His beauty, even in the storm

I, myself, have not gone through a really tragic time.  I hear about events all around me, but never have had to experience something so tragic like my friends Daniel and Gina have.  I wrote about the loss of their 15 month old, baby girl, Alexa just over a year ago. 

It's been a long hard year for the both of them and their family.

But they've made it and only by the grace of God.  I've always looked up to them, but I look up to them even more now.

They have got through their toughest year yet as a married couple.  I know it couldn't have been easy, but they stuck with each other because they had the help of our most gracious Father.

I captured these pictures as we were out and about at yard sales.  These are the perfect example of how His beauty shows, even in the storm.

Much Love,

Lindsey

Forgiveness

I have started a new weekly get-together on Wednesday mornings with my dear friend, Kati.  She asked if I would like to have a weekly bible reading/study at our local donut shop before our day starts.  I was a little hesitant because I knew I would have to get up twice as early, but I told her yes knowing it would be a total blessing.

This conversation was on a Sunday and the first time to meet up would be the next morning at 6:15.  Well little did I realize then how hard it is to get up on a Monday morning, especially after traveling across the state of Oklahoma all weekend, would be?

I totally stood her up!

But by accident, of course!

I slept thru, or snoozed I’m not sure, my alarm and woke up at 6:26a with a text from Kati that read, ‘Girlfriend’.

Isn’t that the sweetest thing?  She could have totally been rude, because you know that’s the way of the world when you get stood up.

So I replied, ‘I am so so sorry!’

When she replied, ‘That’s ok! I’ll take a quiet devotion in the parking lot of the donut shop any day.’

I was so relieved.

I could tell that she forgave me willingly and without hesitation.

What a great example of how our Almighty God does for us…all of us.

‘But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.’  1 John 1:9

So fellow sinner, don’t hesitate.  Let him show his grace to you.  It will lift a huge burden off of your shoulders, to make it easier to move forward with your relationship with Christ, family member(s), friend(s) or whoever it may be.

‘But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.’ Mark 11:25

Who is God putting on your heart to forgive?  He’s eager for you to forgive that person, so he can forgive you of your sins, in return.

Much Love,

Lindsey

Building 429's 'Listen to the Sound' Giveaway

I posted on Twitter this morning that I would like to give 5 people that contact me the latest album by Building 429.

Their music has become a new addiction for me.  The words are so full of life's difficulties but also of how great our Heavenly Father deserves our praise.

Please feel free to contact me, even if you think someone else deserves it because more than likely I've wanted to gift it to you anyways.  ;)

Much Love,

Lindsey

I love His unique ways

It has hit us pretty hard for some reason.  It’s hard having to be so careful.

We know that at the first of the month things are pretty tight, but we usually have something to work with.

This time we have nothing.

I sat down to pay the bills and soon realized the ‘something to work with’ was ate up somewhere along the way.

I didn’t panic knowing things would get taken care of somehow, but was nervous to share this news with my husband.  Once I explained where I think our ‘something to work with’ went, he understood and realized we’d be tight for a couple of weeks.  Phew!  That’s a relief.

But then God started showing up.

We remembered there was money stashed in the house but we weren’t sure how much.  I also found another spot where I had put money back months ago.

And best of all, I remembered that I hadn’t spent the $50 I got for my birthday 2 weeks ago.

That money had good and bad intentions.  I went back and forth on whether to be responsible or irresponsible what that money.  But decided, without really knowing I had decided, to be responsible.

And do you want to know something?  I know He provided for us because we tithe.

When we are faithful to give a part of what He has given us, He’ll be faithful to supply your every need.

When researching online for a good scripture to use for this post, {no I don’t have the Bible memorized} I ran across an article written by Dr. Dale A. Robbins, “The Tithe Belongs to The Lord.”

In it I found this:

Tithing is a test of our stewardship over the property of God, a test of our honesty to return to God what is rightfully His, a test of our obedience to do what He told us to do, and a test of our love and desire to please Him with our lives.

Tithing is a demonstration that we believe in God, and that we acknowledge that He is the provider of all material blessings.  If you haven’t the faith to believe that the tithe belongs to the Lord, neither can you have faith in Him to meet your financial needs.  After all, if you don’t believe that the tenth is His, you must not believe that the whole earth is His either.

What a perfect reason for what we encountered ourselves this week.  I am so gracious to not have the stress of what will happen in the weeks until our next payday, for my God has made a plan for me and my family to get by with what he gave us.

Thank you Jesus for knowing what was going to happen months down the road, that we prepared for without even knowing, but your knowing.

Much Love,

Lindsey

P.S.  If you’re not currently tithing, I hope your heart gets a little tug from The Man above. J

Anger

Yesterday at church, Pastor Rick preached on Anger.  I’m so glad that we were there to hear this message. 

It was just that morning that…

We slept in until 8:30a

Gathered in the living room and at cereal

I jumped in the shower w/ 1 hour til we needed to leave

When I get out of the shower, my husband is upset that he can’t find a pair of shorts that he wants to wear

He then asks me where they are, and I replied, “I don’t know.”

I suggest a couple of places, but they’re not there

By now he’s even more upset

I keep thinking to myself, ‘They’re just shorts. Can’t you find something else to wear?’

But he was determined, so I knew the answer was no

He then starts in on how the laundry, ‘should get done faster and this wouldn’t happen,

It just sits in baskets for days when it should be hung up or put away.’

