Tucking me under His Wings!!!!!

The Lord promises that there is nothing that he wouldn't see each of us through. I know in my heart that his word is his promise to us. It is alive and truth!!! I have thought so many times of the promises that I myself have made along the way. To my husband, my children, co-workers, close family and friends. The integrity that a person shows, or does not show? A persons word is taken literally. Its learning to make your yes a yes, and your no, a no thank you. I am finding myself holding on to the very word that God has graciously placed in my life daily. The bible!!!! This is all I need to guide me through any and every situation I may be facing in my life.

I have questioned my purpose in this life for many years. Just not quite knowing where I fit in. Asking all the tough questions. Who am I? What I am suppose to be doing with my life? How can I help others? How do I use what God has given me to share with others? Believe me, I am still seeking these tuff answers!! I had the most precious christian parents anyone could have ever asked for. Being adopted, I was literally placed in their lives by the Lords mighty hand. He placed me tightly under his wing and has guided me throughout my life. I never realized this until the last couple of years.

A cousin of mine sent me this picture not to long ago. I think about the Lord holding me up and carrying me through so many situations in my life. It can be really difficult when I feel that I am not capable of flying on my own. He carries us and holds us up when we cant seem to find our wings. This picture seems to say so much!!!!

 

I think about the guidance I have received throughout my life and the people placed in my life to help me reach the Fathers will. The only difference between me and anyone else is I have chosen to tell my experiences. If I can help 1 person to connect and engage, then I have done what I am suppose too and the Father is glorified! Have you ever watched a momma bird? How she cares for her young with such tender care, caution, and guidance? When its time for the young to fly on their own, how she guides them and then brings them back home to comfort them under her wings.

Psalm 25: 4-5

Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

Have a blessed day everyone,

Anita

In His Presence!!!!

Sometimes paths are meant to be traveled down alone. I have been down many journeys in my life and the path I am currently on, is one to be accomplished by me, and me alone. Depending only on the Lord to guide me, not the opinions or advice of others. I have come to the conclusion that there is a huge difference in being still and doing nothing. The presence of the Lord can be felt, its learning to be still long enough to feel and see his presence.

Psalm 46: 10&11
"Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." The Lord Almighty is here amoung us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

I had worked the night shift a couple of evenings ago. I usually call home prior to leaving work to check on the kiddos. My 8 year old answered the phone, "Hello mama!! How are you doing this morning?" I asked her how everything was going? Her response, "Good! I slept really good last night and I love you and miss you alot mama!"  I could hear her smile on her face. She by nature and temperment, is a  very happy child and I needed her joy this particular morning. Just moments before I had been holding a 3 year old girl in my arms while other medical staff poked and prodded. She cried and screamed and all I could do was comfort through words. The Lord knew that I needed to be calmed prior to my drive home and he did this through my daughter. I felt his presence on the drive home and I enjoyed the prayer time I had in the car. Needless to say, sleeping when I got home was much invited and easier this particular morning.

Feeling His Presence: This can be found in many areas of life. These just happen to be a few that are on my list.

A beautiful song. A poem. A conversation. A loving touch. A unexpected phone call. Nature ( Gods scenery is magnificent!)
Children laughing!

An older couple holding hands and walking together. I think this is so sweet!!!!

Tears! Yes, tears! God knows every tear we cry. Weddings and the birth of a child.

A beautiful sunset, a rainbow, gentle rains.

Hearing my kids call me mama! And remembering my sweet parents!

The Lord makes his presence know everywhere! Sometimes we just don't take the time to appreciate it or are blinded when He is right is front of us. Love you all! Have a great weekend!

Have a blessed day,
Anita

Some of my Favorite Things!!!!!

I love to read and the Bible is my all time favorite!! I would like to share some of the books that have helped me in devotions and guidance but I always reference back to my bible. These are great books and I go back to them often. I sometimes have several books going at once. Yeah! Call me crazy! I get confused sometimes but never bored! :)

1.) "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by JoAnna Weaver

2.) "Lord, Change Me"!!! by Evelyn Christenson

3.) "What Happens When Women Pray" by Evelyn Christenson

4.) "Prayer" by Philip Yancey

5.) "The Power of a Praying Parent" by Stormie Omartian


I love to listen to "Focus on the Family". I realize more and more that I am not the only person going through stuff in my life!

I love to photograph my kids and all they do. I am the mama with the camera at all their functions........

