Ready for the sun & summer! We did a photoshoot with @goumikids thanks to @cierra_biles. Check out their new collection called on the boardwalk, link in my bio. They did a great job working with us & with Isaac and getting our photos done while he tolerated all the transition and outfit changes. Waverly was a little shy but got some good smiles. Isaac took the chance to get to know the photographer too! @kaitlinmgreen_photo #t21 #goumikids #ontheboardwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CqWmGTdPqOx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A cold season of winter with ups and downs and I’ve been often saying “it’s always winter and never Christmas.” But I have to remember that Aslan is here and coming. It’s always Advent despite the hard days. Sweet smiles, hugs, and kisses from Waverly & Isaac. Glimpses of our little adventures. (go to fb link in bio to see rest of photos) #winter2023 #aslan #advent #lent #narnia #isaacazariah #waverlyalana https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp9fGzyOTKX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

She insisted to go play in the snow ❄️ #waverlyalana https://www.instagram.com/p/Co_nf6YOqpw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Happy Valentine’s day! #jesuslovesyou https://www.instagram.com/p/CorAYvYuDH-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#sickday with a sinus cold and Isaac with pink eye home from school. Pretty frustrating but trying to rest as I can. pray for all of us & that Isaac and I can get better and that Scott and Waverly can stay clear of this. #january #alwayswinterneverchristmas https://www.instagram.com/p/CnXv9ooyr0s/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Merry Christmas. 🎄 🌟 Glory rising. His presence here for you. Jesus came to save us from our sins. Thousands of trees dance with lights. At the foot of every tree we receive gifts. Recipients of Grace. Our air. Fills us. Helps us breathe. Hold our broken hearts and give us His spirit. Let Him be enough. Your heart kindled by LOVE. A love that overflows so like the shepherds you go an tell everyone of this love. Jesus came into this world for you. Today, tonight. Lingering. Longing. A long for this wonder to continue. I feel it. This desire for this day to continue. Not the chaos but the air of it all. The peaceful feelings. Peace. Light. Light of Christmas. https://youtu.be/23rntfd6qC8 Continue the eucharisteo counting. Fight the thorns in the flesh. See His grace. Live out His grace. Daily choice. “Glory to God in the highest,     and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10-14 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #christmas2022 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmnk-xaOyAC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Victory comes. In a silent night. Truly HOLY night. Don’t miss it. The God of heaven breaking into this world. This broken world. This night a battle has been waged and won for you. Love has come back for you. The love that has been coming for you since the beginning. Don’t miss it. Make a space for it. See the glory of this very true story of advent. Rescue is here. You can breathe. You don’t need to worry or be anxious. Let the FEAR go and seek Him. Come to him all who are weary. He will give you rest. He gives his LOVE And grace. His grace is light. Uplifting. Never-ending. Come to the foot of the cradle. The foot of the cross of Christ. What do you need to lay down so your hands will be open to recieve God’s gifts? Don’t miss Jesus this Christmas. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” Luke 2:7 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #gifts #love https://www.instagram.com/p/CmlGKESrbJI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Words with the weight of glory in them. God with us. He will save us. He is Jesus. We are all terminal unless we take Christ. Take care of your soul. This love has been coming for you since the very beginning. The infant babe also the ancient of days, the one who will save. Be vulnerable with him as He was - this almighty God removed all barriers and came in the most vulnerable way. An infant babe to be wrapped in arms and the to wrap the world in his arms. To take all the weight of our flesh through his arms on the tree, the cross. Do what it takes to be with Him this Christmas. Remove the barriers. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,     and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Mathew 1:23 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #gifts #love #simple https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmio4dyOQ-Z/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Twine. Tissue paper. Cards. Envelopes. Stamps. Names and names of friends. Some close and some far. I prepare for Christmas and prepare gifts for friends and family. I am reminded of the gifts God has given me. The love He has lavished. He has prepared the way and prepared our hearts for worship. He came and is coming again. The King is coming. The Lord is coming. THE KING IS COMING!!!!!!!!!! Performance and expectations can steal the riches of His grace. Rest here in a space of stillness. Away from the crowds and chaos. We are sinners before a Holy God- our saving God - weight bearing God. He makes us happy as a child. Be in awe. In wonder. Enraptured with Him. His love is unending. His presence is here for you. The way has been prepared. Just come and rest and be happy in Him. See the sacred within the ordinary things. Be a dwelling space for God. Take hold of him and he holds you. Your uncertainties and needs and stress. BE with God. Relationship. Like a mother with a son —Mary and Jesus. Mary became a physical space. Surrender her heart. His presence unwrapped. Become a safe place for another soul. Have grace. This makes you the space for God. Space for growth and development Christmas cannot be made. Everything given from heaven. Your life becomes a masterpiece the moment you see it as a gift of grace and you are willing to receive. We struggle to receive. Not feeling adequate. Not feeling enough. Simply receive love. What do you need to surrender to make space for Christ? This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord,     make straight paths for him. Matthew 3:3 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #gifts # presents https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmf8yuluRQZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Loves lost. In a blink of an ordinary day. Your heart quakes a bit inside when headlines hit