Choices...

Lately I have had to make many decisions and choices that will affect my future and my relationships with God and others. As I think about the Christian life, I see how decision making is an important aspect and that it is crucial that we go to the Lord in all decisions in life.

When making choices here are some things that we should consider...

...will it help my witness for Christ?

...am I motivated by a desire to help others know Christ?

...will it help me do my best?

...is it against a specific command in scripture and will cause me to sin?

...will it be best and is it helpful?

...will I be thinking only of myself or do I truly care about the other person?

...will I be acting lovingly or selfishly?

...will it glorify God?

...will it encourage someone else to sin?

When you are walking in God's will, He will lay it on your heart the right thing to do. Something I find myself struggling with is whether I am hearing God or just my own thoughts? But what I have come to realize is that when we are pursuing the Lord wholeheartedly, reading his word, and communicating with Him, his thoughts become our own. The closer you become to God, the more his desires become your own.

Another thing I have noticed is that the Lord will give you peace when you are making the right decision. When you do not feel that peace then that is Him signaling to you that you need to stop right there, and listen. So many times people say that no matter how hard they try, they cannot seem to hear from God. But the question is, are you listening? Are you truly trying to hear from Him?

Nailed to the Cross...

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." -Galatians 5:24-26

The bible constantly talks about the battle between our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature desires to do evil, but the Holy Spirit gives us the opposite desires.

Want to see the difference between the two?

Our sinful nature looks like this...sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, hostility, jealousy, anger, selfish ambitions, drunkenness, wild parties, quarreling. (gal. 5:19-21)

The Holy Spirit looks like this...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (gal. 5:22-23)

The good news is that when Jesus died on the cross, our sin was nailed to that cross on that very day. Jesus defeated sin so that we are no longer in bondage to our sins. Christ provided a way out at the cross. He gave us his Holy Spirit which gives us the power to defeat temptation.

Satan comes to kill and destroy and he knows our weaknesses. Satan uses that knowledge of our weaknesses to tempt us and lure us in. Then he tears us down and pulls our heart away from the Lord. But the Lord says to flee from temptation and run the other way. Since we are no longer a slave to sin, we have the power to run, and keep running.

Nailing our sinful nature to the cross is a daily action that we all must take. It requires us to commit each and every morning to stand up against our flesh and follow the Spirit's leading. It requires us to die to ourselves and come alive in Christ.

And remember..."When we allow ourselves to live recklessly for Him, then we, too, will see his glory. We will see Him do the IMPOSSIBLE!" -Francis Chan

I love you all!! Keep running hard after Jesus!!! He loves you so much!

"A wife of noble character who can find?..."

..."She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised!" -Proverbs 31

So a couple years ago my brother gave me the "Becoming Esther" article by Paul Washer. We read it together back then and I recently came across it again. Reading it now that I am older, it really makes a lot of sense to me. Esther is one of my favorite bible characters. She was beautiful inside and out and her courage set her apart. Esther had to go through a long process of cultivation. Before she could be queen, she prepared herself spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Esther did not sit around like many of the other women who were fighting for the crown, but rather she used her time as a single woman to pursue the Lord and let Him work on her heart.

"Singleness is not a waste of time or a sitting on the sidelines, but a time that God has set aside especially for the woman, to make her into what He wants her to be, and to use her in ways that just might be impossible after marriage. Singleness is a time in which a woman is to cultivate the virtues that pertain to being a woman of God, so that she can offer her future husband and the world something more than just a pretty face."

Wow!!! Is that not a beautiful picture! This gets me so fired up...I want all single women to know that right now is the time to step out on faith and run hard after God! We must live in the here and now and let the Lord prepare us for the great work he is going to do in us. The Lord longs for a beautiful relationship with us and He wants to be our first love. The Lord wants to show us how to be a woman of God so that one day we can be a godly wife and mother. If we take advantage of this time now, I believe that the Lord is going to take us to new heights. I believe that if we let Him have our hearts then He is going to show us a marriage that goes all the way and one that thrives and is on FIRE.

