Three Years

Hubby and I have almost been married for three years. It feels so weird to say that. In one sense I feel like, “where did the time go?” and in another sense I feel like, “that’s all it has been?”. Crazy right.

I still remember my single years and how wonderful and difficult they were. I spent those years really building my relationship with God and allowing Him to work in me deeply. I spent those years serving Him without reservation. Those years were some of the hardest, most wonderful, fulfilling, times that I have had. Intermittently within those years I found myself lonely for the one that I knew God had for me. I loved those years but did have those difficult moments of loneliness and wondering through every wedding of all my younger friends if I was meant to be married and if so, when would I find him.

And then it happened, I finally fell in love and knew that this man was the man that God had just for me and me just for him. It did not look a thing like I thought it would and I confirmed with God over and over and over again that I could and should finally really give that part of my heart over to a man. It had been so long (8 years) and it just didn’t seem real. And it seemed too good to be true.

But that is not how God works. He really does want us to have good things, great and wonderful things even.

And that is just what these last three years have been: good, great, wonderful and completely unbelievable! I cannot believe all that has transpired in the past three years. We married, moved, went to Bible College, I graduated, he is extremely close to graduating, and we got a job as Children’s Pastors at our church. It has been truly unbelievable! Through it ALL, the good and the bad, God has been so incredibly faithful. He has taken care of our every need and has supplied some wants as well.

I feel that we have found wonderful balance (and that is truly the first time in my life that I can say I have found balance)…WOW! But we have found good balance.

I believe that this past year has been one of the best. I feel like we have reached a wonderful place in our marriage and ministry. We are communicating better with each other, we know each other so much better, we have so much fun together, we know where to stand with each other, we know where to challenge each other, we know better how to support each other.

By no means am I saying that we have arrived but what a great year #3 has been. I have loved it so so much!

I have loved ministering alongside my incredible husband and I see now how God planned it. Marshall brings so much balance to me and I to him. We truly are a great team. I do not want to do ministry without him. I know I could, but I don’t want to. I want him with me and I want his input and his heart. There is absolutely nothing like seeing my man worship and serve the Lord. There is nothing like seeing him get things done for the kingdom. There is nothing like seeing him minister, teach, and love these kids and students. There is nothing like doing ministry alongside my Husband.

I am truly blown away by God’s goodness and faithfulness to us in our marriage, our ministry, and our friendships.

Truly blown away. I know that I shouldn’t be blown away, but I can’t help but be. God is so incredible and He is so good and kind, and He loves us so much and so completely that it is impossible for my human self not to be completely blown away by God and who He is and who He has made me to be and who He gave me to walk this journey with. Incredible. Unbelievable. Wonderful.

And do you know what…I GET TO LIVE THIS LIFE. LOVING GOD AND MY HUSBAND AND MINISTERING IN HIS KINGDOM!

Thank YOU my Heavenly Father. Thank YOU for all of this and so much more. I truly do want others to see YOUR love in the way Marshall and I love each other. Help me to love, honor, and respect him more everyday and every year that passes. In Jesus name. Amen.

Journey. Love's Journey. Our Journey. His Journey.

Journey:


1. a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; trip: a six-day journey across the desert.

2. a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for traveling: a desert journey.

3. a period of travel: a week's journey.

4. passage or progress from one stage to another: the journey to success.



Journey a passage or progression from one stage to another: the journey to success.

Yes, I do believe with all my heart that is the journey we are on. I absolutely do not believe that we would be on this journey had we not decided to follow God no matter what. No matter if we were scared witless. No matter if we didn’t fully understand the why or the how. No matter if it made others happy or not. No matter who agreed or disagreed. No matter if it was easy or hard.


What I have learned so far on this journey is that it is the hard that brings the most return. Brings the most faith. Brings the most growth. Brings the most change. Brings the most learning. Brings the most out of our relationship with God.


The Journey to Success.

