Chosen

I find myself more and more like Jonah than I care to admit.

I've ran. I've hid. I've disqualified myself from thinking that God cant use me. I've been fearful. I've let pride consume parts of me that I never thought was possible, and on several occasions, I have just plain refused to do what God has asked for no better reason than laziness.

Does this sound familiar?

Here we have a man named Jonah, who, lets be honest and say that God is trusting to deliver a mighty big word of His to the Ninevites, and for probably reasons of insecurity, trust, pride, selfishness, fear, and disagreement he runs from God. I mean, Jonah knows God is asking him to do something extraordinary and somehow Jonah thinks that if he goes far enough, God wont find him and God will just ask someone else to do it right?

Wrong.

See the thing about God is, He doesn't need us. God chooses us. God wants us.

God had a specific purpose and a specific reason why He chose Jonah. Its the same for you and I, friends. God doesn't need us. God wants us. God is wanting one of us to just raise our hands and surrender our all to Him and be used completely by Him to build His kingdom.

God has to bring tests, trials and hardships into our lives to sustain us, to make us stronger, to equip us, to mold and shape us to be more like Him. That's what this life is about. Its about being like Him, being ambassadors for the kingdom of God. Its not going to be easy, and its not going to be fun at times, but are we really here for our own comforts and conveniences or are we here for what God is doing?

To whom much is given, much is required.

Its not about the fish, its about God.

It doesn't matter, how messed up and broken we are, its not about what our past has been like, or the person that we use to be, God can still use us. He wants to use us. God wants to turn the mess of our lives into a message, to redeem people. There are people out there that need to know where you have come from and the person who turned your life around.

What man says is impossible, God says is possible.

If He calls you, He will equip you. Sisters, we don't have to be afraid or fear that if God gives us an assignment, that He wont be there with us. If He has called you to it, He will move heaven and earth to accomplish that very thing, great or small, until its completed. Stop disqualifying yourself, because God sees you as capable, trustworthy and as the right person for the job. The very thing that you think disqualifies you from something will be the very thing that will qualify you.

Its not about the fish. Its about God.

Your own pride, will tell you that you cant, and will limit you from doing what you have been called to do.

Even in the storm, God still chose to use Jonah. God showed His great hand of mercy and goodness to the others on the ship, and even out of Jonah's disobedience, God still showed up. We are going to have good days and bad days, but don't underestimate the power of God and what He is capable of doing.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

 



 Don't disqualify yourself, because you don't think you are good enough. God is saying He has commanded YOU to for HIS glory to accomplish something great for His kingdom. He's assigned it and He is saying "Don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged, because wherever you go, I will be there with you." When you have to tell the woman with three kids she has cancer, He is right there with you. When you have to tell your best friend they are living in sin or they are being cheated on, He is there with you. When you have to say goodbye to a loved one or bury your child, He is there with you. When you get laid off from your job, He is there with you. When your husband leaves, He is there with you. When you get put on the sidelines for a season, He is there with you. He is always there with you, in all things.

 

Whatever your circumstance and whatever He is asking you to do, He is there with you. You aren't doing this journey alone sisters.

 

You are qualified to do just as God is calling. Even when it doesn't make sense, God is still choosing you, and will continue to choose you and want you till the very end. He loves you enough to let you never stay the same, and to play a part for His glory.

 

You have been chosen.

Chosen by our creator.

What an incredible honor that is!

FOURTEEN Months

Age:14 Months

 

 

Birthday: January 15, 2013

 

 

Height: 29 3/4 inches

 

 

Weight: 18.5 pounds

 

 

Sleep: We are gaining some ground! Most of the time you are sleeping through the night and waking up between 5/6 to eat and then lately you sleep till about 9/10. Depending on how late you wake up determines how the day goes. If you are up at 8/8:30 you go down two hours after waking up for about a two hour nap then up for 3-4 hours and back down for another 2 hour nap. If you wake up late you get one nap usually around 2/2:30 and sleep for 2-3 hours. You are doing lots better!!

 

 

Bedtime: 8:30/9

 

 

Favorite Toy: Ducky bath, legos, blocks, basket, stuffed duck {you're obsessed with ducks} and anything in the cabinets you can get your hands on!

 

 

Clothes Size: 6 months, 6-9 months and some 9 month stuff

 

 

Diaper Size: Size 3

 

 

Milestones Reached:

 

 

*Saying "Thank you"

 

 

*Saying "Cookie"

 

 

*Saying "Cracker"

 

 

*Signing "Please"

 

 

*Climbing up on the furniture and basically everything else you think you can climb

 

 

*Telling us what a Chicken says

 

 

*Telling us what a Bird says

 

 

*FIRST PONY TAIL!!!!

 

 

*Drumming! I see a future drummer on our hands!

