women in the ministry.

'i see a generation, rising up to take their place....' (hillsong, hosannah)

maybe you have seen it too. more and more, i'm seeing women rising up and taking their place of godly leaders in their homes, churches and communities.

in places where before fear has held back, the outpouring of gentle, yet powerful voices of women are now lifting up the glory of the Lord.
and for so long, it's been the belief among women that as women, we are not enough for the ministry, that we are there only to support.
and while we are still there to fully support our spouse as the head leader of our home, or in his ministry, we too can take full on the ministry that God has laid on our heart. and become leaders in it.

the mommy that takes leadership in raising her babes during the day while waiting for  her spouse to  join her in the evening. pouring into the little one's lives prayers and words of affirmation, love and grace. demonstrating the love of Christ. He sees you.

the single girl that takes leadership in using her season of singleness as a means to bless others with her time, with her available resources. she, who prays over her friends and over her future husband. she, who takes this time to become more closer to Jesus, that her heart would become so grounded in Him. He sees you.

the one with a husband as an unbeliever, skeptic, not yet there. the one that takes spiritual leadership in her home, that her children may know the faithful love of the Lord. the one that prays relentlessly for her family to be united in Christ. He sees you.

the girl who takes leadership in her campus as a light among the darkness. the girl who walks with her head held high knowing whom she belongs to and spreading that unconditional love to others. He sees you.

the church teacher that prepares with love a lesson to bring her students closer to Christ. the one that highlights the verses that speak to her and is eager to share with her students. the one that pins crafts that her students would love to engage in, while their parents worship and listen to the Word. the one that delights in seeing those rosy cheeked faces each service. He sees you.

the worship leader that takes leadership in knowing the stage is a place for brokenness, a place to be humbled in the presence of a beautiful Savior. the one that pours out her heart and prays for each member as she leads the songs. that the church as one would lift up the name of God.

 the youth counselor, the bible study coordinator, the organizer, the warm greeter, the hugger. He sees you. whatever your ministry is.

and is calling you by name, that you would take that leadership in the ministry He's given you and confidently carry it through. that we, as women, would stand together on our knees, and fervently pray over the area that we have been given. that we take it further for His glory.
because we all were broken, we are were nameless, until He chose us. and because of that we are equipped as He leads us, that we would lead others.

break down the walls that make you fearful. break off the chains that have held you back. He's made us free!

whatever area the Lord has called you in, pray fervently over it. because you dear woman, you are also a leader in His name.

beautifully molded. the studio.

today it's a pretty exciting day for me.
today it's the day that i finally shut up the fears, the day that i allow the Lord to lead me in the area i love the most, the day that i open up shop.

yep, the beautifully molded studio is open for business.

it's been a work in progress for two years. now i know that phrase sounds like for two years i've been working hard, setting up details, meeting with vendors, etc, etc. and today it's like the gala opening or something.
but when i say it's been a work in progress for two years, it's all been in my heart and mind. because of a pesky little thing called fear. that little obnoxious thing that stops us in our tracks and makes us second guess every.thing. fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of disapproval, fear of letting go and so on.

so what made this time different? the heart of it all. jesus.

see, before my heart wasn't all that into jesus. two years ago and even up until a year and a half or so ago, i wasn't committed to serving with all of me. ministry was for me what i would put my left over time into, if there was any.
it was an item on my checklist.
boy, have things changed.

what God has done in my heart over the past year is nothing short of gracious and merciful, and because of what He has done in my heart, the heart of this shop is to reflect all the glory back to Him.
the Lord knows fully well my dreams and desires. He knows the ministries i want to be able to spend more time on. and i'm praying that this is the first step towards that.

friday, last week, i was in my very own craft show and while my stomach was in knots the whole time, i loved every minute of it. i was able to sell three paintings with the Lord's guidance.
it's where my heart is at. it's where i need to use what the Lord has given me to bring glory back to Him, to serve Him, to give back to Him.

so today, marks the first day of a new chapter, and i couldn't be happier!
the shop is now open!

just gotta laugh.

