When You Choose Joy...

I think we can all agree that this life is not always rainbows and butterflies.  Life is hard.  It is full of new challenges every single day.  And sometimes, those challenges can give you jaded vision. Sometimes those challenges can lead you down a path that takes you to a place you would rather not be. And one day you wake up and wonder how you even got to that place. 

I can testify this from experience.  I mentioned in my last post that I had gotten to one of those "something's gotta give" places.  I got to a point where I decided I could either be miserable or I could CHOOSE joy.  I could CHOOSE Jesus.

It isn't always easy, friends.  And I hate to admit that.   I know, deep down, that I will always choose Jesus--but that means letting go.  I am not good at that.  It's hard to let go of the hurts, and the confusion, and the questions.  It is hard to let go of expectations and feelings of inadequacy.  But what I realize, time and time and time again, is that when I do--things become clearer.  My spirit longs for Jesus again.  My heart trusts.  Those things that seem unbearable suddenly are healed.  Those things that seem impossible, become possible again.  And you cannot help but be joyful.

By choosing joy again, my life has been changing.  In a REALLY GOOD WAY.  I find myself desiring Jesus more and more.  Craving my time with Him.  I find myself praying that I will allow Him to satisfy my soul.  That my joy will come solely from knowing that HE LOVES ME.  He loves my heart.  And the relationship I have with Him is the most sacred relationship that I could ever have--and it's just between me and Him.   And it doesn't have to look a certain way.  My relationship with Jesus doesn't have to look just like hers...or his...or theirs...no, it is mine.  I have focused my eyes back on what is really important.  And I pray from the depths of my heart, that my eyes will stay fixed on Jesus.  And when those trials come again (and we all know they will) that instead of turning to the right or the left and seeing trial after trial--I will only see Jesus.

So, choose joy, friends.  I had a dear friend tell me that you may have to make that choice every day...or every hour...or every minute.  But always choose joy.

Be Blessed!

Time for a "Catch Up" Blog

Wow.  It has been a long time since I last blogged.  Life has been full of changes, events, and just a whole lot of busyness.  I figured I would write a quick blog to catch up on what has been going on--list style of course!

• I started teaching again this year.  Kindergarten.  I forgot how much energy those little munchkins have!  It has been absolutely crazy, challenging, stressful--but so incredibly rewarding and beautiful at the same time.  I knew from the beginning that me getting this job was no coincidence.  The way that GOD worked it all out--was nothing of my own doing.  And there are days where I have to remind myself that He has equipped me to work with these kids.  I have already come to love them like they were my own.  Everyday their hugs and "I love yous" make all the tough days worth it! I think it has filled a void in my heart, for now, and I am thankful for that.

• My sweet sister got married a week ago.  It was so incredibly beautiful!   She was beautiful.  The whole thing...just beautiful!  It was so much fun being able to catch up with family and friends and to get away for a weekend!  I made it through my responsibilities of singing during the ceremony and giving a toast without completely bursting into tears.  I consider that a huge accomplishment!  And I realized that my hubby has some killer moves on the dance floor :)

• Now for a bit of honesty...I think that I came to one of those "rock bottom" places in life over the last several months.  I slipped into a place that was full of sadness, hopelessness, and even some bitterness.  I didn't want to see friends.  I didn't want to do anything but sleep. I definitely did not feel close to God.  And I felt like I was losing my mind. I finally reached a place where I realized that I was just letting Satan win.  I was basically handing my joy right over to him without a fight.  I think in life we can probably say that we all get tired of fighting sometimes.  Just plain worn out.  Especially when it seems like things are never going to get better.  But friends, we have to just keep fighting, and we don't have to do it alone.  I finally broke down one day, and begged the Lord to heal my heart and to fill me with hope again.  And, long story short, He was faithful to answer me.  For the first time in a really long time, I feel peace.  Peace with where God has placed me right now.  And instead of asking "why?" over and over, I am trusting that He knows what He is doing.  It is pretty apparent to me that when I try to do it by myself, I fail.  EVERY TIME.

• I desperately desire more Jesus.  And in the craziness that is my life right now, I am learning how important it is to make time for just being still and spending time with Him.

• I am pretty sure I have the Christmas bug...and pretty sure I am going to start decorating next weekend.  Before Thanksgiving {GASP!}.   I love this time of the year.  And for the last two years, David and I didn't get to decorate because we were moving--so I plan to do it big this year!

• On the health side of life--I have been sick, alot.  Nothing horrible, just enough to make me feel miserable.  On top of that, I have lost ten pounds since I started teaching.  I mean, I am not going to say that I don't like losing ten pounds, but I don't like losing it because of stress and unhealthy eating habits.  So, all that to say, I could use your prayers.  I desperately need to get better at taking care of my body--eating healthier and exercising.  I know I would feel a lot better :)

Well, I think that is all for now :)  Or at least all I can think of.  Until next time...(and hopefully it won't be three months!)

Be blessed!

A Reminder...

Last night, I was attempting to sleep.  But I couldn't.  My mind and heart were racing.  And my spirit felt crushed.  I pleaded in thought that God would give me just a glimmer, just a glimpse of what is to come, just a reminder that He has my deepest concerns in His hands.  A reminder that when my heart hurts, He knows, and more importantly, He cares.

I did what I always do--I put earphones in, cranked up the praise music, and disappeared to a place that allows me to just rest in His presence. I sat and listened to the God breathed lyrics, and every song that happened to come on my Bethel Pandora station reminded me that the God I serve is beautiful.  And BIG.  Bigger than any feeling or emotion.  Bigger than the huge boulder that seems too heavy to move.  Bigger than the range of mountains that look impossible to climb. And the fact that God is that big, but still loves me and cares about me...literally brings me to tears.

Hillsong's This is Our God came on.  And the lyrics--"I will fall at Your feet, and worship You here,"  just pierced my soul.

I can come to Him and fall at His feet...
broken
tired
confused
heartbroken
weary
And He accepts my worship.


I can worship Him...
 right here
right where I am in this life
in the midst of trial

I can worship Him because He is...
GOOD
MIGHTY
JUST
BEAUTIFUL
STRONG
MY REFUGE
THE LOVER OF MY SOUL
MY REDEEMER
CREATOR 
MERCIFUL 
FULL OF GRACE
MY FRIEND
MY SAVIOR
THE ONE WHO KNOWS MY HEART
HOPE
MY ANCHOR


No matter what we see in this life--He will always be all of those things. He will always be everything that I need.  Nothing can or will ever change that.

Be blessed!

An Ode to Friendship...

This post may be a bit sappy.

Sorry {but not really}.

This morning, I was sitting on my couch, sipping coffee and having a conversation with Jesus.  It felt amazing to be in His presence.  I started praying for my sweet friends, and I got a bit choked up.  Ok, a lot choked up.  And an overwhelming sense of thankfulness flooded my heart.

You see, I have the greatest friends in the world.  Really, I do.  I have done nothing to deserve such great people in my life, but I am so thankful God decided to cross our paths.

I had a conversation with my wise sis-in-law, Christy, not too long ago, and she reminded me of this story.  Such a beautiful portrait of what friendship is...

"And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."

Exodus 17:11-12

I can say that my friends are very much like Aaron and Hur.  When I felt like I couldn't hold my arms up any longer, that I was just too weak, those very friends swooped in and held my arms up for me.  They were my support.  They were able to be strong for me when I just couldn't be.  Isn't that how friendship should be? 

So, this post is an ode to friendship.  

God gave me the greatest friends in college--Katie and Merry.  I prayed for them before I ever knew them--and God went beyond my expectations when He blessed my life with their friendship.  They have seen the good in me, and the not so good, and have loved me unconditionally.  They have inspired me, and kept me accountable.  Their lives and stories are a constant encouragement to me--the way they seek Jesus is just beautiful.  No matter the distance between us (and that distant is about to get exponentially larger!!), we will always be a part of each others lives.  I praise God for them :)

Then there is my sweet circle of girlfriends I have here in Pensacola.  I don't even know what to say about these women.  All I know is that God knew I needed them.  I have never doubted that God brought us back to live in this area for a reason--and I truly believe that one of those reasons was so that I could be a part of a family of sisters who truly seek Jesus.  These women are real, and they have allowed me to be real and honest.  They have allowed me to let my guard down.  I can't even express in words how much these ladies mean to me.  I have never felt more loved by a group of girls.  They are truly my spiritual sisters.  And when these girls say they are praying for you, they mean it!  It is amazing to see how God placed us all together--how we have had different situations, but very similar journeys.  How we have been able to encourage one another, cry with one another, and definitely laugh with one another!  So, to you girls (and you know who you are)--I love you.  I am thankful for each of you. So very thankful.

And lastly, there is my sister.  My one and only little sis.  Over the years, I have seen our relationship blossom into a beautiful friendship.  We are as different as can be, but I think that is why we get along so well!  I love that we will always have a connection, as sisters, that I can never have with anyone else.  My sis is getting married soon, and I feel so incredibly honored that I get to stand beside her on that day.  She is beautiful, inside and out.  Love you, sissy.

