JUST AS YOU ARE….

allie • Jul 01, 2014

Whimsy came and went this last week.  Our second sale of the year.  And although I love creating and painting and diy-ing, something about this sale just seemed like too much.  Maybe because my 7 1/2 month belly kept getting in the way, maybe because I just wanted to nest and work on my house before August, maybe because I knew most of the money I would make would already be spent on the man cave my hubby is working on.  Or maybe because I had been feeling a little defeated in my faith these days.  Either way, I just wanted it to be done.

I’ve felt like that quite a bit lately.  Like I am just going through the motions of a day.  Like everyday I am just keeping my head above water, cleaning, cooking, mowing, washing, repeat repeat repeat.  And the mundane starts to take over.  You see, when we were going through the whole Jules ordeal, our life served such purpose.  Although I never would have chosen to endure that journey, I grew so close to Jesus through the process.

Matthew 11:28-30 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Because I NEEDED Him.

I SOUGHT Him.

I TRUSTED Him.

And you know what?  He was so beyond faithful.  In our darkest of hours are the times I felt closest to Him.

This last year life has been going pretty good for the Lundeens.  No major incidences, a baby is on the way, the job is steady, Whimsy continues to grow, we are all healthy and although we miss Jules, each day seems to get a bit easier.  I started thinking that I put in my hardship for this life and now I just have smooth sailing the rest of the way out.  But do you know what that brought me?? That “smooth sailing” of saying to God, I did my good deed for you, I trusted you through the hardest/darkest days of my life??

A stagnant relationship.

You see, God does not just call us to be His children in the hard times.  God calls us to be His children ALL the time.  God doesn’t just want us to lean on Him when times are tough, God wants us to enjoy Him EVERY DAY!  That is what a relationship is after all.  And if we choose to start letting that relationship go because, “we got this” the intimacy suffers.

This last year I have noticed my intimacy with Jesus suffer.  I was talking to Him a little less throughout the day, letting my Bible collect dust, and choosing to do what I wanted to do rather than invest time in the one person that matters the most.

So, back to Whimsy.  Whimsy week had finally come and I found myself saying, ” I just can’t wait for it to be over.”  And that’s when Jesus, through a written word, drew me back to Him.  And quite honestly blew me away.  Blew me away that He cares enough ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US that He will take the time to get our attention.  You see, a girl had messaged me the night before Whimsy with a word the Lord had given her about Whimsy.  Yes, you heard me…about Whimsy…an occasional sale where we sell furniture and household things.  WORLDLY things.  A girl that I had only had the pleasure of having a couple of conversations with, a person that I would call an acquaintance.  That’s how you know it’s Jesus, when He speaks through very unsuspecting people.  And this is the message I got..

The reason I’m writing is in hopes that you are encouraged by the way the Spirit led me to pray for your upcoming Whimsy sale. Seemingly out of nowhere today he burdened me to pray and I want to share some of it with you. Because I want you to know that I believe that God is and will be doing life-changing things through the ministry you and your family have. I believe that every piece sold will be more about changing hearts than changing décor. I believe that when people buy your art and place it in their homes, people will come to know Jesus through it. I believe that God has greatly gifted each of you and ALL our gifts are meant to bring glory to Himself. I believe that Whimsy is Kingdom work. I believe that the Spirit will be so present at your farm tomorrow that hearts will be changed just by stepping foot on your property and in that building. I believe that hard hearts will soften and broken hearts will be healed through Whimsy. I believe that your mom, your sisters, husbands and your children will offer hope to some that desperately need it. I believe you are doing more than making homes beautiful. I believe you are not just accessories homes but you are accessorizing hearts with the truth of Jesus Christ. I believe that through Whimsy people will adore Jesus as they adorn their homes. I believe that as Gideon was called “mighty warrior” you and your family are warriors fighting for the name of Jesus with the gifts you’ve been given. I pray that you never think of your gifts and Whimsy as anything less than a ministry built by and held up by Jesus. It’s so sweet to witness you guys stewarding what God has given you.

And Allie cried.

I cried because I had gotten it all wrong.  I cried because I get so caught up in the daily living that I miss what God is desiring and how He is working in each of us.  And I cried because I was SO GRATEFUL God got my attention.  You see, in EVERY AREA of our life it is a ministry.  Every single thing we do is a testimony to Jesus.  If we CHOOSE it to be.  When we clean clothes, we can praise Jesus, when we wait in the check out line we are being a witness to others.  How we react to situations and bad drivers and slow drive thru lines are all a part of our witness.  Because God can take the mundane and turn it into the eternal.  He can use a smile or small gesture and give it real value.  He can use it to change someones heart or their life.  And more importantly He can use it to change ours, and keep our eyes on the real goal…our relationship with Him.

Psalms 73:26  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever

So this past weekend was amazing.  Yes, we had an amazing sale with amazing women that showed up and never cease to amaze us by driving from all parts of the state.  Yes, we sold so much inventory and moved a lot of furniture and were blessed.  But I think ALL of us were more excited to try to be a little bit of Jesus to people as they walked into the shop.  To have our goal not be in dollar signs but in conversations and smiles and heart issues.  To ALLOW God to use us, right.where.we.are.at.  Period.

So I encourage you today to not be discouraged:)  In fact, I challenge you, along with me.  I am going to take the month of July and try to do one act of kindness for Jesus every day.  To step out of “My world” and reach someone else with a little extra Jesus love and maybe just maybe transform a soul.  Or, more importantly, change mine.  So if you like me on Facebook I’ll be posting every day what my Jesus moment was for the day, more because I need the accountability and hopefully encourage you do the same!  Just think the impact we can have!!

God bless!! I’m off to bake some cookies for the widow down the road!!

xoxo

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:40

 

 

 

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