A Word for the Brokenhearted

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:31

Today is the fourth day I've tried to write. It's the fourth time I've tried to put into words what's on my heart. I'll admit that when God began speaking to me about writing on this subject I knew it would be hard. It's out of my comfort zone and something hard for me to put into words. I've asked myself why, and I believe it's because this subject is one we don't talk about much. I'm talking about loving one another. Oh, we'll say we love everybody. We'll say we're Christian so we have to love one another, right?  We'll put a smile on our faces and act as if all is right with the world and be dying inside because our hearts are broken and shattered in a million pieces. What do we do about it? How do we mend our hearts and move on? If we're Christians, shouldn't we love each other, constantly turning the other cheek, no matter the circumstance? And what if it's family or a true and trusted friend that's stopped caring and loving us, shouldn't we just keep on keeping on because that's what we're meant to do? I believe the answer is no, and I want to share with you why I think this. 

I keep coming back to write and seem to get stuck. I'm not sure if it's because I'm having such a hard time putting it into words, or because I so want to convey what the Lord has laid on my heart. I have people in my life that have left or hurt me in ways I never thought possible. I've sought God's help in trying to understand what I'm to do in situations where I've been commanded to love, but deep in my heart I'm so heart broken I can't find my way. So I've continued to ask God to show me, speak to me because I really believe that when He speaks to me this strongly it's meant for someone else out there that may be struggling. 

I think another reason this has been difficult for me is because it's hard to watch someone you love go through something painful when there's nothing you can do to fix it. But God can. Psalm 147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds". So that's the first thing we need to realize. God is here to mend and heal our hearts. He's here to heal our wounds, no matter how deep. God also tells us in Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." I LOVE this verse. Peace just flows out of these words right to my heart. You need to know that we have a God who is close to the brokenhearted and the crushed. He must have known we would need these words in this life we live. I know I've needed them. Let me share with you two instances where I have not only needed these words, but I've needed to understand how I'm supposed to move on - do I stay or do I walk away.

The first instance is about bullying. One of our sons was bullied at school last year. It was hard to watch and harder to explain. It was a friend who turned on him. Proverbs 20:11 says, "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right." This child knew what he was doing. He was called out on it, asked about it, so he knew. Our son knew what was happening, too, but he didn't know why. The bullying was subtle and sneaky and quiet, yet the impact was huge. The impact was hard on all of us because our whole family lost a friendship over the actions of a child. Psalm 41:9 says, Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me." There's nothing harder than watching your child hurt, watching them lose their confidence, watching them let someone else have power over them. Well, we made it through the school year and we grieved the loss. Does it hurt less because we're angry? No. But we get through it and begin a new school year. The very first day this same child starts again with his words. My son comes home with a first day that's not what he anticipated. First. Day. I cannot begin to tell you how I felt - angry, frustrated, hurt, weary to name a few. My husband and I have taken steps to make sure this stops, but what I really want to focus on is what God says. How do we get our son through this and not let him suffer? This can be tricky because although he is a Christian, it's hard for him to understand that God may be using this to strengthen him. The Bible says in Psalms 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever". We have shared with him Matthew 5:39 where Jesus tells us to "turn the other cheek". However, we must understand here that He is telling us to not take our own revenge. God does that for us. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord", says Romans 12:19. We must also look at the significance of when Jesus was slapped on the face by the guard of the High Priest. He did not turn His face so the guard could slap him again. Instead Jesus said in John 18:23, "If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" This shows us that even Jesus defended himself with words and demanded an answer for the treatment He was given. We don't have to take it. We don't have to subject ourselves to the mistreatment of others. Stand up. Stand firm. Stand on God's word that says that confronting is okay. Let me interject here that we are to always continue to love in our hearts. Mark 12:31 says, "The second is this, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." So we are working on this with our son. We are showing him what God says, encouraging him to confront it so he feels powerful instead of powerless, but also encouraging him to walk away. We can love, but we do not have to participate in a hurtful relationship.

