Developmental Difficulty

Hello everyone, the Lord has granted me the okay to post. Who knows the correlation for sure, but I felt the Lord saying that when Cross began crawling, I could post. I wasn’t sure if it was the simple need to video our cutie in order for grandparents, aunts, and cousins to not miss a beat, but I am thinking it is a word picture He is using as well to encourage me, and hopefully you. I was a little worried because thus far Cross hasn’t been ahead of the game as far as the infant milestones go, so I was thinking it may be a month before I could be free to join you again. However, much to Mommy’s surprise, with the coaxing of a shiny red cell phone a few feet away, yesterday Cross went hauling across the room like a track star. He has always wanted to get his hands on a yummy cell phone and he thought his chance had finally come. He now probably wonders why that darn cell phone won’t stay put. I pray that you guys have all listened to the pod casts by Francis Chan. I have been so convicted lately about how self serving and self centered we have made our Christian faith. Last night I listened to the Christ Centered Relationships Part 2 and Francis made mention of how we have socialized Christianity to the point that we really have no clue what it even means to look like Christ. This morning as proud mom and dad were marveling at our baby boy’s new found skill, I told Jeremy that one of the most amazing things to me is that we come into this world literally not knowing how to do anything. Sucking and breathing (and a few unmentionables) are our only birthed skills and EVERYTHING else has to be added on and learned. I never realized how many things these little guys had to learn: holding up your head, sitting, rolling, picking up something, moving things from one hand to another, the list could go on and on and this morning in my amazement, I felt the Lord saying, “This is exactly how you follow Me, one developmental skill at a time!” His grace is so good. I felt His hug this morning, saying, “You have missed some things, but you are still learning.” Still learning is an understatement for sure, after Cross reaches the pinnacle of infanthood and turns into a literal toddler, his journey has only begun, eventually everything from going to the big boy potty to algebra is in his future with a million more in between. I want to encourage you guys today that wherever you are in your spiritual development that you (nor I) won’t dare feel defeated. How dumb would it be if Cross threw in the towel because he just couldn’t seem to master the sitting up skill. That sounds crazy to us, but I am sure God has seen millions of His children do that same thing because they weren’t easily mastering some of the things He has asked of them in His Word. For me today, my new skill is to both live and teach a relationship with the Savior that rocks our bones to the core, yet never, ever, ends with us. I feel like I have so desired to see people live an abundant life that I have missed one of the top requirement for that to take place and that is to die to self and to reach out to others to the point that it is so much more than a monthly service project, but that it is a way of life. I am not going to throw in the towel and neither are you. Have you been a crappy wife or a crappy mom, have your quiet times been off the “to do” list for so long that you have forgotten the concept all together? Do you spend every waking hour thinking about nothing more than yourself? Thank goodness that although technically we do have a million things to develop in our spiritual lives, everything from ridding our lives of ungodly anger to holding our tongues and opening up our ever so worshipped check books, we can start with a few truths that will encompass every thing that makes our Savior smile. Check out Matt 22:34-39 and lets get back on our knees and start crawling, it probably is the greatest position to begin this sometimes overwhelming task. Anything with such eternal significance is certainly going to take some work. I do love you guys to death and I do want nothing short of an abundant life for you and for your family, but I have been so guilty of encouraging you to focus solely on yourself. Nothing will increase our insignificance more than to stare at ourselves 24/7. Repentance on your face by nature requires getting back up and trying again! So………..ready, set, go and keep me posted and don’t dare give up!

Trying to REALLY look like Christ,
Kelly