“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.” Psalm 138:8a-b ESV
Images above of a couple of air fresheners plugged in.
Ishared this little story on social media today. As you probably guessed by now, it’s based on a true story that took place right here in the two bathrooms of our apartment.
When I plugged the air freshener into another socket, I could sense God stirring at my heart, teaching me a deeper lesson. The properly-functioning plug in a few days later only confirmed what I knew God to be speaking to me.
The lesson was two-fold. For one thing, the liquid in the vial reminded me of the Holy Spirit. As believers, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, but unless we are plugged into Him, we won’t “spread the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). We won’t be living a life powered by Him and for Him.
I also thought of all that God has put within us as individuals—our spiritual gifts and abilities and personalities. And although we may be able to complete some meaningful things throughout our lifetime using these aspects of our lives, we will not fulfill our true potential and purpose unless we are plugged into the One that put all those aspects into our beings.
Lastly, I think it’s also important to note that we must be plugged into Him.
One socket was good. The other was not.
We can be plugged into church, into Bible studies, and into doing many wonderful things. But unless we are plugged into the true Source, we won’t be fragrant.
If this story blessed you today, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.
May we never keep all that God has put within us to ourselves because we weren’t consistently and continually being plugged into the source. May we be a beautiful fragrance first and foremost to Him!
Picture of my husband’s and my hands, compliments of my sister-in-law
JJ and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary last week. Our approaching anniversary had me feeling nostalgic as I remembered some of the highs and lows we’ve experienced throughout this past decade.
Within these ten years, we have lived in three different cities and called four different apartments and one house our home.
We’ve welcomed two precious sons into our lives and await to meet our other child in heaven.
We’ve certainly had our share of grief—of sickness, loss, and heartache.
But we’ve also had so much to celebrate, too.
Besides the blessing of getting married and welcoming our two precious sons into our family, JJ has been able to experience a gamut of opportunities within his career. Most importantly, I’ve seen God use JJ in that place. He has grown in his love of the gospel and boldness to share it as God leads. We expectantly wait to see what God might have for him as we prepare to move out of state.
As for me, I’ve found purpose in writing—a sense that God wants to use my words for His glory. It has been humbling and overwhelming in the best way. I pray it always is for as long as He wishes to use me in this way.
Ten years ago, we were five weeks out from a move across the state. We just didn’t know it yet. Ten years later, we are once again around five weeks out from a move. This time, however, we are fully aware of it. We have been for quite some time.
It is interesting to see how much our marriage parallels what it once was ten years ago. And yet so much has changed, too.
We move forward with a bit of nervousness but also with a lot of anticipation, believing this is where God is leading. And I move forward with JJ toward this new place and new life with trust because I know the man he is and the one that he has become.
I’m so grateful for these ten years and the ways I’ve witnessed God shaping JJ and molding him and giving him a greater love for prayer, His Word, and the lost. I’m also so thankful for how God sustained us. He has been our constant, faithful in all ways.
We may not know what these next ten years may bring, and we certainly don’t know what it will be like to live in a new state. But to be in God’s hands, in His will, is the best place to be. Our security is found in Him, and I look forward to seeing what these next ten years will bring.
Yesterday it dawned on me why I like this mason jar so much.
I’ve been using it for years to paint and originally tried to keep it spotless after each painting session with my son. He was a toddler when we first started using it, however, so that was an impossible goal. Keeping the walls and furniture smudge free as I took him and his paint-speckled hands to the bathtub was much more of a priority. So, the jar stayed smudged with paint instead, and I soon kept it with all my paint supplies.
Although I rinse it out after each painting session, it nonetheless has become more speckled and splattered throughout the years. Over time, however, a subtle beauty has emerged form that glass jar—a living story from each time it has been used.
Yesterday morning, after painting rocks with the boys to remember the empty tomb, I rinsed off the mason jar at the end of our activity, and I once again studied each color, each streak, each testimony to its quiet and steady use over time. And in that moment, I felt a nudge—a silent challenge—to be more like that jar for God’s good purposes.
