Casting All My Cares

Good morning, friends.

Recently, my 2 year old had a bout with illness. It wasn't anything serious but it seemed so big at the time.  We went through a 3-week period where he would be sick to his stomach for 2 days, followed by a cold for 4 days.  This pattern went on for 3 weeks.  I felt like I was living out my real life "Ground Hog Day".  Not to mention, his cold included a cough so he would wake up crying in the middle of the night and from nap time because he was so uncomfortable and just coughing away.  I was getting very little sleep and I was so exhausted.  But at the end of the three weeks, God taught me something that I want to share with you.

Week 1: My husband and I stressed about the cold.  We tried what we could, said it would get better, half-heartedly prayed that it would get better and waited.

Week 2: We became frustrated (from exhaustion from week 1) and took him to the doctor.  We spent money on taking him to the doctor and getting all of the recommended medicines.  Our poor baby was taking Zyrtek in the morning, Benadryl at night, a probiotic to settle his stomach, saline sprays after bath time, and of course we had the humidifier going.  Nothing worked.

Week 3:  I had had enough!  And I finally got to a point of desperation.  I texted a few of my sisters in Christ and asked them to go to the throne on behalf of our son that night.  And they did.  That night was the best sleep I had gotten in 3 weeks.  I also felt God tell me to stop the medications.  And so I did.  And guess what?  Within 2 days, our son was completely 100% healed. 

So my learnings became these:
1.  I wasted a lot of time, energy, stress, and money when I could have just gone to the Father with a seeking heart and asked Him to heal our son.
2.  It took 3 weeks for me to finally get vulnerable enough to ask for the saints around me to pray for my situation.
3.  I finally quieted my spirit long enough to hear God speak.

Yes, this is just an example of my son being ill but we can apply this to our life in so many ways, can't we?  How many times do we think we know more than God? Let's be honest.  So many times we think we have the answer.  We try to be in control of the situation knowing full well that it's out of our control.   We try to make a problem go away doing everything that we can think of EXCEPT going to God with it.  We waste time, energy, stress and even money at times trying to "fix" whatever the problem is when deep down in our hearts we know that there is only one true Fixer.

I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

And so many times, ladies, we try to save face by handling the situations on our own, don't we?  We put on our make-up and our cute outfits and we walk out of the door and when people say "how are you?" we politely answer "fine", knowing full well that "fine" and "good" are really the last things that we are.  We are falling apart on the inside but we continue to smile and say "God bless you"  and "I'm too blessed to be stressed" while our hearts are in turmoil.  At what point do we get vulnerable enough to ask for help from those who love us and pray for us?  At what point are you desperate enough to ask for prayer from others?

 

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

And finally, when do we quiet our spirits long enough to hear God speak to us?  We're always connected to technology in some way, we always have house stuff to do, kids to take care of, a phone call to make, a meal to cook, a meal to eat.  When do we allow God to finally have a voice in our life so that the healing that we so desperately seek can take place?  Is God trying to tell you what to do right now so that your situation can be resolved but you're too busy to listen?

Psalm 91:15 "He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in time of trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."

Ladies, as you go about your day and problems arise (as they will), keep in mind these learnings so that you don't have to make the same mistakes I did.  Go to God FIRST, ask friends to pray for you, and quiet your soul that you would hear from the Father. 

God bless!

Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?

Good morning, friends!  I wanted to share with you something that the Holy Spirit has been stirring inside of me. 

Matthew 8:23-27 "Now when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.  And suddenly a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.  But He was asleep.  Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?"  Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Lately, I've been worrying a lot.  I'm 6 months pregnant and the worry seems to overwhelm me at times.  I worry about my boys sharing a room, about our car not being large enough for 3 kids, about our finances and the increase in groceries that we're having as we raise two growing and hungry boys (and adding a third).  I'm worried about my kids development, my husbands job, and I worry A LOT about The Mom Squad and if we're meeting the needs of you, our audience.

What I've noticed is that my mind and heart are so filled with worry that I have no room for God. Can we be honest for a minute?  If I spent as much time praying and in the Word of God as I do worrying about my circumstances, I would be so much more joyful and so much less anxious about everything. 

In this story of the Bible, we notice that "suddenly" a bad storm came and the boat was covered with waves. Isn't that how life works?  We never get a warning that a storm is coming into our life.  Typically, it comes without warning and in the worst possible times - a lot of times at night, when we're already tired and mentally exhausted and needing peace. 

In a panic, the disciples wake Jesus up.  Aren't we just like the disciples?  Here we have the followers of Jesus - those closest to Him - who have seen many miracles and have heard all of His teachings but yet when the storm in their life arises, they panic.  They have Jesus right in their boat!! And yet they panic!  Goodness, that is me all day!  I have Jesus in my heart, I've seen so many of His miracles in my life and in the lives of the ones whom I love, yet every time - EVERY TIME, sisters - I panic.

And then Jesus says the infamous words that we all have heard "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?"  Oops.  That's right, Jesus.  I forgot who You are and what You can do if I only put my trust in You.  And in an instance, He calms the winds and the sea.   

Friends, when we know who God is in our life, we know that He is able.  He is able to calm the winds and storms in our life.  The same God that calmed the physical storm that night is the same God who can calm the figurative storms in our life - no matter how bad the situation may look.  There's a key component in the story... the disciples asked God for help. 

Are you dealing with a storm in your life that you wish would end?  Maybe it's time to remind yourself of who God is and can be in your life when you ask.  Ladies, I pray that you (and I) would turn our anxiety into prayer.  That we turn our worry into working power through Jesus Christ.  And that when fear tries to overwhelm us that we would continually remind ourselves of who God is.

Have a blessed day! 

A Round-Robin of Gratitude

Hello friends! I wanted to share a simple and quick daily ritual we do at home called "Words of Affirmation".  My husband started it a year or so ago and it's become one of our favorite parts of dinner time.

