4tunate

There’s not much in this world that melts my heart more than my kids singing their hearts out in worship. Oh how I hope the words on their lips becomes the desire of their hearts!

I was introduced to Yancy and Friends through my dear friend Amanda – who looks like her so much it’s almost scary. (She blogs at Impress Your Kids and pretty much blows me away with her passion and creativity.)  Anywho, she put together this tour of Yancy’s new album Little Praise Party: Happy Everyday, so that you could hear her heart behind the music and preview the album.  How fun is that? 

Here’s Yancy personalized performance of “I Like to Jump” just for our boys and YOU!  {Enjoy your very own private concert! I’m sure your kids will love it too!} 

There are 12 fun filled days of the Yancy Blog Tour, so you can check out every song on the album.

• Monday April 30 Impress Your Kids
• Tuesday May 1 Mama Hall
• Wednesday May 2 God Centered Mom
• Thursday May 3 Homeschool Creations
• Friday May 4 ModSquad
• Saturday May 5 When You Rise
• Sunday May 6 4tunate
• Monday May 7 Inspired To Action
• Tuesday May 8 Home With the Boys
• Wednesday May 9 1+1+1=1
• Thursday May 10 Muthering Heights
• Friday May 11 MOB Society
• Saturday May 12 I Can Teach My Child

***Yancy is also generously giving one of our readers a CD and DVD – so just leave a comment on this post about which song on the Yancy Blog Tour is your personal favorite. Hurry! I’ll be picking a winner Monday night, so you have 24 hours to enter!!!!***

I firmly believe that our children are better at hearing our hearts in our words than we are. They pick up on even the slightest negative tone in my voice; they hear every word I say under my breath.  They notice when I am annoyed at them, no matter how much I try to hide it.  I believe they also know when I am disciplining them because I am mad at them instead of correcting them because I love them and desperately want to mold them into the man God wants them to be.  GUILTY…

{Read more of Brad’s post over at Motherhood Your Way…}

It’s been a full week, and there are several things on my heart that I would love to blog about, but this one is the heaviest. It’s not easy to write, it’s not easy to communicate, and it’s certainly not easy to live out.

As a mom of quadruplets, I’ve come in contact and gotten to know lots of other moms of multiples, and others enduring high-risk pregnancies.  The internet has enabled so many of us to find one another, connect, and share the joys and challenges of parenting. In the same manner, it hits us incredibly hard when a fellow mama has to say goodbye to baby born too soon. It consumes our hearts when she has to say goodbye to another sweet girl just days later.

Suffering is a guarantee in this world. Each of us will continue to encounter grief, death, and unexplainable sorrow.  It’s too difficult to comprehend, however it’s a reality of this life.

“The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith, and has been in every generation.” –John Stott

God uses such sorrowful tragedy to show Himself faithful to us. He is the only one who can cover us with His sufficiency in a time of weakness.  It points us heavenward and causes us to cling to the cross, yet leaves us with questions that cannot be answered.

Brad and I grieved the loss of our friends’ baby just a few weeks ago. Tears flooded our eyes, as we waited to hug our friends in front of the casket of their tiny yet perfect son. Brad turned to me and asked that all familiar question that accompanies loss. “Why?”

Why them? Why were we allowed to bring home four babies, when our friends have waited so long to hold just one?

He gives.

He takes away.

Yet we are to bless His name and His design.

“As long as I live I may never understand why we had to say goodbye to two babies. What I do know is that He sustains. He is still on the throne. And, He loves me more than I will ever have the ability to fathom.”  – Mare

In satisfaction and in suffering, regardless of our circumstances, our confidence should be on Christ and His glory.

“Do we find God useful for our circumstances or do we find Him glorious regardless of circumstances?” – David Platt

But what can we do when those around us are suffering?  We can grieve with them. We can pray. We can mourn. We can have hope.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:12-14

Will you take a moment to pray for our friends who are in the midst of this struggle? I’m sure you are facing your own battles and grief, and you are welcome to share those in the comment section so that we can pray for you also.

Praying that you find hope, strength, and courage in the midst of trials, Friends!

*Since this post, I’ve learned that Mare’s third baby has passed away. Please continue to pray for this family and for little Olivia as she continues to have a tremendous fight ahead.