The secret to a joyful, victorious life...

I love my devotional, Jesus Calling By Sarah Young! I have to share mine from today...it really spoke to me on how sometimes...it's okay to stay put!

WHEN I GIVE YOU no special guidance, stay where you. Concentrate on doing your everyday tasks in awareness of My Presence with you. The joy of My Presence will shine in you, as you do everything for Me. Thus you invited Me into every aspect of your life. Through collaborating with Me in all things, you allow My Life to merge with yours. This is the secret not only of joyful living but also of victorious living. I designed you to depend on Me moment by moment, recognizing that apart from Me you can do nothing.

Be thankful for quiet days, when nothing special seems to be happening. Instead of being bored by the lack of action, use times of routine to seek My Face. Although this is an invisible transaction, it speaks volumes in spiritual realms. Moreover, you are richly  blessed when you walk trustingly with Me through the routines of your day.

I do not write this to be a crutch for those of you who may be hearing God nudge you to do something but you just don't want to...I write this because I am the type of person where I'm like oohh I should go to Africa and do mission work, we should go here or there, I'm extreme when it comes to that...and I have had really wonderful God-fearing friends (and my sweet husband) who remind me, "Shawna, God is using you here! You don't have to be extreme all the time....God is asking you to serve in  your 'everyday tasks.'" 

Also, I don't find myself having many days where I find myself bored...but I need to remind myself to stay put sometimes too.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.   Colossians 3:23

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.  Psalm 105:4 

Will's First Love Letter

Last night the kids were supposed to be in bed and Will came out. We told him to get back in bed, and he said, "I just need to put something in my backpack." We said okay, just hurry...not thinking anything about it. Well, this morning I went to put his lunch box in his backpack and found this...his first love letter.  In some of my previous post you have read about Macy :) When I dropped him off at school he said, "Mom, I need that paper out of my backpack." I gave it to him and hid around the corner watching him give his first love letter.  He walked up to all of his guy friends, in a deep voice, "Where's Macy?" They pointed behind him, I could only see a little girl sitting with dark hair pulled up with a large pink bow. He handed it to her, she looked at it, then at him, he said in his deep voice, "it's from me!" I knew Daron was patiently waiting in the car so I left, but it was SO cute! The other thing I think is cute is that Faith helped him make this and hasn't said a word to us...ahhhh, siblings :)

XOXO