Just a few short days ago my life has been changed. In that, I mean to say that my view on my life and those around me. My heart has been shaken in a very intensive way that I am finding words to be far, few, and between, to explain all that is taking place. Hopefully I can, in days, weeks, months, and years to come explain many things. For now, in this small space for typing up thoughts and such let me say... "How deep can we really go, with God that is? Are we asking the deeper questions? Are we seeking the depths of God's word, His heart, His creation, His plan?"
In the midst of loss, pain, and unexpected tragedy, I am finding HIM. Joy has sought me out and is bringing something new to my heart... healing.However, not just in the sense of just healing my brokeness, my mourning, but also bringing in a strength of being able to see and know pain without it deeply wounding me that I half way recover. No, in fact that I can cope with pain and brokeness head on with the cloak of JOY...unspeakable. Is that not amazing or what? In loss, am I not supposed to sulk, depress back, regress, be a bit angry, sad(er)? I think it's deservedly mine as a human right? But what if the plans of trials, tribulation, and loss are deeper for the purposes of driving out of us those things which hold us back, and ushering into us those things that catapult us into an eternal bliss and plethora of depth never known? Could this be possible? Everyone around you is asking how you are doing, feeling, and if there's anything they can do to let them know. Half expecting, I think, for you to completely fall apart and for their loving arms to catch you. This is not wrong, but is it a possibility that out of the ashes our beauty arises from the strength of our Father's love and joy. Not just over us, but being blown in us, like a wind blowing a river strongly to it's destiny, or through trees and shaking off the dead leaves. So that when your loved ones are asking these things, pondering these things, and wanting to be there for you, what they witness is a pure miracle of utter and complete transformation and a change only explainable by His Royal Providence and Majesty Jehovah Jireh God Almighty. When their arms are floating in the air to hopefully catch you, they see you are not falling, but are coming down on the winds of grace with your hands held up, yes with tears in your eyes and your heart still aching, but with JOY, I SAY JOY. You look down in their loving eyes and say, "I've encountered the living God in a new way and it's changing me, yet again HE is changing me!" Halelujah!
Let me share a few testimonies (my story of what has happened will come later as I am still gathering my thoughts and praying through the many things happening in my heart) of what I have experienced.
Sunday night when we came home from the E.R. and had the grave news of a miscarriage happening right there before our eyes, we prayed. As we did, Jesus came to me in a short and quick vision. He was standing there and said, "Look, I have your baby and he is okay. It's okay. He's safe." I saw a full term baby in His arms. That brought so much comfort to my heart, even though we were hoping that God would turn everything backwards and fix the issues at hand and heal up my womb and the baby. No such thing happened. But as I look back, Jesus brought me instant comfort by first appearing to me in the brightest of lights and showing a FULL TERM baby in His loving arms. Secondly, He spoke to me tenderly and made sure I knew where my baby boy was and that he was safe. He also said, "You will see your children, and rejoice!" I already rejoice at knowing they are growing up in such a wonderful and beautiful place, knowing Jesus, and growing up under His leadership and love.
During my D&C surgery, Monday evening, something very special happened. At first it was all just white and blurry, then... I heard singing, and I was singing. Groups of people and angels were there! We were worshipping the Lord. BRIGHTNESS everywhere. Their faces blurred to me now, but there I knew them. I don't know how I knew them, but I did. Then this guy, who reminded me a lot of Brad, but was not him, stepped out and said, "Alright everyone, ready to PRAISE the Lord?" We all cheered and were so excited. He had a stool and set it out to sit on it. He also had a guitar with him and he sat and began to play songs that I don't remember at this moment. But there I knew the words! There I was very joyful! There I was sooooooooooooooo HAPPY! When the anesthesiologist woke me, I thought, "Nooooo not yet, don't wake me, let me stay and PRAISE the Lord!" But I did awaken, and I couldn't stop smiling. I knew I had just had surgery due to having a miscarriage, but yet I was rejoicing! How is that? My very nature of being human changed! I should have been sobbing my eyes out. The nurses should have been rubbing my back and bringing me loads of tissues! BUT all I could do was rejoice! I don't know if I was dreaming, if it was a vision, or out of body, I really don't care! IT WAS WONDERFUL! God is so good, that He took me to a secret place, the most happiest place to rejoice and do what I LOVE TO DO THE MOST! WORSHIP HIM with OTHERS! Now there is much more to say on this... but I don't have the words.
