A Life that Counts

Ezra 1:3 tells us that King Cyrus proclaimed freedom for the captives of Judah. Ezra 2:64 tells us only 42,360 people took him up on the offer and left their captivity to return to their homeland of freedom.

Why is this significant? I was pondering my morning reading on the way to my kids' school this morning. Then it dawned on me: how easy and comfortable it is to stay in our captivities than it is to expend the effort to get out. Yet Jesus, our KING, has proclaimed FREEDOM for us. (Isaiah 61)

What are our captivities? The captivity of depression, oppression, bad habits, lifestyles that contradict our public persona, bitterness, religiosity... The list could go on and on.

I pondered what it took in order for those 42K+ to be free and the same is required for our freedom. God has a good plan for our lives. He has a life purpose for each of us. But we must be freed from our captivities. What does it take?

• Willingness to leave our comfortable surroundings - the familiar habits


• Mediocre pew-warming


• Often leaving our families - psychologically, emotionally, and culturally.


• Lives possibly seeming unworthy in the eyes of pop culture.


• Leaving paralyzing fear in order to follow God to freedom!

Those exiles who sacrificed eventually arrived in their homeland - the place God wanted them to be. Their lives have been recorded for all eternity. Their lives counted before God.

I want my life to count for God too. Do you? God has a promised land for all of us this side of heaven. I'm still traveling to mine. The road is often uncomfortable and lonely. Sometimes I find myself complaining (Lord, forgive me). Yet I want all that God wants to give me - I want my life to count for all eternity. I hope you'll join me on this journey-

Season Change! "He changes times and seasons..." Daniel 2:21

I know - it's the beginning of August. It's hot and sticky outside. Where I live in the south the humidity makes everyday a bad hair day unless you have exceptionally good hair. (Which I don't. I wear mine in a pony tail most every day!) We're about two months before the arrival of fall, but this week, my family had a season change.

My children went back to school yesterday. Though my heart was a bit sad as I said good-bye to them yesterday morning, there was a twinge of excitement. It only grew this morning! It feels like the first of the year again--that time of year when we make resolutions to improve in certain areas, to add things to our lives, to delete things from our lives.

One of the things that I want to add to my life as I face this new season is to blog on a regular basis. This is so hard for me. (As you can probably tell!)
I'm a vulnerable and private woman. Who cares that I just got a new puppy that's rocking my world? Who cares that my feelings can be hurt at the drop of a hat? Who cares that yesterday when I picked my children up from school, I almost turned back around and returned one of them to their teachers! No one. Yet when the Creator of the universe enters into the mundane of everyday life - which He does - and teaches profound life lessons that affects my parenting, my attitude, my behavior, and my relationship with my husband and others - it's worth sharing. He's worth throwing yourself out there. He's worth feeling like a fool before others if it helps only one.

Your season may not be changing yet, but it will. Will you look at the change of your next season as a way to impact others for Jesus? Will you ask the Lord to show you something you can add to your everyday that will add spiritual health to your soul? Perhaps it's having a more consistent quiet time or prayer time. Will you ask Him if there's possibly something HE wants you to give up?

He's asking me to put aside my fears, my insecurities and my vulnerablities to share my life on this very ordinary blog. Will you pray for me? Will you pray that I'll be consistent out of obedience to Him?

Let me know how to pray for you when your season changes. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another." Let's resolve to sharpen each other!