God said LIVE!
many years ago i heard God call me to this-to this crazy life with 9 kids from hard places. i didn’t hear Him audibly, but what He said was unmistakable. when i asked Him “why me? why does my life have to different from everyone else’s?” (all of my friends were starting to have babies), He clearly said, “why not you? why can’t I do something different with you?” it was at that moment that i surrendered to whatever His plans were for me.
over the years i’ve heard Him tell me to share this story more. His story. the story He’s written for me. and over the years i have shared. but there’s something different happening now. i have already been using mom to the 9 for email, but a few weeks ago He showed me i should use it for writing too. and that i should write often. that i should share the big things and the little things. the easy things and the hard things. the things i’ve learned. the things i still need to work on. how He never leaves more or forsakes me and how He carries me through each long day and each short night(short because i could always use more sleep!).
on new year’s eve we watched the elevation church praise party. they sang one of our family’s favorite songs-RATTLE! we’ve heard it so many times. their graves into gardens album was our soundtrack for the weeks right after we lost josh’s dad. but on new year’s eve i heard the song in a different way. when they said “God said live, you’ve gotta live” i felt like it was for my mother-in-law. she has been living beautifully after losing her husband, but it seemed like an encouragement for her to keep going. then i felt like “God said live, you’ve gotta live” was also meant for me. He’s given me this story to live out and i’ve been living it, but now it’s time to really live it.
LIVE! is my word for the year. i haven’t chosen one for the past few years. on new year’s eve it felt like the it almost jumped out of the tv at me saying, “i’m your word! LIVE!”.
so, here we go.
p.s. my favorite new year countdown of all time is at the 9:29 mark!