Throwback Thankful Thursday

I just thought I would take today to write a "Thankful Monday" (I probably could have waited and done a "Throwback Thankful Thursday," but oh, well. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband, my job and my co-workers. The week we came home from our honeymoon, we decided that I would get a part-time job. I honestly wanted to work at Belk, because I love all the ladies up there. So, after gong into the store to ask about applying and exchange some things, I went home.

Not, I decided while I was already in town I would go to another store and get some shopping done. Right next door was a Learning Center and for some reason I just thought, I'll go inside and see if I can just get an application. I went in and the lady sent me to another location that needed an afternoon teacher and started the next day. I am so thankful for it too! My job has been a huge blessing! I am actually going to their other location soon to teach Pre-K, again, and I can't wait. As excited as I am though, I am so sad at the same time. I have the best co-workers, and the best kids (even though they eat rocks and sticks and leaves, and who knows what, I seriously say "drop it" and "spit it out" it feels like 100 times when we go outside everyday) but they are so cute! I am going to miss all of them terribly, but I'm excited about what the Lord is going to do at the other center.

I am so thankful for my husband supporting me in all of this and all my schooling to try and become a teacher! Seriously, I know I sound like a sappy 13 year old school girl with a crush on someone, but I am so blessed! My husband is awesome, and encouraging, and loves me well! I am so thankful!

Thankful Thursday: Little Leo

First, I want to apologize for not posting a Pin-Wednesday yesterday. It has been a crazy two weeks. Today I am so thankful for my little Leo. He had the worst Sunday I could imagine. I had to be gone pretty much all day, and when I came home I just had a horrible feeling about him. It was the weirdest thing ever. I opened the door and I didn't see him in his normal spot looking for me when I come home. I told myself not to panic and went to open the back door. No Leo. So I hopped out the door as fast as I could hollering for him as loud as I could. I couldn't hardly see anything because of the shadows from the trees. I saw that the fence had been pushed down and there was a gap that he'd torn up under my house that hadn't been there that morning. My first thought was that he had gotten out and ran away or something. Then I saw his little feet and the wire hanging over the fence. I screamed ( it was the most high pitch scared to death, bloody murder scream I have ever let out) as if I had just seen a dead person. I thought when I got closer to him I was going to see him strangled in the wire. My whole heart sank and I think from the shock my whole body went numb and I ran as fast as I could to him ( I wasn't even supposed to be walking on my foot) When I got to him I realized that he had broken part of the fence and gotten his little leg caught in the wires on the other side of the fence. He was sitting upright with that front leg sticking straight out. I went and got him untangled and he was limping on it like he had no feeling in that leg. I was hysterically crying this entire time, screaming as loud as I could hoping someone in my family could hear me, and thinking how absolutely awful all of it was.

Now, since getting him to the vet and after learning that he had nerve damage on his leg we are going through with some treatment options. I am sad that he has to be in a cast for 6 weeks and that we have some big decisions to make for him in the near future, but I am praying God heals him and he gets his little leg's nerves back. I am just so thankful that it was only his leg that got caught in the wires. I am thankful that he is still here and still being as ornery and as cute as ever.

Our First Wedding Shower

I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am to all of the ladies at Paramount for all their hard work in throwing a wonderful shower for Caleb and I. Mary had told me how sweet and loving each of the ladies were, but to actually get to meet them and talk to them and realize that she was not exaggerating even a tiny bit, was such an incredible blessing. I just got done texting his sister telling her how it went, and honestly it's hard to put into words. I could go into detail about all the "stuff" we got which was all much appreciated and needed, but more than that I think Caleb and I would be in agreement that it was just a total blessing. I was overwhelmed at all the ladies.

You know, I may sound awful for saying this, but I am just going to be honest. Most of the time at wedding showers, people bring gifts, that's what the showers are for, and it is more of "the thing to do," so we all (yes I am including myself in that, "all") just bring gifts to bring them because that is what you do. At the shower today though, I think the difference was that these ladies didn't just bring gifts to give "because it is what you do at a shower," they brought gifts and/or came up for the shower, because they are truly lovers of people. They love as if it were Christ loving through each and every one of them. I told Krissie tonight, that I could just tell the sweet presence of the Lord was present today. In all of their kind words, their gifts, and their love and prayers. I can't even tell you how many cards wished us blessings and said how the people giving the gifts were praying for us. How incredible to know that all these sweet ladies that have true kind hearts and such servant hearts are praying for us and our marriage. One card said they were praying for us in our unity. I thought that was such a cool picture and reminder of what we are doing. We are becoming unified in Christ together to serve as one for His kingdom, and all of these amazing and wonderful ladies have played a huge role in blessing us and giving out of their kind, sweet, and servant hearts. I was overwhelmed by each and every one of them.

After we left, Caleb was so awesome. I think I talked his ear off the entire way home, and he was tired and ready to be done driving, but he was so patient with me and let me talk out some things that had been on my mind. Let's just say these weren't things that are on a man's Top 10 things to talk about on a long drive home when he's tired. I would venture to say that a few things would be put on a man's Top 10 things to avoid conversation about at all times, rearranging furniture, organizing the kitchen, craft stuff, etc. Have I said that I am thankful for him before? (0; God has blessed me so much I don't even understand His goodness towards me, but I sure am thankful. I am thankful He has blessed me with all of the sweet, serving, prayer warrior ladies today, an amazing new family, my handsome, patient and loving fiancé, and my family who I came home to tonight. God is so so good! I can't even begin to explain my thankfulness.

Blurry )0:

Thankful Thursday: My Future Family

I am so thankful for each and every one of the people in this picture! God has seriously blessed me beyond what I could ever imagine, with not only a family of believers, but a (almost) husband (70 days!) that comes from a family of believers, as well. They are so awesome! This year I am going to spend Thanksgiving with him and his parents, and a few other wonderful people in this picture. I am so excited. I am going to miss my family (A LOT), but the Lord has called his family to spread out, so to speak, in the last few years and honestly I think that I don't like it just as much as he doesn't like it, and I'm really looking forward to spending some time with them. With everyone all spread out, it makes it hard for me to get to know them and of course he misses them, which stinks, but it makes the time that we all get to spend together that much more special. I am just really thankful for them and him today!

Thankful Thursday: Little Sister/Best Friend

I am so thankful for my little sister. She is my best friend. I don't know why the Lord blessed me with her, but he did and I am so thankful, that he did. Today as I was going through Pinterest and getting my post for next week's Pin-Wednesday, I came across this poster:

You can buy this poster here

In a since not necessarily talking about happiness, more about holiness, I guess you could say, or maybe "Happiness or joy is who you travel with not how you get there." It reminded me of my sister's thoughts in her latest blog post. This certain blog post, we actually ended up arguing (or discussing with differences in opinion) over for about thirty minutes the other day, but finally came to a conclusion (agree to disagree resolve). So, today. I wanted to share her post with ya'll. Maybe it will be a blessing to you as much as it was to me.

Read with CAUTION. 

She writes AWESOME stuff, and she doesn't hold back. 

That's one of the things I love about her. 

Relationship vs. Religion:

Insights on eternal life

Thankful Thursday? My Car Was Stolen Last Night!

Last night during choir my little brother came and dug through my purse while I was talking to my dad in the hallway. When I walked back in he jetted out of the room with an annoying grin on his face. He then text me and told me he needed my lipgloss to show it to one of the cute little old ladies because she wanted to buy some, but wanted to see it first. So I got it out of my purse and waited the ENTIRE choir rehearsal and he never came back to get it. After choir I text Caleb and asked if he was finished in his office and he wasn't so I went down stairs to talk to Marlin and Jason, but they weren't in our usual spot. So I just headed to Caleb's office and sat with him until he was done. He took forever, by the way! We go outside and get to where I parked and I have a usual parking space too! I knew I didn't forget where I parked either, because when I drove in last night I thought, I hope that person that has taken my spot for the last four weeks doesn't get mad that I took my parking place back. So my car was literally gone! I kind of panicked inside, but Caleb seemed calm which was weird because my car was CLEARLY STOLEN!

I called my dad first but he didn't answer and for some reason, I can't remember now why or how, but Caleb got my phone and put it in his pocket. I asked for it back and he said no, just acting calm like nothing was wrong, but weird. At this point, I am thinking, "Practical jokes aren't funny when you and Landon steal my car and do something crazy!" When we got a little bit past the drive through drop off area I see my car in a different parking lot. I then begin to think about every kind of practical joke possible that could involve moving my car. I see Olivia's car and say something, but he totally plays it off with, "I think she drove the suburban." I just say okay, because she had talked about it earlier and said she might drive the suburban home.

After I open my car, I start asking where my keys are and if Landon has them, because how am I going to get home or what I am going to do without them? Caleb, just kind of sluffed off my questions, like WHAT IS THAT? WHY ARE YOU REMAINING SO CALM!? Seriously, at this point I am thinking, "Okay, if they didn't do it, I am going to freak out, and if they did do it, I still have no clue what to do next, because Caleb wasn't offering up any helpful information." Until, he pulled the keys out and handed them to me with an extra "ring" on it. I then asked, "what is that?" Really? What is that? I clearly knew what it was. Why did I ask that dumb question! He took the keys back from me and started taking off the ring while he told me that he loved me and wanted to spend his life with me and then once getting it off, he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. I, of course, said YES! In my head I am thinking, "Don't cry! Stop shaking! All you have to do is say 'yes' just say 'yes' that's it!" I kind of freaked myself out because I said "yes" two decibels above where he was talking, when I finally said it, then thinking, "Calm it down, Lacy, just be cool! Oh My Gosh! He is asking me to marry him! I love him so much! Thank you Jesus for this wonderful man! We're engaged! Okay, calm it down!"As soon as he stood up horns started honking and headlights started flashing. Everyone came out and said congratulations and I was and am so stinking excited!

We're engaged ya'll! I am so incredibly blessed it's unreal sometimes. I am so thankful that we serve a wonderful, merciful, gracious, and loving Father and king. I am so blessed by Caleb that I sometimes wonder why in the world God would choose me to bless with such an incredible man, but He did and I am so excited to soon be his wife, and share in Holy Matrimony in every since of the word, trusting our Great God in absolutely all of it! Serving him and loving him in a way that is only possible by the grace and love of our AWESOME God. God is so good and I am so excited to say that in the near future I will be Mrs. Caleb Lain! and I get to spend the rest of my life with him AHHHHH!!! (0:


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These Small Things I'm Thankful For

Announcements:

Facebook Page:

I am so excited to announce that at the beginning of September I launched Chosen the Blog's Facebook page. Yay! I would say go "Like" it if you haven't already, but in case you don't. If you like Chosen the Blog make sure to "Like" it. Was that confusing? Too many likes?  I am so thankful to all of you who have already "Liked" my Facebook page .THANK YOU!

Hello Lovely Blog Awards & Conference:

Voting opened on October 1st! I am so excited about the responses so far! THANK YOU to all of you who have been voting and nominating other bloggers and planning on coming to the conference. I am so excited to get to meet you all in person. It's going to be so fun!

Newly {Re}Designed Newsletter:
Once upon a time I had this old newsletter was literally just a tiny little letter with a featured blogger and the best post mentioned (sorry about that). Then I decided to redesign it and add lots of wonderful content customized with what you like most about the Chosen the Blog and other resources. Please feel free to leave feedback, honest feedback please. If you don't like something let me know, if it's not working, let me know. I can't fix it if I don't know. After lots and lots of work on this little resource. I am happy to share it with you. I hope you enjoy!

Thankful Thursday: It Might Be Early, but

It might be a little bit early, but I was looking at a blogging editorial calendar the other day and "Fall" was on there for August and September! So, that just inspired me to post about everything "Fall." A couple weeks ago at choir and praise team rehearsal, and well, all day that day, I wore my boots, jeans, long sleeves and a scarf. Yes, it was obviously still summer, but I woke up and it was cool outside, so I felt like Fall and decided to dress accordingly. Not to mention, the boots and scarf were both birthday presents, so I couldn't wait to wear them!

Then the next week while I was out getting supplies for my newest DIY projects (that I promise will all be up soon!) I saw so many fall decorations already in stores. It gave me so many ideas for Fall decor that I could make or try to make anyway. I will share all of those at a later date, and I just got excited! Usually I say that Fall and Winter are my two favorite seasons, but I love Spring too! It's just so hard to pick. It's seriously so perfect how God orchestrates all of it. Summer is so hot, and I love being hot rather than cold, but I can't stand Summer hardly at all, outside that is. But just as I really get to the point that I can't stand it, Fall comes whipping in just in time for me to be able to look forward to the heat next year. Then Winter gets here and it's time to be all cozy and snuggly, it's all so exciting! Praise the Lord for the wonderful changes in the weather! I am so thankful for them! I love all of it! Blessings to all of you today!

Thankful Thursday: Other Bloggers

Yesterday and today, I have been writing up a storm! However, none of that has been blog related, and for me makes me quite sad. However, in being so busy writing papers for school, I have been so encouraged by other bloggers.

