My Top 10 Lessons of 2021

1. Physical fitness can get out of hand fast. I must stay disciplined if I want my clothes to fit right and feel confident. Pictures don’t lie!️
2. Be careful who you follow and who you listen to. Be bolder in speaking up (with grace) when Truth needs to be upheld.
3. Pride comes before a fall. Less about me, more about Him. God taught me much about humility this year and I’m a continual work in progress.
4. Taking a social media break once in a while can be good for my mental health. That said, it’s okay to unfollow or “hide” someone. It’s about protecting my mind and trying to steer clear of comparison traps or simply feeding my mind with garbage.
5. It’s okay to splurge on myself (especially at my age) and try not to feel guilty about it. 
6. Don’t take anything for granted, especially my health or the health of my loved ones. Life is truly a vapor. 
7. The “hustle” is overrated. Cherish time with family and learn to be content with my life while following my dreams. In fact, simpler living is underrated. Thank goodness God didn’t give us all the same dream.
8. Let the little betrayals and hurts go. Be a forgiving friend and remember to remove the log from my own eye when I’m tempted to criticize. 
9. An idol is not always an easily identifiable golden calf, but a sneaky desire in my heart that pulls me away from God. My heart requires frequent examination of my priorities.
10. Be better at planning or inviting if you want to see your people. Get-togethers don’t just happen. It takes effort. Invite them and they will come.

Happy New Year, Friends! May God bless you abundantly in 2022! 

Christy 

 

© Christy Long. All Rights Reserved.

A Different Kind of Monday Motivation - Slow Down and Water the Flowers!

Seventeen years ago today, on a bright Monday morning much like this one, my Grandma Dot’s life on this earth was over and she and flew away to Jesus. 

It still makes me cry when I relive the suddenness of it all, the wailing sobs of my Pap-Paw, her husband of 67 years, and the regret that still haunts me for not spending more time with her that weekend. I had taken the Monday off and I was planning to spend the day with her in the hospital, except she passed around 6:00 that morning. 

I had spent the weekend planting flowers, trying to work on curb appeal of the home we were about to list. I can still hear her voice reminding me, “they need watering...” (She and Pap-Paw lived up the street from us and he would often walk down and rescue my parched outdoor plants.) 

Madison was in first grade and Jackson was about to turn 4. She loved her great-grandchildren and never missed a chance to see them! Unfortunately, she never got to meet Bryson. How he would have entertained her! From an active and talkative toddler (she loved to talk to people) to all his time spent on the baseball field, she would have eaten it all up! She loved watching baseball on TV! Even kept a little notepad of players, numbers, & stats! ️

She researched family history before delving into one’s ancestry was cool.  I wish I had asked more questions and written down all the stories. She loved to play the organ and created many beautiful items doing her handwork. If she crocheted you a Christmas stocking, it meant you were officially in our family. ️

I was her only grandchild and we talked often, but I should have made time to visit more. I suppose most of us feel a certain amount of guilt when we experience death. We wish we had done more and said more. 

If you’re blessed to still have your grandparents, slow down and make time for them. Time really is fleeting and life is truly a vapor. None of us are promised tomorrow. It all sounds cliché until it becomes real.

So today, as I celebrate her life and reflect on what I learned from her death, I'll leave you with her favorite passage of Scripture from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV):

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

This Monday and every day, let us love the people in our life well, and slow down enough to remember to water the flowers! (As you can see from the photo above, I still need reminding!)

Christy

© Christy Long 2021. All Rights Reserved.

 

The Perfect Mother Daughter Trip - Charleston, South Carolina!

 

 “A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be your best friend.” 

 

 

Not sure who originally said it, but I agree!

I had the best 3-day mother daughter trip with my adult daughter! We went to Charleston, SC and made the most of our 2-nights and 3-days. Sharing the details of our fun itinerary for  anyone planning a perfect girls’ weekend or mother daughter  trip!

Day One

We left early in the morning to arrive at Folly Beach, SC and get a few rays to help add a little color to our pasty skin! We found a public parking spot and had a delicious lunch at Snapper Jack’s. My daughter, Madison, had sushi, the Snapper Jack roll and I had the blacked mahi tacos! They were delish and we enjoyed eating with a view!

Then we headed to the beach to catch a few rays. It was Spring Break, so it was crowded but a beautiful day!

Check in time at our hotel, The Grand Bohemian was 4pm, so we stayed at the beach until 3:15, just enough time to get a little sun-kissed! We drove into Charleston, checked in, and quickly freshened up before heading to dinner. The hotel was beautiful and in a great location in the historic district. They display an impressive art gallery, although the art choices in our room were a bit unsettling. Thankfully, I was too tired both nights to lose any sleep over the creepy eyes over my bed.

Lunch or dinner at Fleet Landing is a must do! It is fabulous! (And reasonable, comparatively to some of the higher end restaurants.) We ate outside overlooking the harbor and ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes as an appetizer, then ordered the special tile fish, blackened with tomato vinaigrette sauce. I chose asparagus and Charleston red beans and rice as my sides. It was a perfect dinner!

Too full for dessert just yet, we walked around the historic district before stopping in at Kaminsky’s. Madison ordered the bourbon pecan pie with ice cream and I had the coconut cream pie! Yum!

We were honestly exhausted, and I am a little embarrassed to admit that we turned in early (her idea, she's teacher! need I say more?), watching Friends on TV with the sleep timer.

Day Two

We did get a relatively early start the next day. We walked to Toast for breakfast/brunch. There was a wait, as expected, so we walked around the corner to Bitty & Beau’s for a cup of coffee. If you’ve never been, you must go! They have an incredible story and new locations continue to pop up all over the Southeast! I love supporting their business! Check them out.

Not long after we finished our coffee, our table was ready at Toast. They have a variety of unique brunch items and assorted mimosas, by the glass or a carafe.

I ordered the Spinach Oysters Benedict (a new menu item), which was superb!

