Blessings and Raindrops

seeking joy in the midst of the ordinary

For a purpose.

“Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.” (Exodus 7:7)

I believe every word of Scripture is God-breathed and written down for a purpose. Here’s the thing, the age of Moses and Aaron could have been left out of the story of Exodus, but this one seemingly insignificant sentence is on the page for a purpose.

As I read these words this morning, I thought of three distinct conversations I’ve had over the past 48 hours: a friend in her early thirties, one in her mid-forties and one in her late fifties – all stepping out in faith. The circumstances are varied but they all share a common thread: God is asking them to do a new thing and they are listening. For some reason, the only one who is confidently stepping forward without hesitation is the one in her thirties. The other two feel silly or like their time has passed.

This is not okay.

Our society tells us that we aren’t wise enough to be listened to when we are young and then we need to step quietly out of the way as we age because we have had our chance and God couldn’t possibly choose to use us now.

That is a lie.

God has a good plan for each of our lives. And, sometimes, He anoints us with our calling when we are a teenager, like David. Other times, He waits until we are eighty years old, like Moses.

I don’t know who needs to hear this today but please remember this: you are not unqualified because you’re “too young” and you are not counted out because “you’re too old.” Just keep on running your race well because you are here – living and breathing, right now, this very day, at this exact point in history – for a purpose. 

(I happened upon this old post from Instagram and felt like it needed a permanent place here on the blog as I think it’s a relevant reminder for all of us).

The In-Between.

I’m no stranger to the in-between. The waiting. The expectant Hope. The held breath.

Ann Voskamp’s words jumped off the page earlier this week, “in that moment of surrendered lack, you’re given the gift you’d receive no other way: the gracious hand of an unlimited God.”

She calls it “the gift of utter dependence.”

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks living in that gift: utter dependence. Face down at the feet of my Savior, pleading for yet another miracle for our family. He’s done it many times before, and, although my knees were shaking and my heart was racing and the whispered lies of doubt and disappointment kept trying to force their way in, I resolved to plant my feet firmly in the faithfulness of my God.

Today, the waves of relief are palpable. The healing has begun. The road ahead will be long but light has broken through the darkness we have been treading through. Gratitude is abundant.

While I won’t share the details (as it’s not my story to share), I will say that someone we love very much was fighting for life and our little family battled alongside in prayer. When we felt physically helpless, we were reminded of the unstoppable power of our God. Listening to my babies pray with equal measure of confidence and desperation was both heart-filling and soul-crushing. I begged God to answer their prayers. We all knew the prayers were asking for a miracle. A miracle was the only way.

God spoke so clearly through His word. He would send it to me when I needed it most, through a friend or a verse or a song. He reminded me over and over: Do not fear. I am here. I hear your prayers and I see your tears. I’m at work. Be still and watch. I’m going to do something that will astound you.

And, He is ever-faithful. He always astounds. He is always near. He shifts the energy in a room from fear and panic to peace and quiet trust.

Today, if this last Sunday before Christmas finds you in the scary in-between, be encouraged. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Cling to Isaiah 43:2 in the storm. And in Isaiah 43:5, He says, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

God with us.

That’s the beauty of the Christmas story, after all. God is with us. Even now, even in this broken and scary world. He is right here.

Gratitude is abundant.

rest.

A quick google search generates 206 verses on the biblical command to rest. Yes, we must work and toil and seek our purpose while here on earth, yet, in order to be truly effective, we must be intentional about rest. For me, rest can look like a Sunday afternoon nap or a walk in the woods or a necessary pause on the daily demands of a hectic life.

This summer, our family was in desperate need of rest after a demanding year. So, we cashed in airline miles, took a few extra Covid tests than usual (we typically test twice a week for filming so this is just routine for us at this point), and turned off our cell phones for two glorious weeks away in one of my absolute favorite places on earth: Italy.

We spent time in off-the-beaten-path villages where we practiced the melodic language, ate unforgettable meals prepared with fresh ingredients, kicked soccer balls in nearly-vacant piazzas, explored ancient cathedrals and marveled at the astounding handiwork of God as we took in the beauty of mountains and sea.

Every visit to Italy leaves me longing for more. I find the country, her people and the array of culture unendingly captivating. Watching this magical land woo my kids for the first time was sheer joy.

We truly disconnected while we were away and I found myself sleeping soundly through the night after only a few days. This felt monumental and was tangible evidence of how deeply my soul needed this rest.

I am forever grateful for this time away together. Like all things in life, the trip wasn’t perfect: we were the victims of a scam that I shared a little about on Instagram and the kids weren’t always well behaved but, gracious, I am so very thankful we took the leap of faith to get on a plane and see more of this glorious earth created by our really good God. We came home with full hearts, rested souls and a fresh rejuvenation to step back into the demands of life.

In case you’re looking for family-friendly resources in Italy, here are two of my favorites:

The best vacation rental in Massa Lubrense, just outside of Sorrento: (Daniela is the most generous and accommodating host. She became a friend during our stay and we are already planning her visit here to Arkansas, she arranged a private dinner – cooked by her mom!- and tours in the area with her father-in-law and our new dear friend who took such good care of us after the whole scam-apartment debacle in Siena, Mr. Giovani): VRBO listing HERE.

My absolute favorite tour guide in Tuscany is my friend, Rebecca (and her husband, Pierre). Dave and I met Rebecca 14 years ago on our first trip to Italy and have become friends over the years; we never miss an opportunity to taste wine and eat delicious food with Rebecca and Pierre guiding the way. This time around, she and her team prepared the most fun, educational, and family-friendly tours for our crew. We spent time with her sweet family and they just made us feel so at home during our stay. I can’t recommend her and her tours enough (also, we adore her wine club – we get our Italy fix delivered straight to our door!). You can reach Rebecca at Grape Tours, HERE.

Visiting one of our favorite wineries, San Polino. Char loved the vineyard pup!

Blueberries and Faithfulness

When God planted the seed of the idea of starting a blueberry farm about eight years ago, it seemed pretty crazy. We weren’t farmers and planting 1,500 blueberry plants in the ground felt overwhelming. Yet, we knew it could work. We knew we could create a place where our community could gather and laughter could echo across the fields. And, most importantly, we could fund the work our hearts are passionate about: empowering at-risk youth, resourcing families in order to prevent orphans and breaking the cycle of extreme poverty around the globe.

Blueberries are a crop that will yield fruit over a long period of time. If you nurture them and properly care for them, the investment will span decades.

We aren’t looking to solve long-stemming issues of hunger and poverty with a short-term investment. We are committed to the long-haul with these kids. We want to sow seeds of truth and righteousness and love. The fruit that will result will be long-lasting: eternal. – Dave Marrs

Dave studied and went to classes, he found mentors and he learned how to prepare the soil, plant the plants and grow the blueberries. We worked as a family in the fields and many of our dear friends joined alongside us. I had baby Charlotte strapped to my back as we planted.

The first couple of years we simply had to wait. We picked weeds. We pulled blooms. We cultivated the plants. And, then, we waited. The harvest wasn’t ready.

Then, finally, on year three, it was time. We announced the big launch of The Berry Farm and planned a celebratory u-pick day in the fields.

We woke up on the morning of the very first u-pick and saw that an overnight storm had destroyed our crop. Defeated, we cancelled the u-pick.

A week or so later, we had enough ripe berries to try again. We sent out word to everyone we knew: this is it! It’s time to gather together in the fields to pick blueberries! And, the morning of the scheduled u-pick, we checked the fields and found that our crop had been eaten already: birds.

That first year was tough, the commitment we had already made to our partners in Zimbabwe was $50,000 – which was the cost of launching and fully funding the agricultural training program for the year. We had done the math before the start of the season and felt confident we could fulfill our commitment. We had prayed around the fields and trusted God would provide. We ended up making around $8,000 that first year but we had faith that God would make a way.

There are so many stories from the farm over the years, but today, I can’t help but look back on that first harvest when we felt so defeated and overwhelmed. We knew we had heard God correctly but things were not turning out as we had hoped.

Fast forward four years to this past weekend and our second annual Berry Fest. We welcomed 3,000 people to the farm and raised $46,223 (!!!!). And, last night, we hosted another u-pick and raised just over $5,000. We raised enough in two nights to fund the program in Zimbabwe for another year. And, we are continuing to work to send the additional proceeds from this year’s harvest to empower families in Belize through the program Help One Now has established there.

Four years ago, at the end of that first harvest, I never would have believed we would be here now. Years of hard work, perseverance, and so, so many friends linking arms with us over the years to help with the work. It’s not even about the money. It’s about the vision God planted for this soil and the way He has blown us away with his absolute faithfulness. We are extremely humbled and grateful to be a part of this incredible story He’s writing here at our little farm.

Thank you to every one of you who have come out to pick berries and spend time on this soil. We are truly, truly thankful.

(And, HUGE thank you to Houston Evans for this incredible video!!)