My Response to FYI (if you’re a teenage girl)

Quite a few of my fellow facebookers have posted your article, presumably with the intention of praising it. Personally, I have a huge problem with it and find myself unable to stay silent on this issue. I cringe at the language you used in this post. I cringe for the girls that this was intended for and I cringe at the intention of causing them shame. It is baffling to me that you have taken it upon yourself to rifle through your sons’ social media accounts with a recognition that they are too young to be responsible for viewing whatever scandalous photos they might happen upon, yet you are unwilling to hold the girls in question to the same standard of helplessness. If I had a daughter who was posting provocative photos of herself to the internet, I would certainly hope that a parent would be kind enough to inform me first instead of blacklisting my daughter. I am horrified by the insinuation that due to one poor decision on the part of some teenage girl (and it’s not like teenagers are known for their ability to anticipate consequences) that you would call them unworthy to be around your sons. That certainly doesn’t sound like Jesus to me. I seem to remember Jesus reaching out to some pretty sketchy folks – folks who did a whole lot worse than post a provocative photo of themselves to Instagram.

“I know your family would not be thrilled at the thought of my teenage boys seeing you only in your towel. Did you know that once a male sees you in a state of undress, he can’t ever un-see it? You don’t want the Hall boys to only think of you in this sexual way, do you?”

Where is the conversation about the importance of self-control? We do not teach our men to be leaders by insisting that they are mere creatures of lust. The burden of lust and purity does not fall exclusively on women. If you heard that a man was cheating on his wife, would your response be to sympathize for him because he was obviously seduced by a temptress? I should hope not. We don’t create leaders by teaching them to act as victims – we bring up leaders by planting seeds of truth and righteousness. We teach men how to be leaders by equipping them with the tools and skills that will help them to respond in the face of temptation and sin. We teach them strength and resilience. We don’t teach them that sexuality is inherently evil. In this tipsy topsy "Christian" world of purity, we are disabling our children by not allowing them to have some control over their own sexuality.

Don’t get me wrong, though my son is only four, we do intend on monitoring his internet activity when he comes to an age where he is regularly browsing the internet. With that though, I also think that this comes with discussions of accountability and WHY it’s important to be pure. Ultimately, when it comes to his relationship with girls, we can only guide him in the right direction and pray that he is responsive. I trust that even if he doesn’t choose to listen to us that the Lord is eternally good and redemptive and that there will be something to be learned from it.
Then there’s even more…you chose to spruce up your lovely lecture with photos of your sons flexing at the beach. I’m not sure if you were just really trying to bring home your double standards or what, but I found myself pretty appalled that while you were ranting and raving about girls posting scantily glad photos, you thought it was also appropriate to show off photos of your sons posing in a way that shows off their muscles. As you so eloquently stated:

“if you want to stay friendly with the Hall men, you’ll have to keep your clothes on, and your posts decent.”

Is it too much to ask for your sons to live by the same standards? Listen, after Miley Cyrus' recent VMA performance, I understand why we're all so up in arms about the way that women present themselves. At the same time though, I do not understand why we're not outraged by the lyrics of her fellow performer's song "Blurred Lines". It breaks my heart that we choose to shame women instead of feeling deeply saddened when they choose to put their worth in their sexuality. How surprising can it be though? We live in a society that tells us that we are only as valuable as our outward appearance. That same society also spits us out and calls us names for embracing its values. I'm not about perpetuating that and I really hope that I can help teach my kiddo that women and men are valuable for what's on the inside. You should understand this firsthand as someone who does have a daughter...how would it feel to you if you found out that she had become an outcast because of one poor choice that she made?

As someone who had my son out-of-wedlock at eighteen, I sure am glad that I was surrounded by people who chose to cover me in love instead of shame because they knew that shame was most definitely not what I needed. I don't know, that feels a whole lot more like Jesus to me.

