a Word to help you through the day

Living The Dream

Jen — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:07:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! My son woke up earlier than normal this morning, which was fine because my husband was snoring like a grizzly bear and I could hardly sleep. He worked an 18 hour day yesterday so I excuse him the snoring, as his body probably does need a mini period of hibernation. As I made my way to the kitchen to start the coffee, I almost tripped over all of the toys and clothes that were in the living room. I decided to sit in my chair and have a moment with the Lord….however my 85 pound yellow lab who has ears like no other, must have heard me sit down and came running upstairs with his towel, wanting me to play tug of war. “It’s 7 am Max…..not going to happen you big baby”. My time in the Word was better than no time at all….but definitely not one of those moments to be remembered if you know what I mean. I finally decided to sit down and write. However, I had to spend a couple minutes clearing all the junk off my kitchen table just to make room for my laptop. A game, a purse, a book, 2 cups, one sock? Why is there one sock on my kitchen table? It better not be a dirty sock. I sniff it….gross! It is dirty. I live with a bunch of wild animals I tell you! Of course, I did not put the junk away….I simply relocated it to the center island where it is staring at me now as I type. “I am living the dream right now I tell you” - Is the one thing keeps running through my head.

There are days when it seems impossible that I will ever be more than the mom who walks around picking up and sniffing socks to determine whether they are dirty or clean. “Will my wardrobe ever consist of more than 6 pair of sweatpants….and a couple church outfits?” I think to myself as I get out of the shower and put on a “fresh” pair of sweats. Will my house ever be clean…the way I like it? Will I ever have time with the Lord that is not interrupted by a dog that wants me to play, or kids that want me to read, or a husband that at the last minute wants to wear a certain shirt that he can’t find? Will there be a day when I put on grown up clothes and go somewhere other than the library, grocery store, school, post office, and kids birthday parties? Will there be a day when I actually accomplish the things I set out to do each day?

The answer is yes. And chances are, when that day comes, I will look back on days like today with longing and think “I wish I was in a pair of sweats right now….sipping my coffee, sitting on the floor with two kids and an 85 pound dog on my lap.”

I remember when the kids were even younger and I would be out in public with them. I would be exhausted from them and feel like if I closed my eyes for a second I would literally fall asleep standing up. It always seemed like at those times some stupid woman would smile at me and say: “Treasure this time with them….they grow up so fast”. I had to use all my restraint at times not to kick them in the shin and say “Here….take them…..if you miss it so bad!” I always vowed I would never, ever say to another mom “Treasure this time. This time where your hair is always whacked out, your clothes don’t quite fit, but you don’t have time to go shopping for yourself. This time where you are lugging around a mini suitcase filled with wipes, diapers, cheerios, goldfish, and leaky juice boxes. This time when complete thoughts are few and far between. This time when you feel like if one more person touches you, you will scream like no other. This time when your needs are the last needs to be met. Yes….treasure all of this….as it is precious.” Yes. I vowed I would never say that to anyone. But then again I vowed I would never get married…..I vowed I would never have kids……so what’s one more broken vow at this point?

And so with my shins guarded I say to those of you who, like me, are surrounded by toys, clothes, and socks that may or may not be dirty: Treasure this time. Not because it is the best time of your life, but because it is your life. It is your life right now. Today. And any dirty sock day with the Lord is better than a clean house day without. If you feel overwhelmed by it all, quit looking around…..and start looking up. I believe then you will see that we are in fact living the dream.

Psalm 84:10 A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper (and dirty sock sniffer) in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

Love, peace, clean socks, and dreams to you all-

Jen

A Daydream Believer, a Homecoming Queen, and a LifeBoat?

Jen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:06:00 GMT

Cheer up sleepy Jean....oh what can it mean, to a Daydream believer and a Homecoming Queen....... If you are singing along to this song, chances are you are at least 35 years old or grew up with older sisters like I did (or both...I am 37). I confess, I am a daydream believer....but I was a little too rebellious to ever be a Homecoming Queen.....shocking- I know!
I have been thinking a lot about dreams lately. Not only the dreams I have, but the simple power of them. I believe with all my heart that it is the dreams the Lord has put inside of me that have kept me alive and excited to face each day. On the days when I feel hopeless, frustrated, lost, or alone....on the days when I feel like "what's the point?"....the thing that gets me up and excited (besides my cup of coffee) is the idea of "What if?" "What if" today is the day that something really big happens? "What if" something I write, something I say, or something I do transforms the lives of others for the glory of God? "What if" I have a divine appointment today! "What if", while I am sitting here (today I chose Borders) I meet someone who is lost and needs the Lord.....or better yet, what if they are a book editor who is lost and needs the Lord....and a good Christian novel from a spunky 37 year old Girl! How cool would that be?!
Sometimes we simply need to be a daydream believer to jump start our day. Once I have decided that it is a daydream believer kind of a day, I am good to go. I go about my day with eyes wide open looking for the dream the Lord is going to reveal or fulfill for the day. "but Jen, what if nothing happens that day?". That's simple....you just get up the next day and do it all over again. The thing is.....you got through the day with eager eyes of anticipation and excitement, rather than having a day filled with anxiety and distress. In the end, even if nothing "major" happened, you still had a good day with the Lord.....and it only adds to the excitement that surely tomorrow will be the day. Okay....for you nay-sayers out there who are saying "but what happens when day after day nothing happens". To you sweet Sisters I say: if nothing happens day after day....perhaps you are not looking closely enough. Sometimes we want God to reveal himself the way we have it planned. We have it so set in our mind how he should operate that we miss Him over and over and over again.
It reminds me of the story my friend told me a while back. There was this man who found himself in the midst of a flood. When rescue workers came he said "No thanks....God will rescue me". The water rose and he climbed to his roof. Another rescue boat came to get him but again he responded "No thanks....God will save me". He climbed to the top of his chimney....clinging to the last bit of brick as he "stood in faith" that God would save him. A final rescue boat came by. As the man hung on, holding his breath, he said "No thanks.....God will save me". The boat left and the man drowned. When he got to heaven he asked God why he did not rescue him from the flood. God responded with "I sent you three boats!"
So Girls....my question to you is this? Have you been "missing the boat"? Are you so busy telling God how you want him to transform you and your life that you have missed the opportunities he has placed before you? It's good to make plans....but don't leave God out of them. Let your plans be flexible and open enough to see the boat as it approaches!

