Going Green

It seems everywhere you turn these days someone or something is going green. Whether it be recyling, reusing, reducing or renewing, green is the theme. I must admit we really aren't very "Green" around our house. I am ashamed to say we really don't recycle, but we do like to reduce and reuse certain things. I have bought "green" cleaning products, we have reduced our paper consumption by going paperless on most of our bills, we bought energy efficient lightbulbs and we did replant some bushes in the backyard that we dug out of front yard. They are dead now, but still...... Now let me make it clear I am not in any way against going green, I just haven't made it a priority. Shame on me, I know!

I was driving through my neighborhood the other day and noticed all of the recycling bins lined up along the curbs. I began thinking about the Green movement and what the meaning behind going green really was. I did a little research, because I am cool like that ;-), and found some really interesting facts about the color green. Here are just a few:

*Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye.

*Green is the pervasive color in the natural world that is an ideal backdrop in interior design because we are so used to seeing it everywhere.

*Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment.

*Green is considered the color of peace.

Really riveting stuff I know.

After pouring over all of this info I came to the conclusion that maybe it's time for me to "Go Green" in my own life." Why? Because what I found in all of this research was that the color green represents life, growth, renewal, peace, it captures the eyes and permeates the world around it. Everything that I, a Christ follower, should stand for.

In Christ I have NEW Life and through that new life I am reborn, renewed, redeemed and responsible for sharing that life with the lost and dying world around me. I am to be salt and light, a city on a hill that cannont be hidden and I am to permeate the world around me. Matthew 5:14-16 sums it up best. It takes going green to a "Hole Nutha Level.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

So today, I hereby join the green movement. Will you join with me?

Always Green :-)

~Kazia~

"Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands. Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land. Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made Blue for the sky and the color green, that fills these fields with praise." ~Rich Mullins

A Season of Change

My life is full of exciting changes right now. I'm moving in to a new hair salon, my body is rapidly changing due to the baby growing inside of me, and soon my life will be changed forever. These are all things I have prayed for, hoped for, even longed for and now they are happening. The reality is setting in and now it is becoming scary. My life is going to change.





Why is change such a scary thing? Especially when it's changes that we want. Is it because we don't like to be uncomfortable, we love routine, we want to know all the answerer's, we don't like surprises, and we want to go into something knowing exactly what to expect? I know that's how I feel. So, I've been thinking, what if we never changed? Life would be boring, we would never learn anything new, we would never grow, and that would leave us women with nothing to talk about. How sad! We need change.





Even though we may not want it or like it, life is full of good, bad, and unexpected change. As long as we are seeking and trusting God he will guide us in the right direction and down the right paths. We just have to give God the control, trust and listen to Him. Knowing that our God loves us, wants only good for us and that He will protect us, doesn't that make change seem a lot less scary?





Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you what path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6



Tiffany

Out With The Girls

The other day I was out with some friends checking out some awesome shops and just spending time together. We took 2 cars and I was to be the leader. Well…. north, south, east and west don’t always make sense to me. I get around by site. You know, turn left at the McDonald’s, right at the gas station, past the shopping area. Well it has worked for me for years. But I was leading someone that wasn’t sure where we were going, let alone all the short cuts that I take to get places. We had several lights to go through and several lanes to change and turns to make in order to get where we were going.

Before we had gone very far I found myself going through a yellow light. In my defense, everyone in my car had just gotten their Starbuck favorite drink and would possibly not ask me to go with them next time if I had made them spill it all over themselves so I didn’t slam on the brakes, but I did slow down till car #2 caught up again. Not much farther, the traffic was getting heavier and I felt like I needed to go ahead and get in the lane that would allow me to turn later. Needless to say car #2 had to squeeze in to keep up. On we go talking and laughing and oh no another yellow light – yes I went through it. Car #2 decided this time to follow me through it. Hmmm, well we made it and had a wonderful time. It is always fun to go shopping with the girls.

Well the point I’m making – if you are a leader, how are you leading???? Are you in front? Are you prepared? Are you followable? Is that a word?

Think about it. Everyone is a leader. If you are a parent, you are leading your children. If you are an employee, chances are from time to time you lead others. Friends often take turns leading each other. Let’s remember to think of the people that are following us and make sure we do not leave them behind – lost and not knowing what way to go. As a leader there is a responsibility to be aware of those following you. Where they are and how they are doing.

The true test of a leader is to check from time to time and see if anyone is following you. If not – something is wrong.

~ Debbie ~

All That You Need Today

And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8 ~

I'm not sure what the good work is that God has for you today but I am sure that God stands waiting to pour out the grace that you need to accomplish that work.

Mother, teacher, friend, student, employee, God has a good work for you today.

Go and abound in His grace.

~ Terica ~

Blessed Beyond Measure

11 years ago this Saturday I said "I Do!" to the man of my dreams!! We knew on our very first date we would never be apart. We knew we had fallen and fallen hard! We knew we were in love. We knew God had given us "The One". I was starry-eyed! I don't know how to explain it any other way. What I didn't know was the work we were going to be putting into our marriage and how much we needed God to be the center focus! My parents will be married 38 years this June and growing up I never knew what it took to make their amazing marrige work. What I knew was they were in love and that was all you needed, right? There is so much more to this! It takes a lot of work and a lot of alone time spent with God! God has helped my parents 38 year marrige and my 11 year marriage! With God we can outlast those nasty statistics! We can shine a light on marriages all over the world! We have grown so much from that very first date. Our love has grown so much more! I never realized who this man would become! So today I would like to tell you who is to me and if you don't mind I want to tell him!!



Nate,



To me you are the man of my dreams! To me you are my best friend! To me you are the greatest dad in the world! To me you are an awesome worship pastor! To me you are selfless! To me you are an amazing friend to so many! To me you are the most amazing man of God a girl could ever hope to find! To me you are mine!! I love you more than words can say! Thank you for choosing me! Thank you for our two beautiful boys! And thank you for the past 11 years! I can't wait to see what the future holds for us! If it's anything like the past 11, I know it will be amazing!! I am BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE!!!!!!



Love Always and Forever,



Joybelle



I pray today that all of you are blessed beyond measure!!



Joy :)



I thought I would share a song with you from our special day!

All or Nothing, the life of a Christ Chaser!

I often feel apologetic about my all or nothing nature. I am aware that I almost always go overboard. I am aware that I can't help but over think every situation. I am also aware that my mindset in how I go about ministry with every fiber of my being, is often considered strange, and sometimes annoying. I've been really seeking God about how to minister for Him in the right way, and how to have a balanced perspective on life.
But what I went to God with as an insecurity, I have found through his eyes is what He intended for me. When I really look at who the Uncreated, All-powerful, All-knowing, God of this universe is, how can I go on with a balanced, socially acceptable, way of life. When I look at who Jesus is, what he did for me, the way he lived his whole life, from humble beginning, to a brutal and unjust end, I just don't have it in me to return that kind of whole-hearted sacrifice, with anything less.
So I am here to say that this is what I have been called to be. A whole-hearted, give-til-it-hurts, worship-til-there-aren't-any-words-left, socially-insane, chaser of Christ. I now know that the target is Christ, and his ways that aren't our ways. The target isn't being the coolest Christian in the room, or the Christian that looks like they have it all together. I need to stop judging myself against the other women in the room and judge myself against the words that God whispers to my heart in secret. Jesus gave it all, it's my job to take a shot at returning the favor.

Sweet Jesus, I'm tired of wrestling with who I want to be, and who I want others to see me as. Turn my heart towards becoming who you desire me to be. Thank you for the continuous work you are doing in my life, I could never do enough to repay you for the favor you have given me, but I certainly want to try. You, and You alone, will have my ALL!

-Laura

Leaving My Mark

I have a confession to make. It's a deep dark secret that I have been holding onto for years. Not really, but I got your attention. If you ever randomly drop by my house at any time you will see that this is not a secret, but indeed a fact. Most days my house is not in the greatest shape. Ok, a lot of the times it's a wreck. There, I said it.

I have two young daughters, so sometimes this makes cleaning house an exercise in futility. As soon as I get it put away, they get it out again, plus some. They tear through the house at lightening speed leaving anything and everything in a trail of chaos behind them. My four year old in particular has, well, lets just say, a special way of leaving her mark in every room in the house. She leaves her dirty clothes, shoes and towels on the floor, drags all of her toys and books out and just leaves them everywhere and she drops crumbs of food or spills her drink all over the place. I can literally walk into EVERY room in this house and know she has been there. She is extremely loud and messy! But that's just who she is. A little bit of me and a little bit of her daddy :-)

As I was hanging up some their clothes in frustration the other morning, a thought occurred to me. Do I leave my mark wherever I go? For that matter, what mark would I leave if I were to leave one. My hope is that I would leave marks of love, joy and peace. Marks of patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. And marks of gentleness and self-control. Looking over this list, it seems that there are somedays that I don't leave any of these marks. So many days I leave aggravation, frustration and laziness as my mark. Those are the days that tend to be the most pitiful. Nothing gets accomplished and everyone is miserable in the process.

My prayer is that everyday I live, I leave the mark of a life full of Jesus Christ, everywhere I go I leave trails of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-contol behind me and that everyone I meet will see the mark of someone who has been saved by grace and loves the life HE has given her.

Are you leaving your mark? What mark are you leaving behind you?

Much Love,

~Kazia~

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

Superhero's

I have always had a little obsession with superhero's. When I was a little girl I had Barbie's and dolls but they didn't get my attention quite like Power Rangers, X Men, or Ninga Turtles. Now, even as an adult I still find myself intrigued by all of the Superhero's. There is just something about all of the super powers. How awesome would it be to fly, be invisible, and save people from destruction all while wearing super cool outfits.

I often think of what my powers, name, or outfit would be if I were a superhero. As I was thinking this up again, after wathching Iron Man 2, I thought how cool I have my own personal superhero, My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He is all over the world at once, he is invisible but you can feel and hear him, He saves people from death. My God is so much more then a superhero. He is with me at all times to protect me and guide me, He knows my every need, He is the truth, He loves me unconditionally, He is forgiving, He gives me life, when I am weak He is my strength, He died and rose from the dead for me, and in the end He wins! That's a superhero worth being like!

Wow, that list goes on and on and I am in awe of My God. I want people to know He is my Father and the Lord of my life. What a name to be proud of, carry with you, look up to, be like, Jesus, He is my superhero but really so much more!

Tiffany

Going With The Flow

Do you find yourself going along with the crowd and then wondering why?

Whether at school, work, or with family and friends there are always choices to go with the flow or to stop and stand up for what you know in your heart God would want you to do. Why do we take the easy way and the regret it later?

• Heartaches could be avoided
• Many tears left unshed
• We could have a stronger witness to friends and family
• Back pedaling could be eliminated

Living life making the right choices can become a habit just as easily as living a life of compromise.

In NewLife Kids this last Sunday, we started a new series called the Upsidedown Town and I really enjoyed the song This Is How. I am hoping that our kids learn at an early age a life without compromise and regret is much easier to live that a life that goes with the flow and is riddled with regrets for choices made along the way.

If you would like to listen to the song you can go to http://www.creativepastors.com/product_2177 , then click on series video clips and the song This Is How. I hope it will remind you to stop and think before you just go with the flow next time!!

~Debbie ~

Loosening The Grip

As Braden prepares to graduate pre-school today, his momma has been reflecting on how far that boy has come. He has gone from the little boy who with all his might would cling to my legs, alligator tears streaming his face to the little man who now walks confidently into his school. I am so proud of my son. It has been such a joy to watch him take the necessary steps to achieve this feat.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there were many days I would drive to work with the same alligator tears streaming my face. Oh, how I wanted to save him the agony. I would pray. Boy, did I pray. I knew all too well the anxiety he was feeling. I’m sure we can all relate anytime change and unfamiliar territory are being explored. I would pray that Brady would know he was never alone. Truly know and trust in the fact that even when Mom and Dad aren’t around, he is not alone. He was always being watched over, protected and taken care of. I wanted him to become familiar with God’s presence at this tender age and rest in that. As much as I wanted to save my son from all that he was going through, I knew I could not. My job was to trust wholeheartedly the One who had blessed me with him. Just as I wanted Braden to trust…I had to do the same. I knew the steps Braden needed to take were for his own good…regardless the pain it brought the both of us.

This morning, as my mind was flooded with memories, the thought occurred to me. Do we ever outgrow this? When change comes about don’t we often face it kicking and screaming? When asked to step out into unfamiliar territory our first response is to hold on to our comfort zone with the death grip. Yet, our loving Father knows it’s necessary to develop us into the person He has called us to be. Regardless of how difficult or painful, great or small the sacrifice action is required to bring about our transformation. In the midst of it all, we have a Father who wants for us to cling to Him and loosen the grip on what’s comfortable. To walk confidently knowing we are never alone. He longs for us to be familiar with His presence and rest in it in the middle of uncertainty.