source

i have to share this. just have to, because i think it's so funny. not funny, funny. but funny in a kind sad of way. in a got a keep it real kind of way.

so you've heard the expression, 'when it rains, it pours', right?

well, it's been pouring around here. and before i dive in, please know i'm sharing this not to throw a pity party in any way, but honestly to serve as some kind of comic relief for it all.

this winter we've been hit earlier than usual, i think. usually my bones can take it, but this year i just can't seem to warm up. which is why i asked my husband to get our furnace replaced asap this year.
our furnace is much too small for the size of our house, which is small too. but the cheap builders decided to cut corners in this area. so, every year when we've dared to turn on the heater, our gas bill comes with a pretty $400+ price tag on it. every. month. of winter. until last year when it just gave out. so, this year so far we've been heating up with pretty nice heaters which warm up the whole room. but the living room never really warms up even with the fireplace on.
the furnace will be replaced next week due to parts, of course it's always parts, that haven't come in. blah.
on top of it, att (oh lovely att) is making upgrades to a high speed service, something like that, and it was supposed to be streamlined. no interruption at all. riiiiiight.
we've been without internet going on five days now. aside from our phones that are able to get the basic internet and runs extremely sllllllooooooowwww, we have nothing.
not only for blogging, but we need the internet for other purposes. including setting up a shop. (hint!)
if that wasn't enough, we're kinda strapped for cash. i dislike it very much when we're strapped for cash.
all things, thankfully, are paid, we have groceries too. so that's the bright side. but in all due honesty, it kind of stinks being strapped for cash, no?

okay, so all that to make this last thing the best of them all. as i drove in to work today, everything was fine and dandy, until i got to my workplace.
just like i do, everyday, i rolled down my window to swipe my badge to enter the building, and when i did, i heard a very loud clunk!

my window fell of the tracker and wouldn't come back up. honestly, i just died laughing.
now i have no window! oh my gee.

so, it's been pouring around here. but you know, what can i do but just laugh? i could choose to have these things bring me down, get me in a bad mood and have me take it out on the people around me.
but in the end, the only one miserable will be me.
bad things will come, and as long as they're material things, it can be fixed sooner or later. even if it's concerning health, it's all in God's hands. so why worry!

my husband last night joked we were living like in the great depression. no heat, broke, no internet. just each other. ha!
sometimes we gotta take life for what it is and just do the best we can, no?

anyway, how's your tuesday going?

measuring His love.

source

if you have kiddos or even have been around kiddos, i'm sure a time or two, those kiddos have given you the guilt trip of not loving them enough because they don't have the same amount of toys as their friends or something like that. just mine? okay then.

well of course they understand that i love them more than they could ever imagine, but for a moment, in their minds they deserve more than they have. and when they question why they don't have what they think they deserve, the underlying question of whether we love them enough arises for a second or two.

what a painful question, is it not? yet i've asked God that same question.

during this season of drought with our family, it's been rough. there have been lots of tears, mainly on my part. there have been lots of questions. and in the most weakest moments, i've asked the Lord why His favor and love was not showering upon us.
in a nutshell, why didn't He love us enough to answer our prayers.

God and I have talked it out. don't worry, i won't be banned to time out forever.

i came to realize, of course, with His wisdom that when i measure His love with the situation at hand, His love not only becomes measurable, but very small indeed.
because the situation in His hands it's just that, small indeed.
instead of just using the present situation as my measuring rod, i need to grab hold of what the Lord will do with it all. so i look at His outstretched arms when He gave it all for us.

all because when His arms were extended and His life was given, hope was given unto our lives as well. hope not only for salvation, but hope in knowing we don't have to walk alone. we don't have to do this alone.

therefore, i cling to that hope that things are not finished. things are still being molded, refined, ironed out to perfection.
and if the God of the universe, the God that orchestrates all things, has enough interest to work in my life and bring things to perfection, while i completely do not deserve any of it, then i can only determine it is out of an undying, relentless, immeasurable love. one that can't be meaured by things that are fleeting, as He is eternal. a love that reaches to the heavens and it's deeper than the oceans. (psalm37:7)

a love that i won't truly being able to comprehend in this life. but one that i am so eternally thankful for. can't wait for the day, i'll get to run up to my Jesus, wrap my arms around him and tell Him how much i love Him too.

my prayer is that we would all be able to see His infite love in the midst of trials.

to the heavens and back times infinity.