Take some time today to love on your friends.  They say that good friends are hard to come by :)  so hold on to your friendships with all you have and be intentional!  I will end with this sweet little quote from the very wise Winnie the Pooh:  

"No one can see the seeds of friendship, but they grow in to something beautiful."

Be blessed!

Pray Without Ceasing...

Prayer.  The lifeline to the very God who knit us together--who knows our every thought.

We pray when we are thankful.  When we are terrified.  When we need something bigger than ourselves.

And God--He hears us.  Even when our mouths can't even formulate the words, He knows.

You know, there are things that I have been praying for over the last 3 years.  Big things.  And at times, it took all I had to even mutter the words to Jesus.  Because it felt like He didn't hear me. 

But I kept on praying.  Even if it was as simple as saying "please help me, Lord."  The Word tells us to pray without ceasing.  So, I tried to do just that.

I know that God is faithful.  And when I look back on my life, and see how He worked everything out, how His hand was on me and the ones I love, I am amazed.  Recently, God answered a prayer.  In an unexpected place and time.  And it was literally the most beautiful thing I have experienced in a really long time.  Because God was there...His presence was so evident and so strong.  I can't even put into words what it did for this doubtful heart of mine.  Once again...God completely blew my mind.

Be encouraged...God hears you.  He works things out in His perfect time.  So, be patient...pray without ceasing...and you will see the goodness of the Lord.  I have a feeling that I am going to have some amazing things to blog about...God is up to something big!

Be Blessed!!
Jenn

{P.S.  No, I am not pregnant...for those of you who are bound to ask :)  But we are trusting and believing for that, too!}

When You Feel Lost...

This probably won't be my most eloquent of posts. Today I am just feeling lost and hurt and worn out.

For over a year, I have felt completely lost.  I feel like I am just floating along with no purpose and no direction.  No meaning.  And alone.  Just all alone.  I wake up every day praying that this will be the day where God reveals something big to me.  And I wait, and I listen.  I beg the Lord to show me something, anything, that will make my heart feel better.  But instead, I get silence.  And I wonder sometimes...is God really close to the broken hearted, to those broken in spirit?

Today, I was in my kitchen baking cookies and singing worship music, and something hit me.  Why don't I just let God do His work behind the scenes, and trust that it is going to restore some of this brokenness, that it is going to be a game changer?  All of my waiting is not wasted on our God.  My prayers are never wasted.  My tears, not wasted. Maybe my purpose right this second is to wait.  And instead of getting frustrated everyday, maybe I should just dwell here in the waiting. Maybe my purpose is to just keep seeking God and trusting that when He says He has a plan for me that wasn't created to harm me, but to prosper me, He means it!

See, God is close.  Even in silence, He is close.  He is the sweet little song birds whistling in the trees.  He is the warmth from the sun.  He is the laughter and smiles of a child.  He is that feeling of peace that comes over you as you pray.  He is the encouraging words from a friend.  Yes, He is here.  He is close to my side, and He is working.

A sweet friend of mine, who has let God speak through her into my life, reminded me in a conversation we had that God already knows my story, from beginning to end.  He sits on His throne knowing every single detail of this life.  And guess what, it ends in victory!  So, even as I struggle to know where I fit in and what comes next, I can rest assured that this story does not end in tragedy--but will glorify my Maker. 

Be blessed!

Hard to Love...

Let me start by saying that with this post, I am absolutely preaching to myself...with that being said...

Why do we pick and choose who we show love to?

Time and time again, we, as Christians, preach about love.  Giving love to others.  Loving others around us.  Loving those in our community.  Loving the needy, the poor, the bankrupt.

But I bet if we all looked at our lives--we would have people that we choose not to love.  We choose to let our pride, or our fear, or our hurts stop us from doing what we are called to do as followers of Christ. 

God doesn't give us an option on who we are to reach out to.  He doesn't say that we should just love the good people, and not the liars.  He doesn't say that we should just love the pure of heart, and not the cheaters and thieves.  He doesn't say that love only goes out to those who love us back. 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

 

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

 

 

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.  Just let that sink it...

 

There is someone I know that God is calling me to reach out to--and with all that I am--I do not want to do it.  Oh, I don't want to.  And I don't really know how.  But I can either sit back and ignore Him, believing this person has no good inside of them. Or I can remember that this person was created by God, which in itself IS GOOD.  That because God loves them, so should I.  That even the darkest of sins are covered by God's love and by Jesus' blood. 

