another prayer request
late last week we learned that ian has pre-osteoporisis in his lumbar spine and left femur. please pray that we’re able to do enough exercise for him that it doesn’t progress quickly.
thank you, always.
see them
Desiring God has released a new e book on disability. It is geared toward pastors, but has affected my heart just a few pages in. Click on our right link to DG to download.
An excerpt, that we all need, because my Ian, and so many other beautiful, disabled people are deeply loved by God and need to be hemmed in by others:
“And I would just plead in passing—children, young people, and adults—see people with disabilities. And I don’t mean see them like the priest and the Levite on the Jericho Road, passing by on the other side. This is our natural reflex—see and avoid. But we are not natural people. We are followers of Jesus. We have the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts. We have been seen and touched in all our brokenness by an attentive, merciful Savior.
If you want to be one of the most remarkable kinds of human beings on the planet—a Jesus kind—see people with disabilities. See them. And move toward them. God will show you what to say.”
called, for the glory of God
“Paul, called by the will of God, to be an apostle of Christ Jesus” 1 Cor. 1:1
reading tonight, and listening to a teaching, and thinking of how Paul was called to be an apostle, and how as Christians we are called to a purpose for the glory of God – this strikes us.
this week on vacation, we don’t have a caregiver with us and we don’t have murphy brothers with us who know just how to care for ian. and while it can be tiring, taking care of ian is what fills me, and teaches me, and humbles me and moves me toward heaven. when i have days with just ian, i am completed much differently than days at my office.
tonight as we read with the rain falling on the leaves outside, and as we draw nearer to our book really happening, and as we look at requests for speaking, our purposes become a little bit clearer.
this marriage, this hard and magnificent marriage, is to what we are called.
ian murphy, called to be a disabled husband, for the glory of God.
larissa murphy, called to be a wife, for the glory of God.
“but now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel,
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.”
a little bit of life
fraudulent
“you shouldn’t have said that today, maybe that sounded harsh, you’re assuming a heart motive, that’s not believing the best of that person, you’re angry again, you’re inpatient again,” the voices in my heart and in my head drone on all day.
eventually my body sits to write – to be the means of a story God has written that has nothing to do with myself.
a calendar with dates for talking to people in public, at retreats, conferences – who am i to have this place?
my sins rattle throughout my brain all day and tell me that this is fraud.
that this experience, this public story we’re telling, is not worthy of being told by me. that my sin somehow cancels out anything God would do through us.
that this husband, so sweet and foundational should have more than this sinning wife.
“the Lord your God is in your midst; a might one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exalt over you with loud singing.” – zephaniah 3:17
my God still rejoices over me. he will quiet me.
so humbly and dependently we make our way.
“Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still”
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still”
25
Desiring God ministries, the group that released this video of us earlier this spring, just released the top 25 of their blog posts for 2012, based on readership. at the top of the list was one of ours, and was viewed more than any other post.
and as we sit here, listening to a christmas album on vinyl, looking at the posters of notes for our book taped all along our wall, we wonder what God is up to. it doesn’t make sense that so many people would be drawn to our story. in our newly re-arranged suite, the hours and days and months coming up are unknown. the work that God is creating in our families is unknown. but if it’s anything like 2012, it’s going to be surprising.
love
i&l
love came down
i need a place to hide, to bury myself into rest and into the love that was bought for me. far too human to love as deeply in return as i have been given, i weakly thrust myself onto love that came down, love that rescued me and rescued my husband.
~ love came down and rescued me….i am forever yours ~
he’s walking
a promised gift
this weekend was for being away and for being out of reach of cell phone signals – a place where refreshment comes easily. we arrived to a lake house full of family and woke saturday to more babies and aunts and pancakes and eggs.
God is a god of gifts and rest, both of which He gave to us abundantly this weekend. because in the mountains, even a day of painting cabin bunks and canvases means an escape.
our contact and booking
we have limited availability in 2014 for speaking at events and conferences. we’d love to hear about your event if you’re interested. shoot us an email with details by clicking below.