faith is the courage to accept acceptance ~ b. manning

{my dad and i- father's day 2008}

i feel like i need to address what i wrote about last night. i just want my parents to know that I love them so very much and i am so thankful to be their daughter. the support they have given me and daniel is amazing. one example is how they (and our entire family) rallied around daniel and i in a phenomenal way after gracie was born and we were all rushed to the NICU. they all stepped up, coordinated, took care of our needs, provided us a hotel, food, encouraging gifts, took care of sophie, spent time with gracie when we couldn't be there, encouraged, prayed for, cried with us, cleaned for us, and the list goes on and on. we have been so blessed to have a family that is not afraid to love deeply.

i'm learning something the hard way. parents aren't perfect. how humbling. whether they don't know the Lord or whether they seek Him with their lives, they aren't perfect. because they are human. they will mess up. gosh. i. mess. up. everyday. i pray for mercy every single day as i endeavour to love, nurture, train, and discipline my girls.

there is only ONE perfect Parent. He is a perfect Father. He loves unconditionally, His patience never runs out, His love never fails, His timing is perfect. His plans are perfect. His discipline in perfect. He is never selfish. He is never rude. He is the only Holy One.

That He seeks to pursue us, to love us, to never, ever give up on us is amazing. Amazing love.

My part, our part is to truly accept this Love, this Forgiveness, and to Trust, to Rely On HIM, to Surrender. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. My identity comes from Him. My acceptance comes from Him. Not from my parents, my husband, my family, or my friends. If I am depending solely on them for acceptance, approval, and unconditional love then I will never be satisfied. I will never feel whole. My wholeness lies solely in the one who created me. The one who breathed life into me. The one who dreamed my life from before the foundations of the earth.

As our speaker at church said this morning, "Don't treat God the way the world is treating us." He gets blamed for so much and the truth is we are in the middle of a battle. The Lover of our Souls vs the enemy of our souls and we are the "trophies" to be won in the war. He is the giver of all good things and oh the plans He has for us.... if we were to recount them they would be too wonderful to tell!

Jesus, I love You. Light the fire once again. Teach us the true heart of a parent.

Family, I love you. Thank you.

Friends. Ya'll are the best. Thanks for listening and letting me preach a little. :)

{better get to bed. i'm in a good ole hampton inn king size bed. sleeping in tomorrow. wooo hooo!}