Saved

What exactly does it mean to be saved?

This question recently surfaced on the blog by an anonymous commenter. I have to admit, when I read the comment that included this question, I was excited! The excitement stems from a joy that comes along with being "saved" myself; a joy that exudes from within that overflows into the desire to share with others. So when I read the question, I thought...I have to write a post to address this question from a biblical perspective and will leave the rest to God.

So, let's think about this...what exactly does it mean to be saved?

To be saved means I am...

spared. rescued. free. set apart. liberated. safe. secure. salvaged. ransomed. redeemed. protected. unshackled. sealed. delivered.

Each of the words posed above help to describe the biblical concept of salvation, which is conveyed throughout Scripture and most notably conveyed in the words of John 3:16 which says,

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

The verse that follows goes on to explain that God sent Jesus , not to condemn the world, but to "save" it.

The very nature of this word "saved" implies that there is something that we must be saved from. And that we are. According to God's Word, I am saved from...

sin. death. hell.

The truth from Scripture is that we live in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit in the garden, sin and death entered this world. Since that time, man has attempted to restore the relationship with God that was broken in all kinds of ways - works, good deeds, sacrifices, etc. The fact remains, however, that there is only one way that the separation from God can be repaired and that is through trust and faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself tells us in John 14:6:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me."

Countless other verses from Scripture point to the One and Only Savior, Jesus Christ. Consider this title, Savior. The very word, "Savior" indicates that He, Jesus, exists to save us...from our sin, from death, from eternity without Him.

So then, what must one do to be saved? Well, the answer lies directly in God's Word...

Admit your are a sinner and that your sins keep you from God!

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 3:23

Understand the consequences of sin!

"For the wages of sin is death..."

Romans 6:23a

Know that God has made a way for the relationship to be restored and that He desires to give you eternal life!

"...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:23b

If you feel God knocking on the door to your heart, call out to Him in prayer in the name of Jesus and ask for forgiveness of your sins and eternal life in heaven!

"Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!"

Romans 10:13

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Romans 10:9-10

I can't thank God enough for the way in which He has worked in my heart to bring me into a saving relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ! I have assurance of eternity in heaven where I know I will be reunited with each of my three babies who are there now. What an amazing thought to ponder on God's love for each of us!

If you have a story of God's saving work in your own life, we would love to hear about the hope you have in the comments below. If you called out in the name of Jesus today, maybe after understanding for the first time what it exactly means to be saved, we would love to celebrate with you! Do share!

His Love is for ALL...

Recently, I was particularly struck by one woman's story of loss. I won't go into the details because the details are unnecessary for the purposes of sharing with each of you a vital message. What you must know is that judgment, condemnation, and a lack of support surrounding the circumstances of her infant son's death are at the heart of her story. My heart hurt deeply for her. Her circumstances. Her loss. She needed to know she was not alone. I needed to tell her that Mommies with Hope is a place of comfort, encouragement, and God's love.

Each of our stories are unique and different. Some of us experience the pain of early miscarriage while others of us bury a child who lived for days, weeks, months or years outside the womb. Regardless of when or how our babies die, each of us are left to do the grief work set that lies ahead. We may not know exactly what a fellow mommy has been through or precisely how she feels, but we do know it hurts. That's the stinging reality of pregnancy or infant loss. A reality that outsiders don't seem to understand.

I could elaborate on any one of these points I've posed above, but as I won't. I could get on a soapbox about judgment and condemnation, but I won't. I could go on and on about the lack of support, but I won't. Rather, there is but one key message I am prompted to share today...

His. Love. Is. For. ALL.

That's right, ladies. God's love is for each and every one of us. It's for me, for you, for this precious woman I speak of above, and for our babies - no matter how brief their lives were. His love is for ALL! In contemplating God's love, my heart struggles to grasp a definition. I just know it. He has shown His love to me in countless ways and I am blessed. Still, my fingertips fight to type words worthy of conveying its significance. Here goes my feeble attempt...

God's love is...

Amazing. Astounding. Awesome. Beyond comprehension. Brings joy. Comforting. Consoling. Compassionate. Deliverance. Deep and Wide. Death-defying. Enlightening. Endless. Fantastic. Fabulous. Far-reaching. Great. Grand. Humbling. Indescribable. Immeasurable. Incredible. JESUS. Justice. Knowing. Knocking on the door to our hearts. Lavished upon us. Magnificent. Mind-blowing. More than enough. Miraculous. Never failing. Never ending. Near. Out of this world. Ongoing. Over all. Powerful. Perfect. Pleasing. Quaking. Quenching. Remarkable. Relational. Restorative. Sufficient. Sacred. Sacrificial. Tremendous. Terrific. Unfathomable. Unbelievable. Unlike any earthly love. Unconditional. Undeserved. Vital. Vibrant. Wonderful. Wowing. eXtraordinary. Yours. Zealous.

