A 30 Day Plan

Hi, friends!

I know it's been a while since I hit up the 'ol blog...and I literally have no excuse besides laziness.  But, alas, I am back and pretty excited to share something with you.

Today marks the beginning of a new plan.  An attempt, I guess you could say, for change.  An attempt at TRULY trusting God, and trusting in His ability to "move mountains."An attempt to accept His love, accept that I am worth something to Him.--and to give that love to others.

Here is the kicker:  I can't tell you what it is until 30 days are over.  I know, I am such a tease.  I am sharing in hopes that anyone who reads this will be in prayer over me and this plan God has laid on my heart.  This heart/attitude/life change for me will not always be easy, so any prayer would be appreciated.

I am so hopeful and confident that at the end of this month, I will have an awesome story for you about God's goodness and faithfulness that will give some of you hope!

{PS--For those of you who are familiar with my life right now, this has nothing to do with a b-a-b-y :)  Although, that would be nice, too!}

Be blessed!
Jenn

Half Marathon Recap

This past Sunday, I ran my second half marathon with my amazing sister, Mere. We ran in the Gulf Coast Half Marathon on Pensacola Beach.

After running my first half about a year ago with my hubby, I really didn't know if I would do it again. I didn't exactly love running. I didn't decide to do another half until I went to cheer on my sister-in-law, Christy, at her half in January. I was up for the challenge again.

Training this time around was pretty good. And for the first time, I was starting to enjoy running. This was a new feeling for me. I would usually dread going out for a run. I finally found a comfortable pace, and decided that it wasn't about how fast I was running, but how I felt during the run.

We arrived at Pensacola Beach around 6ish on race day. The sun was rising, there was an incredible breeze, and it really couldn't have been a more beautiful day for a run. Mere and I lined up towards the back of the running line-up so we wouldn't be a roadblock for the fast runners :)

The first half of the race was pretty awesome. It was nice and cool, and our energy level seemed to stay up. We stayed good and hydrated. I felt great! About mile 10, it started getting really hot and my knees started aching, but I still felt really good. I was ecstatic when I saw the 12 mile marker...

As I neared the finish line, I saw my amazing family cheering me on. That makes all the difference in the world.

I finished with a time of 3:03. Yes...I am aware that is slow. But I don't care. I honestly felt awesome the entire race and finished with a smile on my face!

God answered so many of my prayers-- I had no dehydration issues, no side or stomach cramps, and had a lot of energy the whole race.

It is nice to know that I don't have the pressure to train anymore, and that I can just go out for a run when I feel like it. It will be a while before I do another half--but I definitely plan to keep running :)

Be blessed!

Jenn

Let it Go...

"Sometimes, you just have to let things go."

Ever heard that quote? I usually hear this when I least want to hear it, if you know what I mean. There is a lot of truth to it, but it is not always the easiet thing for me to do.

The older I get, the more I see that I cannot control everything. Some things are completely out of my control. And through that lack of control--I have to learn to "roll with the punches."

Lately, I have had some situations in my life where I so desperately want things to change--and no matter what I do or say--things stay the same. Sometimes I think I even make them worse. I get frustrated. I want to just throw my hands in the air and scream, "What's the point??". I find myself racking my brain for solutions--when the only conclusion that makes sense is to: Just give it God, Jenn--give it to God.

Sometimes you just have to give up the reigns, and trust God to change a situation. I totally believe in being proactive for positive change with some serious prayer tied in, but sometimes you get to a point where you have to entrust it fully to God. A place where you will believe for some serious change that could only be the work of God's hands. Then God gets the glory when He answers. And I get to add yet another time to my testimony where God was faithful.

He has much more power than I do. There is something incredibly peaceful about knowing that I am placing my problems and burdens into the same hands that created this universe.

So after I give it to God--then comes the really hard part. The waiting...

Sometimes I don't feel like I can make it--my heart hurts, my frustrations get me down, satan tries to make me feel like the most insignificant person on the planet--and it's definitely in the waiting period where satan does his best to ruin you.

I was encouraged by Psalm 55:22 which says this:

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."

Not only can I give Him all of my burdens, but He will sustain me!! He won't let me lose all hope. Man, if that isn't encouraging, I don't know what is!

God is definitely being faithful to sustain me in this waiting period--He is good no matter what :)

Be blessed!!

Jenn

Just an Update :)

It has been over two months since my last post...just call me a blog slacker! I can't say that I have been too busy to write--or even that I haven't had any thoughts to share. The truth is I have almost had too much to say, and the thought of sitting down and typing it all out was just too overwhelming :)

I figured it was time to at least give an update--in list format--because that's how I roll :)

• David and I are all settled in after our move to Navarre, FL in December. We are loving the area. David loves his job. I love being a stay at home wife for the time being. It has been so refreshing to be back around friends and family. I still have to stop and give some major thanks to God who worked everything out so intricately for us to be back near the people we love--it was only by God that this could have come together like it did.

• We had a recent addition to our family--our sweet (and crazy) boxer pup, Delilah. She has definitely been some added humor to our lives, and when she isn't running around like we all know puppies like to do, she is the sweetest, snuggliest thing. We love her. She has definitely been a lot of work--I feel like I am getting practice in for being a parent :)

• David and I have been training for different goals--for me it's a half marathon and for him a half Iron Man triathlon. My race is actually this Sunday at Pensacola Beach--and I am excited. I am doubly excited because my sister, Meredith, is coming to race with me. Somehow several months ago I convinced her to run it with me. It will be her first half! I know she is going to do just fine :) Definitely a cool sister bonding activity. David has been working his butt off with his training--from running half marathons like it's nothing to doing 56 mile bike rides...I am amazed by him. Seriously. His triathlon is in May :)

• God has blessed us in some amazing ways. I can't say things are perfect in our lives--we have definitely had our share of trials the last few months, but in the end, there is joy because we know that we serve a God who has our best interest at heart and loves us unconditionally!