Cooking and quilting have been in my family for generations!! It is second nature to me.

Love to spend time with my hubby!!!

I don't love to exercise but I know how good I feel when I do. It is always time well spent with the Lord. I put in my ear phones and turn the music to my favorite Christian songs and off I go jogging to the Lords glorious music and scenery!! That's what I love! Why couldn't I have been given the gift of singing? Just not my gift but love to listen to all the talent. Beautiful!!

Have a blessed day everyone,
Anita

Bending, but not broken!!!!

Its been a long time since I have posted anything on our blog. I want to share my journey the Lord has taken me down! A spiritual surgery that I was not looking to have done. No one is, right? I needed a transplant within my deepest soul and the Lord is doing this daily! Change, Me Lord! I have prayed this for close to a year. Watch what you pray for. :)  WOW! I had no idea what this meant for me in my life. He will finish what he started and I am bending in places I never thought I could. A work in me that is continually being tested and many tears along the way. It hurts to bend and have to change. His work in me has been such a challenge for me. Learning to yield to him daily!! Looking at all the blessings he has given, even in the valleys. Letting go of everything I am, and surrendering to the LORD. Completely depending on him for everything in my life, I mean everything. I need to know his will for my life, not mine? I am still struggling and in such pain trying to find the answers. I have been told by family, friends, and a few that I have met along the way that I have a gift of writing and speaking, that I need to tell my stories. I laugh and say "I am not a writer nor could I ever stand in front of a crowd of people and speak and let my stories be revealed. I am waiting for the Lord to reveal his will for my life. Too many times have I ran way ahead of the Father without finding out his will. I will patiently be waiting and resting in him.

What I "want" and the "Fathers will" for my life are 2 very different things. Prayer, prayer, prayer, and going to his word daily!! This is how we find the answers the Lord has for each of our lives.
I am a very black and white person. Its hard for me to see things the way I should. I want the Lord to just speak right in my ear or write a note explaining " Anita, this is what I want for you and this is what you need to do!" Well, it never seems to workout the way I think it should. LOL. I know he is looking down on me thinking, she will get it, eventually. Bending, but not broken!!!! GOSH!!! It hurts to change and be transformed!!!! We as a family have been challenged over the past couple of years, yet had so many wonderful things have  happen. Death of my father 20 months ago, the incredible journey my dad took me down  and seeing heaven through his eyes, family relationships strained, a long adoption search, my 3 daughters asking Jesus to come live in their hearts!!! YES!!! I could go on and on!! I am so thankful for the Shepherd leaving the flock to get me back on track. How awesome to think that he would leave the entire flock to find the one that was in jeopardy! He has never left me!! I was the one who fell and thought I could get up on my own. HAH!! I can do nothing without the Father!!! I don't want to do anything without him.

In closing, we hear so much in the media these days about physical health and how we all need to do a better job with taking care of ourselves. Exercise, eating the right things, and maintaining a healthy weight. I just have to smile deep down because inside the house, our souls "spirits" need conditioning too. Yet, in the media, we don't hear anyone talking about this or how important it is for each of us. We are in a society that does not openly teach how to do this! This is the most important part in me because it will last me for eternity!!!!! I get one shot to get my spirit ready for forever!!! Sit back and think about this for a minute? It blows my mind!!! :)

 I challenge myself daily to push through fear and learn to let the Father carry me!! Surrendering to him daily!!! Its a process and one that is worked on continually. I truly want his will, nothing more, nothing less!!!

Have a blessed day everyone!!
Love, Anita

Worry....why?

I tend to be a bit of a worrier sometimes.  I concern myself with all sorts of things throughout the course of the day.  I worry about the kids at school, I worry about my spouse, I worry about how other people may view me as a person, am I getting enough done throughout the day, I worry about work and money....who doesn't do that on a daily basis, right?  Well, this morning I prayed and opened my Bible to a passage that really worked on my heart.  I like to read in the book of Psalm a lot.  There are passages for everything in there.  Today I was led to Psalm 41.  I underline things in my Bible from time to time when my heart feels the need.  As I was reading this Psalm, I turned the page and found that I had apparently read this before and underlined some important verses.  Reading over these again I felt a renewed sense of God's presence in my life.

David acknowledges God's power, seeks forgiveness, tells of his troubles, and praises God for His mercy and love.  The verses that stood out for me were 41:10-13.  "But you, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them.  By this I know that you are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.  As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me before your face forever.  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!  Amen and Amen."