I've Been Down That Road...And I'm Traveling Now

I think toddlers are the greatest. I know that a lot of people wouldn't agree with that sentiment, and perhaps it wasn't so well-received tonight when Pax decided to chunk some play food at a family portrait during a reading of the Christmas story at my Grandparent's annual family Christmas get-together, but I truly love all of Paxton's mischief. Toddlers are by far the most resourceful humans I can think of (they're second to raccoons when it comes to creation's resourcefulness). I love their imaginative spirits and their budding independence. Pax is defiant and squawk-y but he's also tender and sweet. He is an absolute expert at testing my patience, but one simple "I'm are-ee" (his pronunciation of "sorry") followed by a hug and a kiss always seem to replenish any patience that may have slipped away. The thing I always say about toddlers is this: God doesn't start them as toddlers or we'd all return them. However, watching them wriggle out of their infantile stages of development into fully interactive children...there's nothing like it. I'm also extremely blessed with a toddler who has quite the sense of humor. That's the way Pax and I have to approach one another some days - with lots of laughs and lots of grace. And sure, I miss the days when I could simply walk out of the room for a second if I felt overwhelmed (now the tantrum clings to my leg and follows me out, but when the future is looking grim, I just always remind myself of what Sam says...naps are God's gift to the parents of toddlers.

Anyhow, as of late I've been meditating quite a bit on all of the feelings that are associated with parenting. In a way it's a constant grieving process of always looking back on where you just were while also trying to navigate through the next stage. In the past, I've viewed this as a negative thing but now I'm beginning to praise the Lord just for his provision of all these different experiences. I'm grateful that he so intricately designed us to sail through and enjoy the voyages of life. I don't know what His purpose for creating a lifespan is and I don't know why people have to die. I do, however, know that it's okay to be still and soak in the feelings that come with it all. I know that it's okay to have feelings about loss of control and major life changes. I know that grief has its place and that patience, peace, and grace were meant to be asked for (even pleaded and begged for) in abundance. And then sometimes we just have to jump through puddles and say "to hell with it".

The Lord created us to experience both times of mourning and times of joy. We exist in this epicurean society that wrongly suggests that pleasure ought to be our norm. In all reality, suffering often a more "noticeable" component of our existence. So what do we do with that? I'll get there, and without referring you to Job, I'll just go ahead and suggest that we start approaching it more honestly. Suffering isn't fun and there are plenty of times in our lives when it's simply unavoidable.

Well, a few days ago on a run, I had a pretty clear picture in my head of an egg. I wasn't really sure what it meant and so I began praying that the Lord reveal more of what He was giving me. When it came to me, I was almost unsure as to how I could feel about it because it seems so opposite of what I've always heard. Here it was: the Lord is the Great Heart Breaker. I've always seen Him as the great Lover, so to have this revealed to me was pretty fun. It's relates to the egg in that, once you crack an egg, it can be scrambled, fried, poached, hard boiled, etc, but it can never be the same. It's the same with heartbreak...once it's happened to you, you're never quite the same person you once were. This week God continued to reveal that not only does he want to break our hardened hearts, but that He wants to replace all the icky crap with everlasting joy. Two weeks before I found out I was pregnant, I prayed that the Lord would do whatever it took to make me His. It might not have been totally what I had in mind, but I’ve never once regretted investing more in my relationship with Christ. That's really what it comes down to...for some reason we are so prone to dreading spending time in the word and in prayer but I can honestly say that I've never once wished that I hadn't done so. The additional beauty in all of this is that the Lord already knows our hearts and He doesn't hold it against us - so why not go for it?

For those of us who sometimes feel like screaming during the Christmas prayer,

- Lauren

This is an old(er) one but it warms my heart every time.

Happytimes, etc.

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I needed a spot of time to have some intimate time with my Savior. This has by far been the most fruitful semester that I've had in some time. It's late so that's all that I'll say about that for now, but expect more quite soon.

It occurred to me recently, naturally while doing the goofiest form of exercise (rollerblading), that I tend to get so caught up in defining who God is without ever actually asking Him who he is. The image that came to me was this: God busting out of his workshop with a Moray eel around his neck and shouting lightheartedly and excitedly for all of heaven to hear, "Look, look what I made!" In this picture, He thought it was hilarious that He, God, Creator of all had created something so hideous. That's when it dawned upon me for one of the very first times that the Lord is the one who created my sense of humor. He is the creator of the child's heart. He is giddiness and exuberance at the core. He is every squeal and giggle that escape Paxton's eager lips. There is such freedom in embracing God's true character and in asking Him to reveal Himself. It's one of my new aspirations to begin cataloguing different aspects of His personality.

