Inspired

Today, I'm thankful for words that inspire.  What an odd thankful post, huh?!  Well, it's true!  Aside from a music junkie, I'm also a quote junkie.  Yes, of course I love God's Word, and look to it daily for words of wisdom, insight, and encouragement.  But, this past week these are the quotes that have pierced me to the core, and caused me think on a deeper level of who I am:

"Comparison is the thief of all joy"

and

"Be intentional with your time - only commit to the things that you are the ONLY ONE that can do them"


Both of these speak to the season of life I'm in right now.  The comparison quote has rocked my world...many, many (did I say many) people that I know/am FB friends with/follow their blogs, etc. are pregnant or have just had babies.  This quote has reminded me over and over that comparing my situation to theirs is only robbing myself of joy - and, why should I allow that??

Being intentional with my time is a MAJOR step.on.my.toes. kinda quote.  I feel such responsibility and guilt to do things that other people could take care of if they would just step up, but I do them out of obligation rather than joy.  That is not God's best for me.  God's best for me is to commit only to what only I can do - I'm the only one who can be Brad's wife and helper in ministry.  I'm the only one that can take care of my health.  I'm the only one who can be Valerie's sister.  I'm the only one who can be an aunt to our 4 Favorites.  I'm the only one that can keep up my friendships.  Those things that I'm the ONLY ONE that can do it are the things that need me.  All the other  "things" that fill up my time may be GOOD things, but are not always God's BEST things.  Lots of pondering to do on this subject...

So, what inspires you?

Shoeboxes

Today, I'm thankful for a wonderful ministry that I'm proud my church is a part of.  Operation Christmas Child shares the love of Jesus with children around the world by providing them with shoebox gifts.  The shoeboxes are filled with little trinkets, small toys, paper and crayons, and basically anything else that a child would like that can fit in a shoebox!

I'm also sooo very thankful for one of our teen girls that put this year's Shoebox Ministry together for our church!  She did a wonderful job, and I'm inspired by her passion to "do more"...God has great plans for her, no doubt!  So proud and thankful for you, Meg!!

What a humbling experience it is to buy gifts for a child, knowing that the only present they will receive is what you put in their little box...but, knowing how excited they will be to open their shoebox and find their treasures and also get to hear about Jesus is such a blessing to me!! 

Are you planning to be a part of some type of ministry this holiday season? I can promise you it will be better than any present you receive!

God is WILD about us!!

A few weeks ago we had a WILD week of VBS at church...we learned that God is WILD about us!!

We do our VBS a little different than most churches - the teachers have one lesson that we teach every night for the whole week, and the children (Kindergarten - 5th grade) rotate to a different teacher each night.  (The preschoolers stay with their teachers through the whole week.)  It makes it fun to get to have a different group each night, and you only prepare for one lesson so you know it REALLY WELL.

My lesson was about Hannah and Samuel, and how God answered Hannah's prayer for a child (Ironic for me to teach this lesson I know!!)  And, we learned through this story that, "God gives good gifts", which was our Bible Truth for my lesson.

To make figuring out the Bible Truth and Memory Verse for the story a little more fun for the kids - I made cards with my Cricut with each word, laminated, and put Velcro on the back.  Then I had them each in gift bags and told the kids I had a special gift to share with them.  They took the bags, and had to unscrabble the words, which led to talking about God's good gifts.  They all loved it! :)

We had a great group of kids each night, and they were all so excited about VBS :)

We painted and decorated canvas bags for my craft, and the kids LOVED this!!  Great craft for a party too...

VBS was a great success - lots of children came and learned fun new songs, made some cute crafts, played silly games, made new friends, but most of all they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ every night! 

It was a great week!!!  Thank you Mrs. Becky and Mrs. Shanna for all your hard work!!

Complete

This past weekend, I took some of my high school girls from church to Complete, an all girls retreat. We had a GREAT time!!

