Felt the need to write again. Many times I sit down at the computer without any real ideas of what to write and usually I come out with something good. So here goes!
We are over halfway into our second week in Ft. Worth. At this moment Troy is sitting next to me reading a book; it is a Monday at noon. I find myself getting a little frustrated. Frustrated that there is still not a job and that our bank account is slowly dwindling. We came here literally on a hope and a prayer. Funny, as I type this the Israelites come to mind. They left Egypt with nothing. All they had was a hope and a prayer that life would be better on the other side. They did not have extra food. They did not have permanent shelter. They did not know what was in store. God performed great miracles for them during this time. He led them in the desert for 40 years! *Dear Lord, please don't make me wander for 40 years.* He provided food, shelter, and safety. Eventually, they ended up in the Promised Land.
So as I sit frustrated I think of the Israelites. They were frustrated too at times. They saw miracles. They witnessed God moving yet they grumbled. God remained faithful. As the Holy Spirit reminds me of the struggles of those before me I am comforted that 1) God has a plan, 2) God is trustworthy, 3) God wants what is best for me, 4) God is faithful.
The kids and I are learning about God's faithfulness in our homeschool lives. Each day we are learning a different way that God kept his promise. Today was the story of the Israelites and the river. The Ark went before them, the water stopped, the people crossed as the Ark (the presence of God) stayed in the middle of the dry river bottom. After all of the people were across the Ark was taken to the shore. What an amazing picture of God. He went before them and made a way (through the trial) and He waited for them to pass through. He did not go ahead until they were all safely through.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
It has been a week and 2 days since we moved to Ft. Worth. It has been pretty uneventful (which is pretty amazing). The first days were spent rushing around trying to unpack, organize and clean. Troy and I decided that Saturday and Sunday would be spent resting. In that time of rest I had time to process the events that had transpired. The reality of my stuff in my parent's home hit me. It feels surreal. I am so grateful that they are willing to let us live with them. I am grateful for my own room (with a door, we thought we would be in the office at first). I am grateful for an easy transition with the kids. I have had to maintain that mindset otherwise I feel myself getting anxious. I begin to feel anxiety about the friends and church I left behind. I feel anxious about the change. This is not what the Lord wants for me. Remember "be anxious about nothing but in every situation with prayer and petition give thanks to the Lord"? This has been going through my mind and I am trying to maintain a mindset of thankfulness.
This is the "month of thanksgiving" but as a Christ-follower I must be thankful always! It is still weird waking up in a different room and walking into my parent's living room with all of my furniture in it. But I am thankful that I have a place to call home. I am thankful that God led us here. I am thankful that He is faithful and that He already has a complete plan for me.
This is the "month of thanksgiving" but as a Christ-follower I must be thankful always! It is still weird waking up in a different room and walking into my parent's living room with all of my furniture in it. But I am thankful that I have a place to call home. I am thankful that God led us here. I am thankful that He is faithful and that He already has a complete plan for me.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Being Still....in a New City
It is 5:30 am. I am sitting in my new home in the quiet. Life is so different from just 6 months ago. We have moved twice in 4 months. At this current moment neither Troy nor I have a job. We are in a new city; 260 miles away from everything that we have known for the last 8.5 years. I sit here reflecting on what has transpired.
Yesterday was the big move. After breakfast at my aunt's house (coincidentally where the whole journey began and ended in the Houston area for us) we jumped in the car/uhaul truck and headed north. As we drove off I had a weird sensation deep in my soul. There was no sadness. There was no anxiety. There was no fear. There was peace. There was joy. There was contentment. I knew that what we were doing was the right thing. I remembered when we moved from Virginia to Texas and how it felt then...the same. God had a plan for us then and He has one for us now.
Through our journey I have felt God's peace at times and this is one of them. I feel completely in His will at this time. The crazy thing is that we left our church, our jobs, and our friends. We moved away to a place that, although I grew up here, is new and unknown to us. Sure, there are some friends that we know here but we will have to start over. I know how lucky we were that we found Kingsland on the first shot in Katy. Will the church my parents go to be the same way here? What about homeschooling? We had such an awesome group in Katy; will my kids get that here?
Yes, to all of those questions. I am confident that God did not ask us to leave such a great place with a great church and great friends and family just to put us somewhere that is barren and dry. Troy will get a job (he has an interview Friday), we will meet other homeschoolers, our new church will never be Kingsland but it will be a place we can call home, and we will reconnect with old friends and make new. I am confident in this.
*Just a cool little side note- Yesterday as we were unloading the truck Jackson got on his bike and road around when a boy came out and joined him. They played for hours. In the evening when it was time to trick or treat another neighbor (adult) came over and offered a costume for Jackson. The girls pulled out some dress-up clothes and my kids went with a group of neighbor-kids around the block for candy. Meanwhile, Troy and a neighbor went to the store together. Already making friends! God is faithful!
