In the Details...

Every December as we come into Christmas and New Year's I always pause and just look back over the year.  Some years are quiet.  Some years there is great loss of those I loved.  And then there are years where I can just see God's fingerprints all over my life.  Those years are my most favorite to look back on.  2018 was one of those years.

So if it's ok with whoever is reading this, I'm going to take a few moments to walk through all the ups and downs of 2018 and take a moment to just praise God for each and every moment I had.

As you may remember, 2018 started out with excitement.  The Evoy's were building a house!  The very first time Chris and I had ever ventured down this path and it was overwhelming at times.  But God was in the details, literally.  Before the drywall was installed, scripture was written by my family on the bones of the house.  Chris and I never thought we would have the opportunity to even own a house again and then God blessed us with a home to build.  There was no way He was not going to be
written into the very core of this new home.  This new home is truly a gift.  Chris and I did nothing to earn it yet here we are living in it.  Oh how I love it.  We've been moved in since Feb. 1 and I still walk through the rooms and just smile.  I still pinch myself at times that this is our home.  And then I thank the Lord for His provision.  This, God willing, is the home Chris and I will grow old in together.

And then mid- February hit and I thought I was losing my best friend.  February had it's highs of moving into our new home followed just a few days later with the lowest low and fear I have ever felt.  Chris was rushed to the hospital.  I had no idea what was happening and we thought it was a heart attack.  Nope.  Chris had a pulmonary embolism in his lungs.  A blood clot from somewhere in his body had lodged itself in his lungs making it hard to breath, causing intense pain and killing off the good tissues in his lungs.  Fear took over.  I remember on the way to the hospital praying so hard, please God, please.  This can't be your plan.  And Chris, I would later find out, was praying, please Lord, take care of my family.  Two very different prayers, But God knew the outcome.  God put people in our lives who were able to walk alongside us through the entire emergency.  It took us until August for Chris to be cleared with
no additional blood clots and to be taken off all medications.  God healed him.  God was with us in the car on the way to the ER, at the hospital, with all the doctors and scans that were done.  God knew all of it.  And I praise God everyday that my husband was healed here, on earth.  I know he's saved and I know we'll see each other in heaven but I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

Let's flash forward to May.  May was exciting in our home.  In May I watched my son walk across the stage and graduate from High School.  Oh the thrill of the moment.  As a parent, it is bittersweet to watch your child grow up and earn his diploma.  With tears of joy in my eyes I cheered as his name was called across the microphone.  That's my boy!  He's been through a lot with all the moves we've put him through, But God was always with him.  God walked right alongside him through every school, every move, each new friend he made or lost and right across that stage as he received his diploma.  And it was after he was walking off the stage that I saw the happiness on his face.  The look of sheer joy and accomplishment that every mom wants to see.  He did it.  Oh the joy!  And then...

Then I remembered, he's going to college.  Oye Vay.  Ya know, I thought since Matthew was staying home for college it would be easier....um, nope.  Turns out, as a mom, you still have the emotions of a child leaving the nest.  Matthew was accepted to Middle Tennessee State University just 15 mins from our new home.  And while I was so excited that he would be a college freshman, I was also so freaked out that he was going to be a college freshman.  I remember on the weekend that all the freshman were moving into the dorms thinking, thank you Lord I'm NOT doing that!  And then within moments of having that thought, I walked into Matthew's room and he announces he wants to rearrange his room for college.  With tears swelling up in my eyes I said, OK.  Then I immediately left the room!  Being a mom to a college freshman is a roller coaster of emotions.  Excitement, fear, anxiety, fear, joy, fear, pride and a sprinkle of more fear.  Why fear?  Because you are finally at the moment in their lives where they are stepping out into young adulthood.  There are now moments that they have to navigate and that you can no longer protect them from.  This is the time that you have groomed them for and you pray you did your job right.  But God, once again, walked with Matthew through his first semester.  Ok, so there were some ups and downs.  Some changed majors.  Some missed assignments.  But God knew all of this and wasn't surprised and so I too kept my eyes on Him who has his hand on my boy.  So we changed majors, ok..not the end of the world and it was amazing to watch Matthew relax into the rhthyme of college.  He walked away with passing grades and is registered and confirmed for the spring semester.  Matthew even learned a few life lessons along the way.  But I truly have to thank God for never once ever forgetting about Matthew and for giving him opportunities to see God in the details of his life.

And then the diagnosis came.

Ya know, when Matthew came home after a few weeks of walking all over campus and said he's lost weight, I was excited for him.  But then he said the dreaded words that I had said before my diagnosis of diabetes..."Mom, I'm just so thirsty, I can't get enough to drink".  Those were my words to Chris and it woke both of us up quick!  I thank God for the way he alerted Chris and I to the situation at hand.  And I can't thank the people in our lives enough for their quick work in handling the situation that Matthew got the care he needed BEFORE he ended up in the hospital.  BUT GOD, was in and all over it ALL!  From the people around us to the doctors to the Holy Spirit alerting us....all God.  So it's been just over a month since Matthew was first tested and diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  It's been a month since he's begun insulin treatments.  It's been a month since his life was turned upside down.  But God has been with him through it all.  God has been with this momma through it all.  I know the fears I've had and still have with my own Type 2 diagnosis, I can only imagine Matthew's fears.  But God gave me this disease first.  I've had 3 years to walk this new life and because of that, I am able to be a support to Matthew.  Because of that, Matthew can ask me questions and I can help because I have firsthand knowledge of what life is like as a diabetic.  Okay so I'm not on insulin yet but when I get to that point, Matthew will be able to support me.  God is so good to His children.  And Matthew, he amazes me with the way he handles tough stuff.  He's a champ, a total rockstar.  He's working hard to make sure he does all he can to keep his blood sugars down, he's on top of his game.  This momma is so proud...that's my boy!