Now, I am in training just like the rest of us. I certainly have not arrived to any “pro” status by any means. Just recently, I threw quite the spiritual tantrum when change came my way. But, one thing I do know. Anytime I have surrendered myself to the change God was trying to bring about, I have never regretted it. I can look back over the storybook pages of my life and see God’s gracious hand at work. I am not the person I once was…nor with His help will I stay the same person I am today.

~ Terica

No Greater Joy......

If you keep up with me on facebook you probably already know a little of what my title means. I am a mother of two awesome boys that bring me more joy than I ever thought possible! They also bring me more heartache than I ever thought possible! (I don't want to talk about that part today!) Today I want you to know the joy of this momma. You see, I am a huge baseball fan! When a say huge, I mean HUGE! One of my goals in life is to someday visit as many baseball stadiums as I can. I am hoping to see them all. I am hoping the boys will get to enjoy this journey with me. I already know I missed one. The old Yankees stadium is one I will never see, but like I said, as many as I can. I visit The Ballpark in Arlington (home to our Texas Rangers) as much as I possibly can. Did I mention I love baseball. My husband got tired last year when we got fios in the middle of baseball season and that was all he was allowed to watch. He likes to watch the Rangers when they are doing well like right now. They are holding on to first place! Loving that!! I like to watch them all the time! Anyway, I think you get my point! So for this momma there is no greater joy than to see my boys out on the baseball field. Ethan hit his first triple a couple of games ago, Caleb caught his first fly ball ever and I realized how much anxiety I feel for them every time they play! It's only t-ball is what I tell myself, but it's competitive t-ball. We count the runs this year and the outs! Needless to say, I am the one with the butterflies in my stomach. I never had them when I played, but for my boys I do. I feel it when they hurt, I feel it when they rejoice, I feel it when they_____________!(you fill in the blank) As mommas we feel everything! Never knew baseball could bring out so many emotions. Our little Cardinals are in 2nd place right now and they couldn't be happier! It is so cool to see them mature in this game! They have come so far and have worked so hard. They deserve to be where they are! I love this game!!!!!!


I made mention that for this momma there is no greater joy than to see my boys on the field, or so I thought! I don't know how it is really going to work when we get to heaven someday when we are all called to judgement. I don't know if we will stand in an audience as we watch our Father tell us one by one "Well done my good and faithful servant," or "Depart from me I knew you not." I don't know how that is going to work, but I do know that if I get to stand and watch my boys be judged by their Father MY GREATEST JOY will be hearing him say to them "Well done my good and faithful servant!" I may be helping them learn to play baseball, but more than that I am equipping them to learn to serve! They are surrounded by people that are teaching them everyday about the love of their Heavenly Father! My boys have no doubt that it is Jesus that loves them more than I ever could. And it is Jesus that loves everyone more than we ever could. So today I ask you, "What is your greatest joy?"

Love you all!!

Joy

P.S. Here's a little picture I would like to share with you!


Caleb(6), Benjamin(5), Ethan(5), Braden(5)

GO CARDINALS!!!!

Great Expectations

Today I find that someone else's words capture what's going on in my heart better than my own words could.  So I hope you don't mind but today we will have a guest blogger!  Meghan Robinson is the amazing wife and co-minister of one of our favorite Youth for the Nations speakers, Carey Robinson.  (Though Meghan is quite the speaker herself.)  I struggle with waking up everyday expecting God to move, and making that my goal for the day rather than survival.  I hope you are as blessed by her words as I am.  If you would like to read more from Meghan Robinson, her blog is at meghanrobinson.wordpress.com

 

-girly

Great Expectations

It is a busy week for me as I am preparing to be gone all week next week attending ARC’s All Access Conference! I can’t wait! There is nothing in the world I enjoy more than talking church, God and culture! I love the inspiration that comes from being around other world changers. With all the excitement, I cannot even begin to tell you how much must be done to leave my house and kids for a week.

I have already been preparing grocery lists, dinner ideas, doing laundry to set out outfits, thinking about school transportation and planning for the cheerleading tryouts that I am going to miss. I know my girls will be great! I am leaving them in fabulous hands but I (for my own sanity) must plan out and cover every thinkable detail and inevitably, I am sure I will miss something!

