You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to know God's will

Hannah is pretty cute all decked out in her cold-weather gear.
This is my "I live in a cold, cold place and miss the sunshine of Florida" face. Scary, huh?
What could be better than a day of sledding? If you ask my kids--nothing. They love to sled.

We must totally surrender ourselves to God, yielding to His purpose regardless of what it may be. Absolute abandon to God is the foundation in knowing His will. Presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice means that we take our hands off our own life and totally yield to Him. Absolute surrender brings an attitude of trust in Him with no conditions or strings attached. Grace Rules, Steve McVey

Since a little boy woke me up around 6 this morning, I am actually up in time to do some writing. I have slept more during this break from school than I have slept since I was a teenager. I must have been really tired going into the break, because I have slept 8-9 hours every single night. If you know me at all, you know how unlike me that is. I will say that it's nice to get up and not feel like you need to climb right back in bed. It's a good thing, I think, to be able to get up at your own pace, have a cup of coffee, and spend some time with God without keeping your eye on the clock. I have thoroughly enjoyed being on break, and I'm thrilled that I still have another week before I go back to work.

Because our company is reorganizing and there are several options in front of us concerning our future, I have been thinking a lot lately about knowing God's will. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that I have spent so much of my adult life trying to figure out God's will for my life. And I have been totally sincere in those efforts. But one of the things I am learning right now is that God's will isn't some mystery that He's waiting for me to figure out. It isn't a code that I must decipher. God's will is the natural expression of my relationship with Him. We have many important decisions to make, and every choice we have is great. I am totally at peace with our choices, and I know that because we have sought Him daily--not an answer to a question, but Him--the choice we make will flow naturally out of that relationship. The big decisions in life--who to marry, what career to pursue, coming to the mission field--have all been easy in the sense that God's will was so apparent because I was daily seeking His face. I knew almost immediately that Marc was God's man for me. I couldn't imagine doing anything but teaching. God's call to international missions was so clear that no other decision seemed possible. I didn't second guess myself and worry about making the wrong decision, because those choices were made out of a deep desire to know God. I think sometimes we see God as some kind of magic 8 ball. If we do the right things, then He will give us an answer when we shake Him up and ask our questions. (Isn't that how those things work? You shake them and they come up with answers like, "maybe" or "yes" or "not likely"?) As I know Him more and more, as I daily seek His face and not just His hand, I find that He is so much more than I could ever have imagined. I don't always understand His ways, but I am confident that He delights in me, that He loves me more than I have words to express, and that His deepest desire is to live abundantly through me. That means that decisions that appear to be hard on the surface are actually quite easy. I am learning to relax and act confidently because I know Him more and more, and I know that He is guiding and directing me daily. There is a great deal of peace in that.

Well, it's just about time to wake John John and Marc. John John is attending a sports camp today and tomorrow, and they need to get moving if they're going to be on time. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are seeking to know our great God, and that your laundry is all caught up, too! Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye