Steady now.

This month, my devos with the boys have centred around 1 Corinthians 13. We've asked the "What? Who? When? Where? Why? and How?" questions about love, and used this passage accompanied by many others to find the answers. We've pink-ified our 4 inside walls with post-it hearts, each one describing a way we've given and received love during the month. And we've been challenged by the example of Jesus in the way He lived a life of love for us.

One line that continues to resonate with me throughout our study is at the close of the 1 Corinthians love chapter.

The Message translation says it best.

Trust steadily in God,

Hope unswervingly,

Love extravagantly.

As I wrote in last weekend's post, the past few weeks have been some of the most blessed times in my life since I can remember. The Lord has poured out goodness to me far beyond the measure of what I had ever expected or would deserve.

It's not difficult to trust and hope and love when the sun is shining down into crystal waters, when the scent of fresh-squeezed juice beckons friends in from next door, when Broc and Ashley share their microwaveable pizzas, when laughter and warm embraces are peppered through the daylight hours, when birdsongs awaken me after a restful sleep.

When the cup fills to overflowing, it pours freely onto others.

And yet I can't help thinking about the reality of life, and how sometimes the cup is empty... Do I still trust steadily and hope unswervingly and love extravagantly when I have nothing left to pour out?

When dark deserts loom ahead, when my ceiling leaks, when we say goodbye, when nights are long, when peace is hard to find. It is my prayer that the abundant life from these days would continue to saturate me in the months to come, and that I would be ever trusting, ever hoping, and ever loving, ever joyful, ever pressing forward, come what may. Not affected by circumstance, but living reliant on the constant Perfecter of my faith.

I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in Your salvation.

I will sing the Lord's praise, for He has been good to me.

~ Psalm 13:5-6