I've always been drawn to music (even though I can't sing very well!!!) and when it comes to worship, I can't get enough. I've talked a lot about my love of worship and how closely that ties to my faith, so when I started working on my playlist for labor and delivery, I realized that all the songs I wanted to select were songs of praise to the Lord. I think during that time I will need to draw strength from my faith and rely in His goodness for the power to push through. I wanted to start a new study for the month of August since this will be my last month before Solomon joins our family. I wanted to find something that would help me during the task ahead of birthing him, so I decided to start with my favorite, She Reads Truth. I wasn't sure what I would choose but after seeing the Hymns Series I knew that was the right choice.

I'm really enjoying this study, and I'm only on day 3! Digging deeper in the songs that we sing to Him is so refreshing. The layout of the days are great and easy to complete. The normal bible verses to start, then the written study but then the study ends with the hymn that the day is focused around. You can listen to the song, meditate over it and just be one with the Lord. I love it. I listen to the songs several times and soak it all in, writing my prayers and reading the study. It is also wonderful to find some new songs that I wouldn't normally pick for my labor and delivery playlist, now having a strong connection to the song. 

My prayer is to find God in a deeper level in all of these songs & use that when I need it most. To truly search for Him and sing the praises to Him. My head is constantly being pulled in 50 directions right now, so finding the time to sit and worship Him, and put everything else aside has been amazing!

Have any of you completed these studies?? 
I'd love to hear what you have learned!

In The Word // Titus 2:3-5

This study through Titus is wrecking my heart in the best way possible. It is pointing out answers to prayers I've been praying for weeks. It is bringing up questions that I have been ignoring. It is touching all areas of my life right now. I know all of these things are from the Lord, and that makes me feel so much happiness in my heart.

One of the goals on my 101 in 1001 project that I have been putting off has been brought to the surface thanks to this study through Titus. Finding a mentor. Just saying that makes me nervous. When I typed out #14 on that list for the first time many months ago, I had a picture of that woman in my head. A woman that is strong, kind, patient, loving, honest and challenging. My heart has been pulling toward one particular woman for a long time now. From the moment I met her I knew she could be a wonderful person to DO LIFE with. I honestly think that is the best part of having a mentor. Doing life together, learning from their past and going to them with your future. Making a bond that is founded on the Lord and wanting to become closer through Him. That is what I’m yearning for.

Now the hard part happens…. Ask her. Taking the effort to make that first step. I’m not going to lie, I’m very nervous about it. I wonder what her response will be. If she feels like she will have the time to do this or even the drive to do it, but I keep going back to that intuition I have in my heart about it. I truly feel that the Lord is pointing her out for a reason and I don’t want to ignore that anymore. No more excuses. It’s time & I pray for His strength to complete the task and take the first step. This step could potentially be one of the best decisions I've ever made and that is so thrilling.

Do you have a mentor? How did you go about asking them??
Or are you a mentor for someone?

Share with us what you have in your heart right now.
Link up today, or tomorrow, or the day after.
Cassie & I will have the link up open for a week so join us!!

 

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My Corner.

Ever since we bought our house I knew I wanted to have a quiet corner for my bible studies. A place where I could drink my coffee or tea and sit at His feet. Reading through a study, taking notes, highlighting through my bible or simply praying. Just recently I finally made this space mine and I have grown to love it more and more!

The table used to belong to my mom when she was a little girl. She said she would sit there every day to do her homework. When we were buying furniture for the house she said I could have it and I gladly took it! I found the chair at an estate sale before we moved in and I love the combination of natural wood and the white table.

This little corner is such a blessing to me. I don't have to pile all my books in my bed now and move them around daily. I can leave everything open and ready for the next day which always makes me feel open and ready to learn more. I definitely have a lot more plans for this little corner but for right now I think it is perfect! 

In The Word // John 20:29

During the past few days of The Risen Christ study with She Reads Truth I have opened my heart a lot. I have been adamant with myself to make a point every day so I can sit down and give my time to Him completely.
There have been many happy moments and I'm very thankful for it. 

Tomorrow will be the last day of this study and it is definitely bittersweet. Spending time in the Word and learning more about Jesus and His days after the empty tomb have been such a sweet time.

On Friday this question was asked: 

Why do we live in the tension of worship and doubt that disables us to share the truth of God’s love? 

You and I are commissioned – authorized by God – to “therefore go and make disciples” who will know Him and live for Him. This is a commandment from Jesus.

After reading this and thinking on it for a little while I was stumped. I don't consider myself a strong voice for His Kingdom. I sin. Every day I make choices that I know are wrong. I am a human in a fallen world. I see opportunities to share His love but I normally pass them by unless I know I am surrounded by fellow believers. I love to talk about The Lord with sisters and brothers in Christ. But it is the lost that scare me.

I worry that I may not know the right answers, or I might not even understand the answer myself. I know in my heart that God is real. He is within me and I feel Him every day. But I struggle to vocalize that to someone who doesn't know that feeling in their own heart. That tension and doubt disables me to the core. 

My prayer now is for God to open those doors for me. Open the opportunities to share His truth with a yearning heart for more. That is His commandment. Just like the verse above says, we are the blessed ones. The ones who have not seen Him but we know with our whole heart that He is alive. He is not in that tomb. He finished the greatest love story ever written, for us. That is something worth sharing.

Please join Cassie and I and link up below!

Grab the button and share what God has placed on your heart recently.

 

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In The Word // Jeremiah 29:13

One of my faith based goals on my 101 in 1001 list is to memorize 10 bible verses. I've never been good with remembering scripture which drives me crazy! I just don't understand how I can remember all of the songs on the radio or an article I read in a magazine, but when it comes to His Word I struggle? 

I've recently started the latest She Reads Truth study, The Risen Christ, and I'm really enjoying it. The first day had a verse that has truly stuck with me. 

So I'm going to work everyday to remember this verse. It is short and sweet, straight to the point. 

I want to seek for Christ in everything I do! I want it to be something I don't even have to put effort toward, like breathing day and night. I want my first breath every morning to be His. Not waking with a heavy head but waking with a passion to do His will. 

We will find Christ when we search for Him with all of our heart. In everything; life, family, marriage, work. All of it. He is here. Keep His word fresh in your mind and in your heart. Remembering the words and where you first read them. Using His Word as a sword for protection against the enemy and light to guide you every day. Use it to bring others closer to Him. His Word is power and when you fill your heart with that kind of power, you change everything. So let's search for Him wholeheartedly & find Him.

All of your heart for His Kingdom. Starting with one verse at a time. 

What is your favorite bible verse you have memorized?

How do you keep His Word fresh in your mind and heart?

Link up with us and share what you are learning in His Word right now.

Use the button below and link up below!!

 

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Eve

She was made from Adam’s rib (2:21-23) – “not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)

When I read that last night in the new She Reads Truth study I felt this wonderful, warm gooey feeling inside. I really think this study is going to be so perfect for my life right now. I recently mentioned in my Summer Bucket List that I wanted to read something just for me and I am making a commitment to finish this study! I usually slack off once I start a #SheReadsTruth study but I am going to try my hardest to finish this one.

 

We women are tricky and if I can learn more about myself and the way God made me then I am all game for that. Join in on the fun and learn with me....... and also keep me accountable, please? ;)

shake it off.

Over that past few weeks I’ve been allowing something to bother me. One of those things that you know you aren’t in control of but you still let it drive you crazy and even make you a little bit mad. I hate it when I feel this way… I know that I am who I am. I am a believer and I am forgiven. I am a hard worker. I am a rule follower. I appreciate words of affirmation. I could go on and on with little details about myself but the most important part of me is my heart and who it belongs to. He is in control of my days and I know He is trying to teach me something… I can only pray that I realize what that is before I drive myself mad.

During all this frustration I started the new SheReadsTruth study this week and I honestly don’t think it could have come at a better time. The first day of the study explained “What we think is what we become” and I know it seems pretty simple but when I read those words I felt a light bulb turn on! Negative thoughts create a negative attitude. Duh, Cassie. With that I snapped out of it. I’m going to do my best to not let the little things annoy me. All the things that I have no control over will not control me. I pray that I will stay positive and with that attitude my surroundings will change also. Life is too short and way too sweet to focus on the bad. In the words of Florence…. “And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back so shake him off!”

When I saw this view at work yesterday I realized that every day is a new day and what you choose to do with that day is in your hands. You can choose to be bitter and angry, or you can choose to have a heart like God... forgive and love even when its hard because thats exactly what he does for us every single morning. Forgive & Love.

"don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Philipians 4:6-7

Advent.

{From: Lorajeansmagazine.blogspot.com}

I’ve started the new #SheReadsTruth study for December and I’m so excited about it! It’s all about the Advent Season and what that means for us as Christians. This quote was used in the study and I loved it...

“Come thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us;

Let us find our rest in Thee.”

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Charles Wesley

When I read that I couldn’t help but hear one of my favorite songs we sing at church ring through my head. The chorus says this…

i will dwell in the shelter of the most high God

i will rest in the beauty of Your presence

Your faithfulness is a shield and my great reward

i will not be afraid, i will trust in the Lord

Other than a calendar filled with candy waiting for Christmas day I’ve never really thought about the season of Advent until I started this study. Candy is nice but Advent is something more… This is about us waiting on Him. Not only waiting on Jesus to be born but waiting on Jesus to save us from our sin. The sin that will always be in our life making us dirty until we place Him in our heart and He washes us clean. The sin doesn’t go away, but neither does He. He overcomes it. We can dwell in the shelter of the most high God. He is a shield and our great reward.

Yes, I can most definitely dwell in that.

She Reads Truth.... or She is Lazy?

I really love the book of Proverbs… it’s probably the one book that I have read completely a few times and it never becomes old so I was pretty excited when #SheReadsTruth chose a study through Proverbs. Of course the first couple of days I was on fire… enjoyed and looked forward to my nightly reading, highlighting, taking notes and praying through each chapter and blog post with so many ladies.

Then the weekend came. I fell behind… I became a slacker… I was busy. Too busy to sit and read my bible at night which only makes me feel horrible. Monday night I decided to catch up and started to read the post on Proverbs 7 which fell on Sunday.

The daily devotional started with “Happy Sunday!”

Yea yea…. I know…. It’s Monday night. I suck. I’m sorry Lord.

Then I went on to read…. 

“Today is our seventh day together reading through Proverbs. I know that I have a tendency to stay really consistent for about… seven days.”

Or how about five days… I couldn’t even make it seven! Ugh, sorry Lord!

Then a little ways down I read…. 

“So before we begin chapter 7, I want to pause. I want to remind you that we serve a God of grace and forgiveness. You don’t have to forgive yourself before you bring your junk to him: 
that’s a lie that we often believe.

His mercies are new each morning. [Lamentations 3:23]

So you missed the last three days? Join in today. If you want to go back and catch up: do that! And comment on the day you’re reading, because guess what? You’re not alone.”

hahaha! Sweet, Jesus… your sense of humor never gets old and I’m so beyond thankful for your constant forgiveness.

So, why am I sharing this? Well, because I’m sure we all feel this way at times.

We become lazy. Wrapped up in life’s moments. Pushing the Word aside. Rambling quick prayers so you can check it off your list of “Things I need to do” instead of working on the relationship that should be your MOST IMPORTANT relationship you have. I’m guilty. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

But we are loved. We are cherished. He is jealous for our attention.

He craves to be the center of every moment in our life but when we don’t place Him in the number one spot He still forgives.

He is full of grace. Full of beautiful forgiveness.

Maybe you are also trying to read along with the #SheReadsTruth study. Or maybe you are doing your own study alone. Even if you aren’t doing anything… stuck in rut… all of that is okay.

He’s still there. Waiting patiently for your attention.

I am praying for my heart to keep a passionate focus for the Lord. I’m also praying for this world to find that same focus. Not a focus on the worldly gossip about what is right or wrong with faith but a REAL focus on a Holy God.

oh, Holy One, brighter than the sun

we lift our hands and sing

You are glorious; shine Your light on us

till Your light in us is seen

Lift up the light // Shane & Shane

All On A Quiet Tuesday Morning.

VIA

This morning while doing my usual “Pinterest Checking” I saw the quote above. My eyes instantly filled with tears. I was baffled. That’s what I want… to surrender everything and live for Him. Walk toward Him instead of all other things, leaving behind anything that isn't pushing me toward Jesus.

There are a lot of things that I have decided to walk away from in the past few months. Some are little, some are big, but they are all things that weren't driving me toward His grace and love. I thought about listing the things that I cut out of my life but I didn't want to come across as self righteous. I actually typed everything out but then with one easy motion I erased all of it. My Lord and Savior knows what I have removed and refilled with Him and that’s all that matters to me.

He knows.

After reading the picture above I went to read my daily devotion from #shereadstruth….

“ ²⁴ 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. ²⁵ 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. ²⁶And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? {Matthew 16:24-26 NLT}

I couldn't believe it… It always amazes me how God meets us right where we are. He knows how to get our attention and if we turn to Him we will find a security that no worldly goods can give.

This cross that I've taken up can get heavy. It can become difficult to carry. Honestly, it gets in the way sometimes. But it is the best thing I've ever picked up because in the hard times when I turn toward the cross, its then that I realize I’m not carrying it at all… it’s always been carrying me and pointing me in the right direction. I just have to be still and listen. And sometimes on a quiet Thursday morning it all settles in place as I rest in His grace.