And through all of this, Chris and I were blessed to be a part of a new church here in Murfreesboro.  We have been able to walk alongside some amazing people as we helped launch People of Hope Church.  To God be the Glory!  I'll be honest, the Evoy's haven't been "part" of a church since we left Savannah, GA.  We've been searching and had not found a new "home", until we landed at a vision casting meeting in March for this new church.  At first it sounded overwhelming, BUT GOD was in it all.  God has worked out so many details for our church.  From our meeting location, to the core team, to the Pastor, to our launch in August, God has been in all of it.  And now we get to have our first Christmas EVER in the history of People of Hope Church next week!  It's exciting times!!  I urge you, if you are in Murfreesboro to come join us.  I love that we are a church of ordinary people who love Jesus.  God brought us to this new church and I am so proud to be a part of it.  Come join us!  We always have a seat saved just for you!

www.peopleofhope.church

And then, one of my most favorite people decided to fall and break her femur.  How does one do that by putting on her shoe??  Only my Gramma.  Gramma fell and ended up in the hospital for surgery for her broken leg and then it all went south.  I still am amazed at her determination and God's grace.  That crazy gal still has work to do on this earth.  We all thought we were losing her, But God knew better.  I mean honestly, you couldn't have written the many concerns we had...broken femur, UTI, staph infection, blocked artery, stints, pneumonia, MRSA, failing kidneys....the list went on and on But God healed her and she came home this week!  Home to her house!  Home for Christmas!  Blessed day it is!!!  That, my friends, is the goodness and grace our Father in Heaven gives His children.


And so that brings us to December.  I am still overwhelmed by the love my Father has for me.  And even more blown away in how God is in all the details of my life.  There isn't a moment that goes by that God isn't in it.  There isn't a moment that surprises God.  There isn't a moment where God makes me walk it alone.  But God (that phrase is so powerful) is in it all.  All of it.  ALL of it.  I find myself raising my hands in praise at church when we sing.  I have NEVER done that but his year I feel moved to raise my hands in thanksgiving for all my Father has done.  He is so good, and loving, and faithful and compassionate.  I don't deserve all He has done for me or my family and yet He loves me that much.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

    they shall be as white as snow;"  Isaiah 1:18

My prayer is that this Christmas you will see the love that God has for you.  That you will take a moment to look back over your year and praise our Father for the goodness He has done.  I pray that if you don't yet know your Father that not one more moment will go by before you drop to your knees, outstretch your arms and say, "Here I am Lord".  He's right there, waiting.  I could not live my life without the love and mercy my Father provides me.  If not for Him, my husband would not have been healed, my son would not be successful, I would not have been able to have Matthew diagnosed as soon as we did and my Gramma would not be home for Christmas.  God is good my friends.  God is in all the details of your life.  Take a moment right now and just say Thank you Lord.  Thank you for being in all the details.  God has been in it all since the very moment Mary was visited by Gabriel and told of the virgin birth of Jesus, to today wherever you are.  Thank you Lord.

The Struggle is Real, Everyday....

Next month, October 1 to be exact, will be 3 years since I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Since that diagnosis I have had fear, struggles, failures, weight loss, weight gain, weight loss again. I've had days where I wanted to give up and I ate that donut. I've had days where I felt I had managed my eating all day only to find out when I tested, my blood sugar was off the charts. It's not easy. It's a daily choice to eat right, watch your portion control, manage your carb counts and exercise. And the last 2 weeks have not been about control. To be perfectly honest, this summer has not been about control.

So I'm posting my failure for the last several months for others to see. I'm sharing my frustration for my brother, Christopher, to know it's ok to get frustrated. It's ok to not feel like you have control because I don't always. To be completely honest, more often than not, I do not feel like I have control.

It's a day to day constant battle. I hate it. I wish I'd never been diagnosed. Some days, I just want that cookie the size of Texas. And as I sit here with an extra 5 lbs...I'm forcing myself to go back to writing all my food choices down so that I can once again take control of this horrible disease.

I can remember when I was diagnosed the fear that took hold. All I could picture was needles. I didn't want that life. I didn't want to be tied to medication. And yet, I knew the odds were in my favor when both my parents and my grandmother were diagnosed years ago. It's hard coming to grips with the reality that you probably will inherit a disease just because your parents have. Yes, I was over weight. Yes, I weighed in at a whopping 198 pounds when I was diagnosed but NO it was NOT because I was fat that I got diabetes. That's a horrible myth. So let's squash that right now! You don't get diabetes because you are fat...it doesn't help but it's not the reason.

Three years later and I'm much healthier. I have lost over 40 pounds. That in itself is amazing but just because I lost all that weight doesn't make the disease go away. It doesn't make it easier to deal with. I am beating myself up over 5 stinking pounds! But those 5 pounds cause my blood sugar numbers to vary more than I want. Those 5 pounds remind me that I have lost control.