Can you believe that this little prince is two?

Soon,

- Lauren

A Song of Hope

I started this blog last Thursday and am just now getting around to posting it...

Well. The strep monster is back. I have to say, sickness in parent or child is probably one of the hardest things about being a parent. I can't imagine falling ill with something chronic, and this little bout of strep has me vowing to appreciate our good health. This morning the absolute last thing I wanted to do was chase little P around the house. I tried to tell him that I had an "owie" in my throat. His solution? Run up to Mom and grab a chunk of the skin on her neck. Toddlers are the best.

I always feel bad on days in which I have 1:30 classes because Mr. P has to go to school earlier and for longer because 11:30-2:30 is nap time. So, it seemed like maybe we could squeeze in some quality time at the doctor. Oh Lauren, you're so silly sometimes. Yes, take him with you to the doctor and leave the diaper bag in the car. Then expect him to sit quietly on your lap while you wait for the doctor to see you. Right. So there's that, then I get home and it finally dawns upon me that I am absolutely and utterly exhausted. I haven't slept well in about a week and the house is an utter disaster - laundry needs doing, dishes need washing, garbage needs taking out, homework needs completing...the list goes on and on.

By 11:30 I'm falling apart. I even shed a few tears because I'm so frustrated by all the things I need to do between now and 5:45 tomorrow when I pick up Sam from the airport. So I'm lying across my bed, wallowing in a world self-pity and unpreparedness (for a quiz in an hour that involves material that I haven't read) when the Lord decides it's a good time to start a conversation. Hah. And what, of all the things My Divinity might suggest right now does he choose? Which words - after promising me this season of rest and revitalization - does he impart on me? He tells His Daughter to embrace the season and do just that which seems unfathomable - He tells me to rest. I choose to resist this nonsense. I question God's state-of-mind, His vacation day policy, His goodness, and so on and so forth. Rest, My Child, He repeats, unaffected by my resistance. It isn't long - but it's long enough - before I finally understand what is being communicated. There is peace to be had in the midst of chaos and if I let Him, He will take care of the burden.

I meditated on this for a while - the ability to find rest in the least ideal of situations. I like having a scripture reference as a little bit of extra comfort when I'm having a difficult day, so I turned to Psalm 37:7-9:

7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Sure, it's a little heavy at the end there, but it also helped me focus again on letting go of worry. Then while I was at church on Sunday, a very wise someone asked the group if they were feeling a little overwhelmed by the new semester and all that implies. And guess what? Psalm 37:7 was the verse he referenced as well. I love it when the Lord does things like that, it feels like a nice little pat on the back after a tough week.

And then, when nothing seems to be enough, there's this. This right here puts it all back into perspective again.

He Will Break Every Chain

As often happens, I sat down to write this blog post with one thing in mind, only to have the Lord take me in a different direction entirely. Yesterday morning as I was brewing some coffee, Pax was sitting in his highchair with his breakfast cut into neat little pieces for him and suddenly I look over to see him shaking his head and saying to himself "No, no, no, no". I chuckled to myself because I knew exactly what was about to go down. No matter how hard we try (and this really has been a group effort) to teach him to say that he's finished when he doesn't want to eat anymore instead of picking up all of his remaining food and throwing it (last night this was particularly fun - at a restaurant - with yogurt). He was trying so hard to talk himself out of throwing his food but about thirty seconds later I saw that glimmer of helplessness in his eyes as he scooped up all of his food and chunked it across the kitchen while letting out a squeal of excitement. I often have to leave the room to avoid laughing at just how naughty yet equally charming that little boy can be. The older he gets, the more and more I see myself in him. I love his fiery spirit and his inclination to do the opposite of what he's told. While he tests my patience on a more-than-daily basis, I can deeply appreciate all that his character reveals to me about our Creator. Nothing displays the grace, humor, and even mystery of the Lord more than children.

