A week off

 Yes, I know, I took a week off. I had only just got back to blogging, but to say that my life has been crazy in the last week is an understatement: 

• One of my neighbors was diagnosed with COVID just about a week ago, so we have been very much watching for our own symptoms and staying away from people as much as possible. She is on the mend and none of us have had symptoms
• Fall allergy season is among us. We've seen a few of the sneezies, but other than that doing well. 
• Work has picked up with me leading one of the largest enablement series we've ever had consisting of more than 40 sessions to schedule, facilitate, package, and communicate out to about 2 thousand employees. 
• Because I am limiting my contact with the outside world until this Thursday, I have been doing all of my Elijah study at home during what would normally be my blogging time. 
• Spirit week is about to start for the kiddo, so we are prepping for that. 
• The Ford had the check engine light come on so we have an appointment for it to go have the thermostat replaced this week (thankful it was only the thermostat)
• Tuning in to church via online is a bit harder because sometimes technology fails us, but I'm doing as well as I possibly can and can't wait to get back on campus. 

Even with all of that, I am still here and working my best to get back on track. One thing I didn't share is that I picked up my first ever quilt from the quilt shop and OMG it turned out beautiful! I can't believe that I took some strips of fabric and ended up with a beautiful keepsake to pass down to generations to come. After that, I was outside for a little bit yesterday and got overheated. My doctor in the spring said that when I have coughing fits to use my rescue inhaler. This was the first time in several months that I've had to do that, but I feel much better today after having used it. 

Let's see, what else - the bible study is really working through 1 Kings 17 where Elijah proclaims that there will be no water to the area for some years and the Lord hides him near Kerith for some time promising that Elijah would drink from the brook. God is saying he will provide. That is something we could all use as a reminder. The Lord provides all our needs. We only need to have faith in Him that he can and will follow through on his promises. 

Finally, Mack introduced me to a new a capella group called Home Free. We are truly enjoying listening to their music together. It's certainly a lot different than her Korean pop she loves so much. 

Until next time, we love you all! 

Do you need rest?

Do you know when you need rest? Sometimes as humans, we try to be like an energizer bunny in the sense that we have very long lists of things to be done, so we don't want to take the time to give our bodies rest. This is not how we were made. We were made to labor, of course, but we were also made to rest and to rest in the Lord. 

 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, or your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns." - Exodus 20: 8-10

This week, I've been laboring so much by fulfilling my commitments at work, with the kids, the house, etc. that I needed rest. I wasn't willing to accept the need for rest, but it was there. Let me tell you, when the need is there, you will find yourself at a point that you aren't going to be able to keep going much longer. 

For me, I typically have very long days that start with a 5 am alarm and end with a 12:30 or 1 am falling asleep. This week was no different until yesterday. I'd started the day like usual, only it was Ryan's day off, so my first alarm was 6:30. Even with that extra rest, I was finding myself running like crazy. Get the kids to the bus. Start work. Stop at noon, take a longer lunch because it was my hair appointment day. Rush through a drive through for some lunch because I was starving. Work another 3 hours. Dinner with the family. We get home and I go to play a few games on my phone before the next task... 

The next task never came. I was so tired, I was asleep before 9 pm. Now, if you haven't figured it out by now, this does not happen for me. EVER. Ryan said this morning, I just knocked out. I hadn't even put my phone on the charger. I slept so hard and for so long, I didn't wake up for 12 hours. 

Today, I feel amazing having had rest. This morning we've already gone grocery shopping, done lunch, and put away the groceries. Next on the list is making a wreath and bible study. So for me, the question becomes "why do we do this to ourselves?" Why do we run until we can't run any longer? Why do we not just rest? All it takes is following a few key words: 

• dedicate time in the presence of God
• devote our talents and treasures for His use and purpose
• prioritize what the world mocks and minimizes
• sacrifice our own selfish desires and ambitions
• feel marginalized and excluded
• break off unhealthy relationships
• uphold our daily spiritual disciplines
• dare to risk bold allegiance to His Word
• resist lifestyles of legalistic, condemning perfectionism
• receive a continuous stream of God's grace
• refuse political correctness over righteousness
• reach out to the weak and disenfranchised
• believe God for more
• pray bold prayers to prove it

All of these things enable us to not only rest in the Lord but to be witnesses to all the world of his love, mercy, and grace. 

