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Gratitude

Two weeks ago, Pastor Pete Wilson of Crosspoint Church in Nashville preached a wonderful message on gratitude and at the end of it challenged each of us to share five things that we were grateful for every day for five days. This was known on social media as#‎5for5CP‬. Below are some things that I shared each day. If you are alive, you have something to be grateful for. Spend some time today thanking God for the gifts he has blessed you with.

#‎5for5CP – Day 1

1. I am super thankful for the friendship and sisterhood I share with @sara_at_mimibellas. Thankful for the continued encouragement she gives to me each day and the truth she speaks in my life. ‪#‎bestfriends‬ ‪#‎kindredspirits‬
2. Encouragement from the word – Psalm 119
3. Good books – My current read is “What Keeps You Up at Night” by Pete Wilson.
4. Diet Coke with Lime – ‪#‎itsthelittlethings‬
5. Good music – I have the album “Little Songs” by Jon Guerra on repeat! So good!

#‎5for5CP‬ – Day 2

I’m so grateful for all of my furbabies! 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
1. Lucy Lou
2. Coco
3. Tebow
4. Anne Girl
5. Rowdy Girl

‪#‎5for5CP‬ – Day 3

1. Days like today spent by the pool
2. Summertime
3. My recovery. 2015 has been a hard year so far for my health but God is restoring me and bringing healing in His time.
4. My current view. Such a beautiful day!
5. Sunshine 🔆🔆🔆

‪#‎5for5CP‬ Day 4 –

1. The dear friendship I share with @caseyrummy! So thankful God allowed us to be friends. I love your weekly visits with Malakai. They encourage me every time and also keep me sane haha! Love you! 💜
2.Malakai – love this little guy so much! He brings me constant joy!‪#‎ThursdaysWithMalalkai‬
3.Strawberry Lemonade from McDonalds – my weekly treat from @caseyrummy! Delicious!
4.Dinner brought to me by my dad from my favorite local restaurant, Jans! Love their chicken and their salads! So good.
5. Encouragement from the Word today! Philippians 3:13-14

‪#‎5for5CP‬ Day 5 –

1. I’m forever grateful for the wonderful and Godly parents that I have been blessed with. So thankful to have them as my best friends. Thanks for never leaving my side this year, and for taking such good care of me while I’ve been sick. Also, most importantly thanks for being examples of Jesus in my life. Love you! 😘
2. Family – Love you all! 💜
3. Life – 2014 and 2015 have been extremely tough due to some health issues and I am so thankful for the gift of of being alive. Thankful to Jesus for the joy of today.
4. Hebrews 6:19 ⚓
5. Prayers and encouragement from friends – Thanks to all of you who have prayed, encouraged, and supported our family during this season. We are thankful for and love you all.

Articles, Books, Christian Living

Good reads

Hey friends. I know it is a little late to establish a reading list for the summer since the summer is over halfway complete, but up until this point in my recovery I have not felt like reading. If you know me at all, then you know that I absolutely love books. That being said, I have created a Summer/Fall list of books that I would like to read. Below is the list. It is a lot of books but maybe by Christmas I will have them read. Maybe. Ha. It is a good goal, anyways! What are you currently reading? If you have any recommendations to add please share them in the comments section. 🙂

1. Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin – This is the first book in “The Refiners Fire” series and so far it is a wonderful story. Also, it is free for download on Kindle/Nook/Ibook Apps.

2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – This has been on the bestsellers list for a while now, and my mom loves it so if my mom recommends it, I should read it.

3. Chloe by Lyn Cote – I have literally owned this book for a couple of years now. It’s the first in a series of for books. I am looking forward to reading it. The whole series comes highly reviewed.

4. The Set Apart Woman by Leslie Ludy – I love everything written by Leslie, and her husband Eric, and I am sure this will be no exception. Leslie’s books are always super encouraging and convicting and I always walk away from her writings with a deeper desire to dig in God’s Word.

5. Longing for Paris by Sarah Mae – I’ve recently discovered Sarah Mae’s writing and just received this book yesterday. The cover of this book alone makes me want to start reading, although I know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover..ha! I have read the first few pages and it is fabulous so far. Sarah Mae speaks directly to the heart of women and has such a beautiful way of communicating. I recommend this for all women, especially my mom friends out there.

6. Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers – I have almost read all of Francine’s books except for this one. All of her work has been so amazing and I don’t think this book will disappoint. If you haven’t done so already, read “Redeeming Love” and ” The Atonement Child.”

7. The Mingling of Souls by Matt and Lauren Chandler – Matt is one of my favorite pastors and writers and I look forward to reading more of his and Lauren’s wisdom regarding marriage and relationships.

