Our Inspired Journey

This photo reminds me that all of life, each moment I live promises to be part of a larger story.
"You're going somewhere..." Jesus whispers to me in Jeremiah 29:11...


There's something about the morning that has me captivated lately.


It all started when I heard Him call me to a more consistent time of devotion with Him.  As a mother of four kids ages six and under, the only thing I can count on being consistent in this season - is change.  As soon as one routine seems to work, another kid grows and throws the whole "plan" for a loop...and we find ourselves back at square one, longing for a routine that everyone can flourish in that won't dissolve in a day.  


This past year, I sensed God was calling me to wake up early to "walk" with Him. 
"I'm not really a morning person," I told Him.
"I'm more of a night owl...There are a lot of people in my family...I need my sleep so I can have energy for the day...I can't seem to get myself to bed in time to wake up early...
and the list of excuses went on, and on...

Then one day... (in the midst of a season when we had a "good" commitment four nights of the week) we were rushing around the house trying to get everyone out the door for the event that had been mounting in importance with each "home rehearsal"...Cole's Halloween performance at Pre-School.  He was dressed up like Woody, hair slicked back, bandanna tied to the side..."adorable" doesn't come close (says proud mom).  I couldn't wait to go support my boy as he sang fun songs (that we'd worked so hard on together), with his friends in costume.

I sent John and the boys ahead of us since the girls and I were running late.  With Rylee in my arms, and Cora at my heels we were finally ready to jump in the car when it happened.  I walked out the garage door to the car to put my littlest in her seat, and turned around to see Cora standing in the garage with the door closed behind her.  I reached over her little blond head to open the door (since my purse with my wallet, keys and phone were still in the house) and I froze.  The doorknob wouldn't budge.  My curious little girl had turned that cute little button on the door knob around just enough to lock the door before she joined us in the garage to hop into her seat.

A wave of panic struck me as I tried to think up a way to be "rescued."
I ran to a neighbor's house to use their phone to call John.  Since it was a number he didn't recognize, he didn't pick up.  With 15 minutes until the program began, I left him a message and a text in case he hadn't turned off his phone yet...and slowly walked the girls back home.

I was devastated.
I paced the street outside our house waiting for John to round the corner and "save the day."  He always saved me.  He always found a way to patch up all my mistakes and help us all move on from the craziness my hurried pace seemed to find us in.
But he didn't come.
He couldn't.
He was watching our boy sing the song I'd practiced with him every night for a month.

When reality set in after 15 minutes of pacing our street, I walked back to our garage, sat the girls in the car...climbed in and cried.  No...sobbed.  I couldn't believe it was really happening.  I officially missed his performance.  At one point, when all I could do was cry into the jacket sleeve of my coat, Cora looked at me and said, "Why are you crying, Mommy?"
"I'm missing Coley's performance!" I told her.
"You miss Cole, Mommy?"
"I do, Sweetheart."

And right there...after pacing the streets and crying my eyes out in my car, feeling like nothing I worked so hard to plan, ended the way it was supposed to
...I heard Him calling...
He told me I was doing too much, and that He'd been asking me for a WHILE to wake up early to walk with Him and I'd yet to answer the invitation.

Cole came home, beaming...John came home with video in hand and although I was still heart broken having missed my boy's show...I had heard from Him, and knew it all happened for a reason...because He loves me.

In the grand scheme of things, one missed performance was worth allowing in order to draw me into closer communion with Him...He knew my "plan" needed revising, but I needed more time with the Architect of my days...

I'm a part of a small group of girls who have all committed to "Mornings."  We've all struggled finding time and motivation to keep waking up early.  So now have a "text" system going to help hold us all accountable.  Each one of us has a week of the month, and is responsible for sending out a "wake-up text" to the others.  We all respond when we get the text and sometimes...if we're especially moved in  our time with Him, we'll share scripture and verses that are especially meaningful to us that morning.  It's transformed my days.

Even Ryder, whose caught me more than once (since he's woken up early), comes and joins me halfway through my hour in focused time with Jesus.  I have his Bible and Devotion Book waiting for him...he slips next to me and reads in his book as I read in mine.
One morning when I slept right through my alarm (yes...it happens) I opened my eyes to find a kneeling 6 year old next to my bedside...he crawled up next to me and whispered,
"Aren't we waking up early this morning, Mommy?"
He knows where His Mommy gets her strength from and who she loves. :)