Copy and Paste Time

I can't sum up all the crazy feelings I have been having with the changing seasons. I have never been one to accept change very well but who is? This devotional that God brought me to through my friend Kendra (who posted it on her facebook) and also my love for following She Reads Truth Devotionals, is worthy of just copying straight from the site. This message needs to be placed at the forefront of my mind and saved on my blog to look back at with the next change in season.

Here it is...

Text: Daniel 3:1-23

“And if not…”

I feel like that’s the rally cry of my faith. I hold on to the idea that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had. I believe that God will show up, that He will show up here on Earth and move in His people and move mountains.

“And, if not…”

And if not, He is still good. He is still the King Most High. He alone is still worthy of our worship. It is still worth it. It would be far better for me to perish than to live a life of bowing down to a lesser god.

We may not live under a government that dictates who or what we can worship, but how often do we voluntarily allow idols to take residence in our life? Comfort, safety, health, wealth. How often do we bow down and sacrifice for those things?

I have hopes. I have desires. If I’m honest, sometimes I hope God’s desires line up with my desires for my life, not the other way around.

But, I believe I’d give up comfort, safety, health and wealth to more fully know God. I believe that giving up those things would benefit me here on Earth. And, if not, I have the comfort of knowing there is glory in Eternity.

Do you have something you are hoping God will show up and do? Do you trust that He is good to grant that desire? Do you trust that He is also good in the “And, if not…”?

High Five for Friday

Excited for the weekend?! How about ECSTATIC? Because that is what I'm feeling right now! One night shift separates me from a fun filled weekend with my Whole Family at the Lakes in Okoboji. We haven't been all together with Alex included since Michael's graduation way back at the beginning of the summer so this is going to be such a blessing to have 3 days together! 

1 // Thursday Morning after work I prepped some Greek Chicken Gyros in the Crockpot and by the afternoon when the house smelled delicious and Alex was begging to have some to take to work. We were fighting over it and I had to make sure there was some left over for me to have for supper. Note to self...Make about 3 pounds at a time ;)

2 // Mike had is first week of classes at ISU and he is getting used to being in class sizes that are in the 300's rather than 20 student classes at MMC! I was lucky enough to get to chat to him on the phone and loved it because he always knows how to make me laugh. I told him to keep a look out for a girl that was on MTV's Catfish because she just started at ISU and I thought they could be friends ..haha! 

3 // Where's Kobe? He cracks me up and has become an expert fly killer and daytime "snuggler" while I'm sleeping 

4 // My bestie Kendra posted this picture and I asked her permission if I could share it because it gave me goosebumps right away. The caption read "The car I followed home from work..License plate, CJD DAD..Someone's initials? Someone who's dad was affected by CJD? A sign..? Pretty Crazy!" 

God sends us signs every day and if Kendra was too busy with the hustle and bustle of this world she may have missed this very special sign from The Lord. We are so blessed to have these little miracles from above that help us know the Lord is looking out for us and that everyday He is working to heal our heart :) 

For full details about her Dad's struggle with CJD you can read her blog and if you would like to know more about CJD visit this website 

5 // Finally after 1 week I was able to run. With this stubborn sinus infection and busy work schedule I had been lacking in the workout department so I was blessed to finally get some fresh air and listen to some great Pandora radio. I started to wonder if Pandora knew I was sick because these were the songs that came up...

I'm linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for this {High Five for Friday} 

Hope you all have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend! 

Worship Wednesday

Thank you to anyone who read my last post on prayer and for the positive feedback! My prayer list is getting longer and longer and I hope you have found time to have a quiet moment with God too in this crazy (Cyrus circus) world! I was hesitant to bring up Miley because I know attention was the main goal of thy performance but I want to add her (and all the young ladies watching) to my prayer list too. But honestly what I was more troubled by was Kayne Wests heartbreaking introduction when he performed at the VMA's because it is a direct hit to my faith. Or should I say 'swing and a miss' to my faith because nothing will stand between me and My God! The singer was introduced with an 'Amen and Hallelujah!' And shockingly even 'jesus' (pronounced hey-sues as in the Spanish version) 

This hurt my heart and I immediately turned off the TV in disgust. I know I am naive to some of the things that go on in our culture but why should I be surprised by this even? In the Bible there were plenty of parables of people worshiping Idols such as gold cows and false prophets but I'm not here to write a research paper on the topic. I'm here simply to say I was saddened by that introduction and it brought me to close my eyes in prayer and once again praise The Lord for my Christian upbringing. 

And now... With a proper and pure introduction .. I give the Worship Wednesday song 'He is With Us' by Love & The Outcome 

Remember when your hope is lost and faith is shaken
Remember when you wonder if you're gonna make it
There's a hand stretched out through your deepest doubt
We can't pretend to see the ending or what's coming up ahead
To know the story of tomorrow
But we can stay close to the One who knows

We can trust our God
He knows what He's doing
Though it might hurt now
We won't be ruined
It might seem there's an ocean in between
But He's holding on to you and me
And He's never gonna leave, no
He is with us, He is with us
Always, always
He is with us, He is with us
Always

We believe there is purpose, there is meaning in everything
We surrender to His leading
He wants nothing more than to have us close

The Power of Prayer

I have said many times that the closest I have felt to God was when I was in Africa. God is always just a prayer away but there is something really amazing about feeling a certain connection to a place that sets your faith on fire. That place may be in a small church, near a calm lake or even halfway around the world in an impoverished country. However you don't even need to be in that certain nostalgic place to be close to God. Even though the world around you may be spinning with to-dos, computer screens, and heavy traffic there is always one calm place that is only a prayer away. Prayer is a unique gift that I believe is a Godsend (Literally!)

For some people it may not come natural and for others it is a necessary form of communication. I have learned to open up more in prayer and welcomed the notion of praying out loud before my shift at the pregnancy center with the other wonderful women there. And I wholeheartedly believe that prayer is a powerful thing! Prayer can heal a broken heart, cure a condition that was thought to be hopeless or bring two people closer together. I don't really have to go into a lot of detail but asking, thanking, worshiping, or connecting with your Lord is a tool that comes in very handy in a busy, busy world!

And even though I felt closest to God while I was in Africa, I feel day after day God working to bring special people into my life even if our paths cross for just a short amount of time. These people could be patients of mine, coworkers or even just someone in line at the checkout of Target. I found myself thinking the other day that as much as I attempt to work on a higher acuity unit to gain more experience, I am on my unit for a very important reason. I am in the spot God wants me when I meet a special patient that shares my faith and also when I struggle with finding the reason for such illness and pain in the world. I can grow closer to the Lord through other Christians but I can also grow closer to God when I use the compassion He has taught me. 

Some shifts are frustrating and beyond tiring but when you hear a patient's testimony and see her struggle but know that she will prevail because of God's glory then it makes it all worth it! Some nurses may not find the depth of their work as a caregiver. I hope I never become blinded to the good in every shift at the hospital and knowing that a little prayer can make all the difference! 

Tuesday Topics - Favorite Quotes { Link Up }

Hello everyone and Happy Tuesday! I love Tuesdays because it is of course Tuesday Topics with Lauren @ LiveLoveLauren. This week's topic is 3 favorite quotes which is such a small number because there is so many amazing quotes that really tug at my heart. So I have narrowed it down and if you ask me tomorrow, I would probably have 3 different favorite quotes..But here ya go!

(Oh and Thanks to Pinterest for displaying my fav quotes on beautiful backgrounds)

1 // You find out what is really important in this world when you see others that have less than you! My integrity to help others has sky-rocketed in the last few years because of the work I do at the hospital, pregnancy center, Moore OK and my time in Tanzania, Africa. You find out your true morals and values when lending a hand to others. You make the choice when you want to help and how far you will go to help! 

2// This verse explains the promise Our Lord has for us no matter what our circumstances on this earth are! He will care for you, He will fight for you and He will provide. The struggles of this world are just of this world and our True Treasure is in Heaven!!!

3 // This verse has so much in just 14 words! It embraces Feminism, Optimism, Strength, Faith, and Perseverance. When I see this verse I am reminded to hold my head tall because I am a Daughter of a King and my worries of the future can be lost in the Grace of God he has provided me with!

Forgive but not Forget { Link Up }

This Week's Question: 

"What does forgiveness look like? At what point do you realize it's time to forgive and move on if someone takes advantage of you?"

I'm linking up with Kalyn and Lauren for a Coffee & Conversation topic question. I like opening up by posting my thoughts on various topics that stray away from the typical weekend happenings or recipes. Forgiveness is something that I think we learn more and more about with each year of our life. I recently celebrated a birthday and aside from the parties and gifts, the most important aspect of a birthday remembering how much you have grown and thanking the Lord for giving you another year of life! I believe my knowledge on forgiveness will change with each decade of my life. When I was in my teens I was hurt by lack of forgiveness from my friends and I'm sure I hurt them by not asking for their forgiveness. And by my twenties I have really looked back on those instances and realized how much I have grown from them. No one wants to dwell on their past wrong doings or focus on the times when their heart was broken but remembering how they changed you into the person you are today is very crucial. 

So we have to choose. Decide the times when we face the person with new confidence and strength or turn away from that person knowing that they can have a place in your past but not in your future. And I think that by 25 I have learned the difference between those two times. I have learned enough to know what my next decade of forgiveness will look like in my thirties and beyond. But there is one important thing to take away with this new realization! Forgiving does not mean forgetting. Or should I say remembering. There are plenty of times where I have questioned if I have really forgiven that person or event because I keep remembering it or them. The answer to that question is they are two very different things! How can we expect something that impacted our lives and our heart so much to just be lost. The depth of our heart should not be limited to remembering only the times where we were correct or where others have treated us fairly. 

