Though I strive to be really truthful and honest and open on this blog, there are some things I really feel like I can't share...
My family is going through a very tough situation right now. Something we've never had to walk through before. And it's been a rough couple of weeks.
And the only reason why I'm writing anything at all today is to ask for prayers. Because we need them.
So if you think about it this week, please say an extra prayer for my family. We would greatly appreciate it.
Love and hugs to all!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Words
Sometimes I have a hard time expressing my feelings.
I think it stems from being really shy and quiet when I was in jr. high and high school. I also didn't have a lot of friends in jr. high, so I think I just had a harder time really learning how to say what I wanted to say. At least, out loud.
I have no problem writing my thoughts out...which is part of the reason why I kept a journal for so many years...a habit I really do wish I still had.
I often find myself having a conversation with someone and I'm listening to every word they are saying. Their heart is hurting, they don't know what to do, and they just feel broken. Oftentimes, I nod and acknowledge what they're saying...but I don't always say a lot in return. It's not that I don't want to. It's not that I don't think I should say something. It's often because I don't know how to get the words in my heart out of my mouth.
I don't know why God gave me a better grasp on words when they're flowing out of my hands instead of my mouth, but I am thankful that I am able to express myself in this way. I truly feel refreshed and renewed when I'm able to get my thoughts out on paper or on screen (or even in text or email form).
My parents had these plaques made for my sister and I when we were quite young with our names, their "meanings", and a Scripture verse to go with them. Though the real meaning of my first name is very hard to define, this plaque said my name means "Bold One". The verse under it is found in Psalm 89:1:
I often used to look at that plaque hanging in my room and wonder if I really would be that bold someday. Would I be able to proclaim God's faithfulness to all generations?
My parents always believed I would be heavily involved in music someday. Someone prophesied over me as a young child that my calling in life would be in music.
I have definitely dabbled in different instruments over the years. I really wish now that I would have kept up with them more, because I really can't play any instrument very well. But one thing I've always loved doing is singing.
In the beginning of that verse, it says "I will sing". It's easy to skip over that part and think that the only way to be bold and proclaim God's faithfulness is to speak words. But, the verse says I will sing of God's love forever and with my mouth I will make His faithfulness known.
I may not always speak the words I want my heart to convey in certain situations, but one thing I can always do is sing. And while I never would have thought that being bold would be expressed through singing, I definitely believe it can be.
I know I will continue to wish that I had better words to speak in moments when I really want to speak something profound that will help someone...but maybe I've just spent too much time focusing on what I can't do instead of focusing on what I can do.
The church is supposed to function as a body would. Each person plays their part in making the body whole. Maybe I'm not the voice, but maybe I'm the throat or the tongue. And you can't very well have a voice without a throat or a tongue.
I may not be eloquent with my words, but I can still praise and glorify God with my mouth. And that in and of itself is a huge and wonderful blessing.
I think it stems from being really shy and quiet when I was in jr. high and high school. I also didn't have a lot of friends in jr. high, so I think I just had a harder time really learning how to say what I wanted to say. At least, out loud.
I have no problem writing my thoughts out...which is part of the reason why I kept a journal for so many years...a habit I really do wish I still had.
I often find myself having a conversation with someone and I'm listening to every word they are saying. Their heart is hurting, they don't know what to do, and they just feel broken. Oftentimes, I nod and acknowledge what they're saying...but I don't always say a lot in return. It's not that I don't want to. It's not that I don't think I should say something. It's often because I don't know how to get the words in my heart out of my mouth.
I don't know why God gave me a better grasp on words when they're flowing out of my hands instead of my mouth, but I am thankful that I am able to express myself in this way. I truly feel refreshed and renewed when I'm able to get my thoughts out on paper or on screen (or even in text or email form).
My parents had these plaques made for my sister and I when we were quite young with our names, their "meanings", and a Scripture verse to go with them. Though the real meaning of my first name is very hard to define, this plaque said my name means "Bold One". The verse under it is found in Psalm 89:1:
I will sing of the LORD's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
(NIV)
I often used to look at that plaque hanging in my room and wonder if I really would be that bold someday. Would I be able to proclaim God's faithfulness to all generations?
