Before you write it in your day planner

Hello and welcome to the blog. Today is one of those self convicting I need to do something about this kinda of days for me! You know where something has been on your mind for many days and it keeps trying to push its way to the front, but with all your skill and might you keep it suppressed…well at least I have tried! Now just so you know, I don’t post anything on this blog about me arriving or thinking I have it all figured out, because the truth of the matter my friends is that I am just a girl on a journey with a Jesus who loves me and has more grace than I will ever be able to comprehend. And it’s not because of who I am, but rather because of who He is!

As I sit here on this Monday morning I am overwhelmed, tired and feeling way too busy.

What to do about this?

What do I want to do about this?

I know from past experience that when I don’t do something, something will be done for me.

What does God want my day planner to look like?

Does He truly want me ‘cramming’ so much into each and every day that my priorities are no longer in sync with my purpose?


What I am doing this morning is looking at day planner, and if you want to join me here are some of the questions we can ask ourselves,

Look at your calendar-too full? No free time? What about spontaneous events, is there room for them?

Is your family-spending time together? Eating together? Supporting each other? Communication? Time to relax and play?

Look at yourself- tired? Sick? Healthy?

“We can’t do 1000 things to the glory of God” We can do a few. (Beth Moore; Esther video)


Maybe we do have too much going on!

Are we always saying yes?

No quality time spent with our families.

Always tired, stressed, and un-healthy.

Life is chaotic.

Are we truly sensing be peace in our lives?

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. Joshua 3:9

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

…the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is needed… Luke 10:41-42 (emphasis mine)

What do you think that one thing is?

Friends I am praying this morning and truly seeking that one thing. My Jesus the very one who took time in His schedule to make a relationship with me possible.


What Happens When Women Say No

To over scheduling.


May we be so bold this day to say NO to the things that are not on His agenda.

May we be willing to abandon our agendas, our schedules, our day planners and become apart of His agenda, living in His schedule, and His daily plan!

Quit Trying

Happy Friday! It has been a week packed full of life. I am praying that you have truly sensed His presence with you this week.

Would you agree with me that we live in a society that encourages us to earn our way?

Have you ever thought about what you are currently trying to earn?

As I sit and type this in the comfort of my little home, I have just kissed the Engineer goodbye as he is off to ‘earn’ a living.

Over my years, not that I have been around real long or anything…HA! But long enough to see people ‘earning’.

Earning grades, earning applause, earning awards and recognition, earning consequences.

The one thing that makes my heart sad is when I see us trying to earn salvation.

I have personally seen it in my own life.


Kay Arthur asks in her book Giving God Our Obedience:

“Do you realize how much God loves you? He loves you so much that His Son left heaven, came down and confined Himself to the womb of a woman. He was born a human being; God in the flesh.”

His birth story is packed full of purposeful details that led Him to live out His story in such a way that led Him to a cross, for a very purposeful moment.

I choose to believe that if salvation could be earned, we wouldn’t need Jesus.

And I just somehow can’t seem to make that ‘write’ into the story He has already written.

I have seen what it looks like for me to try and ‘earn’ my salvation.

There where times in my life where it looked more like a good Christian girls check list,

Bible time check!
Prayer, and prayer for all those on ‘my list’ check!
Prayer before each meal check!
Listen to Christian music check!
Went to church check!
Was a good wife, mom, and friend check!

Now girls don’t get me wrong, these are great things, and when done out of the right heart, they are meaningful, and beautiful. But it all goes back to how I see God. Do I truly treat Him as a ‘something’ to do? Or do I live in relationship with Him because I truly believe and know He is with me. He is with me in every minute of my day. Am I acknowledging His presence? Am I standing in awe of the reality that He has chosen to be a part of my everyday?

There are times in my life where I was focused on pleasing God, instead of living in relationship with Him.

As I sit here this morning I am reminded and encouraged to quit trying!

What Happens When Women Say No,

To trying to earn salvation?

