Tis' the season...Not Christmas!

"When hope is infinitesimal, that God may increase it, and when hope is deadened, that God may enliven it, and when hope is craved that it may be found in Christ alone.


How in the world can the hurt produce hope? Simply: Lean into the Lord and His heart absorbs the hurt and the hope of forever with Him, this is what heals.


Even when we’ve buried pain deep, refused to expose it, and the gnawing about wears us through, us with no hope for the fruit — there’s a Gardner and there’s a miracle and there’s redemption in the barren places."
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/10/why-you-need-to-keep-on-hoping/

We were talking in our small group leaders meeting last night about seasons and remaining in the Lord. Remaining in the Lord through ALL of those seasons.

¹ "Blessed is the one
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
   or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers.  "
Psalm 1: 1-3


I was really encouraged when I read the passage I posted above from A Holy Experience blog...such a great reminder that God is still working in the midst of what seems like a very stagnate season. The line that says, there is "redemption in the barren places" resonates so deep, for so many reasons.


As I have been journaling through out this process, I heard from the Lord and He told me that He had a baby for me. He promised that He is in this...

However, something has gotten in the way in the midst of the waiting...

"what lies below a surface of a life, tunneling, gnawing, eating us up.
About exposing what needs to be exposed in our lives … because what’s buried deep can kill the fruit.. About dying a slow death."

I have a promise from the Lord.


Yet in the midst of waiting, in the midst of me saying I want it now, He has revealed to me the lies that are buried deep. The lies that are killing the fruit.

My joy is bound up, but it has been bound up in something other than the Lord. I have convinced myself that the joy is bound up in having a baby, and since there is no baby, there is no joy.

"Even when we’ve buried pain deep, refused to expose it, and the gnawing about wears us through, us with no hope for the fruit — there’s a Gardner and there’s a miracle and there’s redemption in the barren places."

God is working in the barren places...oh so literally and figuratively.

I crave hope...and my prayer is...

 when hope is craved that it may be found in Christ alone.


I am thankful that God is working in this season, and I am working on remaining in His infinite love.


He calls me His beloved, and I am written on His hands.

Patiently Praying-

Much Love-
Al