tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41587760992868969252024-03-05T17:28:48.303-08:00A Year Full of HopeAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-57416690090829539942013-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:002013-01-22T22:50:27.573-08:00New Readers<div style="text-align: center;">
A Year Full of Hope is complete, but you can still read the whole year. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The best way to read is by month (go to Blog Archive in the right hand column). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That way you only need to click 12 times!
Start with January 2012! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
XOXO</div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-48489755157717598732013-01-22T22:33:00.001-08:002013-01-22T22:44:12.644-08:00The End - My PackageUsually when something ends you want to tie it all together with a nice big bow and make it look pretty. But let's face the facts; life doesn't always work that way. Sometimes the bow doesn't get added for months or even years. Sometimes we never find our bow and realize that many packages are tied together with simple string. For me, it's now time to tie this package of hope and the year 2012 together. Only 22 days late.<br />
<br />
While writing this blog, on many days I thought that it was kind of a breeze. No huge storms like before. And yet, I struggled inwardly much more. It wasn't about finding God in our situation, it was about finding God within me. It was about finding hope within me. Something I had clutched to so often in <a href="http://myyearoffaith.blogspot.com/">My Year of Faith</a>. Hope is a funny thing. You can hold on to it so tightly and believe in it so much, and yet one little downpour and suddenly your hope is floating away. You question God and you question everything. I think holding on to hope and never letting go is a sign of maturity.<br />
<br />
This blog taught me to lean on hope. It taught me that hope is knowing that God is good and that He will deliver in due time. Hope is a way of life, an attitude. Hope is your spirit. Hope is believing that it all has a purpose. Hope keeps us alive.<br />
<br />
<i>"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." - Hebrews 6:19 </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Somewhere around Day 300 I lost myself. My anchor rose up and my ship tossed about the sea with no direction. I felt empty. After about 37 days more of that, I lost all of the words within me. And I just stopped blogging. I stopped writing. I stopped caring. I think I stopped hoping. The funny thing about that is now I can look back and see all of the good starting to happen at that time. I was just too lost to notice. Mark got a new job, a job that we had been praying for. A job that felt like the final gold crown on My Year of Faith. A job that was the building blocks for changes to come. A job that was straight from God himself. And I was finding myself surrounded by all of these wonderful people. Despite my silence, I would literally say to myself every day how lucky I was to have so many people in my life that God has blessed me with. Old friends, new friends, church friends, friends from blogging, friends from Brody's school, etc. While I felt depleted, I could recognize that God had surrounded me with so much goodness. I am still literally blown away by the people in all corners of my life. I feel like they are my reward for <a href="http://myyearoffaith.blogspot.com/">My Year of Faith</a>. Lots of lovely people (yes you) who teach me how to be a better person. And yet even with lovely people around, I was still wordless. Still hopeless that things could some day get better. I reached out to God and begged Him for change. For a chance to get ahead and to not feel so stuck financially. Right around that time I wrote this:<br />
<br />
<i>I have had an unsettledness in my heart for a few months now. A feeling like we're not where we should be and maybe where we live isn't the right place for our family.... But no answers have come and the feeling still looms...Maybe if I remind myself how lucky I am every single morning, through the thick and the thin, and on the hard days and the good days, that unsettling feeling will go away. I can just give it all over to God to direct us where He wants us to go and be happy with where He placed us for right now. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
And for many nights after this post, I kept praying for God to put us where we should be. To help us build a new foundation in some way. A foundation where we would not be living penny to penny, and paycheck to paycheck. And I meant it. I stopped looking for a place to go and I prayed for His plan.<br />
<br />
And then it happened, just a few days before the end of the year. Out of the blue and through a dear friend, an opportunity presented itself. The opportunity would be living in a new city, in a bigger home (our two bedroom rental was getting smaller and smaller by the day), for a great price, and with a chance to become more financially solvent as a family. A chance to lift some financial burdens. I knew that this plan was God's plan because despite everything I was leaving behind, not one part of me said no. And so as a family, we decide to move a little bit away to start a new adventure.<br />
<br />
And so that is how this package ties together. Maybe not as perfectly and as neatly as I had imagined. But, it ends with God answering my prayer for a new beginning of His choosing. It ends with my realization of what hope really is:<br />
<br />
