Late in the Midnight Hour…

PP Late in the Midnight Hour

…God’s gonna turn it around…if ya know the song, then sing along!

Even after putting 2 potential slots for an outdoors walk on my calendar, it still didn’t happen amidst 5 back-to-back conference calls – ugh, talk about a sedentary day! As I wearily powered down my laptop at 11:30pm, I repented in my heart for not getting my physical exercise in for the day and silently made an “air promise” to get it in tomorrow. As I approached the shower, I realized, “I have absolutely NO excuse not to do SOMETHING for my physical well-being today!”

So I marched to the closet, threw on some workout clothes, laced up my tennis shoes, refilled my water bottle, and headed over to vigorously attack the stationary bike that my wonderfully visionary hubby procured months ago to facilitate perpetual pandemic home workouts. Not sure why I thought I might wake my children, but the cackling I heard from their respective rooms confirmed that they are truly teenagers. Armed with my earbuds and favorite playlist, I purposed to do at least 20 minutes…and I surpassed that goal. Honestly, as someone who’s done MULTIPLE weight loss programs over the years, I admit I’m often hesitant to set goals (let alone share them) – so this is kinda a big deal for me. Celebrate my glamorous midnight sweaty = healthy glow look with me! LOL

Inspired and invigorated, I thought about posting this “later” – but later usually doesn’t come when competing with (and crowded out by) all the other items on our to-do lists, right? So I’m doing my cool down/stretch as I write. Now I’ve earned my shower (and burned off a couple of cookies that may have found their way across my lips in the past 24 hours…gotta pay to play, right?) ha ha…

In 2021, I’m deliberately and intentionally choosing OBEDIENCE – one decision at a time. What’s your testimony in this freshness of this new year, full of unlimited possibilities? What imprisoning bands will be loosed by your prayers, praises, and obedience? I invite you to share in the comments below…

“25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

(Acts 16:25-26)

TT: Planning Gone Mad: The Vacation That Wasn’t (12/4/2018)

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Reflecting with gratitude and revving up for 2021…Blessings to you, Kayren on 12/17/2020

Planning Gone Mad: The Vacation That Wasn’t

Every parent has experienced that fleeting moment of fantasizing about what they’ll do when everyone else in their household is occupied and they get to hold in their hands the elusive concept of “free time.” I had scheduled the entire week after Thanksgiving for vacation away from work – last year, it looked like we’d use that time for a cruise to celebrate 18 years of marriage (“This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Psalm 118:23). However, still recovering from our family’s summer vacation travels, we agreed for the sake of practicality that our planned getaway week as a couple would become a “staycation.”

Therein lies the rub.

I had NO PROBLEM in my mind with being away from work assignments on my desk and my regular routine of meetings, conference calls, and status updates. Unfortunately, someone forgot to inform my children that I was on vacation. There is no way of reconciling in my brain getting up for a parent/teacher conference before the sun was up…which meant I was awakened by my alarm clock…during the second day of my vacation. Definitely not my idea of vacation. That just didn’t make any sense to me.

Just like my child being behind on assignments and having a questionably less-than-stellar grade and saying everything was okay in that class (hello? reality check!) didn’t make sense to me. This junior Nancy Drew had to investigate…and what I found was not pretty. It kept me up late that night (of the same day I’d gotten up EARLY) coaching the child to completion of the late assignments so they could be turned in ASAP.

And I realized with a wan smile: That’s life. There’s no glossy brochure, 24-hour buffets, or smiling concierges waiting on you hand and foot. Life is about responding to needs in a timely manner. My child needed me and my husband…immediately. And we responded accordingly. Because life is real and vacation is fleeting and temporary.