I know I have not blogged in a while. There have been many reasons. I am hoping that I will be able to be more consistent again.
Yesterday was the big move. After breakfast at my aunt's house (coincidentally where the whole journey began and ended in the Houston area for us) we jumped in the car/uhaul truck and headed north. As we drove off I had a weird sensation deep in my soul. There was no sadness. There was no anxiety. There was no fear. There was peace. There was joy. There was contentment. I knew that what we were doing was the right thing. I remembered when we moved from Virginia to Texas and how it felt then...the same. God had a plan for us then and He has one for us now.
Through our journey I have felt God's peace at times and this is one of them. I feel completely in His will at this time. The crazy thing is that we left our church, our jobs, and our friends. We moved away to a place that, although I grew up here, is new and unknown to us. Sure, there are some friends that we know here but we will have to start over. I know how lucky we were that we found Kingsland on the first shot in Katy. Will the church my parents go to be the same way here? What about homeschooling? We had such an awesome group in Katy; will my kids get that here?
Yes, to all of those questions. I am confident that God did not ask us to leave such a great place with a great church and great friends and family just to put us somewhere that is barren and dry. Troy will get a job (he has an interview Friday), we will meet other homeschoolers, our new church will never be Kingsland but it will be a place we can call home, and we will reconnect with old friends and make new. I am confident in this.
*Just a cool little side note- Yesterday as we were unloading the truck Jackson got on his bike and road around when a boy came out and joined him. They played for hours. In the evening when it was time to trick or treat another neighbor (adult) came over and offered a costume for Jackson. The girls pulled out some dress-up clothes and my kids went with a group of neighbor-kids around the block for candy. Meanwhile, Troy and a neighbor went to the store together. Already making friends! God is faithful!
I know I have not blogged in a while. There have been many reasons. I am hoping that I will be able to be more consistent again.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Revealing The Spirit
Have you ever felt like God was revealing something to you and then all around you people were talking about that same thing?
For about a year now God has been revealing to me, personally, attributes and gifts of the Holy Spirit. It has been a slow methodical process and I have enjoyed what He has showed me so far.
Our pastor was on sabbatical for 8 weeks and when he came back he began a sermon series on the Holy Spirit. I also enjoy listening to the teachings of Joseph Prince, whom is teaching on the Holy Spirit. About 3 months ago I got "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan (that I am going to start reading) that is about the Holy Spirit.
I think it is so cool that when God wants to teach you something He will give you tools.
For about a year now God has been revealing to me, personally, attributes and gifts of the Holy Spirit. It has been a slow methodical process and I have enjoyed what He has showed me so far.
Our pastor was on sabbatical for 8 weeks and when he came back he began a sermon series on the Holy Spirit. I also enjoy listening to the teachings of Joseph Prince, whom is teaching on the Holy Spirit. About 3 months ago I got "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan (that I am going to start reading) that is about the Holy Spirit.
I think it is so cool that when God wants to teach you something He will give you tools.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Our move is getting closer and closer. I am getting excited and scared all at the same time. A weird mixture of emotions. There have been some costs that we have to endure in order to move and I am really getting worried!
I know. Worry is believing God can't do it but I can't help but feel that right at this moment. I know that I will be blogging about how He put it all together soon, but for now I ask for prayers! :)
I know. Worry is believing God can't do it but I can't help but feel that right at this moment. I know that I will be blogging about how He put it all together soon, but for now I ask for prayers! :)
Thursday, June 28, 2012
All Circumstances
The bible commands us to "Give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thess 5:18. I remember teaching this one to Jackson when we first started homeschooling. He was struggling with school and life in general. There were a few verses that we learned in that time and this was one.
When I was pregnant with Char I took a bible study about thanksgiving. It was a hard time in my life. I was so sick and I could find little to be thankful for.
Let me tell you this. Nothing that the Lord teaches us is in vain. He will teach you and make you use it. Sometimes more than you would want! :)
Last week I started feeling badly. I was dizzy and nauseous...just weird-feeling. Eventually, I went to the ER to be checked out just in case. The diagnosis was vertigo and the doctor was not really quite sure why I was having the problem. According to WEBMD, anxiety and stress can be causes of vertigo. I am leaning towards that as the reason.
Last week I told you that I let it go. I was casting all my cares upon the Lord. I truly believe I did. There have been moments that I have started to worry but I have been quick to give it back. So why am I suffering with all of this? I think that sometimes our bodies still can physically react to stress even if we are not feeling it mentally.
Today the vertigo came back. I was so sick to my stomach and I just knew I would pass out.