Love, peace, and thanks to you all-
Jen

Proverbs 16:1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.

Afternoon Ramblings

Jen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:34:00 GMT

Good Afternoon Girls! Well, here I am sitting in Barnes and Noble pretending to be a “real writer”. Usually I like to look around at the other people on their laptops and guess what they are working on. Are they a college student? A business man preparing for a big presentation? A stay at home mom updating her status on facebook? Or maybe they are working on the next National Best Seller….right before my very eyes. Everyone here has a story….but will we ever hear it?

Many of you have read my story…..my ongoing story. Today I was blessed with the honor and privilege of teaching at HomeMakers again. Of sharing a little more of “my story”. It was kind of a big deal for me. It was the first time I stepped on the platform without Renee’s stamp of approval. Usually I read her my teaching, word for word, and wait to hear those words of blessing and encouragement….letting me know I am good to go. However, with Renee still in Israel, today I was on my own…….and I didn’t like it!

I felt like a little kid. Insecure. Unsure. Desperately praying that I “got it right” and was following the leading of that still small voice (which is hard to hear sometimes….especially over the sounds of a 5 and 7 year old). I spent the last couple of days fighting the thoughts in my head. The thoughts that said “you are about to fall flat on your face”. It is funny how I say God gets the Glory….and the criticism. However, it doesn’t seem to play out that way in my head. If I “get it right” Praise the Lord. If I don’t….well then shame on me.

Praise the Lord…..He carried me through again! Afterwards a few Girls shared some of the dreams that are stirring in their hearts. I think what struck me the most is how all of us, are still just as childlike as we are grown up. We all want to “do something” and “be someone”. And even though on one hand it is simply a privilege to be a child of the Most High God, we still desperately want to “be more” and “do more”. I believe part of it is simply human nature. I believe the bigger part, for me, and the Girls I talked to today, is the fact that the Lord has changed our lives so much, we have this desire….this need even, to share this Great Love with others. This need to connect with others….To be able to share “our story” drives us to be something more than what we are.

It isn’t always easy walking out the dreams we have in our hearts. It takes guts. It takes a thick skin. It also takes a lot of encouragement from the Girls it has pleased the Lord to put in your life! I look forward to the day I grow up and become less dependent on the feedback and approval of others. The day when I can “do it unto the Lord” in a way that even if not one person gives me a word of encouragement, I can walk in confidence that I said or did whatever it was the Lord wanted me to say or do.

Until that day arrives, I thank God for those of you who have prayed for me, or offered me a word of encouragement. It is a blessing and honor to stand beside you all and dream. Not only do I daydream about my dreams coming true…..I can now daydream about yours as well! I am excited for the testimonies that are in process right now, this very minute! I am excited for us to laugh together some day soon and say “who would have thought”……..Praise God for He is the Who. The only Who who would of thought to take a “beautiful mess” like me……and turn her into a message!

Love and dreams to you all,

Jen

ps I'm trying to look mysterious.....like a brooding writer.....I don't think it's working though. It's hard to "brood" with the light of the Lord inside of you! Maybe I should trade my pink lip gloss in for black.........

Entitled?

Jen — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:54:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I don’t have much to say this morning. My eyes are only half open because somehow I got sucked into the Academy Awards last night….I have no idea how that happened. Must be because Tom is still away on business. I haven’t had the remote for 12 years now, so I must have decided to keep the tv on whatever channel I chose first…..just to prove that it is possible! So yeah I proved my point….boo, cause now I am tired.

At least I am not tired due to a sugar hangover! It has been two weeks now, and it is going pretty good. I did however find a replacement drug last week. That would be pulled pork sandwiches and french fries. Seriously. I ended up going out to eat 3 times last week. That is very odd as I haven’t been out to eat three times in the last 3 months prior to last week. But somehow in one week I ended up eating three orders of fries.

My ordering strategy had changed completely. In the past I would have ordered a salad with chicken breast……so I could have dessert. Now, knowing I would not be eating dessert, I simply ordered what sounded good. I’m pretty sure the draw to the pork sandwich was the bbq sauce, which is known to have a high sugar content. Baby steps………

Another part of the ordering choices could be what I call the Entitlement Factor. It is that sense of “well if I can’t do this…..than I am going to do that”. It is that sense of entitlement that got me into trouble in the first place. “I gave up drinking….I gave up smoking…..I gave up gambling……I gave up swearing…….at the very least I am Entitled to eat whatever I want.” And the truth is we are entitled to eat whatever we want. Entitled simply means we have a right to something. Whether I eat cake or a protein shake for breakfast, God loves me the same. It is not about right or wrong. The problem with feeling Entitled is the attitude that accompanies it. It is the attitude of: “I gave this up for you” that lands us into trouble.

If there was ever a Man who had a right to play the “Entitlement card” it would be Jesus! If he were anyone other than who He is, you know he would look at us and say “Don’t you know what I did for you? Don’t you know how much I suffered? Don’t you know the pain, anguish and torture I endured for you! Now since I did that for you…..you have to do this for me!” Come on Girls, you all know you have played the Entitlement card to your family for far less things…..I know I have! “I just finished cleaning the kitchen after making you all supper and now I have to go finish the laundry…….the least you could do for me is give me 15 minutes to myself! I am at least Entitled to that!” And Girls, you are. However, when your attitude shifts to always being Entitlement minded, you end up making your family feel like you hate doing everything you do for them. You also end up in a place where all you are thinking about is your self, and the things you are entitled to.

We are not Entitled to anything based on the work we do. We are Entitled to everything because of the work Jesus did on the cross. We are entitled to a life of love, peace, provision, and joy….a life with Jesus…because of Him. It is a privilege….an undeserved one at that!

Love you all,
Jen

Romans 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Fragile

Jen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:23:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I am taking the day off. Just wanted to wish you all a fantabulous (my own made up word) weekend. I will leave you with another word of wisdom from the mountaintop.......

Girl who takes no break, ends up broken.........and we do not want that!

Love you all-
Jen

How Do You Measure Up?

