Good morning my bloggy friends! Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend. I had a busy but good one! One of my goals for the weekend was to finish remodeling our living room. On Friday night we finished up sanding drywall mud and priming.

Mike had to work on Saturday so I got up early to paint the ceiling and walls, next I went to help some friends dig trenches in their yard to pull water away from their house, then my husband came home and we loaded firewood from our old house and unloaded it at our new house and finished up the day by putting the second coat of paint on our living room. Whew - I was beat but so excited to get so many things checked off my list.

Sunday was a wonderful day of worship and relaxation. We finished our membership class by hearing the testimonies of those in our class. WOW! Never forget that everybody has a story - no matter what they look like on the outside! We continued our worship while being motivated and inspired during our church service, then lunch with friends, a wonderful afternoon nap and then supper and miniature golf with other friends. Aaahhhhh, what a great day!

Monday came with one hiccup - our plan was to lay the new carpet in our freshly painted living room but when we laid it out we realized that it was too small for the room. It was a bummer but the carpet was given to us for free so we weren't out anything. So we decided to keep the current carpet until we put down hard wood floors in the family room, living room and kitchen. We moved in all the furniture and put up a new ceiling fan so we can now have a room to relax in while we work on the rest of the house. An almost complete room does wonders for my attitude! :)

With all that behind us, we now approach a week full of softball games, basketball practice, Bible studies, graduation and birthday parties, oh and don't forget school. Whew - craziness - but this craziness is what I call life! :)

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Wooo hooo it's finally Friday and the beginning of a long weekend for me! Our kids are going camping with their grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncle, and cousins. They are so excited and will have lots of fun being spoiled rotten. Mike and I are staying home to work on the house. I felt sorry for myself at first for missing out on all the fun, but then was reminded of how our hard work will be worth all the effort when it is complete and we can really enjoy our new home.

Whether your holiday weekend consists of work, fun or a little of both, I hope it is a great blessing to you and that you can be a great blessing to those around you!

Have a great day, a great weekend and happy Memorial Day on Monday!

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

I love the faithfulness of our God! I told you yesterday about how God keeps putting things in front of me to remind me of His goodness in every situation. Last night, in our Bible study group, my friend read a chapter from Joyce Meyer's new book "Finding True Happiness". It was explaining the grieving process through a loss and concluded that no matter what type of loss you are experiencing, God is good, just and in control.

God is preparing my heart for something - I don't know what, but from past experiences I know that when the same message comes over and over He is trying to teach my heart.

My circumstances do not change who God is. When I hurt, God is still The Comforter. When I fail, Jesus is still my Savior. When I experience loss, God is still The Giver. When I am confused, God is still All Knowing.

These are the reasons that we can stand and lift our hands in praise when everything around us is falling apart.

God is good

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning my sweet bloggy friends! Do you believe that God is good all the time? It seems like God has continuously been putting people in front of me to remind me of this lately.

I heard an interview with Steven Curtis Chapman about the death of his 5 year old daughter. Although he and his wife administered CPR to her lifeless body, they prayed all the way to the hospital that God would breathe life back into her. When they arrived at the hospital, he was sure that God was going to perform this miracle and resurrect his daughter but it was then that his daughter was pronounced dead. His son reminded him that God had answered his prayer - Maria was resurrected, just not on this earth. God is good.

In my speech class I listened to a woman talk about the death/funeral of her mother just 2 weeks earlier. Her pastor reminded them at the funeral that Jesus doesn't do funerals. He is in the business of resurrection. Her mother was more than alive, she was in the midst of Jesus in heaven for eternity. God is good.

I listened to a message by Janet Parshall about the story of Hannah from the Bible. Hannah wanted a baby so desperately as her husband's 2nd wife had many children and made fun of Hannah for years. She went to the temple and poured out her desire to the Lord and not only asked for a child, but also vowed to give her child back to the Lord if He granted her request. In time, He did grant her a child and after weaning him she returned to the temple and gave her son back to God in obedience. God is good.

