Show me how to love like you have loved me

Heal my heart and make it clean Open up my eyes to the things unseen Show me how to love like you have loved me Break my heart for what breaks yours Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause As I walk from earth into eternity I love this song by Hillsong/Selah I have just been meditating on this bridge of the song for the last few days.  August and September to me always signal a new beginning.  School starts, Bible studies begin again, programs and the business of life just start to pick up.  I know this year may be the busiest yet.  I am already beginning to say "yes" to a lot of things.  And yet I'm asking myself, "how do I do instead what God wants me to do?" Heal my heart and make it clean I have had a few past grudges or hurts that I have finally let go of and I've chosen to try and love people whether they love me back.  It's not easy or fun but I have found that praying for the people that hurt you helps.  It's hard to be mad at someone who you are praying for daily.  Holding on to hurts and conflict will keep you from what God truly has for you to do.  Open up my eyes to the things unseen Some of my amazing friends have begun to find opportunities right here in our community that make me aware of needs that are right in my back yard.  Meeting these needs and ministering to others suddenly seems a lot more important than girl night dinners or Advocare meetings.  I hope to say yes to a few less things so I can have more time to be able to jump in and help when needs arise around me. Show me how to love like you have loved me I want to love my family better.  I want to love my friends better.  But I also want to love people who can't do anything for me in return.  I hope God gives me divine appointments this year to hear the Holy spirit prompt me to just show love when someone needs it most.  Break my heart for what breaks yours I worry that we as a society have become more and more comfortable with what is okay in the world and less concerned with what God instructed.  I'm pointing the finger at myself.  I think there are things in my life that I feel like are okay because "everyone does it" even though I know when I read the Bible that's it's not.  I think I have sin patterns that probably break God's heart.  I pray that I try to please Him this year and not man.  Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause  As I walk from earth into eternity I may live 40 more days or 40 more years.  We never know when God will call us home so I pray that I make every day count.  I just want to live with the sole purpose of making God known and giving Him glory.  I lose sight of that in my daily life when just the business of everyday things take over but I pray that each day I seek Him first.  What changes do you need to make this "new year" to know God better or to love Him more? Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

intentions

Our lives aren’t a reflection of our intentions, they are a collection of our choices

words

Our words carry power.

There are days that I live in this and get this right. I breathe life into my kids. I build up my husband. I am life-giving to my friends.

Then there are times that I take this truth for granted. I run down my kids. I forget how fragile their hearts are. I throw darts at Jody with my words. I spread evil with the words I say to my friends.

Our words matter. Our words have weight. Our words create or our words tear down.
I see it in the face of my kids. I see it as I talk to my husband. I feel it as I am on the receiving end of potent words. I usually notice this truth after it is too late.

Why are we so careless with our words?

We often forget their power…we take for granted their influence…we overlook their potential.

We encounter so many words and we say so many words we don’t realize how critical they can be in the lives and hearts of those we love most.

Words carry life:
I love you
I’m proud of you
I believe in you
I choose you
I forgive you
I’m sorry
You are special
You look beautiful
Thank you
I see potential in you
I appreciate you
You have what it takes

Maybe it is a friend; maybe it’s your spouse; maybe it’s your kids; maybe a parent or a sibling…

Who needs you to breath life into their soul today with your words?

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

It won’t take much time, and it won’t cost you any money. But the moment you’ll create will be priceless.

Will you breath life into those you love the most?

More of YOU and Less of me

I love this song. I truly believe I now grasp the words of this song, More of You and Less of me."

 I have not always understood but I do now.
I have come to believe that being a wife and mother is one of the most humbling jobs on the planet.
Its not just because I clean toilets and floors, or because I have scrubbed puke, snot, pee, and poop off of beds, floors, couches, walls, ceilings, car floors/seats, and anything else you can imagine. I have also been covered in all of those things.
Yes, I am in charge of the household nastiness & I am to somehow make it all look pretty:)

Its mainly because I have realized in this job that I am not very patient, nice, loving, or selfless. This is a painful reality but not one I will accept. I need more of Jesus and less of Amy every single day!

My attitude is not always pleasant, I thank God that he didnt give us the abililty to read minds.
Shamefully, my family of 4 has seen the worst in me.
However, I know that Gods strength is made perfect in my weakness! I cling to that and depend on that with all my breath in my lowest points.
My prayer today and every day forever is that I will not be who I am today, tomorrow. I  am a work in progress...no more no less.
In order for me to find pure joy in an every day,  I need to cling to Jesus. I need His patience and love.
When I look to Him for strength, I am truly able to LOVE LOVE what I do and LOVE my family in a way that brings honor to God and puts a smile on their face. No complaining, no short tempers...life is beautiful.

What really fixes us?

We can never expect an external thing to fix internal problems.  

So often when people are having marriage problems, they have this belief that if we just had this or if we just accomplished that or if we just got this or just moved there, then the problems in our relationship will go away or be solved. Our marriage will be better when:

I get that promotion, We get out of debt, We move to a bigger house, I finish my degree, We make more money, We move closer to “home”, We have a baby, etc...

Houses are great. Promotions are awesome. Degrees are outstanding. Babies are amazing.  But the above solutions won't fix it.  They will not fix the distance you feel. They won't restore trust when trust has been broken. They won’t help you be more honest with each other. They won’t bring you closer spiritually. They won’t help you forgive. They won’t cause him to pursue you more. 

We can’t count on something external, whatever that something is, to fix an internal problem.

There are two things that will fix what is wrong with your marriage: Pursuing God & Pursuing your spouse

When you do those two things, you allow what is broken in your heart, in your relationship, in your soul to begin to find healing. You begin to move closer to God and closer to your spouse and in that process you begin to address the issues that you have rather than counting on a new house or a job promotion to cover those issues up.

Ryman Project

Below is a video of a family and their journey with newborn baby.   My prayer is it will encourage you to never give-up when dreams are shattered. 

Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

My Lighthouse

MY LIGHTHOUSE

In my wrestling and in my doubts,
In my failures You won’t walk out.
Your great love will lead me through.
You are my peace in the troubled sea.
You are my peace in the troubled sea.

In the silence, You won’t let go,
In my questions, Your truth will hold .
Your great love will lead me through.
You are my peace in the troubled sea.
You are my peace in the troubled sea.

My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse!
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You.
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse!
I will trust the promise, You will carry me safe to shore. 
Safe to shore.
Safe to shore.
Safe to shore.

I won’t fear what tomorrow brings.
With each morning I’ll rise and sing.
My God’s love will lead me through.
You are the peace in my troubled sea.
You are the peace in my troubled sea.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from my family to yours!!!

I have a list of resolutions that I seem to start every year off with.  They are the exact same every year........ Lose 30 pounds (maybe this will be my year), get more organized (I feel like that's hopeless), and read the Bible through this year.  However, this year is different.  I'm starting off this year differently without this list and I am going to focus on one thing.

Be Intentional

I want to be intentional.  I want to use every chance to share my faith and story.  I want to love my family deeply.  I want to go out of my way to make people feel loved , important and included.  I want to pray with and for total strangers.  I want to live my life to the fullest and leave a mark on others life.

So here is my "list":

I'm going to try harder with my family to make them feel important and loved.

I'm going to call, text and write my friends more often to let them know how much they mean to me. 

I'm going to go out of my way to do things for people.

I'm going to go out of my way to invite people to things and to make people feel welcome. 

I'm going to share Jesus and my story every chance I get.

I'm not just going to read my Bible - I'm going to study it, savor it, memorize it. 

and 

I'm hoping I can be intentional with all that I do.  

Praying 2014 is the best year yet for you!

- Amy