Jen — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:38:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! It has been my experience that once I respond to the Lord and "fast" something......He will follow up with another request. I don't know if you all remember but a couple of years ago when I was on a sugar fast, by the end I was off of diet pop, aspartame in general, sugar free gum......and coffee! You have no idea how often I look to the sky these days and say "Oh dear God, please not my coffee again". I say it partly joking.....mostly serious. The funny thing is, I really can do whatever I want to do......it's not like God blackballs us if we do not follow his promptings. It's not that I am afraid He will be mad at me. It's just that I know that if He tells me to put down the coffee, it is because it is what is best for me. Deep down I know that.....but I don't want it to be what's best for me. I want it to be best for me to have my hot cup in the morning as I write to you all. I even point out to him that really prominent preachers like Joyce Meyer are adamant about not giving up their coffee....and if they can drink coffee, why can't I? I guess I never really matured past the age of 6 did I?
So far it has not been suggested that I should give up coffee. Though by my previous paragraphs rantings I can see I may have a problem.......but thank you Jesus for giving me time to work that out. He has however told me to get rid of something else. It is something I had previously given up before.....but somehow re-introduced to my life (I am seeing a pattern here). It is something I used to preach strongly about. It is something I have known deep down is not good for me. It has control over me. It has the ability to make or break my day. It can cause me to smile....but often causes me tears of frustration. It tells me whether or not I am good, or bad. The worst part is, it is often inaccurate, unpredictable, fickle, and inconsistent.......yet somehow I found myself going to it every morning for validation. Can you figure out what it is?
One of my closest friends and I have a very similar history of weight "issues". We both have vivid "chubby kid" memories. We both have tried as adults to get to that place where we can look in the mirror and feel good about what we see. We share the same pain, frustration, challenges, and moments of victory. The majority of our conversations often center around our weight. Whether it is good or bad......what we ate or didn't eat. What we want to eat. What workout we did or didn't do. We go to each other because we understand each other. We know when to give encouragement, when to be firm, and when to joke around and lighten the mood a little.
The other day I said something to her (in the form of a text) and she responded saying that I sounded like some yogami or someone sitting on top of a mountain. The next morning she e-mailed asking me what words of wisdom I had from the mountaintop for the day. I thought I would be funny and respond with some made up "Confucius says" words of wisdom. It was all in fun. However, as soon as I hit "send" I got that shot to the heart feeling that I get when I realize the Holy Ghost has just spoken to me. All three of the "Confucius says" statements were statements of truth from the Lord......and they were meant for me (and possibly one or two of you).
So what did the Holy Ghost say to me as I thought I was being a witty little zenmaster? We will deal with one at a time. The first one was: Girl who measures self with scale-is using wrong tool!
My question for you is: Are you measuring yourself with the wrong tool? For some of you it may be the scale. For others it may be another person, like a sibling or close friend you measure yourself against. Perhaps is an image you hold in your head of who you should or should not be. Or maybe the world has filled you with demands that though you know are unrealistic, you find yourself trying to achieve. If only you could measure up to all these people....in all these areas.....then you will be happy.
Girls, deep down in our hearts, we know that the only tool we should measure ourselves by is our relationship with Jesus. If we hold Him dear in our heart, if we do our best, to be found living at our best, we have measured up.....in the only way that matters!

Love, peace, and thanks to you all,
Jen

Proverbs 20:23 (Amplified Bible)

²³Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

Healing Theory

Jen — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:16:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Yesterday I mentioned that one of the reasons I believed the Lord has me on a sugar fast is because it is one of the answers to my deepest pleas for healing. I would like to talk about it today. The healing I have been praying for is more of a mental/emotional healing rather than a physical healing. However, the cause of my need for healing is my body. Confused? Let me explain.
As long as I can remember, I have struggled with my weight. I was put on my first diet at 6 months old. The pediatrician told my mom I could only have green vegetables and meat. No starchy baby food. Yep.....I was probably the youngest one to ever be put on the South Beach Diet. It did not work. All of my life I was conscious of my weight. My weight changed from year to year. I have skinny years, fat years, and a couple normal years (though at the time I thought they were fat years).
I grew up watching my mom go through the same thing. She was always starting a new diet. She also had her share of heavy years and normal years. We knew when she would be starting a new diet. Dad would be extra quiet.....not wanting to poke the bear, for she was fierce. Please do not think I am blaming my mom.....I am simply saying that I grew up in a home where it is normal to dislike and desperately want to change your body......yet somehow being able to do so.
Over the last few years, I have worked really hard to change this mindset. I would tell my friends "I do not want to be 65 years old and still be on a diet. I want to enjoy my life!". Up until the day my dad died, my mom had a weird relationship with food. However, now that he is gone, she seems to have loosened up a bit. She goes out to eat more. Orders a burger instead of a salad (unless she actually wants a salad, where as before it was "I have to get a salad"). She no longer recites to all of us what she has or has not eaten all day. Her form of healing came when she lost my dad. Oh the irony. The one man who patiently listened to her complain about weight and food for 57 years, is the reason she is healed......but he is not here to enjoy it! Perhaps all of her efforts were to please my dad. However, he didn't care what size she was. What I think made it hard for her was the fact that my dad was never big. He was pretty small in fact. My mom and I have always weighed more than my dad.....and it drove us nuts!
So I have worked hard to break free from this vicious cycle of my weight equally my self worth. However, I assumed the only way to break free from it was to lose the weight. Somehow a certain number on the scale would manifest my healing....both physically and emotionally. However, it hasn't worked out that way. You see, each time I get down to the magic healing number, I still do not like what I see. So, the magic healing number changes. I often say "I will try 5 more pounds, and then, no matter what, I will be done". That final 5 pounds has been eluding me for 2 years now. And I am tired of fighting it. In order to lose this last five, I need to channel all of my energy and focus on my food and exercise, and it has taken me away from my life. I want to be done with it. Every once in a while I get up the ambition to focus on it, and I come close....for about a day, and then I put it back on. More time wasted. More discouragement. More of me thinking about me.
And that is really the problem here. All this energy wasted on me trying to feel good about me is energy I could be pouring into my family. My marriage. My writing. My husband just called and said he forgot the books he was going to bring with him on his work trip. I answered him all disgusted and put out...reason being my mind was panicking thinking "Now you will have to forfeit your workout time!". He will be gone for 6 days....and all I can think about is my workout for today.
The Lord has been telling me to give up sugar. My initial thought was that it would be the cure to those last 5 pounds. But I'm not so sure that's the answer at all. I'm starting to think that by going sugar free I will simply feel better. And in feeling better, I will....I don't know.....feel better. I won't be so concerned with a number. A size. I will feel free. And in that freedom I will no longer equate a number on the scale with finally being the Girl I was meant to be. I don't know. Only time will tell. Only God knows the end from the beginning. I'll just go along for the ride, and believe He has got it all worked out!