What happened to the relaxation I thought I’d earned? Yeah, I’m still waiting on that! LOL

I was grateful that we were home and available to address the immediate needs requiring parental attention (it took a united front of me and my husband to help triage the child over this hump). Surely, coming home to foolishness would’ve blown whatever temporary high we’d received from sun, sand, gentle breeze, and ocean waves. Yet, my week didn’t go as I’d planned. It rarely (if ever) does. Because I’m not in control. I don’t know why I keep getting surprised by this unchanging fact. But as I mature, I realize that it really is better that I’m not in control – because God IS!

Regardless of the shenanigans and antics, I am thankful for my week of vacation. It was a series of days that the Lord made for me to rejoice and be glad in – no matter what situations or circumstances arose. I was surrounded by those I love for an extended time when I could focus on them – and that is a priceless gift that couldn’t be purchased on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or any day.

“This is the day which the Lord hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
(Psalm 118:24)

TTT: The Perks of Faithfulness (12/20/2009)

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It’s Terrific Thankful Tuesday! Reflecting with gratitude as we prepare to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary on 12/16 – to GOD be ALL the glory!!! Blessings to you, Kayren on 12/15/2020

The Perks of Faithfulness

Gratefully, we arrived safely in Myrtle Beach, SC for our 9^th anniversary getaway through a mega-rainstorm (termed by The Weather Channel as the East Coast’s “Winter Wollop 2009”). At least we were driving away from the direction where snow was forecast. Our reservation (at the hotel where we’d celebrated the previous 2 anniversaries) had been made well in advance. My hubby had graciously done all the driving (perhaps he didn’t trust the combination of my 20/15 LASIK vision with darkness, torrents of rain, and questionable windshield wiper performance), so he was ready to get comfortable. He quickly unpacked, then prepared for a shower. The water ran cold for 5 minutes, and the sink and tub drains were clogged – what a welcome! He asked me to call the front desk. I did.

The gentleman who answered placed me on hold. After I’d waited patiently for over 2 minutes (sorta), my husband took the phone from me – ready to get some results. When the hotel staffer got back on the line, my hubby relayed the situation to him. The man noted how unfortunate it was for us that we were on the side of the building where the water often heats up slowly…I won’t even begin to express my incredulosity and more than slight irritation that he already knew they had an issue with this. He offered to send someone up immediately to unclog the drains, but we’d still have tepid water temperature. Calm and collected, my husband asked what he could do for us since this was our anniversary weekend and we’d received good service during our prior visits. The hotel staffer (finally) offered to move us to another room, which my tired husband was a little more than hesitant to accept. We were on the top floor, and no other rooms were available on that floor. The man said, “I can put you in a Junior King Suite with a balcony two floors below” (never mind that it was cold and pouring rain outside). I vigorously nodded my head “yes!” and my hubby reluctantly accepted the inconvenience of relocating. After he re-dressed and re-packed, we dragged our bags back down to the front desk to get the new keys we’d been reassigned. The man assured us we’d like the room.

When we arrived in the suite, we were pleasantly surprised at the level of upgrade we’d received; the suite was triple the size of our initial room, had more than ample walking space, plus a separate sitting area and a Jacuzzi. Additionally, there was an internet connecting wire (conspicuously missing from the other room) and an even more spectacular ocean view from a different vantage point. We were well-pleased and started the hot water. I ambled over to glance at the door and discovered that our suite would normally charge at $1,000 a night for single occupancy and $1,200 a night for double occupancy. I was amazed and shared that info with my hubby; we blessed the Lord together as we reflected on the $80 per night we’d booked at online. We opted to order something light from room service instead of braving the wind blowing rain sideways. It was worth the $39 – an elegant serving table complete with cloth tablecloth and napkins rolled in with crab bisque, chicken strips, and French fries for both of us. Delightful.

Upon check-in, we’d been given complimentary breakfast tickets for both days of our stay that cancelled our need to trek down the street to the local pancake dive. At about $20 value each day, it more than nicely made up for the $5 daily parking fee in the adjacent garage. The next evening, we went for a lovely early dinner at our favorite beach restaurant (early in the week, I’d signed up online and received a $5 coupon – cha-ching!). We got a great server (with no attitude – priceless) and were told we’d receive a complimentary bananas foster ($7.99 value) for dessert since we were celebrating our anniversary with them. We arrived before 5:00 p.m. and ordered from the lunch menu – our specials (catfish fillet prepared 3 ways; salad included) were executed in excellence.