So remember but do not dwell. 

Forgive but don't feel that there is a need to forget. 

Your soul can hold the good and the bad but your future will embrace the AMAZING!

And how have I come to understand forgiveness better? My the one Man who has Forgiven it ALL! That Man who died on the cross for My Sins and Yours. His blood set me free and by knowing He has forgiven All of my sins I don't have to be weighed down by how I have treated others or how they have treated me. And that example of unconditional love and beautiful Grace has allowed me to work harder to become a better person! 

Quick Post..Please Pray!

Hi Everyone! I just received an email from the Pregnancy center that I work at concerning a call for prayer. Lately the center has been sending out emails to the employees with tid-bits about some of the women's stories and situations. I like getting these emails because I haven't worked there in a couple weeks and it keeps me in touch but this last email was pretty sad, however there is still time to pray for her!
This specific 16 year old girl that is 5 weeks along is very scared to tell her mom. She even has asked for information as far as contacting a judge so that she can bypass telling her parents when she gets an abortion.
A little background information, the state of Nebraska requires girls under the age of 18 to have their parents permission before getting an abortion at any clinic in Nebraska. This is an amazing law that I  believe every state should have however just with any law there are loopholes. If a teenager goes before a judge and justifies that it would be dangerous to her health to tell her parents (meaning she would get beaten or severely punished) the judge can waive her need to notify her parents. I think this would also be in the case where parents are unfit such as into drugs and alcohol but the teen would have to have some substantial evidence to back her up. 
As of now this scared young woman has an abortion scheduled for TOMORROW! So please please pray for her and let her know there are people that are willing to help her and that God has a plan for the precious being inside of her!!

A Holy Experience

One of my friends on facebook posted this article from a website that I just couldn't not share! The author of the website is actually the author for  the book "A Thousand Gifts" which I have been meaning to read! She is a farmer's wife and has 6 kids but this particular post was about the tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday. The tornado was an F5 and the death toll is at 24 which includes many children.

As you can see the houses in the tornados path were leveled


Astonishing map showing the path the largest recorded tornado in 1999 and the now largest tornado path. Literally  being in the exact same spot at one time! What are the chances?

you can see the dirt that was tore up where the tornado hit



All this woman has left is the clothes on her back and her little kitty.



http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/05/how-god-feels-about-storms/

This article really made so much sense. Some people that aren't believers and even believers struggle with the fact that "if God is so Great then why does he allow bad things to happen?" My only answer is that these storms, shootings and hatred are all a result of the devil and his plan to knock us down causing frustration and widening the gap between us and God. Or maybe the answer to that question is that in order for us to see all the Good in this world we must first live through the bad. Because why would we even need God if our lives were perfect? Yes He would be there to thank but how grateful do you think we would be for all these blessings if the blessings were all we had and we didn't have the bad days.

Lord God I pray for every soul affected by these tornados. I pray that they may find a glimmer of hope in all this distruction and that they may become even a little closer to you through all of this. Help them to understand you hold all their tears in Your Mighty hands! Lord please bless Oklahoma with the money, supplies and volunteers needed to recover from this storm.

Here is another post from her site that I really enjoyed. It is so beautifully written and expresses what a lot of Christians feel I think.

You shut off the screen, pushed back the chair, found your feet, didn’t come up with an excuse or a distraction or an eyeroll, but you simply came to the child, to the man, to the lost, with the name of Jesus on your tongue and the fire of Christ in your belly and the heat of your Savior in your bones and the thing is: When you’ve been saved, you can’t stay.
When your Savior is in you, you can’t stay still.
When you love God, you have got to go.
Yes, there is no other way to begin or become or be: Be still and know He is God. And once you know He is God… how can you not let other people know? Experience Him? Know. Him? There’s simplicity for a soul: Stilling. Knowing. Then Going.
And it comes unforced, like a reviving wind – When the gentle stillness of God fills you … the burning love of Christ fuels you.
To. Go.
Christianity means someone goes. Christianity means someone comes. SomeOne left heaven, SomeOne went to a manger, to a Cross, to the dying and trapped and the buried. And if no one goes across the room, across the house, the sidewalk, the street, the country, how many will grow cold and fall asleep and drift off and away?
How many will be held captive and chained and bound and who will go and break down doors and break down walls and break down small boxes and the only way for your life to yield anything is to go.
Take one step, reach out your hand.
You don’t have to have anything — but Christ.
Don’t let the Great Commission be your life omission by thinking it’s a function of distance — instead of going the distance right where you are.
You’ve just got to go down the hall, across the room, to the end of the street, across town, over high walls, across county and state and country lines and reach right across barbed wire fences. If we’re the hands of Christ — how can we just sit on them? If our feet are shod with gospel of good news — how can they not go where there’s bad news?
Isn’t this always the holiest work of all — to lay aside an agenda to carry a cross and the presence of Christ just. one. step. further.