The truth is, most people will never know about this glass jar that I appreciate so much. When they see my paintings (or, more likely, my oldest son’s artwork), they won’t comment on how well that jar cleaned off our paintbrushes in between paints. They’ll only comment on the colors, or perhaps even the size of the canvas and the brush strokes. They’ll certainly comment on the talent of the painter, as they’ve done so many times already with my son. The mason jar will never receive the recognition it deserves of a job well done. Not by a public audience, at least. But both my son and I know how important this jar has been, faithfully helping us to paint for all these years. And that is enough.
As God uses me in different ways throughout my lifetime, I hope I will find a deep peace in knowing that pleasing Him is enough also. Often times, the roles we play and the things God calls us to may seem so secondary to the tasks to which God may call others. But perhaps, in our quiet and steady service to Him, a subtle beauty will emerge—a living story for His glory of a greater masterpiece.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Photo from Pexels.com of a snowy path through trees
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29
It’s cold outside, which isn’t necessarily a given on these winter days in southern Texas. The trees have lost their leaves, and there is a general sense of dreariness outdoors, but I don’t mind it. Not this year, at least. This type of weather reminds me of my need to do what much of nature is doing on this side of the hemisphere—rest.
Both Sunday school and the church service touched on this theme over a week ago, and I’m finding it in the verses I’ve been reading during my quiet time as of late.
Cease from striving. Be still and know that He is God. Rest in Him.
I generally jump into each new year with a lot of zest and a list of goals that I tend to only half-finish. This year, not only did I make the big list of goals, but I also started packing in anticipation of our move come May.
A few weeks later, however, I’ve found myself scaling back on all the things I want to accomplish this year, and I’ve already unpacked some of the items I had stored away. The truth is, after a busy fall semester of book readings and farmers markets and all the daily tasks as a wife and mom, I’m tired, and I need a break.
As I find myself in this slower season, I see God’s wisdom to have created this world with physical seasons—seasons to rest, to plant, to nurture and grow, and then to reap a harvest. And as I consider these seasons, I can’t help but think that our lives ought to follow a similar pattern too.
We certainly see these different seasons in our lives at different times. As I grow older, however, I’m finding beauty in the idea of starting the new year at a slower pace, with lots of time to reflect on the past year and to prayerfully consider what God might desire for me this new year. To rest, just like nature is doing now.
There will be plenty of time to tackle the projects ahead and to pack and prepare for a move come this spring. Perhaps the best way to prepare for the busyness ahead, however, is to find rest in the LORD and to physically rest as I commune with Him this winter season. After all, God created each physical season on purpose and for a reason. If the winter season that nature is given helps to lead to greater growth in the spring, then how much more do we need that time of rest and restoration so that we can experience abundant growth in our own personal seasons of spring! Let’s not take for granted the winter seasons God gives us. They happen to us on purpose and for a reason. Let’s take advantage of them to rest, reflect, and deepen our relationship with God.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Picture of slips of paper with notes about the best of the year
I did things a little differently this year. If you have been following this blog for some time, you know that I generally write a list of the best things about the year over the Thanksgiving weekend. It becomes a time for me to remember how gracious God has been to me and my family and to consider how much He has generously given to us throughout the year, which always causes my heart to well up with deep gratitude to Him.
This year, I decided that I wanted to capture the best moment of each day, which I wrote down on little scraps of paper throughout the year. I must confess that I never quite got into the habit of writing down the best moment of each day every evening. I’m pretty sure I’ve skipped over a couple dozen days within the last 330 days or so that I have been doing this. At times, I wrote on several small scraps of paper at a time, trying to document the best of each day for several days at a time.
Although remembering to do this activity in the evenings, and then also trying to determine or remember which moment was the best was a challenge, I’m really glad I stuck to it as best as I could.
January was an especially beautiful month as I began this new routine. This otherwise dreary month turned into a vibrant 31 days for me as we enjoyed meaningful, often spontaneous moments together as a family, all orchestrated by God’s hand.
I have yet to read the slips of paper from this past year and to see what all I have deemed as the best for each day. I plan to do so (or to at least start it) sometime this weekend. But I look forward to reading each one and remembering how good this year has been and how God has been so kind to us. While we have certainly had some triumphant moments to celebrate this year as a family, I have noticed more, in writing down the best of each day, how gracious God has been to us in the small moments. I saw it in the evening where I felt His presence close to me as I made dinner and the boys played peacefully together in the living room. Or in the cold, winter evening when we watched a movie together as a family that taught the importance of hard work and persistence. And a more recent moment, when, while the fire alarm was blaring in our apartment complex, the boys and I went to get something to drink on a whim at our local HEB (a grocery store here in Texas, for those of you not blessed enough to know! 😉). I’m really glad I chose to document the days of this year, because I would forget all the little ways in which God lavished His love upon me this year. I’m pretty sure I still don’t recognize half of it as it is.
I don’t know what type of year this has been for you, but I pray that God will help you to remember how kind and faithful and gracious He has been to you throughout this year. In this world, we are not without troubles. However, Jesus has told us that He has overcome this world. I pray you can find comfort in Him and recognize that He has not forsaken you and is not withholding His love toward you. He is more generous to us that we’ll ever know—at least this side of heaven. The fact that He gives us each breath and sustains us and has provided a way for us to know Him personally is proof alone. May He bring to your memory all the little (and big) ways He has lavished His love upon you and generously given to you. Regardless of our personal circumstances, there is still so much to be thankful for, so may our hearts overflow with thankfulness to Him! Happy Thanksgiving!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
I debated about whether to post this or not. Perhaps I wouldn’t at all had I written this more recently. The body of this post is from a journal entry from August of 2008, however, so I feel a little more inclined to share.
I stumbled upon this journal entry recently while going through old diaries. I’ve been carrying around a heavy box of journals I’ve been collecting since over two decades ago, and as we look ahead to a move at the end of spring, I’ve been determined to lighten our load and to rid myself of anything that does not need to travel with my family and me. Thus, I’ve been reading through old journals, trying to determine what is worth keeping and what can stay behind.
Most of what I’ve read so far has been embarrassing, to be honest. I’ve been revisiting the thoughts of a young woman who had areas in her life where she desperately needed to be set free. The lies I had believed as a girl and carried into young adulthood were still binding me up and determining my most every move.
The entry I share is no different. Most of it is filled with a wrong mindset about my Maker. I see a shift in my thoughts, however, as I continue to read this particular entry. A small glimmer of hope streams through the dark clouds of my mind as I consider another perspective that, although perhaps not completely accurate, is trying to grasp ahold of the truth and God’s deep love for me.
Here’s the entry I wrote back then:
08/8/2008
It’s raining outside. The storms here in Morelia scare me. The thunder cracks as if a big whip had just whizzed through the air. It rumbles with a passion.
The first thing I wonder is if God is mad at me. I have so many issues with Him right now. I wonder if His heart is good towards me. I wonder if He’ll ever give me what I want most. I wonder why He would want me to hope to only see those hopes continually thrashed and left bleeding in pieces. I wonder if He just wants to use me and nothing more. Am I a pawn to do His bidding? Does He care about my feelings and desires and fears, or does He only care about those things that He can use for His master schemes?
But then I hear the thunder again, and I hear it as a passionate groan, a deep mourning. Could it be that God is sobbing because of this very heart I claim He knows nothing about? Could it be that He feels desperate for me to see the war Satan is raging on my life? Could it be that He is watching in silent agony and begging me not to listen to the lies?
Several months after writing this, I went on to discover just how many lies I had been believing. God did a wonderful work in my life and my heart to free me of many strongholds. For me, it was nothing short of miraculous. He did within me what I didn’t think was possible. It certainly wasn’t possible without His Spirit working within me.
