Take A Walk With Me

 Like many, I am a huge fan of all things Christmas. Many decorations are already up in my home. This week however, is a time set aside where we give thanks. I was reflecting on this as I sat and listened to some very precious people share what they were thankful for. I smiled to myself and began to think of all that I have to be thankful for. This new place that I have come to love, I realized tonight, has become home. I honestly, didn’t expect it to, but it has. Nothing has gone like I thought it would. It is in fact above and beyond what I could have hoped for. Are things perfect? No. I am however very grateful and thankful for the way God has allowed things to unfold for both RJ and I.  God is faithful. He is our keeper. He is our provider. He is our healer. He is our perfect peace.  #thankful

  Laughter is defined as the act or sound of making the facial expressions and noises that are characteristic of mirth in humans according to the Webster dictionary.  Laughter lifts the soul and brings life to the heart. Laughter bonds people together and can cause strangers to become friends. Laughter is tied to a moment that when brought to memory, that same feeling can rise again. Laughter is good for the soul. Laughter is healing. Hello Laughter, I’m so glad you are in my life again.God is good. 

 Tonight while RJ played football with the church guys, I decided to see if the horse pasture was opened. The other day I went to see the horses it was closed off due to the storm. Today when I drove by, it was open but all I saw was an empty field. I decided to drive to the horse stables and see if they were there. There is another field and there were horses, but they were not “my” horses. I stayed with these horses for a while and decided I would head back to where RJ was playing ball. As I headed to my car I felt a gentle tug and whisper from the Lord to go back to the original field and meet Him there. So, I drove back to the field and parked my car and got out. I went to a part that was not flooded and just said out-loud- “Lord, I’m here, hello.” I heard the sound of running hoofs. From way behind the trees “my” horses came running. The sweetest presence of the Lord surrounded me. Today’s sermon came to my memory. God brought me to a place of milk and honey. I’m only just beg...

  Unexpected Things:  When life sends you in an unexpected direction and everything is new. When your plans unexpectedly take a drastic turn. When ministry is presented that pushes past your comfort zone. When laughter becomes a part of your life again.  When peace is a constant friend. When your walk with Jesus is sweeter than it’s ever been. When new things unfold. When your heart is healed. When your mind is made new.  When joy finally comes in the morning. #Thankful  God is good!

  Happiness is a feeling. It comes and it goes. You can feel happy and in an instant something can happen that can cause you to not feel so happy at that moment. So many times we look for what makes us happy. What about going beyond that? I believe to go beyond happiness is to find contentment.  For me this comes when you take a step back and choose to walk in peace. To stop trying to find something or someone who can make you feel a certain way or who can do something for you. It’s when you stop “looking” for an outside source to make you feel complete.  Be content. Of course you never want to stop hoping or growing as a person. I’m finding myself in this place, contentment. It’s calm. It’s peace. It’s steady. It’s consistent. I’m thankful. God is good. 

  Today, during alter call they were singing a song by Chairty Gayle, called " I Believe". I am a huge fan of her music, but for some reason, I didn't hear this song until we learned it in choir practice.  There was a very deep sweet presence of the Lord today and we lingered for a long time praying in His presence. I had my eyes closed and as they sang this song, I could see the words alive in my mind. These in particular stood out to me.  I believe You are who You say You are.  You do what You say You'll do (You'll come through)  You'll come through, You are always able.  I believe (yes) You've already made a way (so I'm running)  (Yeah) so I'm running through parted waves (straight to You). Straight to You, You are always faithful. He is and has always been faithful. My whole life, He has been faithful. It was the running through parted waves that struck a chord in me. I have grown up around the ocean and have been near an ocean my entire life. ...

Home-we often hear is where the heart is. I have talked about this in the past. My home is in places, people and yes even food. Yesterday was my 48th birthday. It was probably one of the best I have had in a long time. Even though learning new things at my new job is a challenge for me and I struggle with not wanting to make mistakes, I truly do like where I am at. I was pleasantly surprised when they brought me flowers.  I normally am not a flower girl because I hate to see flowers die, but I was genuinely touched, and they were very beautiful. The entire day yesterday was just a good day. Today, I would say mid-day, I just became so homesick. Homesick for my family in CA and in other places. Homesick for people in NY that I treasure a great deal.  Just a hug or to hear their voice would go a long way. Home. I miss home. It's going to take me time to adjust here. It's a good place and I know I need to give myself and RJ grace as we adjust to a different way of life. I think e...