New News!

There are some updates around here and I'm thrilled about them! My amazing sister-in-law, Hannah (you can visit her blog here) has helped me to completely reconfigure and update my blog space that had previously felt stale and uninspiring...to me. In the midst of this blog makeover, she also managed to do a couple of other tiny little things...like giving birth to my very first niece!!! At home. In a kiddie pool. In her bedroom. See that cute baby in the picture up there? She's the one. Sweet Ruthie. Uh-mazing. I got to be there for that. I've coached both of Hannah's deliveries and I consider it such an honor to participate in the miracle of my nephew's and niece's births. So, thank you, Hannah. For the blog. For the babies. For the everyday love that you allow to seem casual when I know fully well the sacrifices you make. I love you.

 So, back to the topic at hand. I'm so glad you're here reading the words that I feel compelled to share. Prepare yourself that this blog isn't for those who need to come only to read about a specific topic. There are lots of those out there in blogland, and I follow lots of them, and I'll be sharing some of my favorites with you as we go. I can't offer you one of those one-topic blogs because I don't have just one passion. I'm a woman of many thoughts, a mother of many children, a lover of organization, a confused teacher of homeschool, a fearless baker, the list goes on and on. However, I am mostly inspired by what I read in my Bible and what I hear taught in sermon form...by many teachers/preachers/pastors/parents/friends. I pray that this blog is as spiritually inspiring to you as it is funny, or creative, or challenging.

 Take a moment to navigate this blog and see that you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, and please subscribe to this blog via Feedburner (that's the little icon that looks kind of like a speaker). I'm pretty much everywhere. My kids hate that, but since when has that stopped me from anything?

 I'll leave you now with 2 of my favorite scriptures.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:10 May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.

 These are my faves because while I'm "Living the Good Life", when the bad times come, I need those reminders that He's got this. Whatever I'll give Him, He's got it. And, He's aware that I have times of suffering. He never turns a blind eye to me. And He wants me to see myself as righteous and perfect...the way He sees me. I love knowing that because of my relationship with Him, I can choose to go from suffering to settled.

 Today's Prayer: Father God, whatever feels like suffering to me, in this moment, help me find the courage to throw it to You and allow You to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle me. Help me not to reclaim those cares or to try to fix things myself. Help me to leave 2013 in the past. I humble myself before you, trusting you as my Creator and the One who knows me best. I love you. I trust you. I give my future to you. I call myself perfect, established, strong and settled. Amen.