I don’t share this post lightly, and I’m not completely comfortable putting these thoughts out there, either. I share these ideas, however, because I think that the way I felt in this journal entry is not that all uncommon. We all have our hang ups and wrong thought patterns that seem determined to dominate our minds, and we’ll never fully be free from these struggles until Jesus takes us home. My hope, however, is that the words I’ve written today can encourage others to challenge their own perspective on their circumstances and help them to see life through the lens of God’s goodness, mercy, and grace. I sure learned a lot about such things in the months that ensued after writing that entry! My life was forever changed.
If, like me, you have struggled with similar thoughts, I pray that you will see how God desires to truly set you free. He has so many wonderful gifts in store for us, but the best one of all—the one that allows us to enjoy all others—is living with a mind that has truly been set free by our Savior. Let’s aim to grasp ahold of that freedom together again and again in this battle of our minds. It’s worth the fight!
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.’
Photo by nagaraju gajula on Pexels.com of the blue bonnets in Texas
We got out of Texas for a while. JJ, the boys, and I flew to the northeast in the summertime to visit his family for a few days, then we drove a couple states south with his mother and nephew to do some exploring. The idea was to visit a city that JJ had been researching online to see if we would potentially want to move there. It’s hard to find housing where we currently live, and with no family in town and a growing desire to experience the four seasons (as opposed to hot, hotter, and a small bout of cold in the winter), we’ve been considering getting out of Texas for a while.
As we drove south with three young children in tow, the trip had its challenges. But it also had some great moments, too. Most of all, however, this trip was bittersweet—bittersweet, because I’ve grown to love Texas over the years.
I never would have imagined to have become so fond of this state. As a teenager born and raised in Colorado, I vaguely remember scoffing at the idea of living here, alongside my two sisters, while watching a popular TV series that took place in Texas. Colorado has so much natural beauty, and I just couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world at the time.
More than a decade later, however, God opened the door for me to study in Dallas, so I moved to the state. Ironically, I never finished that degree, but I stayed in Texas all the same, switching schools to study linguistics only 18 miles away. My idea was to finish my degree and go back overseas to pursue missions work. Nonetheless, God had other plans. The calling to missions that I had sensed over my life (and that I was able to fulfill in my twenties) was starting to fade, leaving me with a lot of questions and uncertainty about my future. Fortunately, God was planting a love for teaching English as a second language in my heart throughout that time, and several months after graduating, I was given the opportunity to teach ESL to Spanish speaking seminary students in south Texas.
It was while living there that I met JJ, and plans changed once again. We married and moved to the west-most tip of the state soon after, where we experienced numerous highs and lows. There, we experienced the joy of welcoming our firstborn into our arms and buying our first home together. There, however, we also experienced the sorrow of dealing with personal health issues within our family, a pandemic, and personal loss. Nonetheless, treasures were forged throughout this time. Through these moments of grief, God was rekindling my love for writing that would develop into something more over time. I started blogging in that home in west Texas, and the sense that I could minister to others and encourage them through my words only grew in the months to follow.
Six years after our initial move to west Texas, we packed our bags again and moved to a small town not too far from San Antonio, where we currently reside, and there have been plenty of joys and sorrows within our time here, too. We moved here on the heels of our own heartbreak right before the town was to experience its own tragedy. Several months after that, we experienced more heartbreak as our oldest son struggled in school.
Nonetheless, I clung onto Lamentations 3:22-24, as follows:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Furthermore, as the year came to an end, He made a passage from the Psalms to become our reality.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
-Psalm 30:5b
The following year, we welcomed a second son into our family and saw our oldest son grow in such wonderful ways. Since then, JJ has also had different opportunities to grow within his profession, and God has given me a greater sense of purpose through writing and publishing my first children’s book with more to come!
Texas really has been such a blessing for my family and me. God has given us so many opportunities to see His goodness in our lives while also being stretched and molded to look more like Him. Our time here has been rich in so many ways, and the friendships we have formed throughout our years living here have been so precious that it’s hard to think about saying goodbye. Nonetheless, as we spend a few more seasons here, I want to remember that the good gifts that God has bestowed upon my family and me are not limited to this place. If He could make a place where I had no desire to live to become a blessing to me, then how much more could He do that wherever He may lead!