I have watched my mother deal with the same situation, except in her case it's with family. Does this make it harder to walk away from? Yes. Does it mean that because it's family we should stay and take the abuse? No. We don't have to be trapped in a relationship that's abusive. Sometimes I think we, as Christians, believe we are to feel guilty if we walk out on a family relationship no matter the treatment. We can forgive our abuser but the Bible does not tell us to continue in it. I have watched my mother grieve the loss of her mother and sisters for years. She kept returning to the relationship because of her deep longing for their love, acceptance and relationship. Much like my son, she does not understand why things are the way they are. She's asked herself a million questions and tried to figure out what she's done. What if there's nothing? She's been to them many, many times to reconcile and will eventually find herself in the same hurtful, heartbroken place. Psalm 27:10 says, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." See, although our family members may leave us, God never does. Psalm 68:6 says, "God sets the lonely in families...". I can attest that He has set my mother in a family and she is lonely. She has no relationship with her mom or sisters. She is crushed in her spirit. But hear this. 2 Timothy 4:18 says, "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Amen. God will rescue us. He keeps us safe. To give the details of this relationship is not what's important, for there are too many to tell. What's important here is that I have watched my mother suffer in the name of family, even when it's been unhealthy for her - for all of us. Psalm 129: 2 and 4 says, "They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, But the Lord is righteous; He has cut me free from the cords of the wicked." Wait a minute, now. Did I say wicked? You bet I did. My mother has been oppressed by her family for years. Is it not wicked for a mother to turn her back on her own daughter? Is it not wicked for a family member to keep on hurting over and over again? There are many verses in the Bible that speak of leaving bad situations. Proverbs 13:20 says, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

Please know that I do not condone just haphazardly leaving family or friend relationships. But look at the heart of those you're trying to convince to love and like you. Do they love you? Do they treat you with respect? Have you done all that God has asked you to do to try and reconcile? If so, I think one of the verses that helps the most is Mark 6:11 that says, "And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." Did you hear that? God wants us to live for Him. He wants us to experience full joyfulness. Don't let anyone stand in the way of that. Let's pray for these that hurt us. Let's love them. Let's always pray that God shifts their hearts enough for reconciliation. But 1 Corinthians 7:15 says, ",,,A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace."

I believe the main verse to focus on here is Romans 12:18 that says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Unfortunately we are not able to live at peace with everyone, and as this verse says, as far as it depends on you - meaning that it takes all parties. If the other party is not willing, pray for them, but don't be guilted into staying because you think it's un-Christian not to. 

Am I hurt at my friends and my family? Yes. Do I love them? Yes. Do I miss them? Absolutely. Do I grieve over the loss? Every day.  But I don't want to stay and continue to be hurt. I don't want to watch my mother or my son hurt any longer. So we are choosing to walk away, and that's okay. God richly fills our lives with love - look for it. You'll find it. In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus. That's all we need, but that's not all He gives us. He sends us people to love us and care for us so that we may pour ourselves and our love for Him right back in to them. God is good. God is big. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" There is nothing too big for God to do, even reconcile a broken relationship. Just remember it takes all parties to be willing to let God work. He's even big enough to allow you to walk away and still love at the same time. Just ask Him. I love Him and I pray you know Him as your Savior. I've made it to the end with something very personal and this is long, but I felt Him leading me to share. I hope it helps if you find yourself in a relationship where you're hurting and don't know what to do. Thank you for reading and for listening. And don't be afraid to love deeply. It's what we're called to do. Even if you walk away, you can still love. Reach out, for He gives us each other to share everything under the Son.

I love you all,

Kacey

Altogether Beautiful

You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

Song of Solomon 4:7

Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Who are "they"? Who gets to decide what the parameters are for beauty? Somewhere, somehow, someone came up with the definition of beauty and it stuck. I think we can all agree on the beauty of some things, like a beautiful sunset or sunrise, the beauty of nature, or the vast beauty of the ocean. But what happens when we try to agree on the beauty of us, of people? Society tells us that we are supposed to look a certain way, weigh a certain amount, dress a certain way in order to be beautiful. Our youth are plagued with wanting to be beautiful, but the parameters are near impossible to meet. I read a quote the other day by the philosopher and teacher, Confucius, that said, "Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it." While that may be true for us, we must know that God always sees beauty, our beauty.