About a year ago, I decided to become a stay-at-home Mom full-time.  Prior to this, I was an entrepreneur and my life revolved around ME! I felt God tugging on my heart to give it all up for His glory and to, instead, focus on my ministry at home of being a Godly mom and wife.  This was a tough thing for me to do...especially since my focus had been on me and my accomplishments for so long.  I was used to hearing accolades all of the time and I enjoyed it!  So to now be at home and rarely get a "thank you" and for my daily sacrifices to go unnoticed was a struggle for me. My ego took a hit. But to be honest, it really needed to.  My head was so big that no one else could fit in the room with me...not even God.  Over the last year, the Lord has transformed me, my heart, my stinkin' thinkin', and now I am so grateful for the opportunity to be at home where I feel called to be.

As I struggled with my new title and position of being a stay-at-home Mom, I told my husband about the ups and downs (more downs than ups back then).  I expressed that I'm at home taking care of an infant who cannot say a word and only seems to cry.  I am caring for our older son who is mad at the fact that we have a tighter budget now that I'm not working and is constantly complaining about things.  And truth be told, I told my husband that I was envious that he was getting out of the house every day and going to work.

With that, one night at dinner, he said "We're going to do words of affirmation tonight.  Each person is going to say what they appreciate about every family member" and he modeled for us how to do it.  He started with our youngest Gabe and he told Gabe what he appreciated about him.  He then went to our oldest Emmanuel and told Emmanuel what he appreciated about him.  And finally, he got to me and told me what he appreciated about me.  After he was done, I followed his lead and did the same.  I started with Gabe and then Emmanuel and then my husband.  Emmanuel then followed my lead and he said something that he appreciated about Gabe, me, and Daddy.  And since Gabe couldn't speak, we said what we thought Gabe appreciated about each of us.

This very simple round-robin of gratitude changed our entire dinner and our attitude.  Emmanuel started thanking me for things that I thought went unnoticed - whether it was what I made for dinner that night or helping him with his homework or being patient with him.  I had an opportunity to thank my husband for being a wonderful and supportive husband and dad.  And Emmanuel just lights up every time we say what we appreciate about him.

It's such a small gesture...but it goes such a long way.  Having a heart of gratitude and expressing that to each other and allowing our kids to hear it really makes a huge impact.  It not only allows us to stop for a minute and think about all of the wonderful blessings God has bestowed upon us that day but it also fills our "love tank" and makes us want to continue to show each other love in different ways.

Ephesians 5:20 "Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

**For more ideas on practical ways to live out your faith at home with your family, make sure to attend Re-Ignite with The Mom Sqaud at Root Candle (in Medina) on Saturday, September 20th.  Brooke will be leading a breakout session called "Proclaim: Equipping Families to Live Out they Faith in the Home".  Make sure to register for this great event today! Re-Ignite with The Mom Squad

Making Our Life Simpler Using Structure and Consistency

Hello, sweet friends.  Thanks for reading today.  As I'm thinking about the back-to-school routine, I wanted to offer three ways that I make my life simpler during this hectic time of the year.  Feel free to adjust them to whatever makes sense for you.  Be blessed!

• Checklists:  I have an almost 9 year old who thinks he's going on 21.  He doesn't like me to tell him what to do because he promises he's responsible enough to remember what he needs to do.  The truth is that he's 8.  He's forgetful, as most 8 year olds are, and I would find myself so frustrated with him for not doing everything he needed to do before we left for school in the morning.  Finally, out of desperation, I decided to make him a checklist.  He now has a morning checklist and an evening checklist.  Truth be told, we really worry mostly about the morning one because there's a lot to do before leaving for school.  The morning checklist includes things like:
• Shower
• Make your bed
• Brush your teeth
• Pray
• Eat breakfast
• Open the shades

The evening checklist includes things like:

• Pack your lunch
• Brush your teeth
• Pray
• Close the shades

The checklist makes everyone's lives easier throughout the day.  I don't have to yell at him about anything that needs to be done before school and he feels more independent because no one is "reminding" him of what he needs to do.

• White Board: I have a medium-size white board that I keep in the kitchen.  It says "Week of..." and I write in the date of the week and it has each day of the week listed below it. Under each day, I write whatever appointments we may have that day.  I include doctor appointments, school functions, even hair cut appointments.  I also include if my husband is working late or traveling.  Each person in our family has their own dry-erase marker color so they know what their week looks like and everyone knows what to expect for the week.  The other important thing I include each day is what we're having for dinner.  This makes my life easier so every day, I'm not scrambling trying to figure out what to cook.  The structure helps everyone!

• Bedtime Routine:  As much as possible, we stick to a very structured bedtime routine.  It typically includes dinner, showers, some free time, prayer, and being tucked in with lots of hugs and kisses.  The consistency helps to make sure that everyone knows what to expect, including us as parents.  I can't tell you how great it is to get to our family prayer time.  Not only to hear what's on our hearts but also to know that the end of the day is in sight! :)  It also ensures that our children are getting enough sleep.  Our almost 9 year old needs about 10 hours of sleep at night.  That means bedtime is at 8pm (he gets up about 6am, if not earlier every day - even on weekends!!).  Although it seems very mean (to him) to put him to bed at 8pm every night, including weekends, we enjoy him so much more when he's well-rested!  Not to mention, Mom and Dad need alone time every night to talk and catch up.

So these are 3 things that we do to make our life a little easier.  I know that not everyone is able to have a pretty stable routine at home.  But what I have found is that kids need structure...and so do parents!  So whenever possible, instill structure in your day.  It will help ease the stress in your life, as well as your children's' lives.

Have a wonderful school year!

Carlisle Inn's Mom of the Month, Carol

It is our pleasure to introduce to you our Carlisle Inn Mom of the Month winner, Carol.  Every month we will be giving away a free night at the Carlisle Inn.  All you need to do is nominate a deserving mom at www.955thefish.com. 

I had the privilege of interviewing Carol via email and found her to be a wonderful mother filled with wisdom and encouragement.  I hope you find her answers to the questions I asked her encouraging as well. 

 

Congratulations again, Carol, and may God richly bless you and your family!

1. Tell us about yourself. How many children do you have, how old are they, etc. 

I am a blessed mother of 8.  My husband and I have been married 26 years and have 7 living children and a child waiting for us in Heaven.  We have 4 sons ages 25, 23, 21 and 20 and 3 daughters ages 18, 15 & 13.  We also gained our first daughter-law in July, 2014.   We have home educated all of our children through the 8th grade and then they have moved into our public high school.  Five of our children have now graduated high school and entered into college and my oldest son just graduated with his Master’s Degree.   The greatest blessing is that all of our children have trusted in Christ as their Savior and are walking with the Lord.

2. Who has been the biggest influence on your mothering?

My own mother.  My loving mother, although she didn’t come to know the Lord personally until her later years,  loved my siblings and I with her whole heart.  She made many mistakes and ALWAYS apologized for them.  My mom was a wonderful example of a truly humble person.  She was sooo funny too.  In her later years, she seemed to lose her “filter” and would say whatever was on her mind, good or bad.  It was always the truth and taught us a good lesson even if it embarrassed us a bit.  She was my greatest “cheerleader” when I became a Christian and also when I became a mother. 

 

3. On hard mothering days, how do you find encouragement and/or from whom?

To be honest, as a mother, every day has a few hard moments.  I remember in the early days of motherhood, when my newborn would just sleep and eat, an outsider might think my days were a piece of cake but in all reality I worried about so many thing: Would I be a good mother? Would my child love Jesus? Could my husband and I provide all our child needed? Would my child grow up healthy?...and so much more.  As each child grew older, new challenges occurred: Is my child growing in Christ?  Will he/she keep up with peers?  Am I helping them reach their potential?  I guess my point is, is that as a mother, every day will be hard if you focus on the “what ifs”.   I find encouragement in the Word of God and spending time with the Lord and focusing on His truth.  When I don’t spend time in God’s Word and in prayer, my fears can overcome me.

 

4. What is a funny mothering story that you can share with us?

Oh my!  There are so many stories and usually I am embarrassed by them.  For instance, when I took my children to the golf clinics in the Metroparks.  I had my 4 boys, ages 7, 5, 3&2,  as well as my newborn daughter.  I made the mistake of wearing a summer dress to this clinic.  In one arm I was holding my newborn, in the other I was holding my diaper bag (which was quite large) as well as the golf clubs for my older boys.  A kind gentleman walked over to say “hello” to my boys and my youngest son promptly lifted my dress all the way up to hide under it! I could have died!  There was NO appropriate way to cover up my embarrassment or, I’m sure, the reflection from my bright white, tummy tucking undies!

 

5. What advice can you give other moms?

As a struggling mom, I would advise moms to study the Word of God & hide His Word in their hearts so that when they are doubting or discouraged they can turn to the ONE that has the BEST advice, no matter what the topic. (2nd Timothy 3:16 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.)

 

6. Anything else you want to share with our readers?

Yes!  Moms- I would encourage you to connect with a Godly group of women that will help you along the way. A woman or group of women that will always advise you with the word of God.  Stay accountable!  Also, please know that you are NEVER alone!  All of us have struggled with our marriages and motherhood.  Remember and keep your commitment and covenant with God at all times.  The Lord will never leave you or forsake you! (Deuteronomy 31:6)

 

Again, Congratulations Carol! Enjoy your much-deserved night at the Carlisle Inn!  God bless you! 

 

Remember to nominate a deserving mom in your life at www.955thefish.com and be sure to "like" our Facebook page at The Mom Squad where we will announce the winner every month!

 

Summer School at Home

Hello Moms-
Hope that you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer before school starts again.  I wanted to write about a tip that you can still implement in the next couple of weeks before school starts.  I'm calling it "Summer School at Home". 

If you have a child like mine who is constantly bored, this will give you a great activity for him or her to do in those "boring times".  This will also help with minimizing the electronics time (watching tv, playing video games, etc). 

What we've done this summer is given our son, Emmanuel, several assignments.  He has to do book reports and writing assignments based on things he reads in the encyclopedia.  Now, I'm sure not everyone has an encyclopedia set anymore but thank goodness for Google and the library.  You can find whatever you're looking for using those two resources.

Emmanuel has done various reports on topics such as the peregrine falcon, the brain, and electricity.  He picks the topic so it's something that he's interested in.  He looks it up in the encyclopedia and then writes 8-10 statements based on what he read.  Currently, he's writing a make-believe story on bionics.  But in order to be able to write the story, he had to look up what bionics is, where it originated from, and he'll have to use several of his notes within the story.

"So how do we get a kid to do this in the summer," you may be thinking.  Quite easily, believe it or not.  It's all based on a rewards chart.  When he completes his tasks for the day, including his "homework", he gets "points" and by the end of the week, depending on how many points he has obtained, he gets rewards.  Rewards can be something like dessert one night after dinner, 2 hours of "chillax" time which means he gets to do what he wants without us (his parents) telling him what to do, and if he gets a lot of points for the week, he can do something fun like putt-putting.  He picks his rewards so he knows what he's aiming for that week and based on his decisions that he makes, he either gets the rewards or doesn't. 

In addition to the writing assignments, he works on a summer bridge workbook every day.  Again, points are assigned for what he completes every day.  By the way, if he complains while doing any of it, there are no points for that day.  The workbook includes topics such as reading, writing, and math.

I know it may sound like a lot but typically doing any of this work may take up to an hour of the day. Doing this "homework" allows for him to stay in school while he's not in school, brushing up on the areas that he needs most help in and every time I hear "I'm bored", my response is "ok, great.  Have you done your homework today?"

If you're a couple of weeks away (or even a week away) from starting school, it's not too late to start implementing ways to get the kids back into the swing of things with some summer school at home.

Have a great week! God bless!

Single Moms...God is working it out!

Hello dear friends!

