Grief can turn into Joy.

I should not be up right now.  I sat down to start my blog posting at 10:30pm, but I am almost embarassed that the time this will be posted...don't look.  I usually catch up on my facebook, read others blogs, and pray before I start my blog.  After the day I had today, I thought I was certain of my blogpost for the evening until a facebook post rocked my world.  This friend had originally shared the story of The Sullivans just days before Sara's passing seeking prayer requests.  Even though I do not know them, I prayed, celebrated and grieved with them by following their blog.  For some reason...maybe just the excuse of life and my own pregnancy...I had stopped reading the blog.  Well, I missed out on a lot of blessings.  However, the great thing is that I was able to spend several hours tonight catching up by reading the blog, watching videos and reading articles.  The new chapters to their story brought even more tears...happy ones this time. I was so thankful and blessed that my friend had reposted this update to their lives.  It was fun to read and see how God answers prayer and how He alone can turn grief into joy. He is in control.  It will take me days to truly reflect, appreciate, and learn what God wants to teach me through their situation, but there are several things that already stand out to me.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts that your thoughts."
--Isaiah 55:8-9

There are things this side of heaven that we will just not understand.  I must remember that God is sovereign.  I am learning the meaning of this more and more.  God is in control, and I am so thankful that I can rest in that daily.  It is interesting that in the same thought that I can think that I do not understand, I can also reflect and see a bigger picture of how the Lord works and uses these misunderstandings to bring so many others to Him and, more importantly, bring Him Glory.  I am increasingly thankful and grateful that the Lord allows us to reflect on the past and at times see glimpes of His purposes and workings in our lives.  When times are tough that is sometimes one of the things I hold on to; the ability that down the road I can look back and say okay Lord I know that you were doing much bigger things than I could see or understand at the time.

Behold, children are a gift from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. --Psalm 127:3


Just a reminder what incredible blessings and gifts children are.  I love how Jesus loved the children and wanted them to come to Him.  I love that children are each born with the incredible gift of bringing laughter, joy, and even healing to us without even knowing the profound impact they are having.  They are so dependent on us for survival, yet at the same time they are selfless, humble servants in their own special way.


All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. --Psalm 139:16

Our days are numbered.  In Psalm 39 David asks for the Lord to show him his life's end and the number of days to let him know how fleeting his life is.  He continues that his days are a mere handbreath and the span of his years is as nothing before the Lord.  Further into the same Psalm, David proclaims that his hope is in the Lord.  James further reminds me that we are but a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  I am thankful that I do not know the number of my days or my family's days.  I guess if I did know, then it would make each day more important or pressing.  Why do I not already live this way?  Life is short and precious here on earth, and I am privileged to be able to enjoy it even though I know the beauty of heaven is unfathomable.  I will live life to the fullest.  I will not worry about tomorrow because I am not even promised tomorrow.  I will follow the dreams the Lord has placed on my heart.  I will choose to be joyful and thankful in all circumstances.  I will trust in the provision of the Lord and obey His law.  I will give forgiveness even if I am not asked for it.  I will love the Lord with all of my heart, soul and mind.  I will model and pass these things on as a legacy to my children.  And when my flesh fails and falls short, I will humbly approach the Lord thankful that He is faithful and His mercies are new every morning.

A brief, but extremely inspirational, video about Sullivan's Journey is below.  The Sullivan family blog can be viewed at http://www.bandssullivan.blogspot.com/.  I encourage you to check it out.  Sara's life is still impacting so many almost a year and half after her passing.  Her husband, Brady, shares with a sincere and honest transparency that is also extremely inspirational.  I did not know Sara, but I think if our paths had ever crossed we could have been good friends.  I am also so encouraged with the way the Lord has given comfort and healing through the encouragement of His body of believers and a new love and growing family.

(Okay so that last paragraph kind of sounded like what would be written on the back cover of a dramatic/romantic/inspirational novel.  That was so unintentional, but can you not tell that I have been touched? I think I need to go to bed...)

Only By God's Grace will I feel rested in the morning :-)
With Much Love,
Callie Ann

We will hide Your Word in our hearts.

I will admit that I was inspired and encouraged by a friend from college, who happens to be an amazing children's author and blogger, to start memorizing verses throughout the year.  Erica does not realize it, but she has been holding me accountable.  She has been great to post the verses she is memorizing each 1st and 15th of the month.  I will try to do the same.  It is tough to choose only one verse or section of verses at a time.  As I was trying to decide the first one for the year, it was impressed upon my heart that I would choose them based upon the stage or season our family was in.  I was also going to have to be aware of choosing verses that my children can understand, memorize, and use in their daily lives. 

First, to play a little catch up.

Our initial verse was:
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.  Psalm 119:11

Kevin chose this verse because he thought it would serve to set the initial impact on the children that we would be focusing on memorizing scripture throughout the year to hide in our heart.  The lesson was that if we commit these scriptures to memory, then we are able to use them.  This morning I heard a quote at Bible Study:  "When you memorize scripture, it increases the Holy Spirit's vocabulary."  I do not know where the quote originated, but I love the practicality and truth it speaks.  It was a great day to hear this to reaffirm our family scripture memory, especially on the 15th when a new scripture is introduced.

Our second verse for January was:
Be joyful always,
Pray continually,
Give thanks in everything;
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I cannot begin to tell you how impactful this verse has been.  It has been used on multiple occasions especially when break downs are occuring.  I have used it myself numerous times to change my attitude.  It really is a great reminder when sometimes I am just down in the dumps (or when sickness seems to take up permanent residence).  That is not how Christ wants me to live.  Our entire family has been blessed by this, and one of my friends even shared last week how she was reminded to be joyful after reading one of my facebook posts the day before.  I was so thankful and blessed by the fact that she shared that with me because it reminds me that joyfulness is contagious!  This was a rather long verse for Colton to memorize so he was only encouraged to remember, "Be joyful, pray, and give thanks." 

Our first verse for February was:
Let us love one another for love comes from God.  1 John 4:7

I will admit that I cheated a little with this one because we all already had this one memorized.  This is a CBS (Community Bible Study) verse that is set to a tune.  I must say music helps all ages to remember verses!  I decided to use it partly because the previous verse had been so long and more challenging for the kids to remember.  However, I also chose it because of the Valentine season it would encompass.

Those now bring us to today; the 1st and 15th are the days we introduce new scripture.  For the past few days I have come upon so many great scriptures and was really having a tough time narrowing it down.  But one stood out above the rest last night as I was reflecting over my blogs the past couple of days.

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24

There are so many great verses about our words, but I chose this one because I can use creative ways to help us remember it.  I must admit that we did not get to introduce this tonight because it was a rushed evening, but we will tomorrow at our family dinner.  I plan to have honey for them to taste to help cement a memory and start the discussion on our words that we speak.  I anticipate that this will be one the Holy Spirit pulls out of the vocabulary to use on a regular basis.

I also thought I would share my friend's blog mentioned earlier because it brings me such great encouragement.  You can be encouraged by Erica Stidham at Amazing Adventures Await.  From there you can check out her new series for children, Those Silly Sisters.

Only By God's Grace
With Much Love,
Callie Ann