I, myself, have struggled my whole life over beauty - how to reach it, how to hold on to it, how to be more like those that have it. But over the last five years, my mindset about this has changed. For those of you that don't know, I have had breast cancer. It's been an amazing journey, for God taught me so much. I think one of the biggest things I learned is about beauty, so that's why I have such a passion for what it really is. I certainly haven't reached the place I need to be on this issue. My struggles are still real. They are still hard, and I am constantly trying to be a better version of myself for the Lord. But I see young people and old people alike not liking themselves because of stigmas society has placed upon us. Let me explain.

This week alone I have had two separate stories told to me about young women who do not realize their beauty in the eyes of the Lord. One mom said that her daughter struggles with no self-esteem, that she equates her self-worth and beauty on something her first boyfriend told her. The other mom told me that her daughter struggles because she's shy and feels like she doesn't fit in. Oh my goodness, this just gets my heart pumping! So many thoughts go through my heart and my head so quickly that my mouth can't keep up with what I want to say. You see, when I had cancer, I had markings over my body to mark the radiation site. I had scars from when I had numerous surgeries. My skin was red from the burning of the radiation. I got shingles three times in one year because of the stress. I was so tired, and I looked tired. I was weary, and I looked weary. Every time I looked in the mirror, I didn't like what I saw. I didn't feel like myself, or look like myself, so I never felt beautiful. Ever. Not. Ever. I admit that at the time I didn't care so much because I was too busy fighting to realize what I was really thinking when I looked in the mirror. But you know what? I did care. I was paying attention. I was learning the truth that God was teaching me through this time of my life. It's just taken some time for it to sink in. 

The Bible tells us in Psalm 139:14, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible because I think it speaks so much about how God feels about us. I did some research and found that in the original Hebrew text of the Bible, the word fearfully means, "with great reverence, heart-felt interest and with respect." The word wonderfully means, "unique, set apart, marvelous." So God is saying with great reverence, heart-felt interest and respect, "I have set you apart and made you unique and marvelous." Wow! So for all of you, know that you are unique and wonderful and marvelous and set apart because God made you to be who you are. Genesis 1:27 tells us, "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." We are all created in the image of our Almighty Savior. 

This year while on vacation we ran across a painting in a restaurant that I fell in love with immediately. It says simply, "in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus." I asked the manager of the restaurant if she would be willing to sell it to us and she said yes. I was so happy! I came  home and placed it on the wall beside my bed so that when I woke up each day that's the first thing I see. It's a daily reminder to me that all I need is Jesus. Every morning when I rise, I need Jesus. I have His love and acceptance of me and that's all I need.

Isaiah 60:1 says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." We need to let our light shine. Our light is Jesus, and we are to shine it for all to see. We cannot shine our lights if we think we're ugly. We cannot shine our lights if we think we're not good enough. We cannot shine our lights if we think we don't measure up to the person next to us. No, God made us to be us. So to the mom who has the daughter that has no self-esteem, let's pray she can rise up and realize that her self-worth is in Jesus. To the mom of the daughter who feels like a misfit because she's shy, let's pray she can rise up and realize that her shyness could be God's way of making her compassionate, having and wanting a heart more like Jesus. Let's pray we all learn to rise up and let our lights shine for Jesus because underneath what we see in the mirror, and underneath what we think people see when they look at us, is a warrior. If we know Christ as our Savior, the Bible tells us nothing is impossible with God. We are created in the very image of a God that created the entire universe. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old has gone, the new is here." Let us not look at ourselves and see fault. God sent His only son Jesus to die on a cross for us so that we may have eternal life. This is the greatest form of love there is. Let's rise up and be warriors for Christ, using how He made us the way He intended us to use it. No matter if we're shy or outgoing, tall or short, big or small, a talker or a great listener, He made us this way on purpose, for His purpose! Embrace it! Don't try to be someone you're not because you're supposed to be exactly who you are. Build on it. Ask God to help you see what He sees. Proverbs 3:15 says, "She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." He loves us with an ever-lasting, unconditional love. So let's rise up together and accept each other and love each other and encourage each other to be who we have been created to be. Rise up and be a warrior in who God created you to be. You are altogether beautiful, my love. All the time.