Just maybe it looks like a most beautiful grace and loved filled relationship with their Jesus!

Girlfriend a lie is a lie

Our last visit together was accepting who God created us to be, women! Some of us needed His grace just to go there. I know He has more grace for our visit today!

If we say we accept the grace He has for us…how can we limit His grace to not flow completely over us, through us, and into the deepest parts of who we are?

His grace is perfect…and when we allow it to change us…we are made perfect in Him.

To become perfect in Him there are things on our part that we need to be aware of. Decisions that will lead us to make choices. Decisions that are deeper than lipstick color, hairstyle and what ‘fit’ of jeans work best for us…decisions that will cause us to live out in that arena He created for us…the one that has His signature all over it…the one He purposefully designed for us. The one that is unique, dynamic, beautiful and amazing!

Girlfriends there is something that keeps us from that arena. His spot for us!

Do you know what it is?

It’s a lie.


One of the No’s we have to be willing to say…is No to living in bondage and slavery with the enemy. The very enemy who desires to see you suffer. The enemy who will continue to fill your head and heart with lies, lies that keep you from knowing you are created on purpose for a purpose.

Girlfriends a lie is a lie!

What mis-truths/lies have you been burdened with?

You aren’t adequate?

You are not capable?

You are not worthy?

You will never be acceptable?

You are not beautiful?

You have made too many wrongs choices and mistakes?

Can I just say that if you have not yet dealt with this whole lie thing, you will. Now I am not trying to scare you, but at some point in your journey you will come face to face with some lie or mistruth that tries to keep you from your purpose.

The enemy has a whole ‘slew’ of disgusting lies he uses to try and keep us from living in a grace and loved filled relationship with our Jesus!

The enemy will always pick a lie that tends to hit hard on an issue that seems to be a weak spot.

A lie is presented to us in such a way as to keep us from seeing our Jesus, the truth. The lie could be presented in the form of a fear, doubt, and worry. It could involve our marriage, health, family, children, and career. It could be in the form of guilt from the past.

I am praying with you today that God, the truth, will come to each of us in a very personal way and help us to see the lie. That He will shine His light on it, and that the light of His truth will remove that lie in all His grace and love.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

May we hear His voice and allow Him to give us the strength to say No to the lie the enemy is using to keep us from the truth!

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

I am Woman

Now this series will be pretty specific to one gender. However I do think it will be beneficial for the other gender to participate, as maybe just possibly there could be some light shed for them to get a tiny little peek into our world…as I know I have benefited in reading about the other gender.

There is a beginning to everything. A beginning to this series. A beginning to the world. A beginning to your life. A beginning to your relationship with your Creator. And just sometimes we need to go back to a ‘beginning’ to get a clear perspective on who He created us to be.

You see the Creator had purpose in creating women. We were created on purpose for a purpose. Women were created in the image of God. And when I truly let that soak into to my mind and heart. I start to understand that women are a ‘part’ of the image, not complete without men. You see we all were created in the image of God, and each one of us is unique in design and make up, so each one of us reveals one of the many awesome qualities of our Creator. When we allow ourselves to truly think on this, we will open up the ability to see ourselves and others how our God sees us. In reading in Genesis 2 we know that God made women and we learn just how He did it. However I really want us to see this verse:

Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Genesis 2:22 (emphasis mine)

Its in those first seven words that I find comfort in finding the purposeful and intentional God, the Creator who doesn’t just happen to do anything, but rather He does it with His mind set to it!

To spend time here on this is to set a true solid foundation. Please go back and read that bolded part a few times.

Then the LORD God made a woman.

It was in the design and make-up of this woman that something was different, something was unique, something set it her apart from the man that was already there. Something that God needed to reveal, something He needed to share. This uniqueness is called woman. It’s the whole package! It’s the mind, the heart, the soul, the hormones, the feelings, the emotions, the tears, the laughter, the need for friendships, the need for communication, the stronger desire for chocolate, the passion that can be felt when walking into a shoe department. Okay maybe some of those things are just unique to certain women…hehe!

