Hi, its SMT time.  I am really enjoying memorizing scripture.  Okay, so I have only done one but it is very empowering.  I love having God’s word alive in my heart giving me a firm foundation.  Here is my SMT verse for the 15th of the month:

Psalm 105:4  Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always  NIV

This verse speaks to me right now because my oldest daughter just had surgery and has another one in a month.  It’s tough when one of you kids go through something like this.  On top of having special needs, she has to endure surgeries.  She is such a strong , brave girl and  I am confident that God blankets  her with safety, comfort and healing.  I want to always look to the Lord for my strength.  This isn’t easy.  I try to do things on my own and it never works out.  I get in the way!   God wants us to rely on him so that we look more like Christ.  I want to seek God’s face in all circumstances so that I am confident and empowered with  truth.   

I have some awesome, loving, caring and fun friends.  They are bringing meals to our family while Natalie recovers and look at this one brought to us today.   Can I just say that it was gooey, yummy and I want the recipe

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Natalie and I came home from the hospital early this morning, we had been up all night,  so I laid down to take a nap.  While I was asleep another dear friend called saying she had a sweet treat to deliver, boy did she deliver!!  Look at these beauties

Gourmet Cupcakes

We can’t wait to dig into them.  What a nice surprise to wake too.  I tell you, we have such a fantastic circle of friends.  I am amazed at the love they so willingly, unselfishly give.  Recently we started a Life Group in our home and we are  growing to become terrific friends.  We are doing exactly what God’s word instructs, studying  His word, holding each other accountable, praying for one another and doing life together.  Such a great time of fellowship and growth.  I am also so thankful for all my girlfriends.  They are godly women, seeking Christ and desiring to know Him more.  We encourage, pray and just have fun in life.  Don’t know what I would do without them.  They bless me each and every day. 

I hope you have decided to jump into the SMT.  If so what is your verse for the 15th?  Remember to choose one that speaks to you for where you are in life right now.  It will impact you more and be easier to memorize.

It’s here, are you ready?  A new year.  I am ready for what God has in store.  I assure you  that there will be trials, hard times, joys, fun, growth and change.   The next year holds alot that we don’t know or can’t control but I know the ONE that does and can! 

Are you participating in the SSMT?  Check it out here.  This is my scripture for the 1st.

Psalm 130:5  I will wait on the Lord my soul waits, and in his word I place my hope.

I would love to hear what you are memorizing.  Oh, check out some of the new blogs on the right.  They are some really fun gals.   Have a great Monday!

I hope you had a wonderful, peaceful, restful and blessed Thanksgiving!  I just love that holiday and I really thing it gets overlooked. 

We are in the midst of Christmas preparations.  We spent the weekend getting decorations and Christmas tree’s up.  It’s fun being in our new home, putting up the tree for the first time.  The house looks so pretty.  I will post pictures soon! 

Our church started a new sermon series called…”All I Want for Christmas…” and today was HOPE. 

Hope is the expectation of something good to come

That is what Christmas is all about.   A precious gift given to us, Jesus, so that we have hope.  Hope that the best is yet to come!   Hope that God’s love is for forever.  However weak and wayward we are, God can still work through us.  He uses us,  in all our messy ways to bring glory to HIM!  In our insignificance we are significant with Christ!   There is light for this dark world.  Jesus is the light and the way!  We are called to be shining stars to others, sharing what Jesus has done in our lives.  Do you share?

When my youngest daughter, Phoebe was 4,  we were heading to preschool and Third Day was on the radio.  They were playing  There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel.  Now understand that Phoebe is a huge Third Day fan, so she was just singing her little heart out.  She yelled up to me and asked if I knew what the light at the end of the tunnel was.  I played along and said no, what was it?  She yelled, “it’s Jesus!!”  How stinking cute is that?  At 4 years old, I just thanked God for her young, sweet faith. 

So let me share that there is light for your life.  His name is Jesus.  He is our hope.  This Christmas, if your life is needing some direction, seek the Wonderful Counselor.  If you are feeling weak, seek the Mighty God.   If you are having family troubles, seek the Everlasting Father and if your life is chaotic, seek the Prince of Peace!

 I hope to share more of what is going on at our home.  I have declared December as my rest and reflect month.  The year is so busy and so I am claiming December.  Time with family, time with my hubby, time with my kids, time with Christ! 

Wanted to share this with you.  Enjoy!

I have lately been pondering on how to simplify my life.  Okay, you can stop laughing now.  Seriously, we live in a fast forward world and we wonder why we are fatigued, ill, depressed and aggravated.  Have you ever intended on doing something, something good and ended up so stinking annoyed tired and stressed that you sat shaking you head wondering what was wrong with you?  I have done that too  many times to count.

Mid-summer I felt a strong conviction to simplify my life.  I ventured over to our Family Christian bookstore and bought this study.