 

 

 

how much do you love me Lord?

 

to the heavens and back times infinity, my child.

 

<<psalm 36:5>>

 

 

 

 

 

life.

 

that's what my house looks like right now. sans the newspapers.

it's messy, chaotic, looks empty.

 

life right now is kind of the same. sans the empty.

 

our life lately has been pretty messy lately. and i say messy simply because there are things that are not really in order that i would really, really, love for to be in order.

things that need some fixing. some ironing over.

 

must you know, those things include marriage, finances, decisions regarding our church plant.

there are decisions to be made, questions that still need answers, prayers that need to be continued.

but, and yes there's always a but.

 

but i don't feel empty. that's good news, no?

 

i feel thankful. i feel happy, even though my sleepiness right now seems to make me think i'm not. but i am. i am happy.

happy knowing that God is in it all.

that He is working through the mess. and even though there are some areas that still need a second coat of paint, sadly much like the walls above, He is waiting for the perfect timing.

 

funny how an afternoon of painting walls can get me in a reflective mood, huh? and leave me with very sore arms. ouch.

 

anyway, i know the walls look scary. i mean leather brown is not really what i would've chosen. but with marriage comes compromise, and it's better than 'hey here's our obnoxious house bright orange.'

plus i'm hoping once we get the second coat on and put our paintings back on the walls with the white bench next to it, it will all come together. here's to hoping!

 

hope you all had a lovely weekend!

 

 

freedom (free print)

pretty please use only for personal use

 

 

i've had this song on replay for the past few days: Jesus Culture 'there is freedom'

the words just grip me and wreck me, especially when going through a season of somewhat disappointments.

 

through the valleys, there are sometimes days when you just wanna fall to your knees and cry and cry and cry at being overwhelmed and broken by it all. and so be it. it's good to cry, it's good to release.

and when it seems like everything is lost, when it seems like there's no way out, when it feels like the chains of doubt, hurt and sadness are just too much to keep carrying around..

...His Spirit. His beautiful, soothing, merciful Spirit rains down and breaks those chains setting you free.

 

it's simply beautiful. that redemption. that grace.

wherever you are today, won't you let the Spirit overtake you and give you freedom?

let the chains fall, let freedom take over you and rejoice! because you are free in Him, He has overcome!

 

 

 

celebrate, we are blessed!

nine more days. that's all we have left of november. can you believe it?

 

neither can i. with the days, months, years passing us by so fast, it's so important that we take the time to really look around us and see how blessed we are.

so many things can be taken for granted, but the truth of the matter is that we are so blessed.

one thing that i'm incredibly thankful for this year is autumn.

it's my favorite season of them all, and sadly living in texas i feel i get cheated out of its gloriousness when it comes to the weather, but also out of its gorgeousness. usually the trees go from full green to naked without the beautiful transition in between.

 

one day on facebook last or this week, i ranted on texas because of its lack of beautiful trees. and lo and behold a few days later, the trees have orchestrated a beautiful symphony of golds, reds, and oranges.

 

this morning as i drove in to work, the parking lot had turned into a carpet of golden leaves which, no joke, made me gasp a little. i'm not kidding.

and as i naturally shot out of my car with no make up and hair in a messy bun to quickly snap a photo, God graced me with a beautiful shower of gold as the wind blew. it was magical i tell ya.

 

now i know i may be sounding like a crazy person raving about leaves and trees, but i tell ya, crazy i'm not. i'm just a little...festive.

 

and isn't that what this life is about anyway, being able to celebrate the little things that bring us joy. the bits of gloriousness that send our heart into song?

we have been so, so blessed. and so, so, so loved!

what are you thankful for?



 

 

linking up with:

 

trials in disguise.

