Hi! I’m Kelly.

My life goal is to convince as many people as possible that nothing compares to simply knowing Jesus!

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The Importance of Recognizing Loss for Adopted Children

Jun 5, 2019

Jun 5, 2019

Jun 5, 2019

The Tension in Our Hope

Mar 19, 2019

Mar 19, 2019

Mar 19, 2019

The Gift of a Friend's Rebuke

Feb 21, 2019

Feb 21, 2019

Feb 21, 2019

I'm Writing a Book

Jun 8, 2018

Jun 8, 2018

Jun 8, 2018

Connecting with God through the Word

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018

Replicating Our Faith

Apr 24, 2018

Apr 24, 2018

Apr 24, 2018

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Today, we’ll all face decisions to walk by the spirit or walk in the flesh. We’ll face moments where we can choose our own way or choose to serve God and others by dying to our preferences.
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Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the big-out-of-the-ordinary-twice-a-year moments that matter most. It’s the every-day-ordinary-seemingly-unimportant moments that matter most. Our lives are lived in the mundane. And it is wise to give our all to good decision making in every hour of our day today.
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Let’s give our all to dying to self today. To choosing others over ourselves. To choosing to play with our kids though we’d rather be getting ahead on our to do list. To hold our tongue when we’re tempted to point out our roommate’s failure to put up her dishes. Again. To hold our spouse’s hand in the car even though we don’t feel like it because of little offenses that don’t really matter.
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Decisions like these require reliance on God’s Spirit. Dependency on Him is the only way. And it’s this dependent, daily walk that we’re called to.
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Walking with God happens in the small moments. Choose today whom you will serve. Will you serve yourself? Or will you crucify your desires to give your all to loving God and loving others?
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Today, I’ll be asking God for an abundance of grace to walk by the Spirit so that I will not carry out the desires of my flesh. One step at a time. One moment at a time. Christian, will you join me?
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But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. - Galatians 5:16
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For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. - Romans 8:13
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography

God knew that I needed the protection, encouragement, and strength of this man. It is by his faithful leading that I am about to release a book and am still thriving as a child of God, as a mom, as a friend.
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God knew that I needed years of watching him humbly and wisely deal with noteriety. Now, when I am facing small bits of that myself, I can see that I was already trained for it by watching my husband model humility and faithfulness over the years.
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I can see how perfectly God gave me what I needed now, but it wasn’t always so. There were days and years of doubt, when it seemed God was more interested in harming me than seeing me flourish. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I was so short-sighted.
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God knows what we need. His children are never in want of any good thing. (Ps 84:11). Whether you are in a season of singleness that you don’t want. Or in a marriage that is difficult. Or raising children that seem to disrupt what you hope to do. Or caring for aging parents. If you are in Christ, be assured, you have exactly what you need. He’s a perfect father, leading, loving, training, equipping, and disciplining his children with absolutely perfect precision.
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Trust him. Believe in his goodness toward you when you can’t see it. Resist the urge to doubt him and make him out to be stingy or a tyrant or unfair. Don’t fall for the bait that satan dangled before Eve, that God was holding out on her. That he wasn’t really doing her good. It’s a lie and we must daily call it so.
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The work we’re called to today is a work of faith! (John 6:29) Do the work and believe in his goodness for you today.
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography

Life is lived in the mess. In the undone. In between one task and the other.
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Don’t wait for things to be done to live life fully. Don’t set your hope on getting all those tasks finished. Once they’re done another set of things will have piled up. Don’t wait til the house is clean to enjoy your family. If you do, you’ll miss it. You’ll miss the beauty of your life all around you.
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So take a moment to notice the way the light pours through that window at dawn each day and thank God for sunrises. Notice the sounds of childhood in your house and thank God for those lives. One day it will be quiet and you’ll miss it. Notice the things in your house that are gifts from others and remember what it meant to you when you received it. Thank God for those friends and family members.
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Do whatever it takes to get your eyes off the to do list and off of the phone. Sit on your front porch for 20 minutes and notice the wind in the trees. Turn on your favorite song and dance with your kids. It’s just 5 minutes, you can spare the time. Go for a walk and thank God for as many things as you can think of.
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Life is full of so much joy if we will just look up and receive it. Don’t let the undone and the mess captivate your attention. It will always be there. Don’t let it prevent you from living life to the fullest. But instead be always rejoicing, always thankful, always talking to God. It God’s will for us to do these things!
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“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography
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#thankfulquotes #thankfulness #lifeismessy #momlife #motherhoodmoments #bestillandknow #rejoicealways #praycontinually #givethanks #bepresentinthemoment #bepresent #bepresentnow #inthemoment

Have you ever been there? On the other side of a rebuke? Listening to someone share their concerns about something in your life?
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I have.
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Would you believe me if I told you it is a precious gift? One to be received with gratitude?
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Listen to what God has to say about reproof:
“For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life” - Proverbs 6:23
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“Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.” - Proverbs 13:18
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“The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.” - Proverbs 15:31-32
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For all the good things God says about these moments of confrontation, he gives us as many warning if we ignore them:
“Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” - Proverbs 10:17
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“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” - Proverbs 12:1
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“There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die.” - Proverbs 15:10
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We all have blind spots. We all sin, which by nature deceived us. So we all need the help of good friends to gently point out where we have erred. Thank the Lord for these kinds of friends if you have them. And if you don’t, ask the Lord for them today. And ask him to make you an approachable person who is able and willing to hear hard truth when needed.
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography
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#proverbs #wisdomfromproverbs #wisdomquotes #reproof #rebuke #goodfriends #truefriendship #friendshipgoals #realfriendstellthetruth #realfriendship #friendshipquotes #friendish