Love, peace, and thanks to you all-
Jen

Psalm 118:5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

Puppet Master?

Jen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:56:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Yesterday I told you that I had a few theories about why the Lord would tell me to give up sugar for awhile. I thought I would share one or two of those theories with you this morning. Before we go any further I just want to say, I hope you all can see that this is not just me writing about me for the sake of me. No. It's about me showing you all something that is going on in my life in hopes that it may enable you to see something similar in your own life.....and that you may see it differently.
Many would say the reason the Lord has me give up sugar (or the reason He has us give up anything) is because it is a test. The Lord wants to see if I will obey Him. Sugar has become an "idol" in my life, and He doesn't want me putting sugar above Him. I often hear people saying "God is just testing me right now". There is even scripture to support this theory (especially if you don't understand what it is speaking about). Since I am not the Lord, I cannot say that this is not true, but deep down in my heart, I don't believe this is true. Not in this case anyway. Here's why: My image of God is not one where He is sitting in heaven looking down on me, eyeballing me and saying "Let's see if Jen realllllly loves me like she says she does. Let's see if she is willing to walk away from the thing she loves so much". "What do you think angels? Should we see if she will walk away from sugar? What should we do to her if she refuses?". To me this image of God is one of a puppet master, playing with our lives, trying to prove how powerful he is. That is not the image of the faithful, loving, God that I hold in my heart. I believe the days of sacrificing our Isaacs are over. If we can so easily say that God is testing me with this......does the same apply when our kids get sick, we lose a job, or our house, or anything? Absolutely not! We are warned about that in James 1:13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.
Now don't misunderstand me. I do believe the Lord tests us. However, when He does, it is for our good. Not to prove Himself powerful. Not to make us prove to Him how much we love Him. The tests we are given are always for our own good. To develop us, to strengthen us, to bring us awareness of our priorities. Now I am only speaking from my heart, the way I see it. Feel free to disagree.
So if I am not being tested, why would the Lord tell me to give up sugar for awhile? Because it is what is best for me. Because it will help me get one step closer to my dreams. Because the end result will answer some of my deepest pleas for healing, which I will explain in more detail in the days to come. For example: it's only been 8 days since I have not had any sugar, but already I am waking up without an alarm. I wake up feeling good. I wake up without any aches and pains. I woke up early enough to write before going to HomeMakers! That, Girls, is a result of eliminating sugar! That it what I mean when I say the Lord asks us to do things that will help us.....not to prove to Him how much we love Him. He can tell how much we love Him by the way we live our life.....not by whether or not we had a donut (or pan of brownies) for breakfast!
My question to you is: Has the Lord being telling you to do (or not do) something that you have previously seen as a test? That you have been looking at as a demand from a puppet master, rather than a God who loves you so much, He would take the time to make simple suggestions to you about how your quality of life can improve (even if at the time it doesn't seem like it?). Sometimes the simple shift in thinking about why He would ask you to do something, gives you the desire to do it. I encourage you to look at those promptings from your loving Father, and see if they suddenly look different!

Psalm 119:27 Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.

Love, peace, and joy to you all-
Jen

Waiting For It To Make Sense?

Jen — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:40:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I've missed writing to you all and pray you are all doing great! I am hoping to get a full week of writing in, but we will take it one day at a time. I have been sugar free for 7 days....well, I did eat 3 spoonfuls of my sons soggy cocoa crispies last night, as the thought of throwing them away was unacceptable, and it is the one thing I cannot feed my dog. Other than that, I have made it through the first week! Truth is, it wasn't even difficult. There were a couple of times when I caught myself about to pop in a handful of frosted flakes or something as I was feeding the kids, but that was more of a habit thing than a craving thing.
So how is it that one day I am eating a whole pan of peanut butter oatmeal bars (with chocolate frosting), and the next I am sugar free and fine? The first couple of days I figured it was simply because I was so sick from all the sugar that I couldn't stand the thought of it. However, by Thursday I was feeling really good, and I still made it through a weekend without any struggles. That it when I knew as I knew that it was the grace of God, and the Lord was in fact the One who put me on the fast in the first place.
I believe the Lord had been telling me to give up sugar for many months now. I kept telling Him I would.....I simply needed some time to mentally prepare for it. Every time I thought about going sugar free I would hyperventilate at the thought of all the treats I would be saying goodbye to. Seriously, life without banana bread, carrot cake, and the obvious.....chocolate, is no life at all! Even though I felt the impression so strong in my heart to go on a sugar fast, I held on to that little piece that said "oh Jen, it's not God.....it's just you". That one sentence was all the convincing I needed to hang on to my sweets.....funny how we grasp at anything when we really want (or don't want) to do something.
So why did the Lord put me on a sugar fast? To be honest with you, I don't know......yet. I have a couple of theories, but only He knows for sure. It doesn't really matter why He did it. What matters is that He did. What matters is that I trust in Him....more than I trust in myself. What matters is that He knows what is best for me. He knows the plans He has for me. He knows the best way for me to reach the dreams He has placed in my heart. Remember that old tv show Father Knows Best......well ours truly does!
My question to you is: Is the Holy Spirit telling you to do something that doesn't really make sense? Is He telling you to do something and you are waiting for the reason why before you respond? Is there something you are hanging on to despite that strong feeling in your heart? Go ahead, take a leap of faith and trust in the Lord! I promise you.....if you respond in error, He will correct you. Better yet, if you respond in faith, and you are correct.....He will reward you!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Love, thanks, and courage to you all,
Jen

Quick Check In

Jen — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:11:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Actually, it's afternoon, but the good morning thing is kind of like my own "Herrrrrrrrre's Johnny" (not that I equate myself with Johnny Carson in any way). Wow. Seems like I am easily distracted today. Must be the lack of sugar that is causing brain malfunction. Perhaps I should go eat the bag of Good n Plenty's that are in my cupboard and see if I am more focused after? NO? You don't think I should do that? Alright, but just so you know they are the freshest Good n Plenty's I have ever had and I am pretty sure they will not be as fresh 39 days from now! Oh the things I do for you......