We are moving in 8 days! That is right, 8 days! I have not even begun to pack. I am working 2 jobs! I am homeschooling my kids and today I received an email from my academic counselor that my leave of absence from school is OVER and I will be starting in 11 days!!!! So, 3 days after I move I will need to start school. I am a little panicky about that! I am not ready.
So as I sat down at the computer tonight I started to think about all that was going on. House. School. Jobs. Kids. Friends. Life. And I realized that God has put me right here. This moment. This is what He has chosen for me. For that I give thanks. I am thanking Him in all of my circumstances.
And the dizziness is gone.............
When I was pregnant with Char I took a bible study about thanksgiving. It was a hard time in my life. I was so sick and I could find little to be thankful for.
Let me tell you this. Nothing that the Lord teaches us is in vain. He will teach you and make you use it. Sometimes more than you would want! :)
Last week I started feeling badly. I was dizzy and nauseous...just weird-feeling. Eventually, I went to the ER to be checked out just in case. The diagnosis was vertigo and the doctor was not really quite sure why I was having the problem. According to WEBMD, anxiety and stress can be causes of vertigo. I am leaning towards that as the reason.
Last week I told you that I let it go. I was casting all my cares upon the Lord. I truly believe I did. There have been moments that I have started to worry but I have been quick to give it back. So why am I suffering with all of this? I think that sometimes our bodies still can physically react to stress even if we are not feeling it mentally.
Today the vertigo came back. I was so sick to my stomach and I just knew I would pass out.
We are moving in 8 days! That is right, 8 days! I have not even begun to pack. I am working 2 jobs! I am homeschooling my kids and today I received an email from my academic counselor that my leave of absence from school is OVER and I will be starting in 11 days!!!! So, 3 days after I move I will need to start school. I am a little panicky about that! I am not ready.
So as I sat down at the computer tonight I started to think about all that was going on. House. School. Jobs. Kids. Friends. Life. And I realized that God has put me right here. This moment. This is what He has chosen for me. For that I give thanks. I am thanking Him in all of my circumstances.
And the dizziness is gone.............
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Provision
This week has already been full!
It's Tuesday.
As soon as I moved out of His way, the Lord started moving. He goes fast! (if you have been reading my blog for a while you will know that for me to say this is so ironic!)
Like I said in my last post we are moving. San Felipe here we come!! It is about 20 minutes from where we live now. It is 4 bedrooms and on 2.5 acres. I am a little nervous. We have not made a house payment in over a year and honestly paying rent is a little nerve racking! But we have done the math over and over and the Lord assures me it can be done.
Troy and I have been trying to figure out a way to stay in this house for free. We keep getting told by others that we have plenty of time. That is simply not true. The clock hand is ticking and our time on Goldstone Drive is short. God is clear....we cannot stay here anymore. It is time to let it go.
One of the ways is by giving me another job! I know, you are thinking 'you already have a job'. Yes, I do. I have been working as the Assistant Director/Music and Drama Teacher at The Creator's Kids for the last 7 months. I still work there! My hours are only part time right now because, well, we are a new business! We are growing and my hours are beginning to pick up. But in the meantime I have another job. It is part time and at our church. The amount of money that I will make there will almost pay for our new rent!!! Can you believe that? God so has this!!
I get the keys on Friday and start packing in the meantime. We aren't moving for at least another 2-3 weeks. I hope to post some pictures of the new house soon!
It's Tuesday.
As soon as I moved out of His way, the Lord started moving. He goes fast! (if you have been reading my blog for a while you will know that for me to say this is so ironic!)
Like I said in my last post we are moving. San Felipe here we come!! It is about 20 minutes from where we live now. It is 4 bedrooms and on 2.5 acres. I am a little nervous. We have not made a house payment in over a year and honestly paying rent is a little nerve racking! But we have done the math over and over and the Lord assures me it can be done.
Troy and I have been trying to figure out a way to stay in this house for free. We keep getting told by others that we have plenty of time. That is simply not true. The clock hand is ticking and our time on Goldstone Drive is short. God is clear....we cannot stay here anymore. It is time to let it go.
One of the ways is by giving me another job! I know, you are thinking 'you already have a job'. Yes, I do. I have been working as the Assistant Director/Music and Drama Teacher at The Creator's Kids for the last 7 months. I still work there! My hours are only part time right now because, well, we are a new business! We are growing and my hours are beginning to pick up. But in the meantime I have another job. It is part time and at our church. The amount of money that I will make there will almost pay for our new rent!!! Can you believe that? God so has this!!
I get the keys on Friday and start packing in the meantime. We aren't moving for at least another 2-3 weeks. I hope to post some pictures of the new house soon!
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