 

I know that loving some people is NOT easy by any means.  But that is where God steps in, and softens our hearts.  He gives us His eyes to see past the bad, and to see a person's heart.  I would hate to know that someone didn't know Christ because I was too prideful not to reach out to them. 

 

The truth of the matter is that I am no better than my worst enemies.  Sin is sin, no matter how we try to justify it in our minds.  And I am so thankful that God decided to love me despite of all the bad in me.  Praise God for His grace.

 

Maybe that ounce of grace, that little bit of love that you show someone else would change their life.

 

Love and blessings,

 

It Is Well...

This morning, the words of  It is Well With My Soul  rolled off of my tongue.  I love that hymn.  I don't think it was a coincidence that God placed those lyrics on my heart. There is one line that hit me like a ton of bricks...one line that I want to be able to sing, and mean it with my whole heart.

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

If you keep up with me or my blog, you know that David and I have been trying to start our family for a while now.  We faced an early miscarriage. We waited months to even start trying again afterwards.  And now every month that passes without a pregnancy seems to break my heart.  I do everything I can to stay hopeful and positive.  I know what God says about my life in His word.  I know that my intense desire to be a mother does not go unnoticed by the One who made my heart.  But sometimes, I feel like it is never going to happen. And what if it doesn't?  Would it be enough knowing that God's will for my life is perfect? 

 

Right after I found out I was pregnant, and days before losing the pregnancy, I wrote these words in a post. 

"God has patched up a heart that was hurting, and refilled my life with joy--He has renewed my passion for Him--so much that I knew that if He never answered my prayer the way I desired Him to, that I would somehow find peace resting in His hands."

I desperately long to be in that place again.  I could lie and say that my heart fully believes those words that I wrote several months ago, but instead, it's a struggle.  Some days are easier than others.  I am so thankful that God pours His grace over me when I doubt. 

So, for now, I keep praying.  I keep hoping.  I keep asking for forgiveness when I doubt. I keep telling myself that GOD IS ENOUGH.  I keep God's promises on the tip of my tongue.  And I keep singing the words of that old hymn...

It is well with my soul...WHATEVER my lot may be.

Love and Blessings!

A Late Night Blog...

Well, it's 12:46, and my eyes are wide open and my mind is running a million miles an hour. For some of you that may not seem late, but it is way past my bedtime. Good thing I don't have to wake up early tomorrow. 

Since I was up, I figured I would write a blog post about a bunch of random thoughts, since that's the way my mind works so late night, or early in the morning, whatever...so here goes.

• This weather lately is driving me crazy.  My body does not like the whole warm one day, freezing the next thing.  Springtime, I am desperately begging for you to come.  I need some time in the sunshine!

• Life Lesson:  When you are feeling like a loser and life gets tough, don't pull away from the ones who love you.  Those people are the ones who will speak life into you, love on you, and most importantly, make you laugh instead of cry.  More than likely, they love you just the way you are, flaws and all.  And don't forget to return the encouragement :)

• God often answers prayers in ways you really wouldn't expect.  And when you pray for things, expect God to answer.  In the book of James it says "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."  Ask, and believe.  It's that simple.

• Be familiar with God's promises for you, and speak them over your life.  Somedays, when I feel like giving up, I recite His promises for me over and over.  The more you say it, the more you believe it.  And the more you fill your mind with those promises, the less room Satan has to plant his lies.

• Choose joy.  And it may be a choice you have to make daily, or by the hour on some days.  A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. -Proverbs 17:22

• I'm starting to exercise again.  It's good for my heart--literally and figuratively.  I am even thinking about running another half marathon towards the end of the year.  My hubby will be training for a full marathon, so there is some motivation right there.  Glad I married someone who enjoys fitness...

• Do you ever believe that God keeps you awake some nights for a reason?  I do. It's a great time to reflect on His goodness, and have a heart to heart conversation with Him.  And sometimes, in the quietness, if you listen, You will hear him speaking to your heart.  Kind of makes not being able to sleep a beautiful thing.

I think that is all for now...

Love and Blessings,

Armor Up!

If I could say one thing to you today, it would be that...

 God's love is unconditional. 

And the worst things that happen in our lives are not a punishment from God. 

Ok...so that is actually two things, but who is really counting?

I am learning this over and over and over again...and Satan keeps trying to convince me of the opposite.

