of deep commitment and abiding love that both sets of our parents lived out before us.
 
Within these walls we have witnessed great beauty emerge from deep pain and seen wounds heal. God has guided us to build foundations of faith and a haven of love. Here we have endured seasons of change and built futures of hope and always Christ has held us close.
 
As I have uncovered the many treasures held within these walls, some of the most precious have been boxes and drawers of letters saved since my childhood and throughout our dating years and marriage. Letters of love and deep friendship fill boxes I have saved through the years. Words of kindness reaching out to help celebrate birthdays and holidays, but also unexpected, simple notes of encouragement and gratefulness that people took the time to write. I have reread them all and saved so many and in the process the kindness and humble service of others have washed my feet all over again. They are a beautiful reminder of the lives and love cherished within these walls that will go with us wherever we live.

The gardens surrounding these walls have brought beauty and wonder into our lives and blooms into our home. As we have tended them, the Lord has tended our souls for we have learned to weed and prune not only the garden, but our hearts. In the caring for this garden, His creation has burst forth and graced us with colors and a reflection of His glory each season. 
 
I sense that my heart will ache in the years ahead as I miss our life within these walls, but much more I will miss the blessings of the life and lives we cherished that gathered within them and for that I am forever grateful. Within these walls God has poured out the riches of His grace and deep love upon us. But new adventures await us as we build our new home and look forward to the new season that the Lord has for us in South Carolina. There are new memories to be made with love, laughter, and feasts to be savored. Because our Lord is always faithful, we can know peace, rest, and expectant hope that He will continue to pour out rich blessings in the years ahead as He has in the past through our family, friends, and ministry in Baton Rouge. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be closer to our children and family and invest in the lives of those precious grandchildren. We pray that the walls of our new home will be filled with the joy of dancing little girls in twirly dresses, celebrations, music and meaningful conversations with new and old friends as we explore the foothills and wonder of the Blue Ridge mountains.
 
My prayer is that the family the Lord has chosen to continue life in 931 Woodstone will build a life and legacy of His love, grace, and faithfulness within these walls for there is treasure to be found here and deep, abiding joy!
 
Blessed within these walls,
Kathy
January and June 2021

 When you stop and think about this little sentence, the message is so reach and so deep.  People are seeking answers all of the time for the many questions constructed from life's daunting situations.  Sometimes answers come right away, and then sometimes, not so quickly.  We get impatient.  We get anxious.  We forget about hope and the joy found in the anticipation of waiting and then try to solve issues on our own; often, no matter the cost.  This causes us to step outside of the perfect path or plan that God has specifically and uniquely designed for us.  What we seem to forget is to step back, take a beat, breathe... and ultimately surrender to trusting God's heart for each and every situation.

Learning to trust God's heart doesn't come quickly.  I think it happens over time and quite often faith and trust are grown by walking through fire.  Waiting on God takes great skill.  Great skill is obtained by practice.  So, we find ourselves repeatedly in situations where we have to wait on God...practicing our skill of waiting...if you will.

Restore Ministries seems to be working on that skill.  Much has happened since our last big event in February of 2020.  For all of us, waiting and patience kicked into gear as our new mode of operation after our world was changed overnight.  But just because we were now forced into this new way of operating, doesn't mean that things have gotten easier. Even the Christian that seems "most skilled at waiting" has been put through the fire.  When looking through God Glasses, it's a beautiful picture of Him at work...it you watch it long enough.  

I took this picture of this butterfly not too long ago.  As I watched him, I thought of the terrific change his body went through when he morphed from caterpillar to butterfly.  His nutrition needs changed and so did his method of traveling around.  He gained a new mindset.  Instead of crawling, he now soars and flutters gracefully.
God provides all that he needs!
He looks totally different once his change has taken place.  Beauty is apparent.  Have you ever seen an ugly butterfly?  I've read that butterflies migrate. Monarchs some 3000 miles.  They do this because it will ensure their survival and their food source. Water is essential to a butterfly.  And the more I think about the life of a butterfly in his waiting and patience, the more I think that there is much similarity in our lives.  Can you identify?

