be honest.

I hate having an anxious, nervous feeling. At times I am not sure why it happens or sometimes what is really going on, but it is there. I hate that feeling. It feels like something is going to go wrong, and you don't know what it really is and you don't really know how you'll stop it. At times we just need to give it to God and that is hard when you don't know what it really is that you have to give to him. Sometimes I am sure that this feeling is out of fear. Sometimes I am sure it might just be something unknown that you have to do just don't know what the outcome will be. Sometimes you just don't know what it is and still have to give it to God. At times I find it hard to give things to God. Not because I don't want to, but because at times I think we are confused about how to give something to God and not worry or think about it anymore. I find myself very down at these times because I want to just give it to God, but don't really know how to stop myself from worrying anymore, or thinking anymore about it.
I find myself to be strange at times. I am sure most can say that about ourselves. I really just like others around me to be happy, but find myself wanting it for me and not knowing how to be. What will make me happy? At times I just don't know. I want my relationship with Christ to be right on, but sometimes I find myself to worry or fear too much that at times I don't even know how to get out of it. But I rest on the fact that God is good, that God's grace goes deep, and that His love is even greater than what my mind can comprehend! Resting on these facts makes my faith get stronger! So at times when you feel just down and out. Or just like you cant.... rely on the fact that GOD CAN. That God loves you. That God's grace is sufficient! That He is a good God! And His love is greater than we can even imagine, and that He will never leave us or forsake us! When all have left us He wont! Sometimes you just have to be honest with yourself and honest with God and let Him restore! When we are honest with how we feel with ourselves I feel it is easier to get through and rely on God. If we always think that WE are strong enough to get ourselves through we will never rely on HIM who wants to help us through! It is a way we learn about ourselves and how we can learn to get closer to Him!

Great post!

Found some great stuff on this other blog at http://refineus.org/2012/05/the-marriage-mirror/

This was really good! Take a look at it, here is a bit from the end!

"As my counseling supervisor used to say, “marriage isn’t broken. People are broken. If you help people get healthy, their marriage gets healthy.”

The marriage mirror helped me get healthy. It humbled me. It taught me that I certainly didn’t have it all together, so I couldn’t expect perfection from my husband. It taught me my own capacity for good and for evil, and for the necessity of boundaries around our lives.

Almost fifteen years of looking into that marriage mirror has showed me that love isn’t about a fantasy, it’s about hard work and sacrifice. It’s about vulnerability, courage, perseverance, and faith.

Marriage will lead you into the truth of yourself. It will open you up in a whole new way to your own need for grace and for a Savior, and for the strength to love beyond your own capacity. And the richness of that love and the life it brings is what makes the hard become the good."

 It is so true! Love it about hard work on both sides! It is a partnership! It requires sacrifice and we often will learn much about ourselves through it all. Love it not a fairy tale, it is real life! Real life is hard! Marriage takes real work! But that hard work can make a marriage great!

secret to life! Focus on HIM!

I was thinking about things, and a song that said "in the end". I started to think about that statement. What will really matter in the end? In the end... It wont matter the wrongs that others have done against you. In the end.... the things that you have accumulated will fade.... in the end.... everything will fade, but the only thing that will always be is GOD! and what we did for the kingdom! That is what matters in this life. It gets hard when we forget that and let our eyes be taken off that. I think everyone has that issue. It is hard to keep our eyes on the end when the waves and storms are being thrown at us! I have to constantly remind myself what this life is truly about. It isn't about ME, it isn't about US! It is about HIM! I tend to overlook that fact and focus on me and my issues. I need to keep my focus on HIM and He will bring me through it all!
We need to act like Christ, we need to love like Christ, we need to forgive like Christ, we need to serve like Christ!!!
IF we take our eyes OFF us and ONTO Him! We will stay focused and strong. That is the secret to living this life! Keeping focused on HIM!!!

true rest!?

I get tired. I have many little ones running around with so much energy all day, it seems like they suck it from me! Just kidding. But we all experience being tired, not just in body but in spirit, soul, emotions.... Life can be tiring! I was doing devo's and I found a great verse which just makes me rest even more in my God. God gives us words of encouragement and words of peace at times when we need it. God is so good to know what I need and give it at the right time! Sometimes we worry too much, sometimes we fret, and cry about things that might be only our emotions talking. Sometimes we need to just sit back and rest in God. Sometimes we need to just give HIM our cares and burdens! Sometimes we need to let Him be God and stop trying to do it ourselves! This is a great verse and I really just wanted to share it because it immediatly brought a peace and stillness to me and my soul when I read it! The word of God is powerful!  I pray it brings you a sencse of peace today!

 ^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."


                                                ~Matthew 11:28-30




Live free and light with HIM today! 

Satan wants to keep you bound, but Jesus wants you FREE!

Sometimes life can be hard. Sometimes you think you are past but something comes up, grabs you and pulls you back down.... Life is unpredictable! We don't know what will happen tomorrow. A lot of times in life, we base things off of how we feel, when we need to look at the bigger picture, and base our life off of God and His word and His laws for life. Sometimes we fall, sometimes we mess up, but we always need to get back up, seek God and move forward. We do have a very real enemy roaming around "like a lion seeing who he can devour". How does he know who he can devour? How does he bring people down? I think it is by our weaknesses. We all have very real weaknesses. We know some of them, others we see through time and experience. It is how we handle these weaknesses that really determines whether or not we will be devoured by the enemy. If we are easily swayed, or easily thrown off track, satan knows he can throw things at us, and there could be certain demise. If we are strong and are strongly planted on "the rock" aka CHRIST we wont be thrown off! Satan wants to see us bound and hurting and broken. God wants to see us thriving, full of faith, victorious and FREE! We can see this in our lives if we continually give things over to God. When we notice something coming up or feel something not right or that this could be a temptation or a "weak area" in our lives, giving it over to God and digging into the word can get us through! It is when we don't read, don't rely on God and dont go to Him and try to do it on our own that we can be easily influenced by the things around us! We need to stick closer to God than ever before. Times wont get easier. As we draw closer to the end we need to be so aware in life. We need to keep God in the center and always be focused on HIM and what we can do for the kingdom.
Always stay focused on HIM. It doesn't mean you wont feel the struggles of life, but it means you will be able to get through more victorious than if we took our eyes off HIM! Satan wants you bound, defeated, crushed and not useful to the kingdom of God. I think he got me at one point. I felt bound and defeated, like nothing mattered and I didn't want to go on! But My savior stepped in and lifted me out of the pit I was in! He didn't just save my soul but He saved my life on a few occasions! I am so thankful to Him for that. At times do I start feeling down again.... yes, but I grab my Bible and run to my God. He is the only one who can save me! He is the only one who can rescue me! Why fear what man can do, when we have God for us, who can be against us!
At times I need some rescuing. At times I feel blah... at times I know that I am being attacked, and the enemy knows right where to get me. But I need to remember that there is more to this world than what I see. There is a spiritual realm and it is constantly in a fight; a fight for souls. Only God can save us and free us! will you let the enemies tricks devour you? Or will you choose to run to the only one who can rescue you and set you free??

Getting past the need to be "perfect"!