too close. If one more thing .. Feeling beat down. Feeling pushed to the edge. Fear is always this wild flee ahead. Failing. Olives. People. Dreams. You feel like you fail. Soundless hidden grief. In the struggle, rejoices still can abound. Move deeper toward God amidst your struggle. He will warm you with joy. Branches of the Christmas tree bend more each day and fail to hold a few ornaments. Still beautiful. Still singing. Still rejoicing. Even now. Turn your focus. Change your perspective. The secret of joy is focus on the Father, not on the fears. All fear is but the notion that God’s love ends. FEAR not! We have a Savior, we have Jesus. You can take your hands off your life. You don’t have to try and save yourself. He came in a breakable way and was broken for you on a Cross. His love always is there for you. He shares in your struggles. Keep counting the grace gifts and rejoice. Eucharisteo- thanksgiving brings balance. You have a wonderful life and you are not promised tomorrow. . . . Habakkuk 2:1 & 3:16-19 #advent #December #growth #change #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #light #darkness #world https://www.instagram.com/p/Cma0tgFOZLj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Advent days are coming closer and will near an end. Some candles are being lit in remembrance and celebration bringing light to the dark. what are you forgetting? what are you remembering? For such a time as this. What are you being called to do? Ester was inside the gate in the palace. Mordecai was outside the palace gate in sackcloth. He knows deliverance and relief will arise. Admonishing Ester to use her position. God placed her there for a reason. You’ve got to use the life you’ve been given to give others life. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul? Gifts given to you so you can give to others. For such a time as now. The richest in the world with food in the fridge, roofs on your head, clothes in the closet. Money saved even if spare change in a jar - you are wealthy. Ability to read. No hunger pains - real ones so beyond hangry. Knowing Christ is the greatest gift - millions don’t know. Your identity is wrapped up in being the rich ones in Him. The one who brought you into the palace to see the KING. You are loved, carried, and secure. You are free. Free to give. When you unwrap your worth in the gift of Christ - all your value, worth, joy, and riches are IN the greatest of gifts. “Enemy-occupied territory that’s what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed ...and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage” C.S. Lewis I will go in to see the king Esther 4:16 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #time #vapor https://www.instagram.com/p/CmYJrU0ueX-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The bread of life born in the house of bread. A place so small and ordinary it would have gone unnoticed. The kingdom of heaven came down to earth. The Kingdom is breaking in still. Joy behind the walls of the world. The King is coming. When the King rules your world, you cease to rule or worry. He is coming again to rule the earth and make all the sad things untrue. We made a house of bread this week. A group of moms and littles, though not as chaotic as anticipated as a few couldn’t come. Now just six days away from the long awaited day. Missing a day of sharing Advent, strangely almost the same day missed as the last few years. Trying not to miss the truth amidst the lies. Hoping to spend time with those I value but it’s also those who also value their time spent with me or my children. It’s hard to try with some, and nothing seems to work or plans get canceled and my “brain breaks.” Sometimes I feel unnoticed not that I really like attention to begin with, but maybe it’s the feeling of being written off or ignored. It’s hard not to worry how another thinks of you or how they may be “judging” you which is vastly overused phrase. Our choices for our family shouldn’t make you feel judged but the reality is I cannot control how you feel or react, only you can. God gives me lots of grace and even more understanding these days. My hope is to help and to ultimately point to the One who is the truth and brings light to the truth. Our daily bread. Take notice of the little things. See His grace and glory. See His Kingdom breaking in to this broken world. Keep eternity in the forefront of your minds and hearts. “You, O Bethlehem Ephratha, are only a small village” Micah 5:2 . . #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #littlethings #simple #kingdom https://www.instagram.com/p/CmVpT5BLE2O/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Are these advent days Jonah days- where you just wanna go the opposite direction? To get away from agendas and plans and loud. Storms are an awakening. Wake up to the grace of God. You can never escape His grace. Straight dependence on God in the storm. —trials come. God shouting your name to cling to him. To count it all joy in various trials for the testing of your FAITH produces patience— You aren’t equipped for life until you realize you aren’t equipped for life. You are in need of grace. A turning around into the hands of God who is full of grace. Repentance must happen before any progress. If you want to be progressive you must turn from the wrong road into the right one. Sins are great and we know a greater God. Like Jonah was in a storm, Jesus was in a storm and he calms the storm. He calms all our storms— Jonah in the belly of a fish, Jesus in the belly of death. So we wouldn’t have to. As your soul may storm, He has not abandoned you. He asks you, begs you to believe. To have FAITH. Are you running from God or to Him? How is he calming the storms in your life? seasons of crashing waves where I push to see things in God’s perspective. The world pulls and pulls. Pulling out of faith in to fear. Pushing into depths where I’m feeling like I’m drowning. I’m called to speak up and speak out in many ways, often berated for doing so. Soul crushing turn to soul lifting. The storm I faced once beckons me to never stop pointing to the truth in all maters. The depths of my despair and guttural screams in my car in the parking garage still ache in my soul. A storm stopped me but Jesus carried me out of the pit, out of the depths. He revealed his continued faithfulness and strength. He gives courage and hope. Advent is a heart check. Motivation check. Check which road you’re on. I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior. You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know. Turn