As my family and I begin to prepare for what comes next, I pray we’ll keep that in mind, being expectant of the future but also living well in this moment and in all the extravagant gifts God continues to give us in our sweet home Texas.
Photo by Gantas Vaiu010diulu0117nas on Pexels.com of a handheld lamp lit by a candle
I had another post ready to share today, but it doesn’t seem appropriate in light of Charlie Kirk’s passing.
Like many people in this nation, my heart has been heavy as I contemplate the life and legacy that Charlie Kirk left. I didn’t follow him closely, but I caught videos of him from time to time and was always so impressed with his composure in hostile environments and his ability to answer with such intelligence and respect for individuals that were often times belligerent towards him.
America lost a powerful voice yesterday when Charlie’s life was taken from him. However, in many ways, it didn’t. Charlie posted video upon video of his views and beliefs, and in light of his passing, many are curious to listen to what he had to say. He was a light for Jesus while here on earth, but now the message that he shared about Jesus and the gospel will spread like wildfire through the sharing of his videos online, all thanks to the intense focus that his assassination has brought to his life.
One person thought to put an end to Charlie’s life yesterday, and he did. He killed his body, but he didn’t kill his soul. However, I truly believe that God has intended to bring eternal life to many through Charlie’s death because now many are willing to listen to the words of faith that Charlie often shared.
I imagine Charlie weeping tears of joy at heaven’s gates at some point as he fully understands the impact that not only his life had here on earth, but that God has allowed his death to have as well. I hope that his wife can take comfort in that idea, and I pray that others (me included) are emboldened to share about Jesus like Charlie did, whether through his videos on social media or through their own testimony. Now is the time.
Finally, we mourn his death, but we do not grieve as those without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). For those of us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will see him again! In the meantime, let’s pray for his family, and let’s pray for and seek out opportunities to share with the lost so that, like Charlie, they too, can truly live.
Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Photo by Kailash Kumar on Pexels.com of a shepherd in a pasture with his sheep
To the New Mama
Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young”
Isaiah 40:9-11 ESV
We read the passage above in Sunday school yesterday, and that last verse transported me back to a time when my firstborn was a newborn and I was learning how to be a mom. I have tender memories of those moments now, but the learning curve of motherhood was a steep mountain to climb, and those first few cold, wintry nights with a newborn seemed interminable to me.
It was during that time that I truly understood the phrase “to drag oneself out of bed.” I would hear my baby crying in the wee hours of the morning, and it took all the strength and sheer determination I could muster to drag myself out of bed. Throughout the first month or so with little Liam, I prayed for God to make each day a little easier for me. Then, in the months to follow, I begged Him to cause Liam to sleep through the night so that I could get some much-needed sleep!
I hope I’m not painting too bleak of a picture here—especially for the women who have yet to become moms. I loved my baby boy so deeply. He was so cute and sweet and precious, and he would continue to win my heart over and over again in the months to come as he learned how to smile and then started to coo and then crawl and walk and everything in between. Nonetheless, I quickly learned that motherhood, especially at this stage, was exhausting, and I sure didn’t have the energy I thought I should for it!
It was somewhere around the time that Liam was born that I stumbled upon the last verse mentioned above, and in my sleep-deprived, foggy brain, I was immensely encouraged that God would gently lead those with young. The truth is, I needed that leading so much. I felt vulnerable and completely incapable of making simple decisions on my own. So, to know that God was tenderly leading me and looking out for my young family and me brought a lot of comfort to my heart back then. I wasn’t alone in this new journey of motherhood. God’s eyes were upon me, gently guiding me and protecting my family and me along the way.