You see it everyday. You see it in magazines, you see it on tv, you see it everywhere! There is a desire for "perfection" in society. You need to be the "perfect" size, you need to be the "perfect" wife, you need to be the "perfect" mom, you need to do certain things to obtain this "perfect" image. We see it in ministry as well,  we need to be the "perfect" ministry wife etc. Well, I hate to break the news to you, but.... NO ONE will ever be "perfect". There was only 1 who was perfect who lived on this earth, but He was the son of God. Other than that, we live in a fallen world, and no one will be perfect! Why do we become so obsessed with perfection? I think it is because that is the "social norm". we see it and we need to be it. It is presented to us a certain way in magazines that we need to do this or be that, when in real life God is happy that you are uniquely YOU! There will only be one YOU! God made you the way you are for a reason. Only you can do what God has placed you here on earth to do!
I do believe that we need to make the best choices for our lives, and that includes being healthy, but not everyone is going to be a size 1 and be healthy! You need to be the best you that you can be, but striving for something that inst you or what God hasn't called you to be or do is something that we need to be aware of. Be the best you, but don't strive to be what your not called to be!
Also, don't beat yourself up when you do make a mistake or mess up. We are human and all we can do is ask forgiveness and move forward! God's grace will help us do that. He will forgive and forget, then we need to as well! The "perfect mom" with the "perfect home" with the "perfect ministry".... .well, it would be nice, but life happens, and we need to do and be the best that God has called you to be and do! Don't let what society says define you, let your maker and creator define who you are!!!

I have not been able to get on and write. Life is busy and changes happen. So we go with the flow and we just trust in our maker because He is the one who knows the plans, He is the one who sees the final outcome before it happens! There is no better way to live but by faith! A few things have happened lately in our life and I am very calm about the new things that are happening. I am not worrying, I am not fearful of them, I am just trusting in God, because I know He will bless us and see us through! We need not to worry because the creator of the universe is by our side. The one who made me is carving out a path for us! So I will just stay trusting God because His thoughts and ways are much higher and greater than mine! Be blessed today! Take a step of faith and follow what God has placed in you! God gave you dreams and visions, talents and goals for a reason! He wants them used for the kingdom!

I have to say, it was a busy day and I am exhausted. It doesn't make for good moods, not for mom or kids.... No nap time, is never good. I was happy that my son was able to go to his kindergarten round up and meet some of the kids that will be in his class next year! He had a great time and I know he will do just fine. He is so excited to go!
While it has been a good day overall, it has been tiring. And I am cranky. Soo mood wise.... just be glad your on that side of the computer haha JK. So I really wont have much more here than this, but take time to step back and enjoy the surrounding! Concert tonight for my older kids, YES more running. I pray they sleep well tonight!

great quote!

My feelings are not God. God is God. My feelings do not define truth. God’s word defines truth. My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes - many times - my feelings are out of sync with the truth. When that happens - and it happens every day in some measure - I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but rather, I plead with God: Purify my perceptions of your truth and transform my feelings so that they are in sync with the truth.

John Piper

I have to say, I read this quote and just knew I had to share it! I think this was a quote that was posted on a friends site just for me! I want to be Christ-like. I want my life to focus on HIM and what His plans for my life are, but a lot of times, my emotions and feelings get in the way. I get distracted by how I feel and a lot of times, how I feel are not a reality! Like the quote says, "feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives." We need to line up our emotions with God, and that HE would purify our perceptions and make true shine through. We need to let God transform what we feel so they are lined up with the TRUTH! What is the TRUTH? God's word is what defines truth! We need to line up our emotions and our thoughts and feelings to God's word!!! 

What's love got to do with it?

According to 1 Corinthians 13, Love has a lot to do with many things! Please read this chapter with me:

 ¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 

   Love never gives up. 
   Love cares more for others than for self. 
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. 
   Love doesn't strut, 
   Doesn't have a swelled head, 
   Doesn't force itself on others, 
   Isn't always "me first," 
   Doesn't fly off the handle, 
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 
   Doesn't revel when others grovel, 
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 
   Puts up with anything, 
   Trusts God always, 
   Always looks for the best, 
   Never looks back, 
   But keeps going to the end.