away fear & have faith. . . Jonah 3:2 #advent #December #growth #change #captivated #voice #beginning #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #jonah #faithoverfear #fatih https://www.instagram.com/p/CmST_idS9N_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Adore Him. Come, let us adore Him. Drop the wrapping, leave the decking and preforming - come and awe at God. We are made to worship. If you don’t choose God, you’ll be worshiping something else. https://youtu.be/Is6Xcc7ixNY Are you wavering between the God of Abraham or Baal of perfection? Baal of Pinterest, Baal of affirmation, Baal of career... work, agenda, accomplishment... Keeping you from praying Keeping you from seeking Keeping you from seeing His love and grace.. Still sinking Stop. Slow down. Still and wait. Advent comes over you and brings you up from drowning to see what Jesus has done for you. “What kind of grace, relentless grace Would chase this rebel down Crawl into this prisoners cage Take my hand and pull me out” — It’s always a heart check to see what I’m putting first above God. It’s a daily choice to seek him and see eucharisteo. Be in awe and wonder. there are moments where I shudder. Depressed feelings. a tension headache ebb and flowing. I pray. I petition. I cry. I am at a loss of what to do or say in hopes to spare others from learning what we’ve had to learn the hard way. I rest in God being in control and the peace of the reality that the broken world will pass and our broken bodies will be made anew. . . #advent #December #growth #change #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #adore #worship https://www.instagram.com/p/CmOKcyTu_Gx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

For a moment it comes like the dawn and the darkness melts away. Unstoppable light of glory. Advent candles brightening the room. Little lights glowing throughout the house. Waiting for a day. we wait. we hope. We are saved from hopelessness because God came in with infant fists and open wide his hand to take the iron sharp edges of our sins. We are saved in my loneliness because God is love and he doesn’t leave us by ourselves. The message of Christmas is that the world is a mess and we can never save ourselves from ourselves and we need a savior, a Messiah. The light comes in an unexpected places. God favors the dark places so you can see he’s like the brightest. The darkness of the world is coming on thick, how bright is the light of God in your life? so many little things trying to dim the light. things going wrong or weird confrontation or lack there of. busyness that ensues. today the sun shined warm and bright. a short walk with littles and we chased the sunlight for warmth. tears on my face as I drive burdened but conversations in the present and a dredging of the past. trying to give it to God. trying to understand the “why” & the warmth of the sun coming in the car reminds me of His coming. His grace. The Christian never stops living Christmas because it’s something we need to live out everyday. God is with us. God is for us. God is in us. Hope is in the lights and there is hope for everyone. Let the light of Christ warm your heart today. https://youtu.be/vh99QLRCxK4 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; .. Isaiah 9:2,6-7 . . #advent #December #growth #change #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #light #darkness #world https://www.instagram.com/p/CmLoNsZOSiz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

... Frosted window panes Candles gleaming inside.. Your face reflected in a world of pain. Looking comes first. “I’ve seen me a King” The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. The heart. He sees the heart. Humanity is often fixated on façades. Blinded. Humanity obsessed with vapors, not eternity. changing my perspective is a continuous occurrence- situation by situation. In hard eucharisteo moments it is a slow process. It’s a tough place. We know that God has a plan... preparing us for something, something we cannot imagine. Often we are looking for vision and direction. Joy is a function of gratitude and gratitude is a function of perspective. You only begin to change your life when you begin to change the way you see. The media of this world aggressively schools your soul to see the exact opposite of the way God sees. See the eternal matter of things. Exercise how you look at things by walking with Christ. Is your life about the heart of things? Is your Christmas? Are you deeply absorbed in Him and the heart of things? Or is your life a shallow absorption of surfaces? God never stops looking for the unseen, reversing the ways of the world. He never stops looking on the heart. …But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ….And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" 1 Samuel 16: 1-12 .. . #advent #December #growth #change #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #insideout #souls #hearts #real #love #walk https://www.instagram.com/p/CmI69fPubew/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Moments where you feel invisible. Seasons where you had these hopes but then you find yourself empty and crumbling. It can be very hard to find the gifts. Bitterness can set in. Let there be faithfulness instead and see the dawn of the new Kingdom coming. Light is breaking through the cracks of our dark and fallen world. We are not denying the dark but we must never stop looking for His light in everything. Expectations can come steal gifts. There is always a reformatting of thinking. A perspective change. .. the simple daily things.— We can’t have an agenda for God. Divine moments. Divine appointments. Don’t let them be missed with what you think should be happening. Redeemer comes through mangers. In Bethlehem, the house of bread, Jesus comes like bread to make sure our hearts are never hungry for love again. The mundane holds miracles. Gifts always come out of the unseen and hidden places. Keep looking for the light breaking in. “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread. Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to her mother's house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. "The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband." So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” Ruth 1:6-9,16 . . #advent #December #growth #change #jessetree #annvoskamp #bethegift #theultimategift #heart #jesus #cross #lights #darkness #houseofbread #seek #expectations #coming https://www.instagram.com/p/CmGpu3huSE-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=