Praying for my girls!

 pray continually! 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We surprized the girls and woke them up with a skype phone call from David, they loved it!! It has been the first time they have seen David since July 21st. Way too long!!!!
They talked to him, made funny faces, blew kisses and hugged my computer! It was precious. :)

But we had to say good bye on the phone call and head off to school! They were so quiet on the ride there and so hesitate about going in!

It is so hard on them, they serve also!! Everyday they deal with their Daddy not being here! They miss him cheering them on soccer practice, helping with homework or giving them a hug when they had a bad day!

I tell them I am here for them and God is here for them and they are loved by many but especially God but in their little minds, is it enough? I pray it is enough for now until their Daddy comes home to them.

I pray they find comfort and peace, friends who will be there for them, rest especially rest and sweet dreams!!!

Long night

Sunday night was a long nite.
I woke up in the middle of the night to find both girls in our bed! Not good! I don't sleep well when they are in our bed! Then I happened to oversleep and did not get up until 6am so it was a mad dash out the door (which makes the day feel stressful and unorganized) but we made it to school and work in the nick of time.
I can tell the girls are really missing David!
It shows in the quick tears that appear over nothing and everything! Many tears tonight! MANY TEARS!
so I will be praying specifically for them tonight (Monday). And praying for David as this is a big week!

Prayer Request:
1.David and his unit! Safety!
2. the girls sleep through the night with no nightmares.

3. that their sleep would be restful and peaceful.

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
   for you alone, LORD,
   make me dwell in safety.

strong hearts and courage

Summer Vacation is over!
We had fun!!
We swam, we read, we play and played hard!
We went to Dollywood and Nashville!
We stayed up late, we slept in!
We ate ice cream and sweets as much as we could!
We laughed and we cried and then cried some more for we had to said good-bye!

So as the girls prepare for 3rd and 1st grade, I pray their hearts will be strong!  I pray for strong hearts even when they miss him so much, strong hearts that are rooted in your love Lord, strong hearts to get through this year!
I pray they will have courage, courage to make new friends, to be kind to others, to learn, to try new things, to enjoy this year, to laugh, and to cry. I pray for courage to go on when they want to give up, courage to turn to you Lord.

 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! Psalm 31:24

Psalm 37

Such sad and horrible news we woke up to yesterday!
31 American soldiers died in one tragic event...shot down in a helicopter along with 8 others fighting for freedom.
I wanted to say or do something....
I didn't want to post the whole news story for fear of scaring someone...
But I knew the story and with that information...I knew the Lord wanted me to do something.
I did post a verse and said many prayers but I wanted to be comforted and somehow to be a comfort to someone.
I tried to think of other stuff and go about my day...but with the news you think of your soldier and others soldiers and their families...
I know my soldier was not in harms way at the time but this event made me miss him that much more...
It solidified my need to pray and to trust God that much more...
It encouraged me to go to the Word quicker and to linger longer....

And while I went to Word, the Lord showed me He is still in control...
Psalm 37: 1-13 (verses in bold really encouraged me)

Do not fret because of those who are evil
   or be envious of those who do wrong;
² for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away.
  ³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Take delight in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
   your vindication like the noonday sun.
 ⁷ Be still before the LORD
   and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
   when they carry out their wicked schemes.
 ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
   do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
   but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
 ¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
   though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
   and enjoy peace and prosperity.
 ¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
   and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he knows their day is coming. 

I am so heartbroken for these soldiers' families but I pray they find comfort in knowing their soldier's sacrifice will never be forgotten and we are so grateful for their service!

Pressing on!

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14


Sometimes I feel like a failure, failure at parenting, at work, at being a friend, at being a wife, and in my relationship with God. I even feel like a failure with this blog.

I have had the same nagging confusing thoughts lately.
'Why do I blog and should I even blog?
It has been too long!
Am I blogging for attention or affirmation for myself or do I blog to give praise to God.

But today I realized something very important to me. I have been deceived!!! I have allowed these thoughts to be twisted into something awful! I have been deceived to not blog!
So therefore by not blogging I have added another failure to the list of many failures. It crushed me to think another failure was on the list then to add insult to injury, I was so confused to where to begin to right this wrong. I didn't even know how to write a post, the words never came until today when the Lord showed me this verse.

I admit I like words of affirmations and I like a little attention, but there are many things I love. I love my husband, I love my girls, I love my Lord. I love to praise my God and I love to grow closer to my God! I have always wanted this blog to be a blessing and a record of God's presence in our lives. It can't be a record if I don't blog! I have also wanted to use this blog to journal my thoughts, prayers and prayer requests. I want it to be a tool to grow closer to God!  But it can't be used as a tool if I don't blog.
How can it be a blessing to anyone or God and how can it be blessed if I don't blog. How will people pray for my husband and our girls if I don't ask them to?

But no more! I realized today after reading this verse and after my girls came home (which will be another post), I needed to change this thought. I needed to move forward.

I need and will forget what is behind!
I will strain (reach) toward what is ahead!
I will press on!!!

I will blog whether I am good at it or not! I am not a very good writer, I will fail at times. Other times I will press on and move forward, growing closer to God! Hoping and praying it will be a blessing!

So I will press on!

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me clarity on this subject, I know you are not the author of confusion but of Peace, thank you that our past are behind us and we can leave them there and move forward!! Help me to press on!!!
I love you Lord!


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