Ruling Realm of LOVE

 

When Mark is asked, “How can we pray for you and Karen?”, I have been captured to read his reply, words written as those he wrote from the beginning of our pen pal friendship.  They still lift me to a higher focus of Jesus!

I am soo thankful and rich to have such a husband who loves me best by not just telling me what I want to hear, but what I NEED to hear… 

that Jesus is on the throne, 

that in spite of how discouraging circumstances may seem,  

He loves!!! 

He reigns!!!  

He rules!!!  

He is at work, and we can trust Him!!!

Mark is faithful to encourage my faith and trust in the LORD’s realm, His kingdom at work…

 

“To revel all the more in blessed union with Christ, to confidently and joyfully walk with Him, and to better appropriate all that He is and has granted to me in Himself. For the Lord to reveal Himself more and more to Karen, myself, our moms, and all our family.“

MSG

Ohh LORD, may it be so!!

Photos:

The Monday before Valentine’s Day, Mark brought home to me a huge floral bouquet which greatly surprised me!! 

When the children were still home, he’d bring flowers home, but he also brought home steaks to grill for all of us to enjoy for dinner (with baked potatoes , salad and dessert) 😂!

Then the next day, he’d bring home boxed Valentine chocolates for each of us, because he was able to purchase them half priced. 🥰

I must admit, I very much enjoyed coming down the stairs each day that week to see Mark’s “Grand Gesture” of love for me on display!!  It was a sweet reminder of the grandest of all gestures,  Jesus Himself, His love ruling in my life, convicting me of sin to repent, so that I not war against my flesh to rule, but in faith submit to his rule and reign in my life!  He submitted Himself in obedience to His Father’s will to receive the penalty for my sin by being that one and only perfect, sinless sacrifice God would accept in my place.  He died a sinners death.  He was buried, but He did not stay there.  On the third day, He rose to prove His power over sin and death, and He now sits at the right hand of His Father in Heaven! 

He rules and reigns in victory and has united me to Himself by His Spirit to walk in the beauty of a new Christ exalting life!

I’m so very thankful!  

The Work of God

 

As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. 

Ecclesiastes 11:5

I see your little shadow,

Your budding arms and legs,

I dream of holding you to my chest,

Of planting kisses on your head.

Your brother and sister are waiting,

To see who you will be,

Eager to accept you into their club,

The exclusive member number three. 

Your father is tender to care for you,

To provide the things you need,

Praying the Lord will give us grace,

As He gave you to us, indeed.

But for now you must stay safe inside, 

To be knit carefully in my womb,

Growing just as God intended

Until there is no longer room.

And then one day, in His sovereign will,

The time comes when you’ll be born,

Evicted from the warmth you knew,

Into a world of sin and thorns.

But oh, little one, I pray even now,

For the grace to keep your heart

Safe until the Lord sees fit 

To hold you tight and never depart. 

But for now I am content,

In this short time it’s just you and me,

Feeling your little movements,

As you grow your elbows and your knees.

So as I sit here in this doctors chair,

Listening to your tiny heart,

I know you’re perfect for us,

For God planned you from the start.

Oh, dear one, know as I wait,

To see you face to face,

To smother you with kisses,

To hold you in warm embrace,

I love you up and down and all around,

From your head down to your toes, 

I love your little fingers,

I love your little nose.

I love you now and I’ll love you when

It’s time to one day let you go,

But in this moment I gaze with pride abound,

At your very first ultrasound.

Authored by: 

Katherine Gray LaVasseur

02/25 

7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7

It was pure joy to join Katherine on this day for her first OB visit with this priceless and precious LaV B #3 in her womb. 

This baby came to them and all of us by surprise!  🤗  

But not to God!!

He knew!

He ordained!

He created! 

Honestly, I had already begun to wonder and entertain the idea, the possibility, of knowing all God is Able to accomplish in this New Year. 

My thoughts in December:

“We’re expecting three grandbabies in 2025!!

(SO FAR… 😂)” 

because there were still months left in the year for opportunity to arise!

I approached 2025 with eager joy for all we knew the LORD had already revealed He was at work to accomplish!!  

We knew the LORD would soon deliver Baby G to John and Rosemary in early February, but we were not surprised He had different plans.  JJ came early, in mid January, and we’re soo very thankful he came without complications. 

Before Thanksgiving we learned that Matt and Grace were expecting twins!!!  How WOW’d we were to know the LORD had soo generously answered our prayers, so FULL of His mercy for them to conceive.   At this time, Baby A and Baby B are a boy and a girl, and LORD willing, they are due to arrive in July. 

So to learn after Christmas that Katherine was expecting again brought us much amazement and REJOICING!!, pure awe that the LORD has once again extended His favor and grace to open her womb and create another Image Bearer!  

I marvel and praise Him as the hearts of Luke and Katherine are turned to Him in faith for the stretching days ahead!! 

I came across this quote a few weeks ago, and it stirred me to tears…

“God , with all His angels and creatures, is smiling, not because that father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith.”  Martin Luther 

Ohh, how I pray the LORD will grow faith in our children and grandchildren, and that they will come to trust this is His work, not theirs;  not their plans, not their choosing, not their glory!! Whatever the LORD calls them to, I pray they’ll readily accept it as His perfect  will, by His gracious heart and hands.  He has ordained this and more because of His good pleasure, because He’s generous that way! 

Mark always encouraged me through our childbearing years, “What God orders, He supplies.”

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. …”

2 Chronicles 16:9

Ohh  how I pray our family will all rest in the treasure of the LORD’s gracious gifts and strong support.  I pray the LORD will find hearts blameless, relying more on Him than on those who encourage inventions (and preventions) to limit His supply!  

Our Father God proves His compassion in giving good gifts, ultimately his enduring faithfulness, mercy, and grace that we may live to testify and praise Him…

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 

19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3