Maximizing My Mornings

It is that time again...today ended the Winter Challenge with the Hello Mornings group. It also began the registration for the Summer Challenge. You might be asking what is Hello Mornings and how are you maximizing your mornings.

So glad that you asked- Hello Mornings is a group of women gathering all over the world to wake up before our families and spend quiet time alone with the Lord. We don't wake up to our kids, but to our Lord. This step alone maximizes the morning. There are several women who add the next component of exercising to so that they are their best physically. Basically we are accountable to one another for our morning time. 

My group happens to be on twitter. Several groups meet privately on Facebook. Check this out http://register.hellomornings.org/ 

Join us for the Summer and have the best Summer with your kids!

Old Testament - New Lessons

Yesterday I was reading in Genesis (Day 12 of the Chronological Bible). I got to Jacob, Rebekah, Esau, Issac and my eyes were opened to several new truths.

First of all, I was hit smack between the eyes as a Mom when I read that Rebekah is the one who started the whole blessing reversal scam. It said that she grabbed Jacob and told him to bring two prized goats in. She overheard the conversation between Esau and Issac about the blessing and she wanted it for her "favorite"son.

Oh, my heart ached. Lord, help me not to be a Mom that schemes to change the blessing for my children. I pray that I'm not the stumbling block in their lives. I do not want to any day suggest that we do something to change their course. I pray that my life would be an example to them that leads them straight to God's plan and will for their future.

Secondly, I was taken by the Jacob's ladder story. I have sung.."We are climbing Jacob's ladder" since early preschool days. (hand motions and all) I never stopped to think about God speaking to me that way. I do dream vividly at night. I have had dreams about people I know and situations I am aware of. I realized this morning that God is might just be using my dreams to unfold something for me or people in my life. I need to seek Him more to see if this is the case. What is God saying to me at my Bethel? Am I hearing Him? Could He use me this way?

Where are you reading in God's word? What are you learning from Him?

Journey 2012

It is a New Year, 2012! I have been praying about and dwelling in several things to grow me this upcoming year. First, I have noticed several "bloggy" friends focus on one word for their year. I have decided to jump onto that bandwagon. My word for the year (cue the drum roll, please!) is ABIDE. I have spent the last few months hearing God speak this word to me. I plan to study, embrace and better understand the word and its impact on my life.

Second, challenge that I'm taking up is one offered to us in church yesterday. I had finished reading the Bible through in a year back in October. I had purchased a new One Year Chronological Bible thinking that I would jump right back into reading. Recommendation, is to not begin a chronological study in the middle-Common Sense runs deep in my family! Our challenge in church was to read more of God's word this year-whatever that might look like for you. (read a chapter, a book, a chunk, or the whole Bible I had been asking Philip about reading through the Bible in 90 days and then I remembered my Chronological Bible. Yesterday, I jumped back into my chronological study. I must admit that beginning with Adam and Eve was so much easier. (again this is Day 2 and all so I know that I sound like I've climbed Mt Everest).

Third, is a challenge that I began several weeks ago, but never stopped to blog about it. I am Hiding God's Word by memorizing Romans 8. This has been a bit of a challenge over the holidays. I have had a few wordy verses that are bogging me down. I have taken some of the hints and found them to be helpful. I am excited to be on this journey. I had spent several years with Beth Moore and her Scripture Memory plan. (2 verses per month/24 in a year). I can't wait to see a whole chapter complete in my heart!

I can't say this is really a challenge for the year, but it is something God is showing me so I want to document it. I have been feeling for awhile now that God was preparing me for something big. I mentioned before that I felt maybe our Spring Youth Mission Trip to Nicaragua was it. My first out of the country mission so I thought God was certain to let that be my BIG thing. Well, March came and went. Although it was impactful, I still have the sense of God's BIG preparation still happening. Well, I opened the book, Interrupted, by Jen Hatmaker and I sensed that God has been scheming for a while now. (again my common sense at work).  I see a pattern, a thread, a little clearing in the sky where He is writing. I can't see fully, but I know with abiding, reading and hiding I will understand more and more.