The girls were soo excited about this weekend, and I was too!  We have such a great group of girls!  

Our Bible Study leader was Amy Pierson, and she is PHENOMENAL!!!  She has such a heart for Girls' Ministry and them knowing the Lord and His Word intimately.  She has a new book out that I can't wait to dive in to, Table for Two. 

Our worship leader for the weekend was the AWESOME Kerrie Roberts, who you have heard if you listen to Contemporary Christian at all...her #1 hit No Matter What  is a fav of mine! 

While at the conference, they prayed over the Acteen Activator groups that would be serving this summer on various mission trips.  When I was in high school, I went on an Acteen's Activator trip and was one of my most favorite mission trips...I pray the Lord would use these girls to minister to others as well as to speak to their own hearts as they prepare to serve and while they are there!

 

We didn't have a tremendous amount of free time, but we enjoyed every minute we had together!!  What better way to enjoy a Girls' Night than to share a little Krispy Kreme!! :) 

 I can't wait to share another GREAT weekend with my sweet girls and the Lord...how very blessed I am!!

Wait. Hope. Trust.

I have shared this with y'all before, but the Lord always seems to have to knock me up side the head to get my attention sometimes.  Over the past few weeks, 3 words and 1 verse have been repeatedly put in conversations, sermons, and Bible Study.  Does that ever happen to anyone else?? 

A few weeks ago in our Bible Study we are doing with our youth, we were reading out of Isaiah 40.  We were watching a video segment of Louie Giglio, and he was referring specifically to Isaiah 40:31.

I have a Parallel Bible (you can find a zillion of them on Amazon) that has 4 versions in one Bible.  It's WONDERFUL when we are doing Bible Study to be able to see what the different versions say, and helps to better understand the text.  Anyway, I always automatically look at each one when hearing a verse to see how each is written.  This is what each of them said for Isaiah 40:31:

King James: 
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

NIV:
"But those who hope in the LORD, will renew their strength, They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

New American Standard:
"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."

New Living:
"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint."

Hmm, each version translated the verse all verbatim to one another except for one word was different - wait, hope, wait, trust.  Louie went on to say that the Greek translation for the word "wait" is literally "to hope" or "to trust".  (So, each version is right...this is not a debate about a particular version of the Bible being right or wrong - don't get side tracked!!) 

Isn't it interesting that the word "wait" - which instantly makes me fidgety - means the same thing as "trust" and "hope"??  Waiting somehow is a negative word to me.  When I think of "waiting" on ANYTHING, I get annoyed, fidgety, and think of all the reasons why I don't/can't wait.  But, when I think of "trust" and "hope" I feel like there's possibility and certainty of something better happening soon.

Brad and I always, always, always, seem to be in "waiting" mode...did I say always??? (The frustrating, fidgety kind of waiting)  Waiting to do things in our house, waiting to make plans about our future, waiting for a baby, waiting until we're finished with seminary, waiting on job opportunities, waiting until we have more money saved...waiting, waiting, waiting.  Whether it's for 5 minutes or 5 years, waiting drives. me. insane.  But, the Lord reminded me of this verse that when I wait for Him, He will give me strength.  When I put my hope in Him, He will renew my strength.  When I trust in Him, I will find new strength. 

And, His strength will make the waiting, the trusting, the hoping much less of a load of burden and much more a load of joy. 

But, what happens when - after waiting and being FAITHFUL to Him, feeling you have been completely OBEDIENT to Him - His answer to your waiting is not "Yes" or "No", but "Not yet - continue to wait"?? 

...to be continued...come back tomorrow for part 2 of this rambling insight :)

Get Out Of That Pit

I have been listening to one of my very favorite authors and teachers of the Word...none other than Beth Moore!!...on CD in my car the past few days. 