Develop what you want on this and may your trials, your tribulations, your misfortunes bring you into a place where depression, sadness, anger, and bitterness can not touch you. But the very human nature you have to have all these aforementioned things does not exist! That what you have is CHRIST, and the living hope that He is. May you find that JOY knocked at your door and you gladly opened it and and said, "YES, please do come in." Fully trusting your heart to JESUS!
In the Hope that does not disappoint,
Leslie
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
So Much To Share
There is so much I want to share so I'll start with; we're having a baby number 3! Due December 2012! As of this post I am 14 weeks along! My next doctors appointment is on Monday! I am excited for 20 weeks to be here in 6 weeks... why you ask... because then we'll find out if it's a girl or a boy!
"But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?" Galatians 4:8 You know how we do this? Galatians 5:16 says: "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." When we walk in the flesh these things are evident... "adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19 Now remember in Matthew 5-7 Jesus does talk about how what a man thinks in his heart is just as worse as if he had already done it physically. So if your thoughts and actions are proved to be fleshly, then we're not walking in the Spirit but the work of the flesh is what we're walking in. Do not cease to pray and seek Jesus. Let these be evident in your life..."love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:22-26
Our Love, our Joy, our Peace, our Integrity, our Patience, our Servanthood attitude can only grow if we're seeking Jesus and seeking to do His will; which is plainly laid out for us in His Word.
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises , that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:2-11
If your like me and your talents that you've been given are small in quantity do not be dismayed and seek to steward what you've been given through the Spirit of love and grace. He will multiply what you've been given, but we must trust Him and invest our time, energy, life, love, passion, etc. into our talents so that when He sees our faith, our works, He can say well done good and faithful servant. Do not seek to see what else you can do outside the elements in which you've been placed unless the Spirit is calling you to do so. Seek to do good where you are and wait for the Lord to call you out. Do it on your own and you will fall on your face, wait on Him and you'll find it easier to walk up that hill or mountain. What I've witnessed is that the Lord gives us what we can handle and builds in us what needs to be established and fortified. He also takes out what does not need to be there and hinders His love and will. He is also a God of process, progress, and perseverance. Remember the vision you've been given, write it down, it won't tarry long, though it may seem like it, His promises never fall to the ground and He's always faithful 100%. Seek to honor Him in the skills and talents given to you now, and earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit and pray and ask Him. Stay patient, trust the Lord. Keep doing what He's set your hands and feet to do and don't give up.
In His Grace, Love, Mercy, and Hope Unfailing,
The Jerdon Clan
Scripture to end with:
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”[c]
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." 1Peter 1:13-21
THE WORD OF GOD IS AN OVERWHELMING GIFT OF LOVE, KNOWLEDGE, AND REVELATION. YOU CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH.
New Baby's First Picture!
Brad and I are in the process of purchasing a house. We put our first bid down and were very disappointed for our bid to be rejected! That's okay because that's the worse that could happen, right? So we're going to keep looking for houses and hit hard this next week until we find or are lead to the one for us!
Recently Brad and I went to New Buffalo, MI for our 5th wedding anniversary. We ate at Brewster's Italian Resturaunt, and let me tell you it was so amazing, so delicious, so mouthwatering good. Never have I had such great Italian food, seriously, and I've I had my fair share of Italian food all around the country! We stayed at this really cute Inn in the middle of town, and had an amazing sunset night together. We just walked and talked all over the place. It was so nice and allowed us, I believe, to come closer together. Never skip out on a date night or a weekend get-a-way with your spouse, it does some really good TLC for your marriage! Viola! Instant romance and time to talk, and enjoy each other!