I think that it is fitting that Restore Ministries' icon is a butterfly.  It was significantly chosen to signify the means by which we are spiritually changed and transformed. Thinking about it any differently never occurred to me.  Until today!  The caterpillar was put to sleep, to rest, die to self, resurrected and changed, before it was ready to take flight and share its beauty and the glory of its Creator!  A season of waiting, death, and resurrection!  In order to be able to become a butterfly, the caterpillar has to decompose down to its very essence, devoid of any shape or consciousness.  Metamorphosis takes place and beauty is born to be shared all over God's beautiful green earth. ....Take flight little butterfly!

Our ministry (to me) is currently hidden in a cocoon that is being shaped and designed for a much greater purpose.  Change is taking place.  We don't know what lies ahead, but we know that we are trusting God's heart for us, for you, and this ministry that He planted in our hearts years ago. We don't want to break out of the cocoon before God says that we are ready.  It is our desire to live, walking in step, trusting Him in all things, as we journey together; wherever He chooses us to send us, we will follow.  

Please watch the YouTube video (20 min) as we share what is happening in our lives and with Restore Ministries. Click Here: https://youtu.be/b0nJJUdGeZg

Love and Blessings during this Blessed Holy Week,
Sherry

Among the floods of devotional emails that I receive every day (and usually scroll on by), one caught my attention.  As I read it from my porch that morning, all of the words seemed to meld into one unfocused blob while only two words remained in focus.   ... fresh hope ...  Then, I remembered that FRESH is my word for the year! 
I have no recollection as to what that devotional was about, but those two little words have continued to resonate with me.  It is my prayer that as you ponder todays Monday Musing that these same two words will minister to you today.

It has been a most unusual year.  2020 seems to be the one that everyone wants to forget with its political chaos, hurricanes, fires, pandemic, job losses, sickness, death, floods, and not to mention that the whole educational system has changed.  We have "social distanced" to the point where I am afraid that the next generation will be even more self absorbed.  And without HUGS and SMILES, what is that doing to our emotional health?  To top off everything, tomorrow is presidential Election Day!  Our lives and world could further be changed again...forever!  Lord help us!  Our only hope is in you, but today, I feel we need some fresh hope. 

As I write, I am reminded of this worship song...Our job is to praise Him in all things for He is our Hope.  He is our Peace.  He is our Rock.  He is our Salvation!

So today, I felt like I needed to share these two words with you.  I have created a little 2 minute video for you.  It expresses more clearly my heart, I think.  May it encourage you today and may you ponder the idea of  fresh hope.

​Here is the link:  https://youtu.be/S22EaX8ae-g and embedded below is the video.
With love & blessings,
​Sherry
​Don't forget to Vote!

Imagine with me…

A beautiful chilled crystal bowl filled with bright red, ice cold, crisp, sweet and succulent watermelon topped with fresh mint and feta cheese! 
 
It’s the perfect solution to soothe the weary body and quench the dry tongue on a sun parched day with a heat index of 107+ degrees late in the day!  
 
Well, I didn’t have to use my imagination because that’s exactly what I ate after an early morning and long stint of mowing my lawn.  
 
After the rains poured for days, my yard was like a lake with my storage building appearing to float like a long barge in the tall blades of a marshy coastline.  It had been half a week since I last spoke with my yard guy and I couldn’t wait any longer!  I’m amazed at how quickly the undesirable takes over.
 
Just before noon, I had finished.  Ahhh!  Everything looked so fresh.  So clean.  So tidy.  I could not say the same about myself.  I was covered in dirt and grass flecks held together by pure sweat.  Not a very cute look for a southern lady, or any lady at all! 

​You know, freshness, takes time!  I often think of fresh as an immediate thing.  But, it took time for that watermelon to grow, ripen and present itself as fresh fruit.  It took time for it to sit in the refrigerator to get icy cold.  I wait every summer for the Tomato Man to put his “tomatoes for sale” sign in his yard.  I can’t wait for the sweet taste of fresh tomatoes.  It seems like forever in the waiting.

​It takes precious time for freshness to occur. I have watermelon vines, that I planted from seed, growing in small containers on my porch.  I think I planted them too late and fruit may never bloom.  It’s the same with my own tomato plants…I may have waited too late to cultivate them.  
I am learning a spiritual truth here as well as a practical one!  Start early.  Cultivate well.  Have patience.  Fruit will come.  Enjoy the sweet fresh taste!