It’s a common thing in our house for something to be missing.  We swear up and down that we set it on the kitchen counter, when actually it’s in the laundry room cabinets. 

We both have bad habits of laying things down where they don’t go and the other person will come along and put it where we think it should go.

And so, when we can’t find something, we…

Blame anyone but ourselves

We get frustrated

Angry

Short tempered

Say things that are hurtful

So with all the blame put on me, I give him the ‘silent treatment’.

But is that what we should really do?

No.

Pastor Rick gave us these 3 bits of information of what anger can do in your relationship(s).

1.      Anger leads to losing your temper, losing your temper hurts the relationship.

a.       Psalm 37:8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper it only leads to harm.

2.      Anger causes us to withhold from relationships.

a.       Luke 15:28 The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in.

3.      Anger gives the devil access to our relationships.

a.       Ephesians 4:27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

When angry with something or someone, it affects everyone around you, whether it’s geared toward you or not.  A person’s reaction may be to be angry back or simply give them the ‘silent treatment’. 

But what we need to realize when in the middle of something like this, is the devil is the one steering the anger and does what he can to accelerate the argument so that it may cause you to hate that person and refuse to forgive them.

Pastor Rick also gave us 2 ways on what to do about anger.

1.      Resolve it quickly.

a.       Matthew 5:24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

2.      Crucify it and follow God’s Spirit.

a.       Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

Now I’m happy to say that before the service was even over, he apologized to me and showed me that he really meant it.

I know these trials will only make our relationship stronger, as long as we seek God and take in his teachings to better our lives and our family.

May you be able to keep your anger from accelerating and hurting the relationships of those that mean the most to you.

Much Love,

Lindsey

What once was mine, turned into God's plan

I have to share what I experienced on my lunch hour today.

I went to McDonald's to 'steal' their WiFi.  Now, it's not actually stealing, but that's what I like to call it since I'm too cheap to use the internet on my phone.  Plus I'm over my average usage by 38MB and I do NOT want to go over again...EVER!

I pull in the parking lot and immediately realize that it's Spring Break this week and that this place is going to be crazy!  But I was thrilled to see that there was an open parking space at the front, right by the door, so I took my chances.

I get inside and see 3 of my coworkers and 2 families that I know from Chelsea.  I get in line next to one of the families and we both are like, "Hey!"  She went on about how she had to get out of the house and go somewhere where the kids can play.  I then said that I was glad to have a job to go to, while Addam was home with the kids this week. {Just kidding babe, I would love to be at home with you remodeling the bedroom. {Oh wait...I'm kidding about that too} Hehe}

So I order my Caramel Hot Chocolate and found my seat where it was less crowded and less noisy.  I start in on my WiFi 'stealing' and sipping my hot beverage, when the 2 families get up to leave.  We exchange our 'goodbye's' and I bury my nose back into my iPhone. 

The mother of the 2nd family comes back to where I'm sitting to ask if they could use my car to jump hers.  So we head out to the parking lot, when she asks me where I'm parked and I told her that I was parked right by the door.  Well then she shows me that she is parked right next to me.  At this point, I was amazed and super ecstatic.  That is so a God-thing!  So she grabs her jumper cables and we get to jumpin'.  After we got her car started, she was overflowing with gratitude and gave me a hug and said how happy she was that I was there and able to help. 

And so was I!

What was once just a trip to the local WiFi hotspot, turned into such a blessing.

What was once my own desire to get on Blogger and Facebook, could have very well been God guiding me to be of help to someone.

I myself am filled with gratitude.  I mean the Lord chose me to be of help to someone.  I LOVE it!

It was just this morning that I was reading my Joyce Meyer devotion on my YouVersion app, that I requested God's Holy Spirit to be alive in me.  I've been longing to hear his voice more and more, that I may feel Him more, hear His voice, and be able to take on new things knowing that He has went ahead and planned this for me.

Well it only took 6 short hours and He showed himself to me.  He can show himself to you as well, you just have to ask!

Here is a small portion of what the devotion said this morning.

When you spend time with God daily and receive His Holy Spirit, you're not signing up for a scary, weird experience. You are simply receiving His power to be more like Jesus and His wisdom to walk through ordinary events.

Much Love,

Lindsey

GIRLS NIGHT LIVE 2012 - Postponed til Sept 2012

I'm very excited for this coming Sunday night!  I signed up to volunteer at the Girls Night Live featuring Mandisa, Laura Story and Anita Renfroe.  I will be helping the lovely ladies in attendance purchase CD's, T-shirts, hats, and other items on sale at the merchant tables. 

I did this once before when the Extraordinary Women's Conference came to town and really enjoyed it.  It's a fun, fast paced environment and there are some perks.  At the EWomen's conference I got a $10 credit to the table I was working at and I was excused to sit in on the conference if there was a specific musician or speaker I wanted to see.  You can't beat that!!

Since I usually go by myself, I get to meet new people {and that's not easy for me},  it's fun hearing their story and where they came from.  Who knows, that person you just spent the past 6 hours with at a concert/conference, might turn out to be a great friend for life. 

And when I stop and think about the reason behind my volunteering...I truly feel like even if there wasn't a perk to it, that I would still volunteer.  It's something I truly enjoy and no kind of payment is required.

I'm so glad that I went on a hunt for this opportunity to volunteer.  It's going to be such an amazing time!