Full of Joy

I must report that getting up extra early last Sunday morning wasn't my greatest idea.  My heart was in the right place, but who am I kidding?  Me + early morning does not equal a sweet time with anybody.  I don't believe God has much to say to me when it's still dark out.  ;)  Needless to say, I'll stick to my old Sunday morning ways. My times with Him have been sweet.  Just purely sweet.  It seems each day He is pouring out His blessings on my heart.  The passages He's leading me to seem to speak straight to my soul each day, making me long for more time with Him.  I believe the second I said NO to the enemy's lies about my life being hard, it opened up a whole new level of intimacy with my Savior.  I wonder what other lies I'm believing?  I think I know a few more, and I'm processing what to do about them still.  I can feel God's got more to share with me, and I'm so happy to be experiencing HIM on another level....

I love to worship our Savior through singing or music because it's an emotional connection to God for me.  When I hear songs through my phone, on the radio, played over a CD, or when I get to sing my own praises to God using my voice (only God would enjoy that!) I feel it.  There have been times when I've wanted to express my heart through worship, but didn't have the courage.  There have been times when I've wondered what other people would think if I raised my hands, and was the only one, or if I knelt right at my seat, or if I cried tears or joy, or even tears of sorrow because I was so moved by the Spirit.  I'd like to think I've gotten to the point where my love of the Father has won out over my fears of what others will think. See, I long for intimacy with Christ, and when I worship through music I almost always experience Him in that way.  My longing for special time with him usually wins out over my fears.  And it's always worth it.  Latel...

We are so blessed!  This is my parent's tree, and the crazy amount of gifts that surrounded it on Christmas day.  I love my parent's tree so much.  Growing up my Dad and I would go out to the woods, pick our own tree, and chop it down.  Once I moved out of the house, my parent's caved and got a fake tree- which I now love.  And if you look closely, you can see the gorgeous snow in the background.  We really had a perfect Christmas day.  All praise to God.  The God of blessings and favor and rewards. During my time with Him yesterday I was reading in 1 Timothy 6.  I learned from the study portion of my Bible that true Godliness is " inner satisfaction with the situation God has ordained for me ."  It was instant relief to hear God's message to me.  God has ordained our days.  Chuck and I are in the exact situations God wants us in.  He planned for us to be here.  It's actually so much easier to be content.  In...

I confess I was afraid to write what I did yesterday.  I was afraid someone would cheapen my experience with God, or make me feel like what happened wasn't true.  But, in my heart it was clear God wanted me to share His message with all of you so I did.  The responses I have gotten made me realize that many of us have been believing the very same lies.  I haven't been alone in the lie I've been living and believing, many of you have been believing that your life is about pain and gloom, too. Thank you to those of you who have encouraged my heart by responding and sharing the things you have.  We are in this together!  God wants to pour His blessing and favor on us, His children!  He really, and truly does.  Today as I was getting ready, my mind was racing with the things Chuck and I want to get done before tonight.  In the midst of my mental To Do List, I thought through "time with God".  Normally I spend time with God because I know r...