The day after our 2nd Annual Let Your Light Shine Family 1 Mile Walk & 5K on May 28th, we went as a family to the Royals game. (Our race went beautifully, by the way; thank you to ALL who participated by walking, running, donating, sponsoring, praying... THANK YOU!! We are awaiting pre-printed story pricing on our children's bibles and are hoping for an update and a big order soon!). It was AJ's 1st Royals game (of hopefully many, he says ;) ), and it was a Funday Sunday, so after the game we all got to run the bases, a 1st for all of us; AJ almost out-ran me. ;) One of the things we did during the game is go on the short tour of the Royals Hall of Fame behind the left outfield wall, where you are able to get your picture taken with the World Series trophy at the end of the tour. Check out the background of our picture.--On this huge TV, there are several videos being played of the Royals journey to the 2015 World Series crown; our picture just so happened to land with this background - "Journey to the Crown" - on the screen. As I looked at this picture of our family and saw these words, something really hit home for me. It was a different kind of 'home run,' thinking about our journey to a different kind of 'crown' - the crown with Christ in heaven.
So many things have happened recently that have made me so thankful that this journey we're living is not it. So many tragedies from terrorist attacks around the world, to innocent lives being taken and cops being killed in the USA, to a sweet 14 month old baby girl from our little community being hit and killed after a tragic car accident at a home daycare just last Wednesday. Today I went to the memorial service for Harper, this precious baby girl; it was a beautiful service. Everything was perfect; so many things stuck out to me, and I want to share a couple things. Harper's Uncle Greg did a great job sharing his heart and encouraging others. He mentioned that a couple years ago he was in Beverly Hills for work and for some reason he decided to go listen to Pastor Judah Smith speak; something the pastor said changed him and really stuck with him that day; he didn't know why at the time, but today he said he now does know why; the words were "begin with the end in mind." At first I didn't get this, but as Greg continued to talk, it hit me. What is "...the end"? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ - if you put all your faith in Him, you know what your end is; you will spend eternity in heaven. He encouraged us all to wake up every morning thinking not about the beginning of each day, but about the end; when you know your end, it will make everything else less stressful, less tragic, less crazy...and more 'enjoy the moment;' this gives me peace as I face each day. Also at the service today, one of the pastor's who spoke, Pastor Burt Garwood, mentioned that those who have faith in Jesus Christ have hope, and he defined this hope: "Hope in God is a certainty of something better yet to come." Thank goodness for this. There are such good times on this earth, but there are a heck of a lot of bad times, too. Praise God for this hope that was talked about today. This reminds me of a verse, John 16:33: "...In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world."
A few Sundays ago, we were (supposed to be) singing a song in church that I had not been able to sing since Avelyn passed away. I would be able to sing most of the song until I would see the words pop up on the screen that say, "It will be my joy to say, your will, your way..." I had not been able to sing these words until a moment a few weeks ago when I heard Avelyn say to me, "it's okay, mom...I'm good...go ahead and sing those words..." And so I did. This brought me so much peace to hear/feel her say this to me. I am so sad she is not with us; there is not an ounce of happiness in me that our baby girl passed away. However I do have the utmost amount of joy within me that our baby girl is in heaven. And she is happy. She is joy-filled beyond measure. She has reached her beautiful end, while I am here, trying my best to let my light shine while I await my eventual end - in heaven, with her, with Christ.
Since I heard her say this to me and after seeing our "Journey to the Crown" picture, I have been so much more at peace about my time here on this earth. And it was such a confirmation to me when I heard those words today to "begin with the end in mind." Do I hate seeing all the negative going on all around me? Yes. Does it tear me apart to see my friend mourning and feeling the loss of her sweet daughter? Absolutely. I hate it. I remember a time after Avelyn passed away that I had so much anger, it overwhelmed me, I didn't know what to do with it or how to handle it; thankfully I had help getting through this. But knowing this earth is simply a 'Journey to the Crown' has really helped me realize that no matter what I am going through, God is by my side - with an ultimate goal, with His end, and with His crown awaiting my call heavenward - and I can find joy in this; that's why my daughter told me it was okay to sing those words. Whatever I go through, the highs - the lows, the amazing - the crappy, the joys - the sorrows...God has a plan for why it is happening - He has the end in mind. I do not understand it; believe me, I've tried. But He does, and this gives me peace no matter what I face. I always go back to the verses - Romans 8:28 and Philippians 4:7...