On a separate note, I've been thinking a lot about character traits because of a pretty lengthy self-assessment assignment for one of my courses. I was somewhat disheartened to find out that I am much quicker to identify my weaknesses than my strengths. While humility is certainly desirable, I think I sometimes tend to interchange that concept for "verging on self-loathing". As I open my heart to allow the Lord to replace Satan's lies with His truths, I've discovered something that I'd for whatever reason never considered before: He uses our weaknesses for His glory. It says in 2 Corinthians 12:9&10:

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

There are times in which I just can't even wrap my mind around how sweet God's love is for His children. This brings me to another truth that I so often need reminding of: He is still jealous for me. And by that token, He is still jealous for you. Say it. Say it aloud. Whenever I need affirmation or refreshment in my faith, I say this to myself. There is nothing more powerful than God's pursuit of His children.

Though there are many other things on my heart right now that I'm excited to share about, they'll have to wait for future blog posts. I'd forgotten about the balance between mothering-spirituality-relationships-studying-etc. that exists when school is in full swing.

To the promise of an abundant season,

- Lauren

Into the Mystic

Beginning this post, I feel torn between guilt at not having updated in so long (thus spurring a desire to apologize) and a certain stubborn rebel force that wouldn't even hear of apologizing. Anticipating this about myself, knowing full well that 92% of the conflicts in my life are caused by my - as I graciously prefer to put it, ability to stick to my guns - I'll take responsibility for being a flaky blogger and insist that I'll make an effort to update more. There's a long litany of excuses that I could list off but mostly it comes down to a long season (or three of them) in which my inspiration and connection to anything within the creative realm seemed to have flown south for the winter (or west...). It seemed justifiable to skimp on writing for a while as I was diligent in corresponding with Sam via letters on a daily basis. But, on my drive back home after his very long-awaited arrival in Dallas, my mind was already frenzied with all sorts of new story ideas so I've been catching up for the past two months. No matter how hard I try to stay away from it, my writing roots always manage to creep back up on me.

Enough about that. In other news, Paxton is at my favorite stage ever. I say this about all of his stages (always carefully excluding 0-3 months though) but it's because they're all the best. Lately he's taken to imitating many of my behaviors - my personal favorite is when he grabs my phone and talks to himself on it, walking around the house and picking things up as he goes along, occasionally stopping to switch ears or readjust. Pax and I have too much fun together. While he's developing his imagination, I get to put mine back on. One of my favorite games is playing dress-up by cloaking myself in "adult parent" conversation. This is particularly amusing at the park (I also recommend the pediatrician's office or Super Targets everywhere) where there are no shortage of Gap clad parents who are panic stricken with thoughts of up-to-date shot records, developmental milestones, sharp objects, and any male creature standing within 100 yards of the given location's boundaries. Anyway, it's fun to make small talk and, only for a moment, to glimpse into what it must be like to be a parent "on their own terms". Paxton is pretty wild, so I doubt that even if I had this exact same child ten years from now that anything would really be "on my own terms" but sometimes talking to older parents feels like some sort of detective endeavor because their world is completely foreign to me. There's certainly nothing inherently wrong with having concerns for a child's well-being (and as a parent it's our job to protect them as best as possible) but I think a lot of parents today are over read on the subject child-rearing and all that comes with it. People have been having babies successfully since Adam and Eve, most of it seems pretty intuitive anyways. No, Timmy probably isn't going to contract rubella from being in the same room as Suzie two days ago who now has a funny looking mark on her arm. I really shouldn't act as though I don't have my bouts of anxiety...just ask me about the time I thought I had scabies. It was great that the house got such a thorough cleaning, I just wish I would've waited until after seeing the doctor to strip all the sheets that I had only washed the day prior.

As a society, we seem to be pretty fixated on the idea of fear. We eat it up. I'll be the first to admit, I was practically tailgating waiting for updates on the Casey Anthony trial. We watch scary movies. We pursue tragic news stories. We peruse WebMD for a diagnosis on our latest symptoms - I was really banking that those extra few pounds were hypothyroidism. Nope. Just cookies. Always cookies. Anyway, one of the biggest opportunities for fear to work its way into our lives is during the vulnerable years of early parenthood. I speak as though I've experienced late parenthood, obviously not the case, I would just imagine the earlier years to be slightly more impressionable. Fear presents itself in many forms: literal panic or fear, nightmares, phobias, the list goes on. One element of fear that many of us often fail to recognize is worry. It seems so innocent and justified (and practically a natural maternal instinct, no?) but at the core of it, it's still a unwillingness to trust that the Lord will ultimately provide for us and work in our best interest. I struggled a LOT with anxiety while Sam was away. He was injured about two months into training and so while bootcamp should've taken three months, it took six. We kept hearing one thing, only to have it be delayed or changed at a moment's notice (except we wouldn't find out until receiving a letter several days later). In the end, the journey took a turn that none of us expected, with him coming home and returning to civilian life. Though it was a whirlwind of an experience at the very least, having absolutely no control over the situation taught me a lot about waiting on the Lord's timing and accepting His divine plan for my life. The day that we found out he was injured, I had an extremely intense encounter with the Lord only hours before. Despite getting to be a part of one of those most amazing spiritual journey's of someone very dear to me, I had been extremely hesitant to initiate any sort of conversation with the Lord and weeks had gone by since I'd really talked to Him. I was working out when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the force of the Lord just hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to leave the gym because I was so overcome by emotion - I got some interesting looks on the way out. The Lord kept asking me "Lauren, do you trust me? Do you trust me?" When God starts a conversation and He's got the whole world in his hands, it doesn't seem too wise to shrug it off so finally I started talking. I've never really felt interrupted by the Lord before (refreshing though) but he kept repeating "Lauren, haven't I ALWAYS provided for and taken care of you? Don't you know that I love you and will protect your family?" Five hours later I received a call from Sam's Mom saying that he had been injured and was being dropped to a medical platoon for an unspecified amount of time.

Now, I realize that was a lengthy anecdote, but it was a really defining moment in my ability to truly grasp that the Lord really does work in our best interest. I was crushed when I found out that it would be even longer before I was able to reunite with Sam (and there are certainly aspects of the past few months that I could've handled more graciously) but ultimately I have such a strong sense of faith and peace that the Lord worked with intention in allowing Sam to get pack palsy. Let me relate this all back to kids and germs and whatnot. Does He not love our children EVEN more than we do? Does He not delight in the sweetness of their actions and the innocence in their laugh? You bet He does. It's a daily struggle for me to say "Lord, have my worry today" and there are many days where I wrap the cord of my anxiety too tightly around myself to hand over to God but when I do allow him the ability to ease my burden, I'm never worse off for it. The Lord is so good to his people. Lately I've started being more intentional in the things that I pray for throughout the day: "Lord grant me the ability to just be in this moment with my sweet son." "Lord please give me the patience..." I've noticed that He always delivers the little things that I need to get through the day.

The more that I contemplate being intentional in my prayers with the Lord, the more I consider how that will impact my little sponge of a toddler. He's so curious about everything that I do that now seems like the time to begin setting the framework for a spiritually abundant life. All I know is that right now I have nothing but things to look forward to. I feel so revived for this upcoming season in life and cannot wait to spread that passion around. I love that my school is preparing me to defend social justice and is engaging me in a way that has me so excited to attend 8:30 classes. I love that Paxton greets me in the morning with "ticka ticka ticka" (He thinks that delivering tickles to those without is one of the most helpful things that he can do). I love that Madison and I made our annual watermelon sugar cookies (a longstanding summer tradition in the Kerner household). I love that I'm reading a book for enjoyment for the first time in far too long. I love that everyone has settled into new routines (and houses) and finally, I love that this summer weather will soon be cooling down a bit.