I'm going to write this specifically for a group of women.  These women are playing the part of both mom and dad to their children because of divorce or separation or maybe there was no marriage and once you had the child(ren), your boyfriend left.  Perhaps you had a one night stand (can we keep it real?) and you were left with a broken heart and a baby on the way.  This post is for you today.

I am you.  My story is that I got married to the person that I thought was the man of my dreams only to find out very shortly after marriage that he was absolutely the opposite.  He hurt me in a way that no one ever had and no one ever can again.  I have a scar on my heart from that hurt.  And although it heals over, from time to time it gets ripped open again.  From this disastrous marriage, came the greatest blessing.  I had the blessing of being a mom to a very special boy, Emmanuel.  And sometimes, when I'm feeling down or Emmanuel is having a hard day, the scar gets ripped open. 

With that open wound, I'm reminded of my failures.  I'm reminded of the hurt.  I'm reminded of my shame.  I'm reminded of my anger towards my ex-husband.  I'm overwhelmed by the guilt of divorce.  It's a constant... thing.  It never gets easier, it never goes away, it never heals completely.  And it makes me wonder why God allowed this to happen.  Why would a God so good allow hurt like this?

Lately, I've gotten mad again at my ex.  It never seems like he does enough as a parent for our son.  It never seems like he's sacrificing nearly as much as I am to be a parent.  I feel taken advantaged of and I feel sad for our little boy that his dad is not around.

 

Can anyone relate to this?  Being mad at their ex?  Being disappointed?  Feeling guilty about it because you know you should have never put yourself into the position that you're now in? 

Somehow, and call me crazy, I believe that God is working on me through all of this.  I believe that He is teaching me a lesson about grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love...not only for me but also for my ex.  I believe that Romans 8:28 will be my life verse "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." and God has a greater purpose for all of this.  Somehow I believe that, at the end of the day, God will get the glory out of this entire situation.

The key is to hold on to that hope that God is working it out for our good.  The key, for you and I, is to not allow the enemy to sneak into our thoughts and hold this shame over us.  God has already forgiven us.  The key is to not allow the enemy to sneak into our thoughts and make us lose our temper and get so angry that we say and do things that are out of our character and out of God's character. 

And lastly, we need to remember the gift of our children and of being a parent.  God doesn't make mistakes.  The child(ren) you have with that person isn't a mistake.  It's a perfect gift from our perfect Savior.  Truly, God has already worked it out for our good and we see that in the goodness of our children.

So, to all of my single moms who are dealing with an ex, I totally get it.  Let's stay encouraged in knowing that God is a good God and He will get the glory.  Let's stay prayed up so that when the enemy comes with his tricks, we are prepared to fight.  Let's stay in the Bible so we can be reminded of who God is and that He doesn't make mistakes.  And finally, let's forgive.  Let's forgive ourselves for our decisions and let's forgive our ex for their decisions.  Join me in this and let us experience the freedom that is in Christ.

God bless you!




 

Love What You Have

Woman to Woman 

This past weekend was my daughter's wedding.  We spent several months getting ready for the big day and had a lot of laughs (and a little drama) along the way.  For example, the day we went to find her wedding dress, I got my car stuck, really stuck, in the driveway at the bridal shop.  There was so much snow, I couldn't see that I was about to drive over an 18" drop-off in the driveway.  I thought the driveway behind the dress shop and the restaurant next door were connected.  Turns out, they are not!  My daughter and I were laughing about something and the next thing we knew, we heard a thump!  I couldn't go forwards or backwards.  I was so embarrassed. The owner of the bridal shop was so nice.   She helped shovel around my car so we could see what was going on and to see if there was any damage.  She offered to reschedule my daughter's appointment.  However, I didn't want to reschedule the appointment because I wanted this day to be about my daughter and I wanted her to be happy.  It was hard enough for us to find a time to get together, I didn't want to "waste" this day.  It all worked out okay because my husband (who rescues me frequently) came out, assessed the situation, and stayed there until a tow truck could arrive so that my daughter and I could go to her appointment.  My car had to be lifted up and off the cement divider, but there was no apparent damage (thank you, Lord - truly!).  

During all the wedding planning and preparations, I knew I would be an emotional wreck during the ceremony and at the reception.  I am an emotional person anyway.  However, I wasn't totally prepared for how I would feel after the wedding and the reception were over.  I am blessed that I never experienced postpartum depression, but now, I felt like I was going through, "postmatrimonial" depression for mother-of-the-bride (is there such a thing?). When you are in the mommy planning zone, all you can think about is what you have to do next.  You have a huge list of people and places to contact to make sure everything goes smoothly. However, the next thing you know, it's the day of the wedding and you, as a parent, have to do something that you didn't think would have such a large impact on your emotions--you have to give your daughter to someone else. Say that again?  I have to let someone else be more important in her life than her parents?  I was, also, not prepared to receive some advice from her dad that I really needed to hear.  

During the reception, all the parents sat at one table.  During one of our conversations, my daughter's dad gave all of us some excellent advice.  He said, "love what you have."  That piece of advice has been stuck in my head all week.  It is so simple, yet, I believe that most people do not do a very good job of loving what they have--myself included.  We are so busy running after the next best thing that we don't take time to love what we do have and what God gave to us.  How often do we thank God, really thank God for all the blessings He bestows on us and for the people who are in our life?  How many people are no longer in our life because we didn't do a very good job of loving them?    

Loving what you have and loving those around us is very important to God.  If you have any doubt, review Exodus 20:2-17 or Deuteronomy 5:6-21 which list the commandments God gave to us.  One of the commandments that God gave to us specifically tells us not to covet what our neighbor has--his wife, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey or anything that belongs to our neighbor.  In other words, love what you have and have been given--don't yearn to possess something that someone else has. (See Josie's blog post for more information on jealousy).  To be honest, there are days when still I find myself "coveting" my "neighbor's" house or furnishings.   When I was younger, I found myself thinking (as Ruth mentioned in her blog post) that if I just had a nicer house or bigger house, I would be happy. However, I now realize that my happiness doesn't depend on the house I am in.  My happiness comes from loving God and Him loving me.  I have learned that if I am not happy where I am with what I have, I will not be happy in the bigger, more expensive house.  