Friday night we were visiting with friends, and our friend Ryan brought up how so many young lives have been lost in our tiny little community of Spring Hill in recent years - from sweet Harper 5 days ago, to a 9 year-old boy getting hit while going to the mailbox just a few short months ago, to teen suicides, to sweet 9 year-old Hally dying tragically after contracting a brain-eating amoeba 2 years ago, to our sweet 16 day old Avelyn dying due to a heart condition, to Nathan Stiles passing away after suffering a concussion in a football game just over 5 years ago. So much tragedy has happened in our little community, and as much as our hearts ache, Satan is loving it. Someone mentioned to me recently that we now have a lot of bases covered - with the children's bibles given with the Avelyn SonShine Journey, with the Team Hally bibles, and with the Nathan Project bibles, we now have bibles available geared toward all ages - from newborn babies all the way up to us in adulthood. After hearing this, my first thought was a feeling of excitement, knowing these bibles are now out there, able to get into the hands of so many. But then I wondered why these tragedies had to happen in order for these bibles to get out there? I do not know the answer to this and it breaks my heart to think this coulda, woulda, shoulda happened without these tragedies, but unfortunately it didn't. If I think about this as "begin with the end in mind," it helps: so now we have 3 beautiful lives in heaven - Avelyn, Hally, & Nathan - albeit too soon, but at least we know where they are...AND we have thousands more lives being reached because these bibles are now out there. Now friends, church, let's begin to reach lives, to change lives withOUT these tragedies occurring in the first place. We have to, we need to - do this together.
This life is a journey, not an end all, be all - at least until the very end; you still have a choice!! But in the end, it's a journey to one of 2 things: the eternal darkness of hell or to the crown with Jesus - forever. What determines where you end your journey? Your faith, or lack thereof. If you do your ABCs - Admit you are a sinner, Believe in Jesus, Confess your sins to Him...if you change your heart, fill it with faith, and live for Him, we know your end will be in heaven. Praise God. I also praise Him for 'the age of accountability,' that those too young to do these ABC's, will be in heaven, as well; with the help of our pastor, we talk more about this on the back inside cover of our children's bibles. But if you are old enough to make decisions and you do not have or live out this faith - you have not done these ABC's, unfortunately your end will be to spend eternity in hell, experiencing God's wrath. I do not want this for any of you!
Pleeeeaaaasssse friends, do your ABC's...
Thank you Whitney & Geoff for allowing us into your lives today to share in the celebration of life of your baby girl. It was such a beautiful service with so many moving, memorable things shared; I feel lives will be changed for the good because of this. We love you both, we love you Cole & Kinsley, and we love you sweet Harper. Please tell my sweet Avelyn we say hello and give her one of your BIG squeezes for us. <3
Love & Hugs friends...
So many things have happened recently that have made me so thankful that this journey we're living is not it. So many tragedies from terrorist attacks around the world, to innocent lives being taken and cops being killed in the USA, to a sweet 14 month old baby girl from our little community being hit and killed after a tragic car accident at a home daycare just last Wednesday. Today I went to the memorial service for Harper, this precious baby girl; it was a beautiful service. Everything was perfect; so many things stuck out to me, and I want to share a couple things. Harper's Uncle Greg did a great job sharing his heart and encouraging others. He mentioned that a couple years ago he was in Beverly Hills for work and for some reason he decided to go listen to Pastor Judah Smith speak; something the pastor said changed him and really stuck with him that day; he didn't know why at the time, but today he said he now does know why; the words were "begin with the end in mind." At first I didn't get this, but as Greg continued to talk, it hit me. What is "...the end"? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ - if you put all your faith in Him, you know what your end is; you will spend eternity in heaven. He encouraged us all to wake up every morning thinking not about the beginning of each day, but about the end; when you know your end, it will make everything else less stressful, less tragic, less crazy...and more 'enjoy the moment;' this gives me peace as I face each day. Also at the service today, one of the pastor's who spoke, Pastor Burt Garwood, mentioned that those who have faith in Jesus Christ have hope, and he defined this hope: "Hope in God is a certainty of something better yet to come." Thank goodness for this. There are such good times on this earth, but there are a heck of a lot of bad times, too. Praise God for this hope that was talked about today. This reminds me of a verse, John 16:33: "...In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world."