My parents always believed I would be heavily involved in music someday. Someone prophesied over me as a young child that my calling in life would be in music.
I have definitely dabbled in different instruments over the years. I really wish now that I would have kept up with them more, because I really can't play any instrument very well. But one thing I've always loved doing is singing.
In the beginning of that verse, it says "I will sing". It's easy to skip over that part and think that the only way to be bold and proclaim God's faithfulness is to speak words. But, the verse says I will sing of God's love forever and with my mouth I will make His faithfulness known.
I may not always speak the words I want my heart to convey in certain situations, but one thing I can always do is sing. And while I never would have thought that being bold would be expressed through singing, I definitely believe it can be.
I know I will continue to wish that I had better words to speak in moments when I really want to speak something profound that will help someone...but maybe I've just spent too much time focusing on what I can't do instead of focusing on what I can do.
The church is supposed to function as a body would. Each person plays their part in making the body whole. Maybe I'm not the voice, but maybe I'm the throat or the tongue. And you can't very well have a voice without a throat or a tongue.
I may not be eloquent with my words, but I can still praise and glorify God with my mouth. And that in and of itself is a huge and wonderful blessing.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
More Heavy
As I've mentioned before, many of the people I love are dealing with really heavy stuff right now.
And somehow, the heavy stuff keeps piling on.
I don't know if it's just a sign of getting older or what, but life definitely seems to throw more curveballs the longer I'm alive.
And today, after another emotional roller coaster, there are only a couple of things I can say:
...God is good. Bottom line. Today's outcome was a good one...but even if it wasn't, He is still good. And I am confident that I would still be able to say that in this moment, no matter what took place today.
...I am so thankful for my family and my friends. We pick each other up when we're down, and we are there. The encouraging texts, emails, visits and prayers that took place in multiple situations today just prove to me how much God loves us. He blesses us with these wonderful people here on earth to help us, to hold our hands, and to speak the words that we are sometimes unable to speak ourselves. I don't know what I would do without these amazing pillars in my life.
I don't know what life will bring tomorrow or next week or even next year. But today? God reminded me of some important truths...especially how important it is to trust Him. He's got it all. Our worrying doesn't solve anything. And tonight? I'm resting in that.
And somehow, the heavy stuff keeps piling on.
I don't know if it's just a sign of getting older or what, but life definitely seems to throw more curveballs the longer I'm alive.
And today, after another emotional roller coaster, there are only a couple of things I can say:
...God is good. Bottom line. Today's outcome was a good one...but even if it wasn't, He is still good. And I am confident that I would still be able to say that in this moment, no matter what took place today.
...I am so thankful for my family and my friends. We pick each other up when we're down, and we are there. The encouraging texts, emails, visits and prayers that took place in multiple situations today just prove to me how much God loves us. He blesses us with these wonderful people here on earth to help us, to hold our hands, and to speak the words that we are sometimes unable to speak ourselves. I don't know what I would do without these amazing pillars in my life.
I don't know what life will bring tomorrow or next week or even next year. But today? God reminded me of some important truths...especially how important it is to trust Him. He's got it all. Our worrying doesn't solve anything. And tonight? I'm resting in that.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Heavy
There has been a lot of stuff going on in the lives of those around me lately.
Heavy, heavy stuff...
I sat down last week and thought of each person and situation...and realized just how many people I love are going through really tough trials right now.
It's heartbreaking and overwhelming, but the one thing we have all been able to cling to through it all is that God is still in control, He makes all things work for the good of those who love Him, and He has not left us or forsaken us.
All I can do in the moments when I feel so overwhelmed and sad is pray.
It seems simple, but it truly is the only thing I can offer that I know does make a difference.
When I was younger, our Kid's Church program took over a Sunday morning service. We sang our worship songs, played some of our games, and went through one of our teachings. The teaching was on prayer and the main message we left for the congregation was that Prayer Changes Things. Many people in the church remembered that simple phrase, and it was used a lot in the years to come. It's easy to remember, but it's also very true.
It's hard sometimes, because when we don't get what we want, we often feel like our prayers don't make a difference or that they aren't "working". But that is so far from the truth. Even though God knows about each and every situation in the lives of those around us, He still commands us in His Word to pray for one another.
Healing does not always come on this side of eternity, nor are all of our problems automatically solved with a few simple words offered up in prayer. But our first response in all situations, good and bad, should be to talk them over with God. Whether it be a situation we want to change or a situation that we are thankful for, it's important that we take the time to talk to God about it.
In the midst of all these trials surrounding me, a couple of songs have really ministered to my heart. I've shared them with a few friends because the words are just so powerful and true. One is Promises by Sanctus Real (I attached the video below) and the other is You Are by Colton Dixon. If you have not heard either one, or haven't really listened to the words, I would encourage you to do so. They are both beautiful and often bring tears to my eyes.
This time in my life has been a hard one. It hurts me to see and experience the things going on with the people I love. But I also know that God still has a plan, and I either have to trust Him...or not trust Him at all. I can't just trust Him when life is going good. It's always or never. Even though I don't understand everything, I am thankful that He does...and that He will turn all of these situations into good...somehow, some way.
Note: If you are looking for a new platform to follow my blog on, feel free to use bloglovin (you can find me here) or Facebook (you can find me here).
Heavy, heavy stuff...
I sat down last week and thought of each person and situation...and realized just how many people I love are going through really tough trials right now.
It's heartbreaking and overwhelming, but the one thing we have all been able to cling to through it all is that God is still in control, He makes all things work for the good of those who love Him, and He has not left us or forsaken us.
All I can do in the moments when I feel so overwhelmed and sad is pray.
It seems simple, but it truly is the only thing I can offer that I know does make a difference.
When I was younger, our Kid's Church program took over a Sunday morning service. We sang our worship songs, played some of our games, and went through one of our teachings. The teaching was on prayer and the main message we left for the congregation was that Prayer Changes Things. Many people in the church remembered that simple phrase, and it was used a lot in the years to come. It's easy to remember, but it's also very true.
It's hard sometimes, because when we don't get what we want, we often feel like our prayers don't make a difference or that they aren't "working". But that is so far from the truth. Even though God knows about each and every situation in the lives of those around us, He still commands us in His Word to pray for one another.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
(James 5:13-16, NIV)
Healing does not always come on this side of eternity, nor are all of our problems automatically solved with a few simple words offered up in prayer. But our first response in all situations, good and bad, should be to talk them over with God. Whether it be a situation we want to change or a situation that we are thankful for, it's important that we take the time to talk to God about it.
In the midst of all these trials surrounding me, a couple of songs have really ministered to my heart. I've shared them with a few friends because the words are just so powerful and true. One is Promises by Sanctus Real (I attached the video below) and the other is You Are by Colton Dixon. If you have not heard either one, or haven't really listened to the words, I would encourage you to do so. They are both beautiful and often bring tears to my eyes.
This time in my life has been a hard one. It hurts me to see and experience the things going on with the people I love. But I also know that God still has a plan, and I either have to trust Him...or not trust Him at all. I can't just trust Him when life is going good. It's always or never. Even though I don't understand everything, I am thankful that He does...and that He will turn all of these situations into good...somehow, some way.
Note: If you are looking for a new platform to follow my blog on, feel free to use bloglovin (you can find me here) or Facebook (you can find me here).
Friday, April 5, 2013
Recap and other Random Thoughts
So, once again, I'm not the best at blogging these days.
Since this is such a great way to preserve memories (and I do love the look back on old blog posts I wrote), I am determined to keep it up...even if it means only posting once every couple weeks(!).
After we had our fun weekend away with family, we were able to get back into the swing of things a little bit. I went to a Mary Kay party a friend was hosting, went out dancing again with some of my friends, spent some time with some amazing people, celebrated a friend's birthday, hosted a BUNCO night at my house (we are starting up a monthly group again!), had an early Easter celebration with Josh's family, helped my bosses and their girls move (I work out of their home, so moving meant the office moved, too), attended the Good Friday service at church, celebrated Easter with my sister-in-law's family, and celebrated Easter with my family! It was a busy month, but it felt good to be normal busy again.
