Sweet Autumn

October 27, 2015October 29, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

Ah, autumn in the South. Is there anything more wonderful?

Cool mornings, warm afternoons.

Cotton fields.

Bright yellow mums.

Pumpkins.

Sugar maples and red maples displaying their glory.

Football (Oops, sorry. Don’t know how that slipped into the list…).

I am loving these beautiful days. But in the midst of this autumn-joy, there is a sense of heaviness. This old world is just not quite…right.

Do you feel it?

Is the surrounding beauty diminished because of worry, anxiety, or hardship?

May I share the verses that comfort me when stress threatens to steal my joy?

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Psalm 19:1-6

October 20, 2015October 20, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

The heavens declare the glory of God;

    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 Day after day they pour forth speech;

    night after night they reveal knowledge.

 They have no speech, they use no words;

    no sound is heard from them.

 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

    their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

 It rises at one end of the heavens

    and makes its circuit to the other;

    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Thank you, Father, for the beauty of Your creation. Thank you for drawing us into worship—not of what You have made—but of You. You are beautiful, glorious, and almighty. We praise Your Holy Name!

Do You Qualify?

October 6, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 2 Comments

I am thankful to be a part of a church family who is serious about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. Over the coming weeks we have teams serving in New York, Baltimore, Senegal, and Guatemala. Still others will serve our local community through ministry in nursing homes and homeless shelters. Many will be involved in prayer-walking and in leading block parties.

Whatever gifts and abilities a person has—there is a unique place to plug in and be a part of reaching the nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some, however, still doubt they have anything to offer. They feel intimidated about signing on the dotted line and committing to serve. I can’t speak or preach or travel 2000 miles…

So…just for fun, I’d like to share a simple poem that outlines important qualifications required for involvement in ministry.

As long as someone can check at least one thing on this list, they are good to go…

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An Open Letter to My College Kid

August 20, 2015April 25, 2017 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 6 Comments

Hi, Sweetheart. Mom here.

It’s that time of year and I’m feeling it—that uncomfortable heart-squeeze from the effort of letting you go. Again.

You would think it gets easier, but um…it doesn’t. So with that in mind, there are a few things I would like to say. None of this is new to you—but humor me. Sometimes a mom needs to “put it all out there.” (We tend to worry about gaps in your life-education.)

So, here goes…

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See You in September

August 6, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

It’s that time of year for our family—a time to step away from regular responsibilities and to seek rest and renewal.

Heart Undivided will take a brief hiatus as well. I already look forward to returning in a few weeks with (hopefully) new perspective and fresh creativity!

Thank you for traveling with me these past months—what an adventure! Let’s continue to pray for each other in the coming weeks—for strength and courage to keep a Jesus heart each day. 🙂

You are loved,

Leigh Ann

…He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31b

Warm Juice and Leftover Cookies

August 3, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 4 Comments

I should have been excited about the evening. I wanted to be. But I had a sense of heaviness—and to be honest, I felt a little betrayed.

It was a Monday night, and my family had just returned home from serving in a Kids’ Club sponsored by our church. We were blessed to be part of a great team of youth and adults willing to jump in and use their gifts to share the Gospel with unchurched children in our community.

But my uneasiness lingered through the night and into the morning. Frustrated, I went outside, sat on our front porch swing, and started talking…

“Okay, Lord. What’s going on? Is it my attitude? What is…wrong?”

For a while, there was silence. Then…

Say it, child.

“I don’t know what you mean, Lord.”

Say it.

I sighed. There was no use trying to hide it. Frustration spilled from my heart…

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Upside-Down, Indeed

July 27, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

As I prayed about this week’s post, I couldn’t stop thinking about current events in our community, our nation, and the world.

For many, 2015 has been steeped in sorrow.

“Lone-wolf” shootings, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and government scandals rock the nightly newscasts. Human life is discarded like so much trash. Those who mock God’s laws are lauded as “heroes” while those who stand for righteousness are called “bigots.”

Not to mention Satan’s use of our political and justice systems to wage war against Christ-centered laws and precepts.

We do live in an upside-down world and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and to wonder if God is still in control. But we have to remind ourselves…

He is.

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Time to Suit Up!

July 13, 2015July 19, 2017 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 5 Comments

Once upon a time, I let my armor get dusty.

It was a familiar scene—a busy morning on the verge of chaos as our family prepared for a day of work and school. In the midst of dashing out the door it was discovered that someone forgot something. Our fast-forward lives came to a screeching halt with a muttered, what did we forget this time? And as we scrambled back into the house for books, a lunch box, keys or sunglasses, I too often missed what was leaning right by the door: my suit of armor.

Without fail, when faced with a stressful situation without my “suit”, my self would jump in and react before the mind and heart of my Lord could respond.

Never a good thing.

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A Quieted Soul

July 6, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 4 Comments

How awesome to worship an Unseen God.

How beautiful You are!

Who am I, that You would allow me

To even think of You?

Much less, become filled with You?

How utterly satisfying are Your words…

They minister to the very depths of who I am.

They calm these inner storms

That threaten the peace and joy of my life.

So long, Lord, I was silent. Too long, Father, I stilled my pen.

My sighs were deep with unfulfilled longing.

But You, my Lord, patiently waited…

You quieted my soul

With Your beauty,

Your words,

Your voice.

You gave me, infused me

With new hope, life, and joy.

I love You, Jesus.

I love You, my Lord and my Savior.

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You. Psalm 63: 1-5

When the Shadows Fall

June 30, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 2 Comments

The other day, as I went about my daily work, I found myself humming a familiar hymn: I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord…

The stories behind our most beloved hymns are fascinating to me, so I took a few minutes to research this one.

“I Need Thee Every Hour” was penned in 1872 by Annie Hawks (music by her pastor, Robert Lowry).

In Annie’s own words:

One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me.

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