Due to the busyness required to prepare for a trip like this, I realized this morning that I haven’t even begun to think much about the conference I am so excited to attend. Carey asked me what I was expecting and I really had to think about it. My mind has been so caught up in what needs to be done to get there, I haven’t allowed God to stir the expectations of my heart. So this morning I am dreaming, praying, trusting God to bring fresh revelation, vision, passion for ministry. I am trusting him for wisdom and creative ideas to better serve His kingdom. I am believing for divine God connections that only He can orchestrate. I am preparing my heart for all that He wants to do.

Expectation is so necessary in our walk with God! I talked with an amazing girl on our youth staff the other day who said that she had decided that she was going to become “expectant” of God every day. Not just in church, but in her everyday life. She shared that she wanted to always expect God to show up and speak to her. To help her know what to do and say so that in whatever situation she may find herself in, she would always be led by the spirit and able to be used by HIM.

I love this heart attitude and I truly believe that God does too! So many times we get caught up in the busyness of life that we begin to just operate in the motions and we allow our expectations of God to creep into a routine that does not allow us to see past what we already know.

Romans 11:33 “Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, how inscrutable his ways!”

Sometimes we set expectations and we feel let down by the outcome. I’ve heard it said, “I just don’t expect much and that way I am not disappointed.” I understand this sentiment, but I would rather place great expectations on the God of the universe whose plans are obviously so much greater than my own and be surprised by his inscrutable, all powerful ways.

xoxo

Meghan

Now you will live happily ever after......

My daughter Ally received a princess crown for her birthday recently. We were sitting in the office not too long ago and she placed that crown on my head and declared "Now you will live happily ever after!" As she continued on, I thought to myself Oh how I wish it were that easy.

We are obviously in the midst of the "princess" phase right now. Dresses, highheels, crowns, boppy-boos (this is Ally's word for magic wands), the whole nine yards. She loves all things princess, especially Disney princess. I often said we were never going to get into all that, but here we are finding ourselves enthralled in everything princess.

I was thinking the other day How did we let her become engrossed in this stuff? And then something came to me. What's really so bad about it after all? Generally speaking they are really good girls, who do really good things, they encounter some hardships, but in the end they live happily ever after. Is that so bad? Now, grant you, sometimes there are some princesses out there that bring disgrace to the kingdom, but all in all it really isn't that bad. I mean you get to wear gorgeous dresses everyday, you have the most beautiful voice anyone has ever heard, you make friends with talking animals and you always find your prince charming. Sounds like a lot fun! Sign me up :-)

The word princess itself has sort of a DIVA connotation to it. You think of someone always dressed in the fanciest clothes, along with perfect hair, perfect makeup, sitting around on her throne all day eating bon-bons and telling people what to do. But when I looked up the word Princess in the dictionary this is what I found:

a female member of a royal family other than the queen (especially the daughter of a sovereign)

This definition does not describe a princess as being perfect, lazy or bossy. It simply descibes her as being a daughter of the king. So in actuality why wouldn't I want that for my daughters ? I long for my girls to be known as "the good girls". I long for my girls to do good things for other people. I long for my girls to find their prince charming. But most of all I long for my girls to be daughters of "The King."

As I mentioned last week in my own personal blog, it is my greatest desire as a mommy to see my girls living their lives in honor of The King of Kings, Jesus Christ. I have high hopes that one day I will see my daughters lives overflowing with the love of The Heavenly Father, The Sovereign God. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. So I have learned to love the life of a princess and now I am raising two of my own.

Life isn't always easy being a princess, but when you serve the Most High King, you will always live happily ever after.......

".......He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world." 1 Samuel 2:8

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

Much Love,

Kazia

P.S. Nine years ago this Wednesday, I married my prince charming. Sure, he watches too much football, burps really loud sometimes and leaves his dirty socks on the floor, but He is MY PRINCE. He brings love and life into our home. He loves me and loves his girls, but most of all he loves his God. He has set a good example to my girls of what a prince charming should be. I love you with all my heart Brooks Ferguson. Thank you for working so hard to make our lives so good. Thank you for loving me and thank you for loving our girls! I couldn't ask for anything more!

Who Knew....

I longed for a baby for 2 years and now my husband and I are expecting our first child in December. It feels like I have been waiting for this moment forever!

I have watched family and friends go through the blessing of pregnancy. Who knew pregnancy was so extreme! From the outside they seemed so normal and it looked easy! It's one of those things you just can't explain or even understand what is going on until you have been through it. Someone would find out they were pregnant and the symptoms would start, Oh I'm so tired, hungry, emotional, bloated, nauseous, and on and on and on! I would think to myself you have got to be kidding, it can't possibly be that bad. I remember getting upset with women because they have been given a blessing, a miracle from God and all they are doing is complaining!