I love you all,
Kacey

He's Alive

Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit." When He had said this, He breathed His last. 

Luke 23:46

Imagine with me, just for a moment, a place of pure beauty; a place where the light is brilliant, the colors magnificent. The great street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass (Revelation 21:21). There will be robes of white and gates of pearl. There will be no more night, no more tears, no more worries, no more pain, no more suffering, no death or mourning. Instead, there will be praise - praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Praise to the one who came to earth to live and die on a cross to give us this eternal life in this wonderful place called Heaven. Doesn't it sound wonderful? And I know that we cannot truly fathom what Heaven is really like...we can only imagine. It will be more than we can comprehend. But what I've thought about so much this week, this Easter, is what it took for us to be given a place such as this to spend eternity. What did it cost? It cost us nothing. It cost Jesus everything. What sacrifices were made? We made none. Jesus gave it all.

See, Jesus was the only perfect man to walk this earth. He came to show us He was and is Christ, the Messiah, our Savior. He showed His love and His power to all, telling them what was to come. Oh, to be there then - what was it like? What was it like to watch Him feed thousands or make the blind to see? What was it like to see Him raise the dead? What was it like to touch the hem of His garment? To hear Him speak, to see Him perform these miracles, to watch Him give grace and show His love and speak of His death, burial and resurrection...what was it like? I wonder what they thought when He spoke of these things. He was perfect; unlike us, He was without sin, yet He was condemned to die. 

Luke 24:20 says, "The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him." (NIV) Now before they crucified Him, the Bible tells us in Matthew 27:28-30, "And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews'. Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head." (NKJV) They spit on our Savior, our Jesus, the One who came to save us and offer us this place I spoke of earlier called Heaven. They beat Him and hurt Him as much as they could. Not only did they hurt Him physically, they mocked Him and laughed in His face. What strikes me so much in these verses is that it says, "And they bowed the knee before Him". The Bible tells us in Romans 14:11, "For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God." (NKJV) Yet here they are bowing before Him not to worship Him or confess to God, but to mock Him. After the beatings and the mocking and the humiliation they put Jesus through, they led Him to a place called Golgotha. It was there they drove the nails in His hands and feet and hung Him on the cross to suffer and bleed and die an excruciating death. Even as He hung on the cross, Matthew 27:37 says, "And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS." (NKJV) They mocked Him even as He died. And you know what? He was dying for them, for you and for me. This perfect Lamb of God, hanging on a cross, dying, to take our sin for us so we wouldn't have to. What a sacrifice! We gave nothing. Jesus gave it all.

Jesus died that day on the cross. Oh, they watched and waited and shouted for Him to save Himself. Matthew 27:42 says, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him." (NKJV) He could have saved Himself. If He had chosen, He could have come down from that cross. But He chose not to. He didn't even drink the gall that was offered to Him to lessen the pain. He took on the full pain and force of all of our sins upon Himself. He died to give us life. 

But this is not where Jesus stops. The story doesn't end here, with His death. Matthew 28 tells us the story. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. But there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came from Heaven and rolled the stone away from the tomb! Yes, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was not inside. The angel's countenance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The angel told the women to not be afraid and that Jesus was not there. Jesus is Risen, just like He told them! The angel told the women to go tell the disciples that He is risen from the dead, that He was in Galilee and that they could see Him there. Now, we weren't there when the stone was rolled away, but can you imagine it? If we really stop and think about the deep sadness we would be feeling for having just lost Jesus, only to realize that He's risen, we get a glimpse of the emotion running through their hearts. The Bible says they had fear and great joy. But Jesus told them not to be afraid. They came and worshiped Him and He ascended into Heaven. He told them that day, and it is written for us today, "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age". Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) 

So this story is what's been pondering in my heart all week, especially today, Good Friday - the story that Jesus died on a cross that should have been mine. But He came with a purpose, to die for us and take on all our sin and then Rise up and defeat death. I do a lot of worshiping through song, and today I was going through some music and wanted to specifically hear the song, Arise, My Love. My favorite part of this song is when it says, "Then the Father looked down to His Son and He said, Arise my Love, Arise my Love, the grave no longer has its hold on You". Can you picture it with me? I can see God, the Father, looking down upon His Son, dead in a grave after so much suffering, reaching out His arms saying "Arise, my Love". Wow! That gives me chills. The Son went home to Heaven to be with the Father. I don't know if this happened, but when God, the Father says "Arise, my Love", I can picture Jesus falling into the arms of God. After having suffered and died and completing the task laid out before Him on this earth, it was over. He conquered death and the grave!