More than anything, God's love is for ALL the world, proven true by the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ! John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life." That's you, my friend. That's me too, praise God!

As "Mommies," we are called to love. Scripture tells us, "We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19). Let us choose love. First, to accept God's love into our hearts by surrendering to the sacrificial work of His Son. Next, to purposefully love others as Jesus commands in Mark 12:30-32...

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength"... "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these.

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Please share what God's love means to you in the comments below. I would love to hear your testimonies of His love!

Blessed.

Today, in this season of my grief, I am blessed. Let me be the first to say that being "blessed" is not the first thing that typically comes to mind when I think of the losses I've experienced. Over time, I have been able to proclaim this truth more and more, but it has not always been this way. When I rewind five years and recall all that I was feeling in the aftermath of Chloe's terminal diagnosis at twenty weeks along, many other choice words come to mind...

Shocked.

Devastated.

Numb.

Anguish.

Tormented.

Depressed.

Angry.

Heartbroken.

Shattered.

Oh my, the list could go on and on. "Blessed" was certainly not on included! In fact, my pregnancy motto was "It's not fair!" Sometimes those were the only words I could utter. Occasionally, this little phrase may have been followed up by, "I just want her to live...that's all!" The truth is, that's where I was at the time. I was drowning in my grief. And guess what? That was okay.

Some of you may be in that very spot today. My heart hurts for you, precious friend. Tears well up as I think of you and your precious baby in heaven. I rejoice in God's mercy that welcomes that baby into His arms, yet I ache in knowing the reality of your pain. Let yourself feel all that you need to feel. Grieve deeply, as you are. Know that you are not strange or wrong for feeling the way you do. You are not alone. There are others who have traveled this road. We are here.

Galatians 6:2 commands us, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Other "Mommies" are here to carry the burden. Even more importantly, I urge you to give it to God. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He wants you to lay it at His feet!

Right now, we are all at different places in our grief. I trust that God is working in and through your circumstances to bring beauty from the ashes. Our God is a God of goodness, working all things for His glory and purposes. Trust Him. He has great and precious plans for you. I, simply a humble servant of Christ, am a living, breathing testimony of His promise to work all things for good (Romans 8:28). Five years ago, my list looked just as I so plainly stated it above. Today, my list has but one word:

Blessed.

'"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."'

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Forever and Always...

Many of you may be familiar with these words from a well-known children's book...

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be

(by Robert Munsch, Love You Forever)

I happen to own the book. I've read it many-a-times to my own children. It's a story of a mother's love for her growing son. He grows into a man and eventually the tables are turned as he rocks his aging mother repeating the words he continually heard her say, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living my Mommy you'll be."

It stings to think that we never had the chance to read this book, nor any other children's books, to our babies in heaven. It hurts to know that they will never be able to call us Mommy. It pains me even still to ponder the oh so brief lives they had. Despite the lack of time, the love runs deep. Forever and Always. The familiar words to this book, coupled with an encounter I had over the weekend truly spoke to me.

This weekend, my husband and I had the amazing blessing of being able to attend a marriage conference put on by a network of three churches, including our own. The featured speaker and his wife are celebrating 50 years of marriage together this year. Forever and Always. Together, they shared a bit of their journey with the approximately 100 couples in attendance. They talked about God's sovereign hand in their lives to bring them together as one, as well as the ministry they share as a Pastor and pastor's wife. Carol, a sweet woman with a fragile voice, but so much gusto was absolutely captivating. She was one of those people who you can just look at and see Jesus. I mean really see Him as He shines through her. She said two things that stood out to me as she gave a bit of background about her family; 1) She has 4 grandchildren and one in heaven, and 2) Her first child is in heaven. Forever and Always. She didn't forget. Neither will I. Neither will you.

Here stood a 70-year-old woman who chose to acknowledge her own baby in heaven. A baby who had gone there nearly 50 years before. Forever and Always. She stood before us with a light in her eyes and a loving glow as she also chose to share that she has a grandchild in heaven too. Forever and Always. That's what a mother's love is, no matter how brief the time she had with her child. As a Mommy to three babies in heaven, my heart can cry for them the same words I've read over and over to my living children...

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be

Forever and Always.

The same is true for God's love. It's Forever and Always and so much more! To try to sum up the vast measure of God's love for His children is impossible for our human minds to comprehend. Yet with God's love, there too is a book that gives us a very clear picture. His Word, the Bible. From Scripture we know that God's love...

