Sharing the Truth

The husband and I had a good conversation today.

I'm not sure how it started (don't you hate when that happens? When you're talking to someone and can't remember how you got on the current subject?), but it was things I've felt on my heart for quite some time. I know there's going to come a day when God is going to call me to have a very hard conversation...and I'm not sure how it's going to turn out. But, I know that no matter how it turns out, I will be following God's leading and seeking His guidance, and that is all that should matter. I just know it's going to be hard because of the relationships involved...but I take comfort in the fact that God tells us that, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).

We've been studying Matthew at church since the beginning of December...and we just finished Matthew 10 today (we're taking it nice and slow, and soaking in all of its goodness). And, the more we read through Matthew, the more challenged I am on the way I view life. God NEVER promises us that following Him will or should be easy...in fact, He guarantees it will be hard. And yet, by following Him, we are free from the burden of our sin, guilt, shame, and condemnation. To me, the good definitely outweighs the bad. I will face opposition, persecution, and possibly the hatred of many in my life? I'm learning to be ok with that...

I guess I've just been realizing lately how foolish it is for me to keep what Jesus has done for me a secret. I've never had a lot of 'secular' friends. I suppose being home-schooled will do that to you. I've pretty much always worked with Christians, in almost every single job I've ever had. I have unsaved members of my family...but that's about it. So, I think that's why it's hard for me to think of talking about the power of Jesus to other people...because I don't come across many unchurched people in my everyday life.

And yet, when I really take a step back and look, I actually do. The baristas at Starbucks (they seem to remember me, even though I typically only stop by there once a week), the clerks at Target, the waiters/waitresses at various restaurants...I come across unsaved people all the time. And, I rarely ever mention anything to do with my relationship with Christ. Why is that?

I'm starting to realize how silly it is for me to be afraid of talking about Jesus with people I don't know. What is the worst that could happen? I may never see or have another conversation with some of these people...so why does it frighten me so much? Shouldn't I WANT to share about the amazing things I've experienced in my life because of Christ?

Sorry that one thought kind of morphed into a couple of different ones. These are just some of the things that have been on my heart lately. I have a feeling God is going to start throwing some amazing opportunities my way in the future...and I'm going to have to choose how I'm going to react to them.

I really hope I pick following Him over being nervous or afraid of the outcome...

Highlights

My week has been pretty fun.

On Friday night, we had a huge laser tag event at my church. We took over the entire worship center and the hallways surrounding it, transforming them into forts and barriers and hiding spots. A local company that does mostly outdoor laser tag events came and brought all of the guns. And, they seriously had some crazy guns! They were all modeled after real guns...some of them weighing 15 lbs! It was so much fun!

(We were trying to look tough, but I was in between looks when the pic was taken. The headbands we're wearing are for the sensors for the guns. One sensor on the front and one on the back)

My sis and I made lunch for my mom for Mother's Day on Sunday. It was a casual celebration, but that's just the way we like it. My hubby and I then went over and spent some time with his mom and his family.

Last night, the ladies from my Tuesday night Bible study went out to dinner to celebrate one of the ladies' new adventures! She is heading off to Alaska to work at a national park, as well as plan a weekly worship service in the park! It's such an amazing opportunity and we are so excited for her!

(I love these women so much!)

And, now I'm looking forward to a BBQ cook off at our Bible study tonight! We are going to spend a lot of time fellowshiping (is that even a word?) and praying for our dear Alaska-bound friend!

I'm also looking forward to the release of this movie!



I so wish I would have been at the premiere at Disneyland last weekend...but at $1,000 a pop, it wasn't quite doable.

What have you been up to this week?

Recipe Exchange!

Casey over at From the Heart of Casey is hosting a recipe exchange today!

She is planning to do this a couple of times a month, so be sure to follow her blog to get all of the great recipes submitted!

I found this recipe online, but I changed some of the ingredients (I'd also like to add that I tied for first place in a cook off with this salad. We called it a "toss off"). It's super yummy and could be used for a main dish or side dish!

