Welcome friends. I know the blog has been heavy lately, and to those who have been so faithful in reading the baby rescue stories, thank you.
But I want to make sure you know, it’s not all tears.
Life is beautiful.
Joyful.
Funny.
Vibrant.
Even when death and pain and sickness and hunger are so close and so real, so too is the joy. As one of my fellow travelers described, “it is the human condition.”
Davis Goslin of Join the Lights, and the WorldHelp photographer/videographer during our week in Guatemala, expressed his passion for capturing the joy. This photo, just one snapshot:
I’m sure each girl has a story. Of course she does. Possibly, probably, a painful one; a sad, unfair, unjust story.
Yet, here, pure delight.
Not contrived or concocted. Not even, necessarily, a facade to cover up the truth of the story.
Just real joy. Like every human being knows, no matter how hard her story.
Just the genuine, contagious giggles of schoolgirls.
It’s not all tears.
Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)
by grace alone,
lauren
Heart + Home Link Up
Each week we gather here to encourage each other in creating home & cultivating faith.
Here are some of the features from last week’s link up:
Home Features
Barb at Second Chance to Dream – Give Thanks Fall Mantel
The Purposeful Mom – Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal-Flax Chocolate Chip Cookies
Leslie @ Simply Better shares a simple but super helpful tip related to fall decorations. Hop over there to see!
Heart Feature
The featured heart story from last week’s link up… well, I have to be honest, I really didn’t want to click on it. I imagined it would be heavy and didn’t know if I felt up to another hard story. But I’m glad I clicked through. Lori‘s post, He Murdered My Uncle, is painful, but it’s grace-ful, too. I hope you’ll find encouragement in this powerful redemption story.
If you’d like to link up your posts, please note that there are TWO SECTIONS (one for heart, one for home), so try to link up in the right one if ya can. Link as many as you like!
Please include a text link or button back to mercyINK (button in the sidebar). I would love to connect with you more!: facebook | twitter | email/rss | etsy | rescue
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sharing with some of these link ups and communities
Please take a moment to visit at least two other links and encourage another lovely blogger in creating home + cultivating faith!
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Thanks for hosting this great party every week, happy Tuesday!
Thanks for linking up, Sarah!
Thanks for hosting! I love your stories of tears and heartache, and now this…PURE JOY. I think we tend to shy away from the hard things, its easier to turn the channel, close the computer window, look the other way. Its people like you that make it REAL. Keep on keepin’ on, blogging the hard “right thing” is still the right thing. I am living that every moment of every day.
Hugs, Tonya
Tonya- Your words really encouraged me today. It is hard to blog the hard things, the right things. I look to you as an incredible example of someone who is doing that every day, and it’s that authenticity of the good with the… REAL… that keep me reading your blog. Thanks so much friend. – l
Thanks for hosting such an inspiring link party and sharing your beautiful stories on your blog. I am blessed every time I open a link or read a post!
Thank you Jessica! So glad the stories bless you. And so glad you keep visiting & sharing yours too :) -L
What a beautiful photograph of the girls–proof of joy that comes from the Lord which is not at all dependent upon circumstances. God bless you for your work among them!