Hope is knowing that God is working in your life at all times. Hope is moving forward, even when you feel silenced. Hope is trusting God, even when you feel abandoned because He never leaves you. Hope is the awareness that all things take time, and in that time you need to be patient. Hope is the blessings of love and friendship, and the simple promises of life that you can see in others. And hope is using the knowledge that God gives you to navigate your life in all seasons by holding on and answering Him.<br />
<br />
So, while this ending seems anti-climatic because I have not written in so many days, it's the end of a year of internal struggles. A year I surrendered it all to Him. A year where I grew despite my battles. A year where I learned to have big faith. And a year where God tied my story together himself, with a beautiful bow, and an adventure ahead of me.<br />
<br />
If you would like to continue with my story, you can follow me at my new blog, <a href="http://whengodopensadoor.blogspot.com/">When God Opens a Door</a>.<br />
<br />
xo,
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-84144017079083243022012-12-02T06:17:00.001-08:002012-12-02T06:21:46.883-08:00Day 337 - StuckI've been stuck. Something has extinguished a fire inside of me, but I haven't quite figured out what it is. I am completely blocked, no drive to write on any of my blogs. And it's not that I don't have anything to say, it's that my heart has stopped it all. I assume most people would call this writer's block, but I know that it's something different. I've lost my love for running, baking, cooking, and creating. I want my spark back.<br />
<br />
I've been thinking about what I have struggled with most this year, and I think that it's trying to deal with not knowing what God's plans are for me. Dealing with the outcome of the last four years, and seeing what happens when the dust has settled. I had a career and then I had a blog about a crazy time in our life. It seems that in the midst of life, I always had a big purpose that was just for me. And then this year hit and the world doesn't seem to need me as much. I feel lost and unsure of what I should be doing, and I know that my being wants some kind of big purpose. So me-centered, right? Let's face it; I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that right now my job is just to be a mom and a wife. To drive the kids to school, pick them up, feed them, take care of them, and be my husband's rock and confidant. That's it. Why can't I be happy with that? It's because it goes against everything I have always believed about myself. That I am special and that God has big things for me. It goes against my personality and my drive for success. And you know what, I think that God knows exactly what He is doing with me. He is breaking me soulfully. He is teaching me that it's not all about me. That I am His servant just like everyone else, and I am not special. That I need to find my way in this world based on being who I am at this exact moment, no matter how big or little the events in my life are. That I need to build myself on the foundation of what He created me on and become intimate with that woman.<br />
<br />
Over the last year that has been a lot of relational turmoil in my life. Lots of ugly things said and actions taken that have hurt. I didn't know how to deal with it. And I can't say that I do now, but I can say that I have changed. It's been very hard and extremely trying, but somewhere in the midst of everything I have emerged a little differently. I know that my spark was lost somewhere in there from pure exhaustion, but I also know that is part of the building process and I need to find myself again somewhere in the confusion. I can't do that without God's help, and I don't think I have asked for it enough.<br />
<br />
It's no coincidence that what I need more than anything is hope. To have confidence in what I cannot see. To believe and to know that this is the right journey. Maybe not for something huge, but for the rest of my life. A life where I will be content in whatever God sends my way. A life where I will look back and see a strong, courageous, faithful, and hopeful woman that stood on the foundation that was built over her life, and who did as much good with everything given to her as possible.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-52067792436185689632012-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:002012-11-21T22:27:49.737-08:00Day 327 - With thanksToday is Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for. I am immensely blessed and forever grateful for my extremely beautiful life.<br />
<br />
This Thanksgiving I feel compelled to thank God for all of the areas I am struggling. Because let me tell you, I am struggling right now. I feel like my light was snuffed out a while back and my passion and my drive went with it. I just don't feel like me. And yet, even in the areas I am struggling I need to be more grateful than ever.<br />
<br />
<i>Lord, I am grateful for my sanity. While I am feeling challenged with life's circumstances, I am so lucky that you have given me the patience and the stamina to see it through. Even on the worst days. I am thankful for my busy life. How lucky am I to be able to fill it up with this and that? I am thankful for the moments with my children, in the car, and to their schools. Through the tantrums and the crying I give thanks. For those tears are proof of life and love. God, thank you for our finances. It may not feel like enough, but my cup runneth over, and you have protected us and shown yourself through our financial hardships. I trust you, God, and in relation to the world, we are wealthy beyond means. Thank you for every penny in our possession; each one is truly a gift. Lord, thank you for relationships, the good and the bad. Trials with others help us grow, gain wisdom, and shape who we are. Lord, I am so grateful to have people in my life and to not be alone. I am thankful for the ability to love and to walk away. Some are not afforded the gift of either. And lastly Lord, thank you for hope and for peace. While sometimes it may feel like they pass us by and we cannot quite reach them, You have given us the ability to have them in our life forever. I am so grateful that I can praise your holiness. </i><br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving to you. Wishing all of my readers so much love and joy, through your trials and pain as well as in your happiness.