Anyway.....I just wanted to check in and say I am feeling fine. Yesterday I felt so disgusting from the Sunday night binge that sugar was the last thing on my mind. Today I have been too busy to think about it, so it has been no big deal. I am also fighting cold symptoms, and I did something to my back so I have these physical ailments to keep me distracted. Wow, I sound like a 99 year old woman going on and on about my health issues.

Chances are I will not be writing the rest of the week. My morning writing time has to go towards something else this week. I can tell you this.......God is good! Good things are happening in the Gilbert house. For me personally, and for us as a family. I look forward to sharing them with you at the proper time. Until then keep moving forward, pick yourselves up (no matter how many times you have to do so in a day) and most of all know the Lord loves you and has great plans for you!

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Love and miss you all-
Jen

Pharoah and I

Jen — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:12:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! If I were a Bible character, I would most resemble Pharaoh these days. However, instead of God saying "let my people gooooo" (I am singing that in my really low voice), He is saying "let the sugar gooooooo". And just like Pharaoh, I agree wholeheartedly, will full intention of keeping my promise. Then after a couple of days I start to panic and think of my life without sugar (just like Pharaoh thinking of life without his slaves) and I harden my heart and eat anything and everything that contains sugar. I eat it until I am sick and disgusted with myself. I eat it despite knowing that it is taking me away from my goals. I eat it knowing full well I will have some negative consequences for my actions.
Blessed I am that God doesn't wipe my out like he did Pharaoh! He doesn't have to. The consequences I face take care of any "punishment" I could receive from God. I have run countless miles, not as progress, but as compensating for sugar binges. I have lost the same 5 pounds 10 times this year (I am not exaggerating). I have either lost sleep because I couldn't calm down, or slept too much because I have a throbbing sugar hangover headache. I have spent too much mental energy fighting the self loathing thoughts I have after a sugar binge. I find I am doing the work of the enemy, beating myself up every Monday morning. All he has to do is put some sugar in my path and sit back and watch me do the rest.
Last night, as my heart was so heavy, I knew as I knew that I had to go on a sugar fast. And as that fully registered with me, just like Pharaoh I asked the Lord to help me......tomorrow (as in today). I asked him to help me tomorrow (today), so I could spend one more night with the frogs! I will not list all the things I ate. I will simply say when I was done, I was in tears. I so desperately want to change, yet I seriously wonder if I can do it. Giving up sugar feels more difficult than quitting smoking, drinking, and gambling combined, though I know that when I decided to give up those things, I felt the same way I did now about this. I find it disturbingly odd that I can deal with the big trials in my life much easier than I can deal with this.
Am I crazy to share this will you all? I admit the prideful part of me would like to sit back and smile and pretend that I simply overdue it once in awhile. I would like to be seen as the strong, confident, woman of God that has no vices, no "frogs". But that's not true. I am addicted. It is interfering with who I want to be. It is a thorn in my side. And though I feel like a loser writing about this, I will. I will, because that's what Real Women Do. They admit when they need a little help. They admit when they are out of control. They admit when they are feeling defeated.
Do you know what else Real Women Do? They get up. They fight. They believe that there is a reward at the end of the road. They come out swinging with confident hope and expectation that if the Lord said "put that down, and follow me", He is sure to show me how.
I am taking you along with me. Forty days.....no sugar. I am not sure how my writing is going to take shape, but as always, we will just wait on the Holy Spirit to show me. One thing I am sure of......it will be interesting.............

Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. but if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Love you all-
Jen

Minivan Moments.........

Jen — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:04:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Have you ever experienced a "minivan moment"? A minivan moment occurs when you are driving your kids around town to dance, hockey, and swim lessons- and in between pick ups you run to the grocery store, bank, post office, and library.....and somewhere during all of that you start to think: "Is this really all my life is?" "Is this the plan the Lord has for me?" "Am I ever going to be or do anything more than a chauffeur, cook, and cleaning lady?" These thoughts seem to escalate when the kids are crying or fighting in the back. When I feel this way it reminds me of those old Calgon bath commercials where the mom is completely fed up and says "Calgon take me away!". Next thing they show is the mom relaxed and at peace in a hot bubble bath.

I don't know if they even make Calgon anymore......and that's okay, because when I have a minivan moment, instead of looking to Calgon, I look to the Lord. I look to the Lord in the form of daydreaming. I imagine different things I could do for the Lord with my life. I picture myself traveling and speaking to hundreds of people. I picture myself writing in a coffee shop. I picture myself being interviewed by someone like Larry King, or Oprah (I'm serious). I imagine different businesses I could run. I picture myself selling my cupcake t-shirts out of a mini van at a women's conference. I think of all the ways I could turn What Real Women Do into an actual "thing" (whatever that is). I daydream about these things because they make me smile. They make me laugh (you have got to be laughing at the thought of me and Larry). They are fun and exciting to think about.

"But Jen.....what if none of those things ever happen?" That's okay. It's okay because the very thought of them is what gets me through my minivan moment. It is what helps me see that I am more than a chauffeur, cook, and cleaning lady- even if it is only in my head. Besides, what else is there to do? I suppose I could meditate on my problems, but somehow that doesn't make me smile. Besides, all the meditation in the world does not solve my problems. Meditating on a daydream however.....well some days that is what keeps me going!

Proverbs 29:18 KJV Where there is no vision, the people perish
Jen Gilbert Translation Where there is no daydreaming....the mother goes bonkers.......