 

when we think of blessings, there are many. that's undeniable. we have families that love us, a place to call home, warm food set on the table, etc. we are blessed everyday.
but what about those things that when we think about, we flinch a little?

you know, like the times when your heart has been broken, or when bills outweighed the funds, or when a sickness just seemed to get worse.

i'm sure you've had days, weeks, or months where everything seemed upside down. where answers were delayed, and where nothing seemed right.
i had moments of that too this year. i'm still going through certain moments like that. even when it seemed as though the sun was beginning to shine through completely and the storm clouds were finally making their departure.
but one thing i was reminded of last week by my sister, is that

anything that makes me run to God and need His presence is a blessing.
amen? yes.

there is no other blessing as precious as being able to run to God's arms and be refuged by Him.

so let's think here for a moment:

when our church plant went through pretty rough moments this year financially and made us need God and come to Him humbly in prayer, that was a blessing.

when there were moments in my marriage that strained the relationship and made me run to God in prayer surrendering everything again, that was a blessing.

when our car gave us a pretty expensive surprise thus needing the support from the Lord and His provision, that was a blessing.

when there are certain things that still need to be fixed and my tears are poured out, broken in front of the Lord, that is a blessing.

so, when i really think about the blessings that i'm most thankful for, i have to say it was the trials of this year. they've been tough and many tears have been shed.
it makes me think of that song by Laura Story:

'what if your blessings come through raindrops,
what if your healing comes through tears...
what if the trials of this life, are your blessings in disguise.'

but i'm thakful for them, simply because they not only ground me, but show me that God in His everlasting mercy takes them upon His shoulders and gives me peace.

what blessings are you most thankful for?

 

 

linking up with:

 

 

an opportunity.

there are opportunities that come in as a door wide open and when you walk in, your life is changed forever.

you know of which i'm referring to?

i had never been an actual regular church attendee once we moved to austin. living with my parents i was there for every service, but once i got married that changed. i was only attending one service half heartedly and that wasn't every weekend.
and looking in hindsight, i love how the Lord used things to tug at my heart and say i wasn't living for Him. i was just merely attending to check church off my list.

the pastor had set up my dad as the director of education, or some fancy schmancy title like that. he was in charge of preparing a schedule for the classes from nursery to the youth group.
when my dad approached me with the idea of giving the youth group a class once a month, i hesitated a bit. one, because it meant having to attend the morning service. two, because i wasn't in a place spiritually where i could teach young people about God's word.

i accepted, truthfully because he's my dad and who likes to let their dad down?
but i'm so glad i did.

what was supposed to be a class once a month, turned into my class permanently and i fell in love. not only with the youth i was blessed to engage with, but with God's beautiful Word. the questions that emerged from that group about faith, God, the relationship He yearns from us and the answers as we studied, forever changed me and my relationship with the Lord.

every sabbath we discovered together so much Truth and the feeling of being able to influence young people while i myself was being submerged into His Word is priceless. there really are no words to describe it.
from that opportunity that God opened the door for, i grew a passion for young people.
my heart is in mentoring and listening to them. and hanging out with them too because i mean come on, it makes me feel a little younger!
but in all seriousness, sharing the Word to ears that are exposed to this generation's standards is where my heart lies.
currently, in our church plant the children there are not of youth age, but i'm just waiting anxiously when God begins opening another door for a whole new group of youth that prayerfully i'll be able to explore the Word with.

what opportunity are you thankful for?

linkging up:

be kind.

i'm not very good at staying on track with something, especially if it means doing it everyday and especially when life gets in the way. go figure right?

anyway, today i'm picking up with the thankful project this month.
today's prompt is something we were taught.
i thought long and hard about this one, as my parents were wonderful teachers and God has given me a share of lessons himself. but one that truly sticks out is to be kinder than necessary because everyone is fighting a battle of some sort.

lately with the economy the way its been, i've had customers call in who sound aggravated and mean at the beginning of the call which causes me to be defensive. many of those times i've realized that these people are going through such hard times, and they're in a desperate spot.
would i have known that at the beginning of the call? no.
would i have known at all if they hadn't told me? no.

a few months ago at work, a co worker lost his wife. this man is one of the friendliest in that place. always says hi to everyone and jokes around. the few weeks preceding his wive's death, i noticed a change in his attitude. although he was still friendly, he wasn't as talkative as before.
when she passed, the news of course were communicated and i was left in shock. never do we know the battle someone is dealing with.

whether it's a little one or a life long struggle, it's necessary to be kind. our kindness may be the only glimmer of light they may see on that day.

and although some days i may not wake up with birds singing outside my window and i may drag my feet all the way to the office, it's so important to remember that. one voice, one act of kindness may be what turns someone's day around.

what have you been taught that you are thankful for?