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-27244030517130155582012-11-14T10:11:00.002-08:002012-11-14T10:11:58.832-08:00Day 319 - What He has given usI may be overwhelmed, but as of today I am waking up and thanking God for everything. The hard, the exhausting, and the craziness. I am thanking Him for what He is doing in our lives. Who cares how long my days are and how much has to be done. I get to do it all. He has given me the opportunity to have children and take care of them. How blessed am I that I wake up in a warm house with food on the table. I also have a car to take my children to the schools of my choice. I have a healthy body to hug them with and a voice of my own to express my feelings. I am quantitatively blessed. Life may seem out of whack right now, but every single moment is a blessing, even if tears are involved. A million people in a million ways would trade their life with mine.<br />
<br />
I don't want to forget that.<br />
<br />
I have had an unsettledness in my heart for a few months now. A feeling like we're not where we should be and maybe where we live isn't the right place for our family. I have thought of other options, looked into other areas, and wondered where a more fulfilling life could take place. A better balance of what my heart thinks is important for a family to grow. But no answers have come and the feeling still looms. This morning I wonder if what is missing is my ability to be thankful for everything I have. And the ability of my mind to sort through all of the fog of what the ideals are for the type of place we reside in. It's a rat race no matter how hard you try to stay centered. We live in a very wealthy and somewhat fake place. But this is all I have ever known and I love the people here who have become the center of my life. Maybe if I remind myself how lucky I am every single morning, through the thick and the thin, and on the hard days and the good days, that unsettling feeling will go away. I can just give it all over to God to direct us where He wants us to go and be happy with where He placed us for right now. Because that is what I am trying to do.... be happy for exactly what God has given me today.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-56836396565001716992012-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:002012-11-12T21:37:20.865-08:00Day 318 - He can help usMy sweet baby boy is going through something difficult right now. It's breaking my heart but also challenging me to my fullest. Literally and emotionally. This week I was reminded that while I know that everything has a season and that this too shall pass, that as a mother I need to take it to God. I need to pray over my sweet boy. I need to thank God for every bit and piece of him, even on the worst day. That God can see me through this and that He created me to be that sweet boy's mommy so that I can protect him, challenge him, and get him through the crazy turmoil he is in. Just as I have my seasons and my times of change, so do children. God is working in them.<br />
<br />
And so today I am dedicated to fervently praying over my sweet boy "M" and asking God to please help heal him. To help fix whatever is broken. To help give me the wisdom and the strength to make the right decisions to guide him. I am asking God for help. I am praying for my little guy.<br />
<br />
As parents we often take everything on instead of turning to God and asking for His guidance. We carry the burden of trying to fix it all ourselves. We feel helpless and alone. We feel overwhelmed. But we have a Heavenly Father to lean on for times such as these and He hears all of our prayers for our children. He can help us through.<br />
<br />
Never forget that.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-37290804926997870272012-11-12T10:41:00.002-08:002012-11-12T10:42:19.623-08:00Day 317 - TodayToday I am encompassing hope. In the midst of change, trials, and moments of frustration - I find peace. While I may feel sad at one moment, I still have an undoubted peace that stays with me at all times. I have a steadfast assurance that everything will be okay and that a bad day or days is just a small period of time. There is no act, trial, disturbance, or difficulty that I cannot get through because God is there. He is there no matter what happens, often weeping with those He loves. Often holding us up and whispering in our ears when we don't feel strong. And always working to try and bring good into all circumstances.<br />
<br />
Today I am thankful for God's love and his trials in my life. I am thankful for hope because it shines the spotlight on all the possibilities for the future. I am thankful that I never have to feel completely alone.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-82810836774775448422012-11-10T10:31:00.000-08:002012-11-12T10:32:43.078-08:00Day 315 - Hope<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i>"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” Thich Nhat Hanh</i></span>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-48064710783529474682012-11-09T09:58:00.000-08:002012-11-09T09:58:06.071-08:00Day 314 - Her<i>"... Her powerful sense of purpose, her undying hope for a better life, her faith in God, her self-love, her positive attitude, her fearlessness and resilience, her willingness to take risks, and her ability to reach out to others." <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">-from Life Without Limbs</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