I got the book, "Get Out Of That Pit" book on CDs back in the summer, but God knew my heart wouldn't be ready to listen until now. I popped it in yesterday, and have been taking a little extra time driving because I don't want to turn it off!!  I actually have the book too, and read it about 6 years ago...but, oh how I needed to hear Beth's words of wisdom and Bible teaching about God's deliverance for me once again! 

If you are looking for a book to read (and, are willing for your heart to be pierced and "toes to be stepped on") this one is great!!

Perspective

Hey y'all!!  Things have been quiet on the blog the past few days, but life has been VERY LOUD and BUSY!!  I have lots of pictures and life tidbits to share with you (tomorrow hopefully) about what we have been completely engrossed in the past week - an anniversary reception, a wedding, church Christmas program, school Christmas stuff, still doing home renovations, and...oh yeah, getting ready for CHRISTMAS!!!  Y'all, I am SO TIRED...so very tired.  Yes, physically, but mentally I'm just pooped.  The past several weeks have kinda just been a blur with all that has been going on.  Tonight, I sat down in the middle of a store while Christmas shopping.  I was looking for the LAST present to be bought, and after having looked and looked and looked I could not find this one thing that I had hoped to get.  I felt completely overwhelmed and as I waited for a call back from Brad for an alternate gift idea, I just plopped down.  I had not really been paying attention to what music was playing in the store until I took my seat, but as I sat I heard the quiet melody of "Silent night, holy night...all is calm, all is bright...".  I first chuckled in my head at the irony of such a tender song about the night Jesus was born playing in a store that was full of loud shoppers bustling around to purchase the last of their Christmas gifts, completely oblivious to a song talking about a "holy infant so tender and mild".  But, the more I thought about it, don't we find ourselves in that state all too often?  So focused on the 'here and now' that our perspective of real life is off kilter and the thought of "heavenly peace" is far from our minds? 

I know what Christmas is all about - I talk about Jesus and His birth often during this season.  I even wrote in many of my Christmas cards about experiencing the joy of the miracle of His coming.  But, yet I find myself wrapped up in gift buying, decorating, and the obligatory get togethers that sometimes I don't give the MIRACLE of the birth of JESUS the attention and praise and admiration it deserves. 

Thank you, Lord for reminding me of that silent night, Holy night on this very un-silent, very busy night!!

I read a post tonight by Leslie at Goodbye House, Hello Home that is EXACTLY what I feel like.  When a post is titled Mary Did You Know Bethlehem Doesn't Have a Hobby Lobby? , you knows it's gonna be good!!  I wanted to share my most favorite part, but please by all means click on over to read the whole post.  Awesome, Leslie!!

2,000 years ago, our dying race was given the most beautiful present ever imaginable.  Was it wrapped in polka-dotted ribbon?  With a glittery tag?  Was this gift placed under a dazzling tree?

Nope.

This gift lay in a mucky, lightless, unbeautified and unembellished barn.  Mary did not visit Hobby Lobby or Michael's for ribbon, wreaths or bulbs.  Joseph wasn't up on the roof attaching light strands with thatch clips.  I am pretty sure that there wasn't any eggnog or wassail to imbibe.

But what we ARE told is that this night, the light of the world came to us.  This night, the neighborhood was visited by it's first ever Heavenly carolers.  This night, heaven came to earth and emancipated it. 

I can still deck our halls and hang the mistletoe.  But, as I sing along with each hymn, display each shining item that I have found on sale or in a box on someone's driveway, as I liberate the crafts designed years ago by my toddler's fingers and arrange and rearrange the lights on the bushes, I will remember that the reason I treasure this season so much is that my Jesus is the true light of the world, the creative embellisher, the original beautifier and liberator of treasures, emancipator of souls.

He is the gift to my heart.

And Hobby Lobby has nothing on sale that compares to that.

And I'll bet Mary would have said the same thing.

I Need a Silent Night

I had not ever heard this song until tonight, but it is EXACTLY how I feel this Christmas season...not so much about the whole shopping scene because I have not had to do as much shopping this year.  But, the feeling of being soooo BUSY..All the hustle bustle, and not a minute to take a break...feeling completely overwhelmed.

JESUS is the reason for the season.  I want to bask in that - to celebrate His coming, to prepare my heart for what that means, to rejoice in what it all means. 

Lord, I need a silent night, a holy night.  To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise.  I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here.  To end this crazy day with a silent night.

I've made the same mistake before

Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?
Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?

Every shepherd's out in the field
Keeping watch over their clock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid

And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night

30 Days of Thanks...Day 29

Peace.

Solitude.

Rest.

Quiet.

Oh how very thankful I am today for a day at home, away from the world to recoop from the weekend.  It's rainy and cold, and I've been able to snuggle up with my little Ellie, watch reruns, do a little pre-holiday casseroles for the freezer, and clean my kitchen.  No one has needed anything from me today - no questions that needed to be answered, no decisions to be made, no flowers to be arranged, no children to teach.  I've needed rest physically and mentally, and how very thankful I am to have been given this day to do just that! 

When I was on Facebook earlier, I read one of my friend's status' that just spoke to my heart:

"God is so good. He has provided for me and loved me even when I was so unloveable. Thank you Lord. I pray I can love like you love today and give like you give....You are my King. Thanks for another day to work." 

Oh how I pray that I can have that attitude every day - a thankfulness for another day to work for Him, instead of dreading morning because of what the day holds. 

Father, thank you for this day of rest and renewal.  Thank you for loving me.  I pray I can love like you love today and give like you give.  You are my King.  Thanks for another day to work!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 21

Thank you Lord for all of your MANY blessings in my life!!!  We had our Community Thanksgiving Service tonight, and I was reminded how often it is to see the sadness, heartaches, frustrations, hurt, loss, and many rough spots that we go through...but, you know what?  There are too many blessings in our lives to even begin to count them.  So, today I give God the glory for all awesome things in my life He has blessed me with!  Thank you, Lord for reminding me of that!!!!

And, this songs sums it all up...I have always loved this song so much by Rachael Lampa - "I Am Blessed" - so I just had to share it with y'all :)  Happy Sunday!!

I may never climb a mountain,

So I could see the world from there.

I may never ride the waves,

And taste the salty ocean air.

Or build a bridge,

That would last a hundred years.

But no matter where the road leads,

One thing is always clear....

(chorus)

I am blessed,

I am blessed,

From when I rise up in the morning,

'Till I lay my head to rest,

I feel you near me,

You sooth me when I'm weary.

Oh, Lord,

For all the worst and all the best,

I am blessed.

All along the road less traveled,

I have crawled and I have run.

I have wandered through the winds and rains,

Until I found the sun.

But watching eyes,

Asked me why,

I walk this narrow way,

I will gladly give the reason,

For the hope I have today....

(chorus)

You've given me joy,

You've given me love,

You give me stength,

When I want to give up.

You came from heaven,

To rescue my soul.

This is the reason,

I know,

I know.

(chorus)

30 Days of Thanks...Day 17

Today, I'm thankful for "my girls".  So blessed to be called to work beside Brad and teach these girls about loving Jesus, loving others, and loving themselves. 

We have an AWESOME group of children and teenagers, and we feel like they are all of "ours".  But, my group of girls are extra special to me (no offense boys!!)...that's where my heart for ministry is, and rightfully so.

They teach me so much, and I love to hear how they see the world through their eyes.  I'm thankful to have a close relationship with each of them, and they feel like they can share their hearts with me. 

And, Lord have mercy they make me laugh!!  So so so very blessed to be a part of their lives!!

I love you, girls!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 12

Isn't it amazing when you start something, that Satan tries to take your eyes and focus away?  This week has been hard - hard to stay focused on being thankful, hard to keep my mind in a state of thankfulness...just plain hard.  I have been incredibly overwhelmed and frustrated about different things, and those are the thoughts I have had to FIGHT...realize that some things are out of my control...and, search for thankfulness in the midst of chaos. 