And how exactly is Success measured? Success to me is measures in moments of laughter, moments of love, moments of hugs, moments of peace, moments of challenge, moments of tears, moments of strength and moments of weakness. Success is holding hands through the rain and sunshine. Success is saying the hard things because they need to be said. Success is never giving up. Success is doing what you know is right even if no ones else gets it. Success is a gift of God and a choice to work only for His Glory. Success is measured in love and forgiveness. Success is measured in the moments of complete surrender to a God who cares more than any other can about EVERYTHING in our lives. Success is measured in His love and Faithfulness.


Journey: Jeremiah 29:11 –“For I know the plans I have for you say the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

This is the journey we are on and everyday this journey blows me away.

God’s love and faithfulness are beyond anything I could have ever imagined or hoped for growing up. I have never and will never experience anything like it on earth.

Heavenly Father I thank you for your great love and faithfulness. I am thankful that you reached down and pulled me from the darkness I was in and revealed the light of your love and hope to me. I am thankful that you never gave up on me and still do not give up on me and I am thankful that you walked with me and gave me the strength to never give up on myself. I am thankful that you supply the strength and wisdom to keep fighting the good fight in my own life and in the lives of others. I am thankful that even though this journey is chock full of difficult and hurtful things, you are quick to step in and remind me who you are and who I am in YOU. I am thankful to You Father for the partner that you gave me to walk this journey with. I know that you had me in mind when you brought him and that you had him in mind when you brought me. I know that you love us both more than we could have ever imagined and that no one could or will ever love us the way that you do.

I ask that you would continue to speak your love and truth into our hearts always. I ask that you would continue to give us your wisdom and your love to share with those around us. I ask that you would always give us the strength to stand in the hard places and never give up. I ask that you would always give us the tools that we need to walk the journey that you have planned for us, whatever comes our way. I ask that you would keep us in your Spirit forever. Let us finish this race and this journey STRONG! Let us never give up or give in.

In Jesus Name. Amen

Life these days...

Life these days:

We are both finall well again after Hubby having pnuemonia and me having shingles. We are glad both are behind us!

We have been trying to cut back our schedules to create more rest and no burn out!

We are READY for Football Season! ROLL TIDE!

We are getting to visit with my brother this weekend as he stays with us on his way to Oregon to live! We will miss him tons but hope to visit him at some point!

We are looking forward to JBQ this fall! Getting started next week!

We are experiencing what I believe has been our absolute BEST year of marriage thus far! And we are looking forward to MANY MANY MANY more to come!

We are both sinking into ministry and loving it so very very much!

We have both been so very blessed to make such incredible friends and we are enjoying the comfort and blessings of those relationships!

Life these days is busy but blessed and we are as always so thankful for God's incredible faithfulness and never ending love!

God is GOOD all of the time!

Questionnaire

1.) Mood: Ready to be healthy & well again! But blessed & thankful for caring & praying friends & family through our sicknesses!
2.) If you had to guess, how many beauty products would you say you use a day? Three
4.) Current nail polish: Actually...none...I'm all natural for a change! Shocker I know!
5.) What is your favorite dinner dish? Anything Italian
6.) Current outfit: PJ's
7.) Do you like to dance? When I'm not in public lol
8.) Can you drive a manual transmission/stick shift car? Yes
9.) What is the last beauty product you purchased? Hair Spray
10.) Weekly goals: Rest, get well, make Christmas gifts, & work @ the end of the week to prepare to see my kiddos again!! Woot Woot!

A lil’ Trotter Update

We are coming to the end of:


Our first summer in ministry

  • it has been unbelievable to say the least

  • we took our first group of kids to camp (33) and it was really awesome in so many ways

     o It was different being at camp as the pastor – much different

     o We were blown away by the amount of kids that came!

     o We learned a lot about where our kids stand and we better understand the road ahead of us now.

     o We connected with our students on a deeper level & that is one of my very favorite things about kids camp

  • We have learned that we have to find ways to connect with the kids as it is not as easy to do so now that we are leading

     o But this is still one of our top priorities – we love our students so very much



Our third year of marriage

  • it has been so wonderful, I feel like we have grown the most this year

  • this year was easier than the second (I believe that was our toughest year)

  • I believe we have learned so much more about each other and learned to love each other so much more

  • I am still so very much in love with my husband and he still takes my breath away everyday


Our third summer of living in Missouri

  • Being this far from family is not easy at all but we have made the effort to visit and keep our relationships  as strong as possible

  • In some ways the distance has been really wonderful for our relationships

     o We take full advantage of all the time we get with family

     o We appreciate each other more

     o Hubby and I have learned to depend on each other and that we can indeed trust each other


Life sure does move fast. It is unbelievable to me that we have been married and in Missouri this long and that I have graduated from Bible College and Hubby is right behind me (he graduates in March) and that we have been in ministry already for seven months.

In everything the one thing that remains is God’s incredible love and faithfulness.

We serve one incredible God, one who loves and cares more deeply and completely than anyone on this earth could and for that I am truly truly thankful. I depend on my Heavenly Father more now than ever before and that is exactly where I always want to be.

Thank you Father for your love and faithfulness and for so much more than I could ever put words to.

Simple reflections on a Thursday

• I am completely blown away by God's great faithfulness.


• I know that He is ALL of the reason why I am where I am doing what I am doing.

• I know that we are exactly where we are supposed to be, doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing, and that is truly incredible to me.

• God truly takes my breath away with His great love for me.

• I am in love with the man that God picked just for me.

• I am in love with my calling and job and the kids and families of this church.

• I am so far from perfect but I am learning more and more about myself and asking God everyday to help me be better and to give me His great wisdom.

• It still breaks my heart to make mistakes and to hurt people.

• I still beat myself up a good bit over my mistakes and how they affect other people, but I am working on self-forgiveness.

• I am truly surrounded by incredible people who inspire me and teach me and challenge me and I am so thankful for that.

• My family blesses me so much.

• I still miss my Mother-in-Law so much that it hurts and it hurts to know that her children miss her 1000 times more than me. Our lives are so different without her and it still breaks my heart into pieces.

• I want to learn to function in my weaknesses better and learn to appreciate my own strengths more.

• I am thankful for the person that God has transformed me into. I am thankful that I barely look or act anything like the person I used to be (BC). I am thankful that the people in my life now would absolutely NOT recognize me as the person that I used to be. It is truly one of the great miracles of God in my life.

• I am thankful that God is showing me how to be humble and showing me all the ways that because of that humbleness that He and HE ALONE has given me can allow Him to POUR out HIS GRACE and FAVOR in my life.

• I am thankful for my incredible husband. Words cannot express all of the ways that he surprises me with his love, thoughtfulness, and servants heart. He takes my breath away. I am so thankful that I waited and did not settle. He was worth every second of the waiting.

• I am thankful for friends who love me even though I am so far from perfect and even thought I get crazy and disconnected. I am thankful for their grace, support, and understanding, and love for me. I would not be the same person without them in my life.

• I am thankful for so many things but I must go STUDY for my last exam until the fall! I need a miracle today!



Father, my Father, my Lord, my King...all my heart can say is...Thank You & I love you. Help me to love you more and more each day. I am blown away by You. Thank You! I need you and want you everyday! You did that in my heart, thank you! I desire Your will and Your wisdom. Help me to be a better me. In Jesus name, Amen.

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.

Planning meeting...on staff...what! Wow!

Had a great planning meeting with the church staff today.
I cannot believe that I am on staff at a church!
I am truly living my dream! Wow!
Another Promise from my Heavenly Father come true! Boy what a feeling that is! I'm blown away yet again!
My God is good & Faithful all of the time!

I Desire Wisdom.

James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

*Wisdom = the ability to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances.

*1) Practical: The wisdom from God relates to life even during the most trying times.

*2) Divine: God’s wisdom goes beyond common sense. It begins with respect for God, leads to living by God’s direction, and results in the ability to tell right from wrong.

*3) Christlike: Asking for wisdom is ultimately asking to be like Christ.


Solomon’s Wisdom:

1 Kings 1:5-10 – “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and up right in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.”

*When given a chance to have anything in the world, Solomon asked for wisdom – “a discerning heart” – in order to lead well and make right decisions.

*We can ask God for this same wisdom

*We should not ask God to do for us what he wants to do through us.

*Instead we should ask God to give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to follow through on it.

New Year!