"Remember in your singleness that you are not the only one single, but your future husband is passing through the same stage as you. Would it not be a terrible thing to finally meet the man who is to become your husband only to find out that he has used his singleness to serve God and to prepare himself to be a better husband for you. And yet you did not use the freedom of your singleness to serve the Lord, nor did you take advantage of the training that God offered you? Would it not also be a terrible thing to realize that your husband spent his days as a single man praying daily for your needs and the work of God in your life, while you neither prayed for him, nor responded to the grace of God that was given you as a result of his prayers."

This really hit me and really kind of scares me when I think of all the time I have wasted and the mistakes I made in the past. I know that the day that I walk down the aisle to my future husband, I want to present myself to him fully equipped. I want him to know that I prepared my heart and cultivated my character so that when joining with him, we would carry on God's will in a marriage. I know that in preparing myself for that now, I am preparing for a marriage that is completely and undeniably thriving.

Lord, cultivate in me a beautiful heart for you. Teach me your ways and help me to use my time in a way that honors you and brings you all the glory. I pray that you would continue showing women their roles and their calling and create in every woman a heart that is on fire for you.

Confessions

1 John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

So I will be the first to admit it. I am not perfect. I am human and I have faults. I am constantly having to battle my flesh and my sinful nature. God tells us to come to him with our sins and admit that we messed up and he will "purify" us. All we have to do is come humbly and bring it to the table. If we try to hide our sins and justify them, then we are not being true to ourselves or to the Lord.
I have made mistakes recently and I have had to go humbly to the Lord and ask for his forgiveness. I know that what I did was wrong and all I could do was to be real with myself by going and asking God for his grace and his forgiveness.
The good news is that God is so faithful and God forgives. Even though we constantly mess up and sin against him, he always takes us back. He never stops loving us and his grace is everlasting.
Thank you Jesus for your patience with me. Forgive me for the times I have messed up and not always did the right thing. Take my heart and make your desires, my desires. Help me to be more like you and to love like you do. I pray that my life would shine brightly for you and that others would see YOU when they look at me. May I live in a way that brings you all the Glory and Honor and Praise! Amen.

For greater things have yet to come...

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?" Luke 12:25-26

Do you ever find yourself worrying about the future? Wondering where you will be in the next 2 years, the next 5 years, the next 10 years? Worrying about where you will work, where you will live, and who you will marry.
So many times I find myself in that place because I am the type of person who likes to know what is going on and I like to have a plan. Sometimes not knowing what is ahead can be a little scary!
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

I consistently find myself coming back to these verses, especially at this time in my life. There have been so many changes in my life recently and I'm not going to lie, it has not been easy! Satan is constantly putting thoughts in my head, making me doubt my decisions and trying to cut me off from following the Lord's leading. Right now I can say that I have no idea where I will be in a few years from now, because I am not in control of my life.
I know it can be a daily struggle but we must remember that we are not put on this earth for our satisfaction. This has nothing to do with us but everything to do with God. The Lord tells us that worrying is just a waste of time, because whether we worry or not, he is going to come through for us. He is going to provide, more abundantly than we expect. God is sovereign.

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." Luke 12:31

Lord, help me to trust you and the work that you are doing in my life right now. Take my heart and heal it. Keep it safe and pure. Father, I am struggling right now with the past but help me to let it go and press on. For greater things have yet to come....I believe that and I know that you have a better plan for me than I had for myself.
"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me. " Psalm 13:5-6

You are Beautiful...

So I have to be honest...I struggle with insecurities...It is hard to live in this world and not get sucked into the idea that you have to be perfect to be loved. I struggle with believing that I am beautiful and sometimes become consumed with what the world labels as "pretty." It is not easy trying to maintain the perfect body image, the perfect grades, or have the nicest things. But the truth is...none of that matters to the Lord...For He is the one who created us and he thinks we are MARVELOUS!

So what does God say about this?
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" -Psalm 139:14
We are created in the image of God, and God doesn't make junk! Like a snowflake, every person is unique. No two are the same. God sees you as a masterpiece; and when you look in the mirror, He wants you to "know that full well." Try this beauty tip: Every morning when you look in the mirror, say Psalm 139:14 and smile. You might even tape the verse on your mirror as a reminder!

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."-Proverbs 31:3
Beauty fades with age, so if you are more concerned with your outer appearance, you will be unhappy when the wrinkles come and the number on the scale goes up. In fact, did you know that your body may show the beginning signs of aging as early as age twenty? That is why God wants us to "fear" Him. That doesn't mean to be afraid of Him but rather to be in awe of Him and all that He has done. Let me put it to you this way. If you stand two girls next to each other and one is perfect and whose beauty is limited to physical beauty, and the other young lady is a more average-looking girl who loves the Lord more than anything, she is the more beautiful girl in the eyes of God.

Is that anymore relieving? I have to be reminded of this daily because Satan is constantly trying to bring me down by telling me I can't eat this or that or I'm going to get fat, or if I don't put some makeup on and do my hair then I'm going to look disgusting...It's hard to be a girl in a world that is so consumed with perfection.

But...remember, " 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

LOVE YOU ALL!

So Thankful

Hello Everyone!

I know I have not written on this in forever, it has been a busy semester! So just an update on my life: I'm still going to school at DBU, living in an apartment with 4 other girls, nannying two precious children during the week, as well as some personal training and I started up a Fitness Bootcamp on my campus for girls...we meet every Tues/Thurs morning at 6:30AM! It's great, i love it! But yeah, it has been a crazy busy semester and I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving next week!

So I just wanted to take some time and think about all the things that I have to be thankful for. There is so much! God is great and He has provided me with everything I need and more! I am so thankful for my wonderful family...We actually celebrated thanksgiving today because everyone is going to be gone next week. We did our traditional walk on the Trinity River this morning to Ol South Pancake House and ate breakfast there. So good! Whole Wheat pancakes and a spinach, chicken, and mushroom omlette! Then we all pitched in and put together a wonderful thanksgiving meal. Our friends Will and Jessica and their 4 beautiful children came over and we had a great time! I made my famous low fat red velvet cupcakes for dessert=so good! And of course we played our favorite game...SCATTERGORIES! I love my family and I do love when we get to have times like these to spend together, eat good food, be goofy, and LAUGH...we do a lot of that! :) I cannot wait till my siblings and I get married and have children and pass down our family traditions. It will be so much fun!

Another thing I am especially thankful this year is God's patience with me. I know I can be very hard headed sometimes and have to figure things out the hard way, but God has been so gracious and patient with me. I have figured a lot out in the past month and have had to accept and walk away from a lot of things. It definitely was not easy and something I never thought I could do. But I am so thankful that I have a God who is my strength when I am weak and that because of Him, I can do all things.

Jesus, I am thankful for who you are. I am thankful for your everlasting love and for your unfailing forgiveness. I know I struggle at times when it comes to trusting you and those around me, but lift me up in that area. Thank you for my wonderful family and amazing friends. Draw me closer to you and show me how to show my thanks to those around me this season. You're awesome!

Everyone have a great thanksgiving! Don't forget to let your loved one's know that you are thankful for them and don't forget to say, "i love you"!-you never know if you will get another chance! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Blessings

I cannot believe it is already August...where did this summer go?? School starts back up in a few weeks and I will be back to the city on a hill aka DBU. :) I am actually excited to be back in the DBU bubble and reunited with all my friends and ADK sisters. This past weekend I started moving into my on campus apartment and I absolutely love it! I will be living with 4 other girls...3 in one room and 2 in the other and there are two bathrooms, kitchen, dining room...it's gonna be so fun! We are decorating in black, white, and red and our bedroom is white, turqoise, and brown. It is so cozy already! I am most excited about having my own kitchen and getting to cook!
But yeah, so God has really been blessing me lately! I had 3 nanny job interviews this weekend and I got one of them! It is for an 8 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. I will pick them up from school everyday and watch them for a few hours until their mom comes home. I am excited!
Also, next friday is my Cooper Personal Trainer test so I am getting nervous about that! I really hope I pass it and then I'll finally be a CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER! yay!

‎"TRUST in the Lord with ALL your ♥...Seek HIS will in all you do, and he WILL show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6

Lasting Beauty Within

1 Peter 3:3-4

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

While I was watching TV this morning a lot of things came to mind. Why do young girls and women have such a hard time believing they are beautiful? I see all those celebrities that go out and pay tons of money to trim this, enhance that, or fix here and there. I will see girls younger than me get breast implants and it just makes me wonder...is that really going to make you happy?

Now I am not gonna lie, I struggle with my appearance daily and I have to remind myself who created me and all that matters is that HE thinks I am beautiful. It just makes me sad to see young women giving into the lie that they have to have the perfect body, perfect outfit, and perfect hairstyle to be accepted. They may be trying to impress a guy and the only way they think he will notice is if they have big boobs and a flat stomach. But what I want those girls to know is that a REAL GUY will be attracted to the beauty of your heart, personality, and your natural self. And honestly, you don't want to attract a type of guy who is only going for you because of your looks do you?

Most importantly, God created you and thinks you are EXQUISITE. He designed you uniquely different than any other woman. God thinks you are marvelous and perfect just the way you are. When you focus on letting Him beautify your heart...then you will have a beauty that comes from within, one that will last and never fade away...

Change

Why do people have to change? Ever had a best friend that whenever you were with them you were on the top of the world? You knew that everything was going to be okay as long as you had them in your life? Then days pass by and life changes...that person changes. And all you want is a wish for things to go back the way they used to. You wish to go back when you were younger when things were so much more simple...you didn't have to face all the heartache that today brings. Where did time go? It's like everything feels like one big dream right now.

Lord please give me strength to Trust you. It is so hard!!

Psalm 139:23-24

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
Psalm 139:23-24
♥

So tonight my best friend pointed out Psalms 139 to read, and I love it. Especially these last verses. I know that I mess up consistently on a day to day basis and I am no where near perfection...I am a sinner with a filthy record and I am in need of a Savior. A Savior who can redeem me with His grace and search my heart and my life and cleanse it with his Holy Spirit. God is willing and so able to wipe away our pain and our mistakes, we just need to be willing to let Him...we need to be willing to lay it all down and let Him cleanse us. Doesn't that sound so refreshing? God can cleanse us. Think about all the things you have done that you may regret. All the things you said or thought that you know were wrong. All the things that you would be embarrassed if other people found out. Well the God of everything wants to forgive us! All we have to do is confess...lay down our pride and let Him purify us!
Jesus, here is my heart. Please cleanse me of all unrighteousness and show me areas of my life that need some refreshing. Show me how to be more like you and teach me right from wrong. I know I mess up and I am constantly battling my flesh and my worldly desires but give me your Holy Spirit and the strength to win the battle. May my life shine brightly for you...I love you Jesus, Amen.

TGIF!!

Sooo I am really glad it is Friday-time for the weekend! It has been a pretty tough week emotionally and I need to just give it all to God. HE is in control and only HE can give me the peace, rest, and assurance that I need. I don't want to worry anymore but just trust Him (even though it is not always easy, I have to keep reminding myself to!) and let Him guide my life. So many times I find myself longing for someone to comfort me and be there with me and I forget about God and how he is right here. Even though I cannot see him, He is there. Listening, watching, and speaking to me through his Holy Spirit. I just need to listen more and focus on Him.
But anyways...today I took the girls to lunch at Freebirds and then we went driving around for 30 minutes looking for this awesome park with a duck pond (we were gonna feed them) but I couldn't find the park! So we ended up going to one by our house and we took pictures because at the end of the summer we are going to make a scrapbook of all our memories. I love those girls!















Also a couple weeks ago I had a phone interview with a modeling agency called SCW Promotions and Modeling. Today, I got a call back and they offered me a contract with them. I am so excited, I talked to the lady for almost an hour and it seems like such a cool opportunity. I have my first photo shoot with the photographer in August to create my portfolio before I start any jobs.

Along with that I am studying for my Personal Training certification under the Cooper Institute in Dallas. I have this huuge binder with all this information and there is so much stuff I have to know. I plan on taking the exam the beginning of August and if I pass it (pray for me!) I will finally be a certified fitness trainer!!
But anyways...that is a little bit of an update on my week and my life right now...just going to take it easy the rest of the night...relaxing in my super comfy bed with my candles lit...i LOVE candles! Everyone have a great weekend!!