So what do I do about it? I pray. Above all. I pray. I pray to my Father in heaven to stir a new passion for taking control of my diabetes. And then I trust Him. And while I am trusting Him, I go back to square one and start all over again because that's the only way to gain control back from this horrible disease. I go back to checking my portions. I go back to documenting my carbs at each meal and at each snack. I go back to eating on a regular schedule. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, protein snack. I go back to what I learned 3 years ago when I first met with my diabetic team. And then I make sure that I am exercising everyday! Not just when I feel like it. Not just when I'm motivated. But I force myself to move everyday. No more being a slug days in this house. Lazy days are over.

Everyday I wish I didn't have this battle. I hate taking my medication. I hate sticking my finger. I hate that my body doesn't do what God created it to do on it's own. I hate that I am tied to this wagon for the rest of my life. BUT, I refuse to allow this disease to win. It won't win. I am in control and God is with me.

There has been a lot going on the last several months. Matthew's graduation. Chris' job has been crazy and he's been working 7 days a week. Matthew starting college. BSF kicking off with 3 satellite locations that I'm helping with. It's been a lot of stress, anxiety, frustration and changes. But unfortunately, diabetes doesn't stop or slow down just because your life is stressed. Instead, you get wonky blood sugar readings. You ride the roller coaster of highs and lows. Due to the stress and anxiety, you never really level out with normal sugars.

So today I say to that abnormality in my numbers, get thee behind me! No More! I, Jennifer, am taking back control. I, Jennifer, am trusting God with my food choices. I am claiming in Jesus name that I will get back on track. No more high blood sugars and feeling like crud. No more guessing at the portion size and overeating. No more. Today is a new day. I've got my notebook open for my food logging to begin. I've got my shorts on and the dog waiting for that walk. I've got a treadmill upstairs that needs to be dusted off.

It's gonna take a little time to lose those few pounds. It's gonna take a little time to get my blood sugar readings back where they were but I will do it. I'm an Evoy and a Johnson. We don't give up. We don't back down. We persevere. We commit. We win the battle. Most importantly, we trust God through it all!

God gives his biggest battles to his strongest warriors. Instead of being upset and frustrated, I need to thank God that he sees me strong enough to handle this disease and praise Him for walking with me everyday as I fight this battle head on everyday.

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  Ephesians 6:10-11

Life is different...

There are moments in life that you were expecting but when you get to that moment, you are simply overwhelmed with amazement, anticipation, excitement and just utter joy.  That was my day on May 19th.

 I watched my son walk across the stage and earn his high school diploma.  I know, I know,  this is something all high school students work towards and all Mom's wait for.  But when you see it happen, it's just pure magic.  The sense of pride you feel is overwhelming.  And then it's over.  And you begin to look around and try to figure out where you go to next.  What is the next chapter for this tired old Mom?

I'm finding that navigating the waters of this new season in my life is a little more challenging than I had originally thought it would be.  I've shared with friends and have come to realize that most Moms go through this rite of passage but it's just hard.  Harder than I figured it would be.  I'm a joyful person and this new season, I'm finding it difficult to be joyful at times.

I find myself spending more time alone than I have since I was single and in my 20's.  It's strange.  It's weird.  It's the new season I find myself in.  And unfortunately, all this new found time alone has lead to one thing, me analyzing everything in my life.  Am I a good Mom?  Did I do a good job raising my young man to be a good young man?   Am I a good wife?  Am I supportive enough for my family?  Do I handle the family budget in a way that honors the hard work my husband does? Do I do enough around the house to show my worth? I spin my wheels off the rails almost daily.  It's nerve wracking!

And then I am reminded by my husband that all this time I now have is a blessing.  I should be using it to glorify God.  I should be thanking God that I have this time to just "be".  I've been a busy Mom for 18 years....it's time for the next chapter.

So what does that look like?  What will I do?  I'm still very active in BSF but that doesn't get started until late August.  Until then, I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs all day.  What do I do?

I feel a strong desire to "do" something.  And since I don't know what that "something" is just yet, I'm sitting and waiting for God to show me.  It's not easy.  I want to force a work at home career.  I want to start something new in this new season to shift my focus.  But God knows what He desires for me.  God knows where I need to be.  And maybe, just maybe I am where he wants me right now.  Just because I feel I need to start a new career or be a part of something doesn't mean that's what God wants for me.

I can remember when we moved to Minnesota.  I was so excited to jump right back into leadership with my new BSF class.  I met with the Teaching Leader.  We discussed various options for me to jump in and start....and then nothing.  Dead air.   I waited for over a month to hear where my leadership role would be.  I fretted and worried that I wasn't wanted in leadership.  And when I finally gave in and said to God, okay, if you want me just as a class member, I will do that and do it with joy, only after being content in the moment did God open the doors to leadership.  It was timing only God could have orchestrated.

Maybe this new season is one of those moments.  Maybe this is my time to just be content.  Maybe it's my time to enjoy these new set of "firsts" for Matthew.  Our first tuition payment to MTSU. (insert a sigh here as I see our savings account crying)  Our first class schedule confirmation and the excitement on Matthew's face that he got the schedule he wanted.   Our first round of researching and ordering textbooks.  And as I type this, the first textbook has been delivered to our front door. The first box has been delivered with what holds a part of my son's future dreams.  Five more boxes to collect...and then he starts his journey to follow his dreams and achieve his goals.....  And I get to be part of this journey.  One word comes to mind as we check off all these lists before classes start...BLESSED.