...endures forever (Psalm 136:26)

...is unfailing (Psalm 52:8)

...brings salvation for the world (John 3:16)

...cannot be taken from us who are in Christ (Romans 8:39)

...is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4)

...surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19)

...God Himself is love (1 John 4:8)

...is full of grace, encouragement and hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

...is sacrificial (1 John 4:9-10)

God's love. Forever and Always and so much more amazing than we can fathom.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

1 John 3:1

A New Year...A New Creation

This week, we are focusing on some biblical truths and practical tactics for ringing in the New year. A previous post provided insight to the first truth shared and gave us some questions to ponder and tactics to employ as we face the New Year.

The next biblical truth and practical tactic deal with being made "new" in Christ. It is my prayer that He continues to make me over, according to His likeness, and that He do the same for you in 2011.

Biblical Truth

"Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come."

2 Corinthians 5:17

Based on this verse, and the overall message from Scripture, to be "new" you must be "in Christ." In Christ. What does this even mean? Plainly stated, it means having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We will get to more of what this means in the practical tactic below. But the biblical truth that we are equipped with today reminds us that "anyone who is in Christ is a new creation." The word "anyone" implies that anyone can be "in Christ," meaning that the ability to have a personal relationship with Jesus is available to all. Not those who clean their act up first. Not those who strive to earn favor from God. Not those who go to church every week. Not those who appear to have it all together. Anyone. By being in Christ, one is a "new creation." God changes that person from the inside out. They are no longer enemies of the Father, but adopted as children of God through the precious blood of Jesus.

So, what does this all mean? How can I have a personal relationship with Jesus? These questions bring me to explain further in our practical tactic...

Practical Tactic

To be in Christ, one must first see themselves as a sinner. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Keyword here is "all." Just as anyone can be in Christ, as mentioned above, it is important to acknowledge that "all" are sinners. All. Each and every one of us. Because God is just, there is a price on sin. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death." That's a heavy piece of truth to swallow on a Monday morning, don't you think? The good news is that there is hope. God, in His perfect love, made a way to save us from our sins. He knew that we could not be perfect or sinless, and therefore were far from His holiness. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus! We just celebrated Christmas, the remembrance of Christ's earthly birth. What we often fail to remember is the reason He came. He came to live a perfect life and pay the penalty for our sins on the cross! That's the good news. He is the only one who can save us from our sins. Only Jesus. How can we be saved? Like I said, it's not about religion or church or good works. It's about being in Christ. To be in Christ, we must accept the truths already provided. Here are our practical tactics related to these amazing truths...

1) Acknowledge ourselves as sinners

2) Admit our need for a Savior

3) Confess and Believe

4) Accept Jesus as Lord

I leave you with two more verses from Romans that succinctly sum up all three of these tactics. The following truths give us the "how to" answer you may be looking for...

"That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Romans 10:9-10

AND

"For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."

Romans 10:13

Acknowledge. Confess. Believe. Be Saved. Be Made New in Christ!

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If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, we would love to hear about it in the comments. If you have not yet made this decision, be reminded that we are told in 2 Corinthians that "now is the time, now is the day of salvation." It will be the best decision you ever made!

Please share!!

Another Year...

If you've known me for a while, then you probably know that I've often remarked about how New Year's tends to be a difficult time of the year for me, personally. In fact, I recall the first year of holidays after Chloe's birth and death and was shocked by the impact of New Year's. After all, it's a time for new beginnings and resolutions. For a grieving mommy, however, it can be a reminder that time and people are moving on, yet she continues to long for her baby.

This year marks the fifth New Year since Chloe's birth and death. The first two years were the most difficult, with the second year being the worst. Last year wasn't the greatest either, in light of my miscarriages of Jesse and Riyah in 2009. Yet, with each passing year, I am able to sense God's peace and purpose through each of my babies' lives. Several months ago, a dear and precious friend gently reminded me that on earth, it would literally be impossible to have all of my children since some of the pregnancies overlapped. However, I can rest in the knowledge that God, who is rich in mercy, has welcomed each one of my babies into His Kingdom already! Because my husband and I know Christ as our Savior, we have full assurance in reuniting with each of them when He calls us home. Lord willing, our two living children will come to know Jesus at the earliest possible age, and they too will be with us all for eternity! What a family reunion that will be!

Especially in difficult times, I believe it is important to have an eternal perspective. That being said, it can be tough when the grief is so raw and the pain is so real. So if you're like me, you may just be wondering HOW to face the day. With the New Year upon us, I want to focus the next few posts on truths from God's Word as well as ways in which we can practically live out such truths. So, today, and throughout the next week, each post will present a biblical truth and a corresponding practical tactic for living it out. The purpose is to comfort and equip us with God's Word, while also challenging us to do something with meaning as we usher in the New Year.

Without further ado, let's begin...

Biblical Truth

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail; they are new each morning. Great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:23-23

I love these verses! At times, grief may seem to be all-consuming. God's love is greater. Because of such great love, we are not consumed! He has compassion for each one of us, whom He loves. Other translations use the word "mercies" in place of compassions...each of which are new each morning. Every day when we wake up, the Lord is near. He loves us. He never fails us. He is faithful. He wants to bless us each and every day with His mercies. Though we know this to be true from Scripture, it can be hard to feel this way. That's why it's important to rely on what is true, rather than our feelings. The next verse in this passage goes on to say, "The Lord is my portion." Here are some questions to ponder in light of this verse...Is He your portion each and every day? Do you rise each morning with the knowledge of God's love and compassion for you? Is He enough? The biblical truth shared above may seem to be "good for the moment" but how can I live like I know it to be true? How can I live victoriously, proclaiming "The Lord is my portion?" What does that even look like?

Practical Tactic

There are many ways that the questions posed above can be answered. In fact, the answer may be different for each one of us. I'm not here to offer a one-size-fits-all approach to living out God's truths in difficult times. I will, however, offer some practical tactics that everyone is able to try. I would love to hear additional ideas from you, my fellow mommies! Here are just a few of my thoughts...

1) Purpose to wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual each day. Begin your day in prayer, pouring your heart out to God. Remember, He has compassion for you!

2) Saturate yourself in God's Word. When we feel consumed by our grief, His Word is our ammunition and gives us the ability to "take captive every thought, making it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). We can combat irrational thinking with God's Truth!

3) List the ways in which God has shown His love to you. Read over and reflect on this list and thank God in prayer.

4) Thank God for the blessings in your life. Purpose to find something to be thankful for. Ask God to be your portion for the day...the hour...the moment. He is faithful!

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I'd love to hear your thoughts...feel free to post in the comments!

Words from a Mommy's Heart...

This past Sunday, a special memorial service was held for a precious baby girl named Lulu. While I have not had the privilege of meeting Lulu's mommy face-to-face, the bonds of our grieving hearts have brought us together online. With Kimberlee's permission, this post is dedicated in honor and memory of her daughter Lulu, who went to be with Jesus on October 4th of this year. In an email, Kimberlee explained to me that she wrestled with whether or not to share at the memorial service. However, she felt that God gave her this story for a purpose. Even through such a trial as this, she has seen and felt His unwavering love. This love is a message she could not stuff away. She is a true example faith as she praises Him, even now in the midst of her grief. In her email, she writes the following as she refers to Lulu's life and death...

"...this is what I know deep down. He is awesome, He is faithful, His love cannot be put into words, but that is the closest I can come. And I am so grateful that His love finally surpassed my knowledge."

And now, the words from our fellow "Mommy," which she shared at Lulu's memorial service...

I was raised in the church, so I have always heard about God’s love, “God loves you, Jesus loves you, if you were the only person on earth Jesus still would have died for you.” There have been many ways even throughout the pregnancy that He has shown me He loves me. After we lost lulu, the first scripture the Holy Spirit gave me about His love was Eph 3:17-19 “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses all knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” I love how God works, because in March, when we had gotten lulu’s diagnosis, the first scripture He gave me was the following verses in Eph 3:20-21!

So a couple weeks ago I was hit with sadness, feeling sad that lulu had not been healed, longing to have my baby here with us. Reminding myself God loves me, I read 1 John 3:1 that says “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” The word “children” got my attention and I thought about my own love for my children, living and dead. And then I thought how I am a child of God, He loves me so much He calls me child. What a beautiful word! What a loving Father! What an honor to be His child! It took losing lulu to really get His love for me, how deep and wide and long and high His love for me feels. What should have taken becoming a parent to get, took losing a child. Only God knew what it would take to get through to me and I am so grateful for His love!

Naturally, I still long for lulu. It makes me think of how God must long for His children that have not chosen Him. Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s plan to have all His children be able to spend eternity with Him included that His perfect only Son, Jesus, was sacrificed for all our sins. He has already chosen us! We just have to choose Him. What a loss, what a sacrifice, but what a greater gain for us all. We love you God because you first loved us.

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If you have any words of encouragement for Kimberlee or would like to share how this post blessed you, please leave them in the comments below. I am sure she will cherish knowing how precious Lulu's story has blessed you today.