On the days when I struggle the most to understand this place of life I am in, I have to remind myself that my struggles are not from God.  He doesn't want me to be miserable and lonely.  He doesn't want me to feel completely purposeless.  He doesn't want me to go over every aspect of my life with a fine- toothed comb wondering what I did to cause the hardships and the heartaches.  But there is someone who does. 

There is someone who wants me to doubt God's plan for my life.  There is someone who wants me to hide away in a corner, thinking that I have nothing good to offer anyone.  And more than anything, he wants me to believe that God's love for me is contingent upon what I do in this life.  The Father of Lies is out to steal, kill, and destroy. 

Satan is real.  He is always there, trying to whisper lies into our ears.  He knows our weaknesses and he uses it to his advantage. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.... Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Ephesians 6:11 &14-18

These verses show us why it is crucial to seek after God everyday.  To talk to Him.  To recite His promises over and over again.  To know what His word says, and to combat Satan's lies with it.  We are fighting a spiritual battle every day!  He will give us everything we need to fight the evil one.  We serve a God who trumps Satan every. single. time. 

Don't give Satan an invitation to your life...

Fight him with God's armor, and he won't stand a chance!

Love and Blessings,

A Single Moment...

There are those moments in life. You know...those moments you can look back on and remember every feeling and emotion that ran through you. You can remember the way your heart beat so fast that you had no choice but to move. To respond. Those moments where everything around you was just a blur.

We have all had them. I can look back and remember specific times where the Lord moved in my life. Just like that, everything changed. Those single moments in time made all of the difference in the world. It only takes a moment.

There was the moment I gave my heart to Jesus. I was only a few days shy of seven years old. But I remember it like it was yesterday.

 

There was the moment I was prayed over by a youth minister who knew as much as I did that I was called to do something bigger than myself. A moment where I did not know the logistics of what God had for me but that my life was meant for ministering to others.  That my sensitive heart was made for loving.

 

There was the moment I stood in front of friends and family, vowing before God to love my husband, to follow him, and to stick by his side through the hardest and best of times.  In that moment, I understood God's intense love for me.

 

There was that moment that confusion set in, and as I cried, God simply held me.  I felt His presence, and without me uttering a single word, He knew my heart.

 

And then there was the moment where I ran to His alter, and I wept.  Uncontrollably.  And although the mascara ran down my face, it was beautiful.  The Spirit of God washed over me like I have never in my life experienced, and I knew in that moment that things were changing.  That the chains were breaking, and that it was time to lay it down.  To lay down the hurt, to lay down the expectations, to lay down the guilt, and to let myself fall into His arms. 

 

 

It's those moments that shape us, and change us.  And as we reflect on them, we are reminded of how powerful and majestic and beautiful the love of our Savior is. When you are feeling like God isn't there or things are just too hard, just remember that it only takes a single moment for God to step in, and completely rock your world.

 

 

Love and Blessings,

God Loves You...

Maybe today you just need to be reminded that God loves you.

He loves every inch of you (even the extra inches you wish you could get rid of)...

 

He loves you in the quietest of moments...and in the chaotic ones.

 

He loves your heart.  He created it.

 

He loves your weakness, because His power is made perfect in it.

 

He loves you even in your failures, your mistakes, and your messes.

 

He loves when you pour out your heart to Him.

 

He loves to listen to you.

 

He loves your efforts to love Him more. 

 

He loves when you cling to Him in the storms.

 

He loves being the one who leads you through the tough times.

 

He loves you even when you don't love yourself very much.

 

He loves you when you show others who He is.

He loves you so much that He sent His son to die for you--He wants to spend eternity with you!

And what is truly amazing is that no matter what you or I do, He loves us.  If we never uttered another prayer, sang another praise song, or read another word of Scripture...God would still love us.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that suprasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:17b-19

 

 

Love and Blessings!

A New Season...

Chaos.  The only word to describe the last month of my life.  Normally, chaos in my life would wake me up in the middle of the night or would not let my mind rest--but not this time.  This kind of chaos has been the best.

David and I have entered into a new season of life.  An exciting, well-worth-the-wait kind of season.  We had been living in this place of unwanted stress, unanswered questions, "rainy days"  and tears (well, at least for me, I am the crybaby!).  I have prayed and prayed and prayed some more.  And there were days that I had to ask God for grace over and over because of my relentless sense of doubt.

But here we are.  Flooded with blessings.  Overwhelmed by God's goodness.  And so incredibly thankful that He doesn't give up on us.