Maybe God is trying to show me to not force life.  I always try to be one step ahead but maybe I'm supposed to lag behind.  Maybe this time, I'm not supposed to sprint to the finish line but rather stroll along this path with excitement, anticipation and joy for my Matthew's future.  Letting joy rule in my heart and not fear or anxiety of what's to become of me.

I'm a work in progress.  Always seem to be and always will be.  I want for me and my family what God wants for us.  I will make it through this emotional time of change.  I will keep my eyes focused on God and trusting Him through it all.

It may be quiet now but in just a few short weeks, I'm gonna be jumping from BSF to the launch of our new church, People of Hope, and cheer leading as my son steps onto the campus of MTSU as a college freshman.

Every moment is an opportunity to look up at God and say praises be!  God is right here with me through all this new stuff.  More importantly, God is right there with Matthew through this new season.

God commands us to, give thanks in all circumstances;
 for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Every new season we walk has a purpose, a lesson.  Every new season is an opportunity to see God in our lives.  I need not worry about tomorrow, for God has already taken care of it.  I need not worry about the future, for God is already there.  What I need to do is stop and thank God for the many blessings and opportunities He has blessed me with and then shout for joy in this new season.  But as I said, I'm a work in progress and so happy that God is so patient and loving....

The Lord has done it this very day;

let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalms 118:24

"Z" brings us to the end.

As I sit here preparing to write my final blog for the A to Z challenge this month, I am amazed at the words God has given me to share with the world.  I am overcome at the privilege to be able to plant the seed God has given me and allow God to do the watering.  This challenge has been just that, a challenge.  It's been a challenge to remember to do it daily.  A challenge to take a moment to just sit and be still until I am filled with the words to share.  A challenge that I have had to force myself to sit and do.  But looking back, I am so blessed by being a part of it.

So, here we are at the letter "Z".  A few Z words come to mind for God but more importantly, I feel like Z marks the end.  The end of the alphabet for this challenge, the final piece.  It makes me think of the end of our lives here on earth.  Just as God has given me the words for each of my entries this month, He also gives us His final words over our lives.  He is the beginning and the end.  The Alpha and the Omega.

What have you done with your life?  What needs to change so that when your day of judgment comes, you will hear God say,  ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21).

What will God say to you at your final judgment?  Have you accepted Christ as your Savior?

All big questions. 

As I've shared in previous blogs, I've struggled with my faith over the course of my life.  I've had valley moments where God had to hold my hand through the entire journey and I've had mountaintop experiences where praising God just didn't seem thanks enough.  But our journeys are our testimony's of our lives. 

We are blessed to be able to call on our God in all times and in all ways, regardless of the journey.  God is not distant, he is right here with us.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.~ John 3:16

Our God is a God who understands our fears, our challenges, our hopes, our dreams, our worries.  He is also a God of forgiveness and grace and compassion.  He is a God who sacrificed His only Son for you.  God has a plan of salvation for each of us.  It's not complicated, it's simple, accept His Son, Jesus Christ.  Accept Him into your heart, trust Him, obey Him, follow Him and then you can rest assured, you will spend your eternity with Him.  "Your choice to either receive or reject the Lord Jesus Christ will determine where you spend eternity." - Anne Graham Lotz

Hold fast to the promises of God.  Life in this world is hard, it will be hard.  God has told us that, but Christ came to overcome the world for US.  Now is the time, don't waste another moment on a life full of unknowns....jump in the water my friend.  Hold tight to Jesus. 

And this is the testimony:  God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  The one who has the Son has life.  The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life.  1 John 5:11-12

Don't waste another moment living without God at the center of your world.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to see God in your life.  I've written a blog each day for this challenge and I have shared how God has worked in my life.  I'm not perfect, but I'm a child of God.  God doesn't expect perfection, he expects obedience.

My mother in law passed away several years ago and I love what my father in law wrote on her headstone,  Child of the King.  Oh how she is.  How each of us is. We belong to the King.  We are His.  He knows each of us personally and loves us beyond measure.  No one else can love us as much as God.  No one else can forgive us with as much grace as God.  No one can provide us with salvation and eternal life.  "If you are a believer, your judgment will not determine your eternal destiny.  Christ's finished work on Calvary was applied to you the moment you accepted Christ as Savior."- Beth Moore.

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ~ 1 John 5:3

I hope that I, even though this challenge is ending, I hope that I don't stop making time for this blog.  I hope I allow for God to continue to speak through me so that I too may read my words and know that God is with me.  As I prepare to publish this last letter, be reminded to continue to run the race.

Don't give up on God.  Keep your eyes turned upon Jesus.  Trust in Him who provides all things for His children.  You, my child, are a Child of the King...walk proudly alongside a God who cherishes and loves you so that at the day of your judgment you will hear God say, well done, good and faithful servant, well done.


Father, I thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this challenge.  I thank you for the gift of my eternal salvation.  There is no payment I could make for the amount of sin in my life, but You made the payment for me through Your Son.  You are so good to Your children.  I will praise You through the storms.  I will praise You through the joy.  Thank you Lord. 