I have been pretty bummed this week that I haven't gotten any articles done for my blog and I have been receiving encouraging emails and messages from quite a few of you!
I just wanted to say thank you to all of you if I haven't already and tell you how much it really has encouraged me this week. I am so thankful for you kind words and sweet emails. You have been a blessing to me this week.

I could name you all out, but then I would be afraid that I'd forget someone and I REALLY DON'T want to do that! You know who you are though. I am so thankful for each of you. I am really thankful that there is an entire community of bloggers that since I have started this journey blogging I have felt so welcomed into, so to all of you I am thankful for that too!

I am praying that you all have such a blessed day and weekend! I can't wait to get home on Monday and read about all of your weekend adventures and catch up with some of you!

Thankful Thursday: Choir, College Studnts, Unity, Jesus!

I'm sure I have done a post about the Word before, so I won't spend too much time talking about it, but seriously, IT'S SO GOOD! I was just thinking last night in choir, people make comments all the time about our choir about the true worship that happens as we stand up on those risers in front of everyone. People comment about how the Lord uses all of us and that we truly lead worship. I began thinking last night during practice about how much different it is to actually spend time with people who love the Lord and spend time in the Word, and that give their whole hearts not just in song, but through song to the Lord. It makes such a difference when I'm spending time in the Word and then I hear the songs we sing. The truth in some of them is like singing a devotional or something. I love and am thankful for our choir. We are so blessed and I hope that I never take that for granted. God has truly put His hand on us. I think about things as a choir we have been through. It's crazy how the Spirit moves and works and makes us all united. I can remember last year there was just a season of pain and hurt for some and just a heaviness that surrounded us, but we praised our wonderful Savior and God together every Wednesday and every Sunday. We have had some awesome times of joy and peace and excitement too! The Spirit moved in all of us and He was faithful in both times. We sing a song, we actually just did it last Sunday and the words that run though my head all the time are, "Even in the valley God is good, even in the valley He is faithful and true. He carries His children through like He said He would, ever in the valley God is good!" We have been in valleys and on mountain tops as a whole as a body unified and drawn together by Jesus, and it is amazing to be a part of. All of it to the glory of God!

Then we have the college group, I never imagined a group like that! College students sold out for the Lord. College students that homework, studying, etc. they make time to come together on Tuesday nights and worship and fellowship and pray and spend time learning and growing and being the body of Christ. Lifting each other up, bearing in each others burdens, and loving each other regardless of a background or a past or in some cases a present. Students who accept each other right where they are at. I have been amazed lately by the girls especially. There is always drama when you get a group of girls together (it's like inevitable, right?) but in the midst of girl junk and drama. They all seek to glorify God and to do what the Lord would call them to do. They are willing to be called out in areas that they aren't doing right in (I admire that in them, I fail at that sometimes, who am I kidding most of the time). Just last night I got a phone call at 12:32 a.m. from one of the girls because of some junk that we are all kind of going through right now. But it wasn't a phone call to gossip, it was a phone call because she was genuinely concerned and wanted to act according to the Word and ask if she had been in the wrong. She just wanted to glorify God through her actions and reactions towards others and ask how to do that in this particular situation. I don't know if any of the rest of you think that's cool, but I'm just saying college girl drama situations that they want to give to God and allow Him to work through and make them more like Him, that is pretty stinking cool!

I just love both of these groups of people and parts of the Body of Christ. I am truly blessed beyond what I could ever imagine, just getting to be a part of them. I am thankful for the unity through the Spirit that we have and I am thankful for the true worship that I am humbled to be a part of that happens when wonderful people who's goal is to bring His name glory and make Him famous come together. It changes things. I think it's why people make comments about the groups so much. When people who truly love the Lord get together to bring praise and honor and glory to Him and love each other and care and bear with one another in our burdens and in our joys, it's noticeable. The coolest part though is not even that, it's that if you were to ask any of those people about it. They would tell you the most honest and genuine answer which is simply that it is all because of Jesus! It isn't us, but it is Him and it is His Holy Spirit moving and working through lots and lots of submissive and open vessels to and for and through Him and His glory.

So, that's what I am thankful for today, two wonderful groups of people, two wonderful parts of the Body of Christ, that spend time with Him and in His Word and then come together with a common goal and purpose to bring glory to His matchless name. Ah! I am humbled and blessed and in awe that I even get to know this joy here on earth. God is so good!

Thankful Thursday: I Got A Happy Birthday Brother

Today I am thankful for my younger brother. 

I celebrated my 1st birthday by myself.