When I think back to when I first became a mom, it encourages me to share this verse with any woman who may be experiencing the same things as I did. As lonely as motherhood might seem (especially in those initial days), God has not abandoned us in it. As huge of a responsibility that it is, we can cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Sleep my not come for a good while in those early days (It sure didn’t for me with my youngest more recently!), and we may suffer the effects that exhaustion often brings. Still, God’s outpouring of love and compassion will still be there. His eyes will still be upon us in each joy and sorrow. And He will tenderly guide us like a good and loving shepherd, because He is the one who gave His own life for His sheep.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
I posted a six-part video series in September regarding a children’s book I hope to publish this spring. I’ve been a little less active on this blog due to focusing on that story and the general busyness of life as of late, but I wanted to share what I did on social media since I have grown fond of this blogging community and consider quite a few of you dear friends. If you would rather watch the video series, you can find it on Instagram at colleenjamesgetspublished. Otherwise, please enjoy this written rendition of how God has brought me to this point.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com of a computer keyboard, coffee, and a pen and journal
I’m no longer writing the book. As I drank a coffee at a quaint little café across from my brother and sister-in-law over a year ago, my sister-in-law told me how she and my brother had been praying about writing the book themselves. Furthermore, after a series of recent events, they believed God was calling them to do just that.
I had been writing about the spiritual lessons that my family and I had learned while my brother was sick in 2011 for over three years now, so it was really disappointing to hear those words at first. However, writing that book had been so painstaking and a much slower process than it ever should have been, so I could only imagine the huge sense of relief I would feel at some point to be freed of this responsibility.
Days passed by, and although that relief never washed over me, I did feel lighter. Lighter and free to dream again. But before committing myself to working on another big writing project, I decided to pray about what God would have me work on next. I didn’t want to rush ahead of Him on this.
After around a week of praying, I was washing dishes when a children’s story idea came to me with very few details for me to flesh out on my own. I was equally surprised and delighted by the idea and could only attribute the plot to God. I somehow failed to realize that this was God’s answer to my prayer, however. The truth is, I wanted to do something more “important” with my writing. Something the likes of a novel or non-fiction, and I kept waiting for Him to show me which of these ideas to pursue. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the momentary “distraction” of this story idea in the meantime as I tried to figure out the two details that needed to be determined for it. What hardships would the main character face? And, since she was to be a personified instrument in this tale, which one would she be?
About a week later, my son was watching a show while I cleaned the kitchen, and as soon as the cartoon featured a girl with her mandolin, I instinctively knew that this was the instrument that my main character had to be. Choosing some hardships for her (the personified mandolin) became easy after that. Still, the fleshed-out story idea remained in the notes section of my phone for three more months because I was still waiting for God to answer my prayer.
By January, I was starting to accept the fact that perhaps God didn’t intend for me to get published. Maybe I was supposed to just stick with blogging. But then I watched a movie in a rare moment of free time, and as I soon realized that the life and legacy of Beatrix Potter (the author of the Peter Rabbit books) was unfolding before my eyes, I sensed God’s plan for my writing unfolding for me, too.
With the plot still in the notes section of my phone and a newfound confidence that I was supposed to be writing children’s books, I began to work feverishly on the story, sensing God’s favor that week as my baby napped better than ever.
The day after my birthday, the first draft was complete, and I saw God’s favor in the timing of this story, too, thanks to a letter I had written to myself a year prior to be opened on this particular birthday.
Within the letter, I simply stated that “God knows the timing, and He makes no mistake. Just like each note belongs where it does in a symphony, each God-ordained moment of your life belongs where it does, too.”
The idea of each note in a symphony resonated with me deeply, considering the story that I was writing was about music. I had written about an instrument maker, the mandolin he made, and the purpose she (the mandolin) eventually found as an instrument in his hands.
If you’ve read some of my past blogposts, you already know how much I’ve struggled with God’s timing throughout my own life. Reading those words, however, was such a succinct reminder that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing in this season. I could trust God on the timing of this book and this publishing journey, which has been so important to remember in these past months.
There is still so much to do, and I don’t expect to be ready to publish this story until March 2025 at the earliest, but I’m so thankful for the gift of this story and for how God has been guiding me and providing for this story thus far. Ephesians 3:20 comes to mind as I think of all God has been doing in my life as of late, and all I can say is that I’m just so thankful that His dreams for us are bigger than anything we could have imagined. In the meantime, I’ll keep you all updated as the exact publishing date draws near!
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