Seeing the e"X"traordinary God in "Y"our everyday life

I'm learning to change the way I view things. I'm learning to see God's grace and blessing in everything. Even in the most simple things like hearing a bird chirp, listening to the dog lapping up water, seeing a smile on my son's face, dirty dishes, clean laundry, dust, an unmade bed, a ripening tomato on the window sill, the feel of the sun on my face....it's all Grace from God...it's all Joy...how will you look at your world around you? Even in the darkest of moments, there is Grace from God... "Everything in this world has Christ's fingerprints on it. In the tough moments, pray with your eyes open, seeing God's grace and blessings in that very moment." -Ann Voskamp

A few years ago, while we lived in Savannah, I participated in the study 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  It was an amazing book that reminded me to look beyond myself and see the extraordinary God moments around me.  The goal was to be able to write 1,000 gifts, 1,000 blessings we see over the course of the study.  I remember just sitting on our back deck with my eyes closed and listening.  You can see a lot when you aren't "looking" for it.

God reminds us in the Book of John, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)  God's gifts are all around us and available to each of us.  We are free to accept them, or not.  God allows us to choose but there are always consequences to our choices.  Hannah Whitall Smith once said, "God is the giver, and we are the receivers.  And His richest gifts are bestowed not upon those who do the greatest things, but upon those who accept His abundance and His grace".

God gives us so many blessings each and everyday.  He abundantly blesses His children through the smallest of gifts.  It doesn't have to be a big God moment to be a gift from God.

Pause right now, close your eyes and listen?
What do you hear?  Go on, do it....I'll wait right here for you....


What did you hear?  Did you hear children laughing, crying?  Did you hear a dog barking?  Sirens passing by?  What did you smell?  Coffee brewing?  Fresh cut grass?  Fresh rain?  What do you feel?  The morning sun on your face?  A wet nose kissing you?  Children's hands grasping at your shirt tails?

Open your eyes?  Do you realize that God is in each of these?  Each of these is part of your everyday life and each of these is a blessing from our extraordinary God.  God is woven into the very fabric of our day.  The only way to be able to truly grasp the extraordinary blessings from God is to slow down and pause for a moment.  Allow yourself to be still and soak in the world around you.  God is in every detail.  It's extraordinary.  When we pause long enough, we are able to see the grace of God all around us.

If I've learned one thing over the course of this challenge in my blogging, it's to pause and take a moment to soak in the blessings from God.  Each time I've sat here at the computer to write, God has been there with me.  How remarkable to step back and see God in everything.  Even more remarkable is how God uses our hurts to further the blessings.  Don't miss out on the blessings by speeding by them.  Don't miss out on the extraordinary moments God has lined up.  Slow down, surrender and see the thousands of gifts God has given us each and everyday.   Imagine your perspective if you took time to notice the abundant gifts everyday?

Here's a few of my gifts I wrote down that reveal to me how extraordinary God is.  How personal He is.  How He provides me grace and gifts abundantly in my life....


~ my marriage
~ my son
~ dirty laundry because I am blessed to be able to clothe my family
~dirty dishes because we have an abundance of food to eat
~running water
~ the cat meowing
~the dog's wet kisses
~ birds chirping
~road signs because I am blessed with a car to drive
~the sound of the lawn mower because grass is growing
~the smell of fresh coffee
~curtains blowing in the breeze
~the swirl in the front of my son's hair, it's personal, unique
~an I love you from my husband, it's meant for me and tells me his heart
~technology that allows me to see family across the miles at any given moment


Stand with arms open wide, hands open to receive and your eyes lifted to God.  Blessings flow down from God every moment of every day.  Be still, look for the blessings.  I challenge you, start your own list and see what God shows you.  Do it.  Change your perspective on today.  Look for the extraordinary God in your everyday life.  He's there and He desires you to see it!

 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  Philippians 4:11-12

"V"aluing God's"W"ill

 Living in God's will isn't easy.  Trust me, I've questioned it, argued with God over it, stomped my foot and said NO, and yet, God waits and His Will ultimately wins.  Isn't it amazing how  God allows us to have those emotions of frustration and concern, even allowing us to think we have the option to say No.  Ha!  God is in control.  God is patient and loving beyond anything we could imagine.  He lets us have our little "tantrums" but in the end, He knows His children.  He knows our hearts.  He knows we will inevitably submit to Him who knows what is best for us.

God has a plan for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

How on earth could we ever question a God who has plans to prosper us?  If you truly desire to live in God's will for your life, you will spend time in His Word looking and being watchful for His signs.  It's interesting to me how often times, God will lead us through a wilderness experience before He shows us His plan and walks us up the mountain for that mountain top experience.  And I am here to say, I've walked many walks through that wilderness, but never alone.  God may send us through the wilderness but He never sends us on our own.  He is always with us!  He is always aware of what is coming next on the path.  God is personal.  He has a plan for each of us that is unique, that He alone has prepared.  Each of us has our own.  No plan is identical.  Marinate on that for a minute.  God's plan for your life is yours and yours alone.  How remarkable is our God?!?!

