Because of His Great Love We are Not Consumed {Heartbreak + Lamentations Print}

It was a typical bedtime routine earlier this week. We read a couple of stories {as quickly as possible because it's already a half hour past bedtime}, then our Jesus Calling Bible. Before we can get to the part where we "talk about our day and what we did well" followed by prayers, he launches into talking about heaven. Heaven is a favorite topic these days.

"When can I go there?" he asks. "I want us ALL to go there. EVERYBODY I love. {My friend} is going to heaven too, right?" This is where he pauses for an answer and I pause wondering how I should answer. The friend we are talking about is a neighbor. Someone he absolutely adores. We are slowly getting to know the family. But he already knows this friend is THE. BEST. And I just don't know the answer to his question. "And if {my friend} isn't going, then I'm not either." {In my son's four-year-old perspective, heaven is like Disney World — you travel there, have a good time, do some fun stuff and see some cool people, and then come home and beg to go back} 

But I of course know it's much more than that. It's eternity. And this sweet question coming out of my son's mouth is the most important question we can ponder. The weight of it and its implications sent a wave of panic over me that threatened to CONSUME ME. The feeling was surprising. I admit I don't often feel that way. There was guilt that I should feel this burden more often — that weight on your heart that overwhelms and brings sudden, deep sadness — for the people in our lives. Both the people we pass in the store and the people we call friend. It's truly devastating to think about.  

What else in this world really matters other than this?

I pondered this  as my eyes began to burn with unshed tears. And why am I so concerned about everything else? There are so many pains and disappointments in life that I focus on and complain about, and yet I can't answer my son's innocent question. This child needs to know that Jesus loves her! And maybe she does. But, more likely, she doesn't. What if nobody ever tells her? What if WE never tell her? Why doesn't my heart break more often for the people around us who don't know Him as their Savior?

That night we prayed for his friend, and I reminded my son how and why people go to heaven — by making a decision to follow Jesus and accepting his free gift of mercy. Just a few months ago, my son made that decision for himself, and that day was one of the greatest joys in our life. We talked about how we can tell this friend about Jesus and then I said goodnight.

But the feeling lingered through the rest of the evening, during the night and into the next day. That burden that could only be from the Holy Spirit.  He's working on my heart, breaking it, molding it, changing my priorities and my concerns. Raising the important things to the surface. The heartbreak I felt did not consume me, because I have the hope of Christ in me!

So, He changed my plans. The post I was going to to write today. I had been excitedly working on this new Scripture art print with these amazing verses in Lamentations ... and then the conversation with my son took place. And I just couldn't ignore it. I couldn't sleep. The Holy Spirit spoke in my heart, and I couldn't go back to writing about how much I'm enjoying watercolor and new fonts and looking forward to spring. Because maybe I'm supposed to be about more than that.

The Words in this passage offer the very same hope that our friends and family and neighbors so desperately need!

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak." 2 Corinthians 4:13

When I read this passage from Lamentations I hear it in the soft, southern drawl of a mentor and friend who has committed it to memory. There have been so many times over the last few years when a friend or I needed to hear it and it comes tumbling out at just the right moment. I want to impress it on my heart so that the sweet truth and wisdom of these words comes tumbling out of my mouth at just the right time.

When things are falling apart around us and we are feeling discouraged and hopeless, we will be able to call to mind what we KNOW about God. That he is LOVING and He is COMPASSIONATE and He is FAITHFUL. That we are NOT CONSUMED, because of who He is. Not because of who we are or our circumstances.

And for those who don't know Him, He is holding out His hand of mercy and his free gift of salvation for anyone to accept and to join him one day in heaven. And He keeps offering it. Over and over again. Because He has GREAT LOVE for each of us. This is it! The hope that ultimately conquers disappointment and despair and urges us on to love others and to call out to God for their salvation.

I know that He can use my family and yours in the lives of our friends, family and acquaintances if we will boldly share that love and share the word of God. If we will ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us with our Heavenly Father when that burden and heartbreak comes over us for our families, our neighborhoods and our world. Will you join me in prayer? Will join me in finding ways to love our neighbors and friends? Will you join me in knowing and speaking God's Word?

May you know God's love, compassion and faithfulness!

~Erin

Watercolor prints in four colors now available here.

I Can Do All Things {Scripture Memory}

I grew up in church – memorizing Scripture, singing worship songs, learning doctrine. I am blessed to have parents and grandparents who value Scripture and who taught me along the way to apply it to everyday life. The first verse I remember memorizing is Genesis 1:1 - when I was about 2 1/2.

So it might baffle you that it never dawned on me to begin instilling this Christian discipline in our son at about the same age that I was. In the busyness of life I just didn't think about it. Then we attended a workshop at church. They showed a YouTube video of a real family doing devotions at dinner time. 

Family devotions always seemed like something that wouldn't work for our family...too stiff and structured. This was different. It wasn't pretty and serene and peaceful. It was loud and hectic. There were screaming kids and food bribery. (No judgement here!) But that preschooler KNEW his the Bible! It was amazing! 

And you know what, that's what I want for my boys. I want the Word to be alive and active in their hearts...sharper than a double-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)

But it still seemed hard and overwhelming. Where do we begin? (Just being transparent here!) We went home and decided to jump right in. We started where I started...Genesis 1:1. He wasn't too excited at first, but with encouragement from both of us he was able to say his first verse all by himself just a few days later. He was so proud of himself! And I was amazed at how easy it was! 

And the kicker is I have to know my Scripture before I can teach it to my boys. How about that for some motivation?!

Tommy took this video of Levi one night before bed and it's currently a favorite request at bedtime. (Isn't he just so cute?!)

>>iPhone users: use this YouTube link.

I'd like to say that we have a plan now for what this looks like in our family and that we work on it every day. But we don't. We are far from having it figured out and every day looks different for us. We just work on things that come up throughout the day, at dinner time or bed time and use things like take-home papers from Sunday school or one of the children's Bibles we happen to be reading that night.

So this is what I'd like to know: Do you work on Scripture memory with your kids? If so, please share with me how your family does it!

And in honor of our new adventure in Scripture memory, I plan to put this one on the wall in Levi's room. It's also available for purchase here.

Two more color variations: