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You and Me Forever

Happy Thursday friends.

I hope you all have had a good week. I have not felt the best this week so I have been spending lots of time in pjs reading, and watching movies. However, it has been the perfect weather for that since it has been so rainy and yucky outside. I have had some problems with my blood pressure and I have an appointment this morning that I hope will provide some assistance in getting it stabilized. Prayers for that would be greatly appreciated.

Also, speaking of reading, I recently wrote a review of the book “You and Me Forever:Marriage in Light of Eternity” by Francis Chan for my friend Sara’s blog. Sara has an amazing blog with lots of great book reviews so be sure to check it out. You can view the post here.

Have a lovely day!

Articles, Uncategorized

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday friends! I hope you all survive getting back to the real world today after the holidays, and maybe continue some online Christmas shopping..ha! Its not even 7am yet and I have already been taking advantage of some amazing Cyber Monday deals.

I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me and my family a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was a weekend of yummy food, family, and lots of Christmas movies (we are a bit addicted to Christmas movies in this house..we just can’t help it..haha)! My mom cooked a delicious meal on Thursday and my family came to our house for the day. We had such a good time catching up with one another and shared many laughs. Then on Saturday my parents along with other family members participated in the Christmastown 5k in McAdenville, NC. I went and watched them and loved being a part of it. Also, the Christmas lights in McAdenville are absolutely beautiful. I have been wanting to go with the family for the past two years but each year they have participated, I have been too sick so I am extra grateful that I was able to go this year. Below are some pictures from the past few days.

Yesterday, was the beginning of Advent Season, and my friend Erin and I are writing a series on our blogs each Sunday leading up to Christmas. We started yesterday, and would love for you to check out our posts.

Read mine here.

Read Erin’s here.

I hope and pray that you all have a great week! Below are some pictures from the past few days.

Love Lexi and CJ!

Gran with the grandkids

Sweet Emily

Crazy cousins who are more like brothers!

Auntie Ellen and Me

I love Lexi Rae!

My favorite pic of me and mom! Best friends!

Aunt Ellen and Uncle Lewis

Cousin Love – Me and Laurie

Mr. and Mrs. Claus

Oh Christmas Tree!

Advent, Articles

Anticipating Christ: Hope

Today marks the beginning of advent and I am thrilled to be writing a blog series during this season along with my friend Erin. Leading up to Christmas we will both be writing a new post each week focusing on the themes of advent which include: hope, joy, peace and love.

When I think of Christ, I automatically think of the word hope, and His hope could not be any more evident than at Christmas time. Merriam Webster’s Dictonary defines hope as: “to cherish a desire with anticipation, or to “expect with confidence.” Advent is a perfect example of this type of hope, and the ultimate hope that we have in life that comes from Christ.

Advent means “coming,” as in “Christ is coming.” It represents the expectation, anticipation, and preparation of the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born as fully God and fully man, and as the King of Kings was born in a lowly manger to identify with us. He came for us so that we may have the hope of Eternal life, and to live and reign in our hearts. His coming fulfills the Old Testament prophecies such as Jeremiah 33:14-16 which states, “The days are coming, ’declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.’”

This hope is also mentioned in Romans 15:12-13 — “And again, Isaiah says, The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

This year more than ever in my life, I am thankful for the hope that comes from the Lord. 2015 would have been filled with many hopeless days had it not been for the hope that I have found in Jesus. I have dealt with a lot of health problems, and there have been many days this year where to the world all hope would have seemed lost, but no matter what circumstances I face in this life, I will ALWAYS have hope because of the Savior. That truth has got me through many hard days, and I pray if you are facing an overwhelming situation or if life seems too much to bear that you dwell on the hope that Jesus gives.

The holidays can be a busy time filled with lots of fun and celebrations, or for some a time that is overwhelming or a sad reminder of what they do not have. However, it is so easy to lose focus of who should receive our utmost attention during the season. My prayer for this Christmas is that we would make room for the Savior in our lives and give Him the honor that He deserves.

Be sure to also check out Erin’s post here.

To view more posts in the Advent Series visit here.

Advent, Articles

Anticipating Christ

Happy Day after Thanksgiving (aka – Black Friday)! I hope your day yesterday was filled with lots of fun, food, and family time. While many of you are currently out shopping looking for the sales, I have decided not to fight the crowd and stay home in pjs, watch Christmas movies, and do all of my shopping online. There is nothing that I want bad enough to fight the frenzy that is happening today so instead I am enjoying a lazy morning and currently listening to one of my favorite Christmas albums by Matt Wertz. If you are a Christmas music lover like me, you must check it out. Download it here.

Anyways, on to more important topics and the real reason for the season. With the start of the Christmas season comes Advent, and I am excited to be doing a new series on my blog along with my friend Erin to celebrate the anticipation and preparation of the birth of Jesus. The series is called “Anticipating Christ,” and will be focusing on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. We will each be writing a new post each Sunday leading up to Christmas starting November 29th. In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays it is so easy to get wrapped up in the commercialization and material aspects of the holiday that we lose focus of Jesus which should be the focal point of everything we do at Christmas as well as throughout the year. My prayer is to learn more and grow closer to my Savior this season more than ever before, and I hope that you will join us on this journey.

Be sure to visit Erin’s blog here. It is filled with lots of great encouragement and resources. Remember to check back on Sunday for our first posts in the series.

To sign up to receive my posts daily in your inbox visit here.

Articles, Christian Living, Family, Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” ~Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I hope you all enjoy this day with those you love. As I sit and ponder 2015 thus far, I am reminded of all that I have to be thankful for this year. I am more thankful for life today than ever before. If you have followed my journey, you know that this year has been a rough one for me health-wise. One year ago at this time I honestly did not know if I would live to see another Thanksgiving, but because of God’s lavish grace on me, I am here.

I am thankful that I get to spend today around family whom I love dearly, and enjoy being in their presence. Our family is extra grateful this year because my uncle Lewis has had his own health battle with cancer, but thankfully it is in remission. We are a tight-knit group, and his and my health problems have been hard on us all. My Aunt Ellen and I were talking the other day about how we are extremely blessed to be together this Thanksgiving because six months ago we did not know if that would be possible. Although, I am so glad that we serve a God that makes the impossible possible. Even in the midst of hardships, I can honestly say that the Lord is good, and that the He is faithful. We may not always understand why certain things happen or why we face certain trials, but the Lord is still good and He deserves all of our praise. We live in a fallen world and because of that — bad things happen, sicknesses occur, and sometimes life does not work out the way we think it should. However, I have learned from experience that through all of the uncertainty, we can be confident that God never changes. He promises to never leave or forsake us. This is why I can believe Psalm 107:1 to be true.

I will give thanks to the Lord today because He is good, and I know that His love does endure forever. His goodness and love are what gives me the strength to press on during the hard seasons.

Spend time with Jesus today and thank Him for who He is and what He has done for you.

Articles, Family, Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Thanksgiving Eve is one of my favorite days.

I usually spend it with my mom as she prepares for Thursday. The day consists of lots of cooking and watching holiday movies. I love waking up to the aromas of all the wonderful foods that she begins to cook on this day. One of my favorite smells is the smell of our house at Thanksgiving. It never gets old. She already made her pumpkin cheesecake on Sunday because it is always better after spending a few days in the fridge. However, she made a special mini one for us to have early, and I have had a small taste of it. It is delicious. I may be biased but my mom is the best chef I know! 😉

I hope that you enjoy the day wherever you are, and for all of you that are traveling I pray that your travels go smoothly!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! 🙂

Articles, Christian Living, Holidays

In Everything Give Thanks

One verse that God keeps bringing to my mind over the past year has been 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” As mentioned in yesterday’s post, because of who Jesus is we have many reasons to be thankful every day, not just in a certain season. No matter what trial or hardship one may be facing, God still calls us to be thankful in all things. Recently, I came across a list of Biblical reasons to be thankful that really encouraged me. I wanted to share it with you, and I pray it will remind you of the reasons God gives us to be thankful as we continue in this week of Thanksgiving. Have a blessed Tuesday!

God sent Jesus to Die for Us (John 3:16): “God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Regardless of what may happen to us in this life on earth, God has laid out a path for eternal life through the death of Jesus. Through Jesus, God reconciles us to himself, restores our broken past, forgives us our sins, and invites us into an eternal life with us as the heirs to His Almighty kingdom.
He Makes Us New (2 Corinthians 5:17): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, the new has come.” No matter where we’ve been or what we have done, God makes us new again. We are washed clean and made new, and his mercies are new each morning.
He Grants us Peace (Colossians 3:15): “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body, you were called to peace, and give thanks.” God’s divine peace transcends all circumstance and guards our hearts and our minds in Christ. Seek his peace in your heart.
He Makes All Things Good (Romans 8:28): “We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him.” God makes all things good, and brings beauty from ashes. We can rest assured that in the wake of disaster, loss, pain, suffering, disease, calamity, destruction, brokenness, etc. that God will work it all for good in the end.
He will never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8): “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Regardless of who and what we have lost in our lives, God will never leave us or forsake us.
He is unchanging (Hebrews 6:17): “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.” Unlike our circumstances, relationships, even ourselves, God is unchanging. He never wavers and is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. When everything in our lives seems unstable or ever-changing, God is the one thing that will never change.
He provides and He is good (James 1:16-18): “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting sand.” God provides for those who love Him and He rains down His love by bestowing us with gifts from above.
He is sovereign (1 Timothy 6:15): “He who is the blessed and only sovereign one, the King of King and Lord of Lords.” God is in control of EVERYTHING – of time, circumstances, relationships, and our health. Turn over what little control you think you have and realize the maker of heavens and earth and of humankind has every little detail of your life under control.
He created man in his image (Genesis 1:27): “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” We were created in the very image of God, in his likeness. We are divinely inspired and a mirror of his divinity. Try to wrap your mind around the fact that of all of His creations, he chose US to resemble him.
He created all things (Genesis 1:1): “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything we know and see was created by God. Take a moment to stare at the majesty of the heavens and earth that he created and let it inspire awe in your heart and mind.