Madison ordered one of their classics - Eggs Meeting Street.

It was a lovely Spring day and we set out to the Market, The Black Dog store (one of my favorites), and then King Street to browse and do a little shopping. We stumbled upon this unique bookstore on King Street, Blue Bicycle Books, with an impressive collection of old, used, and rare books as well as the usual Charleston historical books and ghost stories. I spotted a 1936 edition of Margaret Mitchell’s, Gone with the Wind for a mere $250.

Per my son's-in-law recommendation, we stopped in Market Street Sweets to try the River Street Pralines. They were soooo good! I may have made another stop before we left town so we would have plenty to share when we returned home! 

We strolled back to our hotel early to mid-afternoon and decided that we were slightly hungry but did not want to ruin our 5:15 dinner reservation, so at the recommendation of the hotel valet, we crossed the street to the Renaissance Hotel and enjoyed the perfect snacks at Handy & Hot. We shared the tomato pie and a different but delicious salad with broccoli, peanuts, buttermilk, olives, raisins and pickled onions. Sounds weird, I know, but trust me, it was amazing! Sadly, I don’t think we took a picture. We were too busy devouring it!

We returned to the hotel and took a power rest before heading out to The Darling Oyster Bar. 

We started with a small Seafood Plateau... 

Then we split a Lobster and King Crab roll and fries with their homemade Oyster Bay seasoning.

Our Nightly Spirits ghost tour was scheduled for check-in at 7:15 so we walked through Marion Square and took a couple of photos before arriving at Henry’s on the Market to meet our group and begin our ghostly adventure! The tour was definitely a highlight of our trip! We had a wonderful tour guide (pirate) and he was super knowledgeable about all the spooky hauntings of the Holy City. He passed out glow sticks to each of us so he could keep up with us and we are wearing them on our heads in the picture below. 

We eventually ended up at the circular church and graveyard with several other dark and chilling spots we visited on the way!

We were ready to stay out late since we had rested up the night before, but perhaps because it was a Tuesday night (I kept forgetting) or because we are still in a pandemic, or maybe because there were lots of families vacationing for Spring Break, the town seemed to close early. Madison and I were the only ones out walking back to our hotel just before midnight. I don't think we were breaking any curfews, but it did feel a little eerie. Again, we fell into bed and slept like babies! The creepy eyes did not give me nightmares, even after all the ghost stories.

Day Three

The next morning, we checked out and parked in a public parking deck. I was so happy to grab a sidewalk table at my favorite café in the French Quarter, Gaulart & Maliclet|Fast & French!

French pressed coffee, fresh croissants, and an incredible location! And of course, wonderful company! This is always a must visit in Charleston!

Before heading out of town, we had to take a stroll along the Battery, Rainbow Row, and stop for a photo op by the Pineapple Fountain!

 

Sullivan’s Island was our next stop. Neither of us had ever been there and it was very different from the crowded and commercialized Folly Beach. We had to drive around a bit before finding a parking space. Apparently, this is a beach the locals frequent and you have to park along the side of the road in the grass. They actually have a rule that your tires must be completely off the road. Once we settled on our beach spot, it was a refreshing place to sit back and rest a bit before the long drive home.

Sullivan's Island is home to Fort Moultrie, an unusual lighthouse, and tributes to Edgar Allen Poe!

Apparently, Edgar Allen Poe enlisted under a different name (Edgar Parry) and was stationed at Fort Moultrie, pictured above. (His intriguing story had been shared in our ghost tour the night before.) There is a Poe library there and Poe’s Tavern, where we had dinner on the way out.

It was a fun place to eat and if you’re a fan of Poe’s work (like me), the menu items (mostly unique burgers) are named after his short stories and poems. 

I ordered The Sleeper – a burger with roasted garlic blue cheese and buffalo fried shrimp.

This mom and daughter certainly made the most of a two-night trip and crammed as much in those three days as possible! Beaches, great food, shopping, and history! I hope we can continue this tradition. Life is short. Make time to spend it with those you love and do fun things!

Christy 

© Christy Long 2021. All Rights Reserved. 

 

Long Story Short (God's Promises When Your Fairy Tale Fails)

All good fairy tales begin with, “Once upon a time,” right?

And like most little girls and the famous line from Pretty Woman, I wanted the fairy tale, too. 

When I first got married in 1995, the wedding seemed like the perfect ending to a fairy tale. Even at the end of the wedding video there was a little Cinderella carriage that concluded the recording as if to imply the prelude to a lifetime of happily ever after. However, less than five years later, with a 2 ½ year old daughter and 7 months pregnant with my second child, our marriage was ending.

It was probably the worst time in my life. I could not keep food down, my nerves were a wreck, I was so worried and stressed that I had trouble sleeping and would lie in the bed in a fetal position and shake. As a young Christian (I had recognized my need for knowing Jesus in a personal way and was baptized the previous summer), my mom suggested that I ask Jesus to wrap His arms around me at night, so I tried it. I would imagine that Jesus was holding me in His arms as I drifted off to sleep and it truly helped to calm me down so I could rest.

The day my mother drove my baby boy and me home from the hospital was the day I knew for certain my marriage was over. Separation papers were eventually signed, and I took on more debt than I should have because I wanted to stay in the home with my babies.

I did plenty of things wrong during this time and I take responsibility for my part in the downfall of the marriage, but I never wanted to be divorced. I still believe God can heal any marriage if both spouses are willing, but after counseling and lots of prayer we became another statistic. 

However, during this trial I learned to trust more in Jesus and read my Bible. I began to cling to His promises.

Promises that He would provide.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) 

Promises that He would work all things for my good.

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. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Promises that He would restore my life again.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Psalm 71:20-21 (NIV)

Promises that He would give me hope and a future (once I got serious about seeking Him first).

