A Good Week

First week back to routine... check!
And friends, it was truly a good week! I am thankful for God's grace...

To be quite honest, I had some trepidation going into this new Fall season. I worried that we'd said "Yes" to too many things; anxious that we might not be able to do everything well; fearful of the unknown and the things out of my control.

Yet, God is faithful and He truly is always good!

As our family dove into this new season, I kept my focus on my One Word for 2012... SOAR... and the verse from Isaiah 40:31 where it says:

... but those who hope in the Lord
          will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
          they will run and not grow weary,
          they will walk and not be faint.

And, all week long, I focused on placing my hope in Him who is the source of all strength... pressing hard into the promises that the following verses give:

It is God who gives me hope...

These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong.
~ Hebrews 6:18-19 NCV (italics mine).

I can be confident in this hope because of God's faithfulness...

The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. Deep in my heart I say, "The Lord is all I need; I can depend on (hope in) him!"
~ Lamentations 3:23-24 CEV (italics and additions mine).

The friendship I have with Christ gives me a hope that is bold...

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:12 NIV.

To hope in the Lord... to soar with carefreeness... and, to trust and to be bold, both at the same time! :-)

Soaring as I hope... trusting in God to give me flight!

On Saturday, we spent an awesome day with 400 other leaders at our church... being equipped and energized for this brand-new ministry year. Wow! --- it was so encouraging to see so many others... everyone willing to link arms and work together for the purpose of advancing God's Kingdom right here in earth.

I came out feeling truly equipped and energized... mostly due to knowing that I'm not alone in this... that God is doing a mighty good work among a group of people that is willing to be radical for Him.

And then, there was the teaching we received on Sunday morning... about what a faith-filled life looks like. It was so timely!

A faith-filled life looks like this:
~ Believe that God exists, that He's good, and can be trusted.
~ Pursue God every day, and do what He says.
~ Live counter-culturally, even when it seems crazy.
~ Tune your perspective into God's bigger plans.

And... there was an element of surprise for me during the teaching time! This... you just might recognize one of those people in this short video. ;-)



Friends, I am humbled, truly humbled... because I am in no way qualified to be cited as an example of one who lives a life of faith... there are days, many days, when my faith is utterly lacking... it truly is only possible with God's relentless love and His amazing grace! ♥

Extraordinary things happen when I keep God's Kingdom perspective and trust him with my whole life. ~ Christa Hesselink.

I'm encouraged... I'm ready... I'm excited! New ministry year... new school year... bring it on!

As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... for gifts from a God who renews my strength as I hope in Him... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #1540 - #1551:

:: Trusting that HE will give me strength to soar with this... Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy... happening September 29th, right here in Toronto! It's now just less than three weeks away, friends!!! So looking forward to it! I am beyond excited!

:: Celebrating twelve candles!

:: First day of a brand-new school year.

:: My girl's growing understanding of what it means to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God! ♥

:: Getting the FIRST Lego League team at my boy's school up and running.

:: Participating in Compassion Blog Month.

:: This past Saturday, spent with 400 fellow leaders at church. Encouraged, equipped, energized!

:: Delivering an infant carseat to a mom going through a crisis pregnancy.

:: Tickets for Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy continues to sell, slowly but surely, in spite of my lack of faith.

:: Great Sunday spent with our church family. A sense of excitement for this new ministry year welled up in me as I worshiped together with fellow Christ-followers!

:: Great time chatting with one of our church's Elder over lunch about her Home Church diving into more compassion initiatives this year. Exciting!

:: A quiet and restful Sunday afternoon.

Happy Monday, friends!

This week, this... of overcoming fear and making a life large!

Fear makes a life small. ~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Let's soar into this new week together, friends... let's do justice, love mercy and walk humbly!

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Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!