Then when I turned two, I got the best gift a two year old little girl could ask for.
A live baby doll.
So I thought. Ha! (Inside joke there-I'll share later)

A baby brother!

I have had the privilege of sharing this wonderful day as our day of birth for 23 years. 

I love my brother so much!

He is growing into a young man! CRAZY!

He is learning to be a real business man and take responsibility for a company.

Meeker Global, What?!

He is great at it too!

I could never do the things he does, but God has blessed him with the talents and abilities he has.

He has a desire to help fund mission work all over the world and make the Gospel known.

He loves people.

He loves his family.

He is crazy.

I love to write songs with him.

One of my favorite things to do is have jam sessions with him and Lib.

We've literally been doing that since we were able to sing, bang on pots and pans, and hold hairbrushes.

He puts my sister and myself before him.

He acts like an older brother (sometimes annoying, but I know it's out of love).

He is the best big hearted brother I could ask for.

Thankful Thursday: I have skipped you so!

I have skipped Thankful Thursday for the past two weeks, not because I am not thankful, but because I am busy (I need to stop being busy!) This week though, I am thankful for Lady B! Tomorrow is her birthday! I am a horrible step-daughter and haven't decided on anything for her yet. And yes, I know time is running out.

I am thankful that even though she talks an extremely lot, and she can be stubborn (which is only bad because we are the same when it comes to that area of our personality) she is one of the most Godly, giving, loving, lives her life according to the Word women I have ever met. She has taught me so so much and been there for me when there was no one else to be there for me and had my back always! I love her and I am blessed to have her in my life and even more an important and big part of my life! Ya'll should all go tell her "Happy Early Birthday!" (0:

Plus, she's kind of crazy and weird (like me) (0:

You'd Think I Was..

..80 years old! I forgot to post a Thankful Thursday again. I guess that's what happens when you have a camp for a week and only three of us are home to wrangle them all in. In any case, I am thankful this beautiful Saturday for six very awesome Jesus lovin' beautiful people!

Caleb, Hailey, Jenny, Corbin, Trace, and Jim are all in India and doing work for the Kingdom. Also getting rained on all day and all night. They are in need of our prayer! What a wonderful opportunity of pray for our brothers and sisters. Here are a few of their update videos:

I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful Saturday. Be blessed! Love you all! 

I know it's late but,

I completely forgot about Thankful Thursday this week! Caleb called me on Friday morning and asked me if I wasn't thankful for anything this Thursday. So jokingly I told him I would make him the thing I am thankful for. But I wasn't really joking, I decided I would make this (extremely late) Thankful Thurs(Satur)day about him.

I know I have said it before, but I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with him. I wish everyone could get to know him and see his wonderful heart for Jesus and for people. Seriously, he blows my mind sometimes. I just talked to a friend yesterday and we talked about how Caleb truly lives out his faith in our precious Lord, Jesus. He is one of those people that it is evident that he has a relationship with Christ and God uses him in so many ways. One of those ways is being a blessing to me and to our family and friends. Another of those ways is just the example he is, the way he teaches all of us more about Jesus, not only in Bible study and conversation, but also just by the way he lives his life.

Today he was so sweet! We had the Peach Festival, which was as entirely too hot! He came and saw me this morning before we got started. Which made my day and then he brought me my FAVORITE Sonic food ever! Chili cheese tots and ate lunch with me out in the nasty heat. I enjoyed that time with him so much today! I hope you all have a blessed and restful Sunday tomorrow!

Speaking of Independence Day

What are the chances that this year Independence day occurs on a Thankful Thursday? How appropriate that it does! In all my recent thoughts about this country and about our precious Savior, I feel compelled to share them. I have never felt the thankfulness in my heart like I do this Independence Day that we live in a country that is founded upon "In God We Trust." We have obviously fallen away from this and have allowed some pretty hard core corruption to penetrate the minds and hearts of a lot of people who hold influential places in our government. Even in that case, God is so good! I am so thankful that I live in a country where I am able to freely proclaim Christ. I am thankful that I live in a place that I am able to tell anyone about the God of my salvation! Isn't that so sweet! Seriously, though!

With all of that said, and in thinking about that freedom that we have, I can't help but think about all of the amazing people who God has truly blessed us with. People that gave their lives up so that we could be a free country and people who still serve to this day so that we can be a free country. While I agree there are some, for lack of a better word, stupid things going on in our government today, we still have that freedom and we still live in a place where, regardless of any other factor, I have the right to tell a person about Jesus Christ who saved me and gave His perfect and sinless life up so that the life of every single human being who accepts Him as Lord and believes and confesses their sin and asks the Lord for forgiveness and to be Lord over their lives, will be saved and can know a freedom that doesn't even compare to our freedom as Americans. I say that not to discount the lives of the men and women who served and continue to, but to put into perspective the freedom that we can have in Christ.

