This Past Week

I didn't think I could get more tired than I was five minutes after VBS wrapped up this week.

After all, I had already leaned back while my co-teacher was wrapping up our class, and ended up in a weird Pilates position having totally misjudged the location of the wall.

Elijah was wearing his beloved tie-dyed VBS shirt, which had been hauled out of the hamper that morning. Did I mention it had the remains of three meals crusted on it, it was somewhat damp, and had already been worn twice?

Laundry was piled in an enormous mountain at the foot of the stairs...for over a day.

I was in tears at the pool in the afternoon, struggling to let go of and say good-bye to a dear friend of mine before she headed back home across the U.S.

My heart was heavy for a friend who buried an early-term baby recently.

I had wrapped my arms around a friend who has been in a battle for her joy and her health for months now.

I had been shaken up by the news of a health issue with a family member.

Then I woke up Friday morning, staggered to the bathroom, and began a day of utter torture with some sort of fever and stomach virus.

As I lay on a blanket on the floor, unable to move more than a few feet from the bathroom, I heard the news about the movie theater shooting.

And then I was really, really tired.

VBS was such a beautiful glimpse of the light of the Word and of the Holy Spirit at work in God's people. Our small group had gathered this week and just loved on each other, totally showing off the way God turns people into family. But we are in the valley of the shadow of death. There's a war and I'm ready for God to claim his ultimate victory.

Until He does, I am praying for strength, for opportunities to be light, for the body of Christ to stand firm in unity, and for my joy in being found and saved by Jesus Christ to be the foundation of every moment of my life.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.