A few Sundays ago, we were (supposed to be) singing a song in church that I had not been able to sing since Avelyn passed away. I would be able to sing most of the song until I would see the words pop up on the screen that say, "It will be my joy to say, your will, your way..." I had not been able to sing these words until a moment a few weeks ago when I heard Avelyn say to me, "it's okay, mom...I'm good...go ahead and sing those words..." And so I did. This brought me so much peace to hear/feel her say this to me. I am so sad she is not with us; there is not an ounce of happiness in me that our baby girl passed away. However I do have the utmost amount of joy within me that our baby girl is in heaven. And she is happy. She is joy-filled beyond measure. She has reached her beautiful end, while I am here, trying my best to let my light shine while I await my eventual end - in heaven, with her, with Christ.
Since I heard her say this to me and after seeing our "Journey to the Crown" picture, I have been so much more at peace about my time here on this earth. And it was such a confirmation to me when I heard those words today to "begin with the end in mind." Do I hate seeing all the negative going on all around me? Yes. Does it tear me apart to see my friend mourning and feeling the loss of her sweet daughter? Absolutely. I hate it. I remember a time after Avelyn passed away that I had so much anger, it overwhelmed me, I didn't know what to do with it or how to handle it; thankfully I had help getting through this. But knowing this earth is simply a 'Journey to the Crown' has really helped me realize that no matter what I am going through, God is by my side - with an ultimate goal, with His end, and with His crown awaiting my call heavenward - and I can find joy in this; that's why my daughter told me it was okay to sing those words. Whatever I go through, the highs - the lows, the amazing - the crappy, the joys - the sorrows...God has a plan for why it is happening - He has the end in mind. I do not understand it; believe me, I've tried. But He does, and this gives me peace no matter what I face. I always go back to the verses - Romans 8:28 and Philippians 4:7...
Friday night we were visiting with friends, and our friend Ryan brought up how so many young lives have been lost in our tiny little community of Spring Hill in recent years - from sweet Harper 5 days ago, to a 9 year-old boy getting hit while going to the mailbox just a few short months ago, to teen suicides, to sweet 9 year-old Hally dying tragically after contracting a brain-eating amoeba 2 years ago, to our sweet 16 day old Avelyn dying due to a heart condition, to Nathan Stiles passing away after suffering a concussion in a football game just over 5 years ago. So much tragedy has happened in our little community, and as much as our hearts ache, Satan is loving it. Someone mentioned to me recently that we now have a lot of bases covered - with the children's bibles given with the Avelyn SonShine Journey, with the Team Hally bibles, and with the Nathan Project bibles, we now have bibles available geared toward all ages - from newborn babies all the way up to us in adulthood. After hearing this, my first thought was a feeling of excitement, knowing these bibles are now out there, able to get into the hands of so many. But then I wondered why these tragedies had to happen in order for these bibles to get out there? I do not know the answer to this and it breaks my heart to think this coulda, woulda, shoulda happened without these tragedies, but unfortunately it didn't. If I think about this as "begin with the end in mind," it helps: so now we have 3 beautiful lives in heaven - Avelyn, Hally, & Nathan - albeit too soon, but at least we know where they are...AND we have thousands more lives being reached because these bibles are now out there. Now friends, church, let's begin to reach lives, to change lives withOUT these tragedies occurring in the first place. We have to, we need to - do this together.
This life is a journey, not an end all, be all - at least until the very end; you still have a choice!! But in the end, it's a journey to one of 2 things: the eternal darkness of hell or to the crown with Jesus - forever. What determines where you end your journey? Your faith, or lack thereof. If you do your ABCs - Admit you are a sinner, Believe in Jesus, Confess your sins to Him...if you change your heart, fill it with faith, and live for Him, we know your end will be in heaven. Praise God. I also praise Him for 'the age of accountability,' that those too young to do these ABC's, will be in heaven, as well; with the help of our pastor, we talk more about this on the back inside cover of our children's bibles. But if you are old enough to make decisions and you do not have or live out this faith - you have not done these ABC's, unfortunately your end will be to spend eternity in hell, experiencing God's wrath. I do not want this for any of you!
Pleeeeaaaasssse friends, do your ABC's...
Thank you Whitney & Geoff for allowing us into your lives today to share in the celebration of life of your baby girl. It was such a beautiful service with so many moving, memorable things shared; I feel lives will be changed for the good because of this. We love you both, we love you Cole & Kinsley, and we love you sweet Harper. Please tell my sweet Avelyn we say hello and give her one of your BIG squeezes for us. <3
Love & Hugs friends...
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