8. One More Wish – Christy & Todd: The Married Years by Robin Jones Gunn – The Christy Miller Series will always be my most favorite. I grew up with these books and have loved this new series based on my favorite characters. I’ve pre-ordered this upcoming book look forward to receiving it and catching up with my “Forever Friends.”

7. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon – I am from a family of readers, and I think that all the ladies in my family have read this entire series, but me. I know, I know. I am a bit behind, but I plan to remedy that real soon.

8. The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun – I have heard Brother Yun’s powerful story many times but I have never read the book. I am looking forward to reading this intense book on the power of Jesus Christ in one man’s life.

9. Nobody’s Cuter Than You by Melanie Shankle – I have been a longtime reader of Melanie’s blog, “Big Mama,” and I love the humorous ways she tells a story. I’ve already started this book and it does not disappoint. This is a book you should read with your best girlfriend so go pick up a copy for you and your BFF and start reading.

10. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline – A few months ago I asked my dear friend Sara what was one book I needed to read and she immediately said “Orphan Train.” Sara, is a book lover like myself and has a great blog reviewing some of her favorite books. Check it out here.

11. Devil At My Heels by Louis Zamperini- I greatly respect this man and his bravery and I look forward to reading more of his story.

12. The Wisdom of Faith by Bobby Bowden – Bobby Bowden was one of my favorite football coaches and he is a great man of faith. I look forward to reading this nugget of wisdom.

13. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee – I have been looking forward to reading this since I heard it was being released. I am sure it will be another classic!

14. What are Your Afraid Of? Facing Down Your Fears With Faith by Dr. David Jeremiah – The other day I was on my Kindle and meant to download the sample for this book, but accidentally purchased and downloaded the full book. I guess God wanted me to read it. 🙂

15. You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity by Francis and Lisa Chan – I love the Chans and their deep devotion for the ministry of Jesus Christ. I know that this book is full of helpful advice for married as well as single people, and will bring you closer to Jesus. Also, 100% of the net proceeds from this book will support various ministries including those that help provide shelter and rehabilitation for thousands of children and exploited women around the world. 🙂

16. Lets All Be Brave by Annie F. Downs – I enjoy reading Annie’s blog posts and listening to her podcasts and look forward to reading about Annie’s journey of life and being brave.

17. All the Lights We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr– Everyone else is reading it so I decided to buy a copy to see what all the buzz was about.

Articles, Books, Christian Living, Friendship

Prayer, Future Husbands, and Singleness

I am 30 years old and have been praying for my future husband since I was 12. That is 18 years of praying for a man I have never met (or at least I don’t think we’ve met). Lately, I have wondered if I am called to a life of singleness, but the Lord commands us not to worry about the future, just focus on today. Leslie Lud y frequently tells the story of her sister-in-law Krissy who was single for many years before God sent her the man she is now married to. Before marriage when people would ask Krissy, “are you called to a life of singleness?” Her response was always, “Today I am.” I love that perspective, and it is now my response as well. Since I am single today then I am called by God to be single in this season unless He decides to send me a husband. One fact that I have learned over the years is that Jesus Christ is always enough and is my ultimate fulfillment. Sure, there are days that are really hard as a single person, and the struggle is very real, but that is when Jesus meets me in my need and gives me grace upon grace. Because of His grace, I have the strength I need to most importantly live for Jesus, and to honor my future husband (If God wills that I should be married one day).

Proverbs 31:12 states that a wife of noble character is to bring her husband “good not harm all the days of her life.” This verse does not only apply to women who have already met their spouses, but to single women as well. We should be living all of our life in a way that ultimately glorifies the Lord, and also in a way that would be faithful to a future husband. One way to live this out is by praying for your future husband even before you meet him. Even if one never marries, your prayers will not ever be wasted.

Several years ago I was reminded of the power of prayer in this area after hearing a friend’s testimony. She shared that one night she woke up at 3am and felt the Lord telling her to pray for her future husband. She spent the remainder of the night in prayer because she knew he was in trouble. She continued to pray for him daily after that. A year later, when she was getting to know the man who is now her husband, he told her that he was involved in a car accident that almost took his life. As he told her the details of how it happened, it was exactly the date and time that the Lord woke her up to pray. When I heard this story I was reminded that God values and honors our prayers for a husband even when we cannot see what He is doing.

One of my favorite books on this topic is titled “Praying For Your Future Husband,” by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer. In this, the authors share Biblical encouragement and wisdom on how to pray for your husband and prepare your heart for his. It also gives ways to pray for your sisters in Christ. I would like to share some of these, and I encourage you to spend some time this week in prayer for your future husband as well as your fellow sisters as we are trying to be the women God has called us to be.