 ^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

 ¹¹When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

 ¹²We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

 ¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

According to this passage: we are nothing with out love! "So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."  Everything we do should be out of love! LOVE should be our motivation! How do we love? Is our love conditional or unconditional? We are to love as Christ loves. If we think of how Christ loves, it is amazing! We ask ourselves "HOW?" As a human it is hard to wrap our heads around how we are supposed to love as Christ loved! Yes, at time we mess up, and are "unloving" but it is how we handle it after that matters. Do we ask forgiveness or just keep on going being unloving? Why are we suppose to love like this? We are to be Christ's hands and feet here on earth. Christ's motivation while here on earth was His love for us. We are supposed to love everyone. Those who are for Christ and against. The lovable and unloveable. Those who love us and hate us. Those who have done right to us, and wronged us! Our friends and enemies. We are supposed to show love to all those we come into contact with. Look at your closest relationships. Think about who you love and think about this portion that I will put next. then ask yourself these questions: Do I love like these verses say? Do I really care for others over myself, or do I have a love that wants to see me loved before I give it away to others?? WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR LOVE? Read this next portion! 

Love never gives up. 
   Love cares more for others than for self. 
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. 
   Love doesn't strut, 
   Doesn't have a swelled head, 
   Doesn't force itself on others, 
   Isn't always "me first," 
   Doesn't fly off the handle, 
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 
   Doesn't revel when others grovel, 
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 
   Puts up with anything, 
   Trusts God always, 
   Always looks for the best, 
   Never looks back, 
   But keeps going to the end.

 ^8-10Love never dies. 

Can you say that in your closest relationship, you never gave up and kept loving through the hard times? Can you say you didn't covet another person's relationship because it "looked" better? Can you say you don't show off when you love just so others see what YOU do? Is your love a selfless or selfish love? Do you force yourself on others just to gain love or do you do it just because you want to show your love and expect nothing in return? Do you have a love that is all about "me" or a me first attitude toward love? Do you "fly off the handle" easily with those you love or do you show grace in circumstances? Do you keep score of rights and wrongs done to you and love according to that? Do you have a love full of grace or full of blame? Does your love look for the best in people or the worst in people? Does your love trust, hope, and never give up? Does your love DIE??? I have to say that I answered pretty good, BUT there has been times.... where my love was conditional... there have been times, that I didn't trust, there have been times, when I didn't trust God with my relationships.... There have been times where I lacked love. Love is one thing that we NEED to do! Like it says above "we are nothing with out love!"
The last part of this chapter says, that we only know in part! We don't know everything, we cant see what the future holds, and we don't see the big picture, only God does, but when Christ comes again, we will see HIM face to face. We will see why we needed to love through tough things. We will see why we needed to love the unlovable! Love runs deep and when the other person we are showing love to feels it, it runs down deep inside them. When someone truly feels God's love coming from inside us and being our motivation in ALL areas of our life, it makes a huge impact. When we love just to love and show God's love, people notice, and feel that! When we love with conditions, people feel that! Try and make your love unconditional! Try and love how God loves us ALL! We are all sinners BUT God still loves us. We have done so much against God, but HE still loves us! We have sinned so much, but HE still loves and FORGIVES!!! Try and take this chapter to heart and love like God loves! "No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."  

Sometimes we need to know this.

    The LORD says, “My thoughts are not like your thoughts.
    Your ways are not like my ways.
    9       Just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
    10       Rain and snow fall from the sky
    and don’t return without watering the ground.
    They cause the plants to sprout and grow,
    making seeds for the farmer
    and bread for the people.
    11       The same thing is true of the words I speak.
    They will not return to me empty.
    They make the things happen that I want to happen,
    and they succeed in doing what I send them to do.

                                                           ~Isaiah 55:8-11~


I think that at times we put our own thoughts and our wants and how "we think it should happen" before how God is doing things. We see life going "differently" in our heads. We see circumstances happen differently in our own head. Our thoughts need to become God's thoughts. Our ways need to become God's ways. Verse 8 from above says "My thoughts are not like your thoughts, your ways are not like my ways." How true is this. We think God should do things our way and we try and push through life making our thoughts and our ways come through. Sometimes we need to sit back and let God "take the wheel" of our life and let Him and His plan shine through. God's ways are so much better than ours. Verse 9 goes on to say that "just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts". God knows what is going to happen, He has wisdom thoughts and ways. He sees the big picture when we jsut see what is in front of us. Why not let His words and thoughts through in our lives if He knows all, and sees all? He wants good things for our lives, but sometimes it is hard to trust and let God have His way when we want to be in control of "our own lives". In reality we are just living the life that God gave us! I love the promise and imagery in verses 10 and 11. I have always loved the story of the sower. This basically says the same thing. That the rain will fall from the sky and water the ground and the seeds that the farmer planted will grow into plants to feed the farmer and the people! Then comes verse 11. "The same thing is true of the words I speak. They will not return to me empty. they will make the things happen that I want to happen and they succeed in doing what I send them to do". I love that! The farmer plants his seeds knowing and expecting a crop. The farmer plants intentionally! There is a reason he plants his seed: to have a harvest! It is just the same with God's words. God speaks and He knows that what He says will succeed in His purpose! They will not return to God void! There will be a harvest every time God speaks! The things that God speaks will happen just like He intended! They are words of purpose and intention! Let God speak words of purpose and intention into YOUR life! He wants to and we need to be willing to listen. There are many times in the Bible that it says "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" hear today what the Lord is trying to say. He wants us to listen and hear what He is saying and what He is trying to speak into our lives! They are words of purpose and words intentionally spoke directly to us! His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. Don't hold God back from what He wants to do in your life. You may be thinking smaller than what God is thinking! 

On the way to a better me!

I think that if we stand still too long, we will start going backwards! We can only be stagnant so long, before that starts to roll backwards on us. At times I know I have been on a downward slope in some area of my life. I feel, I have stood still too long in life. I have to say that at times, I really have let things hinder my "going forward!" Whether it was fear, or just a lack of knowing any better, I have stood still. Yes, fear has always been an issue in my life, and I want that to change! I want to live this life with an excitement. I want to live this life like today is the last. I want to try different things. I want to not fear going forward with things. I want to not fear doing things that I have wanted to do. I want to set goals for the rest of my life and follow through with them. I have to say that I have not been a goal setter before. I have never seen the need at times I guess. It wasn't till I married my husband that I saw that goals were an important things to have. I guess, we all have different upbringings, and we all have a different view or perspective because of that upbringing. I am not saying that my family didn't have goals, but I just didn't see them maybe. Some strive to get through life, while others strive to (and make goals) to live the best life possible! I have always tried to get through life, never seeing that there could be anything more than just what I see. I am starting see that there could be more. That God wants the best for us, and wants us to make the best of this one life we are given. I think it is a lie of the enemy that we just have to float through life. I think that the enemy doesn't want us to make the best of this ONE life we are given! I am starting to see my mindset change little by little. I think it is a good thing. I think it is something I needed to change! There is only one life on this earth. As I get older I am seeing the importance of LIVING life not just getting through life! God wants us to live and TRULY live life!
I think it is time to start living a victorious life! We talk about it at church and it is victorious because of Jesus but it can also be victorious because we choose to live to the fullest. To follow God in EVERY instance. To trust Him that He is bringing the best to us. To trust that He knows better than us, but also to give it our all when He says move! To run and not look behind when He says GO! To actually follow through with the desires and talents that God has placed in us!
So first thing I want to do, is set a goal, and prove to myself that I can complete it. My first goal: to be the healthy and fit mommy that I need to be for my kids! I want to have a long full life with my husband and kids. I need to be health conscience to do that! It needs to be more than a weight thing. I need to have to want to be healthy not just thinner. Which is what I want. I want to be healthy so that I can enjoy my kids and family longer. So I can accomplish all my goals that I have in life. So I can have the desires that are in me for life, come to existence! One thing I have always desired was to travel, and someday I WILL! (good thing my husband loves it too :) So, as the title of this blog says: on the way to a better me! I want to live life to the fullest and always following what God has for me and my family! God might not have put these amazingly awesome talents in me, but I can use what God has placed in me: love, love of people, a desire to make people happy, a desire to see people happy, a desire to help people, etc. God has set things in each of us: desires, goals, dreams, hopes, etc. Find those things, work at them, and run with them! There is a reason God put them in you! God wants to use those desires, those goals, those dreams, those talents all for His glory and advancing His kingdom through you! I want to live life to the fullest, and not hold anything back. I want to love hard, I want to work hard, i want to follow after God hard, and I want to enjoy this ONE life I have! I want to enjoy my kids. I want to enjoy my husband. I want to enjoy the friends God has given to me! I want to appreciate everything and everyone that comes into my life! We never know how long we have on this earth, why not make the best of it! To God be the glory! Enjoy this life God gave you! you have a purpose and a future and through God's eyes it looks great and beautiful!!! Believe it! Because God said it!

 I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the LORD. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.     ~Jeremiah 29:11

my new goal!

Sometimes we need to stop focusing on what isn't happening, and start focusing on what is! Sometimes we need to stop setting goals that are not necessarily moving, to setting goals that are achievable. That is what I am going to do! One area that I have always wanted to overcome was my weight, and my health. I want to be healthy and I want to keep up with an exercise plan that I can do and that I can succeed with. I have always set goals based on what weight I want to be at. Yes, it would be nice to lose that 30-40 lbs, but when you look at it in whole, and then you see the scale NOT moving when you are trying and working at it and really putting your all into it, It can be very frustrating! I decided to stop watching the numbers and push myself to what I want to be able to do physically. Instead of saying "i want to be down X amount  by X time", I am saying "I am finding a 5K and getting going with the training and DOING IT!" I think back to my days in  swimming (yes, it was a LONG time ago), and I think this is how I was during that time. I never set a goal to be a certain weight, but I always worked hard and pushed myself to that next goal that I wanted to achieve in the sport! I wanted to swim a 1500 (lots of laps!) and I trained and did it! I know that as I change my goals to more achievable goals where I have to push myself/my body I know that i will also achieve the desired weight that I want. I need to enjoy what I am doing and not just do something that I might not really enjoy just to lose weight. That is how I have fallen short so many times! I have always given the weight loss a good start, but then something happens and it dwindles away and then it stops all together. I enjoy pushing myself to the limit so that is what I am going to do. I am going to train for a 5 k, and push my body and really enjoy it! I have to say, that I was always a good runner in high school, but never wanted to cross train, maybe I should have, but I really think I am going to start enjoying running in a whole new way. I think I am going to find a late 5K and sign up for it. One that would be a good first one to do. I do 8 miles on elliptical, and now to get up to that on the treadmill! I conquered that fear the other day, and I got on it again yesterday and pushed up the speed a bit more and again I didn't fall off! YAY!!! So I am getting there, and today I am going to try and do 20 mins on the treadmill jogging. I am getting in my nutrition and keeping that good! I am getting all my daily fruits and veggies (and if you are interested let me know!) One other thing i need to work on is that water intake throughout the day! So I will get there. I am changing the way I look at this and changing my goal so that I can get the desired results and enjoy what I am doing in my exercise routine! I love going to the gym and so do my kids! I have to share one quick story.
    I was going to go to the gym the other day and I was in the area but it was much earlier than when I normally go. I pulled into the parking lot and it was PACKED! I couldn't even find a spot! So I told the kids that I was sorry, but I couldn't find a spot and we were just going home. Three little ones broke down crying. They kept saying, "we want to go to the gym, its not fair!" it was so cute! They love going to the gym and playing. They have a great time, and mommy gets to go and get a good workout in. They are my little motivators because daily they ask if we are going. We go usually 3 times a week. So they help me keep it up!!! Love my kids!

value.

The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance or preciousness of something: "your support is of great value".
Verb:	Estimate the monetary worth of (something): "his estate was valued at$45,000".
Synonyms:	noun.  worth - price - cost - merit - rate verb.  appreciate - evaluate - estimate - appraise - assess

I started off with the definition of value for a reason. This word has been in my mind for a while. What do I value? Who do I value? How do I show them I value them? Do I regard the things that I think I value as important, or precious?  Do I Show that I appreciate the things that I value in life? I also added in the definition for money value for a reason too. Do I hold those in my life of greater value than things that don't matter as much? Do I value the people, and time with them as priceless? I know that at times, it is hard to show that we truly value the people in our lives. At times we feel like others don't value us, and at times we feel like we are of no value or worth. That is what the enemy wants us to think and dwell on, and I have to say that I do. It is hard at times, to get past that lie. At times things that people have said can belittle our value or worth. Things that people do to us, seem to belittle our value or worth. And at times it is hard to recover from that. The enemy knows our weak spots. We need to know that, yes, we have value and worth TO GOD! and if no one else sees it GOD ALWAYS WILL!!!! He is the one who put purpose and worth in us. He is the one that put a priceless value on us. We need to stop accepting the lies of the enemy and what others my say. We need to conquer that lie by saying and reminding our self that GOD SEES VALUE IN ME! GOD PUT POTENTIAL AND GREAT THINGS IN ME! We need to stop being torn apart by lies, and start rejoicing that God has great things in us that He wants to bring out! When we start living in faith that God has purpose for us, and that God placed great value in and on us, we can start living victoriously in that faith! There is so much potential that God placed in you and God will bring it out! There is something in you that He wants you to accomplish and when you ask you receive! I encourage you (and me too) to start asking God what your value is, to show you what you what your value is, and that He would start bringing out those great things that He placed inside each and every one of us. You are valuable! Your worth is far above rubies, and jewels! God love you and you have what it takes to accomplish great things for the kingdom of God! Don't listen to the lies around you, but listen to the one who created you!!!!

Conquering your fear!

So I did not write yesterday, but I will write what I was going to.

So I have been talking about "fear not" and how it is in the Bible 365 times.  I have gone over a few verses and I have to say, I do have fears... SHOCKING right? lol No, everyone has some sort of fears. The question is, "are we going to try and overcome those fears?" Well, I have a few different ones some easier to get over than others. Well, I have been going to the gym again. It has been a few weeks since we could go since we were all sick and are FINALLY better! I have always had this weird fear of jogging on a treadmill. lol I know, silly, but I never ran on a treadmill for two reasons. Firstly, I have this strange fear that I am going to fly off the back of it. You know, like what you see happen in the movies! lol Well, lastly, I feel I am a hard jogger, and that I am going to sound like I will break the machine if I jog on it! lol Again, a strange fear but still going to the gym I would rather not have that embarrassment happen. Well, I decided to face that fear and get on that treadmill. I have always wanted to do a 10k so to do that I might need to train, and I would like to start on the treadmill, well, to do that I need to face my fear and just do it! So I did. I got on and jogged 2 mins then walked 3 mins and then jogged the last 5 mins. I did pretty good and I have to say that I did NOT fall off the back or break the machine. When I told this to my husband, he asked if this was going to be my next blog, I said it might be. :) He knows me too well..... So I faced one fear and I hope to get back on the treadmill and do it again. I really want to do 5k's and maybe someday even work up to a triathlon! (I have always wanted to for some odd reason...)  I would love to start my own yearly 5 K, I already have a name for it too. So I am on my way to running. I am happy I was able to face that fear and move on. Although I did learn one very important lesson: Treadmill first (harder for me) then get on and do your hour on the elliptical (I do about 7-8 miles on it) if you do the treadmill after an hour on elliptical it is MUCH harder to do a consistent jog! lol So that is one fear out of the way that I decided to face head on so I can move past it to achieve my goals. Might be small to some, but to me, it was holding me back from something.  I am happy I finally decided to face it. I encourage you to face a fear with faith and courage! It will be a liberating experience, and always ask God to help you through it!
"Be strong and courageous. Don't tremble! Don't be afraid of them! The LORD your God is the one who is going with you. He won't abandon you or leave you."    Deuteronomy 31:6

inspiration

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in 


weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my 


weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is 


why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in 


hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, 


then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10