The Here and Now...

The here and now…

I have been reminded quite recently to…”Accept the limitations of living one day at a time.” To live fully in the here and now.

I admit that I struggle with this as I am a planner and I feel the need to plan ahead…WAY ahead! Yet this reminder is perfect and just what I needed to hear and just what I need to do.

I have 4 weeks of college left and with that realization come many assignments; some that literally materialize overnight and with that also comes the desire to plan what comes next and what to do next! This desire is fed by a beautiful summer laid out before me, a beautiful summer of nothing but ministry for the very first time in my life, my focus will be ALL MINISTRY.

No secular job to juggle, not schoolwork to juggle, just a solid focus on how to minister to these precious kiddos that have been placed under my shepherd staff. God is good! God is faithful! God is BIG!

Yet I realize that I need to live in today, not live in graduation day – it’s not here yet, not live in the summer – it’s not here yet, but live fully in today.

Today I am at school, I get to learn more about God’s word and what it means and how to interpret it, I get to study for an exam that I don’t have to stress about. I get to think about a term paper that is due soon. And I get to just be present in the lives of the people around me. I get to worship my King in chapel and I get to enjoy His beautiful creation on THIS fine spring day.

This day, today, THE HERE AND THE NOW!

Father,

Thank You for the reminders that came through two of the most wonderful people you could have ever shared with me. Thank you that they speak their heart and that they love me enough to remind me or share with me. Thank you for your great love and kindness. Thank you for drawing me ever closer to you. Thank you for the work you have done, are doing, and will do in my life! I am truly in awe of You my Faithful Heavenly Daddy! Thank you so so much for loving me so!

Where we are.

Well it’s all coming to an end.


My unbelievable college career is nearing its end and I am truly blown away.

God was absolutely faithful every step of the way.

Faithful above and beyond.

Need and wants were met and things that we never even thought of where given.

I am amazed.

So much has changed and yet what remains is HIS GREAT LOVE!



Two years ago we set out to follow God as He called us to go back to school.

Two years ago we were just a newly wed couple following our God into the dreams He placed in our hearts.

And in one month I will walk across the platform with a degree in Children’s Ministry.

Me. Lil ole Me. The little girl who beat all odds…who was saved from alcoholism, abuse, a life of complete and total brokenness and darkness will have completed yet another bigger than life dream. While in the meantime God is bringing to realization yet other bigger than life dreams as well.



I write today from my office at Praise Assembly where I am the Children’s Pastor to approximately 70 little hearts. What!?! Yes, you read that right…I read that right…God opened a door and we dared to follow yet again. A dream bigger than life. An opportunity that scared us to death. We chose to go beyond the fear and trust God and yet again He has been faithful ABOVE AND BEYOND anything that we could have imagined.



He alone is bringing about success and He alone is the reason I am graduating and living my dream. Living exactly in the calling that He gave. Doing the very thing that I was CREATED and BORN to do.



Unbelievable, yet oh so amazing! We are loving it and we are growing and we are being blessed beyond anything we could have ever imagined. God has provided us with blessings and wisdom and amazing people who help and support us and just so so so much more.



So here we are. Who knew that this is where we would be. Who knew that though this journey has not been an easy one that we would be so blown away and so….well there just are NO words! Simply here we are with Him and loving it.



I am excited to be finishing school in a month and to finally have the opportunity to focus fully on ministry for the very first time in my life. I am excited that Marshall will graduate from CBC with a degree in Church Leadership in a year from now. I am excited about the place God has brought us and all that He has done in us and all of the people He has blessed us with. Leaders, supporters, great friends and peers. I am just truly blown away.



Truly blown away. He always blows me away.



He loves us, Oh how He loves us.