It really still amazes me everytime I see a prayer answered.  To pour your heart out to your Heavenely Father--to share you deepest desires and concerns--and to see Him act in a way that is greater than you could have asked for. 

So, in the last two weeks, we closed on our first home (yay!!!!), had a huge prayer answered and a heavy burden lifted, and my beautiful sister got engaged to an amazing guy.  Our hearts are being filled with hope, and most of all gratefulness.

We are all moved in to our new home, and I may or may not be in love with it.  When we first moved in, the whole house was the color of lemon sorbet, maybe the worst color ever, so we painted.  And painted some more.  And after a long few days, paint splattered clothes, and aching muscles, the lemon walls had been replaced by a beautiful shade of taupe. 

We had the help of our family--thank God--and it made the moving process go a lot quicker, and was a lot more enjoyable as well.  I am slowly putting things into place and making this house our home.  I already feel such a sense of peace being in our home.  I will try to post some pictures soon :) 

God is doing a new thing in this heart of mine...and I am reminded over and over again that even in the hardest of times, God already has this path of mine planned out--and He is walking with me hand-in-hand.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

 

Love and Blessings!

Jenn



 



Gratefulness...

Sometimes my heart is so full of thankfulness that I feel like it could just explode at any second.  The last few weeks have been chocked full of blessings...

26.  We finally own a home--after a long process--it is finally ours! (And I am in love with it!)

27.  Family who helps paint your whole house, move boxes and furniture, and organize!

28.  Huge answered prayers that make you tear up with joy.

29.  Feeling peace for the first time in a long time.

30.  Learning discipline.

31.  God-given desires and dreams.

32.  Seeing pride in your husband's eyes as he unpacks his "one" room in the house :)

33.  Marriage--the ups and the downs.

34.  Hearing my sister's happiness as she calls to tell me she is engaged!

35.  Disconnecting just a bit to focus on my God and my heart.

More to come...

Love hard and be blessed!
Jenn

Continued Gratefulness...

“A life contemplating the blessings of Christ becomes a life acting the love of Christ.” 

-Ann Voskamp

 

Continued Gratefulness...

 

11.  Late night conversations with your best friend.

 

12.  Seeing something in your life be carried out to completion.

 

13.  Hazelnut iced coffee!

 

14.  Laughter and smiles from a 1 year old.

 

15.  Dream-filled sleeps--and then laughing about those dreams the next morning.

 

16.  Band-aids :)

 

17.  Episodes of Friends that make you laugh--no matter how many times you have watched it.

18.  New recipes that actually taste good!

19.  Seeing the sun try to peek out from behind the clouds when it has been hiding for days.

20.  Being humbly reminded that our words can either hurt or bring life. 

21.  Weekends.

22.  Good health for me and the people I love.

23.  HOPE.

24.  My puppy's excitement whenever I come home. 

25.  Unconditional Love.


Be blessed!
Jenn

2013: A Year of Gratefulness...

As 2012 came to an end, and a brand new year approached, I couldn't help but think of all that can happen in one single year.  2012 wasn't an easy one for me, there were many struggles and many heartaches, but despite all of that--God was faithful in every aspect of my life.  He was present every second of every day.  And He was, is, and always will be a beautiful, miracle-making, Father of comfort who holds me in His hands.

It is easy for me to look back, and to focus on all of the hard things.  To sit and ask why over and over again.  But I don't want to start a new year with that mindset.  I want to focus on the good.  The amazing things that God has done and is going to do.  The beauty that emerges from the hurt. 

I have had many wise people in my life who have chosen gratitude--to be thankful for even the smallest things--and I have seen how God has changed them through having that "attitude of gratitude."  And I despartely want that.  I don't want to be focused on what God hasn't given me or hasn't done--but the wonderful things He has done.

So, this year, 2013, I am devoting myself to an attitude of thankfulness.    I am praying that I will have strength to take my thoughts captive--and turn then into gratefulness.  I will be sharing all of the things I am thankful for, my blessings, big and small.  And praying for a heart change that only He can do :)

I am grateful for...

1.  Warm weather in the middle of Winter.

2.  Freshly washed sheets.

3.  Motivation for change.

4.  A husband who works hard every single day.

5.  Snuggles with my puppy dog.

6.  The last chocolate chip cookie :)

7.  The intense craving for closeness with Jesus. 

8.  My girlfriends who live out Christ to everyone around them and challenge me to seek Jesus.

9.  Laughing with my husband.

10.  My miracle nephews, Isaak and Jude, and my sweet niece, Taylor.

That's all for now :) 

Be blessed and love hard.
Jenn