Alright, I think after an hour and a half of writing I have sufficiently made up for my absence. I like to include a word of scripture or something at the end of my posts as a sort of summary. Okay, that's pretty presumptuous to state that the bible is a summary of MY thoughts but it's late and it amuses me so I'm going to leave it. This passage is particularly meaningful to me because in one of my most anxious states, I flipped my bible open to this:

Matthew 6

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Spreading peace and refreshment,

- Lauren

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

I realize it’s been far too long since I last posted a blog entry – somehow the last month and a half or so have escaped me entirely. The last couple of months have been non-stop in our house. Between a one-year-old birthday, pneumonia, RSV, exams, the holidays, new teeth, a quickly approaching Spring semester, and Sam heading off to the Marines in less than two weeks, I hardly know what to do with myself. Resistance to change seems natural enough to humanity – or perhaps creation in general, and I’m certainly no exception within this. There’s something undeniably significant about Sam’s departure – not only as it pertains to us; our history, the simplicity and all the goodness that has come to fruition in the past year – but rather what this means in the life of Paxton as his awareness of the world around him becomes more and more evident.

(My little prince on his big day)


Perhaps in part because of any of the aforementioned factors, lately I’ve felt as though I’m watching life dance mystically just out of reach. The phases of life are so difficult to identify sometimes but I've much benefitted from a little alone time to organize my aspirations. Yet, as I grieve (while also very eagerly anticipate) this next chapter in my life, I am coming closer and closer to truly discovering what it is to solely depend on the Lord’s provision for my family. Several prophetic people in my life have spoken a season of harvest over this next season so I've been attempting to configure how to most effectively incorporate that positive energy into my routine. A prophesy ought never go ignored. Winter always shakes something eerie and resplendent my way so sometimes it feels a tad more difficult to prioritize.

My bones have felt a tad restless of late, through listening loudly for the Silence of the Holy Spirit, I've received a strong response concerning the release of my creative spirit. Children are the best excuse to bringing to fruition the root meaning of what it is to create. Paxton is a constant inspiration to me. His newness and instinctual responses ignite a desire in me to strip everything down to the basics. That which I often consider necessary in the realm of technology and such is so frivolous to the perceptions of a child. He makes me so itchy for nature...I love it! That being said, I suppose I ought to limit Paxton's early exposure to all that is "natural" since he has been mistaken for a girl three times this past week. Sigh. I suppose it really is time for that first haircut after all. It's so strange to think that his hair has remained untouched since the day of his birth - sometimes it seems all I have left of that precious 4 1/2 lb. premie. I digress, and the constant stream of letting go, the ever-prevalent theme of parenting floats on.

Anyways, this post is inevitably a bit jumbled because I'm a bit jumbled but I don't think it's beneficial to any parties to constantly pretend to exist in a state of utmost clarity. There is much to look forward to in this next series of life. I never cease to feel baffled by how extremely fast days seem to move. I remember always wanting to be older as a child. Adulthood seemed so enticing until I paid bills for the first time! A few months ago, Sam and I took Pax to the Science Museum because we had such fond memories from childhood. It was a colossal disappointment at best...perhaps from the aftereffects of years of mandatory education or because we aren't so ignorant as to the basic functions of nature anymore. Either way, I'm trying for Paxton's sake to become more like a child so that I might understand the way that he is experiencing things for the very first time.

Adulthood and our acquirement of knowledge reminds me a lot of Adam and Eve. As I learn more and more about the way the world is, I desperately long for the days in which I truly believed in the innate goodness of humanity. At least my lessons in reality have been gradual, Adam and Eve experienced it all at once at the Tree of Knowledge (and it should be noted that they came to know a whole lot more than we as humans ever will...I can't imagine what it is to be able to comprehend eternity). They teach us that perhaps naivety faith is what we ought to rely on. Children depend on their parents entirely to fulfill their needs. In most cases, they are incapable of considering what the alternative would be if they weren't fed, housed, or clothed. What if we stopped worrying about all the potential negative outcomes that would be if the Lord didn't provide for us? We have so little control over the tides in our lives that perhaps relying on the deliverance and goodness of God's authority wouldn't be so bad after all...Personally, when I have been faithful through prayer (and even when I haven't) the Lord has had a way of configuring the situations in my life to exactly what they need to be. So, I'm thinking whatever He has in store for us is probably a whole richer than whatever we can come up with on our own. He did kind of design this whole world, after all.

To Belief in a Better Tomorrow,

Lauren