Becoming Analise

Every January, I chose a “word of the year'“ to try to focus on throughout the upcoming year. I pore over Scripture passages, seek the Lord’s wisdom, and lean into truths He’s been teaching me through other people, books, or the local church. It’s an exciting time for me to look back at the past year at all the Lord has done through my life, my family, and my church and anticipate what He will do through us in the New Year. The New Year is brimming with hope and possibilities as the Christmas season comes to a close, and I hunker down with my old journal, new journal, and Bible.  I realize it’s June now, but I forgot to share my word for 2025! Truthfully, forgetting to share it has also been paired with forgetting to focus on it at all. As I was skimming my 2025 prayer journal, I came across my notes for the word I had chosen.  My Word for 2025: URGENCY My prayer and goal is to be urgent about Kingdom-work. What will this look like in my life? Daily intentionality: Do NOT negl...

2,000 years ago, Jesus was preparing to die. The Passion Week had started with His triumphal entry, and it would end with His brutal death and glorious resurrection. I cannot fathom what He experienced during the days leading up to His trial and crucifixion. He knew exactly what was coming in the next few days, and He was a willing vessel for His Father, despite the pain that the tortuous events would bring. As I read the stories in the Gospels of the events of the Passion Week (aka the week of the triumphal entry/crucifixion/resurrection), I can’t help but notice how people responded to Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem. As you read the Scriptures below, I think you will see why their actions baffle me. John 12:12-14 – “The next day, the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.’” L...

Ok, so I apologize in advance, but I’m going to begin with a gross analogy. My family recently moved to Iowa (written in 2017). My husband is studying at a university here, and we made our big move in August. The one thing I was most anxious about was winter. Yesterday was the first official day of winter. Coming from Louisiana, the first day of winter is not anything special. In fact, it may even be 80 degrees on December 21 in Louisiana! That’s not really Christmas-y, but it’s a fact for many southern states. However, the first day of winter is not really special in Iowa either because…it has been under 30 degrees for a month now! The cold weather begins in October! On Sunday, the wind chill was -33 and the high was -3! What?? That’s like 60 degrees colder than what Louisiana typically experiences. I was right to fear the winter. However, that cold weather brings something beautiful…snow! Something that this Louisiana girl has experienced about twice (before moving to Iowa!)...

Let’s read the following verse together: Isaiah 55:9 "For as the heavens  are   higher  than the earth, so  are  my  ways   higher  than your  ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This verse is one that should be hung on the wall of every room in our houses. It should be the first thing that we see in the morning. To continue on in the theme of humility that we discussed yesterday, let’s think about some aspects of the Christmas story that occurred in ways that we probably wouldn’t have planned ourselves: -     Choosing a teenage virgin to bear the Messiah -     Allowing the authorities to call for a census right in the middle of Mary’s pregnancy -     Planning for Jesus to be born in a stable -     Calling to lowly shepherds to visit Him -     Allowing Herod to attempt several evil plans to end Jesus’ life -     Coming to e...