Thinking about all of that, the scripture, " It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yolk of slavery." Galatians 5:1 comes to mind.

So, to all of you today, I just want to say I will be the first to admit that I most definitely still fall into the yolk of slavery sometimes. I feel like I am not good enough to be entrusted with the Gospel, or just not worthy enough to be bold and stand firm. But those are lies! Such lies! I know we all fall into that occasionally, but I feel like I just need to say, we don't have to! Really! I almost feel sometimes after I have given into the temptation to believe all of those lies, that it's like a never ending cycle that just continues to spiral down until we break inside. At least that is how I feel sometimes. I let it paralyze me in my walk and I feel like it's almost taking away from the Gospel. I mean, it was for freedom that He set us free! It wasn't so that even in our failure to be bold or in our stumbling into being subject to that yolk of slavery that we would continue to beat ourselves up. He came so that we could have freedom from that! He came so that we can boldly come to Him and He will hear the cry of His people. He came so that in our contrite hearts pleading that He takes the pain away from our hearts when we fall into that, the God of our salvation would look on us and say my child, the blood of the perfect and spotless lamb, the GREAT I AM, JESUS CHRIST has come in the flesh and given Himself so that you may be free, come and rest in my presence. Ahhh! We get to rest in the presence of God! The maker of heaven and of earth. The creator of absolutely everything, who speaks and the wind and the waves obey His command. The God who commands the trees, and the birds, who all of creation proclaims His majesty and glory! I am thankful for that freedom today!

My prayer is that if you don't know and haven't experienced that freedom, that today you would! I write theses things, not for my health, or so that my blog will have content, or so I can babble on about the things that are important to me. But because, these things should be important to you too! This is a matter of truth, love, life, and peace. I pray that you will know all of those things today! Truth. Love. Life. Peace. Things that can only be found complete if you know Jesus personally. True joy comes from knowing the Lord and I pray that you know that joy today. I pray that you know true freedom today!

I love all of you and I am so thankful for all of you too! Thank you to all of you who comment and give me feedback on my other posts! I am thankful for the encouragement! God is so good to bless me with all of you!

Thankful Thursday: The Word

I know this is the second time recently that I have used the Word as the thing I am thankful for, but seriously, it is so refreshing. Even when it's hard to read, for example, Proverbs talking about disciple and reproof. Not easy stuff to learn or read, but so good, because it's truth!

I am thankful that His promises are true and that the Word is living and active and through spending time in it, we get to know Jesus better. We get to know the character of our loving and merciful God better. I just love it, I am thankful that God uses us for His purpose and plan. Just the mere fact that He allows us to be vessels for His work here on this earth, blows me away. I had to choke back tears earlier just thanking Him that He is mindful of me.

Think about that! He is mindful of you! He loves you! Wow! I am seriously in awe today at our God.

I pray that if you read this today that you are challenged to go read or pray, or just spend time in His presence today. I really recommend 1 Chronicles 16, the Psalm of Thanksgiving. It's good stuff!

Father's Day: Weirdy's

So this Father's Day has been tough to stay awake. We just got back from New Orleans. I didn't have any time to shop, etc. Thankfully, I have a new book that I am hoping my dad will love called "I AM."

A few years ago we got a song called, "I AM" in choir. I haven't ever seen a song mean so much to my dad. That was in a really rough time for our family and I am assuming that it meant to him, what the song meant to me. We both loved it! The lyrics say this:

I am the Lord, I'm the Almighty God;
And I am the one for which nothing is too hard.
I am the Shepherd, and I am your Door;
I am the Good News to the bound and the poor.
I am Jehovah, I am the King;
I am the Messiah, I am David's offspring.
I am your High Priest, I am the Christ,
I am the Resurrection, I am the Life.