The wedding day has now come and gone.  Just like life, it all goes so quickly--in the blink of an eye.  My goal is going to be to follow this simple advice, "love what you have."  Don't wait to appreciate the people God has placed in your life.  If you don't love them now, you may not get a chance to love them later.  

I would love to hear all the funny stories you may have as "mother-of-the-bride" or from your child's wedding.  Jump over to The Mom Squad Facebook page if you care to share!   

'Cause I'm Happy

Hello my friends! Hope you're having an awesome week thus far!

I wanted to spend some time today talking about happiness.  We live in a society today where it's all about ME and what makes ME happy.  If something or someone doesn't make us happy, we get rid of it in our life.  If we feel like we "need" something to bring happiness, we immediately try to obtain it and won't be happy until we get that thing.  Our happiness, as a society, is very much based on our emotions, our possessions, and our circumstances.

If we're dating (or even married) to someone, we expect them to make us happy and when they don't anymore, we get rid of that person.  And we're encouraged to do so, aren't we?  Our friends will say things like "well, whatever makes you happy..." or we hear things like "Life is too short!  You should be happy."

We see that someone else has the latest iPhone or the latest Michael Kors handbag or has a bigger house than us or a newer car than us and we immediately think, "If I had that, I would be so much happier." 

And of course our circumstances make us happy.  We're getting married so we're happy!  We got a promotion at work so we're happy!  We graduated college so we're happy! 

The thing about our emotions, possessions, and circumstances is that they are constantly changing.  Our emotions betray us, don't they?  One minute you love him, the next you don't (or maybe that was just my story!).  Our possessions come and go and with every new possession, there is always something newer around the corner.  Our circumstances are fleeting.  Every moment is just that... a moment.

What if I told you that our happiness shouldn't be dependent on US and what WE want but on GOD and who HE is?  Philippians 4:11-13 states " I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  What Paul is basically saying is that in everything, be content or happy.  And how do we do this?  We do this through Christ who gives us strength.

In Philippians 4:4, we read "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"  To me, this doesn't sound like a suggestion.  It's not like "hey, friend.  When you're feeling up to it, make sure to rejoice."  This verse is saying to rejoice in the Lord.. ALWAYS - no matter if you got up on the wrong side of the bed, if you have little to show in possessions, or if your circumstances are not the best at this very moment.  God is still good.  God is still God.  God still loves you.  God still forgives you.  God still woke you up today which means that you, my friend, have purpose!  So rejoice!

When you set your eyes on "Kingdom living", you have no other choice but to be happy.  When you know that you will one day walk into eternity and all of these troubles will be over, you can't help but rejoice.  So today, dear friends, be happy in Christ!  May you be filled with an overwhelming joy that shines through you everywhere you go for the glory of God.

 

"Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know that God is in love with you
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know that Jesus is the Truth
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know that He's your Savior too"

(I took some liberty to change a couple of words but this version is so much better!:))

 

God bless you!

Why I'm Going to Special Needs, Special Families TONIGHT!

Hello Friends:

As I was thinking about what to write, I decided to emphasize the importance of tonight's Special Needs, Special Families event for me. 

This picture is of my son, Emmanuel. He's 8 years old.  Since he's been in school, he has been in trouble.  He hasn't been getting into fights or swearing at people or stealing or anything like that.  He just seems to be extremely extraverted and can't help but to talk and make noise during class.  Since Kindergarten, he has been separated from the rest of his classmates because the teachers can't seem to manage his behavior.  And the truth of the matter is that Emmanuel can't seem to manage his behavior either.  Although Emmanuel has continually been a nuisance in class, he has always excelled academically.

About a year ago, I decided to get him tested for 'giftedness'.  I really wasn't sure what that was but soon realized that it's an IQ test.  Emmanuel did great on it!  He is what psychologists would call "profoundly gifted".  It's a blessing most days except for when he's being a smarty-pants.  There are definitely ups and downs of having a gifted child.  Too many to get into at this point.  The point is that once I realized he was gifted, I thought that if I put him in a gifted school, he would be challenged and the behavior issues would subside.  Well, I was wrong!

Emmanuel is now in a gifted school and the behavior problems are just as bad, if not worse, than they ever have been.  By the end of the year, the teacher didn't know what else to do and kicked him out of her class multiple times when he was simply out of control.  We had numerous meetings with his teacher, the principle, the assistant vice principle, and the school psychologist. Finally, by the end of the year, through assessments, he was diagnosed as ADHD.

As a parent, it is completely overwhelming to send your kid to school every day and just pray and hope and cross every finger that he has a good day.  You wait and hope every day that you're not going to get an email from the teacher or a call about his behavior.  And every day, when he comes home and says that he didn't have such a great day, as a parent you wonder what it is that you're doing wrong.  We are surrounded by loving family and of course, with good intentions, they start to tell you everything that you should or shouldn't be doing. 

When we add the gifted part to it, I become completely baffled.  How can someone so smart not be able to control himself or be so forgetful?  Is he doing this on purpose?  Does he need more attention? What else can I do?  Should I change his diet?  What sport should I sign him up for now? The questions that I ask myself on a daily basis reiterate my doubt on my parenting skills.

I know that some of you may be reading this and are dealing with something similar or perhaps your child has a physical, mental, or emotional special need.  I didn't think the event tonight would be for me but where I am today - mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - I am certain that I need tonight's event more than ever before.  I need to be encouraged.  I need to be surrounded with other parents who get it.  I need someone to pray for me.  I need to be connected.  And that is exactly what tonight's event is about.

Let's connect and love on another tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing you.

God bless!

Join me in prayer

 

Hi ladies-

 



I have so much on my mind these days as I watch local and national news.  My heart breaks for what our world is becoming.