What can I say about the work it took to get to a lovely weekend where we just enjoyed each other’s company and laughed a LOT? Perseverance pays off. We had a blast – each of us accompanied by our best friend – relaxing and taking a break from our daily routine….not to mention sinking into the pillow-top king bed, duvet covers, and down pillows. Scrumptious.

Our children are safe, well-cared for, and having a fun time with dear family friends. Mommy and Daddy have become “honey” and “baby” and didn’t have to fix anyone Saturday cereal at 7:00 a.m. while pleading for an 1 more hour of sleep. Instead, this weekend, we got to reap the fruit of hard work and commitment to living daily in a godly marriage. I’m glad we’re faithful to God and to each other. It’s definitely worth it. The rewards and perks of this weekend were just icing on the cake. Bon appetit!

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

(Psalm 37:3-5)

Finding Grace at the Bonfire

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Just as tears and rain are cleansing, so is fire. This morning’s sermon caught me in a place where I immediately repented. I felt the need to take an intentional action to signify my new start as I (once again) hit the reset button on walking in obedience.

I had to wait my turn for the fire pit/altar on my back porch. It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who needed God to consume some stuff that had been accumulating for too long. My wonderful hubby decreed and declared that we’re moving to paperless billing as he vigorously purged old home office files.

I watched as the stacks of papers he’d put in the fire pit curled up in the flames and turned to ash. Then I tossed my own papers (actually, cardboard toilet paper centers – fitting, eh? – on which I’d written my confessions that I was symbolically sacrificing to the Lord) into the fire. In moments, they were utterly consumed, no longer existing in their previous form. Later that evening, as the fire was still burning, it began to rain. More cleansing. More gratitude.

I am thankful that God heard my prayer, received my repentance, and forgave me with His abundant grace, mercy, and love. Because of the Blood of Jesus, my sins are covered; like the papers in the fire, they have been obliterated. I am so humbled that God wipes the slate clean and offers a fresh start when we come to Him acknowledging our sins and shortcomings!

Friend, what do YOU need to place on the Lord’s altar for Him to consume so it’s not unnecessary baggage dragged into 2021? We don’t have to wait until New Year’s Eve…we can approach his throne boldly and with confidence today! Try it…you’ll probably feel lighter afterwards. I did!

“15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.

16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”

(Hebrews 4:15-16, AMP)

“28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.”

(Hebrews 12:28-29, KJV)

My Best Gifts Are NOT Under the Tree This Year

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Filled to overflowing with gratitude, overwhelmed by the goodness of God, and perhaps a bit hopped up on the choco-chip-walnut cookies I baked and nibbled too close to bedtime, I had to get up and capture this moment.

Earlier tonight, my teens put the lights on our Christmas tree (without adult supervision!); it was fun to eavesdrop on their bantering conversation. Yesterday, they assembled the tree. I think we’re subconsciously decorating in phases since the boxes of ornaments, tinsel, bows, and all things festive were dragged from the attic and wreaths hung outside two days ago. They left the tree lights on after they went to bed, and I was mesmerized by the simple, unfinished, yet unadorned with ornaments beauty when I caught a glimpse on my way to refill my water bottle.