“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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) 

Several months later, the Lord was preparing my heart for the work He was about to do in my life. I had been attending a singles’ Bible fellowship class at my church and we had been studying the Book of Ruth. It got my attention because of the fairy tale like story of how God provided for Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi after they lost their husbands. Ruth was a woman of noble character and she was obedient to God. Boaz, her prince charming, was a kinsman-redeemer and they were married. There are so many important parts to this story – they are the ancestors of Jesus!

What stood out to me at the time was how God took care of Ruth and worked all things for her good. Like Boaz was her kinsman-redeemer, God redeems us with His unfailing love (See Psalm 44:26). And The Message version of the Book of Ruth begins with the words, “Once upon a time…”

God is our King in this fairy tale of life and His happily ever after is His unfailing love for us!

Soon God put my earthly prince charming in my path. Not too many weeks after a long walk on the beach in heartfelt prayer asking Him to send someone to love me and my children if it was His plan. If it was not His plan, I had prayed that He would help me to raise them alone. It was my moment of surrender.

Mark (my boyfriend of 2 ½ years in junior high/high school) contacted me not too long after that. Instead of riding a white horse, he was driving a white Chevy pickup. It didn’t take long before we knew it was meant to be.

We were married a little over a year later (2002) and our son Bryson was born on Father’s Day 2006.

Being a blended family is not always easy, but I feel very blessed. I believe that with God’s help, we have made the best of things.

So much time has passed since I clung to those promises I read in the Bible. It almost feels like it all happened to someone else. God kept those promises and He proved faithful in working everything out. He provided in ways that only He could, and in ways I could never have imagined, He worked all things for my good. And he did restore my life again.

He also healed my heart and helped me forgive. 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

If you would have told me even a decade ago that we would be going to the same church as my ex-husband and his family, never would I have believed it! And the weird thing is, is doesn’t seem all that weird. God continues to amaze me with His sense of humor and unexpected plot twists as He continues to write my story.

It is my prayer that if you have read to the end, that you will trust God with whatever is going on in your life. His plan is always better than anything we could have asked or imagined. 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen! (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)

I pray that God will work in your situation in a powerful way and give you a story to be used for His glory!

Mamas, Don't Lose Heart!

One of the most difficult seasons in my life was the gradual series of events leading up to my daughter’s college drop off as well as the first few weeks of her first semester.

We had already had many awkward conversations about would-be college situations. Raising a teenage daughter in general had been challenging.

One day when she was still in high school, I was certain she hated her mother and I was questioning her spiritual health and the condition of her heart, I walked into her bathroom and discovered these verses she had written in dry erase marker on her mirror:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I was shocked to find those verses that day, during a time of uncertainty and worry. But also, because I had just heard a remarkable speaker at a women’s event at our church give a message based on these very verses! Her message had been what needed to hear, and now God was revealing it to me again in the sweetest way, handwritten by my daughter. It was surely a sign!

He was letting me know He would see this through. I had been fixating on what I could see – the temporary. The immaturity, the rebellion, the eye-rolling. I needed to trust Him for the inward renewing He was working on day by day that I couldn’t yet see – the unseen!

That day, Jesus gave me a sneak peek of what was to come. Just the fact that this verse was written on her bathroom mirror and she was memorizing it and hiding it away in her heart was amazing indication that she was heading in the right direction.

Overall, by the time she was about to enter college, she was a spiritually grounded, normally excited, freshman girl. Why was I so worried about letting her go? Perhaps it was because I started college having been brought up in a similar background, but eventually some of the choices I made were far from God-honoring.

Would she be able to live in this place for the next four years and remain a Christian? Or would her faith falter under the weight of atheist professors and peer pressure?

Again, the evening of her freshman orientation, as I was pondering all these questions, God visibly gave me another sign. I was about to turn in for the evening, and as it so often does in Boone, NC, it came a little rain shower. Afterwards, God sent this beautiful rainbow that I could see perfectly outside my hotel. It was as if to say again, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” And I was again reminded of those verses.

Focus on the unseen. God is at work. After all, that’s what faith is, right?

Now I wish I could say that I never worried again or lost any sleep over my only daughter once she went away to college, but I did. Finally, after a couple of months of adjusting to our new normal, things did get a little easier.

Over four years have passed since freshmen orientation and my daughter graduated from college this past May, got married two weeks later (she met the love of her life through CRU – Campus Crusade for Christ), and is now a math teacher and JV cheer coach at a local high school. She has matured beyond anything I could have imagined back in Spring of 2015.

So, mamas, don’t lose heart!

There are a few things I learned along the way that I hope may help first-time freshman moms. (Some took me a little longer than others.):

1. Give your adult child the privilege of freedom. For control freaks like myself, this one took a little time. And I believe it may be even harder with a daughter. I simply wanted to know she was alive and well every day. Nothing wrong with texting or calling, but try to resist the urge to stalk, or um track them via their phone. Try to battle the temptation to hit that button. They are most likely having fun or even taking a nap. Give it plenty of time before you freak out (not that I ever did!) Otherwise, they will resent your paranoia and call you "cray". Instead, fast forward to #2.

2. Pray hard. I can’t stress this one enough. Keep a journal of your specific prayers, the big general ones like, “Lord, please help _______ to continue to follow you in college, help him/her to find good, Christian, like-minded friends to hang out with. I pray that he/she would plug in to campus organizations like CRU or Young Life, and find a Bible teaching local church with an impactful college ministry.” Pray for the small details as well. Start praying for next year now. Such as, “Lord, I don’t know the best living situation or the best roommate for ________ next year, but You do. Please work out those details.”

I prayed specifically for a 2-bedroom apartment for my son this past year so he and his friend would not have to live with a third random person. And even though we were told only a few were available and it may not happen, it DID! God answers little detailed prayers. Keep a list of your prayers and then check off and date them once God answers. It is so comforting to look back and see how He worked everything out. Trust Him in the details and you will see Him working on your behalf in your adult child’s life!