But, you know what?  As much power as Satan has, God has a MILLION times more power.  When we truly ask from our heart for help...comfort...peace...understanding...the Will to fight the negative just comes.  God will never leave us nor fosake us - He's there.  We just ask, and He's willing.  And the awesome thing - He WANTS us to call on Him.

So, today I'm thankful for a God that is always here for me, ready and waiting to step in and fix what I have messed up.  For a God that ALWAYS will out do what Satan may have tried to do in our hearts and minds.

I'm thankful for the times that God allows me to get in a "funk" just so I am reminded that I can always count on Him to be there.

Thank you, Lord for loving me inspite of everything.  For always being my comforter, and the peacemaker in my heart! 

30 Days of Thanks...Day 10

Y'all, I contemplated earlier today posting I was just thankful today was over...whew, it has been a doozy.  I could totally relate to Alexander today...

 But, once again I found myself being thankful - blessed - in the midst of what would typically be written off as an emotionally draining, frustrating, beating-your-head-against-a-brick-wall kind of day.  I got in my car, and was really telling the Lord what a rotten day it had been, and my radio came on blaring music (typical)...and, you know what?  It was like breathing peace into my soul.  I love how music can do that to you - it can comfort you, prick your heart, make you instantly happy, bring a memory, bring peace.  It's like an old friend that knows you oh so well - and, it doesn't hurt to have a Heavenly Father that uses it to speak to your heart. 

So, today I'm thankful for my music that I love so very much :)  And, I adore this song by Francesca Battistelli (isn't that just the coolest name??)  which happened to be the song blaring out my speakers today, and the words are SOOOO my life (yeah, except the first line that says "twenty years of age and I'm still looking for a dream - how 'bout trying "twenty NINE years of age and I'm still looking for a dream!)...isn't that amazing? God always has a way of doing that, doesn't He?  Hope you enjoy the song (lyrics following)...

At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream

A war's already waged for my destiny
But You've already won the battle
And You've got great plans for me
Though I can’t always see

(Chorus)
‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

When I was just a girl I thought I had it figured out
My life would turn out right, and I'd make it here somehow
But things don't always come that easy
And sometimes I would doubt

(Chorus)

And you’re free to be you
Sometimes I believe that I can do anything
Yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring
But You look at my heart and You tell me
That I've got all You seek
And it’s easy to believe
Even though

(Chorus)

30 Days of Thanks...Day 8

Today I'm thankful for those small opportunities the Lord gives us to be a part of something much bigger than we are.  Whether it's being able to help someone in need at Christmas, give money to a friend doing mission work, or helping take care of a child for a while when parents have extenuating circumstances...each of these may seem "small" to us that are on the giving end, but much much "bigger" to those receiving.  I'm thankful He gives us those opportunities...it always seems in the beginning we are blessing someone else, but in the end we are the ones that received the blessing. 

Thank you, Lord!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 7

Happy Sunday!!  Our first week of November has already came and went so incredibly fast!!  Have you been thinking about what you're thankful for??  I've really enjoyed sharing what I'm thankful for each day...if you're bored with my 30 Days of Thanks, I'll be back to my normal posts in December...but, stick around - who knows, you might catch yourself being thankful for the little things each day :)

Today, I'm thankful for something that the Lord has reminded me of the past 2 Sundays.  Last week, Brad preached a sermon about obedience...this week, we had missionaries visit our church and share about their experiences on the mission field.  In each of the 3 missionaries that shared, there was a common thread in their stories - obedience and trust.  The missionary that spoke tonight used the exact phrase that Brad used last week in his sermon - "God doesn't need our abilities, He needs our availability."

