Chains...

This weekend I am a Chaperone/Small Group Leader for our Youth's Girls Retreat. The theme for the weekend is Chained. It will both be focused on breaking our chains to this world and then in turn being chained to Christ.

 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Phillippians 1:12-14

Paul spoke in Phillippians about how he was chained to Christ and because of this he was able to bring others to Christ. What difference could we make if we truly broke our chains to this world and to sin and fully let ourselves be chained to Christ... We could experience true freedom for ourselves but just imagine what effect we would have on others.

My sweet husband is helping one of our friends lead worship for the retreat this weekend and the theme song per say is "Holding Nothing Back." This song proclaims very empowering lyrics about us not letting anything keep up from being fully a child of God and living fully for him. Let these words speak to you today...

I am chosen, I am free
I am Living for eternity
Free now forever

You picked me up, turned me around
You set my feet on solid ground
Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I’m alive to live for you
I’m alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me

You washed my sin and shame away
The slate is clean: a brand new day,
Free now forever

Now boldly I approach your throne
To claim this crown through christ my own
Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I’m alive to live for you
I’m alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me

I’m free to live
Free to give
Free to be
I’m free to love you

Play Dates

Okay so all of my friends with children (which is a lot) always talk about their kids play dates. Boo! The fun you miss when you don't have kids! So anyway- my friends Amanda and Rachel and I got the four of our babies/furbabies together for a play date last night and here is the result....

Jacks met his best friend Fletch. Fletch is a miniature schanuzer that is I think like 4 months old! He is our friend Adam and Amanda's "furbaby" and has so much energy and is so lively! They were instant friends. We walked in the house and they started running around and they didn't stop until I left!

Jacks and Fletch also got to hang out with two of their favorite friends... Caroline and Amelia! They would play around Amelia and she would smile and giggle but if they got too close to Caroline she went into her assertive mode and was sure to tell them "NO!"

I was able to get lots of love from 2 of my favorite little girls which made my day! Amelia is getting so comfortable with Mommy and Daddy's friends and Caroline was just as fun and spunky as ever!

Thanks for the play date Amanda and Fletch and Rachel, Caroline, and Amelia. Jacks slept like a baby and can't wait to do it again!

Today!!!

Mind you, as I write this post a few words may come to your mind...
Pathetic...
Cheesy...

I'm not really sure I care. You see Chris and I have spent the night away from eachother on two different occassions since we got married. I was the first to leave...
A few weeks ago I left from Wednesday to Saturday to go on a girl's trip! Boy was it fun! But... I must admit that it is easier to leave than to be the one left.
Chris left early Monday morning (before I woke up) and was gone two nights. He comes back today! YAY!!!! It is not nearly as fun being the one left behind. So I came up with a list of why I don't like him being gone and then a few things that were nice about him being gone. The second list was much harder to come up with!

Why I Don't Like Chris being gone...
1- I hear EVERY noise in the house. SCARY
2- It is really dark when I take Jacks out to go potty. SCARY
3- I have to come home everyday at lunch. Commute from work-home=25 minutes
4- I really love my husband!
5- He takes care of me... really he does!
6-  You can talk to someone a lot more when you live together. The phone=not as fun.

What was nice about him being gone...
1- I didn't cook 1 meal
2- Don't tell him but I didn't make up the bed until today because he's coming back today
3- He doesn't let Jacks sleep in the bed and I let Jacks sleep in the bed last night!

So yes I may be pathetic and cheesy but I'm ready for my hubbs to come home!

Borrowed words...

Certain people around me lately have spoken some things I really needed to hear lately and I thought I would share...

1- Really focusing on being single-minded. We all tend to be so double-minded focusing on God but also focusing on the world and what people think. We're called to be single-minded in our focus, our thoughts, our devotion.

2- Ministry for God is not time spent with God. 9 words. It is amazing how 9 words can make a huge impact on my life. I love ministry for God. I love time spent at our church. I love serving God in different capacities. And God loves that. It is his heart for us to serve him and do his ministry. But, he wants us. He wants us to sit at his feet and listen, seek Him, worship Him. I do both- but what do I spend more time doing? I'm ashamed to admit that I probably spend more time doing ministry for Him then just sitting and spending time apart with and for Him. A few weeks ago I was incredibly blessed to have a few days to really sit in a place where I could admire His beautiful creation and spend time repenting, time in prayer, time worshipping, time reading, and time allowing Him to speak to me. What a gift that was. It made me realize how much more that needs to be a part of my everyday existence.
Not just read my Bible, read a Devotional, Worship, Pray.
Sit.
Quiet.
Solitude.
Listening.

Quiet sometimes scares me....
But those few days showed me that the quiet times with God can be the most beautiful and Spirit filled times that we have.