These are just 3 of the ways God has shown His goodness to me lately. It has been going on for a couple weeks now. He continues to remind me that my circumstances don't change His goodness. Not understanding doesn't change His goodness. He knows what is best for me and you. He knows the future and we do not. He holds this world in the palm of His hand. He is all powerful, all faithful, all worthy, all true, all mighty God.

Praise God for His goodness never changes.

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Here's a great message from Renee Swope of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Enjoy and be inspired!

Failing Forward
13 May 2009Renee Swope

"The steps of a [woman] are established by the Lord, and He delights in [her] way. When [she] falls, [she] will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds [her] hand." Psalm 37:23-24 (NASB)

I admire, maybe even envy, people who aren't afraid to fail. You know, those people who see personal setbacks as another goal to conquer. People who don't even consider defeat when they blow it.I wish I were that kind of person. But honestly, I am not always so courageous in the face of failure.Failure is painful. It's embarrassing. And sometimes it makes me want to give up, mainly on myself.God is teaching me a lot about failing. In fact, He is giving me a little push these days, to fail forward.

This week He's be en challenging me to determine in my heart and mind that I am a work in progress and move forward even when I have a setback. He is reminding me that I am a woman who is becoming all He created her to be.A woman who is growing.A woman who is getting better and better each day.A woman who is not perfect - but who tries to surrender to God's perfect love and perfect power at work in her.

Failing forward...after I shoot harsh words across the room to "shoosh" my child when he announces that the yogurt in our near empty refrigerator has expired and there is nothing to eat! That is, after I'd just opened the large container of perfectly good yogurt, eaten some myself and served it to his brother for a snack.

Failing forward...after I criticize my husband and realize I failed to honor my man, again.
Instead I've added to an already stressful day for the husband and father who just brought home groceries.

Faili ng forward...after I let myself be "too busy" to take the time to encourage, sit with, talk to, and listen to my always-giving-and-forgiving-mom who stopped by unexpectedly this afternoon.

Failing forward...after I tell God that a certain ministry assignment is too stinkin' hard so I can't do it because surely I don't have what it takes.Every time I fail to be the woman God calls me to be, or the woman I expect myself to be, God reminds me of the progress we've made. Because, even though I may not be who I want to be, I am not who I used to be!And I get that much closer to who I am meant to be every time I fail forward.

Dear Lord, I am so thankful that with Your help, I can fail forward!! I don't have to see my setbacks as a step back. In fact they can lead me forward if I let them. Today, I will take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the woman You created m e to be. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Hey all, happy Monday! Just wanted to fill you in on the completion of 2 of the rooms of our new home. Our kids picked out their own colors and designs and I think they did a great job. Here's their new rooms:
Liz's
Nate's
I also attended the graduation of a sweet friend over the weekend. My friend's name is Christi Ucherek and she graduated with a degree in Business and Management from Lincoln Christian College and Seminary. Since she is done and I'm just beginning with my college adventure, she is a great source of encouragement and inspiration to me. Good job Christi!! :)

We also spent Saturday evening and Sunday enjoying time with our good friends from Lafayette Indiana. What a great weekend we had and we had some great excuses to take a break from all the work we've been doing to the house. Unfortunately, now that I got some rest, it only makes me want to have more!

Have a great day!

Living fearlessly in Christ

Christie

Motherhood is a valid profession.

It is that belief that inspired Jill Savage and a group of women to plan the first Hearts at Home conference 16 years ago. Today these conferences are a place where moms can go to find the encouragement and education they need to do this mothering thing right!

The problem is, not everyone can attend a Hearts at Home conference, so Hearts at Home University was created!

Hearts at Home University is a new resource designed to encourage and equip you in your journey as a parent! These live web casts, affordably priced at $15 each, allow you to tap into continuing education as a mom on a regular basis right from the comfort of your own computer.

The topics that will be covered over the Spring and Summer Semester include:

“Is There Really Sex after Kids” with Jill Savage
“She’s Gonna Blow” with Julie Barnhill
“Redefining Romance” with Mark and Jill Savage
“Keeping Your Ducks in a Relative Row” with Karen Ehman

For information on dates and times, or to register go here.