This year, I am super-excited about the holidays – to the point that I got each member of the family themed holiday pajamas for Christmas morning photos. (#MemoryMakingMama #GuiltyNotSorry!). I’m so excited that I’m ready to wear mine in November! LOL 😜🤣🎉

This is evidence of personal growth that has taken time and diligent self-work. My grandmother passed away on Thanksgiving Day 2008, so the holiday season was bittersweet for me for several years. Not until recently did I personally experience Christ removing the sting of death FOR ME, and it made all the difference. Grief is a process, but so is life, healing, forgiveness, and restoration – and none of these processes should be rushed or glossed over. For too long, I lived suspended between past memories and fantasy wishes beyond my grasp, while attempting to ignore (sometimes harsh) reality. This year, I’m in a place to embrace the entire spectrum of life and all that it holds – and that feels GOOD…like breathing in clean, fresh air.

This year, I am unbound by a calendar. Honestly, I feel that I’ve experienced both Thanksgiving and Christmas in my heart on multiple occasions in the past couple of months…and I look forward to celebrating with my family throughout the remainder of 2020 and into the new year. I’m not waiting anymore. My declaration of appreciation for God’s grace and goodness has already begun. And I’m thankful that this year, my best and most meaningful gifts are not under the Christmas tree. May you discover the same realization to be true for you…

Praying God’s abundant blessings for you and your family during this holiday season,

Kayren

“55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

(I Corinthians 15:55-58)

Self-Care Sunday: Rest is NOT just a 4-letter word!

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REST is often juxtaposed with another 4-letter word: RUSH. If you find yourself still searching for the rest and repose of Sabbath (even in the midst of quarantine – ironic, I know), I invite you to give yourself permission to just BE. Experience your day. To the fullest. Observe the handiwork of God all around you. Yes, even from the vantage point of your home.

Today, my self-care action step of progress looked like foregoing the grazing of prepackaged food I’d stocked my pantry with (for the inevitably impending apocalypse) and taking time – making time – to prepare a healthy, wholesome, low-sodium meal for ME. I love to cook for my family, but today’s gift was for ME. Unapologetically. Lavishly.

Not fancy, but prepared with intention, focus, and follow-through. I perused several internet recipes and decided to try oven baked quinoa for the first time and add some roasted mushrooms. This blossomed into a beautiful bouquet of sliced carrots, diced red onions, and cubed celery that burst into a symphony of color.

The finishing touch was fresh rosemary snipped from my yard – lovingly grown by my wonderfully green-thumbed hubby – sprinkled across my culinary creation.

The process of preparation was unrushed, relaxed, unhurried, unscheduled, and an utterly restful experience. I meandered from back porch to front porch between checking on my dish; clouds and sun and wind interplayed the entire day. I went from short sleeves to hoodie and back again. The only thing missing from my imaginary getaway was the ocean. Sheer delight. A moment of pre-Thanksgiving gratitude oozed from my heart.

Funny thing, my hubby said he might wanna try a bite (he doesn’t even like mushrooms! LOL) – I think it smelled so good, he couldn’t resist. Sometimes the best way to influence others towards healthier habits is to take the first step yourself.

Sidebar: He’s been doing this for me with his consistent morning exercise routine…for several months.

Full disclosure: I’m gonna try to make it work for me starting this week (ugh…the joy of aging! LOL).

So let’s do this…new day, new me starts now. No need to wait for a New Year’s resolution…join me today!

p.s. By the way, the quinoa melted in my mouth.😉

“12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.”

(Deuteronomy 5:12-14)

“28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30)

Envelopes of Provision

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Disclosure: This blog post is NOT about getting a physical check in the mail…🙂

This morning, after a couple of days of not feeling my best, I woke up so grateful to be feeling better that I decided to take a walk and watch the sunrise. Ambitious, eh? LOL. I grabbed my water bottle and sunglasses, ready to rack up some steps. About 7 minutes after leaving the house, I felt it: a single raindrop on my forearm.

I promptly turned around and headed back home, but not before acknowledging the magnificent splendor of the Almighty on display. I marveled at the tropical wind blowing, the clouds quickly overshadowing the sun, and the birds flitting here and there.

I decided to watch the rainstorm roll in from the covert of my porch. I peeped a gecko nibbling on some leaves, realizing I often see them scurrying, but I’d never watched one eat. New experience checked off.