The biggest concern on my heart these days is the thousands of kids that have crossed the US border recently from Central America.  I believe that I heard on the news that the count was up to 52,000 children that have crossed the border since October 2013.  They are coming into this country to avoid harmful and dangerous living.  They're crossing over on their own, with no parent or adult to help them. 

Perhaps it's because my family is from Guatemala and I personally have a tie to Central America but I can't stop thinking about these children.  So much so that I told my husband that if we could, I would want to move to Arizona or Texas to help these children.  Of course, for many reasons, we cannot make a move that huge at this point in our lives but there is something that I can do... I can pray.

I can pray for all of those children that are probably very scared and very alone and very sad to have had to leave everything they know and love.  I can thank God for the courage and bravery in such young hearts and ask that that same courage and bravery would get them through the next days, weeks, months, and possibly years as they try to figure out where they belong in the world.  I can pray for our government officials who are trying to figure out how to assist, feed, educate, and vaccinate these thousands of children, as well as pray that they make the best decisions for the children and not for their own political platform.  And lastly, I can pray that God would be glorified through this humanitarian crisis.

 

It's only by the grace of God that we weren't born into similar situations.  We are blessed beyond measure to live in a country where people around the world want to escape to in order to find refuge.  The very least we can do is pray.  Will you join me?  Will you join me in praying for 52,000+ children today? 

 

James 1:22-27

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

God bless you!

The Simple Things...

Hello my friends!

I had such a great day yesterday and when I stopped to think about why it was such a good day, it was the simple things that made it so wonderful.  It was my son, Emmanuel (8 years old), listening and being obedient.  It was Gabriel (2 years old) being happy because he has been having bowel movements (he's typically pretty constipated which makes him crabby).   It was going to the grocery store and Emmanuel helping me to put the groceries away.  It was Gabe wanting to snuggle before bedtime.  There was nothing that anyone would look at and say "Wow!  Now that made the day amazing!" It was the simplicity of the day.

So often we look past the simple things, anticipating the big things in life.  We wait for the birthdays or the vacations or the activities or whatever it is that makes the day a little more special than any other day; but often times, in the midst of anticipating the big things, we miss the every day blessings that God gives us. Psalm 34:1-3 says:

I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

Today, let us spend time praising God for all of His blessings.  The big ones but especially the small ones.  It's in those small blessings that we are reminded that He is yet with us, showering us with His perfect love.

Have a wonderful day and a blessed week.  Praise God for all of His goodness.  Let us rejoice and be glad in Him!

Success Is...

Hello beautiful women!

I was going through Facebook the other day and I saw a message about success.  There are always those great quotes that you can share with your friends to inspire them to continue with their success.  Although typically I would share those, this time when I saw it, I decided not to share it.  I realized that what I've been sharing with others about success is the way our culture sees success.  Maybe it's because I'm a stay-at-home mom now and I'm not in the corporate world but for whatever reason, my views on what success means have changed.

Sometimes success is just making it through the day with the kids! :)  Sometimes success is actually getting in the shower before my husband comes homes from work.  Sometimes success is getting the house cleaned.  Sometimes success is getting out and starting the fitness plan that you've been thinking about for several weeks...or months! Sometimes success is accomplishing that goal you've been striving after for some time.  Sometimes success is mending a relationship that has been broken. 

Success as the world defines it is about money, materialistic things, job titles, power, and ego.  I used to define success this way also.  When I became a stay-at-home Mom, my biggest struggle was my ego.  It was hard to let go of everything that I thought made me successful and find myself content with my ministry as a wife and mother. But as I've become a stay-at-home mom and consequently have grown closer to God over the last year, I realize that what God is calling me to do is so much more important than anything the world can provide.

God is asking me to raise my boys in a God-focused home.  He's asking me to raise my children to know who God is, to teach them how to pray, to exemplify who God is by the way that I live my life.  God is asking me to glorify Him even when I don' t feel like it because the kiddos are always watching! God has called me to be a loving, supportive wife.  He has called me to love my husband in a way that reflects His love for us. 

The impact that I have as a mother and as a wife can change generations to come.  The impact that I have on my children may change the world as they go out into the world and do what it is that God has called them to do.  The impact that I have will show my children how to treat their spouse and truly love them.  The impact that I have on my children can make the difference between spending eternity in heaven or hell.  And that, my friends, is so much more important than a job title or the amount of money we have in our bank account.

Perhaps you're struggling today with your value.  Remember, as moms and wives, sisters and friends - we have the most important job ever...we show God to those around us!

God bless you!

Love Is...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails..."

 

Today is my 3-year anniversary so I can't help but to think of LOVE.

 

My story is a little different than what you may expect.  When I met my husband, David, I was recently divorced.  I had a 2-year old little boy, Emmanuel, at the time and I felt overwhelmed with bitterness, anger, sadness, and despair.  Not only at my circumstances but also with God.  "How could HE do this to me?" I asked myself over and over again.  "He" being my Heavenly Father.  I thought I had lived my life the "right way".  I wasn't supposed to get divorced.  I wasn't supposed to be a single mother.  That wasn't the life I had planned for myself.  Little did I know that God was taking my brokenness and had an awesome love story in store for me.

 

God placed David in my life in my darkest hour. 

 

David is a beacon of light to the world.  He constantly has a smile on his face and he has an infectious positive personality.  When you see him, you just want to smile. He loves people.  He loves God.  He is a generous man, a strong leader, and a compassionate person. 

 

I was so angry at the time that I met David that even his smile would annoy me.  "Why is he so happy?" I would ask myself.  I didn't understand how this man could see the goodness of God in a desperate world.  But God was going to take that gift and allow David to see the goodness in me in my desperate world.

 

Over a period of 2 years of an off-again/on-again relationship with David and some heavy counseling, I finally felt like I was ready to love again and receive love.  I had to understand that love wasn't based off some emotional, romantic-comedy movie but that love was an action.  Love meant that I had to give.  Love meant that I was patient and kind even when it was really hard.  I had to come to understand that love doesn't hold grudges.  Love meant that I wasn't rude. I had to be able to trust, to hope, to persevere again.

 

Miraculously, David never gave up on me.  He always believed in me and in us.  So when he asked me to marry him, I thought about what love was and I was confident that I was ready to truly love him.  When we married, we said our vows and I secretly made a vow to him in my heart.  It was this:  Since he loved me through my darkest hour, he would now get to love me through my best days.  And every day, with the help and favor of God, we get to see our best days. 

 

Not that we don't have disagreements or just outright ugly arguments but we love one another through those times.  And loving each other the way that God instructs makes all the difference in our marriage. 

 

As you say those beautiful three words to your loved ones today, "I love you," really consider what you're saying.  Resolve in your heart and mind that you will love the way that God instructs us to.  It can change our relationships and ultimately the world.

 

Happy Anniversary, David. I love you.

 

 

 

Seasons of Motherhood

Right now, I'm sitting in our sunroom trying to find a quick moment of quiet to write this blog.  My eldest son, Emmanuel (8 1/2), is bouncing off the walls singing a song about how awesome he is.  My youngest son, Gabriel (almost 2) is sick, constipated, and just wants to be held.  My husband wants to hug for 10 seconds, as we try to do every day when he gets home from work so we can reconnect after being away from one another for the entire day.  And I... well, I just want to hide away somewhere and watch mindless tv while the chaos happening around me continues or doesn't. Either way, I don't really care, as long as I don't have to be a part of it.  That's what's really going on in my life right at this moment. 

But that's the thing... It's just a moment.

My mom friends from my church and I always remind ourselves that this is just a season in time.  Soon, this will pass and we'll be on to the next season or even possibly wishing to go back to this season.  Emmanuel will one day be a teenager who I will probably have to drag out of bed in the morning and this ball of energy in the form of a boy will soon become a 15 year old sluggish and little more hormonal young man.  Gabriel won't always be constipated and one day soon he'll be able to blow his nose so he can get the congestion out and he certainly won't want to be held much.  And my husband, hopefully, will always be here for a 10 second hug and to reconnect with me after our long days.

This is a season in my life.  This is a season in your life also. 

Whatever you may be going through in this season, appreciate it for what it is in this moment.  It won't last forever.  Whether you're raising young babies and you're tired, breastfeeding, and dealing with trying to balance everything and everyone - remember this season will pass soon enough.  Or if you're raising teenagers who think they're invincible, they're a little unappreciative, and know-it-alls - remember this season will soon pass.  Perhaps you're dealing with empty nest syndrome and trying to figure out what to do now with your life after you've sacrificed for so long.  You'll find a new hobby, hang out with old friends, and soon enough there will be the pitter-patter of grandchildren. 

"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven...
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh:
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:1&4)

So if you're not weeping or mourning, definitely take this time to laugh and dance.  And remember - this will only last but for a season.

God bless you!

The Hannah In You

I’ve been reading in the Bible about Hannah and I’ve been so captivated by her spirit of gratefulness towards God and complete faith in who God is.  Hannah’s story has spoken to me in a place that is so deep within me.  I guess I stand in awe of who she is and pray to be more like her.

If you don’t know the story, Hannah wants so badly to have children but she cannot.  She prays and cries out to the Lord and promises God that if He grants her a son, she will give him back to God.  God finds favor on Hannah and gives her a son, Samuel.

As I was reading the story, I felt Hannah’s pain.  I could sense her agony as she prayed to God.  In fact, in 1 Samuel 1:15, the priest, Eli, thought she was drunk because Hannah was in fervent prayer, moving her lips yet not speaking.  He tells her to stop drinking and she replies “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit.  I have drunk neither wine or intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.”

Think about those words “poured out my soul before the Lord”.  Have you ever been there?  Have you ever been in such agony that you have poured out your soul to the Lord?  That moves my very core.  It reminds me of when I was going through my divorce.  I remember crying so hard and having these conversations with God that only He heard.  I felt like I was pouring out my soul before Him and He was left with a desperate, sorrowful mess.

I have to admit there were many times that I didn’t think He heard my cry.  Perhaps I believed that He had turned away from me, especially because I was going through a divorce.  I felt like God was disappointed in me and I was now out of His sight.

I guess this is where Hannah and I are different.  She never doubted who God was and could be in her life.  She always held on to her hope in God.  In fact, even in her sorrow, she promises to give back to God her child.

Who is this woman?  And is there a Hannah in me somewhere?

In my countless moments of desperation, do I still hold on to hope in God?

This is what I’m left with as I read and re-read this story.  The thing is that, like Hannah, God heard my cry and found favor on me.  He turned around my mess and made it into a beautiful love story.  And I believe He can do the same for you.

I don’t know what your situation is but for those of you who may be pouring out your soul to God in this season of your life, hold on to hope.

Find the Hannah in you.

God bless you!

Let It Go

Hello beautiful ladies!  Happy April!!  Thank God for the warmer weather and that Spring has finally arrived!

Well, if you read the title of the blog, you may think that this blog is going to be about the infamous song Let It Go that everyone has heard over and over and over and over and over and…
Thankfully, this blog has nothing to do with that song or the movie Frozen. :)

I was watching my toddler go up and down the stairs the other day and something that he did clicked for me.  He had his hands full with a ball and a car and he wanted to go downstairs but couldn’t figure out how to go down the stairs with his hands full.  In that moment, he had to make a choice.  Do I go down the stairs to get to my destination (the next level)?  Or do I stay where I’m at, continuing to hold on to the things that I’ve been holding?  It was dilemma that I have found myself in a time or two.

I love to encourage women through my writing.  I've been challenging women to be bold in the name of Jesus this past month.  What I’ve come to realize, however, is that many of us are holding on to things in our past that are preventing us from going to the next level.  We know that it’s time to move on yet we don’t want to let go of that stuff that we have gotten accustomed to holding onto.  Some of that “stuff” includes things like unforgiveness, regret, shame, relationships and friendships that you know are unhealthy, hurt, sadness, bitterness, etc.