Whatever you’re doing today, do it with gratitude and for the advancement of God’s Kingdom, not yours.
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As you fold clothes, thank him for the people who wear them. Clothes that need to be washed are a sign of life around you.
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As you go to work, do your absolute best so that Jesus gets a good name as others notice that those who follow Christ seem to work harder and with more joy than others. And thank God for a job!
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As you drive home, do thanking him for a working vehicle and put your phone away to serve the other people in the cars around you well.
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As you make dinner, thank him for food in the pantry and ask for the strength to do the every day tasks of cooking and cleaning over and over again with joy! Joyful servanthood reflects our joyful servant hearted Jesus!
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As you scroll through social media, do so thanking God for the successes and gift he’s giving others. Pray for them. And ask God for the contentment to live gratefully in your life, not daydream of someone else’s.
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“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” - Colossians 3:17
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography
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#grateful #givethanks #forthrgloryofgod #gratitudepractice #gratitudequotes #gratitudedaily #thankfulness #thankfulquotes #thankful

Life always seems better on the other side of the glass--or in this case, the screen.
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When we get a glimpse of someone else's life, through social media or a quick 5 minute interaction, it's easy to assume they've got it better: "He seems so confident!" "She's always so put together." "It must be so nice to be a working mom." "It must be so nice to be a stay at home mom." "Their marriage is so great!" "He seems so well connected." "She doesn't struggle financially."
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But it's not the whole picture. It's just a glimpse. Behind every 5-minute hello or facebook post is a person struggling through their day just like you. Someone who needs the strength of God to get through the day. Someone who is fighting to do the hard tasks right in front of them. Someone with laundry and dishes and children to care for. Someone with hardships at work, at home, with the family.
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Don't judge a person's whole life by the small view you have of it. Don't use them as a standard to measure your own life by.
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Rather, love those you interact with (in person or online). Love them the way you'd like to be loved. Give them grace and kindness. Pray for them and the hidden battles they're facing. Compliment them and encourage them. Seek not just your own flourishing but the flourishing of others.
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When we obsess about the flourishing of other people, instead of ourselves, we invite boundless joy into our lives! In fact, second to knowing Jesus, I know of nothing else so life giving!
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So, here’s to fighting for the good of others today! 🙌🏼
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"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Phil 2:3-4

I love being alone! Because it’s when I am alone that I can give my full attention to Jesus!
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The discipline of solitude is less about being alone and more about being fully present with the One who is unseen.
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The Bible tells us the in God’s presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Ps 16:11). If that’s true, then let’s take him up on the offer of joy by spending time in His presence! Time away from other to be alone with Him.
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We do this naturally with our other relationships. When we want to cultivate intimacy with someone, we spend time one-on-one with them. It’s the special shared moments alone together that we remember. But often we rush out of our time with God and miss out on the depths of intimacy he offers why simply choosing to wait on him.
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For me, this looks like reading the Word and journaling. It looks like being quiet for 10 minutes afterwards as I ponder what I learned of God’s character. It looks like sitting outside without a phone and considering the magnificent world He made. In all these practices, I hear the still small voice of Jesus speaking personally to my heart. What profound treasure and joy it is to know the One were made for!
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography
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#solitudeisbliss #spiritualsolitude #alonewithgod #timealonewithgod #bestill #bestillandknow #jesusisbetter #jesusislife #knowinggod

Some days, I just can’t believe that Jesus let’s me know him. It’s beyond my wildest imagination that the author of the universe would open himself up to a relationship with someone so small, so naturally self-centered. Absolutely unbelievable.
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To know Him is life.
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And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - John 17:3
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Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, **that he understands and knows me**, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 9:23-24
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography

Hello social-media world! I’m typing these words sitting in my dining room while my youngest kiddo takes a nap and a fly buzzes persistently in the window. Unlike this picture which was taken months ago, I’m wearing an old T-shirt sweaty from my earlier trip to the YMCA.
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Not sure where you are today as you scroll through pictures and read these words, but you’re a real human sitting there reading them. For all the fake in our online world, there is still something real. I’m really typing these words and you’re really reading them. It’s a very distant relationship, but an interaction between two humans nonetheless.
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While I’m so grateful you would choose to read my words today, I hope desperately to convince you of the supreme value of someone else’s words.
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The One who keeps breath in both our lungs and designed the galaxies in the sky, the One who created the trees we see out our windows and invented taste buds, He has spoken! He has written. He has communicated. He has offered us the profound privilege to know him! Not the way you and I know each other, distantly and impersonally through a screen, but the Creator offers himself in real, meaningful relationship to us! What greater honor and joy is there in this life?!
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It is for this reason that Jesus came, lived, died, and was raised. To remove all barriers, namely our sin, and give us access to relationship to God!
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My prayer for you today is that you would choose to read the words of God in the Bible and, with the persistence of the fly trying to penetrate my dining room window, you would choose to know Him daily. The relationship he offers us in Christ is real, it’s fulfilling, it’s everything we we made for. So go start enjoying it today!
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography