I heard another really great devotional thought this morning....already had the opportunity to share it with two people today and I pray it touched them.  It's awesome when we are given bread in the morning and realize throughout the day that others need just what we received....break that bread, right? :)  So, it was about Joshua and Jericho and how the army had to march around the city 6 times with no sign of success before GOD BROKE THE WALL DOWN after the 7th time around.  I have been laughing about that today, I mean it really would have been nice to see a little crumbling or cracking each time around, right?  HAHA....GOD is so serious about finding the faithfulness in us and I love that!  We have to be cool with looking like fools the 7 times around too, you know? :)  The world (the Jericho) will think we are absolutely insane as we follow GOD's instructions.  I'm there now in a situation....so easy for others and the voices in my head to say, "Why don't you give up on this?"....."What are you doing?"  "Why don't you just do it this way?", "This makes no sense!", "This is the hardest way possible!".....but, what if this is just my 5th time around, you know?!

When I played tennis in high school my coach would always tell me I didn't have to do anything spectacular (because I always wanted to slam the ball back at my opponent or put some kind of weird spin on it)....I just needed to outlast them....I needed to be steady and as consistent as possible.  I didn't like that because I wanted to be amazing in other ways than just steady, but in my spiritual walk I have determined this is SOOOO TRUE!  We aren't the ones with all the glorious moves, GOD IS!  However, we have to endure our enemy's attacks with our steadfast faith :)

Not Just Another Spiritual Retreat...

I was out of town with a few friends over the weekend and really had a great time.....so much laughter.  I am really not sure if I've ever laughed that much because I literally was hurting during a charade type of game and did not think I could take another breath.  It's good to get away sometimes :P  

We decided to visit a church on Sunday morning and I have been delighted to meditate over the message from that morning.  The pastor spoke on Ephesians 6....the struggle is real....but it is not against flesh and blood :)  God has been reminding me of that verse many times over the last few months and I think I will include that in my story when I write it :)  No, (well maybe) but I am thankful for God's abundant reminders to keep our thoughts focused even during our struggles on TRUTH.  The pastor also talked through our armor of God...He fits us with it....and as the pastor spoke about each item, I was reminded of the song I used to sing about all the pieces of armor.  

Something I had never thought too much about, but I have been excited about the last couple of days, is that our Armor of God is not only defensive in nature, but also offensive by God's power.  That thought is amazing to me.  Have you ever been in the middle of something really difficult and thought, "if I can just stand my ground I'll be doing alright"....I have been there.....do all that you can do to stand and then stand, right?  But in God's power, we can do more than just stand....we can actually advance.  

We can advance into a new understanding of Christ and a deeper dependence on Him, we can advance as we step into unknown places and really live in faith, we can advance as we surrender the things we always held onto or the agenda we created for our life and ask Him to take complete control, we can advance when we share our brokenness with the people God orchestrates us to meet for the purposes of encouraging them with our story and His Gospel, we can advance as we learn to share our burdens and allow other the blessings that come from intercessory prayer, we can advance as God exalts us from a place of true humility, we can advance as our trial becomes our testimony and the weaknesses and struggles which lead us to prayer become weapons against evil, we can advance as GOD's power is continually made more perfect in us as He is glorified through our struggles and our successes.

....Yep.....a Spiritual Advance :)

Wow, I had a fun weekend away with some of my girlfriends from church!  We headed to Grand Rapids for two nights :)  When we checked into our hotel, the lady at the front desk had to make sure we knew that quiet hours began at 11pm.....haha!

We tested our friendship in an escape room which only has a 16% success rate.....we had located all the clues and only had to organize them in the right order to find the last code number for the door code.....so close :)

Still smiling after the weekend away, but pretty tired.

How to choose roommates when you love all your friends equally?  There's an app for that...haha!

I don't have to cook or worry about making something everyone likes :)  

FLATBREAD SUPREME PIZZA

Totally enjoyed Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant...the musicians are all very talented switching from vocals/pianos to drums to guitars and even harmonicas and we even tried to throw them off with weird requests from....as they called it "the 1900's and 80's" KIDS THESE DAYS!!...Walk Like An Egyptian and The Beverly Hill Cops Theme song were two we tried to give them.....he had to find a synthesizer sound on his piano for that one....haha, but it was great! After he played it, he returned to the theme a couple times....I am sure he will add it to his repertoire now :) Someone in the establishment really liked Metallica :P  It was really fun!