And don’t forget to pray Scripture prayers. One of my favorites is from 1 Corinthians 10:13, “Lord, when __________ is tempted, please help him/her take the way out You are so faithful to provide.” You can tailor Scripture prayers specifically for your child. What worries you most about sending them off to college? Then search those key words to find verses you can apply in your prayers. God’s Word does not return void. There is such power in praying His Word!

Lastly, we all make mistakes and we all sin. Pray that your adult child will not make any life-altering pitfalls during their college experience and trust God for the rest. And if something terrible should happen, continue to love them as Jesus loves us (in spite of our own sinfulness), and help them to process the consequences of their mistake with your unconditional love and support. Make sure you are approachable and your adult child knows there is nothing they can do that would cause you to stop loving them.


3. Keep a positive outlook. This is important for them and for you. I went through a little bit of depression after my daughter left for school. However, when we spoke, I didn’t drag her down emotionally with my sadness. I missed her terribly but eventually I embraced the new season of life. The same is happening again now that she is married and no longer living in our home. My son is about to leave for his second year at college and we will soon be down to one child in the nest again. All I can say is focus on the joy of your child growing up and maturing and spreading their wings. It may sound cliché but isn’t is better than them staying in their room playing Fortnite for the rest of their life? We raise our kids to be become independent adults and find their purpose in this world. Let’s cheer them on and rejoice in their new adventures! You will be amazed how they grow and mature in this next chapter of their lives!

There will most likely be tears on freshman move in day. (Hopefully, you can hold it together until the ride home.)

But try to embrace this new season. Instead of grieving what is behind, look forward to what’s to come. And maybe God will even give you a rainbow reminder as if to say, “Don’t lose heart, I’ve got this.”

Hang in there, Mamas! And Dads too! It will get easier!

Christy


© Christy Long 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Do It Again, God!

Careful what you pray for!

I’m a big believer in praying Scripture as God’s word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). A few months ago, I ran across this psalm and had an A-ha moment. I mean, who wouldn’t want to pray this passage of blessing?

Psalm 126 The Message (MSG)

A Pilgrim Song

126 1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of the nations—
“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.

4-6 And now, God, do it again—
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
So those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.

Yeah, God! Do it, again!

Let me be clear that I’m not a believer or a fan of the prosperity gospel. Nor do I view my God as some sort of genie in a bottle in order to fulfill selfish prayers for me and my family.

That’s not who He is and it’s certainly not how I should view my Heavenly Father.

However, I have seen Him do amazing, unimaginable, seemingly impossible things in my life and I know He can choose to do it again, IF it is His will.

In the past, He rained blessing on our family after a time of loss and struggle. He provided unexpected blessing during a time of despair. He supernaturally implemented a plan for me to stay home with my children when just nine months earlier it did not seem fathomable. (Just to name a few.)

To say my God is big feels like a gross understatement.

So, as we have been in a season of spending for my daughter’s wedding, I must admit these verses seemed promising. Not to sound greedy, but any extra blessing here would be great, God! If you feel like showering on us “armloads of blessing” we would really appreciate it!

Often, He doesn’t answer the way we expect Him to.

What had not occurred to me about praying the beautiful psalm of praise of remembrance and petition was that God had done great things for them after a terrible time of captivity, and they are filled with joy.

After all, Psalm 126 is a Psalm of Ascent, which itself implies that you are rising from a lower position – a pit, a valley, or place of humility.

There had to be a trial before there could be a blessing.

Last week instead of receiving the “armloads of blessing” for which I had prayed, my husband lost his job due to cuts made after a company acquisition. The timing is almost comical because as I am writing this the wedding is only 22 days away!

But I know God’s got this.

In my faith journey, there are 3 things I am learning when setbacks happen.

1. Accept the trial. God knows what He is doing. Although I would never compare our situation to the severity of Job’s, we can know through his story that nothing happens to us in life that God has not permitted. It is up to us, however, how we handle the adversity. Whether it be a financial crisis or a major health issue, may we choose to accept the trial and stand firm in our faith, making our Heavenly Daddy proud. “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10 As my pastor would say, it’s like giving the devil a punch in the nose!

2. Rely on God for restoration. The psalm really says it all! He is beyond capable and all -powerful to work on our behalf. He has repeatedly come through for us. In fact, a little over two years ago, we were in the same situation and He was wonderful to us! (verse 3) Sometimes God must take you back to the trial in order to bring the next blessing. Our job is to trust and persevere. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

3. Praise Him continually and expectantly. To be perfectly honest, we were blindsided over the job cut but there are so many silver linings in this cloud. Ironically, I was driving home that day thanking God for all His many blessings in our lives. Perhaps at the very moment my husband was receiving the news of his job cut, I was in a spirit of praise? At one point, I remember being moved to tears as I was counting the ways God has blessed me and our family. And not just material blessings, but for the stuff money can’t buy. For my husband – his big ol’ generous heart, the way he loves my older two children as his own, the way he loves me and all my messy crazy. For my kids – they are not perfect (none of us are!), but I am so proud of them and for their love of the Lord, they are turning out to be remarkable people and that makes a mama’s heart almost burst with thankfulness. For many answered prayers…I could go on and on…

So, when I walked in the door with my TJ Maxx bags and saw the unpleasant look on my husband’s face, I still had no idea. He said he didn’t want to give me the news while I was driving. Hugging him, I remember saying something like, “It’s okay, God has something better.” And I truly believe it. We are not losing sleep. He always provides. He is our Jehovah-Jireh. My God is an awesome God!“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:28

So, do it again, God! We have faith that You will.

Trusting Him with expectant hearts,

For His Glory,

Christy

Merry in the Mourning

As I was frantically addressing and preparing to mail our Christmas cards earlier this week, I received some horrific news that one of our church members had died unexpectedly, leaving behind a wife and four boys. Less than two weeks earlier, similar news was delivered, involving a family we knew from our previous church. Again, a father tragically leaving behind a wife and three children.

