Shelley Smith: Worry

I am thankful for hope.

I come from a long line of professional, first-rate, Jesus-loving worriers.  Yes, that’s right.  I can worry like the best of them.  

Sometimes (or possibly more often) I go to the worst possible scenario.  A rash is flesh-eating bacteria; sore muscles are breast cancer; a fever, meningitis; and a headache, the options are endless!  When Sean has a bad day at work, I make sure he hasn’t gotten fired before I pour him a cold drink.  If one of my people don’t answer their phones, who knows what could’ve happened?

I just want to hear the words, “Everything is going to be okay.”

But it isn’t always.

But it really is.

There are so many things in my life that really aren’t ok with me.

I am not ok that my pastor has a terminal illness.

I am not ok that my dad died of a heart attack way too young and that my mom is having such a hard time living without him.

 I am not ok when we have financial trouble or hard times in our marriage.

I am not ok with cancer in so many close to us.

Parenting is tough, and sometimes I am not ok with circumstances with our kids.

I am not ok when life just doesn’t seem fair.

Sometimes the things of this world can overwhelm me and I start to worry about what horrific thing is going to happen next.  

But it is ok.  

This world is not my home.  I love when Pastor Greg says everything that happens has passed through God’s heart.  He loves us immeasurably more than I could ever imagine.

When sickness or death happens, God is there.

When financial and relationship troubles happen, God is there.

When pain and fear and worry happen; yep, he’s there too.

So, I rest on these eternal, trustworthy, proven words:

“I am with you always, even to the very end of the age,” which is translated to, “Everything is going to be okay.”

My hope is not in this world, but in Jesus Christ.

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You can learn more about Shelley on her blog, Laughter, Lyrics and Life

Shelley Smith: Firsts

I am thankful for this girl, our first!

Allison is our first.  This year she’s a sophomore in high school.

I remember many firsts with her:  first time with a babysitter, first visit to the church nursery, first day of kindergarten, first sleepover, first field trip, first summer camp, first day of high school, and the list goes on.

Firsts are painful.  Letting go is hard.  I worry.  I want to protect her and control her situations and her surroundings.  I don’t want her to see anything or hear anything or experience anything negative.

I could…for a while.

I could keep her with me all the time and not let her go anywhere or do anything (she’d probably hate me).   But greater than my desire to control her, I want her to go.

I want her to be unafraid and bold.

I want her to do great things.

I want her to become who God has designed her to be.

I want her to develop relationships with other people who love her and encourage her in her faith.

I want her to make decisions for herself.

I want her relationship with Christ to be her own.

I want her to live.

Allison is one of the most outgoing, confident, independent girls I know.  She is a leader.  She is unafraid to share her faith and knows why she believes what she believes.  She invites everyone she knows to church.

She is our first.

I am beyond thankful that God put her in our lives.

She is not afraid; but I sometimes am.

I am thankful she is our first.  She’s teaching us how to be parents.  She’s teaching us to love, trust, forgive...

...and PRAY!

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You can learn more about Shelley on her blog, Laughter, Lyrics and Life