Tonight...

Jake wasn't home tonight and I was hanging out with my friend. There are four kids total when we're together so they were playing and all of the sudden there was tornado warnings and things got really scary. There was a ton of wind, crazy rain and the lights were flickering, the news was advising people to get into their basements. Once we got the kiddos downstairs we all prayed for His protection. After praying the advisories were lifted. The conditions were right for a tornado until midnight but that was lifted as well allowing her to go home and us to get our guys into bed. I am so thankful for a GOOD GOD who loves us enough. It was only through Him that I managed to stay calm enough to reassure the kiddos! God is good...always!

Spiritual Journal

I find that I really need to keep one of these. God is so good to me but I often forget the many ways that He's blessed me. When I write down what I'm learning about me and Him and how He's blessed me...I can look back later when I have a hard time remembering!

One thing that's happened lately is Jake's trip to Africa. Neither one of us had ever really had a heart for missions work but God has changed that. Our church planned a trip to Africa and at the LAST minute Jake thought he might like to go. Well honestly it was too late to get the ball rolling but we thought if it was meant for him to go that God would work it out. And of course He did! Jake leaves March 3 for 15 days and we're so excited!  He's going to the Rift Valley to be with the Maasai tribe. I know that this will be a life changing experience for Jake and I can't wait to hear all of His stories. We've been spending the past few weeks getting ready- physically and spiritually.

I have happened upon a couple of bible versus that really speak to me concerning missions. Whether it's local or global there's a need for it all!

Ezekiel 3:18

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked form his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die for his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Someone from our church who is a full time missionary in Africa shared this verse with me and it's just such a powerful truth!

Jeremiah 31:10

Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off

You know everyone thinks that we're crazy for being so excited about this trip but it's truly exciting to be in God's will.

It's been a while...

It's been a while since I've written here! Life has kept us so busy! As I look back since my last post God has blessed us in so many ways! We have a new beautiful baby boy and an amazing family!

God has also blessed my photography business. It's really been growing this year by leaps and bounds and I just think it's so cool that I actually am getting paid to do something that I love!

First fruits

I have read and heard so much about first fruits. In the old testament God wanted first fruits. In the new testament He wants first fruits. I have always thought of tithes but it dawned on me last night (thank you God) that He wants all of my first fruits. Including the beginning of my day. I love to sleep in (8 am) haha! But truly I should be getting up at 6 am to offer prayers and have quiet time in which I seek the Lord.

Psalm 5:3
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;in the morning I will direct it to You and I will look up.

Exodus 22:29
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Deuteronomy 26:2
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth,

Nehemiah 10:35
And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:

Nehemiah 10:37
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

It's all about ME

Well now this just sounds like a really selfish post I know. Not a post of a woman after God's own heart. I am slowly learning some things. You know it's like sometimes we are SO thick headed I'm sure that God just wants to hit me upside the head with a baseball bat and say "are you just stupid". Thank God He is more patient than that. Thank God He is more patient that I am!

We can't choose our circumstances but we can choose how we react to them. I often times wish I could just make people do what *I* think they should do but that just won't happen. If so our preachers would make sure everyone was saved. Our children would be well behaved angels at all times. As nice as that would be God gave us the ability to make choices so that goes completely against His will.

So a lesson that I am SLOWLY learning is that it's more about me than everyone else. Sounds selfish yes but I cannot change other people, maybe the trials that we have are to teach us something. I am sure that as I make my way through life that in each trial there is a lesson that God wants ME to learn. So my family can be unsaved, my husband could be a jerk, my best friend could betray me, I could lose someone very dear to me. In all of these things God works patience, submission and TOTAL trust in Him regardless of our circumstances.

So while it's REALLY all about God...I am learning to turn my eyes to my Lord and savior and trust Him completely although I do admit at times I fail. So instead of asking why? why aren't they acting in the way they should? I'm asking God to help me see the lesson that he's teaching me.

Romans 5:3

3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

James 1:3

3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

A Sad lesson....

no matter how much you love someone...or someone loves you...the ONLY one who will not ever disappoint you is God. While I love life and I love living I do look forward to the day that I get to meet my savior. That will be the day that I truly live...that will be the day that I will finally be in a heavenly world of glorious joy. There will never be anything that will bring me pain, sadness, grief or strife again!

Today's lesson

I have really been struggling with some things lately in my life that are out of my control. A sister in Christ emailed me this morning and reminded me of some very important things to remember.

- Our peace has nothing to do with our circumstances, and...everything to do with knowing we have a right relationship with God.

- Our peace has nothing to do with daily challenges or crises, and...everything to do with knowing that our times are in God's hands.

- Our peace has nothing to with the conditions of our life, and...everything to do with knowing that God is all-sufficient.

- Our peace is an inward repose and serenity of soul that indicates a heart at rest - regardless of circumstances - as we place our complete confidence in God minute by minute.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts you.