I'm still doing pretty good on the healthy eating thing. I've only had soda a few times a week instead of having one every day...but I'm also trying to not drink a lot of it when I do drink it. I drink green tea whenever I need a caffeine boost. Some weeks are better than others, just depending on what we have going on. Obviously, holidays make it hard to eat healthy. But, I just made sure to put a lot of vegetables on my plate and tried not to eat too much of the potato dishes, meats, and breads. I don't have a scale at home (on purpose) so I'm not sure if I'm losing any weight or not, but I do feel better about myself, knowing that I'm at least trying to be healthier. I still crave sugar quite a bit, but I'm trying to fill those cravings with fruit instead of foods that have added sugar. Jami (of From the Natos) has really inspired me a lot with the post she wrote about being over sugar. You can check it out here. I would love for the pyramid she posted a picture of to be my ultimate goal, but as of right now, I am very far from that. I would love to get most of my calories from fruits and vegetables, but I'm just feeling good eating what I have been right now and trying to stay under my calorie goal. I've been under my calorie goal a few days each week this past month and that is always exciting!
I'm looking forward to some very exciting things happening in the next couple of months. I can't wait to share about them!
Since this is such a great way to preserve memories (and I do love the look back on old blog posts I wrote), I am determined to keep it up...even if it means only posting once every couple weeks(!).
After we had our fun weekend away with family, we were able to get back into the swing of things a little bit. I went to a Mary Kay party a friend was hosting, went out dancing again with some of my friends, spent some time with some amazing people, celebrated a friend's birthday, hosted a BUNCO night at my house (we are starting up a monthly group again!), had an early Easter celebration with Josh's family, helped my bosses and their girls move (I work out of their home, so moving meant the office moved, too), attended the Good Friday service at church, celebrated Easter with my sister-in-law's family, and celebrated Easter with my family! It was a busy month, but it felt good to be normal busy again.
(Early Easter celebration with Josh's parents. They were traveling for work on Easter, so we celebrated a couple of weeks ahead of time. My niece had a lot of fun finding the eggs...but more fun shaking them since there were jelly beans inside)
(Remember this little man? I got to be in the room when he was born. I love snuggling him whenever I get a chance to)
(Celebrating my sweet friend's birthday! We surprised her...she had no idea we were going out with a bunch of our friends! She and I have been friends for 10 years now!)
(The hubby and our niece before we left to go to the Good Friday service. They are BFFs. Forever and always)
(We decorated eggs with my sister-in-law's family the Saturday before Easter. I can't even tell you the last time I did that. It was a lot of fun! And, if you can't read what the eggs say, the first one is 2nd Easter and the second one says Payton)
I'm still doing pretty good on the healthy eating thing. I've only had soda a few times a week instead of having one every day...but I'm also trying to not drink a lot of it when I do drink it. I drink green tea whenever I need a caffeine boost. Some weeks are better than others, just depending on what we have going on. Obviously, holidays make it hard to eat healthy. But, I just made sure to put a lot of vegetables on my plate and tried not to eat too much of the potato dishes, meats, and breads. I don't have a scale at home (on purpose) so I'm not sure if I'm losing any weight or not, but I do feel better about myself, knowing that I'm at least trying to be healthier. I still crave sugar quite a bit, but I'm trying to fill those cravings with fruit instead of foods that have added sugar. Jami (of From the Natos) has really inspired me a lot with the post she wrote about being over sugar. You can check it out here. I would love for the pyramid she posted a picture of to be my ultimate goal, but as of right now, I am very far from that. I would love to get most of my calories from fruits and vegetables, but I'm just feeling good eating what I have been right now and trying to stay under my calorie goal. I've been under my calorie goal a few days each week this past month and that is always exciting!
I'm looking forward to some very exciting things happening in the next couple of months. I can't wait to share about them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)