Life is beautiful. Precious. Awe-inspiring.
But it is also hard. Sin-stained. Broken.
Whether your days are filled with tantrums, toy trucks, and storybooks, or whether they involve demanding bosses, paperwork, and angry customers (or maybe both), it’s easy to get discouraged.
To forget that if you have chosen to place your faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, your sins have been paid for.
That you have been clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, adopted as a child of the Father.
That you are invited to spend the rest of your life enjoying and resting in the Father’s love and living in the power of the Spirit until we reach our final home with Him on the perfect New Earth.
Often our circumstances and unmet expectations make us feel like we will never measure up. Our focus becomes our performance as a wife, mom, employee, or friend.
Even our relationship with God becomes a self-evaluation.
Am I praying enough?
Did I keep my mind from drifting as I read that Scripture passage?
It causes us to ignore the very thing He died to give us: Himself.
That’s why I write on this blog.
So our focus can be on remembering rather than accomplishing.
Considering who He is rather than evaluating how much I’m doing for Him.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were called to set up memorial stones, so they wouldn’t forget the God who had cared for them and acted miraculously on their behalf.
Jesus, when He was on earth, challenged His listeners to consider the Father’s care for the lilies and birds. (Luke 12)
My prayer is that the Father would use this blog to remind us of Him, so that we can enjoy Him and His love more fully.
And that we could take time to receive His love, joy, and peace, rather than trying to conjure up those feelings in ourselves.
Will you join me? (Those dishes can wait.)
About Alicia
I’m a wife to shape-note singing Christopher, and mom to Isaiah, Hosanna and Faith.
I studied Bible and Teaching at Columbia International University.
I’m a book reading fiddle player, (though I haven’t learned to do both at the same time yet).
If you’d like to help make this blog and podcast sustainable, you can check out my page at https://www.patreon.com/aliciayoder.
Exciting to know that you are getting this up and running. I am excited to be a regular reader, and look forward to hearing your insights and stories. I’d like to join you one of these days with a blog site of my own. :))
Thanks so much! I’d be happy to help you get your blog up and running if you feel led in the future. I know you’d have a lot of wonderful truth to share 🙂
Hi Alicia. I read your post From Pain to Freedom. Have you investigated Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: a disorder involving the collagen (connective tissue) in your body? The way you describe your symptoms lead me to think in that direction. Please ignore and forgive this intrusion into your medical diagnosis if I’m way off base. I only wanted to offer it as something to investigate.
Thanks, Karen. I appreciate you taking the time to tell me about this. Hope you are doing well.
Hi Alicia. This blog sounds great. Its funny, I had just finished reading CS Lewis’s essay Obstinacy in Belief for the first time, and then I saw your post. Lewis’s essay was quite profound and I am still needing to do some research in some parts just to understand what he was saying. But I did loved the part where he said that our relationship to God is like trusting in someone who is teaching you to swim or climb a mountain, trusting in someone wiser who has our best interests at heart. That same hand that holds us while we struggle in the water is the one that is caring for the lilies and the birds.
All the best to you and Christopher, Isaiah, and Hosanna
Thanks for your comment, Uncle Jeff! What a neat picture of God’s care–that He always has our best interests at heart! It’s such a gift to serve a Father who is not only all-powerful and wise, but also full of compassion and love.
Hello Alicia. I found your blog as I searched for a name for my own blog. We share a name and we share the same glorious God. I have enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate your insight and reminders. I am a little further along in my parenting journey – 6 children ages 21 to 8 – but your letter to yourself brought back many sweet/painful memories – thank you! The time does indeed pass quickly.
As I build my own online presence, I’m so very happy that should someone find you when searching for me – their life is sure to be enriched. I will likewise aim to maintain a God honoring and thoughtful presence.
God Bless
(Another) Alicia Yoder
How neat, Alicia. Is there such a thing as a God-ordained coincidence? It’s special to know that I have another sister in Christ who shares my name. Blessings as you pursue your writing and shepherd each of your children. Please include your link once you have things up and running. I’d be blessed to learn from your journey.
Hi Alicia,
I run a family devotional site called lamp lighters (lamplightersdevo.com)
I have really enjoyed your Podcast and have been playing it for my kids as we work through the old testament. I was wondering if you might be open to a collaborative project. Can you email me at thomas@lamplightersdevo.com?
Thanks
Thomas