good memories and amazing grace.

Yesterday, Cody and I looked through pictures of my childhood through teenage years. What a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon! I told stories and we both laughed so hard (which is a very painful thing when your stomach muscles have stretched to accommodate a 30-week-old little one)…

Later that day, as I continued to think back on the events of my life, I was overwhelmed by how faithful and good God has always been to me. I have never lacked a thing. He has always provided for me. And in the hard times (and there have been plenty of hard times!) He has always made His presence known to me.

Even before I became a follower of His, my toddler pictures showed that I had a joyful, quirky spirit. That hasn’t changed at all through the years. I thought back to the days filled with playing pretend inside the house, reading books outside while sitting in a tree, riding my bike around town, jumping out of swings or the pear tree in our backyard, playing in the autumn leaves or in the snow, spending hours admiring God’s creation - be it clouds or a bug or the petals on a wildflower…God graciously placed me in a beautiful, small northern town that was safe and perfect for my adventurous, outdoor-loving self.

I thought back to my high school years running track and cross-country. There I was on the first day of track practice – a new-to-the-school ninth-grader with my big bangs, big braces, and big glasses – and I couldn’t even run a lap around the track during warm-up. By the end of that season, though, I was winning ribbons in hurdle races and that fall became one of the top cross-country runners on our team. God was good to provide running as an outlet for me during high school and very gracious to allow me to excel at it.

And I thought back to the many drama-filled nights during my teenage years where I sat huddled on my bed in my basement bedroom, crying out to God, praying to Him, not really knowing what to ask or what to say, but just knowing that He is there and He is my only hope and He is faithful to His promises. And He was. Looking back, His compassionate heart and protective hands were so evident during those years. He was the One who held me up when I was falling.

Then we have the college years, the independent years thereafter, the married years and now the months of expecting our baby, and all the stories they hold. And I am always overwhelmed at how the Lord leads and provides all along the way. I do not deserve it at all.

Yesterday, it was as if God did to me what He did to Moses many, many years ago: “And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’” (Exodus 34:6).

May I always acknowledge this. And never forget it. Or ever, ever, ever take it for granted.

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for your amazing love to little me.