We spent the first day of this new year pouring our hearts out in our very first children's church service as the new children's pastors at Praise Assembly.

Our first pastor job.

It was a great first day of the new year!

We are excited to see what God has in store for this new year.

We seek to honor Him and bring Him glory in all we do!

We welcome 2012 as 2011 was a very difficult year for us!

Welcome 2012!!
Happy New Year!

Thankful 2011

Tis the season for Thankfulness...

Hubby and I had a great Thanksgiving an uneventful Black Friday work experience...and we have much to be thankful for.  We ate and slept and worked.  I made chess pie (twice because I burned the first one - ugh) and two casseroles my classic green bean casserole and my Father-in-law's hashbrown casserole! We ordered turkey and dressing from Cracker Barrel to save time and energy.  It was a yummy feast!!

There is stress and there is extreme busyness, and there are things we wish were very different, but more than that...there is love, our Savior, blessings, God's will, and very exciting things happening.

In a few short weeks the semester will be over leaving only one semester left before I graduate from Bible College, and we are fairly confident that we are about to embark on a new journey as well.  That announcement will come as soon as it is official...and no I am not pregnant ;-)!

We have family who love us and friends who love us and we have these amazing people lifting us up in prayer and that is one of the most incredible blessings of all.

So Happy season of Thankfulness!! We here in the Trotter household are very Thankful and Excited about what's ahead!!

Father I surrender ALL to you and I TRUST YOU!!!  Help us to walk whatever journey you put before us!  We love you and TRUST you!

Screaaammmm!!!

Oh my goodness sometimes I just wanna scream so bad!!
Stress Stress & more Stress

Church Stress...some exciting news coming soon here!

School Stress...end of the semester will be here all too soon.

Family  Stress...teenagers, drama, holidays

I don't even know what would help at this point.

I am at a breaking point.  I am on the edge!!  I feel like I am falling off the edge!!!

However I am Thankful for this journey and all the stresses that it sometimes brings! There are many good things...in fact there are more good things that bad!!

The difference it makes...

Tonight I am absolutely astounded at the difference it makes in young ladies to be consistently told of their worth from a young age and that it is not found in others.

Absolutely astounded.

Parents, Leaders, Friends...please understand that it makes such a difference to talk to the young ladies in your life and continually tell them that they have worth and that it is not found in others!  Their worth is found in Jesus alone.

In one instance my heart hurts more than I have words to even express.  I am praying and continually pouring in the affirmations as I have opportunity, but it is somewhat new information for this young lady and she has yet to see it lived out before her in the people that she has been surrounded by most in her life.  Sad, hard, and it is so very frustrating because I SEE HER WORTH and she does not understand it at all.

I the other instance my heart is filled with such pride that I can't express fully.  I have seen this young lady reach out for the wisdom of those around her, take it into serious and heartfelt consideration, and then act on what she has learned from that wisdom.  I have seen her stand up for herself because she understands and knows that she is worth more and that she does not have to settle for what she can have right now because she is desperate to have that kind of acceptance.  It is not about acceptance from a guy or people for her.

Two very different young ladies.  Two very different circumstances growing up.  Two very different results.

My heart truly breaks and soars tonight.  I am thankful to have the opportunity to pour into both of these young ladies the wisdom that others have poured into me.  I am thankful for a God who never gives up on His daughters & who gives opportunities for them to hear their worth.

Father please let your wisdom and love permeate these precious hearts of your daughters.  Please bring understanding of worth and your purpose and plan into their lives and hearts.  Father I know that what you can do in the life of a daughter who has never heard of their worth or never been taught where to find their worth, You have worked that miracle in my life and I ask you to work that miracle in this life of this young lady who is headed down the wrong path quickly.  I pray for opportunities to speak into her life and that you would soften her heart to hear and understand what You have for her. I know you have a purpose and a plan for her life.  I ask you to protect her and change her heart and I pray that you would pour out your wisdom into her life as you have mine and beyond.  I thank you Father for the wisdom you poured into my life and I thank you for the privilege to share that wisdom with others.  In Jesus name. Amen

HIS Protection

I am recognizing God's hand of protection in my life right now, where as I could not recognize it previously.  I am thankful.  I know that He knows so much better than me the things that are best and that I do not always get to understand the whys usually.  He, however, has a plan for everything and as I continue to learn to trust Him he continues to be faithful even when I do not understand. What a great great Father!!  


In a particular situation where I have given my heart in new ways that I never expected to give, God is protecting me and up until now I did not understand certain things.  I see just a bit more clearly and God get's the glory for that.


God gets the glory for allowing me to give my heart in such a way, God gets the glory for His protection in my life, God gets the glory for the bit of understanding that my heart experienced these past few days, God gets ALL of the Glory!!

TWO YEARS!! :-D

Happy Two Year Anniversary to my Hubby!!

I thought I would take you all on a quick two year journey!! Enjoy!!

Wedding Day! October 17th 2009.

 Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Trotter!!

 We moved to Missouri

 Big Move

 Studying Begins

 Here to Study about God

 FIRST Anniversary

 We celebrated ONE Year

We jumped into Ministry:

Bobby Rockit

 Girls lost

 Marshall the Martian

 Boys lost

 Studying!!

 We have LOVED each other through it all!!

I am beyond blessed to have this man as my Husband!!  I give all Glory to God for this journey we are on!! God is so faithful and has brought us through a lot already!!  We are trusting HIM completely for our future!! These past two years have been adventurous and wonderful, scary and hard, but I would not trade this life or this journey with my God and my Husband for anything!!!  I am more in love with both my God and my Husband than ever before!! God is Good!!

Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband!!  You still make me feel like I felt in this picture!!!  I love you with all of my heart and I believe in you like I have never believed in anyone before!!  I am honored to share this journey with you!! You make my live wonderful!! You are truly a wonderful Hubby!! I am so thankful for you everyday!!  Thank You Heavenly Father for sharing this man with me!!  I pray that we honor YOU in all we do!! Continue to lead us and guide us on this journey of love!!  We trust YOU and we will follow You!!  

Who you are is wonderful..

This statement helped change my life.

Now I tell others so that they can experience that same kind of change in their life.

This is real and true.  The bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  

Does God make mistakes?  No.  Then believing less about ourselves is telling God that He is a liar and that what He made is not good.  Being Less Than This is turning your back on God and what He created you to be.  Ouch Right!!  

This is an Ouch WE NEED!!  Who are we to tell our Creator that we are less than this or not enough of that or not good enough here or there.  Who are we to give up and throw our hands in the air and decide we just can't because we are not good enough.

I believe that I am Wonderful because someone told me this consistently and would not let me believe otherwise. 

Now I long to challenge others in that very same way.

I believe that WE ARE ALL fearfully and wonderfully made.  Not just a few of us or those that we look at and think that they are so much better than us here or there or I'm not outgoing like her, or pretty like her, or I can't sing like her, or I don't parent like her.  YOU ARE RIGHT YOU AREN'T AND YOU DON'T - BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT MADE TO BE HER!  

YOU WERE MADE TO BE YOU.  WONDERFUL YOU.  

WHO YOU ARE IS WONDERFUL.

Who YOU are is wonderful.

Who you are IS wonderful.

Who you are is WONDERFUL.

WHO YOU ARE IS WONDERFUL.

Listen to me ladies.  Comparing is dangerous and it robs us of what we have to offer and share with the world.  It also robs those around us of what we have to offer and share, of what they could learn from us.  

This is so strong on my heart today.  Men and Women alike...WHO YOU ARE IS WONDERFUL.

I tell my husband this all of the time.  I believe this about him to my core.  I will tell my children this all of the time because I want them to reach their full potential.  I tell this to those that I minister to as well because this was told to me and IT CHANGED MY LIFE.  Because I began to believe it and live it.  Not that I live it every single day, but I live it more now than I did before and I hope to live it more tomorrow than I did yesterday.

Readers I will leave you with this...

WHO YOU ARE IS WONDERFUL.

Psalm 139:14

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.

Favs for October

October is my very favorite month...so here are some of my favs about my fav month!