Long day

 It's been a crazy long day, but productive one at the same time. 

• Was able to move meetings and get back about 2 hours of my day. That was huge! 
• Got a text from Mack saying she'd had to dissect an earthworm today in marine science. 
• Got tons of prep work done on some projects that are quickly approaching. 

In all these things, I focused on whatever would keep me going because it was a long day. A tiring day. A day when I could have fallen asleep during lunch break and just napped the day away. But I didn't because I have responsibilities and I will not shirk them. Here soon, I'll be leaving with the girls to meet Ryan for dinner and to do some quick grocery shopping. 

The days just never seem to end here lately. The kids have school. The adults have work. We all have life to attend to. There are chores. There are boo boos. There are sicknesses. And the list goes on. Today someone dear to us was laid to rest and we couldn't be there for the service. It broke our hearts, but we couldn't do anything about it. We pray that everyone is doing well and that we will see them all soon. It's hard to be an adult and not be able to go and say our final good byes when our loved ones go to meet Jesus on the streets of Gold, but we have to believe that there's a reason and a plan for us not having been able to go to Florida this time. 

Tonight I have a short post for you because I just need to rest, but I didn't want to not leave you hanging. Because God makes beautiful things and my beautiful friends, we need to lean on one another when we need to. 

Days, they come and they go

 As you are well aware, days may come and days may go, but the important thing is that we follow through on our promises. Just as the Lord follows through on His promises, we must also. This is why it is 9:31 pm and I am just getting to chat with you a little bit. It's been a busy week and and even busier day. However, I am not going to sit here and allow the fact that I am a busy working mom prevent me from entering a journal (blog) entry. So, how did my day go? 

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

My day started like no other, it started the night before as I lay in bed trying to calm my nerves. I used to be active in my church. I volunteered on a regular basis. I went to church every Sunday and served on Thursdays (our mid-week service at that church). There came a time when I felt like my generosity was being taken advantage of and after moving out of Florida in 2015, I didn't really settle on another church. God had other plans in mind for me though. 

Since moving to Greenville, SC in April of 2019, the Lord has been guiding me to Greenville First Assembly. At first, I resisted because I was afraid that I would have another situation where I would feel like I was being taken advantage of. Then it was that we only had one car and so getting to church on a regular basis would be a challenge. Next, I allowed the idea that I was in college to dictate what I would and wouldn't do. All of these things culminated in COVID-19 shutting the state down last year. I had watched online here and there. Even when I missed a service, I'd go to the app on my phone and watch the service. Slowly, I was realizing that not only was the Lord calling me, but he was softening my heart to becoming part of a new church family. 

I continued to interact online with the church community. Sunday, I watched live and participated in the tailgate events by submitting a picture of Mack in her Eastside shirt for the team picture giveaway they were hosting. I had made up my mind that I was going to join the Wednesday women's group on a study and see how I liked the church. 

So now that you're up to speed, I can tell you about what I was feeling last night. I was all but trembling with fear about going to the church today. I was worried about my outward appearance. How would I be accepted when I am overweight and I wear sketchers sandals (literally everywhere). I don't drive a BMW (a ton of people do here, because we have a plant here that manufactures them), instead I drive a 2016 Chevy Equinox. I don't have brand name, brand new clothes. As I went to bed, I was worrying, but the Lord brought me to Isaiah 41:10. He wouldn't stop saying it until I had read the verse. It reminded me of those t-shirts we all wore when I was in high school (yes, I'm about to give my age away). They said fear not on the front and had a positive something on the back. I remember mine like it was yesterday. It was like a slate gray. I wore that thing til it fell apart. I want my no fear shirt back. 

I fall asleep finally and at 4 am, I hear something and wake up to find Mack standing in our doorway crying. She was trembling in fear because a nasty round of thunderstorms had woken her. She's still terrified of storms and so it was one of them nights. Ryan left the bed and she crawled in. She grasped my hand like nothing I've ever felt before and fell asleep in bed with her momma. Ryan went off to work and as I got the kids and I up at 7, again, I hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit saying to focus on Isaiah 41:10 today because everything was going to be okay. 

Kids are off to school now and I make my coffee, listen to my daily devotional through the bible app, and read Isaiah 41:10 yet again. Off to work I go and I declare that today is going to be a good day and BAM - tree people come and take down a tree that falls within just a few feet of my car and my downstairs neighbor's car. I go running down to move the Chevy as she moves her Seltos to the farthest spots in our parking pad that we could. Our cars were safe. I go back to work and one of my coworkers asks me what I have planned. I confess that I'm questioning going to women's group because I've been worried about going on site because I literally know not one woman in the church. I hadn't connected with anyone that goes there. 

Work is done. Maddie is taking her daily nap (seriously, what 15-year-old takes a nap daily???) and Kenzie is having some decompress time as she's only been home from school for about 15 minutes at this point. I find what I'm going to wear. I'm stepping out in faith that the Lord is going to connect me with a great group of women. I leave at about 10 after 6. After all, we are less than a mile from the church. I get there and open my email to look at the leader's directions for finding the room. She thought it would have a sign out there, it didn't. But, around the corner comes my answer. I recognize her from seeing her preaching. It's the lead pastor's wife. I ask her where Sisterhood is meeting and she introduces herself and takes me to the door I'd passed by. She is seriously the cutest and sweetest gift God could have given. 

I sit in the room waiting for it to begin and she and I chat a little. She said she thought she recognized me. I said "maybe online" and then we go through introductions when the group gets here. It turns out I'm not the first new person in the group tonight. There was a young woman whose parents had died and she took custody of her two younger siblings, she was new to the church and area. Women from all walks were in the room and introducing themselves. I felt like I could maybe grow to love these women. At the end of the lesson as Brittani is about to dismiss, she said if anyone wanted the week's homework printed, she'd be happy to. Before I could even go up to her and tell her I think I know how she "knows" me, she approached and asked if I wanted an extra book she had. Someone had bought an extra and asked her to donate it to one of the women tonight. This was totally God's timing. You see, I was going to order one on payday, tomorrow. 

The morale of my story is that life happens. Storms come in all shapes and sizes. However, with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Another wonderful woman once told me to step out bold. To do it afraid. Although I hadn't stepped foot in a women's group in well over 5 years and I was really worried about going, I was obedient to the Lord and I went. I was blessed for it. I was loved on. And I came home realizing that every time I passed that church and every time I watched a sermon online was an opportunity for me to connect with these wonderful people. 

Whatever it is in your life you are struggling with, pray over it (as I have for more than 2 years) and then take the first step. God is calling you to whatever plan he has for you. You just have to step out boldly and walk with Him. 

Yesterday....Today....Tomorrow

 "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

As I think about this passage, I am reminded that we are all on a pathway or road. What we choose to do with that road is ultimately up to us, but we should be cautious as it is never good to dwell on the things of the past. We will not forget them, but the things that happened to and around us in our past is what has molded and made us into who we are today. If your life has been full of plenty, maybe life made you unprepared for a season of famine. However, if you grew up like I did, there were seasons of famine a plenty and that has enabled me to endure more seasons of famine as I grew into adulthood. While I recall these seasons, I don't dwell on them because it will do me no good. Remember the story of Lot's wife. She looked back as they were fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah. As a result of disobeying the Lord's command, she was turned to a pillar of salt. This visualization alone tells me that it is never a good idea to dwell on the yesterdays when there is so much yet to learn about today and the tomorrows that are yet to come. 

Today, I thank God for all I have because just a year ago, we had but one car. We were just coming back from a time when my husband was furloughed because of COVID-19. I was making significantly less than I am now. But... God. God had a plan. He always has a plan. That plan was written long before we drew breath. I do not know his plan, but I know he has one and I have to trust that he will reveal it in His timing, not mine. 

As we look to tomorrow, we are holding our heads up and hoping for the best. We know that things aren't always easy, but we also know that without God's presence in our lives, we wouldn't be where we are today. We look to the tomorrows that are yet to come and know that we must keep growing in the Lord in order to experience all he has to offer. 

In closing, I pray that if you are stuck in a pattern of worry and frustration over what has happened in the past that the Lord will soften your heart and allow you the ability to no longer fret over times that have passed. To live and love in the moment and to look to the future. After all, the future is where we have the most opportunity for growth in our lives. 

God's calling part 2

 As I went through the day, I wanted to provide some additional verses that may speak to my readers more than the one I posted earlier may have. Here's a collection of verses that just may do the trick for someone: 

• Ephesians 2:10
• John 6:28
• Ecclesiastes 3:10
• Acts 2:37
• Acts 16:30
• Acts 22:10
• Matthew 9:16
• Mark 10:17
• Luke 10:25
• Luke 18:18
• Matthew 7:24
• 1 Samuel 10:7
• 2 Samuel 7:3
• Haggai 2:4
• Zechariah 8:16
• Matthew 7:21
• Matthew 7:12
• Matthew 7:26
• Luke 6:31
• John 6:29
• Luke 24:19
• John 4:34
• John 5:36
• John 9:4
• John 10:32
• John 10:37
• John 15:24
• John 17:4
• Acts 2:22
• 1 Corinthians 16:10
• Revelation 2:26

As you read through these, my prayer for you is that God would reveal ways in your life that you can be living his calling. 

Lord, as we all rediscover what you have called us to do, I pray that you would give us the ability to discern exactly what it is you want us doing in that very moment. I pray that no matter what season we are in, you reveal what we should be doing in that season. Amen. 

A calling

 

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Have you ever stopped dead in your tracks and wondered, "what on earth am I doing with my life? what is it that God wants for my life? how do I know I'm on the right path to doing God's work?" I know I have. At some point in all of our lives, we have to wonder if we are doing what he's planned for us. The answer is a very intimate one and one that only you and God can answer, but we can discuss how to arrive at that answer pretty quickly. To do so, let's ponder a few more questions: 

1. What does your daily life look like? Is your life filled with praising the Lord, prayer, and blessings? Are you giving to others or are you being selfish? Are you seeking the Lord daily? Are you in the word being fed? All of these questions will help you discern if you are truly walking with the Lord or if you are just going through the motions of daily life. 
2. Are you plugged in with like-minded people? I'm not saying you have to be in church every time the doors open, but it has been found that we behave in the same way that others around us behave. If we are hanging out with people who do drugs and curse like a sailor, chances are, we are going to repeat that behavior. 
3. When things go wrong, and they will, are you freaking out and giving up, or are you saying "God, I give this to you"? The reaction we have to unplanned circumstances has a major part to play in how we are walking. 

Let's take some recent things in our lives and think through them. Not many know that in February just before we'd had our Honda CR-V for a year, we refinanced to get a lower interest rate. The day after doing so, Ryan was in a car accident which resulted in the car being totaled. He was doing the good thing - taking our neighbor's daughter to her school while her mom was working so she could pick up something she needed. I got the phone call no one ever wants to get. The teenager was hyperventilating and telling me to get her mom and to get down to the scene that there had been an accident. I immediately went into "oh crap" mode. However, not once did I freak out and give up. Instead I started praising God and praying that they were okay. I got to the scene and Ryan was okay. He was hurt but okay. Both airbags had deployed, I thanked God again. The car was totaled - that's okay, God, you spared their lives. We were without a car - That's okay, the Lord provides (and He did - not only did he have a ride to work everyday, but we had rides to go and find a new car). There are medical bills - praise you, Lord for providing a job that gave us the ability to get good health insurance. The other driver might sue - so what, the Lord has this - and this is why we have car insurance. 

As you can see, every attack that hit us that day, and the days to come, were meant to bring us down. We didn't let it. Our mindset was in the right place during a very difficult time. I can say we were very much blessed that not only have we been able to get the car replaced, but the Lord blessed us in a life-changing way and we've been able to pick up a second vehicle since the crash. Now, we are paying a pretty penny for it, and we now have two car payments. This is tough, but through the use of biblical principles, prayer, and planning, we are making it work. Do we go out on the town all the time, nope. We work God's plan and he blesses us. 

So what's next for us? We believe we may have found a new church family, finally, and will be getting plugged in during the weeks to come. But what about the blog? At this time, we are going to keep it right where it is and continue (or get back to) documenting our thoughts and the adventures we go on (because y'all have missed too many of those). Will the blog always be here? I can't make promises, but I will say that it will go where the Lord leads. 

Much love and many blessings, 

The Cox Family. 

Coming soon

 Although I've been hit or miss, I have loads of new content and ideas coming soon.  The blog is getting a face-lift and I'll post more about the changes later. In the meantime happy Sunday!