 

 

linking up:

 

link

life lately.

oy vey. this week has been a tad rough.
i had planned all these posts yet the days flew by with so many tasks to complete and here we are on friday morning.

i'll write more on what i've been learning this week, but just wanted to drop in real quick to remind you that above all His grace IS enough.
It's tough for me to sometimes grasp that whenever a situation goes awry, or when everyone else's lives look better and discontentment begins creeping in.

Whatever we have, wherever we are is where His grace meets us and irons out everything in its place.
I hope you all have a beautiful weekend and hope the weather wherever you are is gorgeous!

 

a new dream on true beauty.

i have a secret love.

i'm in love with photography. everything about it. i can scroll through photographs for endless hours. in fact, if i visit, the first thing i will look at will be the photos in your home.
i know that might sound a little creepy, but i love the way a camera can capture moments and hold them for ages.
might be why i love, love instagram. i'm slightly addicted to that thing.

the other day, my sister who equally loves photography, asked that we go on a no notice, right then and there photo shoot.
and although i was tired from the workday, i obliged because that's what big sisters do, right?
but i'm glad i did.

looking through the photos, my passion for photography grew a little bit, who am i kidding, a lot more. and i got to wondering, how many more girls out there need their beauty captured to be able to see and understand how truly beautiful they are?

we women get so self critical of ourselves each time we're in front of a mirror. hardly ever do we truly see what others get to see. especially someone else through the lens of a camera. i tell you it's like looking through another world.
we are beautiful, all of us. we were created with such detail from the texture of our hair, to the freckles on our skin. and that needs to be celebrated!

for a while now, my sisters and i have been praying over a girls conference where we can drive this message into their hearts and have them know jesus as their first love.
well, this might be the first step.
i want to get out there with my camera, which isn't a professional one at all, yet capture the beauty of these girls, all while sending them the message of a Man that loves them beyond their imagination and sees them as His beautiful daughters.

i'm pretty excited yall for what this new baby dream may turn into.

i feel like if the Lord places a dream on our heart, it's meant to be pursued all for His glory.
i'm thinking hashtags, motivational cards, heck even a small magazine where these girls and their stories could be featured! dream big or go home, right?

there's so much work that can still be done to spread the word of God into this new generation and i can't wait to see what this will bring.

now, to start up a magazine...

what passions are you pursuing currently?

nothing but a mustard seed.

boy have i taken a while to write this post. i've written, pondered, edited. erased everything and started again. this was supposed to be the post where i came with flying colored flags and told you about how a recent difficult situation was given resolution. and it seemed like it did, but now it's on standstill.

and that has lead me to examine my faith.

faith.
the bible says if only we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could tell mountains to jump and they'd jump.

and i don't know about you but sometimes i feel like my faith is bigger than a mustard seed, because i mean a mustard seed is pretty small. and in my mind, i'd like to think that i believe bigger than that.
like if it makes me an experienced christian, or something.
and because a mustard seed seems so small, we tell people and ourselves, just have faith. it seems pretty easy to do, like if faith is something you can pull out from your drawer and wear it.

but faith isn't something that you can take a 101 course on. it's something that you have to learn by walking through shadowy valleys. those valleys that seem to never end, and where the walk to where the light begins shining through, is painful and sometimes weary. 

there's no short cut around it.

see faith, i believe goes beyond believing in the existence of God himself. faith is believing He exists, believing He is able, and believing He will.