Becoming a Woman of Simplicity

This is an incredible study.  It has given me many things to ponder.  I would highly recommend it if you are looking to simplify your life.  One thing the author talks about is “good” vs. “best”  This has really intrigued me.  We all do many things that are good, but is it the best for where we are right now in life?  I started applying this to every opportunity that comes up in my life.  I have been asked to do several “good” things,  but I always say that I will get back with them on it.  I don’t want to impulsively commit and than be annoyed and frustrated.  I pray about how the “good” will impact my relationship with Christ, my family, my time and my sanity.  I used to be the yes girl, everyone would ask me to do things because they knew I would.  I used to be the people pleaser.  Well, learning through God’s word and applying some tools I learned in the above study, it has become much more easier to say “no.” I truly believe that God has broken me free of that captivity.  I also was a go, go, go girl and now I want to be home more.  I enjoy being home.  Now, I know that is totally out of my character so it is God!  Think about your weekly schedule.  How stressed out are you just thinking about it?  Especially with the holidays coming up, whew, anxiety rises.  There is hope! Jesus has a calling for each one of us.  I truly believe that when we live a surrendered, obedient life to Christ, our lives will be simpler.  Christ is faithful and wise.  Knowing Him and doing life with Him is the way.

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I were talking about living a simplified life .  We opened God’s word and this is a scripture we read ( we are in a Moms in Touch group, we pray for our kids and their schools)

Psalm 19:7-8

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

Do you see it?  The last sentence in verse 7, “making wise the simple.”  We thought that was so cool.  Not just the scriptures,  but we had just been talking about this very thing and then wham, God blesses us with this!  When you are wise, you are simple.  But, if you flip it “when you are simple, you are wise.”  Word play, I love it!  I also love that God’s law is perfect and refreshing to the soul.  Who needs some refreshing?  God’s laws also gives  joy to the heart.  Praise you Jesus!  God is trustworthy, thank you Father!

So I want to challenge you to look at your life, right now where you are and see where you can simplify.  Pray for God’ leading and for discernment.  Look at the “goods” and see if they are “bests”. What are your priorities?  It will be hard, trust me, but it is so rewarding and freeing.  This life places so many demands on us.  God doesn’t do this.  He just calls us to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and then to love others.  That seems pretty simple huh?  We are the ones that fills life with busyness.  We don’t have to live like the rest of the world, rush rush, hurry, hurry.  We can be different!  Actually that is our calling.  To be different!

Good vs. Best!

“You cannot impart what you do not possess.”   

***author/speaker Susie Larson, Growing Grateful Kids  

Today is the National Day of Encouragement.   I follow a blog that is all about encouraging others and it is ironically called, (in)courage.  Sometime last week they tossed out an offer.  The first 400 people to reply to the post for that day you would receive a pack of encouraging cards and you had to send someone a card for National Day of Encouragement.  Can you say EASY! 

I love to encourage others and be encouraged.  I really love getting cards in the mail.  With all of today’s technology I really feel we are forgetting how pen and paper work.  Isn’t it nice to receive a card in the mail that someone took the time to find at a store, handpicked especially for you.  Birthday, anniversary, get well, thinking of you, new baby, new home, sympathy, that person spent time laughing, crying and pondering which card your heart needed to read, hear and see.  

Well when I received my pack of cards I knew who I wanted to send specific ones too.  My sister in law is struggling with major health issues, she received on.  My girlfriend is really lonely, praying that God will send her a friend in her neighborhood, she received one.  A wonderful mentor that spends so much time and energy loving other women, giving so unselfishly of herself..she received one.  Can I just say that I am having the time of my life reading and re-reading the cards pondering on which one to send to who. 

SO , how do you encourage others.  Do you bake special treats for them?  Are you crafty, making things for others?  Do you send out cards, either homemade or store bought?  Can I encourage you to hold each others hearts and nurture those in your life.  We are called to do life together, so let’s do it.  Let’s be there for each other’s accomplishments, fearful times, lonely times, times in question, joyous occasions, re locations, anniversaries, birthdays and new births.  The list of celebrations is endless.  Let’s not get so isolated in our own worlds that we miss out on blessing others. 

Be an encouragement today, you will be encouraged by doing so!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,  just as in fact you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

I say it is a sweet day because bible study started up again!  Yeah…I am so excited.  I just adore getting together with other women and learning God’s word.  Doing life together, encouraging one another and building friendships.  We are digging deep into Breaking Free,the updated Beth Moore study.  She first wrote this study 10yrs ago.  Imagine the changes, struggles, joys, and growth.  Life in 10yrs.  I can say that my life has changed in the past 10 years. 

