by Rachel Martin


“My Grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Do you ever notice that with a slower pace of life it is easier to give grace? It is for me. Sitting here by the lake in the north woods
and it’s so peaceful. Not because it’s super quiet. Because let’s face it…..between 5 children, two dogs, 17 youth and college
kids….quiet is tough to come by.  

It’s peaceful because there is no stress, no media, no rushing from one thing to the next all the while thinking of everything you
need to get done. 

Where else can our children wake up and hop in a canoe or immediately start fishing.

I love the sounds and sights in the morning here on the lake – the frogs. the loons. our baby boys playing in the dirt or throwing
rocks and sticks in the water. The swish of the canoe paddle and the zip of the fishing pole. The faint crackles of the fire pit.
The turning of the pages as people read in hammocks, around the fire pit or on the edge of the lake. Wood being split. The
crunching of twigs. The zip of tents as youth who stayed up into the wee hours laughing, crying, exploring and growing closer
to God and each other, amble out for breakfast.

The night sounds are cool too. They are a lot of the same sounds as the daytime but they sound different in the night. For
example the paddle of the canoe on the lake sounds different at night. Is it because you can’t see what is making the sounds,
just hear them? Hmmm…..the night sounds…. The “who cooks for you” sound the owl makes. The coyotes. The fire pit
burning bright and crackling. The water. The animals scurrying around the woods. The rustling of the wind in the trees.
The laughter, O so much laughter. 

Here we do not have the demands of the world hovering and the world does not have constant access to our lives. Here
we wake up early without an alarm and start the day with Gods beautiful creation staring us in the face and consuming
all of our senses.

Here we do not have pressure to look our best or be the best.

Here we are real, we are relaxed, we are thankful, we are patient, we are forgiving, we are gracious. 

As I lay here I think I just want to keep my family here. I want this to be our new normal. But I think, this is not real. We
cannot really live like this. But why not?

I know we don’t live on a lake and can’t spend everyday together all the time. 

Kent has to go to work, the children have to go to school. 

The pressures of the world and stresses in our lives are still here even this week but we have chosen to put them to the
back of our minds and not worry about them. 

We have chosen to go without media and not be on our phones. 

So if we can choose that this week here on the lake, we can choose it at home. 

We can choose to – be more real, relaxed, forgiving, thankful and patient, give more grace, wake up early and look at
and listen to Gods beautiful creation to start the day.

At this point I could get all hyped up and say “yes I'm going to go home and do all that and it’s going to be just like here!
No it going to be better!” 

But I will not. Instead I will start with the first one. – Be more real. – 
My hearts cry is that our home be even more Joyful and Peaceful. 

So I will strive to be much more mindful of how I respond and give more grace.

I will rejoice and be thankful when it happens.

When it is not, I will remember cloud lake on that early morning on the hammock when God said to me, “My Grace
is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness

Rachel Martin
rachymm9@gmail.com

Write to Rachel at the above email address and let her know your thoughts on her story!

Rachel is married to her best friend, Kent and a Mama to three homegrown/homebirthed children and 2 adopted through
Foster care. Her family has been in youth ministry for 15 years working with their best friends. She has a busy home
with children of all ages coming and going. God has used their family through foster care and adoption and He continues
to give them His all powerful joy to continue on this journey through the tears and sleepless nights. Whenever she finds
a moment of peace and quiet she loves to read and write.

To view the photos that Rachel took of the trip you can visit her blog at: https://wordpressfree861.wordpress.com/

 

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 Inspired Audio -- Inspirational Audio Message of the Week!
                               
Inspired Audio is a brand new offshoot of HeartTouchers.com. Every week we will offer a different audio message that you can listen to right on your computer as you are surfing the net or just getting things done around the house. Be sure to come back and visit each week!

This Week: "Are You a Dot Thinker or a Line Thinker?" by Michael T. Powers http://faithcommunity.sermon.net/Soul_Fuel/soulfuel/20709959

Dear Michael,

"I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the beautiful video you made for me! It was so special to see both of my parents in tears as they watched their children grow up in pictures before their eyes! I loved the way you made Estania's part set aside from the rest--that was the part that really got them! The music was beautiful. My mom kept blubbering, "What song is that?" I don't know how you did such a beautiful job with the video in such a short time. I really appreciate your doing it so quickly. You have a wonderful gift, and I thank God that you are using it to create such sentimental memories. I hope that I can find my niche like that in an area that I love. Your video gave us one of our most lasting Christmas memories! I hope yours was filled with moments to be treasured forever!"

Love,
Trisha
Silverhill, AL

Let me make you a video from your photos! Check out my video production business by visiting:

http://www.VideoImagery.net

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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
                               
http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Life_Purpose