Church

Church: A place your parents take you to as a kid. You learn many important things that you fall back to as the adult life gets hard.
Ryan shared exactly what was on my heart a week or so ago. There are times when life gets hard, but bc if your child faith, you know you can always go home. There are times you are in situations you know better to be in bc of knowing God and knowing what's right.
Life's been uncertain lately. I just needed to go back home... home to where I found Jesus.. where I was baptized.. it has been a healing, but also a place where God has been dealing with me.. the closeness I need. Now if only I can add the community of believers that I need.

This song Church (take me back) by Cochren has really caught my attn many times lately. https://youtu.be/3eTOcrWu8mQ

If You Only Knew

If You Only Knew My Unlikely, unavoidable Story of Becoming Free by Jamie Ivey

I picked this book up at a bookstore. I was intrigued by the back and just reading someone's story. This is a great book for those that secretly give ourself labels.. failure...not good enough.. used..really we need to share our story and help others. Even if our story creates a sin shock.. Jaime's story is a story of being a church kid.. having a fall or 2 in HS and college and then finding God"s Grace.
I loved it when she wrote, "When God starts chasing you, He changes what you want."
I also loved how she reminded people that pastor wives have stories... we all do.. dont judge.. let's grab each other's hand and encourage.. face this life together..
Grab your copy today!

Life passes so fast!

It feels like I just posted, but then I log in and see how long ago!
This past year has passed so fast! My children are growing up and I journal less. I will miss going back and not getting to read about their days.
Summer passed and now we are in September!
I hope each of you are stopping to enjoy something in each day! Find a blessing in something! Uplift one person a day!

One funny from this weekend was when we passed a field of cows.. My youngest wanted to know what was hanging down. I just haven't brought up udders and breast feeding to them lately.. But since this Normalize breastfeeding has been happening, I know that they need to know it is ok. So I told them how animals feed babies, just how mommy fed them. Both were in shock at first, but then my 9 year old thought with his deep thinking self. He said well thank you mom! I bet if you would not have, I would have a gluten allergy.. and he loves bread.. I have no idea where he thought of that. You have to love kids and their thoughts..

Enjoy today! Life just passes so fast!

Seeing the UnSeen by Randy Alcorn

This is a 90 day devotion. It begins each day with a title with a small saying that goes with the title. It then goes to a small story/devotion. After the devotion, you have 2 sections – “Perspective from God’s Word” and “Perspective from God’s People”. God’s word being a portion of verses from the Bible, and the God’s people are well known Christian authors or speakers. At the very bottom of each devotion, is a small website where you can go read a blog post online if you wanted. The devotions are not long, yet they help you focus each day on heaven and our heavenly Father. It helps steer your thoughts to things not of our daily world that we see, but things of the Lord. This would be a good book for those wanting a small devotion daily. I never went to the blog at the bottom, but I have enjoyed the daily devotions. It isn’t a big or thick book. I have kept it under my calendar at work. This would be a good gift book for someone if needing a small gift or something to add to a gift basket. I have really enjoyed this book. I have received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Courage for 2018

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 28:20

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

The Bible has the word Courage throughout it. This year I really debated on my word for the year. However, I felt on the 1st day of the year, God just handed it to me. It wasn’t on a silver plater, but it was on my coffee mug. I thought to myself, that is NOT my word, b/c if you know me… Courage isn’t something that I believe that I have a lot of.

Words of the past years were Simplify, Joy, Journey, Transformation…. Now I look at Courage… Where will this year take me?

I believe in 2017, I transitioned into a bigger Faith… a bigger Trust in what God has planned. However, since I take words into the next years to come, I do see more transformations than I thought I would.

2018 has already taken my beloved Pastor away from me. He is still living, and I will still love him and support him. He can’t lose me b/c he married into the family! He will come out stronger than before; I believe that wholeheartedly. However, I stand in 2018 with change where I need Courage to move forward, I need Faith and Trust more than ever.

I moved into a new job at the end of 2017. I am not one that just walks into change. Normally God has to shove me or throw things at me. This time it happened to be roaches. Oh do I not like bugs. However, I feel like I transitioned into a new area where I will face more challenges and become a better person where God has me at.

I have had a lot of conversations and prayers lately over 2018! I am looking for a new home to begin my youngest starting elementary school this year. I pray often for God to guide my path like only he can. He knows how to move me out of uncomfort and to make me change, as long as I ask him to guide it. I know this year that I need Courage. I need Courage to face the change that lies ahead. I know that I need Faith and Trust to help me deal with the change to come. So I cling to my heavenly Father more right now.

Last week while taking my youngest to class, I was walking down the sidewalk. You have those kids that run, the kids that look down and move slower than molasses, the ones that won’t walk on the sidewalk – life is about off-roading it, and you have those that walk normal and get to where they are going. I really felt God speak to me and say this is how my children live life… You have those that get in a hurry and miss things or run people over, you have those that move to slow and don’t enjoy their surroundings, you have those that never walk the path they are meant to walk and walk on the sides… This picture really just struct me and made me think about how I take life each day. If we would stop and look around, we would see God moving and directing our steps. I pray daily for God to guide my steps.

Here is to 2018! Facing each day as it comes with Courage. Asking God to guide each step that I take and blessing every encounter that I have with others. Having Faith that he will lead my life in the direction it is meant to go, and in return, may I be a blessing to those around me.

I can’t wait to see what 2018 has in store!

Who has God called YOU to be?

I saw this picture yesterday on my news feed. It really struck my heart. I knew that I needed to go read what this lil' summary meant on this pic. It really struck home to me. So many times we compare ourselves, especially as women. The only thing is God didn't make you to be like your friend, your neighbor, or your sister. He made you to be you and to do what he has called YOU to be.
I'm called to be an Encourager. I know this and I have been told many times that this is what I am. It made me stop to see when was the last time I did my part as the church? What is your calling? Focus on what God has called you to do today!
For me, I am not called to the be the creative one... the teacher... the pastor... I am called to be ME.
We also need to make sure we give this life lesson to our children. Help them find their calling and be ok with who God has made them to be and to realize it is ok not to be like their friend.

A Living Sacrifice to God
ROMANS: 12 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[f] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[g]
says the Lord.
20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[h]
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Don't keep looking back!

I saw this pic come up this week and it really struck me to where I kept coming back to it.

How many times in life do we dwell in the past? We shouldnt let our past hold us back! Live for today, you can't undo yesterday, you can face today and tomorrow a stronger person from lessons learned.