Arnie's Baja Salad and yummy French Onion Soup :P

And....we had too much fun with Snap Chat filters....this one makes me laugh because the guy at the table behind me also is filtered....haha...oooops!

Shopping at a thrift store....I was a little shopped out by that time :P

Funny thing we learned about Snap Chat filters.....they will only work on two people at a time....poor Lindsay!  This one made us laugh for a really long time....we just kept leaning together and waiting for the filter to appear on her face, but NO...LOL :)

I love my job.....I like my tasks and responsibilities, but mostly I really enjoy the laughter with my co-workers.  There are definitely times where I KNOW we are in a situation which could be on an episode of THE OFFICE and many times I feel like Pam.  Yesterday, my boss rolled out this new idea that we could track our progress of recruitment on this "board game" looking map of SAU.  We all have our own train engine.  I am only responsible for international student recruitment and assisting readmitting students to return to SAU because so much of my job is dedicated to high school students who want to take a college course while in high school.....so, I was thinking "OH great....I will always be the caboose".....I get maybe 20 regular students and the rest are all dual enrollees (who don't count on this map).

BUT, my boss thought of that already....He said we will always move ahead as a team so when a person gets one deposit for a student they are recruiting, they will move to the front of the train....funny!  So, maybe I won't be the caboose all the time :P

Real freedom and protection is found right here :)  It is so hard to explain to others how God's Word and walking in obedience give you freedom and protect you as storms can rage all around, but somehow you can be seeing all this darkness and still be in the light.  You can be hurting, but still at peace and joy can still bubble up to the surface in the middle of it all.  We have freedom to choose sooooo much in life about our decisions and how we will navigate ourselves through it all, but this is the only perfect way through to experience God's favor and to walk with Him each step!

The way to those promises is such a journey of faith :)

Sometimes answers to prayer come through friends or family members or in a sunrise or through a coincidence that you know IS NOT a coincidence, but many times answers to prayer come directly out of GOD'S WORD.  I have been in a really hard circumstance for a while...,maybe you have been in a place where it really does feel like OUCH, that's a rock....EEEK, that's a hard place....and you keep hurting on all sides.  Those times are the best for showing us some circumstances are totally beyond us and we have to be utterly dependent on GOD for the outcome and for our own spiritual, emotional and physical health too.  Through this tough time I have been asking God to show me what it means to surrender, but not to give up...where is that place, GOD?

Today I was reading about Hannah and how earnestly she prayed in her place of barrenness.  I am not praying for another child :P but, I have been feeling barren in ways that I have been desiring to see fruitfulness, growth, and healing in a circumstance which seems dry and even desolate.

We can be barren even if we love God, but we do not have to accept that.  I praise God for reminding me of Hannah today because I feel like she is the right example for me of surrender....but, don't give up.  I can acknowledge that my current situation and efforts seem fruitless...I open my hands to surrender the situation, but that does not mean I accept it as over because God heard and remembered Hannah!  I believe God hears Heather too :)

This encouragement came from my reading:

"Hannah reminds us that although we have stumbled, and none of us are what we should be, God can arm us with His strength.  And if we are hungry, dissatisfied, and frustrated, He can provide fulfillment."

AMEN.

Walking Churches

We had a great discussion last Sunday in our Sunday School class and one of the ladies shared a story of how when she visits her sister in a care facility she always talks with the CNAs and other workers.  She said one of the workers recently had a difficult health challenge with her husband and when my friend from church went again to visit her sister, this care worker said, "I've been waiting for you".  She wanted to share this struggle with my friend and ask her to pray.  My friend had become a walking church to her and she was waiting to see her again because she knew she would care for her and take this difficult matter to the Lord in prayer.

As I have been thinking about that the last few days, I know that even though we do not hear "I've been waiting for you" from the world.....that is what they are saying!  They really do need what we have to give....if we have Jesus!