Now go back and re-read the bolded part, and add your name in the blank.

Then the LORD God made ________________.

Oh Girlfriends I know if we truly start here in this foundation, we will be grounding ourselves in a most important truth.

God created us on purpose. It wasn’t by accident. You are needed. I am needed. We are needed. God is intentional about all He does.

"You are the only you God made... God made you and broke the mold. " (Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life)


From on hormone filled self to another, I struggle at really holding tight to that sometimes. I have asked many questions with tears streaming down my face.

Why the hormones? Why the heart that cares so deeply? Why the attachment? Why the fear? Why the doubts? Why the pride? Why the comparing?

The ‘why’s’ just happen to be covering up His beautiful design. The one He is waiting to reveal. Oh, there is such purpose in asking the questions. For when we truly seek an answer, He then reveals Himself in such a way as to take away and replace.

Our first stop in this series of What Happens When Women Say No, is to say NO to whatever it is that has kept us back from truly accepting ourselves as women. That’s what we are! Now I don’t think everyone struggles with this. I do believe there are women who are very accepting of who God created them to be. I am very thankful that He has placed some of those women in my life as beautiful Godly and spiritual role models.

However as I stop to think about this, I do truly desire to be 100% content about who I am and who He created me to be.

A woman.

I am not a man. I am not made to think, behave, act, work, or live like a man!

And you girlfriend are a woman.

We were created in the image of a God who loves us and adores us to pieces.

Lets stand firm on that foundation. A foundation He created in the beginning. Our beginning.

May we allow that beginning to lead us to a more beautiful grace and loved filled intimate relationship with Him!

May we seek to know who we are, where we came from, why we were created and then living in that every moment!

Because Girlfriends that is Living Life on Purpose!

Are we ready girls?

Hello and welcome! I hope you all had a terrific Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for! I am truly thankful for each one of you!

Today we are starting a new series here on the blog.

What Happens When Women Say No.

Those six words have been on mind and heart for months. It is something that God has truly been working out in me and through me. As I type this there is a large amount of ‘things’, ‘issues’, and the such that need to be answered. They need a no or a yes. Now some of these things are simple to take care of, others are much bigger issues.

Do you have a ‘stack’ of some of this stuff? Do you have things that need a yes or no?

It is my hearts desire and prayer that we will link arms together as girlfriends and take this journey together. Where are we going you might ask…well anytime we have done a series on this here blog…it’s always a journey my friends! You see I know where we will end up…standing and maybe even kneeling in awe of our most amazing Creator…its all the details, stops, light bulb moments, heart hugs, and the such that I don’t know…it’s the moments when Jesus is gonna love all over us. I don’t know when and where those will come in…oh but girls I know they will. How? Because He promised His daughters that when we seek Him…we will find Him!

I am excited to share this journey with you. As I know that when we journey on purpose, we always get blessed by our Creator!

As we enter the season to celebrate the birth of our Lord, it is with no coincidence, but rather our purposeful God who will lead us on this journey. A journey that will have each one of us examine what things we need to say no to, so in order to say yes to our Jesus. The very Jesus that God sent to us 2000 years ago in such a humble and quiet presentation.

Girls He is asking us to say no to the ‘stuff’, ‘issues’ and the such so that we can come humbly and quietly before Him and present our yes to Him!

What Happens When Women Say No:

To living in bondage.

To the lies of the enemy.

To trying to earn salvation.

To seeking perfection for ourselves and those around us.

To being comfortable.

To being common.

To chaos.

To over scheduling.

To spot filling.

To uncontrolled thoughts, words and actions.

To good things.

To fear, worry, doubt, bitterness.

To being consumed by stress.

To comparing.

Oh girls we have a lot going on!

Are we ready to see What Happens When Women Say No?

