Sunday, February 27, 2011

[F]ully [R]elying [O]n [G]od

Jeremiah 29:11 is probably my favorite verse. "For I know the plans I have for you"---this is the Lord's declaration--"plans for your welfare,not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope"

Remembering this during a time of hardship is difficut sometimes, but most of the time this is my weapon of choice against the devil when i feel like he is trying to discourage me... & boy does he know how to weasel his way in there sometimes and get my hopes all up only to laugh in my face.... stupid devil... he honestly thinks he can win my heart over... Im speaking on the topic of wanting babies..;)

i can want all day long but until God's timing is right for Reid and I we will enjoy our time with just one beautiful little miracle, Nati Marie. I have been with Nati since she was about 1 year and 1 month old... & that makes it easier for both of us im sure because she hasn't really known a life without her Dani and never will--- this little girl makes my world go round, she is nothing short of a blessing from God... Reid tells me all the time that i only married him for Nati or that he never has to worry about me divorcing him because he knows I'd never risk losing Nati ;) smart man huh!? :P joking aside, she is the light of my life other than him and of course Ollie...
Backstory:[not meant to be a sob story] but due to a tubal pregancy in 2008 i only have one fallopian tube (good ole lefty) and have been told that it might be a little more difficult to get pregnant and then in 2010 Reid and I suffered a miscarriage at 8 weeks... God has plan, I am sure of this, and my faith lets me know that He will give me a beautiful son or daughter someday [soon preferably, can you tell sometimes i am impatient] but He will just like He gave Sarah & Abraham a son at 90 & 100 years old.... Faith is such a small word for such a big thing... Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen." I preach this on the daily to my husband, "Just have faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed & God will do amazing things for us!" I have seen it work----in finances, for friends, for health, --- Faith that God will always provide as long as we take it to Him, give it to Him... & not some of it but ALL of it! That doesn't mean that sometimes i won't be discouraged or get my hopes up, but when that happens just shake it off and keep going, pray, and know God has an amazing FUTURE in HIM planned for me.... Doctors have said that they see no problem in my carrying a child, family has said they wanted me to wait to heal, friends are praying that im next, not so nice people have said "to get over it," but God tells me he has a plan to prosper me to give me a hope and a future and for me i know that includes giving Natalee a little brother (hopefully) or sister... for anyone reading this who is going thru a similar if not the same situation just know Jeremiah 29:11 can be applied to everything... even a Government test that i should have studied a little bit for today ;) Nothing is too BIG or too small for God... the Ultimate Problem Solver.

"Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne." Hebrews 12:2

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Pretty is as Pretty Does

More than once I have heard this come out of my mama and my grandma's mouth. It is something that has stuck with me. Have you ever met someone so gorgeous or handsome and then because of their actions you can't believe that something so Ugly could ever come out of someone like that? I have & on more than one occasion...

The purpose of this blog came to me while listening to Kari Jobe and having my quiet time with the Lord. Reid and I are facing some challenges (together) and its time to take ALL of them to the Lord. My step-mom in law??(is this right) LOL or MY Marie told me that, "God don't bless Ugly!" It was amazing that another one of my mom figures would quote this to me! It brought back memories of me behaving badly and mom or grandma telling me, "Pretty is as Pretty does Danielle!" Although, Marie and I weren't necessarily talking about me or my actions at the time it made me think about the fact that I can not control the actions of others, but I can control the actions of Dani! ;) Yes, finally, I realized it! I can't make someone do what I want them to do or even what I know is best. However, I can control how I react or don't react! That I can pray for them and for me. I will probably struggle with this because of course Im ALWAYS right, right? Wrong, sometimes its something my drill instructors would say to us, "Good intentions, Bad Judgement!"
With all that said, I named this Pretty is as Pretty Does because I want to be pretty inside and out, pretty for the Lord in spirit , pretty in what I speak, pretty in how I carry myself, pretty in how I set an example for my daughter (Nati), my neices, or for strangers I have never met, & of course to feel pretty about myself on the outside! It is my hope that atleast one person will benefit from this, even if that one person is only me...

"They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death." Revelation 12:11

Ordinary to EXTRAordinary!

After today I knew the Lord was speaking to me. "Come Back to me!" he was saying! Often I find that I will get into God's word just to have something come in and pull me away. It may not even seem malicious, & I certainly don't mean to let homework, school, TV shows, Facebook, concerning myself with others, cleaning house or anything else take over my quiet time with God, it just happens. John 10:10 says, "A thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy," Oh how true that is! I actually sometimes feel like I notice when I am not in God's word everyday- Suddenly stupid things are more important than ever- a hold the devil brings over my mind. I am certainly not proud of this, but now I AM AWARE! Today I  attended a conference at my church, Christa asked us if there was an area in our lives where we needed to be healed. Now, I know that God is a healer, I know that he performs miracles everyday, my faith relies on "knowing" these things, knowing what my God can do. But today as I stood there singing, I was overwhelmed with God's voice saying, "HEY DANI, COME BACK! ALL THAT ANGER, FRUSTRATION, SADNESS, & WORRY YOU DEALING WITH, UMM I CAN HANDLE IT IF YOU JUST GIVE IT TO ME. YOU HAVE TIME FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, COME BACK AND MAKE TIME FOR ME AGAIN!" Simple and to the point! There are so many things that I NEED to accomplish throughout the day, but honestly with out Him, without his guidance (daily & sometimes hourly) it will mean nothing. So after today, starting tonight I'm going to make my ordinary life EXTRAORDINARY by making time for God, asking for his advice in every decision throughout my day no matter how BIG or how small!

So I'm starting this Blog to track my progress, to tell others what God is doing in my life, my family, in my own heart. A more formal introduction will follow shortly, but I knew this needed to be the first of many entries.

"For the Lord does not give us a spirit of fear or timidity, but one of POWER, LOVE, & SELF DISCIPLINE!" 2 Timothy 1:7