The Years I Will I Miss

The end is in sight, and the Medstud will no longer be the Medstud (although he will always be a stud to me). June 3rd, 2016, after eight years of being a student, which makes up our entire marriage, the Medstud will be graduating with his M.D. and M.P.H.(Masters of Public Health). To say I'm proud is an understatement. These last eight years have been full, and I praise the Lord for them! These are the years I will miss. I'm sure I'll say the same of the next season...but I will really, truly cherish these years in my heart. The Lord has been very gracious to us. He has taught us much and grown us individually and together. If I had to use a phrase or mantra, it would be "teamwork." The kids even say it now when cleaning or helping out. 

March 18th, 2016, will probably be a bigger day than graduation. This day is known as "Match Day." It's an annual rite of passage for medical students. And a day when the students will learn which residency program they will train at for the next three to seven years. It's a pretty big deal! This day will determine where we will live and call home for a season. I already told the Medstud I will cry no matter where we go, good or bad... I'm just being honest. I love our family. I love our friends. I love our Church (it's our 2nd home). I love California and all its smog and traffic. I'm a Cali girl. My kids are Cali kids (ask them about swimming in the middle of December). This has been home. If we end up anywhere outside of Los Angeles, I will trust God's good and sovereign plan for our lives (remind me of this blog when the time comes and I am sobbing my eyes out).  

Another reflection I have as we end our year is the fact that we have three children all before this ride is over. When the Medstud and I were 1st married, we "planned" to have children after medical school was over. Boy, am I ever glad we didn't get what we planned. After a total of 6 miscarriages, we now have three kids!!! What sweet blessings they are and a joy to have gone through this with. 

So much to rejoice over: praying friends who have stood alongside us and encouraged us; a family who has cared and brought us meals and have watched the kids for date nights; good neighbors, that I'm sure can't be found anywhere else on this planet. I think of the list of praises, the people God has placed in our lives to love us, His constant provision and care for us.

I'm just grateful for it all. So, if we come to mind, please pray for us and this next year of life. Pray that we enter it with thanksgiving and bring glory to the name that is above all names! 

Lastly, my encouragement for you. Count your blessings, big and small. Recall to mind all the Lord has done  and allowed in your life. Know that His ways are always better than ours. All things done by our awesome God is always for our good and for His glory. 

xo,

MY

Keep Calm, It's Only 40 days until Christmas

Do not! I repeat, DO NOT allow from now to Christmas be a complete whirlwind! With all the preparing and shopping and planning that has to be done, let us not neglect the preparation of our hearts. If we want to keep Christ in Christmas, it begins with checking ourselves. I understand the prepping and organizing is fun, well maybe for some of us and maybe for others it's no fun at all and anxiety inducing. So how does our family keep Christ the focus during the holidays? First, we worship Christ ALL year long, not just on Easter and Christmas. But you say, "we only have 40 days until Christmas." This is true, and it's not too late to let the real preparations begin.

A Heart Check

Christmas is not for being the best gift giver. Or for running around like mad. Or for being the hostess with the mostest. Unless this is your gifting, the holidays are no time to begin practicing. If we are physically present but our hearts are far from arriving, perhaps it would be better not to make the gourmet meal from scratch and ditch the hand-made gift, keeping you up at night for hours on end. Maybe the better way would be to stick to what you do well. I've learned that while I enjoy being in the kitchen, I'd much rather be around the people I am celebrating with. For me, this means planning ahead and having all things made before our guests arrive. I'm into hospitality and decorating, but I am also into simple. What does it look like for you or your family? My encouragement is this: figure it out now to avoid the whirlwind. 

Here are some ideas:

Shop early, beat the crowds, beat the lines

Shop online: Amazon/Amazon Prime Now, if you live in a major city Google Express, use Ebates to earn cash back for shopping online, find promo codes (Ebates also helps to apply coupons) 

On the flip-side, ditch the coupons and sales (you can't buy your time back. Saving a couple of bucks here and there may not be worth it)

Ask friends and family for their wishlist

Have a Secret Santa or Elfster 

Create a list of things to do, prioritize it and start erasing the things that REALLY don't  need to be done

Know ahead of time the people you want to visit

Allow for changes and curve balls (sickness, flat tire, overcooked chicken, etc.)

Be flexible

Christmas Countdown

Create a bucket list (I'll share ours with you in a few days)

Instead of giving the kids a treat or a trinket to open every day as part of their Advent, they open an envelope that has an activity. For example: camp out in the living room or have a tickle party. 