Well, now I am 10 weeks pregnant and totally understand how it feels to have a baby growing inside of me. Some days I'm so sleepy I don't even want to get out of bed and forget about putting on makeup, cleaning, or cooking. I kind of feel sorry for my husband. There are days I'm nauseous all day long and different smells make it worse. Right now I don't like the grocery store, it's like I can smell everything at once and that's a bad outcome. Then, there are the days that I'm starving and craving food, is doesn't seem like I can get it fast enough or enough of it. I needed taco's from Rosa's one day. I live maybe 5 minutes from Rosa's and it felt like an eternity to get there. By the time I got there my mouth was watering and I'm pretty sure I was drooling. My emotions are crazy. I cried in the middle of a restaurant one night because the food didn't taste good. At any given moment I could cry, laugh, get mad, be overly sensitive, or be really happy and I have no control over it. My clothes are to tight and I feel like I'm going to pop by the end of the day. I hear that will only get worse. I would love to have a shirt that says I'm Pregnant, in 2 words it would explain my crazy moments.

I could go on about all the other things going on with my body and many more stories, but that could take a while. I understand my body is going through a big change right now, after all, it is building a house for a baby to grow in for the next 9 months. How exciting! The point is, even though I may whine or complain, I am truly grateful for the blessing God has given us. This is an amazing time in my life and I will cherish every moment. I can't really explain the joy this pregnancy has brought me. It makes all the crazy moments worth it.

Thank you Lord for answering my prayer and the desire of my heart.

Tiffany

WOW, It's Friday!!

Why do we wish our lives away by looking forward to Friday???

Could it be because of all we do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday?

Let's take a look back over this week. I was wife, mother, daughter, employee, and friend. I was office manager, accountant, Mom, Mimi, taxi driver, cheerleader, wedding planner, babysitter, event coordinator, cook, house cleaner, gardener, buyer, and I'm sure I held a few other titles. Hopefully I excelled at each task I took on. Hopefully I did not disappoint anyone along the way. Hopefully I didn't forget anything I had committed to do.

BUT did I take time this week to recharge??

Sometimes I get so busy in my everyday routine that I overlook the biggest blessings that were placed in front of me. Each and everyday is a new beginning - God is giving me another chance to get it right. When I take time to see all the blessings God had placed in my life. I do have a wonderful husband. I do have 3 awesome children and now they have beautiful families of their own. Grandchildren - need I say more? I have a job that is flexible. I have a home to clean. I am being included in planning my youngest son's wedding. I get to lead outstanding friends in children's ministry.

Are you getting the picture? Perspective is so important!! God doesn't give family, friends, and jobs to drain us but to bless us. When our attitude and perspective line up with God and His word we can look forward to every day and not just Fridays.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Begin each day with a new perspective and look forward to each and every day!!

~Debbie Nicewonger~

To be Known and Loved

To be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known. Think about that statement for a moment. Consider the woman at the well. She was known...yet not truly known. Actions and peers had defined her but I doubt anyone knew who she really was. What her favorite color was, her dreams and desires. Then enters a man asking for a drink of water. A man that could see past her exterior to her innermost being. A man that knew her. Yet, in a way she had never experienced before. He saw the delicate girl, who before she became known for her sin, had hope. And He loved.

To be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known. Beloved, we are known. All that we are is known...loved...cherished...desired. When I let that sink in, I want to know Him. Truly know Him. As I come to know Him, oh how I love Him! And as I come to love Him, oh how I want others to be known...and loved.

To be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known...

~ Terica

A Split Second....

How long does it take one moment to change the course of your life? A question I believe that deserves answering. Just recently my husband, myself and my 6 year old were witnesses to a pretty ugly accident. The woman that caused the accident has no idea where the other driver came from, but he came from somewhere because we watched as that young man's car flipped upside down. It seemed like it took minutes for all of this to take place, but in all reality it only took seconds. It was actually her split second decision to turn in that moment that set this moment into action. It usually works that way with all things.
There are things in our lives we take a lot longer to make a decision on, but its those split second decisions that altar the course of our lives in ways we never could have imagined. I am a product of this. I made a decision when I was 15 to go to church with my best friend. She asked and I didn't hesitate to say yes. Little did I know the course my life would now be on. I had no idea the friendships that would form, the lives that would change now, and the love and hope I would find in my Savior. Not to mention that one year after this decision I would meet the love of my life. ( We were both dating someone at the time, but we made lasting impressions that's for sure.) You might not know this, but there was a friendship that developed here that set the course for Nathan and I being a part of our church. Pastor Brandon and I became great friends through this since he was a big part of the youth group that I became a part of. Are you getting this yet? My split second decision to go to church for the first time altered the course of my life. I will be married 11 years at the end of this month, I have two beautiful boys, I am a big part of New Life Fellowship and I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father that is everlasting!! How long does it take one moment to change the course of your life? A Split Second!! What are you doing with your seconds? Make them count!