Love, thanks, and daydreams to you all-
Jen

Crow Eater

Jen — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! The definition of eating crow is this: humiliation by admitting wrongness or having been proven wrong after taking a strong position. Why am I giving you the definition of eating crow? I thought I would give you the definition of what I had for lunch yesterday. Yes, I had myself a little crow for lunch yesterday. Trust me, it was not tasty. It tasted like a kick in the gut, followed by a strong desire to put my tail between my legs and walk away in shame. Praise the Lord! God is so good. He was the only one aware of my lunch. We had ourselves a private lunch for two.......just the Holy Spirit and I. But I did laugh right away.....knowing I would be sharing it with you all this morning!
So what did I do this time you are wondering? Remember a week or two ago when I talked about the trainer at the Y who looked all put out early one morning and when I smiled and told her things would get better, her response was "Tomorrow it will be better."? Remember how I was all up in arms at how she could decide at 9am that she was going to have a crummy day? Well I saw her yesterday at the Y and she said hi and smiled and I said "It's so nice to see you smiling again". She stopped at the bike I was riding and said. "Oh, I have had a tough couple of months. Your dad's death started it, and I just attended the 4th funeral last week. I thought it was only supposed to go in three's, but I lost four friends in 6 weeks!" My mind flashed back to the day she seemed so upset, and I knew that was one of the days she either just learned of her friends death, or attended a funeral. I immediately felt like a judgmental jerk. The good news was, I immediately knew what I was going to write about today! She went on to share with me how watching her friends die so suddenly has really got her thinking about her life, and death. She is the same age as the four who had just passed away. She is healthy and strong, but so were the other four. We ended up having a really nice talk.
I still stand by my previous blog in that we cannot let our day be determined by 9am. We need to do all we can to purpose to make the most of each day. However, the real lesson I learned here is that we are not to judge someone else by their attitude.........for we never really know what is happening in their world. I am thankful that I have at least learned to keep my mouth shut while I secretly "judge" someone else's behavior (okay....in most cases anyway), and she is unaware of how thoughtless and judgmental I was. However, the one true Judge knows.....and I thank Him for his grace, which has taught me this lesson in a gentle way. It could have been so much worse. I could have had to eat my crow lunch for a crowd of witnesses, but the Lord saved me from myself........again.

Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."

Love, joy, and thanks to you all-
Jen

Love and Marriage......

Jen — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:15:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Happy Anniversary to me! Tom and I have been married 12 years today. Many of you know that it has not been an easy 12 years. The first few years were mostly miserable to be honest with you. I spent many hours sobbing hysterically in the closet (good thing we had a walk in). Marriage was not at all what I expected it to be. What I expected was that somehow after saying the words "I Do", all of my problems would be solved. I would no longer feel insecure, angry, depressed, lonely. Somehow the words "I Do" equaled "I'm Whole". For those of you who got married under the same misconceptions, you know all to well just how wrong that is.
When you get married with baggage (and trust me I had enough to fill the airplane) it does not suddenly disappear. Quite the opposite happens. When you get married with baggage, not only does your baggage stay, but it gets added to the baggage your spouse is carrying (which means we needed to hook a u-haul to the back of the airplane).
What! My baggage is still here?! And what's up with this old ratty garment bag....and this suitcase.....this isn't mine, I've never seen this before! This baggage doesn't even match....and look there aren't any wheels on this big thing. I can't even drag it behind me. I've got to actually pick up the stupid thing! What's going on here? This is not what I signed up for! Why are my bags still here? And why does it seem like they are multiplying?! I think you get the picture.....
The good news is, we grew up. We quit fighting each other, and started fighting together. We are on the same team now. We are no longer pointing fingers at who has the most baggage.....we are simply fighting together to get rid of all of them, one by one. Now it still isn't "easy". I don't think it ever gets easy, as the enemy of our faith loves nothing more than to break up a family. But I definitely believe it gets easier. As time goes by you learn what is important and what is trivial. You learn what will start a fight, and more importantly you learn how to end one....quickly. You learn that though the grass may seem greener on the other side, if you look closely, there is plenty of dog poop and crab grass in every yard!
So Girls, if you are still on the "crying in the closet" side of your marriage, don't lose heart. It will not always be that way. You will figure it out....as long as you have the Lord in your heart and ask Him to build your marriage and help you get your baggage down to the size of a carry-on. Until then I will leave you with a verse I used to meditate on when I was really irritated with Tom. Now I know it is immature, but I thought you all may need a little giggle today.

Matthew 22:30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Love to you all-
Jen

Coffee Talk

Jen — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:08:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I know too much caffeine is not good for you, but I must admit I do love my coffee. I thoroughly enjoy my morning cup of coffee. Okay....my morning cup and a half.....ALRIGHT......sometimes even two, but no more than that or my head spins and my heart races and I feel like I could hurl. But as I was saying....I do love my morning cup of coffee.
It can't be just any coffee though. Since I have only the one, very rarely two cups of coffee, I make sure it is good. I am somewhat of a coffee snob. I chill my water in the fridge overnight. I use a good brand of coffee. I brew it right before I am ready to drink it. I pour my cup just as it finishes brewing....sometimes a few drips before. I sit down, wrap my hands around the mug (a hug-a-mug, my dear friend explained to me once), and simply hold it for a moment. As I bring it up to my mouth I breath in the fresh smell....the warmth....and for a split second before I take that first drink, I close my eyes and picture how wonderful that first sip will taste....and even feel. Yes I do love my morning cup of coffee. I love it bold, fresh, and most importantly.....hot. It has to be hot....or it is no good.
On occasion, in the summer, I will have an iced cup of coffee. Again, it has to be a good coffee. It has to be fresh. It has to be bold. I used to drink iced coffee a lot in the summer. I felt like since it was hot out, it would be ridiculous to drink a hot cup of coffee. But last summer I decided that even when it is hot and steamy out, I prefer my coffee the same......hot and steamy. Again, I like wrapping my hands around that mug. There's just something about placing your hands around the warmth. Even on a hot day, it can feel comforting. So even though I prefer hot, I will on occasion drink it iced.
Let me tell you what I will NEVER, EVER, drink. I will never drink coffee that has been sitting in the pot for more than an hour. I will never drink coffee that is too weak. I will never drink coffee if I cannot sit and enjoy it. And most of all....I will not drink coffee that is lukewarm! Lukewarm coffee disgusts me. All of the qualities that made it wonderful are lost when it becomes lukewarm. It's boldness turns to bitterness. It sweet aroma turns to the smell of an ashtray. It's ability to warm the body as soon as it reaches my lips turns into a disgusting mouthful of nastiness....and I spit it back into my mug. I know, that sounds disgusting.....but lukewarm coffee is just that.....it's disgusting.
You know who else doesn't like things lukewarm? God. But instead of talking about coffee, He is talking about us, as Christians. He does not like lukewarm living. His desire is for us to be bold and "hot" for the Lord. He can even understand, and has a compassion for us when we are feeling cold....as long as we are willing to admit it. However, there is nothing he despises more than a lukewarm Christian. He doesn't like it when we "pretend" we love the Lord, but secretly believe in ourselves more than him. He would rather have you say "Lord, I am struggling with you right now. I am having a hard time with my faith. I am having a hard time trusting in you. I do not feel you in my life", than to have you smile as you grit your teeth and say "Yeah...God is good.....Praise the Lord"....in your superficial Christianese language. He doesn't like it when we ride the fence with one foot in the world and one foot in His kingdom. He wants us to choose. One or the other. Are you hot....or are you cold? At least when you choose cold He knows it's time to send some sisters in Christ your way to bring you back. But when you sit their on the fence, lukewarm, you become like that old cup of coffee. Your boldness turns to bitterness. Your sweet aroma stinks like an ashtray. And God despises your taste so much......he would spit you out of his mouth. Now that does not feel good does it!
So Girls, be cold if you must....and let us love you back up to hot. Or better yet, be bold. Be hot! Be the kind of person that makes others want to treat you like a hug-a-mug. The kind of person others want to wrap their arms and their life around because you make them feel so good and loved. Your cup is overflowing with the love of Jesus........and that's the best cup of Joe you can ever have!