 

 

*You are listening well. When we ask you to do something or bring us something, you are normally right on it

 

 

*Saying "hi"

 

 

*Saying "yeah"

 

 

*Saying and showing "1"

 

 

Firsts:

 

*We took you to Toys-r-us and for 2 hours you never stopped. You had the best time of your life! We will be going back :)

 

 

*hitting your head on something and biting when we tell you "no:

 

 

*Sidewalk chalk

 

 

*LOVE bubbles

 

*You got to feed a Giraffe and loved every minute of it

 

*Playing Piano

 

 

*Blankie doesn't ever leave your site

 

*When you are excited or mad you throw your paci

 

*Love hiding everything

 

 

*LOVE "If you're happy and you know it"

 

*Really like checking the mail

 

*Going through Daddy withdrawls. You cry when he leaves

 

 

*Giving Harley treats is a favorite

 

*You get scared of loud noises or things you don't like and run to Mom or Dad

 

*If you could spend everyday outside you would

 

 

*Allergies to pollen

 

*You figured out how to smash fruit--makes a mess!

 

*Nursing more than normal

 

 

Best Mood: Mornings typically because you cant wait to see Harley and try to look for Dadda. Saturdays are super fun because Daddy gets you up and makes pancakes you just love every minute

 

 

Best Moments: Everything! This age is super fun and has been my favorite! You love to giggle and be tickled and right before nap time you love to "get" mommy and its so fun just hearing you get so happy about it! You are learning lots and its a blast getting to watch you develop!

 

 

Worst Moments: I left the back door open and turned around and you had taken yourself outside and even though I was right there, it scared me so bad! You were just fine playing with your toys, but Mommy was scared to death!

 

 

Paisley Sunshine:

 

Are we really at FOURTEEN months!? How the heck did we get here within a blink of an eye?? You are one opinionated girl and sometimes so independent. You are growing rapidly and changing day by day. You are learning more than I can even teach you, and its been so fun watching you grow up! You know what you like and what you don't like, and you make it very clear. You are full of expressions and you wear exactly how you are feeling on your sleeves. You take after mommy in that sense. You are a funny girl. You have your daddys sense of humor. I am the most blessed mommy to get to be home every day to take care of you and not miss out on one single moment. We hardly ever leave you, and I am so ok with that. We have way too much fun together and as a family. Our lives are you. I am not sure what we ever did without you! We have lots of fun things coming up and I cant wait to experience those with you! Daddy is almost out of school and look out summer because we are going to take you by storm! So much is up a head for you baby girl! Thank you for being such a sweet spirited girl! I am glad that I get to call you mine :)

 

I love you and always and forever!

 

Momma

 

 

 

 



Never Forgotten

 

I am joining She Reads Truth for the #SheSharesTruth challenge.

 

Ever feel like you had messed up so bad that God couldn't forgive you?

 

I have.

 

In this 38th Psalm, David is feeling this way too. He is reminding God that even though his sins are great and he is in this deep state of depression and despair, he is asking God why He had forsaken him and not to be angry with him.

 

Sin. It has a way of making us hit rock bottom, and overtaking us with a heavy weight of shame. It might keep us away from Christ for a period of time, but the power of sin also draws us closer and helps us to realize the great need we have for our Savior.

 

Sin leads us to do the craziest things.

 

Im sure that you can relate.

 

There have been times in my life, that I have made some pretty poor decisions that have left me feeling so dirty and disgusted that I have believed the lies of the enemy and have let my relationship with God fall through the cracks instead of running to Him.

 

This is what David did. David made a few many bad decisions with Bathsheba that kept him from God and kept him from receiving the fullness of the blessings of God.

 

We trip ourselves up, we keep ourselves from the blessings of God and we wallow in our self destruction. Its sad isn't it?

 

Despite how we may feel, God says regardless of what you have done, and regardless of how you might feel about yourself, Come.

 

Come just as you are, broken, scarred, completely messed up, dirty, shameful, whatever, and let me give you a fresh start and a new outlook on life.

 

Friends, He died on a cross for us. He wiped away every transgression, every bit of uncleanliness, every bit of shame and called us His children. He forgave us.

 

He didn't call us to be perfect. He called us to need Him, to run to Him when we mess up and to ask for His forgiveness. His love for you, and for me, casts out every ounce of our shame. He knew we would mess up and that's why He offers His forgiveness no matter how great or how little it is. Its all the same in His eyes.

 

Romans 8:1-2 says: "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." {The Message}

 

You are freed. You are free.

 

He isn't a God of anger and one who stays angry. He may discipline us for a moment, but more than anything He desires to love you and to walk with you day in and day out. There is absolutely nothing that could keep you from Him, or keep you from receiving His grace.

 

Run to Him. He longs to embrace you wholeheartedly.

Whatever it is that keeps you from receiving God's total grace and love, don't let the enemy win. God has already given you the victory and the power over sin.

 

Walk in His grace and His unmerited favor towards you.

 

You are loved.