i have the first two down. the third one is where i get stuck because it also means trusting His timing.
it'd be pretty easy if the Lord would do things the moment we ask for them.
it would mean praying for my husband's salvation, and watch Him come dancing through the bedroom door praising Jesus the moment i said amen.
praying for healing and seeing their pain vanish instantly.
praying for financial freedom, and watching money fall from the sky.

but the truth is that the Lord sometimes delays His answer.
and during this season He's delayed His answer longer than before. and it's been hard. with a capital h.

i read somewhere last week, that God will allow monster sized problems in order for us to see in His rescue, that He is mightier and more powerful, thus strengthening our faith in Him.
because when someone comes through time and time again, you have faith in them. you know they won't let you down. even if it means waiting on them.

and that's where the mustard seed fits perfectly. God wants us to come to Him with our tiny mustard seed sized faith, so that when planted in Him, watered by Him through the waiting, nurtured by Him through the valleys, that seed will begin to grow into a faith that stands strong through the seasons.

each season brings forth fruit. even in a wintery season, where the leaves are bare and dry, the nurturing we are receiving from the Lord in the waiting, strengthens perseverance and steadfastness in us.
those are the fruits that don't allow rotting of our hope.

so. the issue here is not whether we have faith as a mustard seed or not. we do. we all do.
the issue here is whether or not we will allow ourselves to plant that seed in the Lord, regardless of how dark the valley is, and allow for Him, relinquishing all control without a seed of worry, to water and nurture our mustard seed into a strong standing faith. that doesn't move, that doesn't shake.

a tall, standing strong tree doesn't take one or two seasons to grow into it. it sees about a hundred years or so of seasons to be a full mature strong standing tree with its roots deeply into the ground. and even then the seasons don't end.
a hundred years. that translates into a whole lifetime for us.
even when we're mature in age, mature in our walk with Him, the nurturing from His hand through the seasons won't end.
that's how much He cares for us. He is relentless with His love in seeing us grow into what He's planned for us.

and that for me is enough to hand Him my mustard seed sized faith. He takes it and does the rest.

 

linking up with:

every hour.

ah, it's monday.
a new week, a new to do list, a new set of plans.

this weekend, was not one for the books, sadly. while i wish i could sit here and write about all the adventures we took part it, i cannot. it matched the gray, rainy weather outside.
however, i do just want to share with you some encouragement for this week. because there's encouragement to be found, even in posts that begin as blah as this one, right?

there's this song that wrecks me, ever.single.time.

//oh i need you, oh i need you.
every hour i need you.
my one defense, my righteousness,
oh God how i need you.

maybe you've heard it? i'll include the video link below if you haven't. and if you wanna listen to it while you read the rest of this, that'll work too.

basically it wrecks me because it reminds me that i can't do this life alone. i just can't.
one of the first lines are: without you i fall apart.

and isn't that the truth?

it reminds me of how my life was before i committed my life to God. it reminds me of the depression and heavy sadness that took over me when things went wrong, especially in my marriage.
it put me in a really ugly state. in each difficult situation, i was trying on my own to no avail. i was emotionally falling apart without Him.

my heart today still saddens from time to time when things happen, but i don't fall apart.
i stay together because He holds me together. i hold on to His hope that transends all understanding.
and while things don't always play out the way i wish they would, He still holds me, gives me overwhelming peace and that's where my truth is.
every hour i need God. every single hour. throughout my day, throughout my week, throughout my life.

in Him is where rest is at. and it's a beautiful rest indeed.

ps. thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway. i will be announcing the winner tomorrow!

though it might hurt now.

