I'm beginning to believe the old saying "bad things happen in threes". Last week, our purchase of a new house fell through, Tuesday - one of my daycare parents told me of their decision to take their kids somewhere else due to scheduling issues, and then yesterday, when I came home from picking up my kids from school, my car smelt like it was burning up and had smoke rolling from under the hood.

For the past couple days, my husband and I have found ourselves worrying, wondering and continuously praying. I read that people seek God the most during tragedy and transition. We are definitely not facing tragedy but transition for sure.

What does God want for us or to teach us in each of these situations? I'm not sure as of yet but I know that He is faithful. I know that He is good. I know that He is trustworthy.

As I continue to pray and rely on His assurance, I will wait patiently for His sweet provision.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Amen

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Donuts for breakfast today! I don't normally buy donuts for the fear of me eating them but today is a special day. Yesterday, Nathan came home with so much excitement. He announced that he got an A+ on his science test. Now this wasn't just any science test but one that he had studied and studied for. We were so proud of his accomplishment and asked what he wanted to do to celebrate. The first and only thing out of his mouth was: DONUTS FOR BREAKFAST! Our breakfast celebration was yummy but my thighs won't be able to celebrate any more for awhile. Victory is SWEET!

On a random note, I was reading chapter 38 of "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren and was so inspired and convicted by the following paragraph: Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They are saved, but self-centered. They love to attend concerts and enrichment seminars, but you would never find them at a missions conference because they aren't interested. Their prayers focus on their own needs, blessings, and happiness. It's a "me-first" faith: How can God make my life more comfortable? They want to use God for their purposes instead of being used for His purposes. In contrast, world-class Christians know they were saved to serve and made for a mission. They are eager to receive a personal assignment and excited about the privilege of being used by God. World-class Christians are the only fully alive people on the planet. Their joy, confidence, and enthusiasm are contagious because they know they're making a difference. They wake up each morning expecting God to work through them in fresh ways. Which type of Christian do you want to be?

Ouch - enough said

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.

1 Peter 5:5 ........clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Yesterday, I spoke about God humbling my heart, once again, over the weekend. My selfish pride tends to rear its ugly head quite often and many times my sweet Savior brings humility to me. It is the things that I am most prideful about that He works on the most. I looked down on those who were afraid until I suffered from debilitating panic attacks which God used to change my heart. I looked down on those who couldn't overlook their differences and stay in a marriage until it was my marriage that was falling apart. Thank God that through His grace and our diligence, our marriage is now stronger than ever. I looked down on those who could commit adultery or even look at someone else besides their spouse, until I realized how much I enjoy attention from the opposite sex. God does and will humble those who are prideful. He continues to remind me that I am His child, I am His princess and He loves me unconditionally but I am no better than anyone else.

We are all sinners. We all need Jesus. My sins are forgiven, but I am still a sinner.

It is time to stop judging and start loving. We are all in this together!

Have a great day!

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Hey!!! I'm baaaaack! Well, at least physically - my mind is still reeling from an amazing weekend. Once again, the Hearts at Home conference was unbelievable! The impact that this conference has on women makes me want to load up every woman I know and bring her with me! Like I told you before, this was the first time I have volunteered during the conference instead of attending it and I have to say that I learned just as much if not more from volunteering! God is so good! He orchestrated every detail to humble me and allow me to realize the true agony that some of my fellow sisters in Christ are enduring. I was a personal assistant to a speaker named Victoria Johnson. God brought this sweet, loving and compassionate woman into my life to teach me many lessons. I truly enjoyed every moment her and I spent together - what an inspiration to me! She spoke on 2 topics: raising children as a single parent and childhood sexual abuse. As her workshops filled with women and she began telling her story, I began to see the pain in the eyes of the attendees. She allowed time at the end of her message for questions and it was then that these women told of the gut wrenching pain they had and were experiencing. I had never seen so much pain. These were women who looked great - women who if I saw them on the street, I would assume had a perfect little life, but they have haunting pasts. This reminded me of how we must not judge by appearance. We all need the healing power of Jesus. We all have hurts. We all have pasts. We all need Jesus. My heart continues to break for these women. When I had the opportunity to speak with one woman, I hurt so badly for her, I wanted to help, I wanted to make things better for her but all I could do was listen, cry with her and hug her with all I had.

