No time to be lazy today...

So I am sitting here, staring at my computer, attempting to think of something to write about, when I should in fact be cleaning my house and preparing for my in-laws arrival. But the baby is asleep, and that's usually the only time I can actually write anything cohesive.

And then I realized that this will only lead to the vicious circle of wasting time, not getting anything done, frantically rushing around at the last minute, then feeling guilty for wasting the afternoon on the computer blogging. As much as I would love to relax during this brief hour of quiet, reading and surfing the web, I have too much to do. And as much as I would prefer to post my endless thoughts for today, or even take a nap (gasp!), I have a home to tend to. And I have enough trouble dealing with issues of laziness as it is...I don't need one more distraction to keep me from the never-ending list of to-do's. So, for today, all I have are the wise words of Solomon to share:

"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." Ecclesiastes 10:18

My primary role at this point in my life is to be a devoted mother to my daughter and take care of our home while my husband is at work. I simply cannot afford to waste time being lazy. So first things first, and then fun in the blogging world! Until next time~

When the going gets tough, the tough get...counseling?

Marriage is hard. Ask anyone who has been married for any substantial amount of time and no doubt they have weathered some storms. Are you ever as amazed as I am when you meet a couple who has remained faithful for 25, 30, or even 50 years? What's their secret? How can we too enjoy the benefits of a long and healthy marriage?

First and foremost, you cannot have a strong marriage without Christ at the center. A man is called to love his wife as Christ loves the church, and a woman is called to respect her husband and submit to his authority. These unique, God-given roles cannot be fulfilled without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Second, we as Christians committed to our marriage cannot be afraid to admit that we could use some help. It is no shameful thing to need a safe place to be open and receive wise counsel. I guarantee your marriage will be stronger for it. The longer issues remain undisclosed or pushed under the rug, the more detrimental to your union in the long run. Even if the issues seem "minor," it may be the best option to go and talk things out with an impartial third party before they are suddenly not so "minor." The smallest, seemingly insignificant annoyances could be the very things that drive an insurmountable wedge between the strongest of bonds.

Counseling, however, does not necessarily need to be a formal affair with a licensed therapist, or even your pastor. Remember those faithful couples I mentioned earlier? Don't you think they might have a thing or two to teach us about perseverance in marriage? I am so thankful for the Godly couples God has placed in our path to mentor us and encourage us along the way. Couples who have even been on the brink of divorce, and yet, are still going strong. God expects these older couples to mentor, teach and encourage young newlyweds. As a young wife and mother, I appreciate all the practical advice such couples have to give.

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified" Titus 2: 3-7

Even if you and your spouse are not experiencing difficulties, you can still reap tremendous benefits from the wisdom of a husband and wife who have "been there." First, talk with your spouse about the idea and discuss couples you know whom you both admire and respect. It should be a couple you agree with theologically, and feel have a strong walk with the Lord. Make sure you both feel comfortable with them and feel that you will be able to be open and honest. Also, make sure you are both ready to approach your marriage with a teachable heart and no one is going into it ready to "fix" your mate. We all have our issues! This is about learning to be the best wife (or husband) you can be by focusing on what you can do to make your marriage strong. It is also essential that neither spouse begin pointing fingers or playing the "blame game." This is not healthy and will only bring further harm on your marriage. Once you are both open to meeting with an older couple, approach them together and let them know how much you admire their commitment to God and each other. Let them know that you would like to learn more about how they are still so in love after all these years. Plan on meeting together as often as you feel necessary, in an environment where everyone is comfortable.

And most importantly, have fun! You're building a marriage that your children will appreciate and admire, and that will last a lifetime!

A Time of Transition

We have all come to those points in our life where we meet a crossroads. The place where the comfortable, the familiar, the safe refuge, is about to fly out the window. For some of you, change may be exciting, thrilling, exhilarating, even; for me, words like scary, unknown...not this again...are more of what come to mind. In my mere 2 years of marriage, however, I have come to discover that change is just something that comes with the territory.

