Happy Thursday, Everyone!
First of all our FALLING FOR FALL GIVEAWAY winner is Juli McGuire! Juli, please e-mail at alittlebitofeverything83@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Congratulations!
Today, I want to share a little something with you that is completely from my heart. This past Sunday morning was yucky….rainy, a little windy, just plain yucky. The kids and I set out to church and just pulling out of our neighborhood realized there was a big race happening in our area. Orange cones were everywhere. There were police officers at every possible intersection. I’m talking even an officer helping people turn in and out of Starbucks. Because we all need coffee and especially on rainy Sunday mornings at church. Right? 🙂
Anyway, it’s rainy and yucky. I drive-thru to get a coffee and as we’re waiting for a break in the cyclists (and a go from the officer), the kiddos and I decide we should start cheering for these people. What a yucky day to be racing and they should really be so proud. We roll our windows down a little bit so they can see and hear us. As they ride by we’re screaming, cheering, and acting a fool. Those people have to be struggling and it’s such an accomplishment.
I pull out into my lane. On our two lane road there is now one entire lane shut down for these bikers. I’m thinking how awful it must be to be racing in this weather and I’m seriously having a pity party in my head for all these people. Then we go down a hill and I see a HUGE crowd of family and friends waiting to cheer, congratulate, hoop, and holler for their people. We just happened to be driving right beside a biker whose wife (or at least that’s who I’m guessing she was) had the BIGGEST, BADDEST sign AND she happened to be wearing the BIGGEST smile on her face as she cheered for her man.
Seeing what was waiting for them had to have given them all a little turbo boost. The crowd sure made me wanna put the pedal to the metal. 🙂 I started tearing up just thinking about how much that encouragement had to be helping these people! (Sidenote-I turned thirty-three and EVERYTHING makes me tear up!) And it made me think about our life here on earth. How it’s SO important to keep our eyes on the prize. Or the finish line. Or in our case, heaven. You guys stuff here on earth is TOUGH…divorce, death, job loss, and cancer just to name a few. It’s tough and this race we’re running is not easy. I started thinking about how if we have heaven in mind at the end of this “race” then just like those cyclists, we can keep going a little harder. A little stronger. Until we make it to the end.
I love how The Message shares these verses, “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” Hebrews 12:1-3.
I love how it says, “All these veterans cheering us on”. Just like the crowds we saw on Sunday. I’m not sure what you’re going through right now, but know there are fellow Christians who are going through this thing called life with you cheering you on every step of the way. We also have amazing examples of faith heroes throughout the Bible who never lost focus of their end game. I hope you’re running your race and living this life with your end game in mind.
Thanks for letting me share a little of my heart. Please know I’m praying for you today. If you have a little bit of your heart to share today as well, PLEASE do. We’d all love to read. And know I’m cheering you on in this race we call life! XOXO
Love this, Erika, and so very true. Thank you for sharing! And how very important it is to have cheerleaders in this race who will help keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Also reminded me of Isaiah 40:31, one of my favorite scriptures because it's SO hope-filled "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Oh, I love this friend! So true to keep our eyes on Heaven! What an encouragement! I'm thinking about one of my favorite cheerleaders who helped me along the way yesterday!! 😉 love you!!! Xoxo
Well, I needed this today. Thank you. I'm sure so many others needed this too. xo
YES! This is our temporary home! There is so much goodness in that promise. Wonderful post that I'm sure will serve as much needed encouragement to many this morning! Love you! xoxo
AMEN!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, I needed this today.
My family is getting ready to move from our beloved Cary NC to Columbia SC. I have a 4 and 2 year old and our house goes on market Monday. I'm praying for peace and bravery going forward on this new adventure. Starting over and moving somewhere new is scary. I pray that God will put friends in my life and I will be surrounded by opportunities to be friend those who need community as well.
Hi Erika. Not sure how I found you but I'm a sassy New York Jewish girl and I am a huge fan. I might not "believe" exactly what you believe in. But your heart, your devotion, your love, your realnness, your ability to see the importance of what is all that is good and important above all else speaks to my heart. Your post was so powerful in its simplicity. Keep rocking what you're doing. I'm a HUGE fan. And the fact that you are as funny as can be doesn't help! God bless you and your family.
This is so great for me, thank you for sharing!
Beautifully said. Let us always remember to be cheerleaders rather than opponents. And may we always keep our eyes on His prize.
Blessings to you, Erika, for lifting our hearts today.
THANK YOU!!! I needed to hear this today more than you can imagine. Our family is going through a rough patch right now and we just talked in bible study last night about the plans God already has for us. This was just the push I needed to get tough and power through to the end. Our bible study leader said something great last night. She said "In tough times its easy to get caught up in crying out to God. But when we get tired of crying, praise God for the end of our struggles that will eventually come" So, today I'm praising for God for my victory that's surely on its way! Have a great day!!