Pray for his Heart – Pray that your future husband will give his heart to Jesus Christ. Pray that he will trust the Lord each day to get him through whatever life may bring, and for his thoughts and actions to reflect the love of Christ. Pray these things also for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Strength – Pray that your future husband will have inner-spiritual strength and that the Lord will give him strength to fight temptations and difficulties. Pray that the Lord will mold him into the leader he needs to be. Also, pray the same things for yourself and your friends. Pray that God will give you strength in areas where you are weakest and allow His strength to make you strong.

Pray for Loyalty and Faithfulness – Pray that your future husband will be faithful to the Lord in every area of his life. Pray also that he is loyal to the friendships that God has already given him, and pray that he is already faithful to you. Pray these things for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Protection – Pray that your future husband will be protected from the evil one. Pray that he puts on the armor of God each day and for the Lord to help him fight not only the outward sources that try to bring him down but also the sin nature inside. Also, pray the same protection each day for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Contentment – Pray that your future husband will be content, and have patience as he waits for God to lead him to you. Pray that his heart will not be hardened during this time, but instead that he grow closer in his relationship with Christ. Pray that he spends his time focusing on serving Christ and others, and not dwelling on being single. Pray that Christ alone will always be enough. Pray for the same contentment for yourself and your friends.

To learn more and to purchase “Praying for Your Future Husband,” visit here.

Be encouraged today, and know that I am praying for you!

Articles, Books, Christian Living, Disability, Friendship, Music

Little Mercies

In my last post, I talked about feeling restless and God’s peace. Through His peace, God has been reminding me daily of things to be thankful for that I like to call “little mercies.” No matter how mundane or hard our lives may seem at the moment, because of Christ we always have something to be thankful for. This summer I have decided to start journaling more and be intentional about recording these little mercies each day. This exercise helps me keep perspective when things seem otherwise gloomy. I would like to share some of my “little mercies” from today, and challenge you to take a moment to consider and be thankful for the little mercies God is bringing your way.

– My sweet Savior Jesus Christ

– Awesome parents who I consider my best friends

– Dear friends who I can share life with and who love, listen, and pray for me when times get hard.

– Nurses who daily help make my daily life easier during this season

– Jon Guerra’s new album, “Little Songs.” I think this is my theme music for the summer now. Why did I wait so long to listen to his music?? So good! Favorite songs are “Nothing Better,” and “Wherever You Are.”

– Psalms – I have been reading through them lately and they are a balm to my soul. Psalm 91:4 has greatly encouraged me the last couple of days. It states, “He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”

– “I Come Quietly To Meet You” Devotional by Amy Carmichael – Later in her life, Amy some serious health problems that left her homebound for years.

– Diet Sundrop – What can I say? I am addicted to this soda. I am definitely a Carolina girl and this is my summer treat.

– My pool – which is my favorite dwelling place for the summer especially over the last week or so during what feels to be the hottest time of the year. Also, it has been a great form of exercise for me as I have been recovering.

Okay , now it is your turn. What little mercies has God given you this week? Think and pray on that this weekend.

Articles, Uncategorized

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day, my friends. So thankful for the freedom we have as Americans, and for the freedom we have in Christ.

“Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom” ~2 Corinthians 3:17 .

I hope this truth encourages you today!

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals

Purity of the Mind

Hey friends. This is an article that I wrote a while ago, and stumbled upon it recently. I thought it would be a good addition to what I wrote on Wednesday. Read and be encouraged!

Philippians 4: 8-9 states, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

One thing God has been challenging me with lately is purity of the mind. As Christians, we should daily check what we allow to go through our minds. I know for me it is not always the purest and most holy of thoughts. It is easy to allow our minds to be filled with worry, stress, anger, bitterness, jealousy, etc. At times one may wonder why we can’t get such thoughts from our minds, or why we can’t feel God’s presence. However, if we are feeding our minds with things of this world, that is why we are unhappy, discontent, fearful, or worried.

In the early years of my parent’s marriage, my dad worked the night shift. Because of that, mom was alone in the evenings and often felt afraid. However, one night in particular she was more fearful than normal. She prayed for the Lord take her fear away, and to remove the feeling of darkness that was around her. She had been watching a television show and immediately felt the Lord tell her “Sara, how can I take the Devil out, when you are putting him in by what you are watching?” From that point forward my mom was more selective regarding the things she watched, read, and listened to. I was reminded of this recently, and realized that I have let my guard down in this area more than I should have. Below are some questions that I ask myself regarding these areas and I thought I would share them with you.

Questions to ask ourselves:

1. Are the television shows and movies I am watching glorifying to the Lord? How do I feel once I’ve watched it? Does it make me have sinful thoughts or attitude?

2. Does the music I listen to glorify the Lord? Does it cause me to want to draw closer to Him or does it make me discontent?