I have gone from having a happy healthy child to a disabled child, that was a huge change, that to this day I still struggle with.  Don’t get me wrong, Natalie is such a blessing and I see the love of Jesus in her and through her daily.  But it is tough, really.  Stolen and robbed, her life.  Dreams shattered and having to be rebuilt.  Marriage struggles.  Personal and deep soul struggles.  Life = hard.  So what do you do with all that?  You take it to the throne of Christ who can handle everything.  You lean on Him daily.  You drench yourself in TRUTH!!  You find others who will keep you accountable and will do life with you.  He has and continues to  grow  me through circumstances.   We  are blessed with Phoebe, who just turned 6.  She is a sweet, compassionate little girl who loves Jesus!  She has brought spunk and fun wrapped up with a life of delight.  We have moved 3 times, finally to stay where we are.  I have attended several bible studies, we have moved churches to come back to our “home” church.  We have endured major health issues, had family problems, financial issues, arguments, deaths, loss of all sorts, but the common denominator to all of these things is that Jesus has been with us all the way.  Even when we strayed, he stayed, praise Jesus!  I can say with every ounce of me that I would not have made it without Jesus.  He saved me from so many pits, I could not recover on my own.  He has revealed to me that I still have much to work on and that’s what he and I are gonna do. 

So as I start this study on Breaking Free, I am really asking that God reveal to me my bondage. What do I need to break free of so that I can go to the place he has for me. 

What study are you participating in this fall?  What are your prayers for it? 

Oh, it’s a sweet day indeed!!

This is the first full week of school for our county.  It has been a seasonably cool week which tosses my mind into fall.  Fall is my favoriteseason.  The smells, apples, pumpkins,casseroles, the brisk air, the beautiful sunrises, the yummy food, wearing jeans, sweatshirts and gym shoes, fires in the fireplace, which will be new to our family (our first season with a fireplace, yippee).  Having a warm cup of coffee in my hand most of the day with yummy varieties of creamers to choose from.  Ah..but it is still summer.  This is a sweet tease of what is to come.  Come on already fall, I am ready for you. 

On Monday I had the privilege to sit with9 or so moms and pray for our children, their schools, and our families.  Have you ever done that?  Have you ever sat and heard other moms pray for your child?  Have you ever prayed for another child and another mom.  This is an incredible honor.  I want to pass on an organization that does just this.  Moms in Touch is a wonderful way to get with other moms from your child’s school and drench the school, the staff and the kids in prayer!  You meet for an hour once a week and get encouraged, inspired, refreshed and renewed as you praise and pray to Jesus.  Check them out! 

I pray for my girls to be different.  To be the kids that others see, wondering what is different about them, giving them the opportunity to share Jesus.  Now, I know that Natalie cannot share Jesus but through our family,  we can.  How we  respond to things that arise at school, how we respond to the ones that help her daily, how we respond to the staff and other children, how we respond to the life that has been given to us.  I pray that my girls shine bright for Christ and are set apart.  I pray that they are uncommon, in how they act, treat others, obey and respond.  I pray for protection over the school, the staff, the kids, the bus drivers, the janitorial staff.  I pray for a fruitful school year.  That not only educational growth happens, but spiritual growth happens. 

Drench your families in prayer, communicate your heart with Jesus.  He wants to talk to you!

My girlfriend Carol and I had the privilege to attend Living Proof Live with Beth Moore last weekend in Lexington.  To say we had fun is an understatement!!  We had a total blast.  First we got to get away for some girl time, second we got to stay in a nice hotel and we each got our own bed..with fluffy pillows and third, I prayed that God would speak to my heart and soul over the weekend.  I have been dealing with some internal struggles and let me just say that God delivered HUGE through Ms. Beth. 

The title of the event was “Jeremiah, author of Lamentations, Eat Pray, Love, One women’s search for everything across Egypt, Israel and exile.”

This was both of our first times to a Living Proof event, so we weren’t sure what to expect.  It blew my mind.  We had great seats, row F, from the floor up, which were not bad at all (it was open seating).  We were at eye level with whoever was on the stage. The worship that Travis Cottrell and the praise team did was incredible.   With voices shouting praises, hands raised in honor and hearts crying out to Jesus we belted it out.  In the moment, total connection.  There were 11,000 women from 29 states, that’s alot of women!  Here are two of them:

Beth M. brought a powerful teaching from Jeremiah.  She picked out scriptures that helped us remember Eat, Pray, Love.  She spoke alot about brokenness, desserts, idols and pretence.  God wants to meet us in our brokenness so that we can heal and be a witness for him.  God wants to come to the desserts in our lives and plow up the land.  A dessert is anyplace that we don’t allow God access.  Idols will cause us tons of trouble.  This statement was huge, ” we become what we follow, we will be like the idols we follow”  so what are you becoming?  God wants us to stop pretending.  How we worship, live, serve and love.  Stop pretending!   Be real, be free and be who Christ called you to be.   Big time stuff.  Deep pondering things.  It was what I needed for where I am right now.  Praise Jesus!  If you can ever get to a Living Proof Live event GO!  They are incredible and powerful.

Well, I am gonna leave you with some pictures.  Carol and I did have an awesome thing happen.  After the Friday evening session we sat in our seats allowing the crowd to clear out of the stadium.  While sitting there I glanced down at the stage and saw Travis Cottrell chatting with 10 or so women.  I told Carol to get her bags we were heading down there.  We got to meet him! Such a sweet guy who puts his whole heart into what he does.  He signed out program and we got a quick photo!  Isn’t that the coolest!!  What a way to end the summer for me.  Have a great weekend!