When we moved to Minnesota in 2014, I was less than thrilled to be leaving friends, our church, my service at the Lighthouse Ministry and BSF in Savannah, GA.  I had no idea why on earth God was moving our family to this frozen area of the United States.  I questioned God. I argued with God that I was leaving a place where I was able to serve Him.   But in His time, He showed me a glimpse of my purpose.  My husband had told me from day 1 of our move, this was about me and my work for the kingdom, not his.  And I recall flippantly rolling my eyes and saying, yeah right.  But as God directed us to move to Tennessee, and I began saying my goodbyes to all my new friends and my BSF class there, I began to see validation in my husband's words.  Where I thought there was nothing I could bring, I was wrong.  I brought my joy and my love for Christ and I let that light shine.  I had no idea my light was needed, but God did and God used it.  Even though it was just for a short time, He used me.  I am proud to have the women in my life I met in Minnesota.  They are strong, devoted Christian women who spur me on, pray with me, cry with me and celebrate life with me.  Sometimes the simplest things to us are the big things for God to use.

People may make plans in their minds, but the Lord decides what they will do.- Proverbs 16:9

If we are to be dutiful disciples, we are to follow Him, trusting Him completely.  Until God's perfect plan is made known, we must walk in faith, never losing hope.  His ways are not our ways and His timing is not our timing. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

 Through each change in my life, I have been forced to rely on God and His perfect plan.  I don't know what He has in store for me but I can rest assured that God has already gone before me and paved a path.  I need to resist the temptation to do things "my way" and rather submit to my Father and allow Him to lead.  "With God, it's never "Plan B' or "second best".  It's always "Plan A." And, if we let Him, He'll make something beautiful of our lives." Gloria Gaither.

God has a wonderful and abundant plan for each of us.  The time to start trusting God and looking for that plan is today.  Don't waste another moment just living life your way- start living His way, today!  Start praying that God would reveal His Will to you.  Start praising God for the plan He has created just for you.  Stop fretting on your next step, but rather start trusting that your  next mountain top experience is right around the corner.  Get out of your boat and step out on the water, just like Peter, trusting God to keep you afloat.

As I look back over the last few weeks in our household, and begin to prepare for the coming days...I must continue to keep my eyes focused on my Father in heaven.  As we walk through this new season with Matthew.  As we watch him graduate and start out on a new path, I have to believe and trust that God has his future figured out.  As I walk alongside my husband through these new medical tests, I have to remain hopeful that the answers will be shown to us in God's time. 

For He knows the plans He has for my family.  Plans to prosper us, to give us hope and a future.  Oh how sweet to be loved by a loving Father in heaven who has all the details within His capable hands!  Each of us, covered by the grace of God, trusting Him with every step.

I've taken many trusting steps to get to where I am today.  There's a purpose behind God's plan.  And yep, it's true, I am confident I've missed out on some blessings along the way just trying to do things my way, but God uses all things for the good of His children.  Nothing escapes God, nothing surprises God.  God values us and so we must value His Will for each of us. 

"T"hankful for "U"nanswered Prayers

Would it be against the rules of this challenge if I combined ahead? 

Today's letter is T but I really want to add on the U.  Ya know what, I'm doing it and will just skip tomorrow.  My blog, so I'm gonna just jump right in!  In the famous words of a young man I know and love from Savannah, I can if I want to!

More often than not, we take time to be thankful for the prayers we see answered.  But, do we give thanks for those unanswered prayers?  Or do we let them slip away, never really rejoicing in God's Will and His desire for us?   I'm sure each of us can think of a moment or even moments in our lives that something didn't work out the way we intended or even wanted.  In those moments we were probably questioning God as to why?  Why didn't he step in and fix it?  Why didn't he do what I wanted him to do?  Why didn't he answer my prayer?  But if you look back on those moments in time, God's hand orchestrated the entire situation.  God's plan and timing was perfect.

In Romans 8:28 it says, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  So if we know that God uses everything to our good, shouldn't we be thankful for the moments that never were?  Those moments that didn't turn out how we thought they should?   Because in those moments you can truly see the hand of God.  In those moments I feel we are drawn closer to the one who loves us because we are His children. 

Joni Eareckson Tada is quoted in saying, "God has His reasons.  He has His purposes.  Ours is an intentional God, brimming over with the motive and mission.  He never does things capriciously or decides with the flip of a coin."  How sweet life is when we can look back and see God's plan was so much better than ours.  How faithful is our Father in heaven.  Even though we are sinners, he still loves us and wants His plan for us.

As I type this today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the unanswered prayers in my life.  I want to praise God for these because without them,  I would not be where I am today.  I would not be who I am today.  I would not be growing closer to God each day.

 

2009 was a rough year for the Evoy's.  Chris was unemployed for over four months.  We lost our home, our savings, our security in living close to family.  But, that experience taught me two things.   Chris and I had to learn to not only trust each other, but we had to learn to trust God.  Had our prayers  been answered right away, we would have missed the opportunity given to us to move to Indiana.  We would have never left our "security" and stepped out on faith.  And I would not have grown as much as I have.  I miss living close to my family but I can look back and see, those unanswered prayers have grown me.  I had to learn to stand on my own two feet and with God and my husband supporting me, I have done just that.  No job for over 4 months was stressful and we were full of anxiety about our future.  But God answered our prayers in His time and in His way.

When Matthew was born, I was a single mother going through a divorce.  I was down, depressed and lonely.  I felt ashamed that my marriage was ending in a divorce and I felt like I had no idea how to be a good Mom.  How was I going to support this child alone?  I prayed for answers. It took my entire pregnancy, plus a few months, for God to finally answer my prayers.

