Christ is ALL

Welcome to the chaos of our life in transition!

As I sit in a quiet small apartment right now, a few things are going through my mind:

1. I'm thankful for a "permanent" place to stay after a few long months of travel with three small children. Lord Willing, the next move we make will be to Poland!
2. When am I going to finish unpacking all the mess? I mean, you saw the picture above right?! (Sigh)
3. Thank you Lord for a few quiet moments while children nap!
4. A song. None But Jesus to be more specific.

If you're not familiar with this song, here are the lyrics (really, I recommend that you Google it and listen):

In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that you are God
In the secret of your presence
I know there I am restored
When you call I won't refuse
Each new day, again I'll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos, in confusion
I know you're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do your will
When you call I won't delay
This my song through all my days

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

I am yours and you are mine...

All my delight is in you Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in you Lord
Forevermore

In this song, a few phrases jump out and offer sweet salve to my soul:

In the secret of your presence
I know there I am restored
Over the past few months, it feels like we have been running a race that never ends. And if you know anything about me at all, you know I don't like running. Not even a little. In fact, I am partly happy I have an actual excuse now NOT to run (you know tearing your labrum in your hip will do that!) But that feeling of running, in a lot of ways, will not end in this life. It will not end until I am face to face with my maker. On the other hand, I also acknowledge, that I need to take time EACH day to find restoration in the presence of my Savior. That has been lacking a bit over the past few weeks (months really) and I find myself weary. But there's so much to do! Unpacking. Caring for our children each day (and all that entails!) Helping to raise financial support so we can move across the ocean. Not to mention, it is the month of December (A.K.A busiest month of the year). I could keep typing a list of things that need to get done. But I'm realizing for my own spiritual, mental and relational health...I'm making an effort to rest in the presence of my Savior. That is the most essential part of my day.

In the chaos, in confusion
I know you're sovereign still
There have been a lot of uncertainties and unknowns for our family lately. A LOT. We knew (vaguely) as we decided to step into a new journey of packing up our family and moving overseas that we would come face to face with many unknowns. It's like becoming a parent for the first time. People always tell you when you're about to have your first child, "life will never be the same". But you really don't know what that all entails until you ACTUALLY become a parent. My adventurous side actually doesn't mind the unknown. However, the orderly side of me tends to get tossed around by these unknowns and I get frantic, feel unsettled, depressed and (let's be honest) don't always care for myself or my family well in the midst of it all. The only steady piece in all of our transition is Christ. He is my refuge where I keep turning back to. He is the same...always. He may not bring complete clarity to many of these uncertainties we are facing, but He does promise to be with us and reminds me that he is sovereign still.

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
Christ is all. I can't even tell you how many times I have repeated this phrase to myself over the past month. Seriously. There is no one else for me, none but Jesus. Yes I have family and friends, but over all of those relationships and the author of all of those relationships is Christ. He is ALL I need. He is the only one who has sacrificed everything for me, so that I can be free. Free from my sinfulness, from shame, from fear, anxiety, worry, doubt, anger, bitterness, and sadness. All of these things that I have been experiencing and have been showing themselves so apparent in my life over the past few months in many ways. It's because I fully trust Christ and know that He is the ONLY power of true liberation, that we have chosen to uproot our lives and move to Poland. I want the people of Poland to know and understand the amazing, transformational work of the Gospel. Now I live to bring Him praise. What that means, is that we (our family) are submitting our own lives (our own desires, will, hopes and dreams) to be vessels by which the Gospel would continue to be proclaimed among the people in Poland. This is not easy. In fact, it's very hard. Most people I talk to say, "I don't even know how you're doing this (that is, giving up "everything" and moving to Poland)...especially with three young children. My usual response is "only by God's grace". That phrase may sound cliché, but it's the honest truth. I could NOT do this on my own volition, and if I was really honest, I probably wouldn't. But the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, in the life of our family, enables us and leads us to go.

As we began the Advent season this week, a time to reflect and set our eyes fully on the birth and coming of Christ as a baby, my heart turns to this hope...that He is coming back again one day. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Thanks for stopping by today! My prayer (as you read this post) is that you would be encouraged (as I am) to cling to Christ. He is all.

Blessings, Jenny