The Story of Christmas by Mary Packard

" The calendar features 24 jewel-like miniature board books nestled in a three-paneled, stand-alone backer. The books are numbered 1 through 24, and, like the peek-a-boo windows on an Advent calendar, are meant to be opened one per day from December 1st through Christmas Eve. Read in sequence, they capture the magic of the first Christmas, from Gabriel's visit to Mary (Book 4) to the Three Wise Men gazing at the star (Book 9) to Jesus' birth (Book 24). Each book is one of four different trim sizes and features a gold thread loop so that after it's read, it can be hung on the Christmas tree."

What God Wants For Christmas: An Interactive Nativity for Children (Book and CD) by Barbara Rainey 
This one gets me every year! It's a countdown to be done a week out from Christmas.

Note: You may be crying at the end. I sob as our kids figure out what God wants. 

"Christmas in their hands. In their hearts. And out of the box. Unwrap the real meaning and wonder of Christmas in each colorful box of this interactive nativity for children. The beautifully illustrated poem tells God's Christmas story through each character. With them, your child journeys to Bethlehem, and to the surprise ending of box #7, peeking inside the heart of God."

Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Family Devotional 
by Marty Machowski 

 
This is a wonderful devotional! The activities take a little more time and effort, but oh man it's good!
"Christmas traditions become a treasured part of a family’s heritage, passed down from generation to generation. This brand new, four-week devotional guides your family on an unforgettable Advent journey, exploring some of the most fantastic prophecies in the Bible and how God fulfills them in Christ. From Bible devotions that tell the Christmas story through the eyes of the prophets to an original Christmas short story called “Bartimaeus,” Prepare Him Room helps you build family Christmas traditions around Christ. The memorable and meaningful activities, songs, and stories of Prepare Him Room will become the fabric of your family’s Christmas memories. So gather them to watch the amazing gospel story unfold every December for generations to come!"

Praying we prepare Him room, and when Christmas is over, our worship of Him continues. May the holidays be a time of glorifying and magnifying our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). 

xo

M.Y.

Fall Bucket List: #13 Create a Tree of Thanks

It's November 1st folks! Countdown to Thanksgiving begins! 

Last night the kids and I culminated our last day of October by creating a Tree of Thanks. We used postal wrapping paper to paint the trunk and grass; you could also make branches. And then we taped it to the wall. It's about 3 feet tall. 

Over the next 30 days, we will use coffee filter leaves we made a few weeks back to write what we are grateful for. 

 

The leaves can be taped on. I still need to add 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to the trunk of the tree, 

"Give thanks in everything."

Lastly, every day we will read a thankfulness scripture.

 Today's verse is,

 "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever," Psalm 107:1. 

Be sure to share your tree of thanks! And all the things you are thankful to our good Lord for!

xo,

M.Y. 

The One Anothers

Christian, do not buy into unbiblical independence, self-sufficiency, sitting in your private life with no vibrant connection with a fellow Sister in the faith. We are called to be effective, collectively with one another. Need accountability? Need to be challenged in your faith to grow in the likeness of Christ? Ladies, find a mature, wise Christian woman and ask for help. The greatest growth I have ever experienced in my walk is when a fellow Sister(s) has been involved in my life and I in hers. We would only be fooling ourselves if we thought we could go at this alone. Already have that Sister in mind? If not, pray that God would allow you to find one. The body of Christ is filled with many. And like a friend reminded me, there's probably no way she will say no to the invitation of helping you grow in Christ. All you need to do is simply ask.

Encouragingly,

M.Y.

• Love one another (John 15:17)

• Be devoted to one another in brotherly love… (Romans 12:10)

• Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

• Live in harmony with one another… (Romans 12:16)

• Love one another… (Romans 13:8)

• Instruct one another. (Romans 15:14)

• Have equal concern for each other. (I Corinthians 12:25)

• Serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

• Carry each other’s burdens… (Galatians 6:2)

• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (Ephesians 5:19)

• Teach…[one another] (Colossians 3:16)

• Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

• Make your love increase and overflow for each other. (I Thessalonians 3:12)

• Love each other. (I Thessalonians 4:9)

• Encourage each other…(I Thessalonians 4:18)

• Encourage each other… I Thessalonians 5:11)

• Build each other up… (I Thessalonians 5:11)

• Encourage one another daily… Hebrews 3:13)

• Spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

• Encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:25)

• Do not slander one another. (James 4:11)

• Confess your sins to each other… (James 5:16)

• Pray for each other. (James 5:16)

• Love one another deeply, from the heart. (I Peter 3:8)

• Love one another. (I John 3:11)

• Love one another. (I John 3:23)

• Love one another. (I John 4:7)

• Love one another. (I John 4:11)

• Love one another. (I John 4:12)

• Love one another. (II John 5)

Fall Bucket List: #12 Coffee Filter Leaves

I hope the ideas below will make your fall a little more festive, especially if you live in Los Angeles, where the heat isn't letting up and swimming in October is perfectly normal. 

The kids and I recently made these fall leaves using coffee filters and watercolor paint. I found a leaf template online which made the cutting easier. I didn't follow my rule of placing newspaper to cover the table. Oops! Good thing the paint is washable. If you don't have watercolor paint or coffee filters lying around, the dollar store will. This will be the least expense craft known to man, with extras to last a couple of falls. Unless, of course, you need those coffee filters for some morning brews ;)  We will most likely use the leaves as part of our thankful tree come November 1st.

I enjoy getting creative with the kids and use it as an opportunity to sit together and talk. A moment to slow down and just be. Plus when mom is involved, the kids' attention span lasts longer and their interest peak a bit more. 

   

We are also reading fall-related books. This is one we have enjoyed! 

"The infectious rhyming prose paired with scriptural passages, give gratitude and glory to God as early learners discover the Fantastic Gifts of Fall."

Here is a list of other books we recently checked-out from the library:

Apples and Pumpkins

By Rockwell, Anne F.

Autumn Leaves

By Robbins, Ken

Awesome Autumn

By Goldstone, Bruce

Bunny and Bee Favorite Colors

By Williams, Sam

Clifford's First Autumn

By Bridwell, Norman

Fall Is Here!

By Jones, Frankie

Fall Leaves

By Curry, Don L.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

By Rawlinson, Julia

Flora's Very Windy Day

By Birdsall, Jeanne

How Do You Know It's Fall?

By Owen, Ruth

It's Fall!

By Glaser, Linda

Kevin Discovers Autumn

By Slegers, Liesbet

Leaves Fall Down

Learning About Autumn Leaves

By Bullard, Lisa

xo,

M.Y. 

                                                           

Christmas Wrap: Get Your Tickets

Back in August I listed some resources for Y'all! Today is the day to sign-up for this year's Christmas Wrap hosted by Children's Hunger Fund.  This could be a wonderful way to start your holiday season and teach your kids the joy of giving! 

Toy Wrap – West (Sylmar, CA.)

Sign-ups open today October 1, 2015

Here are the available dates and times. 

Thursday 11/19; 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Saturday 11/21; 9:00 AM – NOON

Thursday 12/3; 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Saturday 12/5; 9:00 AM – NOON and 3:00 – 6:00 PM

If you don't happen to reserve a ticket (this event fills up quickly) you can always volunteer all year long to help pack goods! 

CHF West Warehouse

13931 Balboa Blvd, Sylmar, CA 91342

- See more at http://childrenshungerfund.org/events/

xo,

MY

Fall Bucket List

Yesterday, the kids and I decorated to commemorate the start of Fall.  Although, the weather here in Los Angeles would say otherwise! We were just in the pool yesterday morning :)

I made this interchangeable wreath last year using floral foam and twine from Michaels. The bow and mini laundry clips came from the dollar store. And the banner was a free printable from the internet. 

We also made a Fall bucket list of things we have done in the past and things we would like to do. The kids had fun taping leaves on the door (also from the dollar store) and sang "All the Leaves are Falling"

Here is our bucket list:

1. Carve a pumpkin

2. Apple Picking

3.Visit a pumpkin patch. 

We enjoy Underwood Farms. It's less expensive if you go during the week.

4. Go on a hayride

5. Bake a pumpkin pie

6. Go on a leaf walk

7. Salt dough leaf prints 

8. Campfire and s'mores

9. Watch a Fall sunset at the beach

10. Decorate home with Fall decor

11. Drink hot cocoa. 

The kids don't dig apple cider

12. Coffee filter leaves 

13. Create a thankful tree

14. Volunteer at the Children's Hunger Fund

15. Write "thankful for you" cards

16. Have a cookie exchange party

17. Make homeless goodie bags

18. Have a countdown to Thanksgiving

19. Checkout-out Fall related books at the library

20. Take Fall Family Photos

If you would like to create your Fall Bucket List

The Homeschool Share Blog has a free editable one! 

Happy Fall! And stay tuned for more details about our bucket list! 

xo,

MY

Family Update and Giveaway Winner!

I cannot tell you how happy I am that we have finished and submitted the Medstud's residency application! Talk about tedious... I've been refined!! From this point on the Medstud will be going on interviews and come March of 2016 we should know where we are going! These native Californians want to stay local... but we will see where the Lord leads. God has grown us in the process and has made us comfortable with things we were once uncomfortable with; particularly with specialty. Other updates:   

Our two older children have started home-school and gymnastics together.

The oldest is back at Awana, and her Mama is one of her leaders (cuteness overload with all the littles running around). 

The baby turns 1 Tuesday!!! He is a complete ham and oh, so adorable! 

Thanks for following and keeping up with us! I've been enjoying writing and am learning a lot along the way! Hope your weekend was wonderful and that you'll be entering the work week refreshed!

xo and praying for you

M.Y.

Giveaway Winner! 

Drum roll please...this week's winner is Ebony Clark! 

Thank you so much for subscribing to Talking Over Toys and for sharing Zarcone Collection's Etsy shop! 

For the rest of you non-winners and Los Angeles residents, there is hope! :)

Zarcone Collection will be at the Richmond Street Fair in El Segundo, OR you can always purchase one of their masterpieces from their Etsy shop! 

Why We Got Rid of Our TV (+ Giveaway)

I don't quite remember when we got rid of our television...clearly we don't miss it since I can't recall when it happened. I grew up with a TV in every room of our home, always on, even if it wasn't being watched. When there was a power outage, the first thing my brother and I would flip out about was our scheduled programs being missed. Fast forward to being married, the TV situation was the same, one in each room...on for the sound and a black hole for wasted time. NOW, let me say having a television in your home is amoral, neither good or bad. BUT it's what we do with it. Kind of the same thing we read in 1 Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Note, the key word there, LOVE. Money is not evil; it can serve both good and bad. It's the love of it that can entangle us.We certainly didn't love our TV, and while we tried to avoid the evils on television, it was serving us no good. It was robbing us of our time. It was making us feel hopeless when all bad news was being reported. And we didn't want our kids growing up with a TV in every room, always on but not being watched and pitching a fit if they were missing their scheduled program. Our oldest is only 4 1/2, but you get the idea, these things happen people!

We started off by getting rid of the television in our bedroom and instead of watching something in the evening before bed, and we began to read more or talk more. Then the Medstud became a 3rd year, rotating through hospitals and life became more full, so we entertained the thought of selling the television. We went back and forth for a while; we were hesitant, BUT finally made the plunge (with the Medstud's leading and confidence that we would get used to it). And we did, the kids never mentioned a thing about it. My oldest had a wonderful idea on what should be done with the money we earned selling it. My idea was to take to it to Wells Fargo; her idea was a lot more charitable. She suggested we donate it to Children's Hunger Fund and with her prompting we did.  This is an organization that since 1991, has given 99% of total contributions. Over 1 billion dollars in food and other aid that has been distributed through programs serving more than 20 million children across America and around the world. They are listed on Forbes as one of the most cost-effective charities in the nation. We love them and what they do. That was my plug for them :)

It is safe to say our time has now been redeemed. Instead of having a TV on in the background while I fold laundry or clean, I stream sermons from my phone OR call people to chat. The kids get to watch shows every now and then, commercial free, on the Ipad, and it's a real treat. Daniel catches a sports game here or there, instead of every single game possible, on the computer. Our family time is spent having tickle parties, getting outside more or just laying around talking, without the interruption of television. We aren't completely screen-free. But it is a lot more accounted for and not as easy as the push of a button on the remote control.

All this said to NOT guilt you for owning a television or watching it regularly, but as a reminder to make the most of our time. Even on our longest day, life is still short. What we choose to fill our days with will have lasting effects or none if filled with lifeless things.

"So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom." -Psalm 90:12

xo,
M.Y. 

Giveaway

For a chance to win a custom clock like this one,

simply share Zarcone Collection's Etsy shop on your social media outlet and this post from Talking Over Toys.

Comment below that this has been done and you will know this Friday if you are the lucky winner!