​You see, each new year, I choose a word for the year.  I would have never imagined the kind of year that we have seen thus far or how my word has so deeply enriched and played a part in my ability to cope.  My word was and continues to be, FRESH!  

​All of the plans, programs, and events I have made for the year have been tossed to the side and new and fresh have overtaken.  I have taken advantage of freshly painting the porch, shutters, soffit and facia of my home.  I have freshened up filing cabinets, closets, garage and rooms.  I knew that the Lord had placed this word on my heart to help me refresh many things in my life.  It continues to be a work in progress, and I need to remember that it takes time to make things fresh.  In the past, hadn’t allowed myself time to work on such important things as my home, health, husband, and hearing deeply from the Lord. Now is my designated time to deal with these areas.

​Earlier this summer, I shared with a group of ladies what God has been showing me and He continues to reveal His heart for me even as I sit and write this blog.  Here is what I shared:

​It is now mid-summer.  Another new season is quickly approaching.  For me, it’s kinda like another New Year…new goals, new plans, new school year and such. It's also my birthday month, so I'm beginning a new year of life!
Even Kathy and I (my ministry partner) began to map out the calendar with thoughts of the upcoming fall and spring.

​Covid-19 still lingers strongly in our state.  Plans for schools, churches, and special activities are still uncertain.  We need a new sense of fresh!  Remember, it takes time for fresh to happen!

​A dear friend gently reminded me that it has taken a Pandemic to get me to STOP!  In my old way, I have felt the need to plunge in and forge through for way too long, ignoring God’s command to rest.  I confess and I repent!

​Behold, new and fresh has come!  And newness will continue to come along as I focus on what is important to the heart of God for me, at this time…my home, health, husband, and hearing deeply from the Lord.  God has placed this desire in my heart.  Interestingly, Kathy and I have both expressed to each other that we have neglected many of these areas far too long.  It is seeming urgent now.  The only way we can better serve you, is to take a little time to serve ourselves and feast from the table He prepares and lays before us.  I might also add that Leviticus 25, the passage of letting the land rest, has been heavy on my heart.  It is timely for me. It is timely for Restore. 

​We will be taking a little sabbatical beginning now and through the fall.  Our daily ministry to others will continue as we move through December, but we will not have a time of organized meetings or home study this fall.  Our blogs will also be put on hold but don’t be surprised if you get a little happy every now and then!  We ask that you pray for us as we seek next steps for 2021 both for our personal lives as well as for Restore Ministries.  We know that God is not finished with us or Restore.  We are awaiting His Spirit to continue to teach us, guide us, and help us better serve and love on you. We are so thankful for you in our lives and for the ministry that God has called us to through Restore Ministries.  Know that we pray for you and that we are looking forward to 2021.  In the meantime, please go back and scroll through our archives of blogs from 2013-2020 or revisit our teachings.  
Here is a little happy I made for you with an excerpt of a song I wrote and some pics: ​https://youtu.be/k6av6SsiHGA

​I’d like to close this blog with a scripture that has filled me with hope and clarity.  It also keeps popping up with whatever I listen to or whatever I read!

​I have to share with you this version because it speaks so beautifully to me.  There IS good in God’s plan and because He is the creator of all things and loves us passionately, we can put our hope and trust in Him.  

​The theme verse for Restore Ministries is taken from Psalm 23…He restores my soul.  As I re-read the psalm of David again this morning, this is right where I am!  

I hope you find yourself here, too!

​ Finding Refreshment in Him,
Sherry

Awkward. 
I hesitated before entering the church lobby. After months of watching our church service online, I wasn’t sure about the new church service protocol. 
​
The lobby seemed hushed. Where were my chattering groups of church-going friends who used to meet here, laughing, embracing, sipping coffee from paper cups and sampling baked goods? I longed for conversation, but the atmosphere seemed too solemn for small talk, so I drifted into the sanctuary to find a seat.

Dozens of questions buzzed in my head.
​
Should I wear a mask? Am I keeping my six-foot distance?
Where can I sit? So many rows are blocked off.
Is it okay to sing? I’m pretty sure I’m not sick, but if I sing, will people think I’m spewing dangerous particles into the air?  Will I be inhaling deadly germs if I take low, deep breaths?
Will I ever again have the joy of singing in the choir, or will choral music, along with handshakes and hugs, become a thing of the past?