There are many other families that have experienced loss here at Christmastime, through death, illness, and broken relationships.

In between tears, stuffing our “A Time to be Merry” cards in envelopes suddenly seemed wrong. For some, it is anything but a time to be merry.

We experienced much joy in 2018. A graduation and an engagement were among our celebrations and there is much anticipation and excitement as we look forward to 2019.

However, there were some Christmas pasts that weren’t so joyful, and downright mournful. I wrote a piece several years back during one of those Christmas seasons called Where is the Joy? and after digging it out of the files last year around this time, it happened to be lying right on top of my Christmas card address list. It was as if I needed another reminder this year.

I shared in that post about some of my saddest Christmases. The one where we buried my grandma on Christmas Eve, my first Christmas as a single mom with a baby and a toddler, and the most recent one in 2011 where my children had lost their aunt to cancer in November. She left behind a son in college and a daughter who was a freshman in high school and still needed her mom.

Even having experienced grief at Christmastime, the events that have happened recently are incredibly hard to make sense of. The grief their families must be feeling is unimaginable.

Be aware of the enemy’s schemes.

It has occurred to me that Satan attacks with a vengeance the closer we get to Jesus’ birthday.

While we can’t blame everything on the enemy, we know “…the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

And “he is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short.” (Rev 12:12)

In my personal reading for the month of December, I have been going through the book of Luke and then reading The Wiersbe Bible Commentary on each chapter. After the events of this week, I was reminded of something I had read earlier this month about how Satan can use his demons to attack believers in Christ.

Knowing that once Christians accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and we are then sealed by the Holy Spirit (belonging to God), it would therefore not be possible to become demon possessed. (See Ephesians 1:13) For this reason, I have struggled to understand how our brothers and sisters in Christ can commit certain acts and devastate those they love so much.

Wiersbe refers to “demonic work in believers as ‘demon oppression’ rather than ‘demon possession,’” and that, “Certainly Satan can and does attack the bodies and minds of God’s people.”1

It gives me comfort to know that a child of God is still a child of God. When life ends here on earth for a Christ-following believer, they become present with the Lord. (See 2 Corinthians 5:8)

Tragedy may occur. The enemy may win the battle, but we know who wins the war. One day the devil will be thrown into the lake of fire. (See Revelation 20:10)

Jesus is worthy of our worship, even more in times of suffering.

Jesus tells us “the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy from Isaiah. He announced in the synagogue, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19, Emphasis mine)

We celebrate the birthday of the One Who came to give us life to the full and release us from that oppression - our own sin oppression, or demonic oppression. Jesus is the reason for our hope.

In our sorrow, let us not be tempted to skip Christmas or let stress and sadness stifle our joy. As I heard a friend say this week, “Jesus was still born!” Amen!

In this world of sin and darkness, He is our bright, Morning Star! (See Revelation 22:16)

He deserves our worship and our adoration no matter what.

Some things we will not understand this side of heaven. Trust Him anyway.

Perhaps my favorite verse in all the Bible is Romans 8:28, “And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” While some may not want to hear this verse when terrible things happen, all I can say is, have faith.

His words are true and His promises He keeps. I have seen Him work miracles in my own life. We must trust that whatever means Satan uses to harm us, our God can use it for our good and His glory.

I can’t imagine the pain Mary must have endured watching her son, Jesus, suffering on the cross. Yet it was necessary for God to accomplish His plan and bring salvation to a world of sinners like us.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)

There are some things that are not meant for our understanding. We must simply trust Him and pray.

Pray for those who are hurting to have a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and that the God of all comfort will hold them close and give them strength as only He can.

Because Jesus was born, we have hope.

Because Jesus was born, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. (Isaiah 9:1) …And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Keep focusing on Him and the reason for His birth. And understand that it is okay to be merry in the mourning.

Jesus was still born.

Merry Christmas to all!!!



© Christy Long 2018. All rights reserved.

1) The Wiersbe Bible Commentary New Testament, Warren W. Wiersbe, David C. Cook, Page 182.

Liquid I.V.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:2-3 The Message

For most of my life, I have NOT been an athlete. Memories of being the last kid picked when choosing teams back in elementary school, getting hit in the face while trying to catch a softball in the backyard, being startled and confused by that alarming whistle blown almost the instant I attempted to dribble the basketball in a high school intramural game (I was forced to participate) are still etched in my forty-something adult brain.

Oh, and I will never forget my glorious moment in sixth grade when I finally scored a point in hockey. Jumping for joy and lifting my hockey stick in the air felt like such a victory until I realized my teammates were shaking their heads, “No!” My horrific error was publicly pointed out in front of everyone in P.E. class - I had scored a point for the other team!

My spiritual life has been a lot like my athletic ability. There have been times where I was completely taken off guard, felt as though I was not good enough, struggled with self-comparisons, insecurities, doubts, guilt over past sins and failures.

And oftentimes preceded by those struggles were excitement, passion and motivation in serving the Lord in some area of ministry, or a commitment to spending more time in prayer and Bible study. What usually begins with much energy and ease, soon grows weak and weary, or admittedly, sometimes lazy.

Sometimes I have wanted to just quit. There have been times I became too comfortable sitting on the couch watching TV, content to let others use their spiritual gifts in areas that I knew deep down I should still be doing too.

Running is something you must train your body to do. In fact, I’ve said many times in my life that I couldn’t run. I truly thought God did not make me to be a runner, but the truth is I had not learned endurance yet. I would start off running hard and quickly get out of breath, resulting in my either having to stop, or walk. Just as with the Couch to 5K, or similar programs, running eventually happens by walking and then running for various intervals of time until your body becomes used to running for the entire time. And if you are inconsistent in the training process and miss several days, chances are you will have to start all over again.

Endurance happens when you keep going.

You can’t cave to exhaustion and you can’t quit.