I think that is about it...for now at least. Stay tuned for more posts to come (hopefully).

Be blessed!!

Jenn

God Defines Me...

Hi, friends! I'm going to be honest--I have been struggling with a lot of things internally lately. I am trying to face some battles that I have been overlooking for a long time. I don't even know that I am ready to share my insecurities--but God has laid it on my heart to write it all out. Praying that someone else will gain some encouragement from it. I will start by saying this--I feel like I am failing sometimes. Okay--more like all the time. I look at other people in my life, and it seems like they have got it all together. It seems like they have "perfect marriages" and tons of people who love them. It seems like they are so "good" when I am so "bad." I look at my husband who I'm sure deserves a better wife. I look at my friends who deserve more encouragement and prayer from me. I look at my God who deserves for me to be focused whole heartedly on Him. The list could go on and on...I just feel like I am nothing sometimes. At least that is what Satan wants me to believe. And I must confess, that even though I may put on a happy, confident face, I sometimes end up believing the lies that Satan is throwing my way. God has REALLY been working on my heart lately--in a big way that has required me to realize that I am full of imperfections, but that I am LOVED by Him. I have been reading a book lately called Sacred Influence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of their Husbands by Gary Thomas (which I would highly recommend for any wife...) and there is one quote that I have been reflecting on for a couple of weeks now. Thomas says "God, not your marital status or the condition of your marriage, defines your life." Now, I took this quote to another level in my head by saying God, not other people, not my husband, not my family, not my mom and dad, not my friends etc. etc., define my life. God defines my life. It is one of those things that I have always "known"--but I am just now really starting to live by it. For so long I have compared myself to other people, in a way that has always made me feel less and never good enough. But the truth is--the only person that should matter is God. By focusing on that, I have felt more love than ever before. The Lord has formed me and knows every intricate part of me--and the 'ole saying "God doesn't make junk" (although humorous) rings true. By focusing on God's love for me, and worrying less about how I compare to other people, my relationship with Him is becoming deeper and more authentic. He is who is shaping me into the person He wants me to become. I'm ready to just throw everything out and say "It's just you and me, God. Make me who you want me to be." I'm so thankful for a God who loves us no matter what. Sorry this is like a book--but I hope that someone will be encouraged by it Be blessed! Jenn

Missed Opportunities...

In reflecting on the last year (or really my whole life, for that matter), I couldn't help but think about all the times I should have acted...but didn't. When I felt that deep conviction to say something, but didn't. When my heart started racing, and my palms sweating--and I just sat frozen. Unwilling to give up a bit of "comfort" to love on someone, whether it was a stranger or my closest friend. What if God gave me an opportunity to completely change someone's day--or life, for that matter--and I selfishly shrugged it off? OUCH. I can honestly say that all the times in my life that I decided to reach out to someone or say something the Lord placed on my heart--I ended up being the one who recieved a huge blessing and often a beautiful lesson of God's love. So, why do we let those opportunities pass when God is so clearly putting us in the path of someone who needs a glimpse of His love? My mom told me a story today about my Daddy, who if you don't know him, is an incredible man of God who I have learned so much from. My mom recently went to the ER because she just wasn't feeling right (She is fine, by the way). My dad took her, and while she was getting checked out, he hung out in the waiting room. A man was brought in, who was fighting lung cancer and it didn't look like he was going to make it. His wife was in the waiting room with my dad. My dad witnessed the doctor come out to tell the man's wife those dreaded words, "We did everything we can--he isn't going to make it." She was all alone, no one there to comfort her, and my dad felt such an urge to do something. He went over to the woman, put his arms around her, and asked if he could pray with her. I am getting so choked up just typing this because my Daddy was Christ to that sweet woman right in the waiting room. He could have just sat by and watched her cry, but he didn't. He followed the Spirit's nudge to show the love of Christ to her. How beautiful is that? I don't want to miss any more opportunities to show the love of God to anyone. I don't want to look back and think, "I should have said something, I should have done something." You never know how God is going to work through you if you give Him the chance... Be Blessed! Jenn

A New Year...

I have been pondering for days about what I would write in this blog. I have not written in months--and to be honest--didn't want to. I am ready to get back at it--and much more often now that I have plenty of free time. Much has happened in the last month in the Raney household. So much and so quickly that I don't even know if everything has had a chance to sink in. I can't even fathom how the Lord orchestrated everything. I am just thankful. David graduated from Physical Therapy school in December. It was such a sweet moment--it was like an end to a really hard couple of years, and a chance at a new start. The Lord answered something I had been praying for and longing for the whole time hubby was in school--that we would be able to move "home" where our family is. David was blessed with an amazing job and we are finally back amongst friends and family and so thrilled to be back with our church family. I wish I could express in words how blessed we feel right now. How amazing it feels to let God do all the work--and plot out the path He has for us. To feel like our hearts and desires are in sync with the Lord's will. So, although 2011 was an incredibly rough year we ended it on such a hopeful note. I am incredibly excited about 2012! And just a side note--maybe someone just really needs to hear this today--but when you are going through a storm, hold tight because God is still working through it. There is hope and sunshine at the end of the storm. It is a lesson that I continue to learn over and over in life. God is good. Period. Be blessed, friends! Jenn