Being in the ministry necessitates these times of transition in our lives. For whatever reason, God places us in a position for a season, and then as soon as things seem comfortable, normal even, BAM! Time to change things up! Although the thought of this used to scare the pants off me, God has graciously shown me time and time again that when we follow His lead and are obedient to His calling, there is a joy and a peace that accompany change that I have never experienced before. Probably the biggest change I have faced in my life thus far is moving halfway across the country, to a state where I knew 1 person (my husband), away from all my family and friends, with no job, so my husband could serve at First Baptist Church. If you had asked me 1 or 2 years prior if I would be open to moving to Texas, the answer would have been a swift, "Umm, I don't think so!!" (It's true, just ask my husband!) And yet, when the time came, and the realization that this was precisely where God was calling our little family, there was no fear. There was no rebelling. Just a simple, "Wherever you need us to be, Lord." And believe it or not, when we arrived and settled into our little apartment, I had peace. I felt at home. How I could possibly feel "at home" 2000 miles away from home can only point to the tremendous love and grace of my Father in Heaven. He alone could prepare my heart for such a change, and He alone could give me joy and peace in such a foreign land (yes, to me, Texas was a foreign land).

Although I have yet again found myself, my family and our church in a time of uncertainty and transition, I can rest assured that God's will will be done. I don't have to be afraid of what the future holds, or what comes next. I don't have to figure out the outcomes of all the "what-if's," or sift through each and every senario in my mind. Because change happens. But the promise I can stand on through life's many seasons of change is that my God will never change. His promises do not change, but will endure forever.

"For I, the LORD, do not change." Malachi 3:6a

At this crossroads that we face, I pray that God will continue to gently remind us all to stay focused, and remember that while we may not understand, everything is, ultimately, for His glory.

The Art of Patience

They say patience is a virtue. Apparently it is one that eludes me. Especially at 4 o'clock in the morning, when I am staring at a screaming child who, only 3 minutes prior, was perfectly happy and content, talking and cooing to herself. You don't think less of me, do you?

Patience is a little bit of a sore subject with me. I know I struggle with a lack of patience, but I don't always like to admit it, especially to God. Because you know what happens when you start praying for patience, right? God will give you something to be patient about!

As a new mom, I am learning brand new lessons on this thing called patience. Please hear me, I am not frustrated with my daughter. She is only 5 months old. But it certainly tries a woman's patience when your beautiful new baby has finally started sleeping through the night, only to begin teething. Suddenly, I am woken up at all hours of the night, yet again, and now there is nothing I can do to make things better. She just cries and cries, but can't tell me what hurts or how I can help. And believe me, a severe lack of sleep does not do much to help with the patience factor either. It only makes an emotional woman even more emotional.

So what's a mom to do?

Pray. And then pray some more. And yes, even pray for patience.

Because no matter how hard I try, I cannot simply become a more patient person. Patience will never be something that comes naturally or easily to me. Yet, for some reason, Jesus Christ has chosen to love me and have patience with me. And if I will allow, He wants to display that never ending patience through me.

"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:16

You see, if I was a naturally patient person, it would be no big feat if I were then patient with my daughter, or my husband, or my friends. But because this is a weakness for me, when I am able to show patience to those I love or be patient in the circumstances of my life, my actions can only point to the power of Jesus Christ. Patience is not something I am capable of in my own strength. So I can praise God and thank Him for showing a sinner like me mercy, and allowing me to display His patience. Because I surely do not have any of my own!

In Prayer

Praying over the scriptures today for my friends and family. God, please hear me from Heaven and give us all discernment and peace that only comes from you. Faithfully yours.

*Graphics courtesy of Joyfully Living for His Glory: http://joyfullyliving.blogspot.com/

Dealing with disappointment

As a child of God, disappointment is a tricky thing. Knowing who I am and to whom I belong, I have this sense of guilt when I feel disappointed with things in my life, whether circumstances, people or myself. As I struggle with feelings of discouragement, I am convicted with feeling like I should somehow "snap out of it," and just be joyful already! Which, to some extent, is true. I don't know how I can sit around and wallow after all that God has done for me, knowing that He has great and mighty plans for me. But the truth is, I am human. I get disappointed and sometimes feel like I am failing. The difference, now that I know God, is how I respond, and today I am kneeling before God and humbly admitting where I am and how I feel. I know that God loves me and He knows my hurts and struggles, and wants me to come to Him. To give everything over to Him. To turn to scripture for comfort, and not my husband, my friends, my job, my child, or anything else. Time and time again scripture points to people who cried out to God, who were searching for comfort, and although these are truths that I know and passages I have read, His word is never stale to me. I constantly have to return and remind myself of what God has said and done in the lives of His people, as well as in my own personal life.

