Friday, October 28, 2011

waiting on God

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
'cause the pain you've been feeling
Can't compare to the joy that's coming

So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling
It's just the dark before the morning

How comforting to know we don't have to wait on our circumstances to work for our good. Instead we wait on God, because it's HIM who works for our good. He's trustworthy and faithful. {And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. ~Rom. 8:28}


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

have I told you lately...

If you don't like sappy love stories, then I advise you to go ahead and close out of this blog and come back later!! Everything I am about to write is very true and very sappy.
I am sooooo very much in love with my husband. Our marriage has not been bad...but like any married couple, eventually you usually get "used" to one another and the "newness" has worn off. Things get comfortable and it's "okay" if you don't get a hug or kiss here or there. Of all the years that we have been together the past 1 1/2 years have most definitely been the toughest. I struggled with a lot these last 1 1/2 years and I am beyond thankful that Jody stuck by me and stayed strong. He could have very easily given up and pushed me away. He didn't! I love that about him. He is SO dedicated to ME.
There are so many words that I can use to describe Jody. He is genuine, sweet, kind, aggravating, silly, good hearted, softy etc. We were at a point in our relationship where we were just at a standstill. I was here day in and day out. Same routine over and over. Some days it was a struggle. There weren't many "conversations". It's not that we were unhappy or that we fussed, we just let the job, kids and stuff get in the way of us. I have been told many times that traveling for a job either makes or breaks a relationship. It definitely broke and made us. It made us think about our marriage and if it was important to us. We decided it is important to both of us, we are really just two people, madly in love, that really enjoy each others company.

The time he is gone is not easy by any means. I am so thankful for his job and our relationship. I can't stand the time he is gone, but the time he is home is so worth it.
Jody's time away has made me appreciate life more. Appreciate the time I have with him more. I realized what it would be like without him here and how valuable our time together is.... so you have to try to make the best of it. Sure there's going to be down times....and we choose to not let them get to us.

Anyway... I had to say that I am very much in love with my husband and I am very blessed to have God bless me with him. I absolutely cannot imagine him nor our two beautiful daughters not in my life. God knew what he was doing March 20, 1993 when we said, "I Do". He knew what He was doing when He chose us to be Taylor and Aubrey's parents. He knew what He was doing when we were at our most distant time in our relationship these past 1 1/2 years. He knew what He was doing when He put the fire back in "US" and made us, us again. God is Good!!! ALL THE TIME!!!

We are in it til the end!!!

From the Inside Out

Friday, October 21, 2011

Make a Difference Day

Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others. Held annually on the fourth Saturday of October, millions of Americans are rallied into a single day of action to help change the world. What will you do to celebrate this day?

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Jesus Painting

What looks a bit like

a meaningless mess right now,

may — if you wait

surrendered —

give a glimpse into who He is

and how He’s making even this mess

shape you into the image of Christ.

And we know that God causes all things

to work together for good

to those who love God…

to become conformed to the image of His Son.”

~Romans 8:28-29 NASB









Monday, October 3, 2011

My Jesus in 5 Days

Take this journey with me for 5 days..

Day 1:

Prayer: Jesus I want to see you.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Thought: Remember a pure heart doesn’t mean a perfect person. If your pure intention is to see God, you will. While I can’t see the Lord’s physical form, I can see evidence of His activity all around me.

Activity: Ask God to open your eyes to the many things in your life that speak to His presence. Look for and record evidence of God around you. Today, start a thankful journal listing the many things around you for which you are thankful. It’s amazing, the more we recognize even the smallest things as gifts from God, the more we start to realize how present He is in our lives.

Day 2:

Prayer: Jesus I want to hear you.

“He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears and I have not been rebellious. (Isaiah50: 4b-5).

Thought: While I’ve never heard God’s audible voice, I do feel Him speaking to me. The best way I’ve found to start hearing the Lord’s whispers in my heart is by getting into His word and letting His word get into me. The more Scripture I memorize the more clearly I hear Him. Ask God to waken you in the morning so you can read the Bible first thing… before checking voicemail, email, and facebook… check in with God’s lifegiving truths.

Activity: Commit this week to not open your computer or turn on your cell phone before you’ve spent a few minutes reading the Bible, praying, and asking God to help you hear Him.

Day 3:

Prayer: Jesus I want to know you.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17.

Thought: I love the words, “I keep asking.” Persistence and consistency are key in our walk with the Lord. Ask the Lord many times today to give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. Make knowing Him the focal point of every prayer today… more than anything else you are asking for right now.

Activity: Write this verse on a card and carry it with you. Make a point to pray this verse out loud at least once during every hour you are awake today. Remember when you pray the word of God, you pray the will of God. God wants you to know Him better. Think about the difference this made in your day as you fall asleep tonight.

Day 4:

Prayer: Jesus I want to follow hard after you.

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)

Thought: Is there something dividing your heart and distracting you from seeing, hearing and knowing God more? Pray a courageous prayer. Ask God what is one distraction you could distance yourself from today to more fully embrace an awareness of Him? Is it facebook? Eating unhealthy foods? Soda? Needing attention from another person? A material possession? Whatever it is, spend a day fasting from your distraction.

Activity: Each time you think of what you’ve given up, use that as a trigger to pray Psalm 86:11.

Day 5:

Prayer: Jesus I say yes before I even know what your request will be today.

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (Phillipians 2:4-5)

Thought: The more we know God, the more we want to say yes to Him. The more we say yes to Him the more we realize there are divine opportunities to participate in His activity all around us. As we participate in loving others like Jesus does, our attitude becomes more and more like Jesus.

Activity: Today let’s be other’s focused. Let’s ask God for opportunities to honor Him by looking to the interest of others. Let other people in line ahead of us. Let the conversations be about the other person. Make our focus giving rather than receiving.

Anyway