Recently, I have been training for a 10K (my first one). Therefore, I have been running further distances. Somewhere around mile 4 or 5, I get tired and begin to converse with myself as to whether-or not I think I can go on. One thing that gives me confidence is knowing that I have hydrated myself.

I read this in an article not long ago about the importance of hydration in running: “Dehydration causes your body’s blood volume to drop, which lowers your body’s ability to transfer heat and forces your heart to beat faster, making it difficult for your body to meet aerobic demands.” (from Sipping Points by Karen Asp, Runners World, June 10, 2010)

Simply said, without proper hydration, we get tired and wear out.

Last weekend, I used a product called Liquid I.V. – a hydration multiplier that I purchased from my local GNC store. It states on the bag that it can provide the same hydration as the equivalent of drinking 2-3 bottles of water. It’s a powder that you add to your water bottle and it works in your system by delivering hydration directly to your bloodstream, which is much faster than drinking water. I experienced a much better run as a result, without the usual tiredness in the middle.

So, when I was reading Hebrews 12 on Monday morning, I was struck by Paul’s description of how keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and going over His story and all that He endured, “that will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Jesus! My Liquid I.V.

The Living Water. Our Ultimate Hydration!

Running hard for Jesus means we must stay hydrated in Him. Just as water is vital for human life, Jesus is our Liquid I.V. – the Living Water running through us. He is our burst of energy when we feel like we can’t go on.

What about you? Could you use some spiritual endurance, too?

Keep thinking of Him in all things. Don’t look back at past failures or dwell on our weaknesses. Focus instead on His strength and what He endured for us. Through His power we can go the distance He is calling us to. And we can finish the race! Let’s continue training daily and not give up!


© 2018 by Christy Long. All rights reserved.

My Word for 2018

It’s becoming more and more common for people to think of a word to set the stage for their new year rather than resolutions that get broken, often within the first week.

As my 2017 wrapped up, and for the last couple of weeks of the Christmas season, I had determined that my word for the year would be SERVICE. I had come across the passage in Matthew 20:26-28, when Jesus told His disciples, “…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Without going into details, Christmas is so much work on us mamas, and it had me worn out at one point, wishing it would just be over already. But Jesus reminded me that I needed to change my attitude to one of service to my family and others. And not only to serve, but to serve with joy.

There are also some areas within my church that I am planning to serve this year. Our Divorce Care for Kids ministry kicks off January 18th and I signed up to help with the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine in February that our church is hosting. Really excited about both!

Again “service” just seemed like an appropriate word.

Then, while scrolling Facebook, I happened upon a little online test by Dayspring that you can take to determine your word for the year. I thought it would be fun to see what it came up with. Surprisingly, and yet not so surprisingly, my word was LOVE.

Expecting a word with a little more action or specific meaning, I first thought it to be vague.

But then….

I began to ponder all the areas I need to improve in my life, especially my spiritual life, and LOVE (the verb) is perfect.

Love…

Overlooks offenses. (Proverbs 17:9)

Chooses its words carefully. (Proverbs 12:25) (Proverbs 25:11) (James 1:26)

Is not judgmental. (Romans 14:13)

Makes time for others because it values relationships. (Romans 12:10; 13)

Prays and intercedes for others. (Romans 12:12)

Keeps its motives pure. (Proverbs 16:2)

Obeys God. (1 John 5:3) (2 John 5-6)

Reaches out to those who need comfort and encouraging. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Is kind to myself - takes care of my physical and spiritual body, focuses on my strengths instead of beating myself up over my past failures, puts an end to self-hate talk and comparisons. (1 Timothy 4:7-8) (2 Corinthians 10:5) (Galatians 5:25-26; 6:4)

Celebrates the success and talents of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Is concerned for orphans, widows, and the lost. (James 1:27) (Matthew 18:10-14)

Is able because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19-21)

Is the greatest! (1 Corinthians 13:13)

And perhaps the icing on the cake for my word of the year is this – I decided to start the year backwards in my Bible reading and begin with Revelation. Chapter 2 – a letter to the church in Ephesus, really spoke to my heart and reinforced my word for the year.

The people of the church there were working hard for the Lord, they were intolerant of the sinfulness in their culture, they showed discernment in recognizing false teachings, they were standing firm in the faith and not growing weary in their work. However, they had forgotten their FIRST LOVE!

Repent and do the things you did at first. Revelation 2:4

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ~ Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

Love.

The verb.

The forgiving kind. (Ephesians 4:32)

The unfailing kind. (Psalm 130:7)

The God that sent His Son, Jesus to die on a cross for my sins kind. (John 3:16) (1 John 4:16)

Thank You, Jesus, that we can know love because You first loved us. Help me to love You with my whole heart– keeping You in Your right place as my First Love. May my love for You spill over into every other area of my life so that I may love and serve others in a way that fulfills Your purpose for my life and glorifies You! Give me eyes to see and ears to hear how I may “love” better this year. Amen.

Do you have a word yet for 2018? If this spoke to you, feel free to use mine. The world could certainly use more #love! :)

Love,
Christy

(c) Christy Long 2018

Where is the Joy?

(One from the archives. Originally posted December 21, 2011, on God Encounters blog, once a women’s ministry of Calvary, Winston-Salem, NC.)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Insert melody) Except maybe it doesn’t feel like it.

Sometimes Christmas feels like the saddest time of the year.

There has been so much death and sorrow over the last couple of months. Many families, including our own, will be experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one. Chances are we all know someone who has experienced some kind of loss this holiday season.

My children lost their aunt just before Thanksgiving. She leaves behind a 14-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son. My heart especially aches for that teenage girl who was once my niece.

While putting the finishing touches on my Christmas tree, my oldest two children were attending her funeral in Maryland with their dad and would be traveling back home that evening. As I decorated, I prayed for their family and my heart felt heavy. Somehow trying to be festive and playing Christmas carols seemed wrong. Where was the joy?