Today, I also listened to the song, He's Alive. I love a song that tells a great story, and this one does just that. It tells the resurrection story of Jesus from Peter's point of view. My favorite part of the song is when Peter is feeling ashamed and broken, and suddenly there is a sweet and strange perfume, and a light that comes from everywhere. As Peter looks up, Jesus is standing before him with His arms open wide. Peter fell to his knees, clung to Him and cried. Oh to have been there...to have been Peter. To feel such anguish and sorrow over His death, such shame for denying Him, then suddenly Jesus is standing before Him reaching out for Him, drawing him near. The song goes on to say that Jesus raises Peter up and the love from Jesus is shining through His eyes. The guilt Peter felt suddenly melted into peace. He was alive!! The grave could not hold the King!

To have been there, to actually see Jesus raised from the dead, I can only imagine. Just the thought makes my heart sing and makes me want to shout! Jesus died for us... horrifically, painfully died, but it didn't end with His death. He arose from the grave and is in Heaven preparing a place for us forever, for eternity. 

There is no one that could love us this much. What Jesus did for us is more than anyone will ever do. The Bible tells us He knew us before we were born, but when we get to Heaven, we will fall at His feet and worship Him. He will welcome us by name when we get to Heaven because He died specifically for each of us. We'll get to see Him and thank Him and praise Him for His sacrifice. The soldiers that bowed a knee and mocked Him, they bowed again, but not to mock, but to call Him Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Hallelujah! 

Will you spend eternity in this wonderful place called Heaven, with a Savior who went to these great lengths to make sure you could? Do you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord? Have you asked Him to forgive your sins? Have you thanked Him for His sacrifice? If not, do it today. Ask Him so that you can have the assurance of an eternity in Heaven.  

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, to save a wretch like me. He saved me. I adore Him and I love Him more than I can put into words. His sacrifice for me makes me so humble and grateful. I want to tell the world of His love. 

So, arise, my love, and worship Him. I thank Him, today, for what He did for me and for you. Everything He did for us was, and is, all we'll ever need. He is with us today, just as He was with the people when He walked this earth. He's my everything, and today I celebrate His ultimate gift. He's given us everything under the Son!

"But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." Acts 2:24

Happy Easter!

I love you all,

Kacey

Moving Mountains

"But the falling mountain crumbles away, and the rock moves from its place."

Job 14:18

We all face mountains...things in our path that seem insurmountable and impossible to conquer. We all want directions on how to get around this mountain - either how to climb it, or if we're honest, how to just avoid it and go around and miss it altogether. Never do we really want to climb it because from the bottom looking up it seems too big, too immovable, too steep, too hard. So what do we do? And how do we answer others, especially our kids, when they ask us for directions on how to move a mountain? The Lord spoke to me this week about this and I'd like to share.