I have been praying for a personal revival and asking God to use me for His glory and not allow me to lose or limit my influence toward His work and His Kingdom by only focusing on myself and my family....and as I have been reading more about revival and praying....I know that it has to begin with the individual...the church that walks.....flow into the collective church in a wave of repentance and forgiveness and renewed power of the Holy Spirit....that is what the world sees and that is when the world responds.  Telling the world where they are sinning is not effective.  Repenting and showing the world how God forgives and empowers is effective.

Pride limits us from admitting that repentance of sin and revival are necessary throughout our Christian lives, but we are walking churches and when we walk we have to lead by example.  I really do think so many people are waiting for us.

I'm thankful for the truth of God's Word, for my church that is grounded in it and my pastor who is bold to proclaim it!  But, it still has to fall on fertile ground....that's ME....I have to listen and obey and allow it to change me.....to bring me to my knees!  

This same famous baseball player and evangelist said, "They tell me revival is only temporary, so is a bath.....BUT IT DOES YOU GOOD!

Revival

https://www.vevo.com/watch/citizen-way/revival-(audio)/USM2C1606132

Lord, revive me again and again!

I had an incredible two days with Karly on Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City this week for her school's 3rd grade field trip!  It was PERFECT weather and there were GORGEOUS views!!!!  When we walked down to where they were taking us for the Ferry, the pirate ship was docked there...haha....we thought maybe we were taking that across....we were a little giddy :P

Karly and her good friends, Sam and Anna...

She was amazed by the Grand Hotel and LOVED the lunch buffet....she is Karly the Carnivore, you know....so we went up to the buffet a few times to try many kinds of foods/meats.

This was the end of the day as we waited for our Ferry to take us back :)  I love that Karly is still a cuddle-bug.  When she is tired or sick, she still likes to cuddle and she likes to hold hands when we walk places together.  And she likes to give kisses often.  I know she is my baby, but I enjoy that she is still so giving in this way and it is not embarrassing (YET) for her...haha!

The morning of the second day....on our way to tour the Mill...

For the learning experience of the whole trip, I LOVE THE MILL!  It is so cool to see how it works and to watch the presenters demonstrate it all....this man was in his "wheelhouse" and was a great presenter :)  

Karly's genius idea....a fidget spinner, when not in use, can be stored in the seat belt holder on the bus.   Yep, lots of fidget spinners were falling on the floor of the bus, but not Karly's.  To pass the time, the kids were cracking me up making videos about fidget spinners.  You know they can add so many graphic elements to videos now, so they filmed Anna and Karly like they were having a fidget spinner duel and they added cowboy hats and beards to them to give the video a Wild West feel.....then they had a bunch of kids act like fish with their spinners and there was a fidget spinner shark attack....then they did one where everyone's fidget spinner was being stolen and they were trying to find the thief....I love the creativity!

She was super tired when we got home which was perfect because her new sleeping bag had arrived!

Yesterday was the last day of school for the girls and celebrated Danielle's graduation from 5th grade!  I teared up when she gave a speech with her friend and presented her teacher with some flowers.  When we adopted Danielle she was in 1st grade and she was super shy.  She didn't really talk much or project her voice and especially didn't like talking in front of people.  We practiced some things at home and gave her "opportunities" to get over her fears....we made videos of the girls doing reports on vacations, encouraged her to try out of plays and musicals, she participated on the News Team at school and now she feels comfortable with speaking in front of an auditorium of people....I can't even sense any nervousness in her voice now.  It is such a dramatic difference....I wanted to jump up and down "YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!" she is becoming a confident young lady.  She still has shy feelings, but that doesn't define her, you know!  I am praising GOD for the way He helps all of us overcome our fears!

She is loving learning the flute and just recently acquired a harmonica :)  Watch out world!

Forever Young

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K5mOu3pZpU

This makes me very happy!!!! .....and it kinda reminds me of the wallpaper at the Grand Hotel :)

I'm enjoying my weekend!!!  A date night with Kassi and shopping for summer camp.  A pop can drive with Vannah and Kassi to try and raise some money for the Parma Western Cheer Club and a few Graduation Open Houses to attend.....I am tired :)  But, IT HAS BEEN GREAT!!!

Ready for our date :)

I know.....growing up so fast, right?!!!