A couple weeks later, after dropping my kids off at school, a familiar Where Are You Christmas filled the air waves of my vehicle. As I listened to the words, I couldn’t hold back the tears as I was driving out of the school traffic. Surrendering, I decided to let them freely flow all the way home.

Where are you Christmas?
Why can’t I find you?
Why have you gone away?
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me?
Why can’t I hear the music play?

My world is changing
I’m rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too? 1

I have felt burdened for those whose Christmas has drastically changed this year. How is your world changing? Is there something that is stealing your joy?

A separation or divorce? Struggling with an illness? The loss of a loved one? Could the Holy Spirit be placing someone on your heart to reach out to this week that needs a little help finding their joy?

As I look back on the Christmases in my life, there are some unusually sad ones that stand out.

For instance, the Christmas Eve that we buried my grandma, my daughter was 6 months old – my baby’s first Christmas. However, we found that focusing on the new life that God had blessed us with helped our family to get through an otherwise very mournful Christmas.

Another would be my first Christmas as a single mom to two small children. Instead of having a terribly “blue” and lonely Christmas after my separation (and I did have my moments), we celebrated with a crowded and noisy houseful of relatives. In an effort to surround myself with people, I opened my home to my whole, extended family.

You see, when we choose to focus on Jesus, the One True Gift, the One who brings new life, a second birth, we find real Christmas joy.

When we are intentional about our worship and keep it all about Him rather than dwelling on our circumstances, we find real Christmas joy. Inexpressible and glorious joy!

You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)

The birth of Jesus is bittersweet because we know why He came. He came to die for you and me and a world of other sinners.

But there is inexpressible and glorious joy because of what happened next. Jesus conquered death! (1 Corinthians 15:55) And one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain! (Revelation 21:4)

Because of Jesus, this life does not have to be the end. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)

The truth is as long as we are still living on earth we will sometimes have to endure sad Christmases. But please don’t let the evil one steal your joy! Jesus reminds us in John 10:10 (AMP) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

And that is where the joy is, my friends! I pray you find it this Christmas!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the ultimate gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. For without Him, we would have no hope. Thank You for loving us with an unfathomable love. May we keep our focus on Jesus this season and be filled with indescribable Christmas joy no matter what our circumstances. Happy Birthday, Jesus! In Your Precious Name, Amen.


Christy


© Christy Long 2011

1 Where Are You Christmas, by Faith Hill, from the album Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2000, Words and Music by James Horner, Will Jennings, and Mariah Carey

Reflecting on God's Goodness After the Storm

It is with great excitement and thankful heart I can announce that my husband starts his new job next Monday!

Our storm began on January 17, when he called me from Chicago to give me the “good news” that he was coming home, only to then give me the bad news that his job had been cut. The first words out of my mouth were, “It’s okay. God has something better.”

And I really believed that He did. Anxiety only began to creep in when I discovered that our family’s health insurance would end on January 31.

Then sometime in the early morning hours of February 1, the youngest of our three kids became extremely sick. The following week, almost like clockwork, the middle child was hit with the exact same symptoms. And finally, last week the oldest child was diagnosed with the flu and I drove her home from college to care for her for two days.

Seriously? Are you kidding me, God???

I have been fiercely fighting to stay healthy as well, battling my own sinus/cough/respiratory crud. Hoping to stay away from the doctor’s office so as not to have to pay out of pocket costs or activate expensive COBRA insurance.

But thankfully God has taken care of us through all the illnesses and we are fortunate that my oldest two are also covered under their step-mom’s health insurance. It was truly a blessing that my daughter had that insurance card when she visited the Urgent Care in Boone.

That brings me to several reflections I believe God has shown me throughout the last month and a half as to why He allows us to go through storms in life.

He sometimes allows storms to humble us. First, after the job loss, I was completely blown away by the messages of support and prayers from friends, even offers of help if we needed it. I was also amazed at the network of friends my husband has in his co-workers, former colleagues, and old friends who reached out to him immediately in to offer job leads or recommendations on his behalf. I only hope I can be equally supportive in my prayers and encouragement to those same friends within our community who were so kind to us during this time should they ever have needs that arise.

The healthcare situation has also humbled me. I have never been without health insurance and honestly have taken it for granted. Once you are in a position that you probably need to go to the doctor, but choose not to because who knows how much it will cost, it is eye-opening as to why we need health care reform that is truly affordable in this country!

God allows us to go through storms to rekindle our faith. When we rely on Him during these times and trust Him to prove Himself faithful (which He always does), our faith grows even stronger, and our love for Him even deeper. Without experiencing times of trouble, our dependence on God can diminish as we may have the illusion that all is well on our own.

It is good every so often to be reminded that God is still in control and He still keeps His promises. Storms are a good time to remind ourselves of the promises in His Word. He has continually amazed me with working out even the tiniest details of our lives and blessing us during this situation.

Sometimes God allows storms to force us to move in a situation so that we may receive His next blessing. Even though it was somewhat of a shock in the beginning, this job loss has proven to be a better thing for our family. My words to my husband over the phone turned out to be prophetic. God did have something better, indeed.

However, my husband needed to be forced to move so that he could find this new opportunity. He was as loyal as employee as they come and was committed to his work and to the success of the company. He had not searched for another job in the 13 ½ years he had been employed. Therefore, God had to allow this to happen so that the best next career move could take place.

Jesus said:

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] John 16:33 (AMP)

Life is not perfect for any of us but we can be thankful that we have a Good, Good Father who can give us perfect peace and confidence in our storms and that He is actively at work in our circumstances. His ways are always higher and better!


Continuing to praise Him…

Christy



© Christy Long 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Peace over Panic: My husband lost his job and I’m a stay-at-home mom

It’s true. When I re-did this blog less than a month ago, I really had no clue what God-story would be written for our 2017. But here we go…

Last week, after being employed in sales at the same company for 13 ½ years, my husband’s job was cut. Surprisingly, when he telephoned with the news, I felt peace over panic.

