This New Year

So here it is... My first post in over 2 years. Just keeping it simple, sharing from my time reading God's word & journaling. Hope it encourages someone!

Genesis 1:27, 2:18, 2:24 NKJV

So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper comparable to him."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

These verses speak to me as a female, then as a wife. The first is how God created me, from the moment I was conceived. He made me a female in His image... I was created in the image of God. This is true of every single woman, whether she knows it or not. The second part is also something that God created in me, but it does not apply until I make the choice to become a wife. Now that I've made that decision, this applies to me as Terrance's wife: I'm here because God said "it is not good that man should be alone"; I'm God's answer to that problem. Then comes the "therefore"... "the two shall become one flesh". And this is my life from now on!

So in application, I wrestle with this question: how do I bring the female created in the image of God, which goes with all of my dreams, passions, and calling that I've been living and going after up to this point in my life, and now put it together with the helper, created for man, to be joined as one flesh? Because let's be real, I haven't been the girl sitting around waiting for a man so my life can begin. This is a loaded question. So, this is the beauty of my new journey, my new season! Two things I know for certain:

1) I do not just dump all of my dreams, passions, & calling at the door and think that it all means nothing now because I got married, and it's only about my husband now.

2) I do not just step into marriage rushing forward with all my dreams, passions & calling just as it was when I was single, assuming nothing has changed but my last name. I have a husband now!

Today is an exciting day! Today is January 1st - time to step back, get on my knees with my husband and discover what God has planned for us, and how that fits with all that He has already put into our individual hearts. We get to bring our dreams, passions, and callings together. It's time to discover more of the beauty of becoming one, as we hear from God together for this new year.

If you haven't planned to take time aside to hear from God what He has in mind for you in this new year, I strongly encourage you to do so! It is the best New Year's resolution you can make! Happy New Year!

Trial Comeback

As the title says, I'm having a trial comeback.. to blogging. LOL. I really enjoy writing, and I really enjoyed blogging when I had made the time to do it. But my life got ridiculously TOO busy there for a while, and blogging went out the window. Now I am getting into a better place with my schedule, so I'm gonna give this a try again. No guarantees, no promises... Just a desire to write down some of the little things in my heart and on my mind, whether or not anyone comes to read them! Maybe someone will be inspired by a little something along the way! So this is just a short note to say.. I'll be back. Soon!

Guest Post @ The Life of an "Ordinary" Housewife

Today I have the privilege of guest posting on my lovely cousin Danielle's blog over at The Life of an "Ordinary" Housewife! Dani is my cousin/adopted big sister, and I love her so much! She's on a Bahamas cruise (jealous!!) with her hubby for their 2nd anniversary this week, so she asked me to post in her absence. I'm talking about My List, and this is the first post in a little series that I'll be doing now and then as opportunities arise, so make sure you go check it out! Thanks for having me Dani!

Follow Your Heart...

How often do we hear those cliche words: "Follow your heart?"

Even as Christians we may find ourselves saying this; we may try to make it sound a little more 'spiritual', but let's be honest, we mean the same thing. Well, in Bible reading the other day I came across this little gem, which seems to be God's opinion on that lovely piece of advice, so I thought I would share it...

Jeremiah 16:12
"And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me."

Dang. But wait. There's more...

Jeremiah 17:9
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desparately wicked; who can know it?"

Oh snap. Yeah, He just said that. Who did? Oh right, GOD. Aw man.

"So I'm not supposed to follow my heart? If in my heart I really want something, I can't just assume that is God speaking to me?? It's not like I want bad things!" Let me look at that one more time: "..each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart so that no one listens to Me." Sounds like a big NOPE.

Now, here is the big key in this. There is a definite difference between "following your heart" and being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, i.e. following God; listening to Him. But I have to learn to tell the difference! Let me tell you though, that is not always easy! Sometimes my heart tries to convince me that it is the Holy Spirit, because it wants to have it's way! But just because I want something so badly in my heart, and it seems like a good thing, does not mean that's the direction God is taking me right now. Oh boy, have I been learning this lesson lately. He is telling us right here in His Word so that we have no excuse to not know that this is the way that it works. I must learn to determine the difference between His Spirit and my own heart. But who can tell?

Well, when I read His Word, the Bible, more often...every day, (something that I still have to make an effort to do, to be honest), I find that I learn to be familiar with how He speaks, what He cares about, what He would and would not tell me to do or say. I learn what's on His agenda, what kind of things He expects of me and what He's promised me. It's also so important to take time to pray, i.e. talk with Him often, and spend quiet time with Him. Then when He leads me, my heart can line up with what He's saying, and I'll still know that it's Him! And ya know what? As I spend more time with Him and His Word, my heart begins to lean toward His heart so that - though my own heart can still be deceitful and wicked and don't follow it's every whim - I do find that when He speaks, it's not so contrary to my heart's desire. He is creating in me a clean heart; a heart that wants what He wants. I'm being washed by the Word so that my inclinations of my heart are become less and less selfish, deceitful, etc. Does that make sense?

Well, these are just some thoughts from my own time spent in the Word of God. Hope it provokes you to think and challenges you to check your own heart. Have a lovely weekend!

Palm Springs, baby!

  

This beautiful spot is where I spent the entire day Monday, and part of Tuesday!

Tuesday was was my friend Tabitha's birthday, & Monday was her mom's (Pastor Bonnie), so what better time for a girl's get-away weekend?? 8 of us took off on Sunday afternoon to spend a few days doing absolutely, gloriously NOTHING at a condo in a gated community in Palm Springs.

   

Me with each of the birthday ladies

We spent our time tanning, swimming, eating, watching movies, and joy riding in this adorable golf cart!

Edith, Karise, Me

God knew that I was sooo in need of a vacation, even if  a mini one, and oh my goodness, do I feel better! Something that He reminded me from this trip is that I need to take mini breaks more often. I need it physically, emotionally & spiritually. If I keep going and going like I have been lately, I will be more likely to come to a point of burn out where I just want to shut down! It's so important to make a day of rest a priority. This trip was a fantastic way to be reminded ;) 

Well, I'm back in the office all too soon! But weekend is tomorrow! Woot! Happy Friday!

               Birthday flan & fried ice cream!

Me, Sarah, Edith, Tab, Anna, Karise

Having some fun while shopping :)
Karise, Tab, Edith, Me, Tracy

Worship and Word

Two posts in one week! I've broken a personal record! Well, it's another link to a guest post I did on the Emerging Leader Network blog :) Please click this link: www.emergingleadernetwork.com/worship-and-word/ to read my post, and then share it, post it on facebook, tweet it.. help us tell people about our ELN program here in Long Beach! Thanks friends :) Happy Friday!

It Only Takes One

This week I had the privilege of posting on the Emerging Leader Network's blog. You can read it here! Please go check it out, and share it, copy & paste the link on facebook, tweet it, whatever! Please help us spread the word about Awakening. Thanks :)