Follow Faith

If you have followed this blog for a good amount of time then you know that my family and I have been through some tough seasons. We all know that life in itself throws some curve balls and has some rocky roads. So, when these things happen how do we respond?

For instance, when we got pregnant with my daughter we had no idea that we would soon face a very difficult time putting her into the hands of a surgeon to repair her heart defect. We also had no idea that shortly after her surgery we would lose three jobs between the two of us. We could not have guessed that between surgery, job losses, and miscarriages we would end up forfeiting our home and moving into complete and utter chaos.

See, I find that you can have faith for the moment. You can push through one horrific event with enough faith to surpass it. You might even find enough faith to make it through a couple of struggles. But when you have exprienced one unfortunate circumstance after another for, oh say, four years how much faith is there for you to pick from?

My faith has certainly been tattered in years past. However, just when I think my faith-tank is on empty I am able to muster up enough to make it through the trial I am facing. You see, faith comes from the experiences we face in life. Without trails, we wouldn't need faith. Without faith, we wouldn't reach God's full potential for us. Our faith stretches us to new places. We were never called to make sense of this life but to trust the Creator of this life.

I wouldn't trade the stuff in my life that has led me to rely completely on my God. I wouldn't change the experiences for anything in this world. For my treasures are not of this world but of the eternal that awaits me. God never promised it'd be easy but it will surely be worth it. My faith may be fragile but it will get me where God wants me.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT

It is All About Obedience

On my way home from work today I read a church sign that said, "Do you obey God". My initial answer was, yes. Then I started thinking back to when I was a younger Christian and what I thought obeying God meant. I always thought that to obey God all you had to do was obey the Ten Commandments or the any of the "rules" that were in the Bible. Don't kill, sure. Don't steal, ok. Don't commit adultery, got it. However, now, as I've grown in Him I realize that I was way off base then.

Ten minutes ago I was sitting up on the couch watching the NFL draft with my husband and my son. I felt an impression on my heart to come down and write. My reaction to that was, about what? So, in my delay and resistance it left me (<felt
heard it again but this time it included, "I'll guide you". So, reluctantly (even still) I found myself here--writing.
I have no subject. I have no real thoughts to write. I am still not real sure where this is going! But that is obeying. I don't have to see the big picture because God does. The Ten Commandments didn't tell me to write. But God did. Obedience looks different to each of us because He doesn't tell me to do what He tells you to do. He doesn't tell me to do what He tells my own husband to do. Boy, that is a hard thing to work out, trust me!! Until I truly knew God and listened for Him I never heard Him. After seeking His will and His heart, now I hear Him. And now I can truly obey Him and His desires for me.

"I will keep on obeying your instructions for and ever." Psalm 119:44 (NLT)

Five Things

I refuse to let this blog go another day without a post!! I will not let a whole year pass without writing something, anything! For the sake of no creativity or recent pictures on my computer to post this is the best I could do for the time being.

Top Five Things you Should Know About the Last Year...
1. We have moved. Twice. We are currently embracing vintage living. Our house was built around 1930. My bathroom (the only one we have) was not even original on this house. My washer and dryer are my counter tops in my kitchen. I can tell you are all jealous! But really, it works. We make it work. I love my front porch and the sunsets over the corn fields!!

2. Presley is at a new school that has a swimming pool. She absolutely loves swimming every day and I love that she might be out of floaties by this summer. Her teachers are great and treat her like family. She is still on the small side but as far as health concerns there are none at this time.

3. Triston will be 12 in just a month. I am trying to wrap my thoughts around the fact that he will be a teenager in a year. He is all wrapped up in baseball season and looking forward to trying out for the basketball team at his school in a few weeks.

4. Daniel has been through 12 months of barber school, passed his boards, and is currently fading guys up at a salon here in town. He has been working for 3 months now and he so loves it. He has definitely found his niche.

5. We are serving in several areas at church. We have been from the children's ministry, to nursery age, to the youth group. We love being in the youth services on Wednesday nights. These kids are pressing in for more of God and we love seeing it! I am taking on a class on Sunday mornings full of 3 year olds. I winged it last week due to some teachers cancelling and God just filled me heart with smiles from these kiddos! It is great seeing God move at our church!

Well, that is a very generic run-down of the last 12 months. There is so much more I could share, I'm sure. But for now I will just vow to get some more post going up soon!