The Amazing Spa-Like-Shower! (I want tile like that!)
Sunset at the harbor.
Hungry, Almost Friendly Geese (Look closely and you'll see a farm goose mixed in the muddle.)
Us on the beach.
Another view of a beautiful Lake Michigan Sunset.
Today I went to the Zoo with some friends and thought it would make you smile to see some of our adventure from Potowanami Zoo. It's a small zoo, and we love it!
The kid clan. Yes 7 of those belong to my friend. :-)
Our Little Farm Family!
Such a pretty bird!
Snap! Just in time before this lil' dragonfly flew away!
The Zoo's newest exhibit! CHIMPANZEE! (This was his better side.)
Elisha has been playing T-Ball this year. She gets better and better each time! She's a great hitter! The best parts are that Daddy helps coach and after each game they get to go pick out a treat from the consession stand. Her favorite is a blueberry snowcone. ;-) That's my girl.
She looks pretty cute in blue, eh?
Yeah Elisha! (Kinda cute how Brad and J. are 'fiving' at the same time.)
Amongst so many things going on with us in this season of life, Brad and I are making sure we take the time to spend with Jesus at the first of our day. It's very easy to say, "I'll get to my bible reading at some point today, but first I need to..." "You shall have no other gods before Me." Commandment #1
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 Here lately the importance of maintaining a healthy and steady relationship with Jesus is the first thing on our minds and hearts. If you expect to live your life without the gospel everyday and think it'll be okay, that's soooo wrong. I know because for a while I wasn't really reading my bible. I'd listen to the radio, c.d.'s and such but nothing fills that vaccum God-shaped-hole except God Himself! Do not let a day or a moment go by without spending time in the Word. Eat it. Walk in the Spirit! "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16
"But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?" Galatians 4:8 You know how we do this? Galatians 5:16 says: "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." When we walk in the flesh these things are evident... "adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19 Now remember in Matthew 5-7 Jesus does talk about how what a man thinks in his heart is just as worse as if he had already done it physically. So if your thoughts and actions are proved to be fleshly, then we're not walking in the Spirit but the work of the flesh is what we're walking in. Do not cease to pray and seek Jesus. Let these be evident in your life..."love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:22-26
Our Love, our Joy, our Peace, our Integrity, our Patience, our Servanthood attitude can only grow if we're seeking Jesus and seeking to do His will; which is plainly laid out for us in His Word.
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises , that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:2-11
If your like me and your talents that you've been given are small in quantity do not be dismayed and seek to steward what you've been given through the Spirit of love and grace. He will multiply what you've been given, but we must trust Him and invest our time, energy, life, love, passion, etc. into our talents so that when He sees our faith, our works, He can say well done good and faithful servant. Do not seek to see what else you can do outside the elements in which you've been placed unless the Spirit is calling you to do so. Seek to do good where you are and wait for the Lord to call you out. Do it on your own and you will fall on your face, wait on Him and you'll find it easier to walk up that hill or mountain. What I've witnessed is that the Lord gives us what we can handle and builds in us what needs to be established and fortified. He also takes out what does not need to be there and hinders His love and will. He is also a God of process, progress, and perseverance. Remember the vision you've been given, write it down, it won't tarry long, though it may seem like it, His promises never fall to the ground and He's always faithful 100%. Seek to honor Him in the skills and talents given to you now, and earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit and pray and ask Him. Stay patient, trust the Lord. Keep doing what He's set your hands and feet to do and don't give up.
In His Grace, Love, Mercy, and Hope Unfailing,
The Jerdon Clan
Scripture to end with:
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”[c]
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." 1Peter 1:13-21
THE WORD OF GOD IS AN OVERWHELMING GIFT OF LOVE, KNOWLEDGE, AND REVELATION. YOU CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH.
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