<3 It's the beginning of Fall

<3 Weather is perfect

<3 It's our anniversary month

<3 Pumpkins

<3 Beautiful trees

<3 Bike riding

<3 Fall scented candles

<3 Oranges, reds, & golds

<3 Hot Tea

<3 Long sleeves

<3 Hoodies

<3 Leaves on the ground

<3 Doors & Windows open

<3 Pumpkin Spice coffees

<3 Pumpkin cupcakes

<3 Chili

<3 Alabama Football

<3 Fall festivals

<3 Leggins

<3 Clogs

<3 Scarves

<3 Jackets

<3 Hot Apple Cider

<3 Pumpkins

<3 Decorating Pumpkins

<3 Nostalgia

<3 Getting pumped up for Christmas

<3 & BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH (Ladies get checked!! I want LESS cancer and MORE birthdays!!) 

Update

We have been enjoying a really lovely Fall!! We have had a month of BEAUTIFUL fall weather and have had our door and window open almost everyday!!!

We bought bikes last week and have gone one two rides and have loved it!! I love being outside with my Hubby!!

I dropped Physical Science & Lab after much praying and fretting and have picked up Church Ed. to independent study!

Looks like I may not be returning to Old Navy to work for the Holidays.  I hope that I can just keep plugging away at school during break and finish strong.

Next month is going to be an extremely busy month for school, I need to stay busy and organized!

My husband is amazing.

My family are amazing and wonderfully loving.

Lil Ronni is doing well, her freshman year is going much better than expected.  I know God is among us and working in this.  Mr. Ronnie had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will be having surgery soon.  I know this will work out!

I still do not understand the timing of all of this, with us being so far away, but I know that God has a plan and a purpose for everything and I am simply trusting in Him and not trying to understand it all because I know that I cannot.

I have been so unbearably grumpy and moody lately and I hate it.  I do not want to be this moody person!!  I just want to be joyful and have my emotions well balanced.

Work is going well for Hubby and he is plugging away at school!!  I think we are just both so ready to be done with this schooling part of life.  He has been studying for so much longer than me so I know he must be ready to be done.  But we are so excited about what we are learning in this time in life and I know God will get us through and we will have more of the skills and knowledge we will need to minister full-time for HIM.

Church is going great!!  Learning and experiencing SO much!!!

I was nominated to be a part of a mentoring group called Seasons and I am excited to be mentored and be surrounded my incredible peers the next two semesters!!  God is faithful!!

That is all for now as I am going to go cook din din for Hubby and me!!  

Life these days.

School:
    My second week of my last semester is almost over!!  This is going to be a long but rewarding semester!!  I am exhausted but excited about what I get to learn and that graduation is getting closer and closer everyday.  I am loving Chapel and just diving into worship these days!  I have three classes with my brother and I love love love that.  He is growing up and fast and I am loving our time here together preparing for ministry!!!  I love that kid!


    Hubby finished his first term with an 'A'!!!  I am so very very proud of him. His next term is going to be a tough one but I know that he is going to do wonderful!!!  I love this man, he is just amazing and I am happy to share life with him!!!




Church:
     I am done with my informal internship and had a great summer doing it over the summer.  I am still heavily involved but won't be going to the church twice a week to meet.  Right now I am getting to work really hard training up the crew members and just praying for lots and lots of wisdom there!!  I am also getting to co-teach the Girl's Only club.  So excited about this adventure and being used by God to pour into these precious precious girl's lives!!!




Friends:
     Before leaving Alabama I began praying that God would provide friends.  It has been a long lonely road here for me, until recently that is.  I have connected with a wonderful lady and I know she is an answer to prayer for me.  I am still being cautious because I have just fooled myself too many times, but I believe that this lovely lady (Stacy is her name) is going to be one of those real friends.  She has three beautiful daughters and a very kind husband.  I am thankful for the time that I get to spend with her.  This week we took a new step and began praying for each other, I love that in friendship.  I fully believe that friends should sharpen each other and challenge each other.  So I am still walking cautious but I just have  a feeling about this one.  I hope my feeling is right!!!  


Those are the goings on here lately.  I am about to go do a little shopping for myself and then grocery shopping while hubby is at work and then come home and cook some din din and study study study!!!