Articles, Christian Living, Holidays

Thanksgiving Every Day

Thanksgiving week is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the family time, food, and the fellowship. It is such a joyful time for me, and this year I am more thankful for the life God has given me than ever before. Leading up to Thanksgiving, I have been reading and journaling about the goodness, power, and majesty of God. I have been reminded during my time with Him that He alone is worthy to be praised, and if I had no other reason to be thankful — He is ALWAYS enough! He is worthy of all my praise and thankfulness each and every day of the year.

During my time in the word over the last week I have settled on Psalm 104 over and over again. The first couple verses of this passage always draw me in:

Psalm 104: 1-2, 5:

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,

Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

You who laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever.

And then verses 31-34 :

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in His works.

He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the hills, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the Lord.

The entire passage displays the great power of God in creation, and gives a glimpse of His glory and majesty. When I read verses such as these I am humbled because it shows me how great my God is and how small I am. It is easy to get consumed with current circumstances and forget to praise the One who gives us the strength we need to press on. We may pray, but at times, I think we have all been guilty of pouring out our needs to Jesus but not actually praising Him. I have noticed that the more I read about who God is and spend time in His presence giving Him praise — my worries and circumstances no longer seem as overwhelming.

Because of who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross, He deserves to be thanked and praised every day and not just on Thanksgiving.

No matter what may be going on in our lives, the Gospel alone is enough for me to give Him praise for because that is the best gift I will ever receive. Spend some time today in the word reading Psalm 104, and praise Jesus for who He is and for His great power. Make it a habit to start thanking Him daily. I can assure you that the simple act of praising Jesus will always give peace to your overwhelmed heart.

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Stand Firm in Trials

Happy Friday, my friends! I have not been able to blog the past couple of weeks because my computer has been in the shop, but it is back now working wonderful thanks to the lovely folks at Apple. 🙂

I was reminded recently of a sermon I heard from Pastor Eric Ludy several years ago titled “Hold The Position.” It was an excellent sermon for those who are currently facing trials, or for when you face them in the future. This sermon hit home for me, and gave me some much needed reminders. In his sermon notes, Eric lists what he calls “12 Musts For the Hour of Trial.”

They are as follows along with Scriptures I have added that have brought encouragement to me when I have faced trials.

1. Reckon Yourself in Christ – You are secure.

“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” ~Proverbs 14:26

2. Get the Grace Needed – You have the grace for help in time of need.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” ~2 Corinthians 12:9

3. Maintain Priority Throughout – Don’t alter your God-assigned priorities.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” ~Matthew 6:33

4. Rouse your Soul to Rejoice – Cherish this opportunity to get more patience.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” ~James 1:2-4

5. Offer Thanksgiving, Sing Praises – for the victory is the Lord’s. He will prove the Champion every time.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

6. Garrison the Mind – Check EVERY thought at the door. Frisk every thought to see if they have a trace of anxiety or fear in them. None of this can be allowed in.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6-7

7. Garrison the Tongue – When under siege, the soul is sensitized and softer than usual. Over-statements and flesh-statements mustn’t fly. The tongue is owned by the Spirit of God, and in a time of crisis must make a firm resolve to remain the vessel of Spirit Truth.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” ~Ephesians 4:29

8. Be Bold to do the Difficult Things – Don’t avoid the difficult solution. Do what needs to be done without hesitation. Sometimes life and death is defined by doing what must be done in the moment, even if it is the most difficult thing you have ever done.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~ Philippians 4:13

9. Enter the Searchlight – Be slow to expose the faults of others, be quick to expose your own personal faults. Take claim to whatever your responsibility might be in the situation. Allow the searchlight of the Spirit to start with you. If you are wrong in any matter, then repent, confess, and make things right quickly.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” ~Psalm 139: 23-24

10. Choose Weakness – Accept a weakened posture and a humble approach. Wield Love as your battle-ax. Wield Gentleness as your weaponry. Fast and increase prayer. Consider how you may bless those attacking, those opposing. In weakness there is spiritual power.

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:44-45

11. Get in the Shoes of Everyone Else – Seek to be presidential. Seek to bring order and peace to the ruffled souls around you.

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” ~2 Corinthians 13:11

12. Save the Big Life Decisions for Later – If possible, wait for circumstances to calm before making large-scale life-directing decisions.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” ~Psalm 27:14

I pray that whatever trial you are going through today that you remember you are not fighting this battle alone. God is with you and He will get you through it.

Take some time and get the comfort you need by spending time in His word and talking to Him. If you would like to watch the sermon that was mentioned above you can do so here.

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals

Saturday Devotional – Esther Ahn Kim

Happy Saturday, friends! Yesterday in my post, I mentioned Esther Ahn Kim who is one of my heroes of the faith. SetApartGirl wrote a lovely article detailing her story on their website and I wanted to share that with you. Read and be encouraged.

To read the article visit here.

Also, I am having some issues with my MacBook and am shipping it off to Apple for repair so it may be a few days before I am able to post again, but I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and upcoming week!