I'm 40!!!

Guess what??
I (Tiffany) turn 40 today - And I'm really excited!

I have finished yet another decade and look forward to the next one. Really. I love the thought of these 10 year increments.

Childhood is what it is. And I distinctly remember turning the big "two digit", 10. My brother gave me a Tenderheart Bear candle between throwing up with one of the worst stomach bugs of his childhood.

Turning 20??? Well, it was basically a moment to thank God that I never had to be a teenager again...

Hitting 30 brought me to who I am now. The 20's were the worst decade I have ever face, but in a humbling way, the best too: They broke me till I had to rely on my Father. It was in my 20's that I truly died to self and decided to live fully for Christ - no matter the cost.

So here I am at 40!

The last few weeks I've thought about all God has taught me in my 30's:

• 10 years ago I was just starting to really love His Word. I spent hours pouring over Scripture and totally geeked out when I was supplied with The Complete Word Study & Dictionary OT & NT. 
• He taught me how to listen to His voice and obey, even when it seemed crazy. 
• My Father proved how He is my provider.
• He asked me to give up my dreams, and I eventually did. Then He blew me away with even better ones!
• I grew to love. That's says a lot for a girl who use to live behind her safe brick wall.
• He showed me I love to teach and encourage through His Word! ...something I never would have thought possible.

And in the last several months I have learned something else: God made me who I am - with the passions, talents, failures, dreams, and fraility - for a purpose. It's one more grand than I ever dreamed as a child, and filled with more purpose than any scholar ever hoped for me....

And that's why I'm so excited to turn 40.

Just think of what the next 10 years will bring in lessons, experiences, and refining for me, and glory, honour, and a harvest for my Saviour....

He told them: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest... 

Luke 10:2

Please join me in making the next 10 years...... abundant!

Christmas: The Great "Wait"

Christmas has unveiled a new meaning to me this year.

Child in the manger-
A Saviour born-
God became flesh and dwells among us-
The Light of the world has come-
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace....

These are wonderful truths we as Christians have come to cherish and dwell upon in the Christmas season. We rejoice with the angels, seek Him as the wise men, and treasure all these things in our hearts as Mary did. Yet I think we often overlook something very important...

The wait.

In one sense, the wait was over! Generations had looked to the coming Messiah to be born. They looked forward in faith for their salvation - The one who would be the perfect sacrifice and Israel's consolation. Simeon and Anna rejoiced that they had lived to see the LORD's Messiah. (Luke 2:25-38)

Yet there is a "wait" we forget. Something I have come to see as the greatest "wait" of all:

God - in flesh - had just begun His most difficult wait. 

I can't even begin to imagine the difficulty of choosing to lay aside "God-ness" to put on the flesh of humanity. Of living 30+ years with us in all our trials, frailty, pride, deceit, and selfishness. Jesus didn't just choose to be born and die for us - He chose to live with us. Knowing who He was. Forgoing the power and glory and majesty He deserved, He waited 30 years to even begin His ministry.

30 years.

Who am I to complain we are going on 3???

And now - after enduring this wait, dying a horrible death, defeating death, and being raised as the firstborn from the dead -He still waits.

He waits for us to come to Him.
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

This year, I am meditating on my Saviour this Christmas season, with such very deep respect for the wait that small child was just beginning.
I bow in awe....