Spend some time examining your life.  Examine what some of those things are that have become really comfortable, perhaps a crutch, that you lean on anytime God asks you to move.  I encourage you to release those things once and for all.  Ask God to take those things from you so that you no longer have to carry those into your next level.

Is it scary?  Yes.  It's scary to let go of some of those things or people that are preventing us from getting what God has in store for us but be encouraged.  The Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Whatever you may be going through or carrying around with you, give it over to God.  Let Him take it on and find rest in Him.

It’s time for next level living! Are you ready?

Launching Into the Deep

 

Hello beautiful women!

 

I opened my Bible to get a fresh word and the Lord brought me to Luke Chapter 5:4, 0ne of my all-time favorite scriptures.  It reads “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’”  I love this story and this verse.  Imagine these men, Simon and other fishermen, trying to catch fish all night and coming up with nothing.  They are tired and worn out.  They are ready to go home.  They are done.  Yet Jesus comes and gets into Simon’s boat and begins to teach the multitudes from the boat.  When He’s done speaking, He tells Simon “throw down your net”.  Simon answers him saying “We’ve toiled all night and have caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word, I will let down the net” (verse 5).  The story goes on to say that Simon goes ahead and is obedient to Jesus and once he lets down his net, he catches so many fish that he has to call for help and the boats begin to sink because of the amount of fish they caught.

When you think about water that is deep, it’s a scary thing.  You can’t see the bottom, you don’t know the depth of the water. I get freaked out at the thought of something biting my feet.  I think I’ve watched Shark Week one too many times so my mind instantly goes to danger.  Deep water is typically darker than shallow water and it’s colder.  Typically when you get into trouble, you may say “I’m in too deep” or “I’m in deep water”.

Here, in this story, Jesus tells Simon to “launch into the deep”.  He doesn’t say “timidly go into the deep”.  He uses the word “launch”.  This word automatically makes me think of a rocket launching into the air.  With all it’s force and all of it’s might, it launches out there into the unknown.  Have you ever wondered why Jesus uses the word ‘launch’ in this scripture and not any other word? I wonder if it’s because in order to go into the deep waters, you need to just do it!  You need to muster up the courage and go for it.  Knowing that it’s deep water, a scary environment, you need courage to launch.

As women, I think sometimes we put our dreams and our passions on the back-burner until we’re handed an opportunity. For instance, there’s research that shows that when there is opportunity for promotion in the workplace, women don’t typically go for it because they talk themselves out of the opportunity.  A lot of “I’m not qualified enough” and “there’s someone more qualified than me” talk goes on.  Whereas for men, they don’t even have to be qualified for the position yet they will apply for the promotion.

I don’t want to get into gender stereotypes and the male vs. female sex battle.  I just want to ask you, “what is God calling you to do that you are putting off because you’re afraid?”  What are the opportunities that God Himself have said are for you but you continue to allow fear to dictate your destiny?  Dear Sisters, I encourage you to Launch into the Deep courageously, boldly, with strength and power that only comes from God.

Today is the day, this week is the week, this month is the month, this year is the year.  It’s time.

 

God bless you.  Have an amazing rest of the week!

The Superhero in You

Hello, lovely ladies! March is Women’s History Month so I figured I would write on how awesome we are! :) Who doesn't need to be reminded of that weekly and sometimes daily?

One theme that has been on my heart over the last week has been the Armor of God. I live with boys so I always have to “prove” myself to my kids (especially my 8 year old). I have to prove that I’m strong and that I can also be a superhero. We even went as far as making myself a Wonder Woman headband (thanks to this month's Marvel Cheerios box). But it finally dawned on me that I have all of the power available to me that I need... I just need to put it on in the morning. So what is this power? In Ephesians 6:10-18, it states “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” See? Isn’t this what a superhero is? Someone who can fight evil and destroy it right in it’s midst? The way that we do that is through the power of Jesus Christ and by putting on our armor.

• Why the belt? Well, if you think about it, our midsection is what keeps us balanced. That is where we hold much of our weight. We have to gird ourselves with truth so that we can stand firm, not wobbly or lopsided but firmly in God's truth. 
• Why the breastplate? Our heart always needs to be protected. Our emotions are extremely vulnerable and so we need to protect our emotions from the attacks of the enemy. If he can get us to feel unloved by God, he wins. 
• Why the tennis shoes, flip-flops, and heels? Wherever we walk, we should be spreading the good news! We want others to know how great our God is and that testimony should be carried with us wherever we go. 
• Why the shield? The Bible says it is 'to protect us from the enemy's flaming arrows'. Those arrows come in the form of temptation, gossip, insecurities, etc. He is always busy and he always knows what our weaknesses are. We need to keep our faith in God so that when those attacks come, we can remember that we're daughters of God and are already winners through Jesus Christ! 
• Why the helmet? I don't know about you but the enemy is constantly trying to plant seeds in my head about my husband or my children. He wants me to doubt what God says about me, my role as a wife, and my role as a mother. He knows if he can make me doubt for a second who God is and can be in my life, he starts to win. The helmet protects our minds from all of the doubts. 
• And last, but not least, we attack the enemy with our sword – the word of God which means we need to know the Word. My son's favorite part of the armor of God is the sword. He loves the idea of attacking the devil! And because we know that the devil's greatest trick is trying to get us to NOT believe the Word of God, we have to be extra vigilent in knowing what the truth is. Reading the Word of God, memorizing it and keeping it tucked in your heart is the greatest way to combat the attacks of the enemy. When he tells you, 'you're not good enough', you say to him John 3:16 and you follow it up with Romans 8:35-39. That's called a "1-2 Combo!" :) 

Every day, but especially this month as we celebrate our womanhood, embrace the Superhero in you through Jesus Christ our Lord!