Will you join me?

Hey bring a girlfriend along!

I love you!

P-R-I-D-E

Welcome to the blog!

This is my Thanksgiving post for this year....with such a wacky title you probably are a little scared right? Well to be perfectly honest...so am I! You see I just logged into blogger and here I sit at my keyboard...no 'prepared' post...just a girl who has a whole lot to be thankful for and comes to share it with you all...in hopes that what you get to see is less of me...and more of the Jesus I am SO in love with.

As I lay in bed last night the tears falling into my pillow I was hurt, lonely, mad, angry and upset. That I haven't got it yet! I haven't be able to master this whole insanely frustrating most difficult issue...

PRIDE

As a girl who knows when to grab hands with pride, for me its a comfort thing, I tend to grab on tightly and sometimes so tightly I can literally feel God peeling me away from it!

I wish I could say right now that its just a 'little' issue of PRIDE in one area of my life...but nope...you see its a security blanket that I haul into all areas of my life!

And yesterday I held hands with PRIDE at church.

You see I am a momma who for some silly reason still thinks after 5 years that she can control the very words and actions that come out of her two little guys.

"Nichole your son did not have a good day in class today. He threw the little girls carrots on the floor, he pushed this little boy, and he laughed when the play doh was knocked on the floor"

Friends I carried this the entire day with me...

What are those people thinking of me?

Why in the world can I not get this whole mothering thing right?

Why did he do this? To make me look like a bad mom?

PRIDE and I were still holding hands when I got home from church!

What was my son's bad day at church made for a momma's bad day that I then allowed to effect the rest of the family.

All over my PRIDE.

You see as I type this out and share my heart...it is truly from the depths of my heart that I seek to be free from this.

Free from PRIDE.

You see I believe God could remove it all at once from me...and I know there are certain situations in which I tend to do better...

But if its one thing I just might be tuning into...is that this is a process.

A process of loosening the grip.

A process of peeling away the hand I hold with PRIDE.

A process of walking away.

A process of learning to grab His hand instead.

Dear Jesus thank You for a little boy who prayed this prayer last night, 'Jesus please forgive me for being naughty'. Lord this momma prays that same prayer, please forgive me for being naughty and choosing to hold hands with pride over You!

It was when I allowed Him to peel me away from the PRIDE that I then can see clearly. I can get the focus of myself and all my PRIDE issues...and live life how He intended...being thankful for what I do have!

I am SO Thankful for:
The Engineer
The Boys
Family
Friends
You my Blog Friends

I am SO VERY Thankful for my Jesus who loves me enough to keep working with 'a girl who has issues with PRIDE'.

***Have a GREAT Thanksgiving everyone! I am excited to start a new series on the blog after the holiday. What Happens When Women Say No! Come join me girlfriends!

Date Night with the boys

It's going to be a great night...I am one super excited momma! It's date night with the boys...which means...I get to go out with one of the boys...and the Engineer gets to hang out with the other little guy!

This date night has a theme...its a Scavenger Hunt based off the movie Up which our family has not seen yet.

So I made up these little backpacks that have five different clue cards in them for each boy!

The first card is a picture of little fork, plate, knife...each boy gets to pick where he wants to go for dinner!

The second card is a picture of a balloon...they need to go pick out a balloon and get it filled up with helium!

The third card is a picture clue to take a ride Up an escalator or elevator!

The fourth card is clipart from the movie Up that shows a house being lifted Up by balloons!

The last clue card is a ticket that says "Admit one: This ticket allows Tyler/Tanner to view one movie, eat popcorn, candy, and juice!"

We all end Up meeting back home for the movie Up! Yeah!

I am so stinkin' excited to get going...woo-hoo! We are just waiting for the boys to wake from their nap and the Engineer to come home from work...then all the fun begins!!

Our family would like to wish you all a super fantastic weekend...and remind you to look Up and remember your Creator loves you!

Have a GREAT weekend!