Had God given me Chris right away, I would have missed out on the opportunity to become a strong, independent woman filled with strength to raise this gift from God.  Chris entered my life just when God saw it fit.  Chris entered Matthew's life when God knew it was needed.  

I've only been blessed to be a stay at home mom since 2010 and to this day, I still worry about our finances.  I don't contribute financially.  All the income comes from Chris and I worry about that burden he carries.  I am always keeping my eyes open for opportunities to help with the family budget. But because a job hasn't presented itself to me, I've been able to spend more time serving God. Because I don't have a job outside of the home, I am able to be completely committed to BSF.  I am able to commit to serving two days a week and when I walk away from serving, I am full of such joy.  If God had worked out a job, I would be stuck behind a desk all day missing out on opportunities to love, pray and serve alongside some great people.  God's purpose is perfection.  When and if I'm supposed to have a job, God will work it out that I don't have to give up serving Him.  But until that time, I will continue to trust God with our finances knowing that He gives us what we need, when we need it.

  One of my favorite verses is in Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Just knowing that in everything, God is there.  That God's plan is perfect.  That God wants the best for his children.  That in and of itself is enough for me to look back over my life and thank him for all the unanswered prayers.  I'll say it again and again, God's timing is perfect, His plan impeccable.

God has a plan for our lives that is so much grander than anything we could ever imagine or pray for.  Keep your eyes on Jesus knowing that His plan is for the good of His children.  Trust in that.  Praise the unanswered prayers in your life for there is a purpose behind each and every one of them. 






On a completely separate side note....today is my Dad's Birthday.  Let's see if he's following along on my blog...

Happy Birthday Dad. 

Love you!

"R"elying on the Holy "S"pirit

I've done it again...guilty as charged.  Friday and Saturday were just so beautiful here in Middle Tennessee that I just had to spend time outside in the yard.  The sun was shining, the breeze was delightful and you just can't NOT spend time with your family and the dog on days like that.  So, alas, here I am on Sunday afternoon combining two letters, yet again.  But at least I'm holding myself accountable and getting caught up before the week begins again. 

Today I'm combining letters R & S.  I've given these two letters a lot of thought over the last few days anticipating their arrival onto my blog.  I thought about a fire and brimstone post about Repentance and Salvation.  I thought about our Risen Savior.  Lot's of ways I could have gone....but God has gifted us with the Holy Spirit and I just feel led to post about our reliance on that Spirit.  So without further ado....buckle your seatbelts...here we go....

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you,

no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ~ John 3:5

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."- Matthew 3:11

 

God tells us that when we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  It takes up residence within us and helps us to discern our will from God's.  It often times prompts us to respond to situations in a certain way.  It more often than not, pricks our hearts so that we are awakened to what God desires for us.  Jesus' death and resurrection allows us as believers to die to ourselves, be raised again in Christ and be given part of God to be with us here on earth, at all times.  Our God is a Triune God, three in one.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Each a vital part of the believer's life.

When we accept the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are allowing it to convict us, mold us, shape us, and lead us.  Sometimes we can feel it, sometimes we just respond to it.  I know that I personally can feel the Holy Spirit when I'm confronted with a response that is driven by God.  Usually regarding my testimony or sharing moments of my life with others.  As I type this, my heart is pounding.  It's hard to put myself out there through writing for the world to see. 

I've had two instances in my life where I knew the Holy Spirit had taken over.  Two significant events where I knew that my reaction was not my own but rather that of God and the work of the Holy Spirit within me covering the situation.

January 2000.  I was a new single mom to a little bundle and we had just gotten home from the hospital.  My family came over to welcome Matthew and I home and we shared a meal together.  Everything was fine until I realized, everyone was leaving and I was going to be alone with Matthew.  Fear set in.  What if I didn't hear him cry?  What if I didn't wake up to feed him?  What if he stopped breathing during the night?  What if, what if, what if???  And then my Dad pulled me into the kitchen and we sat at the table and he prayed over me.

I don't remember all the words he said but I do recall that he specifically asked the Holy Spirit to prompt me to wake up before Matthew so that I would have time to adjust to what care Matthew may need.  I remember him asking God to help me to fall asleep and get good sleep.  I remember feeling a peace wash over me.  Then it was just me & my little man.

I got him settled and into his cradle, right next to where I was sleeping and I crawled into bed myself.  I closed my eyes, trying with all my might, to let the fears disappear and hoping sleep would come quickly.  And then, the strangest thing happened.  I kid you not but, my bed began rocking, ever so slightly, as if I was being rocked to sleep.  Ever so gently, back and forth until I feel into a peaceful, restful sleep.  And then, after what felt like hours of sleep, I woke up a full 15 minutes before Matthew began to cry.  I was awake, alert and ready to tackle whatever my boy needed.  My fear of sleeping through his cries, gone!  Praise be to God!  That my friends is the Holy Spirit at work. 

Flash forward to August of 2016.  Matthew and I had not lived in Tennessee very long.  Chris moved to the south in March and Matthew and I stayed in Minnesota until school was done for the year.  It was a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky.  I had picked up Matthew from school and we were running a quick errand before heading home.  Matthew and I were chatting about his day and his new school as we were driving down the road.  Three cars ahead of us had stopped and so I too slowed down to a complete stop.  That's when I felt the urge to look in the rear view mirror.  There was a car about a half mile back and for whatever reason, I turned the vehicle we were in so the wheels were facing the shoulder.  I was calm and kept Matthew talking about school when BAM!  We were jolted forward and off onto the shoulder, completely missing the car in front of us.  We'd taken a rear end hit.

