Single and Searching for Him

This question was asked recently in my life group on Sunday morning.  It's something that I have been thinking about since then.  The last five months have been life changing in many ways. I have been asked recently what I have been doing as I look healthier, am smiling more, and have more of a peace about me. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you just have faith.  The Daniel plan has completely changed the way I think, the way I eat, the way I live, everything!  I am at a place in my life where I look in the mirror and I actually like the person staring back at me.  For so many years, I pretended to like her because I was supposed to.  I was somebody that was told I had worth.  I just didn't believe it.  Because of this journey that I have been on, I know not only in my head that I am worthy, but I know in my heart where my worth is found. So, how did I get here?  Lots of prayer, both by me and by my prayer warriors, on a daily basis...

For the last 35 days, I have been involved with a bible study that focuses on being a healthier person.  It has completely changed my thought processes, my attitude toward food and fitness, and who I am as a person. Let me explain.  The bible study is from Rick Warren and it's called The Daniel Plan.  It uses five foundations of a healthier life:  faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends.  It uses the example of Daniel in the Bible who was well known for how he didn't eat the king's food, but followed a strict diet and was the strongest, healthiest person in the kingdom. About two months ago we had a health screening at my office.  At the time of the screening, I was the heaviest I had ever been, my cholesterol was off, and my blood pressure was to the point of almost needing to be controlled by medicine.  I left that so upset and mad at myself.  How could I do this to me?  How was I going to fix this?  I was hopeless.  I talked...

Mother's Day...  A day that is always bittersweet because I am not with my mom nor am I a mom. In Proverbs 31:28 it says "Her children shall rise up and call her blessed"  That is a true statement with my momma.  She has always been my brothers and mine biggest supporter, cheerleader, comforter, encourager, worrier, friend, disciplinarian, protector, fighter, and the list is endless. I love the relationship that I have now with her where she is still my momma, but also a friend.  She is someone that I can call and talk to about the big things in my life as well as the little things.  She still wants to be a part of my life and that is such a blessing. There are things that never change.  My mom is a worrier.  She wants to know that her babies are safe, taken care of, and alive.  I have lived on my own for over 10 years now and I still get the phone calls of is everything ok?  I love that about my mom.  I love that she is still inve...

This year, a group of my friends decided to create our own photo a day challenge.  Each month was given to someone and April is my month.  I would love to have you join me with this challenge this month.  All you have to do is take a picture that shows what the word or phrase describe and post it to Facebook or Instagram with the #word.  For example, April 1st is "Foolish" so take a picture depicting foolish and use the hashtag (pound sign) Foolish (#Foolish).  So here is the list!

Last Friday my dog had surgery to repair a torn ligament.  With that procedure, she has to endure swallowing several capsules, wearing a cone, have stitches, a shaved leg and behind, and being sequestered into a hole to keep limited movement.  Needless to say, she has not liked any of the treatment, humiliation, and pain.  As I have been the one to have to administer the pain and suffering to her, it has got me thinking.  I'm helping her get better but she doesn't see it that way.  She just understands the pain.  How many times have I done this with my Savior?  He is trying to help me, and I just see the pain and suffering and try to do whatever I can to avoid it.  What He has for good,  I only see the bad. Just as Lade will do anything to avoid having to get the cone back on, I fight the restrictions that have been placed on me because I don't understand, I don't like it, it's uncomfortable.  I run away from my Father's helping hand ...

Every January, our church goes over our values (Focused Outreach, Biblical Truth, Christ Centered Worship, Intentional Care, Transformed Lives).  Today was Christ Centered worship.  All week, practicing the music for today, it has been amazing!  However, today during all three services, I was taken to the throne.  My imagination went wild and I was overwhelmed by all that we were singing. Imagine...  All of the saints and those gone on before, kneeling at the feet of Jesus and simply saying "holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come"  That is going to happen, and what is even more amazing is that it is happening right now!  I thought of all of the people that God has called home (way too early for my liking), and became jealous of them.  They are there RIGHT NOW!  They have the privilege of being in the presence of the Almighty!  I don't know if I can adequately describe what I was experiencing durin...

The start to 2015 has been a slow one.  After celebrating last night with some of my favorite people by playing trivial pursuit (girls against guys), watching the ball drop, and just getting involved in each other's lives, I got home around 2.  The last few years I hadn't even made it until midnight. I had been in the bed by 10 and it was just a normal day.  There's something about mixing things up that give a promise of something different.  The last few years have been hard, but with the sun shining, the crisp air as I ran this morning, and the silence around me, I can't help but think that this year is full of promise. I've never been big on resolutions.  Those have always seemed too general and unobtainable.  I have a few goals that I have set for myself this year.  The first is to complete the entire couch to 5K app training.  This app sets a pace every day to go from no activity to running a 5K.  It was a brisk 40* this morning...