I’M HOOKED

I grew up in a house that still lives in my heart…each nook and cranny of my childhood home is etched into my heart forever. This home is a maze of love, affirmation, and celebrations. It was my first safe haven. One special part of the house was “the third floor” as we called it. The steps leading up to it invited us to rest, to play, and to just chill out. This third floor has gone through different stages…as a little girl it was where I kept my balance beam (my Dad is awesome!), my overhead projector where I taught my stuffed animals math, and my fairy costumes made out of construction paper. (that by the way, did not turn me into a magical fairy) This space was my secret hideaway and also a place where our family and my “big sister”, Karen (our babysitter) gathered to watch endless episodes of Anne of Green Gables and Miss America pageants. The memories are endless and warm and good…mostly because my family was in and out of there all the time. My mom had her space with rows of thread and crafty things and my dad had his desk up there so it just always felt like they were there…which was the biggest comfort I think I could possibly have back then. At the very back of the third floor was my favorite part of my dad’s study….rows and rows and shelves and shelve of books. It felt like a library in my little girl eyes, and I became fascinated with the galore of books. What captured my attention was that the majority of the books were about God, Jesus, walking with Christ, praying, and how to raise kiddos. All of these books pointed to the ONE book…the Bible. I realized these books helped my parents understand the Bible better and helped them apply the Bible to whatever they were going through whether it was preschool years, the teenage years (I feel like there were a lot of books about this phase and Mom says James Dobson helped her raise us) or my favorite ones on….becoming a woman of God. I would see my mom curled up on a swing at the lake, diving into one of these books…and I thought…that looks so peaceful…I can’t wait to do that! It sweetly struck me, that I could lean on God for anything. That every answer I needed in life, was in His book, the Bible. I love how these books pointed to Him.

Fast forward years later….my love for reading Christian non-fiction books increased. I loved to curl up in a chair by a window and dive into one…it was like each one drew me closer to the Lord in a new way…each one was a retreat for my soul and guided me in a different area of my life. My now husband came along, and he introduced me to Francine Rivers with her book Redeeming Love…well, that solidified my love for books. I was so amazed that she could tell a story laced with God’s truth…pointing me to Christ.

Mom spelled my middle name, Elisabeth, after the author Elisabeth Elliot. I always loved that my name was spelled like one of these book messengers that I found so fascinating. How a book takes you to another place or helps you grow as a Christian boggles my mind and delights my heart! Mom always said that certain books would jump into her hands at just the right time that she needed them. I find that so true in my own life now. I LOVE to go to a bookstore (my favorite is Logos) and just let my soul scour the bookshelves, just as I did as a little girl, and see what jumps out at me. I usually go to the bookstore when I feel that  hunger to go deeper with the Lord or when I am struggling with something in particular. Sometimes it’s a non-fiction Christian book, sometimes it’s a devotional, sometimes it’s a bible study that jumps out. So thank you Beth Moore, Francine Rivers, Kay Arthur, Elizabeth George, Stormie O’Martian, Elisabeth Elliot, Linda Dillow, Lindsey O’Conner, Sarah Young, and yes even DJ Tanner from Full House: Candace Cameron Bure….for writing from your heart what the Lord puts on your soul. You help me in my walk…you help me apply God’s Word to my life….you help me fall more in love with Jesus.

Never once did I ever dream that I would get to write to encourage women in their walk with the Lord. I just wrote in my journals day in and day out. Lessons recorded. Lessons learned. Prayers cried out. Restlessness stilled. Little blessings recorded. Big blessings recorded with every detail. I won’t let my husband read them although he always asks me if I’m writing about him. :) These journals have become a tool to help me know God in a deeper way. And I love to go back and read and SEE how God has answered or how God has surprised me or how He cheered me up. It is easy for me to write in them because I know no one else is reading them! So I will say, that it’s a little scary writing now knowing anyone can read my words….not gonna lie! But I keep in mind, that maybe something I write will encourage at least ONE person…and if that’s the case, that makes my heart leap!

Writing and dancing are similar to me because they are places I can go to sort out my thoughts…they put me in this zone of grace…a still, quiet place of refuge…where I know it’s just me and the Lord. So why and I telling you all of this? I just want you to know why I write. My hope is that something I say might encourage you in your walk with the Lord…maybe just to know that He is there, constantly watching over you. My hope is that, if anything, you might be inspired to go get alone with the Lord…talk to Him, write to Him, go on a walk with Him, go explore the bookshelves at Logos and see what jumps out at you, whatever it is….a time to have a retreat for your soul…He is the retreat for our souls. Our souls can rest in His presence. You can bring Him every cry, every burden, every frustration, and every issue. He really does care about each and every thing that you are going through. You really can talk to Him about ANYTHING. I have gone to Him for guidance in ballet, Brian, babies, house hunting, potty training help, raising boys, marriage, insecurities, blogging….you name it….He is there at every turn.

So thank you Mom and Dad for your library that sent me the message that Christ is there through every season, Brian for giving me a love for books, but for loving me even though I rarely branch out from the Christian genre :), and all the Christian authors out there who write what God leads you to write so that He can write His love on our hearts.

You all inspire me….