We so often feel like we are not smart enough, not talented enough, we don't speak well in front of others, we are uncomfortable sharing our faith, someone will think we are stupid, and a jazillion other things that we get in our heads that are the reason we can't do something for God.  But, He doesn't want our abilities, because you know what?  On our own, we would fail...miserably.    All He wants of us is to be willing to be available to be used by Him.  He will do all the work in us and through us...we just have to be available. 

Thank you, Lord for reminding me of how you need me to just be available...be willing...to be used by You.  I am yours!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 4

Thankful today for my sweet Carolyne and her funny little personality.  She keeps me on my toes, and keeps us all laughing.  All of her "Carolyne-isms" should be written in a book :) 

I love you, Carolyne Kay!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 3

Thankful today for my little family!!  Thankful for what God is doing in our lives right now, and the doors that He is opening for us...and, thankful I get to share it with a wonderful man and sweet little "fur-baby" Miss Ellie Jane!

Thank you, Lord for Your blessings!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 2

Thankful today for those people in my life that immediately remind me that I'm loved and cared for...not by saying it, but by showing it.  For those people that ask, "How are you doing?" and genuinely want to know how life is, not just making small talk.  For those that call at random to say, "I've been praying for you, and I know God has a plan for you - don't give up."  

I'm thankful to not just have them in my life, but to have been blessed to know them at all.

30 Days of Thanks...starts NOW!

What does the word "thanksgiving" mean to you? Does it bring images of turkey and sweet potatoes with everyone gathered around the table...pilgrims and indians....football...parades...or, maybe even shopping on Black Friday??  Or, does it bring you to a place of being overwhelmingly grateful, appreciative, pleased, blessed?

Last year, I chose to do a post of "thanks" each week during the month of November...but, there were soooo many more things that I could have posted about.  So, I decided this year to try to do a post each day of the month about something I'm thankful for. 

So, today on November 1st, following an entire month of receiving cards, letters, child drawn pictures, sweet gifts, and words of encouragement and love in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month...I'm completely overwhelmed with thankfulness for our church family.

Yesterday marked 4 years that Brad and I have served at Mount Vernon - WOW! It has been a learning and growing experience for us in our ministry, and we are reminded over and over how very BLESSED we are to do what we do!!  

To some, Children and Youth Ministry may just seem like we're just playing loud music and doing crazy stuff all the time...but it's SOOO MUCH MORE than that.

It's learning, growing, building relationships, and sharing Christ in any way that we can.

How thankful I am for a church that "gets" that.  That appreciates what we do, and supports us soooo much!!  We are beyond words grateful!!

So, what about you...are you up to the challenge of dedicating a month to thanks??

Fall Fun

Last week was my Fall Break...it came and went so fast!!!!  The beginning of the week Brad and I spent some time with my parents at the lake - we had a WONDERFUL time...and, I didn't even take my camera!  The rest of the week I was gearing up for a F.U.L.L. weekend o' fun full of hosting a shower, Fall Fest at church, and grad school projects!! 

We had an incredible Fall Fest!!  Tons of children came and we had lots of different carnival games, inflatables (does anyone else remember when the only "inflatable" was the MoonWalk...and we thought it was the coolest thing EVER??!!), and of course lots of candy!! 

All my sweet Acteen girls helped at the "Welcome Station", and Abby became the official tattoo artist (By the way - tattoos are sooooo much better than face paint, trust me!!!!) :) 

We take every opportunity we can to share with our children about Jesus, and Brad shared a very special message using the patches of a scarecrow - it was a great teaching tool since we see scarecrows everywhere this time of year!

But, I have to give credit where credit is due...this idea was inspired by these bookmarks we got to use as a prize for one of the games.  You can buy them here.

We enjoyed spending the day with our church friends and soooo many guests.  A HUMONGOUS thanks to everyone that helped make this day such a success...from people who sent donations, helped with games, brought food, invited friends - each person played a part in helping us!  We appreciate our church family SO MUCH!!!  It was a great day!!