I gaped in amazement as I watched individual raindrops hit the ground and shake blades of grass (or weeds…whatever…it’s still green, and grass sounds more poetic). I usually think of rain in the collective sense…as “a thing” or an entity. This morning, I saw the individual drops coming down and observed each one as a package of provision from the Creator sent to fulfill a specific purpose. One raindrop, followed by another, followed by another in succession over a duration of time yields results: a harvest.

So I thought I’d share my personal object lesson on patience, provision, and the Spiritual Principle of Sow and Reap springing alive before my eyes. In the midst of much turbulence and destruction surrounding us, we have God’s assurance that He cares for us and is attentively watching over us. And that, my friend, is Good News! Stay encouraged…

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
(Psalm 29:2)
“30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’
32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”
(Matthew 6:30-33 AMP)

I Don’t Wanna Go THERE!

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Last night, I made beautiful chicken kabobs, assisted in the assembly process by my daughter, a skilled and meticulous chef in her own right. Red onions, multicolored peppers, mushrooms, and okra from our garden added to the nutritious visual feast.

As I took the sheet pans out of the oven while trying not to dump the chicken liquid, I felt the singe of skin…back of my left hand, near my wedding band finger. The irony that even healthy food can hurt ya loomed heavy. In 20/20 hindsight, I wished I’d used 2 full oven mitts instead of relying on plain ol’ flat potholders to do the job. Too late. In a split-second, I was reminded that I truly do NOT want to go to Hell.

As a mom, I was gonna “walk it off” with the unsatisfying remedy of the ice cube that slipped into the sink after providing a few short-lived moments of relief. My son recommended that I put on some burn cream…and after 5 minutes, I relented & found myself rifling through the first aid kit. That cream almost sizzled as it soothed. Granted, this was a VERY MINOR burn. Nevertheless, it was no less hot (and my skin no less burned and beginning to wrinkle up), and served as a vivid prompt to keep my heart clean by staying in close fellowship with Christ, and walking daily in love, forgiveness, and grace…because I truly do NOT want to go to Hell. Not for a split-second, and certainly not for eternity…

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
(Psalm 9:17)
“For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.”
(Psalm 86:13)
“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
(Matthew 5:22)

Cold or Hot?

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My hubby says I must be “part lobster” because I like to take really hot baths.
I guess all that’s missing is some Old Bay Seasoning…

Through my sleep-deprived coronafog this week, I struggled to get a hot bath on 2 separate occasions – but alas, the faucets were not cooperating. I couldn’t figure out why – after letting the water run for almost 5 minutes – it was still tepid…a most unpleasant prospect for us crustaceans. A semi-warm bath just won’t cut it. Two nights ago, I thought extended showers by my wonderful teens who also ran the dishwasher took all of Mom’s hot water, so I reluctantly resorted to a shower when the bath taps still responded barely warm. I was so tired, I almost stomped through the bathroom. I’m intentionally working on my evening wind-down routine after being in front of computer screens most of the day.

Tonight, my candles were lit and I NEEDED a therapeutic bath with epsom salts. So I went to The Fixer, my handy-dandy hubby (who’d just done a masterful job on our subway tile kitchen backsplash – way to go, honey!). 🙂 He checked the hot water heater that was up as high as it could go. Hot water ran from every other faucet but my tub…until hubby turned the other knob. Seriously…I’ve lived in this house (and been taking hot baths in this same tub) over half a decade and still had to guess which handle dispensed the hot water?! (Yes. I guess I choose to use my cranial capacity for more substantial matters). I shook my head at myself in exhaustion, thanked him for valiantly solving my latest crisis, and prepared to settle in for my hard-won hot bath.

It was one of those “womp womp” moments – like when tech support tells you to try rebooting your computer…which instantly fixes the computer issue you’ve been having…and you wish you’d tried that before waiting 30 minutes to get some assistance. My whole family got a good laugh at my expense, but I was too tired to try to defend the foolishness, and I think they had compassion on me.

