Weekly Check in #1

As an effort to encourage you to make 2010 a year of change, and as a means of accountability for myself, I will be doing a weekly check in on Mondays (hopefully) letting you know how I am doing at keeping my 2010 goals. Now, I know that my decisions in keeping these goals may not be life changing for you, but hopefully we can be an encouragement to each other as we press on to pursue the kingdom.

Goals for 2010
PHYSICAL- Lose 57lbs, run a 5k
So far this has been a great goal, and seeing results already. I have a dear friend who has graciously taken the challenge of training me. Following her work out plan, doing some of my own workouts (with exercise videos, walking, etc) and the South Beach Diet, I am 4.4lbs lighter this week!

SCRIPTURE READING- Read through the Bible in a year, memorize the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-135)
I AM LOVING my time in scripture. I am really devouring it, and my love for scripture is growing. I have read all 4 days of January and have memorized one verse a day for my memorization work. I am always amazed at what happens when I commit to memorizing God's word. I find myself thinking about His ways, desiring Him more...

READING- Read 12 books of spiritual development, ministry helps, etc.
It does not hurt that I started the year with 2 partially read books. I am hoping to have them done in the next week. Reading: Encountering God in the City, and Together in Prayer. Both books have been a great source of training for me, and I am excited to implement several of the ideas! Stay tuned to see how they are implemented!

SPIRITUAL- 1 retreat day a month, devotions 5 days a week, 20 minutes of prayer a day
When I make a commitment to spend daily time with the Lord in scripture and prayer, I am amazed at how I keep craving more and more of Him. It seems like the "structured time" I have is a time that just wets my appetite and I want more!!! I have been reminded this week that I do have a gift of intercession, and how little I use it to further the kingdom. How can I pray for you this week?

FAMILY- Be the best wife that I can be
Will this always be a struggle for me? I know it is a vague goal and not easy to measure....but at least it is always at the forefront of my mind.

FINANCIAL- follow set budget, pay off school loans, save for adoption
On New Years Day, Jon and I sat down and made our January 2010 budget. We are following the Dave Ramsey, envelope plan (using cash for everything). I LOVE making a budget. I like to tell my money where to go, and having control over our finances. We want to be great stewards, after all, we are just managing the money that God has given us....He is the owner.

MINISTRY- Volunteer in Albion, start neighborhood groups, learn about modern day slavery
January 19th, there will be a women's small group meeting in my home with the hope to see women transformed by the word as well as being a part of transforming others. We will be studying Hosea, praying together and serving together. Do you want to be a part of it?

Pursuing the Kingdom in 2010

Hey Friends! It is the time of the year where we are all making resolutions and vowing that this is the year where things will be different...the year where change will happen.

I am all for making New Year's Resolutions, actually I thrive on making lists of goals and making plans on how to accomplish them. I get excited for those things.....I am that much of a nerd. I think it is a great practice to reflect on the year past, and plan for the next year.

I have several resolutions, and am excited to keep them all (right?) You will probably fall victim to reading several of those posts later on for the month....but for now.....

How will you be pursuing the kingdom of God in 2010? What will you be doing that will be intentional in making His kingdom known in your areas of influence?

• How will you step out of your comfort zone to make the love of Jesus known this year?
  
• How will grow in your love and knowledge of God this year?
  
• How will you spend your money/time in order to pursue the kingdom and to bring it forth?
• Who will you invest in this year, to share the love of Jesus and to further them along in their faith?
  
• When will you get started?
  
• Who will keep you accountable?

Mega Memory Month

Will you join me in Mega Memory Month? This past year, God has taught me the importance of hiding God's word in my heart. Will you join me?

Here is what you do:
1. Find a chunk of scripture that you want to memorize. Make sure it is challenging, but doable.
2. Let me know that you are doing this with me. I can pray for you
and keep you accountable.
3. Start MEMORIZING

The method I use:
1. Day 1: Read the verse aloud 10 times, cover the verse up and
say it aloud 10 times.
2. Day 2: Repeat the verse from Day 1. Use the Day 1 method on
verse 2. I usually say the two verses together 5 times aloud after I
have two verses down.
3. Day 3: Repeat verses 1 and 2 until it is stuck in your mind. Do
Day 1 method with verse 3, and continue on.

Good luck friends!

To God be the glory, great things He has done!!!

In risk of having you skip right over this post because it is so cliche, let me encourage you to push through that temptation. Why? It is GOOD to give glory where glory is due, and boy did God do some great things this year. Without further ado, let's praise Him...

• PROVISION God has been so faithful in providing for us. I still am surprised at our income. We can pay our bills every month and can give generously. Earlier this year, Jon lost his job, and in the same week he had a new job, with better hours, better pay, and better benefits. Wow God, thanks!

• HOME, SWEET HOME It has been an INCREDIBLE BLESSING to buy our own home. It has been a place of rest, a place of ministry, a place for me to experience creativity(in decorating), a place where we will have our children, a place where we will serve the Lord. It is a block away from where the college where I work, so I can walk, and students are often found in my house--a great blessing. Also, we have had the beautiful privilege to get to know our neighbors better and grow in our relationship with them.
  

• ADOPTION God has broken our hearts for giving children homes and raising them. It is a beautiful picture of what God has done for us, bringing us into His family....It has been a very hard process, but the Lord has been near to our hearts and pursuing us in His love
  

• FRIENDS New and Old, God has used friends in our lives to be a huge source of strength and encouragement, shoulders to cry on, they have moved us into our house, we have worked together, prayed together, laughed together and probably shared a few pots of coffee together.
  

• Reminding me that following Jesus is not based on emotion. The past few months were hard as I dealt with depression and anxiety in a fairly deep way. Earlier this year, God had brought me to a place where I was devouring the word, hiding it in my heart, through memorization. I had a lot of head knowledge. Little did I know, I would need that head knowledge to walk through some dark spots in life. I needed to rely on the hope and peace that Jesus has to offer.

• TEACHING God has given me the gift of teaching and I have been able to grow in my teaching skills in the past year,both with ministry with college students and in church. It has been a blessing and I have a LOT to learn!!
  

That is just some of this year..........God has been good, amen?

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens (These are a FEW of my FAVORITE things)

Hands down, my husband is high on the list, just behind Jesus on my list of favorite things. He is an amazing man, my best friend, greatest support and just plain fun. Get to know him. :)





Gods Word: I love the way that God speaks to me through His word. It is living and active and I am so privileged to be able to study it, to teach it and to learn it. May this year be another year of digging deep into the Word and growing my depth of knowledge of the Word and the Lord.



Adoption: Follow this blog, and you will see why adoption is one of my favorite things




InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Not only my employer, but an organization that has amazing staff and a God given mission to reach the college campus for the kingdom. InterVarsity has been so transformational in my spiritual development, far more than I can share in a hodge podge blog. Would you like a post later on it?




Journals, healthy cooking and Jodi Piccoult: If you can't find me, chances are, I am in a quiet place journaling. I LOVE LOVE LOVE journaling, it has been one of the most healthy things I can do. Jodi Piccoult=my favorite fiction author. I like to cook healthy, just don't do much of it.



"Smelling" Products: Perfume, cleaning products, candles, air fresheners....anything. Here is some of my loot from Christmas. I am so excited for my new Burberry Perfume and Very Sexy Perfume!!!





Scarves and Accessories: LOVE THEM ALL, ALL THE TIME. Here is what I was given for Christmas to add to my collection of accessories.





Kohl's Panera Bread and Victoria Secret: And with a love for these, what is better than gift cards to those places?



PURSES!!!: I have a new miche bag skin!!! Yeah, I love them. And a great pink wallet.





If you know me at all, you know I am addicted to taking pictures.....and new from Christmas....a camera to throw in my purse (because my other one is too big) and a video camera!!!! Watch out folks.....



My husband cooking: This is some of the cooking stuff he got this Christmas--fajita grilling set, oven board, beer butt chicken, and Jim Beam marinades. Who is coming over for dinner?


There are so many more "favorite things," but this is the list you get for now:)

A Baby for Christmas

Selfishly, I want to throw a giant pity party for myself--and you would be invited. But I'm not, so you don't need to post it on your calendar:) I thought I would save you all some trouble.

All I wanted for Christmas was a baby. A baby that had no home. I wanted to dress this baby up in Christmas dress clothes, take Christmas pictures and send out family Christmas cards, from the 3 of us. Right now, there is an ache in my heart as I celebrate Christmas with my family of 2 instead.

I don't know why we don't have a baby this Christmas. I don't know why God chose to close this door. I don't know why this is not the Christmas that I will become a proud mama.

But there is a baby.

A baby that brought hope.

A baby that brought reconciliation.

A baby that brought redemption.

A baby that brought peace.

A baby that grew up to give His life for me

A baby that was born fully man and fully God.

And because of that baby, I can celebrate Christmas.

An Unfilling Church

"Much of the evangelical church is longing for a deeper experience of God, and the irony is that it is among those we too often ignore and avoid- the orphans, widows, poor, sick and oppressed- where God said He would be. There we will experience Him, see Him, touch Him and walk with Him." (Kerry Hasenbalg)

I am not entirely sure God is doing in my life, but the above quote encompasses my thoughts dreams and passions.