Calling, Purpose, and the Mundane

It was like God purposefully brought it all together for my good, for me to become my best. I love that I serve a God that refuses to allow me to be complacent, that wants me to be better, more content and even provides the tools that I need to get there AND ON TOP OF THAT- It is not I that changes me but Him! He does it, I need him to do it, I just follow along and love him, and seek him, and he does it!

Why am I so excited? Well, Resolution #1

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Since I began this journey, which actually began 2 weeks ago, I have read through the chapters for Resolution #1 and while doing so have not been alone. I have been sharing my thoughts with my husband, spending time seeking God for guidance, and trying to make the resolution everyday in the current season of my life. I have heard God say so many things but want to narrow down what he has taught me which can all be summed up by this exerpt- blog post by Amy Carrol….

“Every diaper changed, every knee kissed, every book read, every late night listening, every dying to self, every lesson plan made, every story crafted, every presentation made, every meeting attended, every spreadsheet created, EVERY THING...

It all counted.”   

The words spoke to me like never before and for the first time, I felt so understood, so set free, so content in saying that “this is where am I and I am only here to grow into that woman that God has called me to be, to step into that calling(s) that God has placed on my life. It could all be summed up-Contentment.

I have said it before, I have not arrived. Going from being that woman of discontentment and stepping into that woman of Contentment, meekness, joy in the midst of it all will take some time…BUT, I now have something to look forward to and as I am in the seasons that are not what I would have asked for myself, I can embrace that season expecting and anticpating that it all counts. That all of it is for my good and as I change and grow, I am becoming more of who he wants me to be, stepping that much closer to carrying out the callings that he has placed on my life! So exciting! Yet, so challenging. Yet so right!

1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)- ^“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

*Encourage you to check out this blog post and do the reflect and respond located at the end.

Exerpt from Amy Carrol’s  Blog-Unfolding . Full blog can be found at - http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/unfolding-2012-04/

The Resolution-Let's Do This!

My husband and I have been so blessed lately to bless some other couples with some great marriage strengthening resources. Before getting one particular resource for the women, I wanted to check into it myself. I never want to pass on something that I have not first experienced. So, here I was with a book by Priscilla Shirer- The Resolution for Women. I had 2 weeks (in my mind) to read it and pass it along.

YEAH RIGHT! Within the first paragraph of chapter one, I put the book down and thought to myself. Awesome, she gets me. Then I share this thought with my husband who so eloquently challenges me with a question that had me wanting to toss the book at his forehead (yeah, the conviction was that strong). Then I hear God speak to me in a way he always does-"he's right my love." Urgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I read on and Priscilla confirms a fear of mine that I hoped would pass me along unlike it had in my family...I have a problem with being content especially in my current season. I am always looking forward to the next season, the next job, the next financial breakthrough, the next car, the next year, the next the next the next. I needed to learn to be a woman of contentment and thus RESOLUTION #1...

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Over the next few weeks (there goes my goal of finishing in 2 weeks) I plan to spend time reading through each of the book's short 2-3 page chapters (there are about 3-4 per resolution) and see where it takes me. In the end, I expect to have not already arrived to that place of being that Perfect wife, mom, daughter of a King-have to be realistic here BUT I do expect/anticipate a better me-a better wife, a better mom, a better Daughter of the Most High God!

It's time to be that Courageous Woman of God that I am called to be...

The Journey Begins....

Check out the book trailer....http://www.goingbeyond.com/store/books/resolution-women

It's Time!

In scriptures it talks about Christ and what he went through in the Garden before enduring the cross, how difficult it was for him. It was so difficult that scripture tells us that he sweated blood. I don't know about you but I have surely never sweated blood. I have had my share of panic attacks back in the day but sweating blood-never! I've seen my body react to stress in negative ways-yes but never wiped blood from my brow because of what was lying ahead of me.

Have you? Have you ever gotten to the point, waiting on God and enduring so much in the wait that you began to sweat blood? Or, did you give up before you even got to that point. Threw in the towel and said, "you know what? this is too much." If we are honest, at some point or another, we each have. Big or small, some of you have threw in the towel too early, stopped praying for the person in your life that needs a relationship with Christ, gave up on a dream because the cost was too high, stopped being obedient in an area of your life because you couldn't see the purpose in it any longer (why where you still here waiting, being obedient, giving it your all and not seeing what you wanted to see come out of it just yet).

I challenge you to examine those areas in your life, those dreams deferred, that person that you prayed for so diligently one week and then just stopped slowly over time. Did you give up too soon? Were you supposed to simply reexamine what God told you intially and meditate on that? It is so much easier to throw in the towel then to face the reality of ourselves, our situation, or fears. Pick up today where you left off and remember that there was one before you that knew what it meant to go through and he is there with you giving you everything you need to get through this time.

It's time!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Counting the Cost

I made a life changing decision recently that I knew I would one day make but had no idea I would get the opportunity to make so soon. It all started after a conversation that I had with a coworker. We were talking about the things in life that people want and how it often it takes you sacrificing something to have what matters the most to you. Something clicked at that moment and it was then that I realized that God was finally revealing to me what I had been so desperately asking him for-wisdom. So I sat there and considered the cost of making a big decision that I desired to make but it was up to me to decide if it was worth the sacrifice that it was going to take.

You're not always going to get what you want-take this as a blessing and not a curse. If we had everything we wanted, we'd be in some serious trouble. But think about your dreams, your call, your desires. In order to achieve them it is going to take sacrifice. The question is, is what you are hoping for, dreaming about, desiring, worth losing the time you spend with your spouse and your kids, worth losing friends and sometime family over, your favorite car, the large house you live in, etc? It comes at a cost-but so does anything worth fighting for.

Really gets me thinking about God and the sacrifice he made for us, his son. He sacrificed him knowing what they would do to him, knowing that there would still be many who would reject that very sacrifice/that gift. But he loved us so much more. He loved even the few of us that would receive him so much more that he said -you are worth more than the sacrifice. Wow! What love!

To my son Israel who will hopefully get to look back at this post and smile and feel the love that I have for him so much more. My son, you are worth more! Mommy and Daddy love you!

John 3:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Stop Fighting Them!

There is one thing that I have struggled with while working in the childcare field and that is this Passion to see children become their best. It is a struggle because as a childcare provider, I can only do but so much for each child. It is really up to their parents- they are the ones who ultimately set the foundation for these children. There have been so many who do not give their child/their family their best effort and they refuse to see the truth that they are broken and that their children are having to suffer because of it.  It finally got to the point where I would go home crying because I couldn't get these parents to see that what they were doing/not doing. I was tired of seeing children become the broken people that their parents were.

So, what did I do? I asked the Lord for wisdom. Why did it bug me so much and why am I in a place were I can do nothing about it? I asked the right question because a day later God so plainly spoke to me and said
"it's because of the lack in your life as a child. You feel you didn't have  the great examples of a Godly marriage, Godly parents, etc." "You care so much Angelina because you want children and their parents to walk in truth, the truth that has been made so plain to them but that they refuse to follow."

So, my next question for God was-What then do I do?

God's Answer-"Be the example. Be me. Be my light. Embrace your place and STOP FIGHTING FOR YOUR WILL TO BE DONE. It is up to them to choose life or death, truth or lies."

"TRUST ME ANGELINA!" So, I stopped fighting them and began the fight against sin in my own heart and through prayer in theirs. It is not easy to keep quiet, to sit back and watch as people choose to disobey a God who only wants their freedom But I have great confidence in knowing that my God is an all consuming fire and that in the end, his plans are far better and his ways are far better than my own.

One more thing, I will speak up when God allows but until then..to all of the Parents out there that settle for mediocrity and for the temporary pleasures of this sinful world, I will fight for you in my prayers.

Thank you Father for Passion!

Amen!




Security in life is not the promise of another person but the promise of God

Family/Marriage/Parenting Resources..

Wanted to provide some links/resources to some of the things that myself and my husband have found life changing in our marriage (before and during)

1-Family Life -They offer a wonderful marriage conference that my husband and I will be attending April 27-29 called "A weekend to remember"
http://www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.6703867/k.21D3/Stepping_Up_A_Call_to_Courageous_Manhood.htm

2-Chip Ingram's ministry..great marriage and parenting tools..here is the link to his new message on God's design for a dream marriage
http://livingontheedge.org/home/broadcasts/listen-online-daily.php

3-Focus on the family-Great article on Marriage and dealing with the issue of pornogrpahy and virtual infidelity
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/divorce_and_infidelity/pornography_and_virtual_infidelity.aspx

4-Focus on the family has tons of broadcasts on issues from infidelity and how to overcome, parenting troubled teens, to divorce, etc.
http://www.focusonthefamily.com

5-Joseph Sangl has great approaches to paying off debt and budgeting amongst other things.
http://www.josephsangl.com/

6-Carol Kent is a woman who has been through a nightmare of a situation with her son and is still overcoming even though she is still in the midst of this. Her story of surrendering her child to Christ is remarkable and inspiring
http://www.carolkent.org/

7-Gayle Haggard is an awesome example of how to forgive your spouse in the darkest hour..here is a link to the interview her and her husband did a few years back at Elevation Church and a link to her page
http://www.elevationchurch.org/sermons/healer/part3
http://www.gaylehaggard.org/

Perfect Spouse, The Perfect friend, The Perfect Father

Many of us grew up without an example of what a healthy marriage looks like, what healthy relationships are and we had to learn and are learning the hard way because of this. This is something that I do not want for my children. The journey of learning through the eyes of God and through trial and error in my own relationships with others and with my spouse though freeing and rewarding in the end, has been tough.

BUT I want my children to be set up for success. I want them to come into a healthy, Godly marriage so that when they meet that someone that God uses to bring them closer to him, they will appreciate it and grow in it that much more. I want the blessing of a healthy marriage for their children and their children's children.

So my question to you is, are you setting your children, the generations after you up for success in marriage, in relationships? Are they learning through your example how to love unconditionally, how to let go of pride and humble themselves, are they learning to speak life into the lives of the others around them, are they learning what it means to sacrifice for the cause of Christ, are they learning how to stand strong when the circumstances look grim, are they learning how to endure when the mountains before them look so high, when the pit feels so lonely and dark?

They are learning, don't get me wrong. But are they learning how to be successful, are they learning God's way or the world's way?

"BUT BUT BUT, I am not perfect. I am never going to be perfect." I get that. We are not called to be perfect now. We wont reach perfection until we are with the Perfect one. But, we are to try (in God's strength) to be all that he has called us to be. This only happens in his strength, in his might, and when we make the decision to learn from and spend time with the Perfect Spouse, The Perfect Friend, The Perfect Father-God.

Let's seek him today, let's press forward, let's stray from complacency because in the end we will, our children will, and our bloodline will reap the harvest.


^"9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galations 6:9-10)