Friends

Lately I have been looking back at my life and realizing the importance of good friends. Friends who love you for who you are, not what you have. Friends who support you and lift you up when you feel lost and confused. Friends who will pray with you, pray for you, and encourage you to keep on praying. Friends who offer advice that is true and of the Lord. And friends who will walk together with you throughout this journey of life. Friends who keep you accountable and help you draw closer to the Lord. That is the type of friend I always prayed for.

Throughout my High school years I struggled with finding this type of friend. The girls I saw around my campus were pretty girls with a pretty face but what they did on the weekends was not attractive. Many of them settled. They settled on things like partying, drinking, drugs, and sex. I came from a small private school, so this was all pretty new to me. There were times where I could of come so close to settling for all of that and giving in to a unsatisfying way of life but I knew it wasn't worth it. I did make some bad decisions during those years and when I think back today, it would of been a lot easier if I had had a solid group of girl friends. I went through most of my high school years feeling pretty alone and didn't feel like I fit in. I was a Christian girl and my morals and my love for Christ meant more to me than settling for "friends" who would lead me down a path of destruction.
It says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." and also in Matthew 7:15 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."
First of all, the Lord warns us that if we spend the majority of our time with those who are constantly living in sin and returning to the same old ways...then that will change our character. Who your closest friends are will determine who you really are. Also He warns us that there are two gates in life. The first one is narrow and hardly anyone takes that path. The second is wide with many people but that gate leads to death. Even though it may be harder to do the right thing and stay on the narrow path...in the end the reward is eternal and abundant life.
I encourage you all to examine who your close friends are. If you have a passion to take it a step further in your relationship with the Lord you must surround yourself with like-minded friends, not people who are constantly dragging you down with them into sin. I am not saying to abandon those friends...still love them like Jesus does and share them the truth and the light. But remember what God says, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him."

Stars and Stripes

I hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July! Thank you to all the soldiers out there who serve our country and keep it the land of the free and the home of the brave. My day consisted of some up's and downs. The day started off as my sister, my friend Sarah and I headed out to Granbury to my dad's for a cookout. My other older sister and brother were there and we had lunch and just hung out. We decided to stop by the town square and walk around and see all the vendors and arts a crafts.....however, it wasn't the best idea because it was like a bagillion degrees! As we drove home, I started feeling very lightheaded and sick...my sister had to pull over and I am sure you can imagine the rest. :/ (food poisoning) So I got home and was sick for a while...buut I really wanted to go see Fireworks...I mean, hey it's the 4th of july you can't miss fireworks!! So I bravely decided to go and hoped I wouldn't get sick again. We went to Colonial to meet up with some friends and watched some amazing fireworks. I have never seen fireworks so close...they were literally right above us...SO COOL!

Today consists of resting and taking it easy with my girl Sarah...Here are some pics from yesterday!

Power Struggle

Watch the Sermon @ http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/once-upon-a-marriage/2

So I have been spending time with the Lord tonight and I decided to watch another one of Craig Groeschel's sermons from his series "Once Upon a Marriage." I encourage you all to clink on the link above this post and watch it. It has really opened my eyes and taught me a lot about relationships. Craig talks about how so many times the woman can be the controlling one and the man is passive in their relationship. He becomes relaxed and lets his wife take control of everything and his God given role of leadership is diminished.
One thing that really stood out to me that Craig mentioned is that, "a godly woman can make a weak man stronger; a controlling woman can make a weak man weaker." As a woman belittling your man with your words can tear down and make him weaker. "No man has ever crawled out of the constant complaining of his wife a better man." Our role as women is to build him up and reward him for leading us. The husbands role is to be the provider and be financially stable for the both of them. He must also lead as her protector; protect her heart and her emotions. He is also the pastor which means that he sets the spiritual tone and direction for his family. When a man leads in a relationship (provider, protector, and spiritual leader) then the woman can follow and build him up.
I know I am not married or anything but I believe that this is something that everyone needs to learn now whether married or single. When I think back I know that I have been the controlling woman rather than the godly woman. I pray that the Lord would work on my heart and teach me how to practice the ways of a godly woman...that I may learn how to submit to a man's godly leadership someday and be the encourager and supporter.