I want to be that woman of God. I want people to see me that way. I want to restructure my life to have those qualities. I am taping this to my computer to remind me every day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-59022002560543628472012-11-08T09:50:00.000-08:002012-11-09T09:50:37.895-08:00Day 313 - ChangeA lot of things in our home have been changing. Some good, some hard, and some just new. I still can't quite share, but there will be a long post soon. Sometimes I feel like it's one obstacle after another and I can't catch my breath. I start to ask God, "When do I get a break?" But then I realize that he just gave us a major blessing after a trial, and even though something new and difficult is looming, what do I have to complain about? Life isn't about breaks. No one is going to have a life without hardship and difficulties and let's face it, there is almost always some trial in your life at all times. Who am I to question why God doesn't "give me a break" when he's clearly been working so hard in my life. His plans, while often concealed, always turn out so much better than imagined. Sometimes the wait is long, but the journey is worth it. I think that if you life a life full of hope, every day, in all situations, you can get through anything.<br />
<br />
I read this in a book last night:<br />
<br />
<i>"You may face many trial too, but you should know that wherever you feel weakness, God is strong."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Lovely reminder.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-70190064012311908922012-11-06T21:40:00.001-08:002012-11-06T21:43:51.547-08:00Day 311 - Keep onCan I be honest? I read some pretty harsh comments on Facebook this week. Comments that were purely offensive and rude. Calling out a political party and actually stating hateful claims about the people who follow it. There is one person in particular that really got me frustrated and all I wanted to do today was say something directly or stop being their friend. But I am constantly reminded that sometimes it's our job to be a light for others, even if they don't see it. That you don't bring anyone to Christ by deleting them or calling them out. You bring them with your love and compassion. You keep being yourself and hope that somehow your love will give others peace in their lives.<br />
<br />
And so I will keep on keeping on.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-83829269297264072142012-11-03T00:00:00.000-07:002012-11-02T21:00:56.046-07:00Day 308 - PeopleOn Day 299 I wrote about how we should not ignore other people because of our own problems. So I spent these last 9 days making sure to add in time with friends, even if it was inconvenient. It's funny that when I look back, it was those times with friends, even if it was stressful to get there, that were the most uplifting and fulfilling. People fill us up, not to-dos, things, or schedules. Knowing what others are struggling with, celebrating, and just thinking about connects us and grows our relationships. That is love is what God intended for us when He made us. To build each other up, reach out our hand, and to love. I really need that reminder often.<br />
<br />
To all of you in my life, I appreciate and value you. I don't think I say it enough.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-30295283932808170552012-11-02T20:54:00.000-07:002012-11-02T20:54:09.963-07:00Day 307 - A promiseWhere have I been? I don't know... in this crazy busy world where my time has disappeared. Some of it is because of the time I have committed to volunteering at my son's school. Some of it is due to a cute almost-three year old going through some sort of growth change. Some of it is from having sick kids for what seems like two months straight. Some of it is pure exhaustion from life. I am sure there are so many other variables, but I feel like this blog keeps disappearing from my life.<br />
<br />
I love this blog and I love blogging about faith. It fills me up. It centers me. I don't like that it is missing at all. When this blog gets pushed aside, I feel like my faith gets pushed aside. That's not right. We have missed church due to vacation and illness. I hate it. I need to be centered again, but it's hard. It's hard to find balance when you are feeling pulled and pushed.<br />
<br />
Tonight my husband and I made a promise. A promise to make our faith a priority again. For us, for our kids, and for our family. To give God all the glory for the blessings and lessons he bestows upon us.<br />
<br />
I have a wonderful story about our life to share, but I have to wait a little bit longer (no I'm not pregnant). It's all about how God works his perfect timing, even when you feel like he has left you. And how when He tells you to have big faith, you should really listen.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-56248111694013894562012-10-25T23:15:00.004-07:002012-10-25T23:15:49.099-07:00Day 299 - OthersI learned something important this week. That sometimes we get so busy with our to-do's that we don't have time for relationships. We are just too overwhelmed. Last Friday I mentioned that it was apparent that God had told me that ignoring other people because of my own problems was not acceptable. So even though my calendar was full, I made sure to say yes to time with others. It seemed overwhelming in theory, but this week ended full of love and value because of that time. I wouldn't trade one second back for anything, and every thing that needed to get done still got done. Do I feel more fulfilled because of things I accomplished? Not really, even though I did a lot of great things this week. Do I feel more fulfilled because of the people I spent time with? Absolutely.<br />