This true blonde moment couldn’t be covered by my burgundy hair rinse even if I tried. Frazzled by quarantine as we prepped for the start of a new virtual school year (and possibly a zombie apocalypse), I guess I’d gotten my wires crossed, spatial relations whacked out, and looked at something so common and familiar from the wrong perspective.

Doesn’t this happen to us spiritually more often than we care to admit? Ah, I am evermore thankful for the gift of glorious grace…

“13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
(Revelation 3:13-17)

Getting Away With Murder?

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It’s a really graphic turn of words, but I vividly remember my mom and grandma using it (with tongue-clucking punctuation) to reference unruly chill’uns who were “ackin’ up” and not getting proper or timely discipline for their foolish shenanigans…
(This is Part Two…read Part One of my own foolish shenanigans here)

Perhaps I’ve watched one too many episodes of Cold Case on non-cable antenna TV during this quarantine time (highly likely…along with The Closer, In Plain Sight, Unforgettable, and the iconic classic Perry Mason for my whodunit crime drama fixes throughout the week…because I finished watching all 5 free seasons of Leverage last year), but nobody ever really gets away with murder – literally or figuratively. In the end – even if it’s decades later – the truth comes out.

Confession: So I’ve been inching towards the edge in my eating habits. Like seeing how close I could get to the electric fence without getting zapped. And you know what? It took putting on a dress (withOUT an elastic waistband) to celebrate at my hubby’s recent birthday dinner to show me how the coronapounds have crept (or leapt) upon me. I left 2 inches of back zipper undone and topped my outfit choice with a snazzy sweater to camouflage my transgressive over-eating and under-exercising ways – et voilà! But that didn’t change the fact that the little munchies here and the grazing during endless conference calls there had caught up with me…and were demanding my attention. ZAP!

It took reading my own response to a friend who asked me to check out her recent blog post to bring me out of my delusional, self-deceived reverie of “oh, it’s OK…I’ve just picked up a couple of pounds.” Straight truth, no chaser with a side of full disclosure? No Kayren, you lost over 20 pounds last year…and they all seem to have found you – and brought a few extra friends who wanted to tag along. Whatcha gonna do now?

I encouraged my friend via text tonight – and was immediately convicted:
Don’t ever second-guess what the Holy Spirit has led you to do; it’s NEVER about man’s approval, affirmation, or even acknowledgment. Let God use your work to minister to each reader the way He needs to; all is in HIS capable hands as THE Author. It is posted and published, and HE is doing the work in your readers. Keep moving forward in Him because He has so much more to pour through your available vessel. No looking back! Let it go and move ON!

So why wasn’t I treating myself with the same grace? Why the double standard? Simply put, I’d gotten off-track – thinking I was getting away when I was squarely in His crosshairs, and He was lovingly waiting for me to come into His presence for much-needed recalibration and adjustment.

My prayer: Here I am, Lord…repenting…once again. Thank You for your mercy, cleansing, and patience. You are a loving Heavenly Father to Your children, and I am grateful to be called Your daughter. I present myself for You to continue molding and shaping me into the image of Your Dear Son. Amen.

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord:
and be sure your sin will find you out.”
(Numbers 32:23)

“The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.”
(Psalm 145:8)

“2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed;
neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
(Luke 12:2-3)

Kayren Cathcart's Blog

Observations on daily life and inspiration for spiritual growth…

choices

Late in the Midnight Hour…

TT: Planning Gone Mad: The Vacation That Wasn’t (12/4/2018)

TTT: The Perks of Faithfulness (12/20/2009)

Finding Grace at the Bonfire

My Best Gifts Are NOT Under the Tree This Year

Self-Care Sunday: Rest is NOT just a 4-letter word!

Envelopes of Provision

I Don’t Wanna Go THERE!

Cold or Hot?

Getting Away With Murder?