Reflective

I found myself thinking a whole lot this morning about being 18 weeks on Sunday.  This was halfway through with Alanna!  I'd like this one to cook a little longer, but her being preterm was divine intervention.  She was in respiratory distress and I pushed for about 10mins when they said stop, and did what they needed to do to pull her out.  5lbs 11oz...5lbs 5oz when we took her home....We stayed one extra day and then went back every other day for labwork/etc....fooor a week, maybe 2, I can't remember.  Praise the Lord she was relatively healthy..things could have been a lot worse.  At 22 and in my first year of marriage, I wasn't thrilled with becoming a mom.  But the second they threw that baby on me (for a sec before whisking her away to "rile her up a bit")...it was all over.  18mos later we decided we wanted more, 5 years after that we got pregnant and lost it, now we are 18 weeks along with this one!  This week has crept by.......waiting waiting for our anatomy ultrasound on Monday.  I cannot WAIT to see our little monster, and am praying for health.

Video of Dave's Peru 2012 Mission Trip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yw8aOPS7Xs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Rejection

I've struggled a lot with rejection lately.  You don't need to know the details, we've all been rejected at some point in our life.  We all have a time where we don't feel like we fit in.  But you know the saying, "when it rains, it pours"?  It's poured a lot over the last few months.  As usual, God uses pain to bring us closer to Him.  When there is nothing else, there is nothing to get in the way of my relationship with God.
Check out these verses:

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV / 95 helpful votes

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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

John 15:18 ESV / 173 helpful votes

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. "

Psalm 94:14 ESV / 83 helpful votes

For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;

John 18:36 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”


Christ knows rejection.  He knows it better than any of us could ever imagine.  I take comfort in knowing that I could never experience the amount of pain and rejection my Saviour experienced, and He did it all for ME.  He made a way for me to be near God, and I am not living for anything in this world.  I am living for a relationship with Him, and so that others might know Him.  We are here on a mission-that others may know Jesus.  And if we experience a little hurt and pain along the way, that's ok.  We are here not to impress man, but to live for Christ--and my self-worth and opinion of myself has nothing to do with what others think of me.  I live only to please God, not man.  And I'm so sorry for those that are living to please man, because there will always be someone who thinks you aren't good enough.....but to Christ, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  AMEN!!  I hope and pray that this might be an encouragement to anyone out there struggling with something like this.......this world has nothing for you, it's dust in the wind.  Praise God for the knowledge that we have something much bigger and better to live for!!

Peace

As I look back on my life, even before I met Dave-I can see how God has been preparing me for this particular time and ministry. The past 2 weeks have been difficult in our ministry. Three runaways, anxious parents, a neighbor who's been unable to find a job and is having to "sell favors" to provide for herself and her daughter, a teen crying to us unsure of what to tell her friend who just lost a baby. A few years ago I would have told Dave "forget this!" and ran the other way! God has brought me through a lot of valleys in preparation for ministering to these people. Thank you Lord!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..." Jeremiah 29:11
"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9

This world is broken and hurting, and working in ministry isn't hanging out with other Christians all day hiding from all that. It's getting down and dirty and trying to show people the only way to live is to turn from their wicked ways and follow Christ. Following God doesn't exempt you from hurt, pain, and trials...but following Him does make those times much more bearable and peaceful.
Look back on your life. What difficult time have you been through that helped you prepare for this particular season in your life? It's beautiful to see how God orchestrates your journey!

Top of the morning to ya!

If you have kids, they'll love this song!
I should feel this way every morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1ovNZTpVcU

Amanda's 30th bday getaway

Trying to get a good pic...
Noooooooooooot quite...

There we go!

On a trip to visit Amanda in college, I met Dave. This is us in front of the place we met!! The place we met is no longer there, but the building is! It was so awesome to reminisce about that night.

<3

Melissa, Amanda, her husband Mike, and me! It was 45 and WINDY!

Beautiful..and cold.

Some pretty marsh or body of water of some sort..Amanda and her husband are both Biology people and work at the museums down there..she educated us heavily this weekend. I forgot a lot of it....

Dave and I had a blast..it was sooooooo great to get away. Thank you so much for your hospitality Amanda...Happy Birthday! We hope to be back soon!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to the most crazy wonderful man on the planet! We love you!