I like change. Sometimes. I’m all for a change of scenery or a change of clothes.  I’m in favor of changes that make the world a better, safer, happier place.

But change that comes barreling in without warning…no, I don’t like that so much.
Change that brings personal loss…I definitely don’t care for that.
​
Since this pandemic swept in, we’ve been bulldozed by changes and leveled by losses. I’ve grieved for friends who’ve buried parents and spouses. I’ve fretted and prayed for people who’ve suffered financial loss.

Lately I’ve been overcome by a feeling of emptiness. I miss the human connections I used to have. People are keeping their distance. Friends are planning to move out of town. More change is coming, so I have little motivation to make plans for the future. 
​
 I wonder if I’ll be able to honestly look at my losses and “count them as rubbish,” as the Apostle Paul did when he wrote:

“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and
count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:8b ESV)

​As I wonder what the future holds and try not to fear, I’m drawn to the Psalms. It seems David asked the same question we’re asking. “How long is this suffering going to last?”

 It’s okay to tell God you’re unhappy with your circumstances. David did. But then David moved on from heartbreak to hope.  He wrote, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

God’s love is steadfast. It’s everlasting. ( Jeremiah 31:3) He’s not going to leave us. (Heb. 13:5) Nothing can separate us from his love. Romans 8:31-39  And when God allows us to experience loss, it doesn’t mean he loves us less.
 
 God doesn’t change. Society’s values may change, but God’s precepts are always the same. (Psalm 119:160) Despite the fluctuations in cultural norms, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb. 13:8 ESV )

When my future is uncertain, it helps me to recall God’s faithfulness in the past. In Psalm 13, David wondered how long his suffering would last. But he made up his mind to rejoice and sing to the Lord because he remembered God had “dealt bountifully” to him.

Every time God has taken something away from me, he’s replaced it with something better. After the wreckage comes restoration. New growth. New purpose. New joys. A deeper, richer relationship with my Savior. 

Think about Job. Almost everything Job owned was snatched from him. In a single day he lost 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. His seven sons and three daughters all died. (Job 1). When we flip to the end of the book of Job, we see that after Job’s ordeal, God gave him twice as much as he had before: 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, 1,000 female donkeys, seven more sons and three more daughters. Wait, only ten more children? Why not twenty to replace the ten who died? Because Job hadn’t permanently lost his first ten children; they were still his, and he would be reunited with them in heaven. (Job 42:10-13 ESV)

You may be suffering great loss in these changing times. Or, like me, you may be experiencing a sense of sadness and a longing to have things the way they used to be. We can go ahead and mourn our losses. But let’s not get stuck in our sorrow. Let’s trust in his steadfast love, and watch to see how he’ll deal bountifully with us once again.

Blessings,
​Margaret Kemp

We all have our stories of how this season has affected us or those we love. For us as a family we have faced difficult days and beautiful days during this time. Both my children and I lost work and income, my husband went through a biopsy, bone scan and was diagnosed with cancer and will have surgery in the coming months, and we have had to watch and pray from afar as our daughter lives in NYC, an epicenter for the disease and the violence.  My momma protective heart jumped in fear when she called to tell me not to worry, in case I see her street on the news because she was watching demonstrations from her apartment window. Then she moved the next weekend in the midst of all the violence to another apartment because a roommate had moved from the city and they were left without someone to help with the rent. 
 
Can I just say that I am learning so many lessons about trusting in God’s care in the storms of life! In the midst of all of this brokenness our everyday lives continue, the virus continues, the destruction and anger continue. I find I have few words. I can only examine my own heart, repent, pray and ask the Father to show me how to navigate these difficult days in His love and peace. ​

I have found myself thinking often of my father during this time. He was a quiet man of few words, great strength and integrity. He came from humble beginnings,
but worked hard to build a successful business of his own after the war. He loved my mom and us deeply and sacrificed to provide a wonderful life for us. He wasn’t perfect, but he taught me so much about how to live generously and well. 

Daddy designed and built my childhood home which stood on a hill on 100 pilings in four acres of swamp land. Through all the Louisiana hurricanes and storms it stood strong and safe like the way he made me feel and like the thirty two cypress trees on the property that I played and dreamed under.
 