The young girl who hit us was not paying attention and slammed into our back end at about 55mph.  But the Holy Spirit prepared me for that moment.  I was able to keep Matthew talking and from looking back and seeing the collision about to happen.  I was able to position our minivan so that it wouldn't strike the car in front of us.  I was able to remain calm throughout the entire process.  That wasn't me or my power, that was the work of the Holy Spirit within me.  We were hit so hard that it cracked the frame of my van and totaled our vehicle.  Protection provided by the Holy Spirit covering the entire situation.  I still praise God for that protection and the Holy Spirit for alerting me.

You may be thinking I'm crazy.  That these two significant events didn't happen this way but I have to tell you, they did.  I know there are moments everyday where the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf.  Moments that I am unaware of because I'm doing my life, my way.  But God allows us so many opportunities to see the Holy Spirit in action.  All we have to do is take a moment and pay attention.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ~John 14:26

The Holy Spirit has been around for awhile.  This isn't a new "thing" for us to understand.  It was the Holy Spirit that told Mary she was to have a son, Jesus.  It was the Holy Spirit that told Joseph he was to marry Mary and go to Bethlehem..  It was the Holy Spirit that told Elizabeth she was to have a son, John.  How blessed are we to be able to be part of the same Holy Spirit that God has shared from those earliest of Bible stories to today. 

Relying on the Holy Spirit is what God desires for us.  Be baptized and accept this gift from God.  Allow yourself to be overtaken by the comfort the Spirit within you can bring.  In times of crisis, it is there.  In times of praise, it is there.  In all ways, it is there, within you.  What a gift.  How amazing that our God has the ability to give us such a gift.   Without the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we are helpless. 

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.   I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18

"Q"uick to Forgive

Today I saw the letter Q as my theme and winced.  What on earth is God going to show me to write about today that starts with Q?  I'll be honest, I put off posting for over two hours just because I was at a loss with this letter.  Then God thunked me on the head and said, HEY!  I'm Quick to forgive, as you too should be.  Oh my!  I was trying to put off my blogging but God had other plans for me to share today.  So, I'm all ears God.  What shall I share from You today?

I have to ask myself, am I quick to forgive?  Do I hold grudges towards others?  Do I hang onto that hurt for as long as possible and use it as a reason to not have to deal with someone?  Ahh, Yep.  I do.  Man, when God calls you out on something, it gets real, real REAL quick!

Did you know there is a book in the Bible called Nahum?  There is.  And Nahum has some good stuff to say about God and grudges.  The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.  Nahum 1:3.

If God is slow to anger then why do we feel the need to be quick to respond in situations.  If God can forgive us each day, why can't we do that to those around us?  I will be honest, I hold grudges.  Still to this very moment I have a few that I feel are justified.  People hurt me so I'm going to hurt them.  Even just this week with everything going on in my family, people thought it necessary to hurt me through their words.  Why do I allow it to consume me?   Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. ~ Romans 4:8.  If God gives us new mercies and grace, aren't we supposed to be living out our faith the same way?

We are all sinners and more often than not, our sins are caused by our own stubborn behaviors.  We get carried away in the moment and allow the negative behaviors to dictate our responses to situations.  God forgives us.  Period.  End of story.  Next chapter please.  God doesn't hold grudges.  He doesn't keep score.  He doesn't maintain a list of hurtful things we've done or said, He forgives and is quick to do so.  All He asks of us is to ask Him for that forgiveness.  But, does that mean we are supposed to ask others for their forgiveness?  Sometimes, yes.  Other times it is us who must do the forgiving.

If we allow the negative grudges to consume our days, we lose sight of the joy we could have.  I can think of a perfect example from my life.  I have one person with whom I have had a difficult time finding joy.  I would groan when they would call me.  I would blame them for the reason our relationship was the way it was.  And then I heard a sermon on forgiveness.  I was intrigued on how the Pastor told us that sometimes, it is not an apology from the other person we are waiting for.  Sometimes we have to forgive that person ourselves, in our own hearts, in order to move on and heal that relationship.  He was right.  Sometimes we will never get an "I'm sorry" because the other person doesn't know how to admit to their part in the negativity and hurt.  But, if you forgive them within your heart, God forgives you for that grudge.  And it WORKS!  That relationship with this person is so much better today than just a few short months ago.  I smile when they call. I get excited to chit chat about absolutely nothing with them.  Why?  Because I'm no longer holding onto that anger, that grudge and I'm allowing myself the pleasure of enjoying them as God enjoys us.

We can't let Satan control our hearts.  We can't let Satan continue to control a grudge.  We have to let go and let God take that from us.  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.- Romans 8:1

Everyone who believes in Christ Jesus will be saved, forgiven, sealed, given abundant grace and loved beyond measure by God.    But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.  By grace you are saved!- Ephesians 2:4-5.

Be a Quick to Love, Quick to Forgive kind of person.  Take a moment to allow the Holy Spirit to take over your emotions so that you are slow to anger.  God is quick to forgive us.  God is quick to love us.  God is quick to give us grace even though we are sinners.  Oh, how relationships could change if we could just be a society of quick love like Jesus!