As I said before, I sometimes worry about how other people may view me as a person.  Do they think that I work hard, that I am a good mom or wife....or do they secretly judge me?  Clearly in God's word it states that "you uphold me in my integrity."  I looked up the word integrity in the Merriam-Webster dictionary and found some interesting definitions:

1) A firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values
2) An unimpaired condition
3) The quality or state of being complete or undivided

Perhaps the combination of the three is intriguing.  My enemy will not triumph over me whatever that enemy may be....worry, stress, work, people or any number of things.  Living for God is so rewarding.  I know what it means to me and I have found that as long as I hold fast to what I believe and what I am taught from the Bible then I really have nothing to worry about!

Blessings to all,
Latasha

"But, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."  Matthew 6:33-34

Breakfast with the King

I'm sure that many of you juggle the numerous daily tasks of caring for children, keeping the house in order, and working.  More women work outside of the home now than even 10 years ago.  It seems like it takes two incomes in most cases to keep a household going.  No one knows better about how to multi-task than a woman.  Not to say that men can't handle it, just women seem to be a little better at it.  Speaking of multi-tasking, I spend my time reading my Bible in the mornings.  After the kids are off to school and there is peace and quiet in the house I am able to focus on the words of my Lord.  I have a favorite chair that I sit in near the window where the sunlight peeks through the blinds and illuminates my Bible like a highlighter pen from God.  I usually prepare my breakfast before I sit down to study and yesterday it dawned on me, I am having breakfast with the King.  I initially started doing things this way because it saved time for me to do two things at once and now it has become a great habit for me.  I get my Bible study in as well as my breakfast.  I am not distracted by how hungry I am feeling or how I need to hurry and get my studies done so that I can rush off to the next task.  It's just me having coffee and breakfast with God's word.  I used to think that I didn't have time to study in the mornings.  I know that for me, starting the day with scripture helps me to get in the right frame of mind for the day.  Other people study at night and rest peacefully in the words of the Bible.  There is no right or wrong way to go about it, just as long as you do it.  Sometimes tweaking your schedule a bit can allow time for lots of things.

Blessings to all,
Latasha

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."  Colossians 3:1-4

Just being mom

About a year ago our Sunday School class went through the Financial Peace University series by Dave Ramsey for a second time.  We all really enjoyed the series and quite frankly, who couldn't use financial advice from a professional?  We'll take all we can get.  One of the things that has stayed stuck in my mind since that series is a question that he asked toward the end of the videos.  If money didn't matter and you could do anything you wanted for a living, what would you do?  I have pondered my answer to this question so many times that I have lost count.  You see, I am one of those people that has more ideas than money.  I can come up with what I think are the most amazing ideas and plan out all the ways in which to execute them only to be stopped by the factor of money.  I have prayed many times asking God's will in my life and I feel so lost.  Then I started thinking about that question again.  What would I do if money didn't matter? 

I have discovered that the things I enjoy the most are: getting up with the kids in the morning and actually sitting down for breakfast before school.  Having dinner at the table with my family every night.  I enjoy my quiet time during the day while they are gone.  I like to read fiction books.  I enjoy cooking, decorating cakes and cookies (although I'm no pro at it) and preparing meals for my family.  I love making crafts and fun things for teacher gifts.  I want to be more involved in my kids school activities.  I like to enjoy the fresh air in the morning with a bike ride, a walk, or a run.  I love spring time.  I love to read a Bible story with my kids at bedtime.  So, where does that lead me in answer of the question?  I guess I just enjoy being a mom.  Too bad moms don't make paychecks huh?  I feel good when the house is clean and laundry is all caught up for the family.  I like the fact that I don't feel the stress of "work" when I am just being a mom.  I am my own boss and if things don't get done, I only have myself to blame.  I may not know God's plan for my life but, I do know that I feel good when I am just being a mom.  In the book of Proverbs, God tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  So, if I spend my time teaching my children about God's word then they will hold on to that from now on.  When they hear me praying for them, or see me turning to the Bible for daily devotion or comfort in times of trouble and inspiration in times of renewal, they will do the same.  Raising kids can be a struggle and I may not always do it "right" but, I try to do it according to God's will so that they will have a good foundation to build on. 

Blessings to all,
Latasha

"She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.'  Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates."  Proverbs 31:27-31