He gives and takes away...

Testimony. Doesn’t the word testimony conjure images of triumph, strength, and victory? The glow of a sweaty athlete breaking tape on a big stage, hands exploding upwards in celebration, overcoming great feats with glorious strength from God? Surely such a theatrically triumphant story is what a testimony entails!

But what about the more “ordinary” sheep in the Shepherd’s flock? Can an average businessman burn as brightly for God as the Olympic champion? Undoubtably. Remember that even those terminally ill hold the promise of trampling death.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NIV

So then, for a wandering sheep, it’d be easy to feel crushed when dreams and goals are shattered. One may even grow quite angry. But the sheep that is shepherded by the Lord? Well, just look at what David had to say in Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.“

   Say it with me:

1. I lack nothing.
2. He leads me.
3. He guides me along right paths.
4. I will not fear. He is with me. His rod and staff comfort me.
5. He prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows.
6. His goodness and love follow me allthe days of my life. I dwell in His house for eternity.

Because we lack nothing, we can still be at peace when things are taken away. Because we lack nothing, when something is taken away, we really are not deprived of anything. In fact, when God ends a certain season of life, no matter how short wemay think it was, it is for ourgood! It may not feel good right now. Often it will sting and weigh heavily on our hearts, perhaps even for a while. Yet it’s in those times we must take this gift of grief and let it grow our roots down deep.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪

Now, I have a good idea as to the word that is looming in your mind.

Why?

I am extensively acquainted with this word. You are too? Aren’t we all? We all desperately wish to know the mysterious higher thoughts of God. And the truth is, we can’t. But, like me, I’m sure you already knew that. So we say it’s unfortunate. Some call it unfair. Then there are those so bruised by a broken heart that say it’s unloving. But God knows what’s best for the sheep of his pasture. He knows that we are not equipped to know all that he knows, for such knowledge is far too overwhelming for we simple sheep.

Will we ever know the answers to our undying and ever multiplying why’s? For some of them, no, we won’t know until we are scooped up from this earth and carried home. But for some others, it may just be that now is not the best time to know those answers.

Heart on fire

Since my husband and I have been married Friday night was movie and milkshake night. However, he is working nights now so I haven’t watched a movie or had a milkshake since Dec! What?!? How am I surviving? Haha Well, I decided that last night after church we would watch a movie and milkshakes are a must. I love true movies. Movies about heroes. I decided on Only the Brave. It’s about firemen who risk their life to save others. It was soooo good! We have a clearplay player though with that said. I wouldn’t watch watch it without it because it had cussing in it(can’t stand cussing!) but with the clearplay it is like it’s not even said. So cool! Anyways, I was blown away at what these men do! They are fighting forest fires! I asked David who would want to do that!! I mean I can understand military people risking their life but for a man to go INTO fire?!? I mean what could be worse! I say that because I literally broke down several time due to the realness of it! One young man who was not living right decided to step up after he found out he was a Daddy. He wanted to be a good dad since he never had a dad. It made me think of my dad who wasnt close to perfect but he stepped up without really having a daddy and did the best he could. I think of my dad as hero in some ways. Of course I cried almost every time they showed the baby..haha  I have baby fever BAD! Another part made me bawl cause the chief and his wife had a huge argument due to her wanting a child and the husband denying her. It broke my heart! I understand how it feels to ache for a baby. Thankfully my husband is not like him and he will have as many as God allows as long  as our marriage it where it should be. Our little 3 yr has been asking for another baby and praying about it! Makes me melt when I hear her pray.  The part that got me the most and the whole purpose of this post is that death happens...ETERNAL FIRE! It made me think of soooo many that will have to spend all eternity in fire! I lost it! I’m crying now even. Crying cause I am thankful I won’t be, but that some of my family will. My friends, and even our neighbors. Oh how I am burdened for the lost lately! Eternity is real! It’s like everywhere I go I think are they saved? I want to tell the whole world! I want God to use my husband! May the world see Christ in us!! It’s all I want! What is more important? Everything and I mean EVERYTHING this world has to offer will be gone when we see Jesus! All that matters is your walk with the Lord...May we wake up each day with that realization.
Set our hearts on Fire Lord for you and for this lost world!

What are you hungry for?

What are you hungry for? For me it’s been Chick fil a 24/7. I mean really who doesn’t want Chick fil a all day everyday? Haha So, I took my girls and I to satisfy my craving and they had no complaints. We have soooo many different ways that people eat. Some do low carb(or now know as Keto), some do low fat, gluten free, some do no sugar, and some don’t do any. I can say that for me,  my “diet” is made up of whatever I want. It’s not always been that way as I’ve tried low fat for a while, vegetarian for yrs, and even tried to do the whole Keto thing but well...I love carbs and sweets too much! Haha
Whatever you are eating do you realize that it won’t satisfy you like the word of God will. We actually NEED the word of God like we do food!! don’t like to frown on any type of “diet” unless it’s an unhealthy way to live, but do you realize that eating whatever you are eating isn’t going to make you live for yrs longer(although it’s good to be healthy). God gave us food to enjoy!! Same thing with exercise. It profits little...but the word of God profits for ALL eternity! We need to CRAVE Gods word like we do our favorite foods! If we make time to eat we must make time to feed on his word. For me, yrs and yrs were spent on “food” and only a little time in his word. I was starving my soul and just allowing  Satan to win due to not dwelling on Gods word daily. You aren’t going to be able to win the spiritual battles if you are starving yourself.
Paul says Let the word of God dwell in you richly.  The Bible is actually like meat, bread and water.
Soooo many things can be the reason we don’t spend time in his word..
-distractions, replacements which can be ANYTHING you put in place of reading, and even a hardened heart.
Oh I am guilty of this many times but lately I crave his word. Oh rich it is and how it helps me through the day. A day with his word is Always better than days without. The Bible isn’t just a book but it’s a love story. The greatest love story ever written. What  girl doesn’t like a Love story? So, get a bowl of ice cream and a place where there are no distractions and enjoy sweetness in a bowl but even more sweet is his word.
* After reading this post to my husband, he laughed! He doesn’t get Chick fil a and why a girl would want to eat a bowl of ice cream....so, if that’s not your thing that’s fine. Gods word alone is all we need....but I think all girls need Chick fil a and Ice cream! 😂😂😂

HE is Able!!

He is able...
-to give you grace to forgive those who abused you, molested you, took advantage of you, lied to you, cheats on you, hurt you, to answer your prayers, to heal when Dr say they cant, to give you children when Dr., say its impossible, take away guilt, shame, anger, and replace it with love, joy, and peace. He can give you strength when you think you can’t go on. Give you eyes to see when you can’t, give you wisdom, Lead you, and provide abundantly when  you think how will I make it. He will give you the words to say, he can speak to your heart, he can convict your heart..He will stand with you when nobody else will. He will never leave you. He is able to be a friend that is better than any friend you can have. He takes away fear.

No matter what you went though, or are going through or will go through HE will walk with you every step. He will carry you if needed. HE will give you hope! He will give you Joy! HE will give you Peace!

To save myself from having to write a 16million page paper...all you need to know is Jesus!
He is the reason for this upcoming Easter! He Defeated death and rose again! Easter is probably my Fav holiday ever. Soooooo many memories growing up on Easter. My mom made my brothers and I am Easter basket full of so much candy it would take a yr to eat! Well..not a yr but a long time! She’d always get us something new to wear as well. We had so many egg hunts from the grandparesmts house, church and our own at home. My dad was the best egg hider. I loved  dying the eggs.
I look forward so much to making my girls Easter baskets this yr...but when they look back at Easter I want them to know why we celebrate it. JESUS rose from the grave so he can do exactly what the first of this post stated.  I do love Easter candy as it’s my fav holiday candy. The Cadbury eggs, Starburst jelly beans, the Resse pieces, and sweet tarts shaped like bunnies. However, Jesus love is sweeter than all the Easter candy combined.

I am redeemed because of Jesus!
I am Free!
I am not who I use to be....all because of what Jesus did in that cross for me and everyone in the world, and rose again for us all!

Run to Jesus!

You run? Umm yeah, I use to is my answer. Now it’s more for just enjoyment. Enjoyment? You call running enjoyment?.....I’ve had this conversation soooo many times over the yrs. Why do I run though? Why run vs all the other sports? Well...here is 13 reasons why since 13(the half marathon) is my favorite distance even though I never have time to run that far anymore) . 

1. Running keeps me healthy(even though my current state is in bed with the stomach bug). I love health and nutrition and I want to take care of my body so I’m able to keep up with my kids. I’m not the “Young mom” so running can keep me able to chase them. 
2. “me time.” I’m just out there enjoying Gods creation and praying and talking to him. Well, endless I have to run on the dreadmill(yes..a DREADmill lol) Then it’s more like Lord help me get though this run! Not a fan of them.  
3. It helps with my thoughts. I come back from a run in a better mood. 
4. I love the challenge. The uphills, the hard workouts, the 800 repeats around the track, the races, and even the pain at time as I know I tried my best. 
5. I love all the different places running can take you. I’ve ran in so many states over the yrs. I’ve got to see some of the coolest places that I wouldn’t get to unless I ran. 
6. The memories. Memories from running with my dad that I will cherish my whole life. Memories at the starting line at the track watching my older brother run and people say “that’s your bro(umm yes, but don’t except me to be like him!! Lol) Memories with my little brother running all over the county in AAU track meets. And now, running with my little girls. We smile each step. If only I could get my husband to run with me. Maybe this list will convince him! 😂
7. I love to eat things that may not be the best if I didn’t run(with that said there are NO “bad foods”). Bring on the spaghetti, bread and ice cream! 
8. I love looking back and seeing past accomplishments..oh how I wish I could run like that now! 
9. Its the only sport that you can do anywhere! 
10. It’s cheap! 
11. God blessed me with talent. 
12. Well, because I can! God gave me legs. May we never take for granted afar our bodies can do. My dad can’t run anymore(two hip replacements). I want to run until God calls me home and I’ll run into his arms. 
13. lastly, I run because I am in training for the biggest race any of us will run. Running the race for Christ! I will NOT lose with him as my coach. The training is tough, or even so hard at times I feel like I can’t continue on. But God gives us strength. This world is NOT our home!! Until I make it to the finish line I want to finish strong. 

Mine! All mine!

It’s that time of yr for Duck Duck Goose. It’s a huge consignment sale that you can buy anything from baby stuff, to, maternity, and up to the teen yrs. For the last two yrs I’ve sold quite a bit of stuff there. It’s a ton of work though, but worth it! This Spring I have over $1,500 worth of items to sell. It’s crazy! How did we accumulate this much stuff?!? Oh wait...we live in America and we “have” to have that much stuff. As I go through the items  my little girls play with the toys or look at the clothes and make more messes for me to clean up. However, hardly ever does my 3 yr old say mommy don’t sell that. She knows I’m selling everything I price, but she NEVER complains. Maybe it’s because she knows with that money I will use it to buy her more things or maybe she doesn’t really care...but my point is most 3 yr old  would be begging to keep EVERYTHING! That made me think, what could I live without? Hmm. I have to say I would have a VERY hard time living without my Bible, peanut butter, bread, ice cream, a vehicle or else I’d go stir crazy, my phone, or my voice as I talk non stop at home to my girls and my husband, haha. I can’t imagine giving up running, music, or a hot shower either. I have to say that when I was in Zimbabwe  I was without every single one of those things and by the end of week I was ready to go home. It showed me how “glued” I am to so many things. When I got back after that month, the first thing I did was take a super long shower, went for a run, check fb, ate ice cream that night and watched tv. How fast we go back to our old ways!!
These last 5 yrs of my life I feel like I’ve had to give up a lot. It may have been for a better reason, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I gave up my dream job to stay home with my girls. I gave up my dream house beside my friends and 1/2 mile from the school I worked at for a fixer upper house so I could stay home with my girls. I gave up new XTERRA for a older van so my nieces could all ride with us and hopefully take them to church. I gave cable so we could save money. I have up spending whatever I wanted to having a budget so we could be be debt free.  I gave up running hard core in place of more time for my girls. I gave up my body to be healthy and be what the Lord wants. I gave up contemporary Christian music to honor my husbands convictions. The list could go on and on, but here is the point. What are you giving up and why? The only things that Truly matter in this life is how we live for Christ? So, what are you “glued” to? I have to admit I am glued to my phone too much. Pinterest is a crafty, teacher, and moms time zapper! Lol
How much am I running compared to how much time I’m in Gods word? How much time and I cleaning vs time I spend with my girls? What is our money spent on?
I want my girls to have everything my husband and I can give them. He knows that as I tell him quite often. But not so much toys, cable, or the coolest new thing. None of that is wrong. Really. It’s just that we both feel we’d rether spend our money on a Christian education(which will take 3 jobs!!!), and on mission trips, and on music lesson. Shew..my husband has his work cut out for him cause I told him I am fine never going back to work cause I am “honoring God and staying home with our little blessings!!” Hahahahaa Anyways. I want a simple life. A life where our kids don’t even know what the latest new toy is, the Hollywood stars, or what fashion really is. We only need ONE thing in this world and that’s Jesus. Lord help me to remember that from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. You are enough. More than enough.

Blessings straight from Heaven...

Come to the alter, the Fathers arms are open wide.
Come today. No reason to wait.
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy.
Forgiveness was bought with Jesus Christ!

Lord, help me be your hands and feet. Help me to show you wherever I go. In our home, at church, at the playground to our neighbors that don’t know you. To my friend on fb. To my family and to strangers. Use my husband and I Lord for you glory! We trust you Lord.

Tell the world of the treasure you found.

Each step I take, lead the way Lord.
I feel you beside of me Lord.

Today I got to see new life. A miracle. A gift. A perfect little 8.9 pd four day old baby! One of my friends had a baby girl and gave us all a scare as we thought we might lose her. Thankfully she’s ok. Holding the baby made me miss my babies being so little. It didn’t help with baby fever ever! Haha
Oh how it made me realize how fast times flies by. I only have a short amount of time to pour into our children. Lord, help me. These are YOUR girls. I try to soak up every min I can but it’s never enough. They are growing too fast.
As I held new life, I have family who is clinging to life..Lord, you give and take away. Help us love each day as a gift. Help us to find joy in even the toughest days. My heart is sooo burdened for the lost in my family. Help them see the REAL JOY Jesus. REAL HOPE.
Lord we pray for little G..May she grow to love you. ❤️