My Prayer

"Praying for you"
by
Anna Jones


I can't get my mind off you...thoughts of when we met keep running around in my head.
Do you know how much I care? Do you know that I want to be where you are?
Even though you hurt me so, my feelings for you remain below.

I pray for you to find your way...
I pray for you to surrender all...
I pray for you to get to know the One who created enduring love.

He is the one who can take this all away...
He is the one who can give us the chance...
Trust, Faith, and Passion live on, in Christ is where this true love remains.

So in this journey don't forget, this girl over here praying for you.
She has the faith in you and God.
She has the hope that can change a sad face upside down.

Run to Him and be reassured, He loves you so and longs for you.
Even though, she wishes she could be with you
She knows inside what matters most
Giving it all to God and letting Him transform the heart.

Maybe someday when all is fulfilled
God will grant a wish
First leading the man
The man will lead the woman
And with Him being the One...the Two will be found...
destiny awaits.

Busy Day!

So today I woke up and went and walked two dogs, a golden retriever named Jack and a border collie named Annie. When I got there the dogs were so hyper and Annie was out of control. I took her first and it was a struggle to get the leash on her...she is still a puppy so she was jumping all over me and what not. I walked her for 20 minutes and then I took Jack. Jack is a huge (kind of overweight :)) but sweet golden retriever. He did pretty good but still wanted to chase after the squirrels and almost pulled me down the hill! Well that was fun haha! After I headed back home to get shower and went over to the girls house. We were planning on going to a movie at 12pm and had to eat lunch first. It was a little after 11 and we decided to make a homemade pizza real quick...and I must say that was the fastest homemade pizza I have ever made! In less than an hour we were able to lay the dough, spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese and pepperoni, and put it in the oven.
It was delicious I might add and we headed off to Movie Tavern. We made it there right on time to see the movie Grown Ups. It was such a funny movie...Adam Sandler and all those guys are great! When I got home I did my P90x workout then I went and walked the dogs for a second time! Finally made it to the house I am housesitting for the weekend and am exhausted! Just here now relaxing in bed watching some of the movie, The Proposal. I am glad its almost the weekend and am looking forward to celebrating the 4th of July!

Hello to my life

Well tonight marks my first of hopefully many entry's to my new blog. Right now I am laying in my bed with a candle lit and listening to some praise music. I feel so relaxed. My day started off by me waking up earlier this morning to do the Insanity workout...wow and is that hard or what! Now I have always thought I was in good shape but when I do that workout, i am not gonna lie..it kicks my butt! In addition I have been feeling nauseous because of the medicine I am on (had surgery to remove my wisdom teeth last week). And on top of that it takes all my energy away! No good :( So you can imagine what I am going through. Today I took the two girls I nanny for (ages 11 and 13) to the Fort Worth Zoo. We actually beat the rain because we went early enough and had a great time. We pretty much covered everything in 2 1/2 hours. I think that is a pretty good record! Then as soon as I came home I headed to my comfy bed for a nap...although I wasn't able to sleep...sooo I read a couple more chapters in the book I am reading: "Going All the Way" by Craig Groeschel. Great Book! Craig talks about preparing for a marriage that goes the distance with God as first priority. It is teaching me so much. Then I watched a sermon from him that I will post for you all... http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/once-upon-a-marriage/1



I would really recommend his book for anyone who is at that point in their life that is longing for a relationship that has potential and substance; one that is pure and blessed by God. What I am learning is that God must be your One...you must learn how to fully depend on Him and fall in love on Him before you can be prepared to love your Two (your future spouse). I am going through hard times right now after breaking up with my boyfriend and best friend of 3 years. I am having to learn how to depend on God and his love to heal my heart and fill me up. It is not always easy to trust Him but it requires a lot of faith and selflessness. I encourage you all to examine the relationships in your life...Are you putting anyone of those before God? Are you noticing that there is something in the way of going all the way to knowing who Jesus is? If that's the case, stop, pray about it and ask God to forgive you and help you to make the changes in your life that can lead you closer to Him.