Revelation 3:15-16 NIV
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Love you all my little hot cup of Joe's-
Jen

Who's Waiting on Whom?

Jen — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:55:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I've gone MIA I know.....and I'm sorry. Last week I had to prepare for 2 workshops and then I partnered with Lisa to do Tuesday's teaching at HomeMakers. I can only meditate on one thing at a time when it comes to teaching/writing type stuff. My mind tends to hyper focus on whatever is next, until I am complete. Then it needs a couple of days off before it can focus again. Even now I feel as though my words are not really making sense as I write. For no other reason than to get back in the habit, I will write today......
I have at least 5 different "ideas" stirring in my heart and mind. I am not sure which one I should start with. I have asked the Lord where to start and I feel Him responding with this:_____________________________________________________. That's me, visually showing you that I am "hearing" nothing. No direction. No point stronger than the next. No leadings, promptings, or "thus saith the Lord's". Now I could take that as a sign that I am not supposed to write today. I could say "oh, I guess I am supposed to take the whole week off again. I guess I will just WAIT until the Lord makes it clear what direction I should take." Yes, I could overspiritualize this and many of you would understand. But I will not take the lack of specific direction as a "sign" that I am supposed to do nothing. And neither should you..........
I see so many Girls "waiting" on the Lord. They are waiting for the Holy Ghost to whack them upside the head with clear revelation of what God wants them to do with their life. They wait.....and wait.....and wait........stuck in the same spot.....waiting for God to tell them what to do. Well I have a thus saith the Jen for you............DO SOMETHING! Anything. Make a move. Take a step. Take a chance. Make a change. Are you hearing me? DO SOMETHING!
"But I don't know what to do" you say in your whiny, timid voice. DO SOMETHING! I respond in my encouraging yet firm voice. (this is weird isn't it). I mean it. Do something. Try something. Whether it's big or little. Life changing or hardly noticeable. Just do something. Today. Not tomorrow. Not when you have time. Not when it feels right. Do something.....today.
I believe with all my heart that in those times when we ask God for direction and we "hear" nothing......He is the one who is waiting on us. He is waiting to see how much heart we've really got. He's waiting to see if we are really ready for Him to start revealing his wonderful plan to us. He's waiting to see if we've grown up at all, or if we still need to be told what to do every single step of the way. Now don't misunderstand me. The Lord loves it when we realize that we need Him in every single thing we do. He just wants us to be confident, in both ourselves, and Him....that He is in fact with us....and that we are in fact capable.
He wants his Girls to show a little initiative. He wants us to take that first step of faith. He wants us to look up and say "I'm not sure about this.....but I'll try it anyway." Trust that God is not sitting there waiting for you to fall on your face. If you take a step, make a move, try something new, and it is not the best move, God will make that clear to you quickly. Once he sees you are truly ready to move, once he sees that initiative, He will start revealing His plan, and giving you clearer direction. Don't believe me? I guess there is only one way to find out..............

Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Love, courage, and peace to you all-
Jen

Why Wait?

Jen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:59:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! I never made it to my computer yesterday. I woke up with the need to run, and once my day got going, it never stopped. I was running around all day. Think I am exaggerating? My pedometer says I took 29, 430 steps yesterday! That's almost 3 times the recommended amount. Just one of those days......I know you have all had them.
As I was walking upstairs to the workout area at the gym yesterday I saw one of the trainers. She is an older Girl who knew my dad well. They used to swap books and stories of their kids and grandkids. She is a very nice woman, but can some times be a little "glass is half empty" if you know what I mean. "Good Morning Shari!!" (I changed her name) I said with my usual cheerleader enthusiasm (I'm not kidding....I think I am quite enthusiastic.....you can take the girl out of the cheerleader, but you cannot take the cheerleader out of the girl you know!) Her response: "You know, some days I would be better off if I didn't get out of bed......today is one of them!" My response: "Oh man....it will get better!" Her response: "It will get better.....tomorrow."
TOMORROW! I wanted to yell. It's only 9:30 in the morning and you have already written this day off! You have already determined in your mind that today....the whole day.....stinks and you will not enjoy your life for another 24 hours! Oh, I could hardly stand it. Now granted I don't know exactly what was going on in her life at that moment. Maybe there was some kind of trauma she was experiencing.....but I don't think so. She had more of that crabby attitude than a grieving or heartbroken one. More of a "my morning didn't go the way I wanted and now I am going to carry that around all day" way about her.
I really had to hold my tongue. This woman was at my dad's funeral. She was one of the many who said "how could this be. He was just here yesterday working out, and now he is gone." She was one of many who learned just 6 weeks ago that you never know what will happen. I don't mean to be all dramatic here, but what if yesterday was her last? What if she spent her last day being grumpy and wishing she hadn't gotten out of bed.........well there's a wish come true for you!
Now I am not saying that we need to walk around all day every day pretending like nothing is wrong. You know me better than that. I am not about false pretenses. I am not about stuffing my emotions and being a phony. However, I am also not about determining at 9:30 in the morning that my day is a waste and I will be happy.......tomorrow. This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it.
So Girls, when (yes, I deliberately chose the word when) your day starts off crazy wild and you hear your pillow calling your name, don't write your whole day off as a loss. Ask the Lord to redeem your time and give you a fresh start. You will find there is nothing better than taking your day back from the devil and saying.........

