Good morning, friends! It’s Rae (well, Raechel, but my friends call me Rae…), checking in on some people I like quite a lot.
How are you all? Really?
Like, how about spiritually? Are you feeling fed? Are you finding time to read His Truth?
We all have aspirations for quiet time: time that we set aside to draw nearer to our Maker. We find ourselves hungry for the Bread of Life (isn’t that a phenomenal feeling after a season of dryness? I love to feel hungry – like I can’t get enough of Him!). But we also find ourselves with full time jobs and/or little people and/or big people and/or fill in the blank. It’s just the truth.
We have intentions. And plans. And sometimes they work out, and sometimes you wake up at 2am to kids puking or super storms knocking out your power and, well, our good intentions for quiet time with the Lord can get squashed. It happens.
So, how are you? Were you able to join us in Philippians? (Jessi’s “whoosh” cracked me up yesterday. So her. So true. I love her.) Are things getting in the way of your good intentions lately? Are you feeling well-fed or dry today?
Today we get kind of a bonus day! We just wrapped up Philippians, and we don’t begin Colossians until Monday. Saturday is a SheShares day, and Sunday is Weekly Truth. Today? I want today to be about two things:
1. Tell us how you’re doing. Read how your sisters are doing. Pray for each other. Encourage one another. Do more today of what you already do so beautifully as a community. We love to be right in there with y’all!
2. No matter where you are today, whether you’ve been keeping up with us flawlessly or just grabbing quiet time here and there when you can, we just want to love on you with GRACE. We want you to always feel welcome – with us, yes. But more importantly, with the Father. His grace is always there. Always.
I asked Kacia, and – as nervy as this makes her – she gave me permission to do something just a little bit different today. Several weeks ago she shared a very vulnerable, very beautiful part of herself on her blog. It blessed me and so many others so much, and it seems like a sweet, appropriate way to close out our week as a She Reads Truth community – and our time in Philippians.
It’s a video of her playing and singing a song called “Brokenness Aside”. It’s an opportunity for worship. It’s something a little bit different than we’ve done here before, but oh how our Lord loves to hear us sing to Him! I’m including the lyrics beneath the video. Sing along if you want. Close your eyes and sing it in your heart along with Kacia if you like.
Whatever you do, really hear the lyrics, loves. And know with confidence the answer to the question: will his grace run out?
/ / Brokenness Aside / /
Will your grace run out
If I let you down
‘Cause all I know
Is how to run
‘Cause I am a sinner
If its not one thing its another
Caught up in words
Tangled in lies
You are the Savior
And you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful
Will you call me child
When I tell you lies
Cause all I know
Is how to cry
I am a sinner
If its not one thing its another
Caught up in words
Tangled in lies
You are the Savior
And you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful
Bridge:
You make it beautiful
You make it beautiful
[2011, Leslie Jordan + David Leonard, Brokenness Aside,
by All Sons and Daughters]
//
Blessings, sweet, grace-covered sisters.
Take today to worship and to draw near.
He makes you beautiful!
Absolutely LOVED this post and song! Thank you so much!
Since the day that I joined the SRT community, I have been filled to well above overflowing in my spiritual life. I am finding that knowing that I have others who are as vulnerable as I am and who struggle in the some of the same areas that I struggle in makes walking with the Lord a lot easier. It also makes me less likely to be so down on myself when I make a mistake or when something doesn't go quite like "I" think that it should. Lately, I have really been struggling in my marriage and God has really been opening my eyes to see and understand some things about myself that I never really took the time to know or realize. The past few months for me have been a bit difficult but I am thankful that I have had all of you here with me helping me through it and holding me accountable for reading the word and studying it like I should. I can not wait to begin the Colossians study on Monday.
I have followed SRT for a little while now but have never commented before. I start off with the best of intentions and then, I like how you said Raechel, that:
"We have intentions. And plans. And sometimes they work out, and sometimes you wake up at 2am to kids puking or super storms knocking out your power and, well, our good intentions for quiet time with the Lord can get squashed. It happens."
So I get up this morning with this deep desire to bring my intentions to HIM and wanting to jump back in with you wonderful SRT ladies no matter where ya'll were in your daily devotions…. And I find this post waiting….for me…..this morning of all mornings.
"you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful"
And more of the listening! Thank you SRT for being here! Sue
I am so humbled as I read each of your notes. We really are in this together! Sisters in heart, pressing in to know Him more! I LOVE the raw honesty that is expressed. It’s as if you breath life into the words we could not find ourself; and we grasp His Truth for our life. Thank you, thank you! I find that I race through life at breakneck speed, and don’t stop to really focus on how I am doing. So today I choose to stop, and notice, and ask and pray and then listen; for His still small voice. Less of the doing”
Likewise, I found SRT through a friend back in July and it's just been a blessing in providing me with some consistency. Having a reading "assigned" each day helps me to keep up with the study because I don't like falling hopelessly behind. That being said, I have not had the best attitude towards my quiet times lately. I read through the study, all the while in the back of my mind thinking "I just need to get this done and then I can sleep." I am just so grateful that God's love doesn't run out, even when I am completely undeserving of it, and I hope to be more focused for the Colossians study.
Praying for all your relationships! I know what a struggle that can be.