I loved Kassi's face in the background of this picture when they scored two bags of cans at one house :)

I am proud of these girls and their continued efforts to raise funds.  Kenna wished she could also help with this, but she wasn't feeling well today.

At one of the Open Houses today, I spied these two boys under a table playing video games.  I am pretty sure one is the younger brother of the graduate...maybe trying to hide so mom doesn't see him?....hope she doesn't read my blog....haha :P  This year, I am finding humor in watching the younger siblings of the grads :)  At one Open House, I asked a younger sibling if she had to help get ready for the party and she proclaimed, "We had to clean like the President was coming over"....another sibling told me she was only there because of the food :)  I think I am going to start seeking them out and getting their take on all the hullaballoo....I like their responses.

Even if you cannot change your situation or the way another person behaves, you can change your spiritual attitude.  I read a really good article about this recently and I think some of the points are very insightful, so I will share them:

1. You need to fight against your own pride in a situation that you are taking personally by remembering that you are only a delivery person for God's love letters and gifts....GOD is the whole store.  When you determine to forgive, be kind, be loving, show respect, be gentle, be faithful, show thankfulness, continue in patience....you cannot think of yourself as "THE STORE" of these things.  Every good thing you do or give to others (even when you feel they do not deserve it) comes from GOD and just passes through you.  You have chosen to deliver the things of God...not so that others will respond in the same fashion.  Their response is not your business, you are a delivery person.  If you do these loving things with the expectation of receiving in return, it will produce a poisonous pride of entitlement and bitterness in your heart.

2.  (The writer continued with the postal worker analogy for a while and I appreciated that :) He said we are not the only "postal workers" God has employed.  Our needs and the needs of others may be met on a different delivery run....we can and should let go of the pressure or let God have the burden we feel to handle everything ourselves.  Ask God to bring what you need (legitimately need) as He wills, in His timing, and in His way.  It may not be your ideal, but it will help you press deeper into God and trust in your dependence on Him. Imagine if you were delivered diamonds in a yellow box and returned them because you wished the box was red :)  God's gifts may not always come wrapped the way we think they will, but they are still delivered and they are still as precious.

3. Never stop giving of yourself.  Determine to set a positive example with your behavior and choose kindness.  There is much fulfillment which comes from being faithful if it is done in the right spirit.  Ask God to give you the humility you need to remain in this right spirit.  As you stay the course through trying times, you will grow in love rather than collapse in bitterness.

Love Letters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kde2q6RY3vM

We will not be shaken, but hopefully we are stirred :)  Here's a good Friday song for you....have a glorious weekend, be renewed and strengthened!!!

Stir It Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYb3-H9X4wA

(So one time when I was in college our choir went to Israel and we hiked one day and came across a waterfall not quite as high as this, but still beautiful.....we waded down to it because it always looks so romantic in pictures when people are in waterfalls, BUT OUCH....that much water hitting you actually hurts...haha!)

A friend from work had asked if she could borrow a mini muffin pan from me to make mini cupcakes for her daughter's graduation party.  She lives one street over and it was a perfect night, so I convinced Karly and Danielle to take a walk with me to make the delivery.  We loaded up the mini muffin pan in our Dollar Store Yoda bag because Danielle rolls her eyes at that bag whenever I try to use it for something....sometimes it is just fun to get that reaction.  Then, we walked.    And walked and walked and walked....about 1/4 of the way there I started to think about what a country mile actually means.  I have been to her home several times, but always driving and it seems so close.

When we got to her house, Karly hoped we would be invited in for tea and crumpets and to rest for a long while, but my friend was in the middle of cleaning "as if the president was about to visit" as I am told from younger siblings who help clean for grad parties :)....so we just dropped the muffin pan off quickly and left.  Karly started complaining about many things and I asked her to try to think of things to be positive about....she's nine, so I often underestimate her ability to be clever and sassy at the same time.

"I am positive my feet will be killing me when we get home"

"I am positive this is the most horrible thing ever"

"I am positive my legs won't work tomorrow"

It really was a long walk so I was kind-a thinking my legs felt like jello too, but Danielle and I were trying to make the best of it despite Karly's "positive" comments....Wouldn't you know it, we finally stumble into our driveway and Karly darts to her bike and says, 

"Who wants to go for a bike ride now????"

And....she was positively serious.