This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24

Love you all my little rejoicers-
Jen

Blah Bible Time??????

Jen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:06:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Last night I was looking through one of my journals from last year. I started reading all of the notes from my devotional times. There were so many awesome revelations and treasures to read. It made me really hungry for the Word. I got into bed all excited with my new journal and Bible, ready to experience some mind blowing revelation form the Lord.
Well let's just say that didn't happen. First of all, it was one of those nights where I wasn't sure where to start. I looked in my index for a topic that jumped out at me.....nothing. I asked the Lord what to read.....nothing. I tried my old fall back which is to take the day of the month and read that Proverb.....nothing. Then I read Psalm 2.....nothing. I sat there with my pen and paper, heart open, mind receptive, but I was getting nothing. Now don't get me wrong. As I read about the goodness of God and how He is quick to forgive us of all our sins, I was comforted and blessed. It's just that I was going for "mind boggling revelation"....what I got was "reminders of things already known".
I suddenly remembered what one of my Girls from group shared a month or two back. She said "I try to read my Bible, but to be honest with you, a lot of times I don't feel like I am getting anything out of it. I don't know where to start. I hardly remember what I read". I suddenly knew exactly how she felt, and what she was saying. I was about to write my devotional time off as "one of those nights". A night where my Bible time was a thing on my to-do list. A time where I tried, but failed to connect with the Lord. I was about to........
But then I remembered something. I remembered a promise the Lord made to us in 2 Chronicles. I remembered the song I used to sing as a kid.....seek and you shall find.....knock and the door shall be open.....". So maybe last night was not one of those mind reeling moments of revelation. Maybe last night was a night to be reminded of things I already know. I believe in my heart, that is exactly what my time with the Lord was supposed to be! I believe that something I read last night will rise up in me at just the right time and place- to lift up someone else....or possibly myself. I believe that even though it wasn't one of those times where I felt like the Holy Spirit was sitting next to me pointing out things, He was. After all, He did bring me to 2 Chronicles 15.....which is pretty random if you ask me!
So Girls, if you sometimes feel like your Bible time isn't "worth it", or you feel like you didn't get much out of it, please remember God's promise to us. He promises us that if we seek Him....we will find Him.....you just may not realize it right away!

2 Chronicles 15:2 The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him.

Love, patience, and peace to you all-
Jen

Life in the Middle

Jen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:25:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! So I took the week off last week. I haven't written since last Monday. You would think that I would be overflowing with words of inspiration to get us all started wouldn't you? I have had a week's worth of time in the Word, going to church, reading a new book, prayer, and all of the other things "good Christians" do. I should for sure have fresh ideas to write about about right?......WRONG!
Now there was a time when this would have unnerved me. I would have started asking questions like "what am I doing wrong?' "Am I in disobedience about something?" "Lord, why are you not with me?" "Are you done with me?" "Are my writing days over?". Oh yeah.....for sure...... I would have taken a trip down Drama Boulevard, and taken a left onto the Insecurity Highway! Praise the Lord! I have actually learned a thing or two in the last year of writing........
I've learned that there are times when we feel so strong that the Lord is right there with us. It is like He is sitting next to us talking to us. The Holy Spirit takes you places and reveals things to you with such power and conviction that you know as you know it is the Holy Spirit. These times are awesome as you are strengthened, encouraged, and filled with boldness and confidence that you are right smack in the middle of where God wants you to be! Oh, how I love those times......
I don't know about you, but it seems like those times are the minority, rather than the majority of my experience with the Lord. There are even times when I feel like God is a million miles away from me. I feel like maybe I have been forgotten about....left behind......given up on. I am so thankful that I have grown enough to know that is never true.....but it can "feel" like it at times- especially if you let your feelings guide your mind.
For most of us, we spend the majority of our time somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. We know God is with us. We ask the Holy Spirit to direct our steps. We proceed with faith that we are in fact moving in line with God's will for us. We do not hear an audible "thus saith the Lord......". We just "feel it" in our spirit and trust it enough to do it. Many times we don't even know if we have in fact heard right. We just rely on the truth of God's goodness and faithfulness and believe He is with us at all times.
"Life in the middle" can be frustrating at times. We so desperately want to do what is right. We hate making mistakes. We hate disappointments, surprises, and difficult situations. If we could only plop the Lord on our dashboard as our personal life GPS..........oh, how cool would that be!? To never again make a mistake. Experience defeat. Wonder if we are doing the right thing. Oh it sounds.....it sounds.....it sounds.....Hey! It sounds like heaven doesn't it?
Yep, life without pain, sadness, doubt, trials, frustration, insecurities, and our own personal Jesus GPS.......pretty much sums up heaven. So relax. You will have those days. Someday. But for now, just keep on doing your best......to live your best. Enjoy the moments when it feels like the Lord is riding shotgun in your minivan. Cast down the moments when you feel abandoned. And trust in the Lord knowing that you are a child of the Most High God, and you can handle life in the middle!

Hebrews 13:5 For God has said "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."

Love, thanks, joy, and strength to you all-
Jen

Mini Vacation.....

Jen — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:53:00 GMT

Good Morning Girls! Just wanted you to know that I am taking the week off from writing. Not sure why. Just am. I'm doing great, and feel great. Just can't sit still is all. Tom is out of town for work for the week and the kids are off of school the rest of the week so I guess the schedule change is enough for me to mentally handle. I will catch up with you soon. Continue to be bold. Step out of your comfort zone. (I did on Monday and will be sharing with you soon).

Love, thanks, and courage to you all-
Jen