Erika, this is such a blessing! To share what is on your heart in such a positive way I know blesses so many people! Thank you for that! Now, you have a commenter, Katie who is moving to Columbia SC which just happens to be one of the most wonderful cities in America and home of my BEST FRIEND EVER! If we can find out how to get in touch with her, I can put her in touch with so many sweet, kind people and tell her First Baptist Columbia is where she needs to start her church "shopping!" She will love the area and I know so many young, precious families with SAHMs so I can really help her out.
Have a great day dear and thanks again!
Awesome message! Thanks Erika!
Thanks for sharing, an awesome message that we need to be thinking about each and every day! Really enjoy your blog!
I love this Erika x
What a great post to read this morning! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this. Since I've started blogging, I've struggled with how much of my faith I should share. I love reading about the every day lives of blogging moms like you and you've just reinforced the importance of sharing my faith.
I love this! You're one of my favorite blogger because you seem to have such a big heart. It just radiates in all of your posts.
So true! May we never take our eyes off Jesus! Thanks for the reminder this morning.
It was a REALLY rough morning, so your post was perfect for me right now. I thank God for using you to help me. 🙂
Love this! Thank you for sharing your heart, I too am blessed by it.
Great post! We all need encouragement and we should strive to be encouraging to others!!! Thanks for sharing!
I needed this more than you know.. and apparently, a lot of people did. You are a LIGHT in this world, Erika. Whether you know it or not. You have shined a LIGHT in my little world in Minnesota… you have made a difference all over the country and probably the world through your blog. I hope you take a minute and think about the significance of that. And think about how you are shining light on His word for people who haven't accepted Jesus into their hearts. Today, I am thanking God for your blog.
I love this! Thanks for sharing your heart this morning. I tear up at everything, too. Everything makes me have so much emotion (in a good way) lately! Right now we are praying for direction and peace with our son. 10 is hard. Your body changes, sometimes your weight fluctuates, you don't always feel like you fit in, and at home it's easy to get mouthy and say and do things that you normally wouldn't, stretch the truth, or behave how you aren't supposed to. We are praying our way and loving him through it and knowing that he'll be a better, stronger kid on the other side of it. He loves Jesus, and if nothing else, we know that he's with him through it all.
Goodness – you got my eyes all watery!! So true, press on friend, this is not our home!
Thank you for this encouragement. We recently became foster parents and our 1st little one we fostered has went back home to his mom and it has left a huge hole in our family. We so wanted to adopt him! We know that even when our hearts get broken the Lord will heal them. I so needed this today!
Thanks for sharing! I needed this today! I am so thankful that this is not our home, and our hope is in Him, no matter what we're facing!
Great post, Erika. You made my 34 year-old eyes tear up too! It must be an age thing! BTW I wanted to thank you for suggesting This Is Us. I watched the pilot last night and bawled multiple times throughout the show. Definitely something I will be watching from now on. Have a great day 🙂
Thank you for your encouraging words today, Erica. I lost my first baby through miscarriage this week and I'm struggling, but I know the Lord has a plan and will take this situation and turn it around for good. Thanks for listening to what the Lord lays on your heart and sharing it with others to give encouragement.
I absolutely love this and am clinging to every word. Thank you so much for posting this encouragement today! This post is something that I will save to read again and again. Thank you for allowing God to use you and for sharing your wisdom with your readers!
Thank you for this wonderful reminder! Your blog is such a blessing to many.
AMAZING!! Thanks so much for sharing this story today!
Erika, this is so good! What a wonderful reminder. I like this and I hope you'll share your heart like this more often.
Thank you so much for this encouraging word. Always love your lighthearted posts, but this one speaks to me today a lot! God Bless you and your sweet family.
Love this!!!! Things like this make me tear up too!! Every single time.
Great use of this forum, Erika! Have a great day 🙂
Thanks for sharing this! It was a great reminder for me, when weeks are long and not so easy. I love the version of that passage that you shared! In short, thanks for listening to the Holy Spirit and being one of those encouragers to so many this week!
Thank you for sharing. I needed this today. It isn't coincidence that I am reading this at 3:00 in the morning in Saturday morning. My mother is on hospice care with Stage 4 cancer. She is only 61. She has been a pastor's wife, missionary, children's minister, and possibly the greatest mom on earth. She is my best friend. I have struggled with…."why?" I needed this today because it is not about anything else but she always looked at life like this race. Her eyes were always set on Jesus.her words when she was diagnosed, "whatever happens, I want God to be glorified through my illness." Thank you for posting. 🙂