Psalm 22:5 states, "To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed." Although I may not be able to understand what God is doing right now, or exactly how He is orchestrating my life for my good, I know that ultimately everything is for His glory alone. I may be hurting right now, but God has delivered me from the ultimate hurt and pain, eternal separation from Him, and for that, I continue to rejoice and praise Him. I may get disappointed in the people or things of this world, but my God will never disappoint me! He is "my rock and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take my refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2. Praise the Lord for His never ending mercy and grace!

What I love about TEXAS

Lately I have been feeling a little homesick, so rather than think about or tell you all the things I love and miss about Virginia (the beach, ok I'm done), I thought I would focus on all the wonderful things about this great state of Texas! So here goes:



1. Everything is bigger in Texas! You hear this all the time, but you don't know how true it is until you get here!

2. It's a good kind of HOT. Yes, in the middle of the summer, it gets up to 108 degrees, but it feels so good, because it's not the sticky, humid hot of Virginia!

3. Houses are cheap. Now, I know the housing market stinks and you can probably get a good deal just about anywhere, but houses are cheap here all the time! You get so much more for your money.

4. Professional sports teams! Ok, so I'm not a huge Texas Rangers fan (or Cowboys, or Mavericks), but they're right here, and we can go see them whenever we want! Plus, I get to see my Red Sox play when they're here!

5. We can secede from the Union! That's right, Texas could secede. I'm not saying it should and/or will, just pointing out an interesting fact.

6. It's like watching the live version of King of the Hill. I'm not kidding, when we would watch this silly cartoon back home, we assumed it was an exaggeration! It's not. It's actually a pretty accurate take on the people and state of Texas. And I love it.

7. No state income tax. The only ones who take our money here are our good friends in Washington.

8. My daughter was born here. That's something, right?

9. People actually wear cowboy boots. Everywhere. Even to church. AND, there is a Cowboy Church! Yes, that is what it's called, The Cowboy Church. (Don't ask me what it is, I'm not really sure.)

10. We have been welcomed with open arms. The people we have met here have been loving, and made us feel more than welcome. They take care of us and our beautiful girl, and I'm so incredibly thankful for the love we have found here.

Well, I could probably keep going, but 10 is such a nice number to end on. So there you go, 10 wonderful reasons to love Texas. If you're from Texas, feel free to add to the list. If you're in Virginia, come and visit sometime! :)

Fulfilling my "destiny"

I have recently been contemplating the idea of destiny. I have been studying Esther (one of my favorites!) and thinking about the fact that God has placed me here at this time, in this place, in my sphere of influence, "for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14) Well, suffice it to say I have had a rather hard time wrapping my mind around this complex subject. Because throughout the study, we discussed living the life and plan God has for each of us, and being open to saying "yes" when He calls us to do something, so as to not miss out on our God-given destiny. But let's just think about this for a minute. That sounds all well and fine, I mean, who wants to live their entire life only to realize they missed out on their true destiny!? But this question does not even make sense to me, because the God I serve is an omniscient God, who already knows every choice I will make and every path I will follow in this life...so how could I somehow "miss" the plan He has for me? Yet, at the same time, there have been times in my life where God has called me to do something, and for whatever reason, I refused, only to cry out in repentance later. So does that mean that God had planned to use me in that situation and yet I blew it? Of course not! God knew I was not going to follow through with that particular call-I certainly did not mess up His plan!

This all came about as I studied chapter 4 of Esther, in which Mordecai is imploring Esther to approach the King on behalf of the Jews. Mordecai acknowledges that Esther is in a position of influence and could potentially help bring about the deliverance of her people. In his discourse, however, he essentially says, "Make no mistake. God will deliver His people, whether you are a part of it or not." Mordecai recognized God's sovereignty and His promise to preserve His people, and made it very clear that if Esther did not go forward, God would just use someone else. So does that mean that if Esther had refused she was completely missing out on the entire reason God had placed her in her position of royalty in the first place?

Hopefully now you can see how complicated this question is, and why I have had such a hard time understanding "my destiny." Thankfully, however, God is good, and has recently given me peace on this subject, as He is always faithful to do. Yesterday I was studying the life of Moses and yet again this subject of destiny (in the online Bible Study, "I Am So you don't have to be," see button), and I noticed something interesting. In Acts 7:23, it states, "But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind [Moses] to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel." Why in the world did it suddenly, at 40 years of age, occur to him to go and check on the Jews? Because God had a plan for him, and knew that the time was finally right to begin preparing him for the deliverance of his people. God Himself put that thought and desire in his head! Philippians 2:13 states, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." God motivates my desires and my actions to accomplish His good and perfect will. I don't have to worry about somehow missing something He has planned for my life, or fret about making the right decisions...God knows exactly what He will accomplish in and through me, and He will guide me every step of the way. That's what makes me different from other wonderful Christian women-the desires God places on my heart! Not everyone has a love and desire to serve in Central America. Just as God has never given me a desire to serve in the Middle East. But that's ok. God knows where He wants His people to be, and He will make sure we get there! And maybe this is why, for some strange reason, I suddenly have the desire to write and post my thoughts on this blog-because trust me, I have NEVER had even a remote desire to write before! I guess I will just wait and see where God leads me. :)

Growing in Confidence

If you know me, you probably know I am a rather quiet person. I am never the loud, outgoing one at parties (I'll leave that to my husband), and I would rather be stabbed in the eye than speak in public. This has been quite a struggle for me over the years, because, truth be told, I hate how quiet I am! I always feel self-conscious and inadequate because I am (in my opinion) too quiet. I don't say enough. I get flustered. I have no confidence.

Today, God gently reminded me, yet again, that who I am rests in Him, and my beauty and confidence, my true identity, comes from Him alone. How fantastically liberating that I can live a life of confidence because of who I am in Him! For, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me." Galatians 2:20. My old self is dead, and I now have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit living through me. I don't have to try and be someone I am not, or live up to others' expectations (or what I perceive to be their expectations). I can just be me. And praise God everyday for who He created me to be. Because to God, I am beautiful. I am His child. He chose me (shy, quiet, inadequate me) to live a life serving and glorifying Him. If the knowledge that the God of the universe felt I was worthy enough to be called His daughter is not a confidence boost, I don't know what is!

Not only that, but as a child of God, I am now living this life as an outsider. Have you ever seen The Simple Life with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie? Picture those rich, high-society girls living the life of a simple farmer. If you have seen the show you know, it was no small task! Needless to say, they were not quite cut out for the "simple life." Anyone watching could easily tell that they were not from the small-town, rural communities, and were certainly not raised milking cows! That is what my life is like as a daughter of God. My place is not here on this earth, it is in Heaven with Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:6 states He "raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Dear friends, I am a princess of the King of Kings, and when others see me, I pray they see a joy and confidence in my countenance that makes them stop and think, "You know, there's something different about her."

Happy Mother's Day!

I cannot believe that today I am celebrating my very first Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! As I think about what this means to me, I cannot help but reflect on just how blessed I truly am. I have the most precious little girl I have ever seen, and an incredibly loving husband who bought me an absolutely gorgeous ring, and is taking me out for a wonderful dinner tonight. I can't think of any other way I'd like to spend this day. Here are a few pictures of the day so far...

Today I am also reminded that I want to be the best mom I can be. More importantly, I want to be the mom, and wife, God wants me to be. I pray that day by day I continue to grow in the knowledge of Him, and as our family grows I learn more and more what a good wife and mother is in God's eyes. I look forward to many more wonderful Mother's Day celebrations with my amazing family, and am already planning how I can make Father's Day just as exciting and special!! ;)

Entering the Blogosphere

So, after surfing the web and finding all kinds of fun, interesting blogs, I decided I would give this thing a try. Bear in mind, I am (ahem...was) a MATH teacher...hence, writing is not usually my thing. Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, however, I think this will be the perfect outlet for me. You see, it is quite an adjustment to go from working full-time (and I mean full-time...you never get a break as a teacher...) to being at home all day with a baby and a cat, in a state where you know about 5 people, watching HGTV all day long. QUITE AN ADJUSTMENT. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE being able to stay home and take care of my daughter, but I was beginning to feel a little useless. I mean, what am I doing here? Is this it now? I just take care of a baby all day, everyday? Surely God has bigger plans for me than that? The only place I have found to serve at our church is the nursery, because I can take my daughter with me (duh.). That's not how it's supposed to be. I am supposed to be teaching awkward, hormonal high schoolers, serving as a fun D-Now leader, going on life-changing missions trips, giggling with pre-teens as the responsible camp counselor. I can't do any of that now. Who would take care of my baby? Who would feed her??

So here I am. Trying to find ways to get out there and meet new people, and share the love of Christ in new ways. I may not be able to be 100% involved in every church function, or go on week-long trips, or host a bunch of crazy-hyper high school girls for the weekend, but I can share all the amazing things Christ has done in my life and our family's innumerable blessings, here, on this blog. And maybe, just maybe, someone will read it. Maybe. Hopefully.