“”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.\u201d \u202d\u202dIsaiah\u202c \u202d43:18-19\u202c \u202dNIV\u202c\u202c<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Our oldest turned thirteen in January. Time feels like sand sifting through my fingers. Wasn\u2019t it just yesterday when she moved in my belly, when I first held her in my arms? Her birth making me a mother. She is becoming more lovely with each passing year. At times I can miss the glimmers of God\u2019s beauty, the glimpses of His glory emerging, moving and growing within my children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is doing a new thing! This growth so obvious in our littlest one. Today marks six months since Hope arrived home. Each day she smiles and laughs more, delighting us all. Each day she is growing not only in height and weight (she has grown more 3 inches and gained 6lbs since August!) but in every developmental area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cloud of despair has lifted. I look at her now and I see someone so very different from the little one we first meet in May. With a place to belong and under the cover of love, she has been set free. She is unfurling, beginning to bloom, becoming all that God has created her to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the day to day, I am feeling something shift within me. A deeper awareness of God\u2019s work in our home. I am slowly learning to let go and be present to His active movement. Trusting that my children\u2019s growth is NOT dependent on me. It is ALL dependent on Him. Our Author and Perfecter, the One who is able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Jesus, Many times I can live distracted by hurry, blinded by fear. Things can seem messy, uncertain and out of my control. Circumstances can seem impossible, sometimes broken beyond repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even so, you are in control, holding all things together. In the impossibly messy, broken and uncertain circumstances you are at work, renewing and redeeming. You are doing a new thing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord, I want to see!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give me your grace for this day and eyes to perceive your beauty and glory all around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To God be the Glory, Forever, Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.\u201d Isaiah\u202c \u202d61:3\u202c \u202dNLT\u202c\u202c<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.\u201d \u202d\u202dEphesians\u202c \u202d3:20-21\u202c \u202dNIV\u202c\u202c<\/strong><\/p>

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\u201c\u201cWhat do you want me to do for you?\u201d \u201cLord, I want to see,\u201d he replied. Jesus said to him, \u201cReceive your sight; your faith has healed you.\u201d\u201d \u202d\u202dLuke\u202c \u202d18:41-42\u202c \u202dNIV\u202c\u202c <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.\u201d \u202d\u202dIsaiah\u202c \u202d43:18-19\u202c \u202dNIV\u202c\u202c Our oldest turned thirteen in January. Time feels like sand sifting through my fingers. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1,6,7],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_3570.jpg?fit=480%2C640&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2YMk4-pU","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1606"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1606"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1620,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1606\/revisions\/1620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magnoliaheart.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}