Part 2: Oaks of Righteousness...

This weekend I moved into a new house that I’ll be sharing with three other incredible girls!  Yayy!  It’s so exciting and something I have been looking forward to for many weeks now.  I will definitely post pictures and introduce you to all of them— they are amazing!  And this house of ours couldn’t be more perfect inside and out.  As I pulled up the other night I found myself marveling at the oak tree that it’s nestled in.  It is a mighty mighty tree.  The circumference of the trunk alone would take all four of us to join hands in order to give it a big ol’ hug.  It is evident that this stunning work of creation has seen much in its lifetime.

It’s so crazy to think that the majesty, splendor, and strength of that beautiful oak came from one itty-bitty baby acorn.  And after many seasons of life, through the "deaths" of winter and the "births" of spring, that small seed grew into this mighty tree with deep, strong roots.  Phew, talk about perseverance!

 

A few days ago I was sharing Isaiah 61:1-3 with you and how I’m asking God to make those words the anthem of my life.  I marvel at how He can take our brokenness and darkness and make something beautiful from it.  But as if that isn’t enough, He takes us one step further.  Check out what’s next…

“They [We] will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of His splendor.

[We] will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

[We] will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations."

Isaiah 61:4

Yes please!!  That is what I long for the Lord to do in our lives and through our lives.  That as He replaces our darkness, captivity, death, and despair with His freedom, beauty, peace, and praise we would grow into "...oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."

I pray with each new season our roots would continue to go deeper and deeper in the soil of the Lord and bring forth a wellspring of life for His name's sake and the restoration of generations old and new.

So welcome to The Splendid Acorn, that's me...that's us.  I’m so glad you are here.

Part 1: The little acorn that could...

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, 

because the Lord has anointed me 

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes, 
the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair…”

Isaiah 61:1-3

A few years ago, I was going through a tough season of major heartbreak.  I was absolutely crushed and broken to the core.  Ever been there before?  Ya not so fun. But, it was during that time I found myself in Isaiah where the verses 61:1-3 leaped into my brokenness and immediately I wanted to cry out, “YES, YES Lord I want that!!”  I so resonated with these words and longed for Christ to breathe this promised redemption, restoration, and freedom into and through my veins.

Since then, the Lord has done (and continues to do) a tremendous work in me, however I find myself continually asking Him for those verses to become an even greater reality through me.  God is such a good Father who desires wholeness for His children.  And like it or not, I’m realizing He is a committed Daddy who won’t relent until we work together through my areas of darkness, insecurity, and captivity.  Faithful as He is, He has been sifting those rocks to the surface that are holding me back and keeping me from the abundant life He has to offer.

The more and more I learn about the character of God, the more I’m amazed by the Creator that He is.  He is the One that births life from nothingness.  And these words penned from His heart in Isaiah tell us He longs to birth beauty from these ashes of ours.  Replace our mourning with rejoicing and clothe our areas of hopelessness with praise.  He is a God who lavishes love and brings out the finest wine when the tap is dry and the party seems over.

So maybe you’re a bit like me, and sometimes allowing God into those areas of darkness is tough. Because, that might mean acknowledging pain, disobedience, shame, disappointment, and embarrassment.  But I can promise you that through the obedience of confession and transparency with the Lord (and maybe even a trusted friend), those places of darkness and brokenness are a fertile soil for Him to sprout seeds of beauty, freedom, joy, and life...

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin

Festivals, Fireworks and Freedom...

Holidays are one of the many things that makes this life so abundant to me.  I believe any reason to celebrate is a good one and the 4th of July is definitely at the top of my list!  This weekend was just that- one of much celebration- with family, friends, and over 60,000 strangers (aka the Peachtree Road Race). 

One of the highlights was a road trip to the 10th Annual Sunflower Farm Festival with my buddy Kaylee!  Does summer time get any better than that?  I think not.  

Here are a few of my favorite memories and views...

That's Kaylee... pretty much the epitome of beautiful.  By now she must think I'm a freak, because every time I see her I can't help but tell her how gorgeous she is!  And as if that isn't enough, she is a lover of the Lord, an encourager, a comforter, a devoted friend, and one that puts your heart at rest in her presence.

It was love at first sight as we pulled up to this charming entrance...

This little man was jammin on his "air mandolin" and having the time of his life...

Welcome to the sunflower fields!  Reason #537 I love living in the South...

And jusssst as we were about to grab our cutters to bring home one of these magnificent blooms...

the heavens opened....

and a moment later we found ourselves with this very unfortunate view....

Curses!!  But even though we had to drive an hour to get there, those 20 minutes of sunflower bliss were well worth the trip.  Sunflower Farm Festival, we will see you next year!

...I can't help but share a few more from the weekend...

In other news, Dad now has a gun rack.  He's pretty proud of it, and so am I- he built two of those puppies himself.  That night I walked away with a 30 minute lesson in all things BULLETS!  Who knew there was so much to learn about bullets?!  Maybe that's how guys feel about the many styles of shoes a girls gotta have. :)

Dad's also a firework fanatic.  Rain or shine the show must go on!

Without a doubt I am proud to be an American.  But even more so, I am grateful to be an American. Thank you to all the unsung heroes and their families that have sacrificed more than I can ever imagine for this gift of freedom, for I know it isn't free.

Sleep tight America...

Pressing on…

Well, I was planning on sharing with you where The Splendid Acorn came from and what’s behind the name.  However, plans changed. :)  Instead, I thought I’d share with you the verses the Lord brought to mind this morning and what I’m resting in tonight.

"I am SURE of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion..." Philippians 1:6

"He who calls you is faithful..." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

He is faithful!  He is committed!  To you… to me... to His glory!!

I needed that reminder not only this morning as I started my day, but also tonight as I’m about to tuck in.  Oh that I would cling to His promises and not fall prey to the snares of the enemy.  That I would let these words sink deep in my heart and allow them to transform my thoughts and actions. 

I love how The Message describes Paul’s words…

“I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.” Philippians 3:13-14

That's me.  Even though I feel like a tortoise in this race and often it's two steps forward and 1.9 steps back.  I’m learning to press on.  It's a marathon for me, with a few sprints along the way, but characterized by baby steps and sustained by the grace of God.

I definitely don’t have it all figured out.  And even tonight as I write, I totally resonate with Jesus' words, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  However, even in my stumbles, trips, falls, and crawls, I am learning to "fix [my] eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (read vs. 12:1-3--even better!)

He was and is victorious!  I’m convicted tonight about how often I can be a wimpy, lazy Christian.  So often I pout around and sing a woe-is-me song.  How lame is that?!

He has given me... given us!... everything we need in Him, however I have got to do something with it.  So friends, let's put on the full armor of God!  Let’s buckle His truth around our waist, mount His righteousness over our chest, shod our feet with His peace and readiness, pick up the protective shield of faith, crown ourselves with the helmet of His salvation and use the sword of the Spirit aka His Word!  Not to mention we’ve got to pray… on all occasions! (Eph. 6:10-18)  Nothing is too big, too small, too hard, or too silly for our God.

I don't know about you... but I'm tired of being a wimpy Jesus follower.  I want to learn to use the tools God has equipped me with for this battle!  Let's put on the armor of God and stake claim on the real estate Jesus has already conquered!

And we're off...

So I’ve been kicking around this idea of starting a blog.  I confess, I’ve always wanted to be that funny, witty and loveable blog spot.  But let’s be real, I’m definitely not that cool and definitely not brilliant with words.  But even more than that, I never had a purpose to blog.  If I’m honest, my intentions would be all about me.  How cute I would want you to think I am and perfect I would want you to believe my life is.  But lately I started thinking, what if this girl was honest.  Honest about this season of life, those insecurities that hold us back and keep us paralyzed, those repeated hang-ups that we wonder if we will ever beat, and the times of loneliness that seem to creep in at the strangest moments. Yup, life is just messy sometimes.

What if there could be a place of refuge and rest where us girls know we’re not the only one on this journey…or maybe even selfishly speaking, that I would know I’m not the only one.  But also, what if this could be a place we can celebrate being daughters of the highest King and this incredible role He has given us in His Kingdom and for His glory!  A place where we laugh at how complex, yet simple we are, and stand in awe of the One whose image we bear.  And a place where the lies of this world would be silenced and the anthem of God’s truth would transform our hearts and minds.  I’m just dreaming here, but what if…

Maybe I’m making a much bigger deal out of this—yes I realize, I have a massive tendency to be a bit dramatic.  And maybe this is just something I really want for myself so I am roping you in with me too.  But I can’t deny something has been different about this past year of my life.  It’s been a new season for me... one of a lot of reflection, many first steps, many tears, and even more praises.  It has been rich.  And as I look back I see seeds of confidence, humble strength, and beauty that have sprouted from this heart of mine.

So here I go… here we go… and more than anything, I hope this blog is an encouragement, a place of celebration, and most importantly a place where our eyes are lifted up to our Savior and His majesty.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon. :)