Peace because I had been praying for the job situation. It was not the outcome I had hoped, but I felt confident that it was God’s will for our situation. Had I not already been in prayer about it, it may have stung more. Instead, it was much easier to accept because I immediately felt that security from God that this was His plan and He would use this for good.

Peace was present due to praise. It may sound strange, but in the middle of the of the disappointment and sadness I could not help but check off a mental list of all the ways God blessed us over the years through my husband’s company and simply thank Him. On the top of the list: we vacationed in Hawaii three years in a row as a reward trip, I accompanied him on a trip to San Diego (one of my favorite places I’ve ever been), and (most importantly for me), I got to live my dream as a stay-at-home mom. (Some days it feels more like a nightmare than a dream, but seriously, I truly am grateful.) ;) No matter how it ended, I will always be grateful for those opportunities and memories.

Peace because He has already proven Himself faithful. We went through this same trial almost exactly 14 years ago. We had only been married four months when his job was cut. However, I was working back then and covered our family’s health insurance through the company I was employed so that part was not as scary. But God was faithful. He took care of us then, and He will take care of us now. In fact, God has proven Himself so faithful that I wrote a book sharing my testimony entitled God Keeps His Promises. And God still keeps His promises.

So, there are a lot of uncertainties as our family heads into 2017. Will he find a job sooner than later? Will I have to go back to work? Time will tell, I suppose. Until then, I will trust Him with this chapter.

I will continue to pray, give Him praise, and wait expectantly!

Perhaps your 2017 has brought challenges or unwanted change. Whenever life gets hard, I encourage you to seek out God’s promises, meditate on His comforting words, and choose peace over panic.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)



Copyright 2017 by Christy Long. All Rights Reserved.

Once Upon a Time

All good fairy tales begin with, “Once upon a time,” right? And like most little girls and the famous line from Pretty Woman, I wanted the fairy tale, too.

When I first got married in 1995, the wedding seemed like the perfect ending to a fairy tale. Even at the end of the wedding video there was a little Cinderella carriage that concluded the recording as if to imply the prelude to a lifetime of happily ever after. However, less than five years later, with a 2 ½ year old daughter and 7 months pregnant with my second child, our marriage was ending.

It was probably the worst time in my life. I could not keep food down, my nerves were a wreck, I was so worried and stressed that I had trouble sleeping and would lie in the bed in a fetal position and shake. As a young Christian (I had recognized my need for knowing Jesus in a personal way and was baptized the previous summer), my mom suggested that I ask Jesus to wrap His arms around me at night, so I tried it. I would imagine that Jesus was holding me in His arms as I drifted off to sleep and it truly helped to calm me down so I could rest.

The day my mother drove my baby boy and me home from the hospital was the day I knew for certain my marriage was over. Separation papers were eventually signed and I took on more debt than I should have because I wanted to stay in the home with my babies.

I did plenty of things wrong during this time and I take responsibility for my part in the downfall of the marriage, but I never wanted to be divorced. I still believe God can heal any marriage if both spouses are willing, but after counseling and lots of prayer we became another statistic.

However, during this trial I learned to trust more in Jesus and read my Bible. I began to cling to His promises.

Promises that He would provide.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Promises that He would work all things for my good.

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. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Promises that He would restore my life again.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Psalm 71:20-21 (NIV)

Promises that He would give me hope and a future (once I got serious about seeking Him first).

“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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

Several months later, the Lord was preparing my heart for the work He was about to do in my life. I had been attending a singles’ Bible fellowship class at my church and we had been studying the Book of Ruth. It got my attention because of the fairy tale like story of how God provided for Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi after they lost their husbands. Ruth was a woman of noble character and she was obedient to God. Boaz,her prince charming, was a kinsman-redeemer and they were married. There are so many important parts to this story – they are the ancestors of Jesus!

What stood out to me at the time was how God took care of Ruth and worked all things for her good. Like Boaz was her kinsman-redeemer, God redeems us with His unfailing love (See Psalm 44:26). And The Message version of the Book of Ruth begins with the words, “Once upon a time…”

God is our King in this fairy tale of life and His happily ever after is His unfailing love for us!

Soon God put my earthly prince charming in my path. Not too many weeks after a long walk on the beach in heartfelt prayer asking Him to send someone to love me and my children if it was His plan. If it was not His plan, I had prayed that He would help me to raise them alone. It was my moment of surrender.

Mark (my boyfriend of 2 ½ years in junior high/high school) contacted me not too long after that. Instead of riding a white horse, he was driving a white Chevy pickup. It didn’t take long before we knew it was meant to be.

We were married a little over a year later (2002) and our son Bryson was born on Father’s Day 2006.

Being a blended family is not always easy but I feel very blessed. I believe that with God’s help, we have made the best of things.

So much time has passed since I clung to those promises I read in the Bible. It almost feels like it all happened to someone else. God kept those promises and He proved faithful in working everything out. He provided in ways that only He could, and in ways I could never have imagined, He worked all things for my good. And he did restore my life again.

He also healed my heart and helped me forgive. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

If you would have told me even a decade ago that we would be going to the same church as my ex-husband and his family, never would I have believed it! And the weird thing is, is doesn’t seem all that weird. God continues to amaze me with His sense of humor and unexpected plot twists as He continues to write my story.

This blog originated in 2008 when I published the long version of the story, God Keeps His Promises – Trusting in the One Who is Faithful When Vows are Broken. It was then called Comfort to Comfort based on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (NIV)

If I can offer any comfort here, it blesses me to do so. It just felt like time for an update and blog makeover that more accurately reflects who I am today and the more recent changes in our lives. I also hope to offer more variety in my writing. We will see where God and the keyboard leads us!



Copyright 2016 by Christy Long. All Rights Reserved.