I am the bread, I am the wine;
I am your future, so leave your past behind.
I am the one in the midst of two or three
I am your tabernacle, I am your Jubilee.
I am

Because my dad loved it so much, for Christmas two years ago I made him a CD and that song was on it. IF you promise not to judge you can listen here. I'm planning on giving it to him along with a note about the song that I wrote him, just thanking him for being a strong and firm foundation for our family in the midst of some of the hardest times in our my lives and in my life . And don't misunderstand me please, my dad is an amazing dad, but he isn't Superman. He is a child of the King and because of that I have been able to see my dad grow and seen his walk with the Lord change into a dependence on the Lord. I saw his walk with God change drastically and it's seriously amazing. I saw my dad in the midst of when a lot of people lose it, hold it together and rely on the Lord to play mom and dad. Not because he was just this super strong guy, but because He was a follower of Christ. He relied on the Lord. It was and still is awesome to watch a parent so dependent on God and give his whole life to serve our King. And whew! What an amazing God we serve who takes care of all of our needs and blesses us. An amazing God who carries us through all of our storms. I saw my dad lean on the Lord as his rock when the mountains were crumbling before him and beside him and underneath him, but he stood on the firm foundation he had in Christ. We still don't agree on things, and I am just like him, so we bud heads more than anyone else in the family. But I love my dad so much! I couldn't have asked for a better dad! I would go on, but I'm crying too much writing this that it's getting hard to see. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me beyond what I could ever deserve with such a wonderful and amazing earthly father. 

Thankful Thursday: Satisfying God

I am pretty sure I am delirious and getting weird. I feel like I still haven't caught up from Canada.
These girls are making me so happy. They all have their cute little Bibles out discussing the Word and sharing good stuff with each other. We are all so dead and prayers for rest and strength would be so so so appreciated. The kids are all doing so good! I get so dead on these trips and this year seems even worse on the lack of rest and sleep, but as Maddy just read to us, Psalm 107:9 promises this, "He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good." He is my strength, and he satisfies this thirsty soul! He is so good! I am so thankful that He does!

While I was speaking of Maddy, I just want to say that she shared her testimony of what the Lord has done in her life tonight for the first time ever on a stage in front of people, and it was amazing to hear. She was nervous and a little bit scared, but totally believed that God could use her tonight and work through her, and wow! He was totally present. She was living out Isaiah 61:1-4. The Spirit of the Lord was on her. He was present in that place tonight, and I was amazed!

These students are all blowing my mind at how they are stepping up and going above and beyond what is asked of them. They are an encouragement to me and I am thankful for them. God is using them in mighty ways and I am absolutely blessed to be even a small part of it. Today we had so much going on people were prayer walking, passing out flyers for a block party Friday, cleaning, painting, digging up a burn pile to help a pastor, teaching children about Jesus, and spending time in fellowship with one another in a manner that just shouts love! I am so, thankful!

Thankful Thursday: God Speaking

I am so sorry it has taken so long to post this. Our Internet was not working today, I think it's because of the storm last night, but I'm obviously just guessing. 

I know I've mentioned it a few times lately and it might be getting old, but I'm so thankful for the Word. Seriously though, I read a post about the Bible today and our fleshly desires and how the two don't mix. But I kept thinking about it and how the more you read, the more you want to read. The more you seek The Lord, the more you want to know Him. He continues to grow our desire for the Word, the more time we spend with Him. I am so thankful that the Word comes alive and that through it God speaks to us when we ask Him to. 

I am so thankful that He has the power to increase our desire for Him if we ask Him and are willing to incline our ears to His commands. I am so thankful that God works in mysterious ways and we are so blessed to receive all His blessings. I am thankful for His faithfulness and His promises that He always keeps. 

I pray that each person who reads this post will be refreshed and renewed in Spirit and in truth today. I pray that you are supernaturally moved today to seek The Lord today. Whether Christian or not, I pray that you would have a desire in your heart that you can't help or get over accept through trusting The Lord to fulfill it. He is faithful to do it! 

Thankful Thursday: In Pitt Meadows...

We're here. Well, we've been here for a day and a half now, it feels like longer. I feel like we've known Josh and Lisa forever. I love them so much! Gosh! I wish I could explain on here just exactly the heart that God has given them. I haven't ever met anyone with a testimony quite like Lisa's. God is doing an amazing work here in and through their lives. I have been abundantly blessed by them.

Yesterday was so good to finally get out of the van for more than just a few hours or 30 minutes in Washington. We had dinner (actually it was lunch, but I truly thought it was dinner and I didn't have my phone, because of international rates, to be able to tell the time) with the family and met all of them. The kids are so cute and I want to take them all home with us, especially the baby. Seriously, the cutest and sweetest baby ever.

