It was the month of my 32nd birthday, and I was six months pregnant. Fall had drifted in with the crisp, cool air and my heart was in its happy place. Life was good.

I don’t know if you know this (I’m pretty sure you might), but life has its unfair share of ups and downs and just as quickly as your heart spills over with gladness, it can tumble over with surprising sadness. That’s what happened to me on this September day in my doctor’s office. Cancer isn’t supposed to happen with babies growing in your belly. But it did.

And just like that despair barged in and pushed hope out. Because hope that’s anchored to the good and the happy gets squeezed out when the imperfect presses hard. It drowns in the wake of bad news and flees in the face of adversity.

The news of my medical diagnosis shed light on the condition of my faith. Hope helps build our faith so when our hope is placed in anything other than God, the foundation of our faith crumbles easily. In the midst of life and busyness and ministry, I had unknowingly placed my hope and trust in my own abilities and strengths and all that was humanly controllable. This isn’t the kind of hope that remains. This isn’t the kind of faith that stands. This isn’t the kind of faith we’re called to. . . (To finish reading, please follow me to We Are His Daughters, where I’m excited to be a guest contributor today.)

“Mom, I love you so much I just can’t hardly stand it!”

“Mom, can you wake me up early in the morning so we have time to snuggle before school?”

“Mom, you really are the best mom in the whole world.”

Sentiments like these from your little one can fill your heart so full you think it might burst.

The unsolicited, mushy love and affection from a child is pure, from the heart, and given with no hidden agenda and no strings attached.

It’s real love.

But even more real and greater than the love of a child to his mama or a mama to her child is the love of our heavenly Father to each of us.

Nothing compares to the unconditional, extravagant love of God.

And when we open His Word to read or sit silently in His presence He pours over us. When we seek Him we find Him.

He desires to lavish us with His amazing love. Wrapped in this love is peace, joy, mercy, and every good thing.

The more time we spend with Him the more we begin to know and understand His very nature/character which is love.

Let me encourage you to open your Bible. Great riches are found within its pages.

From one Bible study to the next my heart draws closer to its Maker. The more I study the more I want to study.

And I love studying the Word of God with a group of girlfriends. I’m privileged to get to do just that at Proverbs 31 Ministries and Melissa Taylor’s Online Bible Studies. If you’re looking for a place to connect but your schedule is crazy so you don’t have time for a face-to-face Bible study then this may be exactly what you’re looking for. Click here to find out more about our next OBS, A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, that starts October 13 – THIS SUNDAY! Yay!

We have a short break between each study. During our break this time I had the privilege of speaking in the main service on a Wednesday night at my home church. Not only had God been equipping and preparing me for this opportunity during our last few studies but I was also able to take some of what I learned and share it with others.

You just never know what He’s up to!

And now, the countdown begins to A Confident Heart! Confident/Confidence…my word for 2013. Isn’t that interesting?

I sit on the floor of a bookstore and I am overwhelmed as I pour over titles and covers and table of contents and skim chapters and pages of so many books I lose count. Thousands of souls lay bare in front of me. Bare and exposed and powerless to withdrawal their words, authors stare at me from back covers.

To imagine my own book on these shelves one day is terrifying. I picture my words here…available for any stranger to read…to love or to hate.

I feel vulnerable.

This writing is an exposing of one’s most inner thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and fears. It is an uncovering, a confessing, a revealing.

My heart beats fast and I am afraid. Afraid to succeed. Afraid to fail.

A familiar voice tells me I will never be good enough and I can never work hard enough.

And then I remember Martha and Mary and I remember the one thing.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42.

 

As I dig a little deeper I discover what my heart already knows. There are many matters that cause us to be anxious and distracted from the one thing we were created for. There is only one thing from which all other things are birthed that is required of us. It is the better choice and it is good, beneficial, and worthy.

It is to sit at the very feet of Jesus. To surrender. To exalt Him above everything else in our lives, no matter how pressing or important or necessary. When Jesus calls, we must accept His invitation.

As I consider my current project in light of this scripture my thoughts change. This writing is an exposing and all those other things, too, but it is more.

It is worship and it is sacrifice. It is intimate and it is personal but it is not mine.

As I sit at the master’s feet, as I chose the one thing that is required and good, then will His purpose pour out of me and then will His glory be revealed in my story and through my words, whether they ever find their way to those bookshelves or not.

As you surrender those things that are causing you anxiety, whether it is work or ministry or tribulation, and find your place in His presence, you will have chosen well.

As you lay down those distractions and cease striving and doing and working to prove yourself or make sure everything is just right, and instead sit at the feet of Jesus, you shall hear His word as Mary did.

Verse 39 says, “And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.”

 

As Mary settled near Jesus, she heard his word. She positioned herself close enough to understand every word He said and she heard Him.

I want to do everything I can for God. I want to lead Bible studies and write books and teach and encourage others and fulfill my purpose. I want to understand and know and hear Jesus. But it must all start by sitting at His feet. We must find a place near Him and dwell there. His presence is our starting point. It is the place from which everything else we do must begin.

Can you lay down those distractions and surrender your anxieties today? Can you cease for a moment and spend time at the feet of Jesus? I’m praying you can. I’m praying I can. Let us sit together and listen for His words.

Father, your word says as we draw near to you, you draw near to us. We choose to draw near to you today. We long for your presence and desire to hear you speak to us. Help us to lay down whatever might be keeping us from you. Give us courage to trust and strength to obey. Have your way in our lives. Be glorified in all we say and do. We choose the one thing, the better thing. We choose you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

**Please join us for our next Online Bible Study, A Confident Heart, by Renee Swope, which begins October 13. I’m a part of the leadership team and we have a great community of women all over the world! I’ll also be over there every Thursday leading the Blog Hop! Click here to sign up today!**

(This post was originally published June 28, 2013 on my previous website, Is That You, Lord)

 

Today I am joining hands with thousands of other women across the globe to pray for an end to human trafficking. For more information visit P31 OBS,  Lysa Terkeurst, and The A21 Campaign.

Father, we come before you today on behalf of men, women, and children all over the world who are victims of human trafficking. There are so many hurting right this very moment…so many in unimaginable situations and circumstances. You see them. You know them. We ask, God, that You would make a way of escape. Let them be found, rescued, and saved. We pray for deliverance and healing and life. We pray for peace and hope and strength. We know that You hear our prayers today and that You are responding. We thank you for the work that’s already taking place.

We pray for governments worldwide involved in these terrible crimes or who turn a deaf ear to the great atrocities and cruel violations against our brothers and sisters. We pray for the removal of their places of influence and rule. We know this battle is physical and spiritual (Ephesians 6:12) so we not only pray for physical changes but we also ask that the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places be brought down in Jesus name.  We ask that you judge the spiritual powers ruling over these trafficking rings. Cause their plans and strategies to unravel. Shine Your light in the darkness and expose what is hidden. Turn the hearts of those who do evil and give them desire to do what is right and good. We know You are able and we put this in Your capable, strong hands. Thank you for breakthrough and freedom!

We also pray according to Deuteronomy 16:19, Amos 5:12, and Zechariah 8:16.  Uncover those accepting bribes or giving bribes and causing harm to the poor and those who cannot help themselves. We pray that truth, justice, and peace prevail!

We ask all these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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Please add your own prayer and link your blog to our blog hop on our P31 OBS website or add a prayer in the comment section.