Guest Blog

Hello All! Today I have a guest blogger from 

I am excited to be sharing my blog space with Allison today! Go check out her blog and her awesome picture taking abilities.   I love how Allison captures daily life through photos, and how she experiences and embraces the challenges and love that come with her growing family.

My name is Allison and I blog at Life with the Frenchs. I love sharing my random dailies, photography, and, occasionally, a deep thought or two. I just had my third little baby a few weeks ago and am loving every minute learning and growing along with the littles, alongside my love. Feel free to poke around my blog and decide to stick around!

Laurisa, love getting to share readers with you! I love your humor and perspective on life and always look forward to your new posts! Emmaus, love her name, love her pictures, love her even just through the bloggy world!

See, we all, somehow, some way, share something. Something we all hide and suppress and remember how much we want to forget. We've all had that moment that lasts a lifetime, the eternity second where disappointment, disillusion, discouragement collide as a swelling tidal wave of rejection. Without reliving, without returning, we can all place ourselves back there too easily. It's quite simple.

I have struggled for over ten years now with a reoccurring theme in many nighttime dreams. There's some things in the past that although are trivial, dim, vague recollections in the sunlit day, become disturbing, unsettling hurts in the dark night. I've tried it all, pleaded in prayer for the rescue from the midnight memories. And yet, they return, I've woken up yet again this morning swirled in them.

In the vulnerability of my sleeping state, I'm taken back to that place of rejection I once experienced. When I wake, it's there. My joy is robbed; my heart is hurt again.

Have you been there? Perhaps in the night as I have felt? Or perhaps through repeated interaction with someone whose end goal, it seems, is to deem you inferior? Or through series of failures that just can not be conquered? Or perhaps it was just one thing, one word, one look, or the lack thereof that your heart just hasn't been able to mend from?

My heart aches for the possibilities of realities we have journeyed, and, as I wake from the dreams feeling, are left feeling rejected, alone. Surrounded with daylight blessings, joys, triumphs, love, it doesn't matter because sometimes, the hurt, the ache, the insecurity, the rejection, it's so very strong.

It's taken me until now to discover redemption in this place of torment.

"Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

My fingers are flying, my heart is singing as I type furiously because I know this is rescue. This is hope. My friends, this is truth.

"I lift my eyes up to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from you, maker of Heaven, creator of the earth." Psalm 121:1

My dreams still happen, I still wake remembering the heavy sting, but memories are not stronger than the present, reflections are nowhere near as clear as reality. 

The reality is, a stronger redemption and acceptance are offered. And, I'm learning to let these nighttime reminders lead me to back to what I know to be truest.

"See what an incredible quality of love the Father has given, that we can be named, called, counted as children of God." 1 John 3:1

See, anyone who reads my blog knows the shameless giddiness I can't hide regarding my littles. It's kind of a new level of silliness I feel, but I love it. Love them.

And, if I, in my short years of mommyhood, my short years of living and major imperfections can love so unconditionally and thoroughly...wow, the love my Eternal perfect Father must feel toward me. He's giddy toward me. He shamelessly adores me.

"God is love." 1 John 4:8

In him, shame and disappointment are washed clean, and in it's place, renewal, peace.

In him, doubt and insecurity are no more; identity and beauty are established.

In him, hurt and rejection is healed, confidence grown.

"So therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace..." Hebrews 4:16

Confidently soak up his love today, friends. Let any valleys of rejection you've experienced remind you, persuade you, convince you of the heights of his unconditional, all-encompassing acceptance and love.

"Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:39