The last conversation I had with my father was about the power of forgiveness. He had such a tender heart and was wrestling with a relationship where he felt he had done wrong and we discussed how important it was to ask for forgiveness even if you felt you would not be forgiven. Dad died suddenly of a heart attack in his sixties two days after our conversation, so young. Hundreds came to his funeral, people that I didn’t know, black and white, friends, employees. They spoke to me of the life my father quietly and humbly lived, a part of his life that he had never shared with me.  “Your dad came to visit me every day in the hospital for weeks, your dad paid the bail to get me out of prison, your dad wrote us all Christmas bonus checks from his personal account that year the company couldn’t pay.” He was just daddy to me. He never spoke much about his business or personal life outside of our home. That day I saw a whole other side of him, and I was so proud to be his daughter. He left a faithful legacy for the generations to come.

 As I write this on Father’s Day morning, I am reminded of the verse in Micah 6:8 that daddy sought to live out and often quoted. I’m so grateful for this truth. I believe it is a beautiful Word for us to seek to live by in these uncertain times.

Bondage!  Sometimes it encompasses us and holds us back without us even having the slightest hint.  The word "bondage" seems so heavy and negative.  That's because it is!  It is defined as the state of being a slave.  And the definition of slave means that one is excessively dependent on or controlled by something. No one really chooses to be a slave.  Bondage can often creep in even when we think we are doing something good.  But over time, we realize that instead of us having a hold on a thing, the thing has a hold on us! This is unhealthy.  It puts strains on relationships, our jobs, families, friends, our health and most importantly, our relationship with Christ.  Like race horses, our sight becomes narrowed when our eyes are hindered by blinders and someone or something is tugging on the reigns from the saddle. We race on through life and then wonder why we've never enjoyed the fields we were meant to roam. Bondage is often hinged with fear and keeps doors of opportunity shut.  The abundant life that Jesus gives when we fully trust Him, is just that, ABUNDANT LIFE!  I love the definition that Wikipedia gives for abundant life: Origin. The term "abundant life" comes from the Bible verse John 10:10b, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "More abundantly" means to have a superabundance of a thing. "Abundant life" refers to life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for mind, body, and soul. If we are to be slaves, let us be slaves and bondservants of Christ, living the life of His choosing, for His glory and His namesake. For therein, our slavery is full of joy!
For His Glory,
Sherry

Today, we welcome a blog from Judy Ingle.  Judy shares a story and her thoughts from Galatians 5:1 as she found herself in a tangled mess!  Be blessed as you read and think about the releasing the bondage in your own life!

 It was a good day for getting outside to enjoy the ever-welcoming sunshine and the crisp breeze that lingered from a recent rain.  As a matter of fact,  this day would be  a "work day, a get out of the house I'm going stir crazy day."  I'm guessing most of us have experienced that by now.  Being bound by a pandemic is challenging to say the least,  however, as  Christians we know we are free in Christ, nothwithstanding our circumstances.  Getting outside and breathing the fresh cool air was invigorating.

I could already hear the sound of a chain saw. My husband Jimmy was already hard at work clearing trees and vines.  He had pulled his trailer close so I began to help.  I started to carry limbs and dragged small trees with the vines still attached.  Little did I know I was dropping vines along the path to the trailer.  Unknowingly, I had become entangled in these vines.  They were wrapped around my feet causing me to be "all tangled up."  It took me a few minutes to unravel the annoying vines before I started working again.  I was free now, and so much easier to walk.  Shortly after that, I tried throwing a large limb with leaves onto the mostly filled trailer.  But as I heaved it over, the limb hung on a vine that in turn grabbed my sweatshirt causing me to stumble.  I almost went down but fortunately I only fell into our parked riding lawn mower.  Ouch!  Thankfully, I only had a scratch and later a bruise.

Within seconds, the words of Galatians 5:1 rang through my mind:  
​"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with yoke of bondage." 

This verse stayed in my thoughts the rest of the day.  Although the chain saw noise was loud, I believe God was whispering His Word to me and possibly a lesson to be learned.  I've never been entwined by twisty-tangly vines before, but I quickly found our their entrapment not only hindered but they also impeded my ability to function.  They were slow and subtle twisting around my ankles.  My feet felt heavy at first,  but I was unaware that  I was encumbered until they almost brought me down.  Sounds a lot like sin doesn't it? The subtly of sin, when undetected can also bring us down.  If we fail to acknowledge God daily we make ourselves vulnerable to all kinds of interference from the world.  Consequently, before we know it, we can become yoked and  bound by confusion causing us hardship while also separating us from God.   "Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,"   is a definite  statement, therefore we are not supposed to be controlled by anything apart from the Holy Spirit.

Could it be possible that some of us are in bondage and not even know it?   Could we be under sins control.  What about the bondage of time, fear, indifference, complacency, and even lethargy?  I do feel I'm complacent sometimes and often suffer from lethargy.  We must not let ourselves be held or controlled by these or similar things so we can  live our full potential for Christ.  This is my meager attempt to explain how Galatians 5:1 related to me on this particular day.  

A yoke of bondage is a heaviness we do not have to bear.  A yoke was placed on the necks of a pair of oxen of equal size to share in the load they carried.  The yoke was placed on by using bands or bonds.  However, unlike the oxen, we do not have to bear our burdens. We do not have to succumb to any bondage with which Satan tries to entrap us.  Jesus can release the yoke of whatever it is that has us in an entangled mess!

Our burdens, our entrapment, can be shared with Jesus Christ.  Someone once said, "A joy shared is doubled, but a burden shared is halved."  Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"  (Matthew 11: 29a,  30b.)  His yoke is easy, it is not heavy and painful, it is good and not hard or harsh.  He carries the weight and discomfort for us.  When we take His yoke upon us, His yoke is gracious and is "Lined with Love" (Matthew Henry.)  I love this phrase.  Even when life or troubling times are out of control, we can release all control to Him and trust that He is able.    He is ever-present,  ready to assist us and comfort us.  Why would we ever carry the heavy load of life and resist his promised presence?   Only Christ can rid us of the yoke that so heavily binds.  We can take His yoke upon us as we yield ourselves to Him while He is working everything to our good and His purpose.   May He give us an awareness to look for the "little vines"  that so easily entrap and  disengage us from our Saviour.  I want to be bound by the love of God and free to serve him faithfully.  It is wonderful and liberating to be free from the world's bondage.  "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36.)  In closing   1 Peter 2:16, we are to live "As free, and not using your liberty  for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."  Thanks be unto our Heavenly Father for His indescribable love and care for us. 
Praise the Lord,  Praise the Lord,  Praise the Lord!
​Judy Ingle

The masked lady at the front end of my bumper stared at me while I was quickly trying to get into my car at the Hobby Lobby. Her obviously long blonde locks of hair were tied on the top of her head creating a bushy type ponytail.  Big black, thick-rimmed, round sunglasses with very dark lens covered her eyes and her arms were full of packages with a large purse dangling from her right elbow.  She looked like some sort of insect, transformed with human-like qualities!  The way she tilted her head seemed to imply that she was trying to communicate with me. With some struggle, she suddenly positioned her arms like a child pretending to be a sheep, and she vocalized a few loud baaa….baaa’s!  By this time, my head also cocked, eyebrows furled with inquisitive confusion, and I froze (one leg in) from entering my car, stunned at this lady’s behavior.  My husband, Brian, didn’t have a clue as to what was taking place! With my intense stare back at her, she lifted her shades and then I immediately knew her identity.  We both belly laughed as I called out her name!  Kri---st----y!  Many years ago, Kristy was considered one of my adult choir “sheep” that was happily my responsibility to tend and shepherd.  We had this thing of making sheep sounds and laughing together every time we met or communicated on the phone or voice mail.  We still do! 

​Some have felt the need to stay masked and others have not.  And really, I don’t mind as long as I can be present with them.  Personal gathering allows me to keenly hear every intonation and inflection of the words spoken during conversation, which often convey deep and actual meaning. Outwardly expressed on the face, inward emotions are revealed. Seeing a face reveals much about one’s character and personality.  It’s how we best recognize a person.  Seeing one’s face tends to represent the whole person.  I’ll have to admit, discerning the intents of others, when they are masked, is a little scary when moseying through public places.  I’m sure others feel the same about me as I don my own mask!  And I’m sure the cause of Kristy’s tilted head was evidence to discerning if it was, in fact, me!  