<br />
I think the lesson was, don't put things in front of others. There is always time for someone else. That love is far more valuable than accomplishments. And that God created us to be together.<br />
<br />
I am so thankful for the relationships that God has blessed my life with.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-78729325003778035102012-10-24T00:00:00.000-07:002012-10-23T23:01:54.102-07:00Day 298 - PraiseThere are days where all you need to do is sit back and praise God. Today has been one of those days. Today was proof that when you hold onto hope, through the thick and thin, good things will rain down on you in perfect timing.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am feeling very blessed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
More to come soon.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>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. -Romans 8:28 (TNIV)</i></div>
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-5181262781683392932012-10-23T00:00:00.000-07:002012-10-22T22:33:30.450-07:00Day 297 - What I readI was in a funk last weekend. But on Sunday night, when I felt so alone and after I finished my blog post, I sat down with my feelings and decided to put all of the to-do's aside and find comfort in others' words. I poured through my prayer journal, I read notes from books, I looked over the bible verses spread on my desk and I took it all in. Every. Single. Word. I read about life, struggle, pain, love, loss, faith, hope, and moving forward. And I looked at life. I felt life and I allowed myself to mourn my feelings and be real with what I was struggling with. Essentially I picked myself up. I meditated on God's wisdom and His love for me. And you know what, I felt so much better Monday morning. I felt the slate wiped clean. I felt good. God spoke to me there.<br />
<br />
Sometimes in the dark all we need is to quiet ourselves and then fill our soul back up with all of the truths, promises, inspiration, and hope that we can find.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-24229901693496909482012-10-22T00:00:00.000-07:002012-10-21T22:29:43.234-07:00Day 296 - ChooseI am almost done reading the book <i>Life Without Limits</i> by Nick Vujicic. I love this entry.<br />
<br />
<i>"I have a choice. You have a choice. We can choose to dwell on disappointments and shortcomings. We can choose to be bitter, angry, or sad. Or when faced with hard times and hurtful people, we can choose to learn from the experience and move forward, taking responsibility for our own happiness."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Lovely, truthful, and important. The only way to grow.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-89948229974254682802012-10-21T22:06:00.000-07:002012-10-21T22:07:58.759-07:00Day 295 - TemporaryI'm struggling right now. I feel alone and frustrated. It's hard to explain, but I can feel an inner battle in my heart and I feel like I am fighting it all by myself. I know that we have a lot of stress right now, and I also know how lucky I am in all situations, but I just feel misunderstood. Have you felt that way before? Like no one will validate your feelings or help you fight your battle.<br />
<br />
This verse has always touched my heart. I came upon it again today.<br />
<br />
<i>Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This moment in time is temporary. That's all I need to know. The stress, the heartache, the feeling alone... it's just for right now. But what I do with my life, my faith, and my hope is achieving something that will be eternal.<br />
<br />
I can get through this.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-59549240523450372212012-10-19T22:12:00.000-07:002012-10-19T22:12:07.386-07:00Day 293 - Lesson on loveWhen things are bad I do two things. First, I eat candy and sweets. I'm not sure why, since I don't eat a lot of candy normally, but it makes me feel better. Second, I withdraw. I feel like I should be home taking care of my business at all times. I say no to things that overwhelm me, or that are not my responsibility. I even withdraw from things that are mine to do.<br />
<br />
Over the last few days I have gotten requests to help other people. Initially in my head I said no to all of them. I can't do _____ because I have to take care of things at home. I can't do ______ because it's someone else's problem. But right away God clearly told me that my responses are not acceptable. I am not a child anymore; He has been teaching me that love is the only way to live. And the prayer by my computer enforced that.<br />
<br />
<i>Lord, please help me take the focus off myself and see the people around me who need my love everyday.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
It's not about me, no matter what I am going through. There is always time for others, and giving my time and my attention is love. And love is life. My problems are just problems, they are temporary and purposeful. But my love is endless and when I am selfish with myself, I am losing a chance to benefit someone else.<br />
<br />