Go Somewhere Thursday...5 Fun, Free, Outdoor Field Trips (+Giveaway)

Thursdays are usually our field trip day. This day works best for us because of our Wednesday which is typically full; school-time in the morning and after naps, off to church for a long-stay-up-past-your-bed-time evening. So, Thursdays just naturally work for us to get out of the house, have an unstructured morning and enjoy getting to break the routine. Hope you have a paper and pen ready because I guarantee you'll want to check out these places; good with or without children..or to even let your inner child out :) Enjoy!

1. The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA

Right in the middle of Westwood, at UCLA, is a FREE botanical garden. Stroller friendly, lush, benches to sit on while you enjoy a picnic. If you're not the picnic kind, you could drive one street over and hit up Chick-fa-la. OR go to 800 Degrees Pizza (which is bomb.com). Then for dessert, Diddy Riese. I mean aren't you excited to go already?!?

2. Solstice Canyon in Malibu

Super cool place to hike with little ones. It's about 2.5 miles round trip and can be done in flip flops. The biggest attraction there are the ruins; fun for the kids to walk through and climb.

To get to the trailhead: Take PCH to Malibu and turn inland on Corral Canyon Road (West of Malibu Canyon Road and Pepperdine University at the intersection with the 76 gas station). The park entrance is on the left, just around the first bend in the road. Expect a full parking lot on weekends.



3. Grand Park LA in Downtown Los Angeles

Except for having to pay for public parking (For close parking, check out Hill St on top of the 101), everything here is free.
The fountain, turn splash pad is huge. And if you're there on a school day you can get away with riding scooters through the water. Right by the fountain is a Starbucks and on certain days of the week there are food trucks. 

Walk south a bit and you run into a gated playground. Small but cute and well-kept.

And if you made it to the playground, might as well head south a little more and go into City Hall. The building and views are fantastic (especially if you love LA as much as we do)! The public entrance to the City Hall is located mid-block off of Main Street. Upon entering, you will be greeted by some friendly officers who will hand out visitor stickers. Then travel up to the 27th floor, by stairs, just kidding, there's an elevator, and enjoy!



4.Tongva Park in Santa Monica

This park is a MUST visit. The park sits right across from the Santa Monica Pier. South of Third Street promenade and has a splash pad, slides, rock climbing wall and water-crossings. It's also a beautiful spot to walk through and just sit.






5. Travel Town at Griffith Park

This is a place where you can totally walk on the train tracks :)
There's also a fun $2 (per person) train ride around the park and a free museum.









Giveaway!
Zarcone Collection

Stayed tuned for next's week giveaway, sponsored by my dear sis and bro-in-law.
For now check out their super cute Etsy shop.
Their hand-made clocks will have you wanting to find a spot on your walls!
For a chance to win, share their Etsy site and the blog!

xo,
M.Y.

Giveaway Winner!

I'm so late in posting last week's giveaway winner! 

The Medstud was home early Friday and had most of the weekend off (minus having to go in for a bit Sunday morning and returning for an overnight shift). The kids and I simply love having him home; he's pretty much the life of the party! And when he is home, I tend to drop most things.

BUT our winner for God Made All of Me goes to Haylie Hunsaker! Hope the books blesses you and your family! Enjoy!

Stay tuned for this week's list of fun field trips! 

xo,

M.Y. 

Where Was God?

This morning I opened my front door and on the cover of the WSJ was the photo you see above. I read the story. My heart sunk. I wept. I prayed. I wept some more. I won't begin to address the political issues of these countries; I have minimal insight. But I know tonight there are people going to bed wondering and asking, where was God when the life of this little boy was taken? Painstaking isn't it, to see a child dangling, lifeless...not in the arms of his Mama. I know there are people tonight sipping their evening tea thinking, why is there evil in this world? Why do these terrible things happen? 

Tonight, I got to tuck my 3 arrows into bed. There was some fussing. There were some more pleas for a few more minutes. There was the I-need-to-go-potty-one-more-sip-of-water badger. Tonight, my kids were not fighting for their lives. This little boy was on a boat, traveling by night to reduce the chances of being caught, to enter into another country, where his family could have a chance. An opportunity to live. A place where they could be safe. Oh, the horror they must have felt when their boat capsized and life jackets failed them. $2,300 a head to be smuggled and the life jackets were fake. You could only imagine what must have been going through their minds. 

Where was God when all of this happened? 

