packing my tambourine.

i sat on the edge of her bed after my weekend away that was meant to 

refresh, encourage and equip adoptive moms.  it had done just that and in those

quiet moments of our regular alone time with my 2 biggest girls, one asked

what did you learn there, mom?

it was too much to explain right then.  where do i even start?  i began to think of

what i could share with them.  as she settled into her bed & shimmied down 

into the covers, she pulled out something from behind her back & placed it

on the ground.  it was a small, purple tambourine.

i smiled.  God is so faithful & loving.  He is always in the details.

i was thrilled to share this with them:

can you guess what the Israelite women packed to take with them when God

freed them from captivity after hundreds of years?  what are some things you

would make sure to pack?  they didn't know exactly where they were going or

what it would be like there.  they didn't know how they would cross that mighty

sea or how they wouldn't be caught & taken back into slavery.  they had no

idea what freedom looked like. they had spent hundreds of years in exile & 

experienced such loss and grief as their babies were taken. yet, they trusted the Lord, 

packed up and began their journey to freedom.  they packed quickly--even leaving food 

that they were in the process of making. but, do you know what they packed very intentionally?

they packed tambourines.  

they packed their instruments not knowing exactly how God was going to 

fulfill His promise to them, but ready to praise Him when He did.

and, girls, we can do that, too.  this thing our family is walking?  

it is God's journey for us and we can believe that He doesn't make mistakes.

we get the privilege of walking and trusting even if we don't see how he's

going to do it. we can believe that He is good and with us even in the storm.

we can expect Him to part the sea at just the right time.

 we can pack our tambourines, too--

hopefully expectant.  

ready to praise Him.  

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the speaker God used to speak these truths to me was Beth Guckenberger.

i'm looking forward to checking out her ministry and books.