Tag Archives: grace

Comfort and Joy

24 Friday Dec 2021

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The other day I woke up singing “oh tidings of comfort and joy” and for some reason it hasn’t left my heart as it’s still singing in me. I was sure there was a reason so I started to dig a little deeper.

“Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13 NIV

The verse speaks of what God will give us in place of something else. He is so good at that. He offers us what only he can give for what has impaired our hope. Our joy. Our healing. Our restoration. Our peace. Our mourning and sorrow can be felt by Him. Our pain is his pain. Our sorrow is his sorrow. He knows all to well the ache of the human heart in times of suffering. He promises to deliver and comfort us from the hand of things stronger than us. Anxiety. Grief. Disappointment. Pain and even death. God is the only one who could do a trade like that. This is what the angel spoke of “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. You and I are apart of “all” people.

He will give us comfort AND joy. I wrestled with this because of the grief in my heart lately. I desperately needed something and he saw fit to bring me both. The song in my heart confirmed it. He was saying “I will do this for you. I see, hear, and know you. My hands are stronger than the ones that threaten and consume you. I am Immanuel, God with you. Your comforter. Your Father. Your peace. Your joy.”

I don’t know where your heart is today, but I do know Gods heart towards you. It’s full of love, grace, mercy, comfort, and joy. He’s more than enough to fill the empty and broken places in you. This Christmas is more than the tangible gifts, it’s about the intangible that will heal and bless your soul. What a gift!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Peace over you and yours,

Emilie ❤️

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Not This Time Around 

25 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in Daily Truth, Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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Today as I was enjoying my breakfast I was confronted with a piece of my past. Why does that sting so much? Makes me just wanna crawl back in bed and stay there. Memories flooding my mind and taking me back to a place that I never wanted to visit again. A place of shame. Guilt. Regret. 

What do we do in these moments when you’re taken by surprise by your own actions? 

Run? Hide? Deny? 

I wanted to do all these things. Instead, I put my big girl chonies on and said “oh heck no, not today!” 

I was reminded that I am forgiven. That I have a choice to do things differently. What once was is no longer. I can’t go back and undo what was done but I can do what I should’ve done then, today. 

Gods mercies are new every morning and today I needed an extra dose. I got it in the form of a gentle soul who whispered grace to me. She reminded me of how far I’ve come. When all I saw was shame she saw me. She echoed the redeeming voice of God. No condemnation. No judgement. 

Couldn’t we all use that? 

Let me be that voice to you today. Let these words bring comfort to your heart. The Lord wants you to know… 

  • You are forgiven.
  • You are not defined by your failures. 
  • You can choose today, right now, to go a different way. 
  • He will give you the grace to hold your head up high. No shame. No guilt. Just freedom. 

Choose today to live in the freedom of his grace. He is kind. He is redeeming your past for his glory and your good! Now go and pass on his grace to someone who needs it! 

Em ❤️ 

What Now? 

11 Thursday Aug 2016

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I couldn’t sleep. You would’ve guessed it was me going back to school the next morning. My heart was heavy for many reasons, some I couldn’t even articulate. 

When a season comes to end and another one begins we have a choice to make. Do we hang on kicking and screaming? Or, do we embrace the journey to come and decide to walk in it rather than outside of it?

I decided last night to walk in it. 

Homeschooling my youngest two boys was a lot of work, stress, and joys that made me proud to be chosen to be theirs. What started out as a necessity turned into a privilege. I would do it all again…mostly. Many days I questioned myself and my ability to be what my kids needed. Was I smart enough? Patient enough? 

Gods grace covered me during this emotional time. He continued to tell me over and over how he had equipped me to be their teacher for this season. I knew it wouldn’t last forever and it didn’t. Today, I dropped my babies off at public school after two years of being homeschooled. What an emotional mess I was. As I drove away I tried to convince myself that I was good. It’s time I told myself. My mind wanted to go to Target and walk each and every aisle as I sipped my latte but my heart ached as a chapter was closing. 

Would their teacher be kind? Patient? Would they make friends? These questions and more filled my heart. Again, I had a choice…trust God to cover and keep them or be filled with anxiety.

I chose to trust God. 

He knows what my children need, who they need, and for every other detail…He’s got them covered too. 

I made it to get the latte, of course, but that was as far as I got. I pulled up to the house and just sat there with this thought…What do I do now? I felt like I literally didn’t have a purpose. Wanna know what I did? I swept and mopped the floors. I did laundry. I actually watched some tv. 

I realized it’s ok not to have a plan and be in transition. That’s where I am…in transition. Gods grace walks us through the every days of life and equips us for the task at hand. I was filled with tears as I felt the hand of Jesus just hold mine and say…It’s gonna be ok. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. 

Wherever you are today, in whatever situation, let me encourage you. Allow God to unfold tomorrow out for you in his time. A new season is blooming and so will you. In time we’ll discover what we are called to next. In the meantime…go to Target and get a venti latte! Live it up! You don’t know when it’ll be time to get back to work! 

Blessings, Em 

You’re Covered with Grace 

16 Saturday Apr 2016

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 There is grace for us who are walking by faith. We act upon what we feel is right and sometimes it doesn’t work and we either blame ourself or God. God looks at the heart and sees more than even we can. He discerns a mans ways. He is not waiting for you to fail. He knows you will. How many times does a child fall while learning to ride a bike? Is it the child’s fault for trying or the parents fault for allowing them to try. I hear the Lord saying “Our communication is being fined tuned. You are learning to walk and hear by faith and you will not get it right all of the time but don’t get stuck there. Keep going. Keep doing. Keep listening. Keep obeying. Accept my love and guidance as I steer you in the right direction. Don’t turn away from me in pride or humiliation. I am with you and for you. It is my desire for you to hear me, see me, feel me. Don’t stop seeking as I never stop pursuing you! Every step of faith you take I will allow it to work for your good if you let me.”

As You Are 11/15/15 

20 Friday Nov 2015

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Wherever you are please hear these words and let them settle deep within you. 

No matter how you feel you’ve failed you are not a failure! Your purpose hasn’t left nor has the presence of God. He’s been there all along. Your call to journey with Jesus came with a promise that he’d never leave or forsake you. Every mistake, wrong turn, or well intended choice that turn drastically wrong will work in your favor. This is not the end!! Don’t allow the voice of the thief to come and rob you of hope and steal your peace of mind. In the Lords gentleness he leads you and I to his heart where we change from old to new, bitter to better, stained to cleansed, mess to message, orphan to child of God. It is his gift of grace that makes room for us at his table to feast with no fear. There is room for you and me there, imperfections and all. He waits to settle, squash, demolish, and conquer over everything that ever tried to convince you otherwise. Come out from your pit and sit with Jesus at the table he has prepared for you. Here is where every need is met and every desired fulfilled. Don’t try and work it out before you come…come as you are, he’s waiting with arms open wide.