Life isn't measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away!

Joy Martin

P.S. The two people involved in the accident walked away just fine!! Isn't our God awesome!!

Easier to ask forgiveness than permission…

It is amazing the new perspective I have on my relationship with God as my first child has grown into a full-fledged, personality-filled, stubborn-as-all-get-out, toddler.  Experiencing him starting to become the person God created him to be and helping mold him and teach him right and wrong has launched me into a new understanding of the love, joy, frustration, and sometimes anger that our Father God feels towards us as he molds us into who He created us to be.

Not long ago, I was sitting at the kitchen table, when Tyler approached me pointing at a toy on the table, saying “Have? Have? Have?”   He wanted to know if he was allowed to have the toy…that was his… that he had put there…that he has never been denied before.  My immediate reaction was, “Of course, Baby, you didn’t have to ask! Just take it.”  I was surprised that he asked so sweetly when in any other case, when it was something he thought he might not be granted, he would go for the quick steal and run like mad maneuver. 

I couldn’t ignore the tug on my heart that God was revealing something to me about this.  Why is it that I don’t hesitate to ask God first in areas that I am 100% sure he is going to side with my intended plan of action, but when I’m not so sure if I am going to like the answer, I pull my own sneak attack and go ahead and do what I want before I find out what God has to say.

There are over 125 uses of the word ‘trust’ in the Bible, and I know why: trust is hard.   In a study our staff is doing together right now, Andy Stanley told us that we don’t trust for one, or both, of two reasons:  one, we know how much we have fallen short or are untrustworthy, and two, we have experienced so much failure from others.  Fortunately we can’t even begin to compare our human nature with that of God’s.  We can stand firm in scripture when it says in Psalm 9:10, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”  And again in Psalm 22:5, “They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”

            We could be here for years if I cited every Biblical example of God’s trustworthiness.  But we have to own it, live it, breathe it.  We have to know that He has our best interest at heart.  He has a plan that I can rest easy in.  I don’t have to usurp His authority to make things happen to achieve my desires.  If I seek Him first and trust him enough to be obedient, I won’t have to ask forgiveness later through tears on my knees, though I will probably still be in the same posture praising him through tears of joy and thankfulness because He will never disappoint!

Lord, help me to place my trust in your capable hands.  Teach me to call on your name when I have desires for my life, rather than take the initiative and try to do Your work for You.  I praise You that You are the author of all trust.  I choose to walk in the freedom and victory that comes from releasing my desires and goals fully to you, knowing that you never disappoint.  Help me grow my faith! 

-Laura "Girly" Gordy

1...2...3...Blast Off!

Hello and welcome! Today I am filled with anticipation and excitement because we are lauching The B'LoveD Blog. As I sat down to write the first article I suddenly had a moment of writer's block. Oh No! I don't know where to start! What am I going to write about? What if what I write about isn't interesting? What am I supposed to say? How do I start this whole thing? No pressure! I am only writing the very first ever post for the B'LoveD Blog. Needless to say the butterflies in my tummy are fluttering at full speed. I am nervous and anxious and worried. But most of all I am hopeful that this blog will bring you all encouragment, inspiration, many laughs and maybe a good cry or two.

Our goal in starting this blog is to give you all a glimpse into the lives of warrior women who share a passion for seeing lives changed through the infinite love of Jesus Christ. We are all wives, mothers, daughters and leaders who stand on front lines everyday fighting for our husbands, our children and our families, all the while trying to maintain our sanity and look good doing it. We are fully armed with the Word of God, lots of prayer and chocolate. We are dressed and ready for battle in the armor of God and the most comfortable shoes we can find. We all have stories to tell and we want to share them with you. Please visit often and leave us comments. We love feedback and would love to hear from each of you! Thanks for visiting and come back soon :-)

Blessings and Happy Reading!

Kazia