3. Does the books and magazines I read glorify the Lord or do they bring negative thoughts to my mind?

4. Does the conversations I engage in glorify the Lord or myself? Does the words I use affirm others or tear them down?

Bible verses to ponder:

Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Proverbs 4:23: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Ephesians 4:22-24: “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

As you go throughout your week ask God to show you what habits you need to do away with or change. Focus on the verses above and commit them to memory as they will help focus your mind and heart on the right things. Praying for you all.

Articles, Books, Christian Living, Devotionals

Time with God

Hello sweet blog readers. Lately I have been struggling to have time with the Lord. Since I’ve been sick and during my recovery process, my schedule has not been consistent and when I lay down to sleep each night I remember–“Wait, I didn’t spend time with Jesus today.” I know the Lord understands sickness and circumstances that may not always allow you to spend extended amounts of time in the Word. However, God desires us to put Him first in whatever way that looks like in our present circumstances. In different seasons our quiet time can change, but God asks us to do what we are able to do in that moment, and gives us the grace to do so. I have lots of extra time at home right now so I need to use it by sitting at the feet of Jesus and soaking up His word instead of spending my time doing trivial activities to entertain myself.

I recently began reading “The Cross and the Switchblade,” by David Wilkerson. I am not too far into it yet, but his story is powerful. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. In the book, David tells a story about how he loved watching “The Tonight Show” each night once all of his family had gone to bed. That was the one activity he enjoyed doing to unwind. One night he was convicted about needing to spend more time in prayer, but thought that he didn’t have more time in his day. However, that was until God reminded him of the calm quiet hours that he stayed up watching television. God began leading Him to give up that time of tv watching, and spend it in prayer instead. Since David was the only one in the household who watched television he told the Lord that he would put an ad in the newspaper advertising that his tv was for sale. If it sold in the first half hour of the newspaper releasing then he would give it up. Well guess what? Within the first 29 minutes the television sold, and David began to use that time each evening for prayer and communion with the Father. It was hard for him at first but he would tell you that it was worth it. I want to clarify that I am not saying we should all sell our televisions and never watch them again, but I do think we need to make spending time with Christ the most important part of our day. Therefore, if television, movies, reading, social media, activities, etc are taking us away from Him then we need to adjust our priorities.

I can tell when I am not spending enough time with the Lord because my mind starts to be anxious, and I start to worry and fret over every little thing. I also start to feel discontent and not satisfied with life. This is not how the Lord intends for us to live. He wants us to enjoy being with Him, and live in the freedom that He gives us each day. Nothing or no one can satisfy the longings and discontentment in our hearts, except for Jesus. We think we can fill ourselves up on worldly things, and that will give us the satisfaction we need, but that only leaves us wanting more. Jesus desires for us to come to Him each day, seek, and get to know Him. He is ready and waiting to be our beloved and best friend. So will you join me daily by spending time with your Savior? It doesn’t have to be a long time each day. God knows you’re heart and what you are able to give so give the best of every day to Him and you will not regret it. Make Jesus your treasure. Below are some tips that I have found helpful over the years in spending time with God and I hope they encourage you as well.

Read the Bible – Daily Bible reading books are a helpful resource in this. Also, Apps like YouVersion and She Reads Truth have different plans you can choose from to read each day. Also, John is a good place to start and Psalm 119 is one of my personal favorites. So much truth there.

– Prayer Journaling – Write out your prayers to God. This helps you stay focused and journaling is also a good way to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness.

– Devotionals – Nothing should replace the word of God but doing devotionals can be a helpful addition to your Bible reading each day. Some of my favorites are: My “Utmost For His Highest” by Oswald Chambers, and “A Lamp Unto My Feet by Elisabeth Elliot.

Also, I am currently going through the book, “To Live is Christ,” by Beth Moore that highlights the missionary journeys of Paul, and it has been amazing.

How do you spend your quiet times? I would love for you to share what God is teaching you and how I can pray for you. Be encouraged!

Articles, Family, Holidays

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s day to my wonderful dad! He is the sweetest and most humble person I know. This year has been super hard for my family but he has shown incredible grace and love through it all. I was in the hospital for almost six weeks earlier this year and my dad was there every day and night for almost the entire time. He did what needed to be done and never left my side. Those days were not pretty but he displayed Jesus through it all, and through that experience we grew closer than ever before.

Dad, thanks for always being there for me and for being an example of Jesus in my life. I love you! 💙

Articles, Disability

Update on Today’s Doctor Visit

Hey friends! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and encouraging words regarding todays doctor visit. I did indeed have a bladder infection again so I was given some super strong antibiotics to treat it. However, the issues are still not fully solved so I will see the urologist again on July 1, and will have to revisit my surgeon and another specialist soon. We do not have a lot of specifics right now but will hopefully know more soon. Please continue to pray for me. God knows all the details. Thanks again for your sweet prayers for my healing. They mean so much to me. “I thank my God every time I remember you.” ~Philippians 1:3