made for more

so i decided to do this crazy thing with my sister and cut out all gluten, all dairy, and all sugar real and artificial. because i fully know i can't do any of that by my little ol' measly self, i bought the book made to crave by lysa terkeurst and have been reading a chapter a day. it's the best thing//book i ever did//ever bought. God wants us to take care of our temples. i was absolutely blown away by how many bible verses talk about food. SERIOUSLY WOW. gluttony is real and real BAD. God wants us to crave HIM and crave HIM alone. lysa has shown me that it is ok to bring anything to God even if its begging for strength to make a change to your diet. before i always felt like it was a vain thing to bring before him. but he wants it, he wants every single part of you.

currently i am on day 9 and even though weight loss is a bonus, i did this to feel better physically. my stomach was always hurting and burning and feeling full. the dr had prescribed me a plethora of "stomach" medications and quite frankly i was sick of taking them and didn't want to have to rely on them just to feel okay for the rest of my life. a change, even though its been painful was necessary.

i feel like i have to be honest here too. the first 6 days were rough. i felt so tired and slightly upper irritable addiction to junky food is real. but i pushed through and i feel overall so much better.

my plan is to eventually slowly add foods back into my diet to try and narrow down what foods make me feel bad. i'm excited. to see how this all play out. and by God's help and grace i will stick it out and find out what my "triggers" are.

if you haven't read made to crave. get it and read it asap. it will change your life. i promise.
we we're made for MORE!
more than our cravings. more than upset stomachs. more than a mediocre relationship with God.
M O R E.

get ur praise on

so, i decided that i'd join in on jami's super fun praisey shenanigans...finding the gospel in todays music.  totally fun right.

my whole life, when i hear a song that i like, i bend it and twist it and mold it to fit whatever is going on in my life at the current time. this particular song came out when in the summer of '01. at the time i had just turned 21, my husband was working the night shift, and I had a two and a half year old who was entering that terrible whiny, defiant, spoiled stage of life and a five month old who wanted to nurse non stop. i worried all the time about weather or not i was a good mother, wife, house keeper, chef, friend, if i dressed nice, if i dressed my kids nicely, etc.etc. i heard this song and was in love instantly.

would sing the hook non stop, and every time i'd sing it i would think of Jesus. HE got me through it all. whatever the day brought, sunshine or rain He's always there.

Whatever 

tomorrow brings 

i'll be there with open arms and open eyes. 

YEAH!

incubus -OR- JESUS

Matthew 25“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

and here's the cross reference to drive it home.

Luke 22Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26If you then are not able to do the least, whyare you anxious for the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.31But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

all right guys it's time #letsgetpraisy you can join in on the fun here.

Lost

Source: agadabout.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

DO YOU EVER FEEL LOST?

YEAH! 

ME TOO.

last week a few thing happened, and i felt
 LOST. 
i'm not going to go into detail because it doesn't matter. however i will tell you i was ready to shut down my blog. i decided to wait to do it until i got back from vacation. i always act on emotions and it never works out for me. i waited and prayed. God gave me the answer.  i received numerous emails telling me how my blog has blessed the sender in some way. 

SAY WHAT!

i never have (until this last week) received any emails regarding my blog in the 8 months that i have been blogging. I am thrilled that i have been a blessing to even one person in anyway let alone people. 

i would like to thank each of you 
*those who sent the emails & those of you who comment on my posts*
for your sweet words of encouragement. 

you all have been a blessing to me and have helped make my life lovely.

I. AM.THANKFUL.

God is SO Good!

i have decided to change a few things around here. things i'm sure that you won't even notice. 

before i sign off today i leave you with this. i love this psalm. it is near and dear to my heart. especially in times of confusion.

Psalm 130

A Song of Ascents.

 ¹ Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;
 ² Lord, hear my voice!
         Let Your ears be attentive
         To the voice of my supplications.

 ³ If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,
         O Lord, who could stand?
 ⁴ But there is forgiveness with You,
         That You may be feared.

 ⁵ I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
         And in His word I do hope.
 ⁶ My soul waits for the Lord
         More than those who watch for the morning—
         Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

 ⁷ O Israel, hope in the LORD;
         For with the LORD there is mercy,
         And with Him is abundant redemption.
 ⁸ And He shall redeem Israel
         From all his iniquities.

hume lake

i am so bummed out!

next weekend there is a couples retreat at 

hume lake.

my hubby and i went to this particular retreat in 2009 and loved it. 

last year we couldn't go due to his work schedule and this year we can't work it out for the same reason.

ken graves is the speaker. 

he's the pastor

of calvary chapel in bangor, maine

he seriously is a giant, deep voiced lumber jack who loves jesus.

i saw him in 2009 when we went and he is back for 2011

yay, for everyone who gets to go. 

boo-hoo for me.

i posted a you tube clip of him below this post. you should seriously check him out. 

the video is 2 minutes. 

watch it!!!

he's super cool.

he pumps you up for the lord 

here a few pics of me and my mister at the retreat in 09'

the crew

me and my mr. conquering the high adventure course!

I hope everyone that gets to go has a blast

happy weekend everyone!

xoxo

Wonderfully Made

Because it is Birthday Week around here I have been pretty busy PARTYING.

I have not taken the time to notice God's beauty outside of my little nest. Last night I was outside cleaning Bliss' (my canary) cage and I happened to notice that my tulip tree is

 BLOOMING

How did this happen? last week the tiny buds were just beginning to form,

now look.

this beautiful tree reminded me of this verse.

I will praise You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well

Psalm 139:14.

XOXO