no longer "me"

I'm no longer an I or a me but now it's always an us or a we!

 

It all happened so wonderfully, so quickly.

July 2011 we met

August/September 2011 we started dating

June 2012 we were engaged

October 2012 we were married

And now I no longer refer to myself as a singular individual.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

 

 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17 

a scent that soothes my soul

I have a favorite body lotion that was "discontinued" and then brought it back for a limited time.

Well, after having been out of this for quite some time I had to stock up. For the last few days every time I put it on my hands I breathed in and felt comfort. I know I know, sounds a bit strange... but thats what happens.

A few nights ago, I put the lotion on my hands and then sat down with my hubby to read the Word. That's when it hit me. There was a point in my life when every night I would use that lotion on my dry hands and sit down to let God's word fill my dry soul. And now... that scent alone is a comfort. it uplifts. it gives me joy.

It makes me wonder about the things that please God and bring Him joy...
  - our worship
  - obedience
  - trust
  - prayer
  - when we study His words
  - reaching the lost, the poor and widows...

But I know a life of perfection is impossible, only Christ lived that life. I also know that I cannot complete a certain number of "works" to please God. So I have faith (Hebrews 11:6) and be grateful that Jesus lived that perfect life and died for my sins (for the sins of everyone) so that I [we] could come before God as righteous.
 

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

rivers of water

I feel like I've been on a sabbatical from writing.... is that the right word? maybe, maybe not. I guess it wasn't completely intentional. I've just been busy living life! Also, if I don't know what to write about... I just don't write! (suggestions for topics are welcome!).

 

December was busy. Birthdays (grandmother, 2 nieces, mine.....), Christmas festivities, shopping, enjoying family in from out of town, and many other things. Did I mention I caught that nasty virus that is going around two weeks ago? I'm still recovering, but definitely a lot better than I was!

 

The holidays are done. And I'm ok with that. After getting married in October, moving in with my hubby, going on a honeymoon, getting used to life together, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years..... I'm looking forward to "normal" everyday life. establishing routines. digging into the Word. and learning and growing with my husband.

 

But I also know life isn't necessarily going to slow down at all.... So we pray for God's guidance in ALL we do. The paths we walk, decisions we make, and the work we invest ourselves into. May we be like trees planted by rivers of water...

 

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1

 

only God can move mountains

If I want to see what God has done in my life, often I'll just have to read blog posts from years past.

It's good to read through the archives.

On May 4th, 2011, I wrote of struggles & wonders, and asking God to move in my life. I want to share it with you... and show how only God can move mountains.

when I tell mountains to move

God is always working. Often I know it's happening in my life, but I don't see it. So I'm thankful for a friend who will write to me and tell me what she see's God doing in my life, so thankful. I don't want to miss what He's saying.

Many days lately have ended with the following heart cry "Lord, what can I do, what should I do? I really don't know what to do here." The things I question and wonder about turn into worries, I search for a place to make a change and come up empty.

But it's not until I quiet my soul and my worries that I hear "I know... you're right, you can't do anything here. But I can, and I will, and I will get the glory. Not in your ways, but Mine and not in your timing either. I know when you'll be ready."

 

So I keep hoping, praying, and eagerly waiting for Him to move.
"Just keep looking to Me"

 

So I seek contentment, but a godly discontentment lies deep within to keep me from becoming complacent. A godly discontentment to push me deeper into Him.

 

Lord, you know what I'm trying to do, take over, guide me and move mountains.

 

 

2 short months after posting this... God had already started to work mightily in my life. Dreams were growing, my heart was changing. I didn't know it at the time, but God was softening my heart and preparing it for what was to come.

 

2 short months after posting this... I met my now husband. In the past year my dreams have grown, changed, and deepened. My trust in God has strengthened. God has moved mountains, He has brought incredible things into my life.

 

Sometimes it just takes a few minutes of looking back at where we were to see where we are now. I can't do anything but praise the One who has promised to finish the work He has begun.

 

"He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"

Philippians 1:6

 

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:1-3

 

I never thought I'd love this so much

as a newlywed... and a new wife... I often laugh when I find myself doing something I never really thought about as something I would ENJOY.

Like when I do our laundry, wash his clothes, wash the sheets and towels...

Like when I vacuum or clean the kitchen...

Oh, but I always knew I'd love the cooking & baking...

But there's more - a desire to be a biblical wife (and mother someday)... so there's reading about and studying things like submission, what a Christian home looks like, and praying for God's strength to raise children in this world someday. I was blessed to come to know Christ before college ended. In those 2 years, in that small town, in that wonderful church, I learned about God & Christian homes and I saw it modeled by Christian husbands & wives in the church... by biblical women.

I am ever-grateful for those friends who became family, the 2 years there and the 5+ that have followed, as now I watch them from afar and continue to learn...

One thing I am certain of - I cannot do any of this without God, His grace or help.

My hope and prayer is to someday be like the older woman discussed in Titus:

"older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. " Titus 2:3-5

meekness & thankfulness

"God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart."

Izaak Walton 

I read somewhere once that meekness was not being weak, but that meekness was "living like you're not the center of the universe... others are." And that it was "living to advance others, not yourself".

Galatians 6:2 calls us to: "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Philipians 2:3 says, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

Even Romans 12:10 exclaims, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another"

This is a week that people all around the US pause to be thankful.

Are we also putting others first? Do we have a meek and thankful heart? 

I want to have a thankful heart always, not just this week... So lets take some time now, but not only this week, to be thankful for all we have and to serve others...

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Psalm 63:3-4

being poor in spirit

I've had this little notebook for many years.

It contains prayers, thoughts, dreams, scripture, questions, and so much more. It's worn around the edges. It's been loved, used, set aside and forgotten. It's even traveled. 

I opened it Friday for the first time in a year. Last entry is dated 11/1/11. A lot happens in one year.

I've decided to share what I had written August of 2011. I had been reading "Heirs of the King", by Warren Wiersbe. It's a study of the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:3

"The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in the believer's life." 

The Poor in Spirit: "Being poor in spirit means knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and being yourself to the glory of God."

• Knowing yourself: your strengths, weaknesses, hidden desires, ambitions, spiritual gifts & natural abilities, and being honest with yourself.
• Accept yourself: don't deny what you discover. You will find it easier to accept others and accept God's plan for your life.
• Being yourself to the glory of God. This means growing in every area of your life. Use strengths to overcome weaknesses and weaknesses to discover the mighty power of God. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

"Every place of God's choosing is an imporant place." 

Evidence of being Poor in Spirit?

• accepting of others
• accepting of circumstances
• accepting God's will for your life, joyfully
• having the right attitude toward things (Phil. 4:12).

"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

I want to discover my strengths, weaknesses, and all that God has made me to be. I want to use this knowledge to grow, change, and be myself to the glory of God.