​Brian and I have had some great conversations over scripture lately.  The one that resonates with him during these days is from 2 Chronicles 7:14.

As we discussed it, the phrase seek my face is the one that stands out.  Sure, we should pray, humble ourselves, and repent; but to seek the face of God proves quite interesting and intriguing.  Instantly, I wonder what exactly the face of God looks like?!  Moses caught a glimpse of God’s back side and came away reflecting the glory of God with a shining face because he had talked with LORD.  It shone so bright that Moses felt the need to veil (mask) it.
We cannot actually see God’s face and live as Exodus 33:20 states.
 
Sure, we can read another’s face to discover their character, personality, or emotion; but it is only our opinion and can be skewed.  To discover who they really are is to continually be in their presence, to be in relationship with them.  This is what we mean by intimacy – close familiarity or friendship with another.
 
The Bible is full of scriptures that call us to seek the face of God and it’s usually issued to His people because they have left their first love, abandoned Him, and need to return to Him.  In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “face” is often translated “presence.”  It is actually His presence that we are seeking when we seek the face of God.   What does that presence look like for you?  How is it made manifest?

Interestingly, while chatting with another friend today on the porch (in between paragraphs of this blog), we discussed the challenges of wearing a mask and the difficulty of seeing and reading peoples face.  My friend casually stated that speaking words have become more important for communicating.  My soul lit up at the sound of that statement.  Yes, I thought, God’s WORD is His one of His greatest tools for communication!  I ask, “What, of His WORD, has been resonating with me these many weeks?” And I wonder, “What He is speaking to you?”  And on another flip of the coin, “For what purpose are we seeking?”  Are we diligently seeking His face only for instruction or so that we can build that intimate relationship with Him?  How faithful do I find myself to seek Him as an individual?  As a couple?  As part of a small group or even as a leader or partner in ministry?  What proud thing stands in my way of a humble heart?  I think these are all good questions to think about as we study 2 Chronicles 7:14 within its context of then and now.  

​This Scripture verse, and Seeking His Face, has led me to learn more about Moses and his relationship with the LORD in Exodus 33.

Like Moses, I cry out to see God’s glory.  I want Him to cause all of His goodness to pass in front of me and to speak His name, the LORD, so that I can hear it and know it is him.  I want to lean on His kindness [favor] and mercy [compassion]. I want to intimately know Him, look to Him and His strength and learn His wisdom.  

​I love that God offers a place near Him that is steady and firm.  A rock!  And when the hard things come into my life that cause His glory to shine, He offers a place of shelter.  A large crack or cleft in the rock and His gentle and loving hand shields me.

God’s glory will be revealed.  There is an outward reflection of one who spends time with Him.  Moses confirmed that for me!  And when I think about Moses’ personality and character, I am reminded that meeting with God doesn’t mean that I have to have it all together!  There is no mask required to meet face to face with Him.  At the crucifixion of Jesus, God’s son, the veil was split from top to bottom making a way for me to come to Him, boldly, just as I am.  
​You know what I found interesting in this passage?  Verse 34! 
Anytime Moses met with God, he took off and removed his mask!

​It is my prayer that as we re-open our city, state, and nation that all will see and take note of the display of the glory of God that shines brightly on our changed faces.  May we all continue to meet face to face in intimate knowledge and fellowship with our Savior, for He is our only Living Hope!

I could go on and on about the experiences and blessings that I have had as I have met more purposefully with my Savior.  I’ll save those for another time.  And, I hope that when we see one another face to face, that we will notice something different and wonderful about each another!
For His Purpose,  
​Sherry

As we approach Mother’s Day this year, my heart is full of love, gratitude and longing. I have two grown daughters, two granddaughters and I was one of two daughters. I see a theme here!

Since my girls were eight years apart after many years of infertility, I mothered children in my home for decades. Much like in your homes, in ours there were countless hours of homework, art, dance, piano and singing lessons, school and church musicals, soccer and football games. There were projects on the kitchen table, hours of carpools, cooking meals, and endless loads of laundry. There seemed to always be a mess on the floor and a rush out the door, and the constant juggling of work,  ministry and home. There were fun movie nights and popcorn, shopping days, birthday parties, and tea parties, hours of discovery on road trips and vacations and hours of listening, giggles and snuggles with bedtime stories as we watched them grow. 
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Like you, I have seen the building of friendships and spent sleepless nights in tears for their broken hearts. There have been hours of prayer that they would draw near  to the Savior, and that God would heal their pain, and protect their tender hearts. There were days of exhaustion so deep I felt it would overcome me and days of joy so deep I felt it would explode out of me.

We have celebrated graduations and all the hard work to get there. I have also known that aching in your soul when they go far off to college and you must learn to let them go. I have prayed that they would learn to dream the dreams that Jesus has for them knowing that those are the only dreams worth chasing.

We have celebrated  the marriage of our oldest daughter and welcomed the son-in-law we prayed for since her birth. We have seen joyous birthing of grand babies and watched our baby girls become beautiful young women with loves and dreams of their own.  You miss the wonder in little eyes and the pitter patter of little feet down the hall and then God gives you the gift of reliving the wonder through the eyes of your grandchildren. 

Motherhood is about celebrating victories, bravery, discovery and giving. It's about learning how to love and learning there's more love within you than you ever imagined possible. Motherhood is about sacrifice, perseverance, and the gift of cultivating wonder, joy, beauty and adventure.

My girls are all grown up now and gratefully, I have grown up in the process. In the shaping of my children the Lord has shaped me. There have been laughter and tears in the growing, and there has been the abundant giving of grace. And there has also been the learning to slow down, rest in forgiveness and love, so much love.

I have known deep joy and blessing in being a mother, but one of the greatest gifts has come through my failures.
Motherhood has a way of exposing our sin, doesn’t it?
You learn your strengths and your weaknesses. Often, the more I strove to be the perfect mom, the more I would get frustrated at my impatience, my lack, and my words that would often cut and wound. 

I wonder if any of you have ever felt that way? And surely in these days of sheltering at home, young moms, especially, are tested to be it all and do it all perfectly. They strive to meet everyone’s expectations and often feel like they have come up short. All moms know that weary feeling that there is simply not enough of them to meet all the needs. Nurturing and caring is hard work and life giving.

There can be a blessing found in that striving and failing if we look for it. During my season of young motherhood, I had the gift of great Bible studies and teaching.

• I learned in those days to ask for forgiveness for my sin and I learned to forgive myself.
• I learned to focus on Christ and His love on the cross and the counsel of the Holy Spirit within me.
• I learned that as long as I insisted on doing this mothering job out of my own strength I would inevitably fail. I had to learn to release my children into His care.
• I learned to treasure God's Word as His love letter to me and wisdom for life.
• I learned that there is a love that is wider and deeper, longer and higher than any love I could give. His love will carry them.

I need that kind of love, Christ’s love, for my children. I need His grace and I need His rest. I need His wisdom and I need to surrender to His presence in the depths of my soul.​

I believe motherhood is one of the Lord’s most profound ways of refining and molding us into the image of Christ. I find I am often still in that refining fire, but I have learned to run to the cross and my Savior who knows my need.
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I have often written about my own mom who is 91 and living with severe Alzheimer’s in a nursing home. She hasn’t known me for several years, but it is still so hard not to be able to see her face to face in this pandemic. I find myself thinking often about her generous spirit, always offering her help in whatever way I might need. Her love and legacy shaped my own mothering which in turn I believe has shaped the way my oldest daughter mothers her children. I still long for the times when I could ask my mom for advice, get one of her hugs or words of encouragement, recipes or gardening tips or simply let the tears of weariness flow on her shoulder. I always try to make my last words to her, “I love you, mom.” 

Our mothering is never done. I am so proud of my daughters and grateful for the incredible gift that they have been in our lives. I see the beauty of Christ's character rising up in them and spilling over into the lives they touch.

As moms we’ll never love perfectly, but we can point our children to the One who does. And Jesus will cover us with His grace, draw us close and give us the strength and courage to face another day with grace.

Last fall I heard this beautiful, authentic song about the joys, struggles and wonder of motherhood by Caroline Cobb. I wept. It told my story and I think the story of so many moms as we seek to love well, but often fall.
​May we always seek to honor the gift of our children and pursue the Savior's heart for them. Take a moment and click the link below to listen. 
https://youtu.be/eq5544xC6WQ