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First, I would like to tell you that both of my boys have severe food allergies. They consist of nuts, eggs, shellfish, and milk. My youngest son, Jonah, is the one allergic to milk, and for us, it's by far the hardest to manage. On top of the food allergies, he has been diagnosed with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, or CVS. About a year ago, Jonah started vomiting for no apparent reason. The vomiting is very intense, violent, fall in the floor, us begging him to breathe kind of vomiting. We had never seen anything like this. After ruling out a virus, or flu, we thought he might be allergic to something new, but he wasn't. Just when we thought of going further with testing, it disappeared. No more vomiting. He was fine. The second or third time this so called virus appeared and then magically went away, we began to dig deeper - asking questions, doing research, and having our doctor help us determine what this was. After ruling out other things, it was determined that Jonah has CVS, which is a cyclical syndrome that comes and goes. Fast forward to about a month ago, and Jonah began complaining about bad headaches and severe abdominal pain, which we now know are called abdominal migraines. This last cycle has lasted for a month. It's hard on Jonah. He misses school, his food allergies become more sensitive, his head and stomach hurt. I think the worst part for him is that it comes on so suddenly, with barely enough time to make it to the bathroom, and the fact that it is so hard and violent for him. So we pray. We pray that the cycle ends quickly. We pray that there are no headaches and stomach pain. We pray he's able to go to school. We pray that the Lord removes the food allergies from both boys. But here's the thing I was so concerned about last week when it seemed so bad - I was worried that Jonah was discouraged with God because the cycle was still continuing. So I asked him. His sweet, precious, 10-year-old little heart said, "Well, no, mom, I'm not discouraged. We just need to keep praying!" Wow! He said it like he could not believe I had even asked the question. The Bible says in Matthew 18:3-4, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4) Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (NIV) Jonah was showing me he had faith. He believes his prayers are being heard, and he showed me how patiently he is waiting. 

Then this is what God did next. I stumbled across a story about a church in the Smoky Mountains that had just built a new building. They were a very excited congregation. Ten days before the dedication of the new building, an inspector came by and told the Pastor they would not be able to open as scheduled because they did not have adequate parking for the size of their church building. The Pastor explained that it took every inch of their land and they had no room left to expand the parking lot because there were other buildings on each side and a mountain in the back. The inspector said he was sorry, but they would not be allowed to hold their dedication service or open their new building. The Pastor decided to hold a prayer meeting, a mountain moving prayer time. About 30 members of the 300 member congregation met and they prayed for three hours. The Pastor was so moved and told the members to plan on showing up for the dedication service as planned, that God had not brought them that far to just quit. He told them to have faith. So the next week as the Pastor was in his office, someone knocked on his door. He opened it to a construction worker who explained that they were working over in the town next to them and needed some fill-dirt. He said they needed it right then and asked if they could remove dirt from the mountain that sat behind the church. He told the Pastor that in exchange for the dirt, his company would pave and concrete the area free of charge! The Pastor agreed, smiled, and the dedication service was held on the original Sunday. He told his members that God moved the mountain! He said the moral of this whole situation was that faith was not the absence of doubt, but the presence of belief! 

This has moved me in a mighty way. Jesus tells us in Mark 11:23, "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." (NIV) This church believed and God moved a mountain! I could not wait to share this story with Jonah. I told him just how much he had taught me with his faith and that I believed God showed us this story for a reason. Matthew 17:20 says, "Because you have so little faith, Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." See, a mustard seed is tiny, smaller than all other seeds. God isn't asking us to have an enormous sized faith. He picked the smallest seed of all and told us that if we had the smallest size faith in our heart, we could have the biggest outcomes. I explained to Jonah that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that He ultimately has the perfect plan for us. God's plan might be for Jonah to use his allergies and CVS to help others and give glory to God. But God's plan might be to remove these allergies and this CVS from his body. We don't know the plan, but we have learned this week through what God has shown us, that we don't have to know the plan. We just have to trust, to have faith, and to believe. Psalm 121:1-2 says, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? 2) My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (NIV)

Our help is in God alone. Our help comes from Him. Our faith is in Him alone, even if it's just a tiny amount. But God is so good and so big, that He doesn't ask the impossible from us, He does the impossible for us! Hallelujah! 

So my family has fully committed to praying for the boys, that the allergies will be completely removed from their bodies, and that Jonah will never have another CVS cycle again. We give God glory already for what He's done - for allowing us to understand what CVS is, what the allergies are and how to deal with them. We praise Him for allowing us the faith to pray for a miracle. And we give Him glory and praise for whatever the outcome! I praise Him for showing me a deeper side to the heart of my son, the faith he possesses as a little child in his prayers to a very big God. I thank God that He can move mountains...literally! 

I love Him and all He is and all He means to me. I pray you know Him, too. I pray you accept Him as your Savior so you can watch Him move the mountains in your life, whatever they may be. It only takes faith the size of a mustard seed. 

I'll update you and talk to you all soon. But for now, we'll just keep on talkin' about everything Under the Son. :)

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Psalm 90:2

I love you all,

Kacey