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Ash Wednesday – The Journey of Faith begins…

Today is Ash Wednesday–and this is when our journey through Lent begins. (If you would like to join us–it’s not too late! You can create your own ornaments each day…collect enough for the week ahead over the weekend or just read the scripture with your family each night. Here’s the post how to follow along including downloads for the ornament ideas and scriptures to go along with them: http://www.babeofmyheart.com/crafts/easter-tree/

I asked the children to find dead sticks yesterday and they brought me a bunch of sticks just about a foot long. It was precious–but not quite what we needed to be able to hang ornaments on. We found just what we needed this morning by clipping twigs from an old bush that in the winter season looks to be without life. There are parts of us that have no life…where life once was or where life just has never been. It is our prayer that this journey of Lent together will reveal those places to us and that the Lord will breath new life into these places as we follow Him.

In my mothering, there have been so many things I have let go–some that I’ve had to let go and others that the Lord is calling me to bring back into my life. There are probably things I can’t even see yet that need to return…and the same for my children–things that need to return or things that the Lord wants to show us that He is ready to bring to them and have them add to their walks with Him to know Him deeper.

Arranging the twigs this morning…I ask for the Lord that as we fill these branches with ornaments that teach us of His faithfulness–that we will begin to trust in Him more and rest in His plans for our lives…

Today’s reading is on HAVING FAITH…

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.(Matthew 17:20)

What does it look like to HAVE FAITH?

What does it look like to BELIEVE in Him?

What does it look like to have faith as small as a mustard seed???

To read this verse in context with the Biblical story…you can read more here:
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

For me…I am choosing to believe God is who He says He is. I am choosing to trust in Him to write the rest of my story. Every morning, I wake up to find the little sparrows on our table in different places. The children rearrange them–and I take joy as I drink my coffee to some times see them kissing, some times with the mommmy and daddy bird together while the babes are playing…some times all huddled together. The children move them around–and it is a sweet little thing I always look forward to observing.


As much as my heart longs for more sparrows–He has given me these sparrows to now care for. I will take joy in caring for them…in watching how the Lord wants to use them. My heart was tempted to buy MORE birds in hopes that God would add more to our family. This is my HOPE. I have FAITH that He will heal me…I really do! My hearts desire is to grow–but I’m really waiting on Him in whether He really wants us to grow one day or not. So for now, I’m not buying that extra bird or two because right now–I think what I think we want might actually be different than what He wants. In this–we are waiting on Him. How are HOPE and FAITH different?? What do you HOPE for? What do you have FAITH the Lord will do in your life? How are they different?His Word says if you have faith the size of a mustard seed then ANYTHING is possible.

His Word also says, “Three things will last forever–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Today–we start our journey with FAITH. Increase our FAITH Lord in YOU during this journey. Make our faith unwavering. Open our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our hearts to understand and grow our mustard seed faith. We open our hands to you and ask that you will lead us on this Lent journey…we want to PRESS IN to You and know You more.

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Sandi - February 23, 2012 - 1:19 am

You are speaking to my heart today! I made a commitment in my heart when realizing adoption from China was not in the cards (right now) to do specific things for others with those funds. Every time I give we receive a new attack-it’s crazy & shockingly predictable. Today the attack began on all sides & I have been praying for peace tonight, unable to sleep, just asking for God to not allow fear to keep me from stepping out in faith. Well, Matthew 17:20 is special to me because it is THE verse that I believed in & prayed over after trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for 3 years & we were blessed with not 1 but 2 miracle boys! This was just the reminder I needed to stay the course despite all obstacles. Thank you!Praying for healing for you & safety during travels for your family!

Tiffany - February 24, 2012 - 9:44 pm

Just quickly catching up Andrea…don’t seem to have much time for blog reading these days. As usual, love your honesty…your kids are blessed to have you as their mama. I’ll continue to pray for your health struggles. Also, wanted to thank you for a great Created for Care in January. All of our gang had a great time and it really was such a blessed weekend…I can home refreshed and refueled.