Today was kind of a crazy (good crazy) day, to start off, I couldn't hardly get out of bed this morning, I slept so hard last night. It took about 20 minutes to have the effort just to turn over in bed, but then I decided if I didn't get up, I wasn't getting coffee. I got up. As we we're getting ready Caleb and Josh knocked on the door. So I went down and told them we're almost ready, which I'm sure they knew (because it's a universal lady's reputation, that the phrase, "I'm almost ready," is not true. So I went back upstairs and Olivia and I put it in "rabbit." Then we went to meet up with everyone at Josh and Lisa's house. They went to their oldest son's school play and we went to prayer walk. Which was pretty cool it rained on us pretty much the whole time and we had the sweet sweet baby, Mikah Bradley, with us. We prayer walked the entire parade route and the area by the end of the parade where they will have all of the Pitt Meadows Day stuff set up.

As we were walking back into the housing community where they live, they were driving out with Caleb (their Caleb) on their way to the doctor, because he got hit with a hockey stick in the face. Thankfully he didn't need stitches, but he definitely didn't feel good. Milaya, their oldest girl painted Olivia and my nails all sorts of colors and the boys played some lego game with Eli, we just hung out and played with the other kids while they were getting Caleb's eye checked out.

After they got home, we headed to Vancouver to pick up some stuff for Pitt Meadows Day and the block party that we're doing Kid's Rock at. A lot of prayer has gone into today. I can not wait until Kid's Rock and Pitt Meadows Day out here. The Lord has been so gracious and kind to teach me so much already on this trip. Teaching me to pray for these people is one of them. This trip is not like most, I literally had no idea what to pray for except just ask God to bless Josh and Lisa and use us in whatever way possible. Not to say that is not still my prayer, but He is so good to lay things on our hearts to pray for and to give us the time to hear from Josh and Lisa on what goes on here and the vision that the Lord has given them on where He wants to take them and areas He needs them to work in obedience and trust. It has been so cool. They are so obedient in all of it too. I have been so encouraged by the faith they have to allow God's plan for their life, no matter what the cost. God has been so faithful to allow them to see His blessings on them in their obedience and His provision in the midst of a dramatic lifestyle change in another country and culture that's far from family and friends. He is providing new family and friends along the way though. Our host family is a great example.

We seriously just stayed up until 1:30 talking with them. Their story is so cool. They were both born and raised in Canada. So, talking with them about the culture and the response of the people to the need for Jesus, was not necessarily different, but just from an insiders prospective. I'm not a cryer, but I cried last night as we were all talking, just broken for the people here. The Christians and non-Christians both. The Christians, because I can't imagine living in a place, especially my entire life, that was so incredibly lost and completely complacent with it. The non-Christians, because well, obviously they need Jesus. Being here gives me a new vision for what Jesus means when He says that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. That explains this place to a T. They have such authentic faith. It is such a different concept to be permanently or for a long period in a place where Jesus' name isn't widely known like in the "Bible belt." There aren't any "Trust Me -God" billboards around here. God is working here in Pitt Meadows, though, and He has been so faithful just in the past day to reveal to us specific ways to pray for them and encourage them. He has definitely allowed us to see exactly why He called each of us here.

Sometimes, I think we go into "mission trips" thinking that we are called, but we don't know why or can't pin point exactly what He is calling us to. I think, for Olivia and I, especially, we have had both just felt that there was a specific purpose in us coming, and He has been so good to allow us to see that come full circle. He has allowed us to see that prayer be answered.

Going really quick back to specific ways to pray, here are a few ways that you can be praying for them, this week specifically and just in general after this week.  Saturday is Pitt Meadows Day, and there will be a parade that they have a float in. This is a great opportunity to meet people and initiate the start of relationships with people, pray that God would send hungry and thirsty people that God will use  the people of Church on the Rock to make disciples and workers here in this plentiful harvest. Pray for Kid's Rock tonight that God would send the kids there that need Him who have soft hearts and eyes and ears that are ready and able to see and hear Him. Long term, encouragement. I can't imagine being up here and not having the constant encouragement like we have at home. There are also two different areas I can't remember the name of but I will find out for sure that God has laid on their hearts to start going into and my prayer is just God's provision on the vision that He has given them. That He opens doors to these places and gives them the answers they need on when and how to go about being a part of those communities. The church in general (I know we're all one church, but you know what I mean), pray that God would send workers to the church. That He would send people that just want more of Him and desire to reach people for His name and glory. Pray that God would move in power here in this place and it would be evident. There are lots of things to pray for. Just that the lost would be found and the blind would see. That is how I feel this place is just blind to the fact that they need Him.