One more experience orchestrated by God has come and went but my heart will never be the same. Thanks be to God.

Lord, I thank You and praise You for orchestrating my life. I thank You for what you teach me and how you change my heart. I pray that as Your children, when we hurt, we turn to You and not to anything in this world. I need Your strength to do this. I pray for Your healing hand and comfort over each woman that Victoria ministers to and to all others who are hurting and need Your sweet peace. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Have a great Monday!
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning and happy Friday! Oh wait, this isn't your Friday but it's mine!! :) For the next two days, I get the exciting opportunity to volunteer at the Hearts at Home conference (www.hearts-at-home.org). I have attended the conference for the last several years and have been greatly impacted by it. In fact, it was one of the main determining factors in me letting go of my fear of public speaking and saying yes to God's calling for me. God has spoke so clearly to me through speakers at this conference. This year, I felt His prompting to give back. I signed up to volunteer and was asked to be a speaker's personal assistant. I will introduce the speaker before each workshop, guide her where she needs to go, and do anything else she needs me to do. I am excited to serve and learn.

You know, each day gives us opportunities to serve and learn. The question is - are we taking them? Will you choose to serve and learn today?

Have a great day and a great weekend! I can't wait to tell you all about what God accomplishes!

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning and happy Wednesday! Do you remember as a child, having lunch with your friends - making one of them laugh hysterically, and milk shooting out their nose? As an adult, I have come close at times but haven't had that experience since - that is, until today. I wasn't laughing, but as I took a drink of hot tea, it slide down the wrong pipe and I began to cough - trying to hold it all in, I lost control and shot most of it out my nose onto the kitchen table. I looked up trying to compose myself to see the horror on the little faces of my daycare children. In disgust, one three year old pipes up "why did you do that??" No one asks if I'm alright, no one asks to help, as I continue to cough up a lung and my nose burns like it was just set on fire, they just continue to stare at me in wonder.

Actually the stares of confusion by others is a pretty normal sight for me. I haven't been one to fit in the norm. Thank God, He is always changing me. He is teaching me that I don't have to "fit in", I just have to follow Him. Following Christ will make you change. It will cause people to look and you funny and be stumped by your actions. The thing that gives me strength during those times is the truth that God never changes.

Malachi 3:6 "For I, the Lord, do not change;

While crazy things happen in our lives, our God doesn't change. While my heart continues to change, our God doesn't change. When I am tempted to trust myself instead of God, our God doesn't change. When I do wrong or when I do right, our God doesn't change. When others think I'm crazy, our God doesn't change.

Praise God for never changing!

Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning my bloggy friends! Obedience is hard sometimes - trusting God is hard sometimes. Does it depend on the situation if you chose to or not? I was reading John 9:1-12 where Jesus heals a blind man. Now, He doesn't just say, "you are healed" but He spits on the ground, mixes His spit with dirt to make mud, wipes the mud on the man's eyes and then tells him to wash it off in the river. Miraculously, when he obeys, he can see.

As I read this story, I couldn't help but notice this man's obedience. He didn't ask Jesus why He was rubbing spit mixed with dirt on his face or why he had to wash it off in the river - he just trusts and obeys. The Bible doesn't state that this man was a devoted follower of Christ or someone who even knew who Christ was - He just obeyed and was blessed.

This truth truly humbles me as I think of my relationship with Jesus, the time that I spend with Him, the faithfulness He has shown me over the years, and yet I continue to disobey and not trust. I say that I want to, and then I do not.

What crazy thing is going on in your life that you are not trusting God with? What has He asked you to obey that you are not?

I will choose to trust and obey today - will you?

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie