Reading: Philippians 1:27-30, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 3:23

be still and know:

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27a

“True joy, in fact, is never found in chasing the perfect. It is only found in chasing the genuine life of following Christ. It is the road less traveled, but it is the only road that brings us to true life!”

post from my sister on her journey of infertility, receiving news of the unexpected, and chasing Christ in life’s journey!

Comfort is a peculiar concept. Even just this afternoon, I couldn’t wait until I could change into my comfy clothes after a day of travel and work. Comfort in many ways represents rest for us safety and security. Comfort is most often the road that leads to spiritual satisfaction that turns into spiritual complacency and ends up in the dead end of spiritual ineffectiveness. It is a downward spiral crafted by this world to make us crave the temporary and miss the eternal in today. Satan wants us to jump on the comfort bandwagon. There is no thrill, no risk, no extreme life lessons in comfort, just soft t-shirts, cozy bedspreads, hot showers, and bowl full of mac n’ cheese (all the things I run to when I just want to be comfortable).

The dream of becoming a momma is embedded deeply in the fabric of a woman’s heart. I remember caring for my baby dolls when I was a child as if they had life and breath in them! As the years progressed and I grew older, this longing continued to grow and strengthen. If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was always simple and always the same – “I want to be a wife and a mom!” Regularly I would have conversations with friends about how many kids we wanted to have someday. My answer was usually five, on average. Everything about marriage, pregnancy, and motherhood looked so glamorous and easy from the outside! As a single woman, I would have done anything to have the privilege of a ring on my finger, a baby on my hip, and a husband to love. If you are single and reading this post, you know this deep, unfulfilled longing all too well!

Last fall at the Influence Conference I met several women who I have been able to keep up with and be inspired by ever since! One of those ladies was Kelly Halsch. Kelly and I were able to talk for a while at the conference and she shared her story with me. Kelly is one of those women whose joy and passion for life and Christ is contagious! She writes on her blog Legacy of Beauty and is also the author of several books. All I can say is, grab a box of tissues, a cup of coffee, and cozy up as you read Kelly’s story and encouragement. It is a powerful story of redemption and hope!