Tuna Pasta Salad with Avocado

Ingredients:
6 cups seashell pasta
3/4 cup of bottled fat free Italian dressing
3/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped (although I don't think I used quite this much. It depends on how much you like basil)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cans of water packed tuna, drained and flaked (I literally just drained the cans and used a fork to separate the tuna a bit. That's how I flake)
1 1/2 ripe avocados, diced
1 small can of black olives, chopped
(You can also add 2 1/4 cups of diced tomatoes, but I left them out for mine)

How to make it:
Cook pasta
In a small bowl, combine the Italian dressing, basil, and garlic
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, avocado, and olives
Add the dressing mix and toss evenly until coated

You can either serve it warm (which I don't prefer), or chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour

Super easy and very yummy!

Link up with Casey to share your recipe!

Insta-Friday Take Two

I'm linking up with Jeannett at life.rearranged again today for Insta-Friday.

All that's required is that you post pics of your week taken from your cell phone!
(And, if you have an iPhone or a smart phone with a cool app like Insta-gram, you can add a fun filter to your pics like I did!)

Here is my week in a nutshell:

I was reading in Luke this week for my Bible study. It's packed full of amazing truths. I love it!

This is my hubby's favorite down time activity. Black Ops. And yes, I have actually started playing with him sometimes...and I got 4 kills in one game! I was pretty proud of myself.

It's been so stinkin' hot lately that my weekly Starbucks run for a hot drink became a Chai Creme Frappucino. It was so refreshing!

So this one has a funny story. I was sitting in my living room and could hear a bird chirping, like I was outside and it was in a nearby tree...but I wasn't outside...and none of my windows were open. So, I walked over to the fireplace and realized the sound was coming from it. I started freaking out, thinking there was a bird trapped in my fireplace that was going to fly out into my house. So, I pushed the grate as close to the fireplace as I could and put things in front of it to keep it from moving (I figured that box of Bibles was definitely going to keep the bird out. God's Word is powerful, ya know). Fortunately, my husband discovered that the bird was just perched on the top of the chimney and not inside the fireplace. Whew!

I got my hair done this week. I needed it so bad. Almost six months without so much as a trim...and it hadn't been dyed since then either. So, I figured it was time...and I'm so happy I did! I love the feel of freshly colored, cut hair.

So, I won a giveaway on just.lovely.things's blog at the end of March. I have been e-mailing Nicole of Repent Industries for the past month and a half, finalizing the details of my custom made scarf. And, it finally arrived today!! I love it so much. I know this picture doesn't do it justice...and you can barely see the beautiful royal blue lining...but I wanted to take a pic of everything that came in the box with it. It was wrapped up so pretty! Even though it's a little too warm this week to wear it, I'm hoping I'll be able to wear it in the near future!

That was my week...how was yours?

Divine Interactions

I had a couple of amazing, divine interactions tonight.

I must say, I have some incredibly Godly brothers and sisters.

Two of my brothers in Christ spoke amazing truths into my life that I needed to hear. They brought me to tears...and the realization that I was believing a huge lie.

After that, a beautiful group of women surrounded me in prayer, lifting up my burdens to our Heavenly Father. It was so powerful, so heartfelt, and so humbling. These women spoke more truths into my life through their prayers. God used them in such amazing ways.

I heard God speak through the words others spoke to me tonight. It reminded me of how much He truly does love me...and how He truly does know everything that is going on with me...even the things I don't always see.

I was reaffirmed.

I was set free.

I feel so at peace.

The love my brothers and sisters show me is such a wonderful reflection of how my Savior loves me...and He loves me so much more than they ever could...He loves me the most (one of my dear friends always says, "I love you, but God loves you the most")!

I am amazed at the power of agape love (that amazing, selfless, I would give anything up for you kind of love that Jesus displayed perfectly).

I truly hope you will experience this at some point in your life, if you haven't already.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(1 John 4:9-12, NIV)