 

yesterday was not an easy one to bear. my heart was so heavy all day long and honestly just wanted to spend the whole day, head between my knees on the floor praying and crying out to God.

it's funny that just a few days ago, i had this rush in me to want to stare difficulties down with fearless eyes and carried a very upbeat, positive attitude towards the issues at hand.
yesterday, not so much.

not for one second, do i doubt that God is God. and that He is good.
not for one do i doubt that He plans good for His children.

but what i also know, is that God doesn't just always plop those good things in our lap without us channeling Abraham. without climbing to the top of a mountain with a heavy heart, where there the provision will be. He will make us travel that long, hard to endure mountain sometimes. it's what will be needed.
and that hurts.

that man up there. he's my dad.
a dad i've watched give everything up for his girls, my mom and my sisters. a dad i've witnessed coming home weary from a day of work to only smile and play around, because he's so young at heart.
a dad that has ached alongside me when my heart was breaking due to my marriage woes and has prayed over me with tears.

but i've also watched him live passionately for the church. for the gospel.
i've seen him open his doors to people in need, filled up gas tanks and pantries for others.
i've firsthand come to know how his heart is hungry for the Lord's presence and will run this race no matter what.
so it hurts, when God delays His answer. it hurts to see him struggling and weary. it hurts because in my eyes he deserves better.
it just hurts.

my heart was just broken, not only for him, but for the woman whose dreams were shattered when her spouse walked out. for the ones that are praying for healing and haven't yet received it. for the minds of little ones corrupted because of the sinful nature of this world.
for this world that is filled with people seeking answers, seeking refuge and salvation.

oh Lord won't you come to our rescue?

He then led me to Jeremiah. read the whole entire book, He whispered.
and so i began, and didn't understand. why am i reading chapters of God's wrath? I need to read chapters, passages of mercy! i need reassurance! i need to know this season will be over soon. that the spring time flowers will begin to bloom!

i went to bed not knowing what i needed to get from it. i stopped at chapter 13, but i know the last chapters of jeremiah talk about restoration. and while i didn't understand last night why i needed to read the entire chapter, this morning i understood why.

if the Lord, Almighty and Master of this universe, in the middle of his fiery wrath towards those that were unfaithful to Him and cursed His name, was merciful and compassionate to even them when they returned to Him. How much more merciful will He be to those that delight in His ways. to those that seek Him hungrily and search His heart. to those that love His word and abide by it in their heart.

'you will receive restoration. your dad will receive it. those that are hurting will receive it. it's not a maybe, it's a promise' He whispered to my heart.

i know that sometimes telling you that i'm praying for you, may not be enough. and i wish that i could be there alongside you crying, praying, seeking with you. offering a tight hug, and helping you dry your tears.

but whoever you are, whatever you are going through. Jesus knows your name. He knows your pain.
You will be restored.

'we can trust our God
He knows what He's doing.
though it might hurt now
we won't be ruined.'

welcoming october intentionally

hello october. 

ideally now the temperatures should be at the low sixties, the leaves should be an array of deep purples, oranges and yellows gracing the trees, and people should be donning chunky sweaters and tights. 

yet at 87 degrees, we texans are still stepping out in shorts and open toed shoes. texas must you be so cruel to me?

despite the weather not being fallish, this time of year calls for slowing down and reflecting. 

i've seen a few posts on this and i carry the same sentiment. sort of. 

at least on the reflecting part. 

there has been a stirring inside me for a few weeks now to act. 

i'm an idea collector. ask my husband and my sisters. every week, i have something new that i come up with. a project, a party, a get together.

but hardly ever do i follow through. in my head the details, the design all seems attractive, but the purpose, the true inner purpose of that idea is what i lack to see clearly. because honestly, and here's where i get a little ugly....

i begin to believe it's about what i can do, and about what i can bring. it becomes or i make it become about me.
 

the idea has always fallen to the ground because i've managed to somehow revolve it around me.

during this season instead of slowing down and reflecting, i'm being called to create and act while reflecting. 

it seems a bit contradictory, but if i reflect on the true purpose of why i'm acting, i can act intentionally all the while. 

there's passions and dreams placed on my heart that all point back to Him. so with that piece of truth alone, i will act. tired of just talking about it. prayerfully reflecting on the true purpose of it all. that's how i'm welcoming october and this new season. 

the 'from scratch' series (i have a way with coming up with titles for things, i know.) is one of those things. it gets me excited to create, to see the gift God's given us to make something out of relatively nothing at my fingertips. 

i'm excited to share more about the dreams that are being awakened in me with you guys in the coming weeks. 

what are some ways you are welcoming october?