I am ready to dive in to 2012. I hope to capture the journey here.

Returning from A Long Bloggy Break....

I have been off discovering myself...
               finding a cure for fibromyalgia.....
                            searching for world peace................
                                         raising multi-millions to end poverty................

Ok, so you don't really buy all that either. I have been on a vacation of sorts. Summer, kids, home, vacation, school starting, being PTO President, volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center, cross country season, soccer season, friends having babies (I've been to many baby showers for a 40ish year old woman), changing fibro meds (I don't recommend unless guaranteed a cure), oh you name it...I have been about doing it.

For a fibro sufferer, just reading all of that makes me need a nap. I have been living a very busy, busy summer and fall. I fully intended everyday to sit and tell the world-wide-anybody all about it, but I've been too busy living it. (then sleeping in-between).

I have been on a spiritual journey of sorts. I know that this part will flesh itself out in upcoming post. I am doing three things this Fall spiritually that really excite me. One, I am tweeting with a group of ladies who are holding one another accountable in our morning routines. It is nice to know there are other women out there trying to juggle it all and keep their relationship with God first.

 http://donotdepart.com/abiding-fruit

Second, I am following several of these ladies in a study of Abiding Fruit. We take a section of scripture and slowly walk through it for the week. I have seen God's word in a new way with very familiar verses. Well, finally, these ladies have led me to challenge number 3...memorizing Romans 8.

 We are changing the "ME" into "HE". We are Hiding His Word in our hearts. I have been walking with Beth Moore and her Siestas through memorizing 24 scriptures in 2011, but memorizing a whole chapter seems to be a challenge for me.

I am so excited to see what God has planned over the next several months through the journey. I planning on sharing it all right here.

Third, I am meeting with local friends who are holding one another accountable. God gives us friends for different seasons. These ladies you would never put together on any other occasion, but God knows what we need. He knows where we need sharpening and who can help us do that.

I plan to get back into the saddle with this bloggy business. Just don't dock my pay if I continue to take breaks-I'm a work in progress.

What's Your Legacy?

I've really spent this Summer thinking a lot about this question. I spent six weeks doing the Summer Siesta Bible study online. We studied Kelly Minter's, Ruth. It walked through the loss, love and legacy that encompasses the story of Ruth, Boaz and Naomi.



I've been fond of Ruth before this study. I always looked at her dedication to her Mother-in-Law as admirable. I had memorized Ruth 1:16. You know all the stuff you get in church. I must admit that I unfolded the book of Ruth to find new layers and new loves.

I think this question resonated with me so much because my Honey (grandfather) had been writing a book about his faith journey. It basically was a request of his children and grandchildren that he record his life for us. His legacy -if you will.


The book was printed this Summer. I am so excited to know that my children will have the opportunity to read the details of his life. They are so blessed to know this 91 year old man. He is a man of faith who has seen a lot of life's ups and downs. He has lived a life full of integrity, and that is something I want them to know. I want our children and grandchildren to know their legacy.

In the last week of study, Minter focused on the legacy part of Ruth's story. She told the story of her Grandfather who was a rear admiral in the Navy. She mentioned that he had given his whole life to the Navy. Minter realized after his funeral that if she were going to leave a noble legacy that she would have to give her "whole life to the Lord". This statement made me think. My Honey has spent 91 years doing this. He continues to build that legacy.

Minter lead us in the last week in a study of the legacy of Boaz. His mother was Rahab, a prostitute. Boaz lived a long life single then met and became Ruth's kinsman redeemer. They bore a son Obed who was the father of Jesse who was the father of David. And the line carries all the way to Jesus.

How awe inspiring to think that God could use us no matter our flaws or past. He used Rahab to carry a line of faithfulness to give birth to our REDEEMER...Jesus. God is so creative!

My Honey told a long story of a life of following Christ. I am sure there were times of doubt, discouragement, questions, but he recorded for us a LEGACY. Our family story of faithfulness.

I have thought of the question many times since finishing the study and his book. What is my legacy that I'm leaving? It makes me ask myself, but I also want to ask you....What is your legacy? I hope I can have a faith journey that others want to read.