It is safe to say God was there. He was not surprised by this or any of the evil that has come to pass or will pass. He has great purpose in it. For the Christian, this is our worldview; we trust in an all-knowing, sovereign God. As Joni Earekson Tada puts it, "God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves."  It's more than the headlines we see in the paper. It's about a sinful, un-normal world. A world separated from God but can become set apart for God through the knowledge of Him who is faithful. The present evil and suffering in this world should point us to our great need for the Great Rescuer. Our source of peace can only come through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord. 

Doubting, questioning, concerned about God's sovereign will? Turn to His Word. Seek Him first. It's OK to have tough questions. It's OK to wonder where was God. Job was crushed and pressed on every side, yet "through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God" (Job 1).

Know that in the end, suffering is God's invitation to trust Him. May we suffer well. But in return comfort well (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Abhor what it is evil, hold fast to what is good (Romans 12:9).

xo,

M.Y. 

 Take Action

1. Syrian Crisis: Christians Cannot Stand By and Do Nothing by Jesse Carey

2. Article: 'Confronting the Problem(s) of Evil

Biblical, Philosophical, and Emotional Reflections on a Perpetual Question' 

 from Desiring God. 

3. Book: If God is Good By Randy Alcorn 

4. Book: Spectacular Sins by John Piper.

Quick read no more than 100 pages. 

5. Pray this prayer: (Found on the final pages of Spectacular Sins)

Gracious and glorious Father, 

because you are rich in mercy, 

and great in love, 

and sovereign in grace, 

we ask that you would make this little book 

a window onto the panorama of your glory, 

and a skylight to your supremacy in all things.

By the truth-loving power of your Holy Spirit 

grant that the glass pane would be clean— 

that what is faithful to your word would be confirmed, 

and what is not would be forgiven, not confusing. 

We ask that your cloud-banishing illumination 

would be given to our minds, 

and that spiritual understanding would fill our hearts, 

and that according to the command of your apostle, 

we would grow in the grace and knowledge 

of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May we see the spectacular sins of the world 

as horrible as they are. 

And may we see the holiness of God 

as pure as it is. 

And may we see the rule of God over the sin of man 

as righteous as it is. 

And thus grant the steel of ultimate reality 

to strengthen the spine of our faith, 

and sweeten our lips for the bruised heart.

Put the ballast of biblical truth 

in the belly of our little boats, 

lest the crashing waves of calamity 

in these changing times 

cause us to capsize in the sea of trouble.

And according to your apostle’s warning, 

forbid that the increase of our knowledge 

would cause the increase of our pride. 

Rather, O God of infinite wisdom, 

reveal, with all our understanding, 

the unfathomable sinfulness of our hearts without Christ, 

and the infinitesimal smallness of our strength 

in comparison to yours, 

and the absolute dependence of our life on you, 

and the unfathomable depths of your judgments, 

and how dim is the mirror in which we see.

Grant to our minds and hearts 

new and deeper capacities to see and savor 

the glories of Jesus Christ. 

With every new glimpse of his glory in your word, 

let there awaken new affections in our hearts. 

Ignite our souls to treasure Christ in a way that 

destroys our sinful lusts 

and delights the deepest recesses of our being 

and displays his truth and beauty 

to a world that does not know 

that this is what it needs more than anything. 

And from this all-satisfying treasuring of Christ 

may there flow a liberation from selfishness, 

and a triumph over bitterness and anger, 

and a freedom from worry and fear, 

and victory over depression and discouragement, 

and the severing of every root of sensual lust.

All this freedom, Lord, we seek for the sake of love. 

Grant that our contentment in Christ would be a 

dissatisfied contentment, 

eager to expand by including others. 

Grant that the joy of the Lord would not be a solitary joy, 

but the strength to sacrifice 

for the good of others, 

even those who hate us. 

May brokenhearted boldness 

and contrite courage 

attend all our deeds of compassion 

and all our commendations of Christ to a lost world. 

Awaken in us tender affections 

for those who hurt, 

and self-forgetful attentiveness 

for those in our presence.

And in this treasuring of Christ for his supreme glory 

and this overflowing love for others, 

may Jesus be exalted above all things— 

honored, admired, adored, esteemed, enjoyed, 

praised, extolled, thanked, and worshiped. 

May our light shine in this world 

so that people see you in our sacrificial deeds of love 

and our uncompromising words of truth 

and give glory to your hallowed name, 

Father.

Through Jesus Christ, 

your Son, 

Amen.