This is the generation of the righteous!

—HI Guys! Ryan and Becky here.

This is weird but felt the Lords leading to encourage you this morning during our first home church.

Funny i had just made the comment to Ryan this morning about all the “live” feeds this morning and this is the time for pastors to shine. (semi making fun)

Then the Lord put this in my heart.

How is everyone doing out there? Any zombie sightings yet?

I’m just gonna be honest and confess to the inter-webs that I have been faltering between fear and faith. I’m not worried about feeding my family, or provisions of sorts. 

I can worry about what kind of world that my kids will grow up in. 

I could worry about the economy. 

I could worry that the dreams and visions and plans of our future never happening after all the work we’ve put in.

Most of all i worried about my kids being uncomfortable and not being able to have the life I dreamed for them. I was scared in my momma heart for them. 

But during worship at home this morning the Lord reminded me of a word I got for my kids generation. That this IS the GENERATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS! 

That men of valor would rise up. 

That We serve a good good Father and HE IS perfect in every way!

That none of this is outside the confines of His hand and HE WILL work all this for our good. FOR MY KIDS good too!

Then all of a sudden faith filled my heart for these kids. That they will rise up and they will be generational game changers. That they will be a part of a revival to this broken world. I was no longer having the urge to hide them and protect them from the hard but to use this time to prepare them to be the GENERATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS! 

I became excited for our kids. 

Excited for what they will walk through and for what the Lord will do through them.

I couldn’t help but think of this time when our kids have been taken away from the socialization of this world and are stuck under our roofs. I’ve seen a lot of talk about using this time to play games and spend time with one another as a family and forced to slow down. But i think even more..lets spend time discipling our kids. Spend time speaking life to them in the shelter of our home. Spend time preparing them to be shot out into a world that so desperately needs Jesus. What a privilege and opportunity this has given us as parents.

What a privilege it is when its been so easy to outsource the discipleship of our kids to youth leaders, pastors, Sunday school teachers, etc. to have to step up as Parents and take full reign in leading our families to Jesus. Not just to believe and serve but to grow and be ready to walk as the Generation of the Righteous! 

GUYS! It is happening  Right now. We were born, our kids were born for such a time as this! 

I’m excited. That is not something I could have said couple days ago. 

Hope everyone has their bootstraps on. It is going to be a wold ride but i believe it is going to be some of the Churches finest hours. I truly believe that He is going to knit us together through this even better than before. Praying for our church, country, and our world. 

And one day we will walk with Jesus in a New Jerusalem that will be perfect and sin and curse free but for now "wash your hands ye sinners" and keep the faith!

Life with the Super Seven

We had a busy January getting accustomed to life as a family of nine after the holidays. I have been recovering well and we are all falling naturally into our roles. I'm especially proud of Eleanor for finding her place as not the baby anymore. It's hard to be bumped out of that spot but she is doing amazing and we are making sure and still giving her lots of love. I will say that jumping back into reality has been hard but we are getting better at it and stronger day by day. There has been a lot of cartoons and granola bars but total grace for that and amazingly we are still alive!

Olive is precious, loved, and spoiled already. She is a bit colicky so higher maintenance than normal but I was telling Ryan last night that I'm happy we had a colicky kid now rather than earlier. We have so many persons to love and bounce and sing to her. It is such a gift. Joey is the sweetest with her. Anyone who knows Joey knows how extreme this kid is. He does everything 100% whether that's being naughty or being sweet. He aggressively loves but he has been so gentle and sweet with Olive. It's the sweetest thing to watch. One of our biggest challenges is to stop Joey from loving on her and kissing her when she is asleep. Ha!  He just can't help but touch her when he passes but you don't wake babies(especially colicky ones). The big kids are doing awesome with picking up the slack and staying diligent in their studies. Ryan has been a rock for us. I truly think and believe that he has gotten sweeter, more tender, and become a better father and husband with each child. It's kinda how it goes. Momma and daddy grow up along side their children. Each child gives me more opportunity to be pressed and need Him more. I told Ryan that it feels like I am hemmed in all day, completely surrounded, never alone, always needed and wanted. Then I remembered He talks about this in His word-

Psalm 139:1-6

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You *HEM ME IN*, behind and before,   <<<----------------------------
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

This whole chapter is gold.

Guys, I can't even remember my last name somedays, let alone get the name right when calling my kids. The other day I asked Ryan how to spell "wall ago" as in a while ago.......Ryan just laughed and made fun of me. My mind is sluggish and numb but praising Jesus with my soul and spirit is still happening. I am more "hemmed in" than I have ever been in my life. I somehow have to keep 7 bodies fed, clean, happy, educated, and alive all the while keeping house and home in check. Oh, and Ryan as well. haha  All of this on little sleep, a fussy baby, and toddlers in tow. Guys, I am hemmed in. BUT!!!! His hand is on me. He is guiding me. He is teaching me. He is pressing me and I have NO doubt there is gold being produced though it all. I know that through the fire I am being refined. Olive's birth was a fire that I wouldn't soon jump in joyously but looking back now I can say that it really was a blessing and I can see how we grew as a family and in Jesus through it all. So if it is true for Olive's birth then won't it be true for other trials or even just the every day days. Can God bring glory through dirty diapers, messy floors, and screaming babies? Can He produce gold through mommy melt downs, overflowing toilets, spit up stained clothes, and sinks full of dishes. You bet He can. I am right there in the midst of all these things and He constantly is reminding me of this. He is constantly reminding that in my weakness His strength is made perfect in me. He knows what is before me and behind me. He is laying out a path before me that draws me closer to Him. So I know as I sit on the messy toy and crumb strewn floor in yesterdays pajamas with several children about me calling my name at once and a baby crying in my ear that THIS is where Gold comes from. This is where I am tried by fire, this is where He is purifying me. This is where I learn to call out His name. Whether in desperation or desire, I call out to Jesus and HE answers. He is with me in my mess and He loves me enough to hem me in.

Where are you in your life? Are you being hemmed in a certain area? Are you being  pressed, refined, perfected? I encourage you brothers and sisters to let God refine you 
through the hard, to trust His love for you in carrying you through this. He promises He will work this for His good in those "who love Him and are called according to His purpose". You've been called, you've been chosen, you have purpose and you will be hemmed in unto Him.

Peace and blessings-Becky(a fellow in need of hemming sister)