also, the curls also, the curls
her joy is the best her joy is the best
Happily blaming @laurenpapa3 for telling me about Happily blaming @laurenpapa3 for telling me about this series. Rabbits. Royalty. Battles. Family. Hope. SO GOOD, @sdsmithereens.

I apologize in advance if your kids stay up until midnight like I did to finish a book. 😬
We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
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home, lifestyle · 03/23/2020

it took us 5 years and a virus to plant flowers

Yes, you read that correctly. This Easter will be six years in our home, and we’ve been talking about planting fresh flowers in front of the house for the last five.

Turns out we just needed a few nice sunny March days and the strong recommendation to stay around the house due to a terrible virus to get from the dinner-conversation-stage to the planting stage.

I have always admired ‘plant and flower people.’ You know who they are, the friends who actually know the name of a flower and can tell you when certain things should be planted and when they’ll bloom. The friends who love putting together arrangements and get super excited about gardening and learning new things (Elizabeth, my dear sister-in-law I’m looking at you here). I have always been amazed by these people, and inspired, and a little intimidated by.

Botany is a whole world in and of itself, and it is fascinating. Not to mention, the innumerable times a plant, flower or tree appears in the Bible as a metaphor or imagery or part of a story.

When I decided to stay home with Anna, I was only a few days in when I realized I had more capacity (and desire) to dabble in gardening. So here we are, planting flowers for beauty and joy and a few vegetables for fun and freshness. We’ll see how it goes. But I’m excited.

Beth Moore recently published a book ALL about grapes, vines and the truth found in John 15. Not that I don’t admire, respect and trust Beth Moore, but I honestly didn’t pick it up because she authored the book. I picked it up because I have long been fascinated and rooted in the idea of abiding in Christ. For most of my life of following Jesus it has been one a reorienting passage for me. As in, whenever I’m in a dry or difficult place, John 15 is where I go. Whenever I’m wrestling with my own sin or struggle, abiding is what I aim for. Knowing Beth Moore’s style like I do, I knew it would be exhaustive, so I picked it up.

A few statements from Chasing Vines I am lingering long on:

God’s idea of increased fruitfulness may never be humanly measurable.

Abiding doesn’t mean you’re immobilized. That’s the beauty of Christ turning this metaphor on its head. The vine, which was once the land, has now been supplanted by Christ. That means we no longer abide in a place but in a person. We reside in Jesus. When He moves, we move. When He stays, we stay.

We want to leap with God; He wants to walk with us. Walking transpires step by step. It demands patience. Pacing. God’s directional leading for our personal lives often unfurls in bits of light between shadows. He says His word is a lamp to our feet, which offers us the assurance of arm’s length direction when He says, “Go.”

Following Jesus isn’t just about a prescribed set of rules or a certain set of behaviors. It’s about being tethered to Jesus like He’s oxygen — it’s about being in His presence at every moment. When you’re with someone you love, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing; it’s about doing it together…. We can’t do the works of Christ by human might or by earthly power; we can only do them with the heart of Christ. We produce fruit by His Spirit alone. When you begin to feel lifeless in Him, look for the tourniquet that’s cutting off the life flow. Most often we’ll find it in earthly ties that are cinched too tightly.

Without love, all fruit is plastic. The fruit of our lives, in all its forms and manifold graces, is truest to the Vine when it’s generously extended and accessible to strangers and aliens of any kind.

In: home, lifestyle

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I'm Chelsea... a wife, mom and friend who enjoys all things peanut butter, clean beauty, the written word, and a good sports movie. This is my place to share real life and Biblical encouragement to draw us all to deeper joy in God. Pull up your favorite internet browser and stay awhile!

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also, the curls also, the curls
her joy is the best her joy is the best
Happily blaming @laurenpapa3 for telling me about Happily blaming @laurenpapa3 for telling me about this series. Rabbits. Royalty. Battles. Family. Hope. SO GOOD, @sdsmithereens.

I apologize in advance if your kids stay up until midnight like I did to finish a book. 😬
We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’ Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’

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