I feel like many of the lessons God has introduced to me this year are standing right before me at this very moment. I certainly cannot deny them.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-38493846852592512522012-10-18T00:28:00.003-07:002012-10-18T00:32:34.070-07:00Day 292 - Big FaithLet's face it...life is hard. Mark and I experienced that financially for ten months. We lost every penny we had ever saved and lived on pure faith. Most of you know how <a href="http://myyearoffaith.blogspot.com/">that story went</a>. And then a year ago we got a reprieve and we have been able to live on what we need and a little extra. It hasn't been perfect, it wasn't what we wanted, but it was a blessing and we knew it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was hoping that over time things would get better and that we would be back down the road we used to reside on. That we would be saving for a house, money would be in the bank, and that slowly we would prosper. But it never picked up for us and every month was the same thing. Still extremely blessed, but just getting by with a little extra. I would remind myself continuously, "I already have more than I deserve."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The day after our vacation we got a call. A call that financially hit us like a hurricane. Not that we didn't have any idea it was coming, but we were hoping time would be our friend. It just wasn't. And now we are in a familiar place. A place of pure faith and hope. A place where I am reminded that life is not ours to dictate. That God gives us trials so that we can survive them. That we need to use those times to grow, change, and learn. That He is in control. That every day brings something different. It's a hard pill to swallow when you beg not to go back. But at the same time this is our life to live and if you know that you will see that the hardest times are the pathways to the most blessings, it makes it easier to keep going. God has a plan. Seasons of life are not punishments, they are pathways. And no matter what, life is a blessing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A few hours BEFORE we got the dreaded phone call, God spoke to me in my car. We had already been feeling anxious about different areas in our life that have been unstable. I am pretty sure I was thinking about the what-ifs in my head. And God plainly told me, "It's time to have big faith." I imagine "big faith" is more radical than the faith I experienced last year. It's the wiser version, the next step up. And that was it. Big faith. The kind of faith that doesn't stumble, it doesn't question, it doesn't worry. I can't say that I responded that way, because there were tears and a bunch of "why me's." But something is different this time around. When I got a phone call shortly after that car ride, there was a settled assurance in my heart that God is working in our lives and that He will not abandon us. I think that settled assurance is called <i>hope</i>. It's nestled in my heart. I know that He is there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't know why things happen. I don't know why God has chosen this journey for us. But I know that He loves us. I know that everything has a reason. I know that He will see us through. I know that every day is a new start and that anything can happen. I believe in a God who does miracles, but who also does life. I am grateful for what I do have. I have more blessings around me than some people dream of. And I know that God will use this time to move mountains somewhere else. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And I will live on a lot of HOPE and Big Faith.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-55649765833579574052012-10-17T23:52:00.001-07:002012-10-17T23:52:08.199-07:00Day 291 - I'm backI took a vacation. A real one. Before that I got sick and then better. And then since we have been back I have been buried in life. All of that added together equals 15 days since I have last blogged. That's a long time away for me.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My vacation was perfect. I took a road trip with my family that also included a little luxury. Best of both worlds. I had 8 days to live a slower life and to leave behind all of the "stuff" that crowds my peace. We went fishing, hiking, ice skating, and did all of the things that we should have more time to do on regular days, but somehow don't. I love my life, but vacation is such a great way to be present with your kids and your husband and I drank up every minute of it. I cried on the way home, I didn't want our experience to end. That's a lovely sign of wonderful memories and I feel so blessed for that time. I am so thankful that our trip included so much natural beauty. I was able to show my kids proof that a creator does exist. That only God could make seasons, snow, gorgeous colors, and Mother Nature. His creation of Rocky Mountains, ponds for fishing, and fall colors were meant as signs that He put love in the details when He created earth and all of us on it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We also had some scares and obstacles on our road trip, but God proved that He was with us the whole way. He proved it in His timing and in His care. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am glad to be back, blogging about hope. There is so much to talk about, so much to catch up on... one day at a time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Missed you all.</div>
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-31618127116783378602012-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:002012-10-01T23:16:56.542-07:00Day 276 - Saw this todayA Mother's Prayer<br />
<br />
Oh give me patience when wee hands<br />
Tug at me with their small demands.<br />
And give me gentle and smiling eyes.<br />
Keep my lips from hasty replies.<br />
And let not weariness, confusion or noise<br />
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.<br />
So when, in years to come, my house is still,<br />
No bitter memories its rooms may fill.<br />
<br />
{Author Unknown}<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-40504575816129786132012-10-01T23:02:00.002-07:002012-10-01T23:02:35.747-07:00Day 275 - SidelinedWhen you decide to follow a dream, try something new, or set out to accomplish a goal you would be a fool to expect that everything will go as planned and be easy. It's impossible. If God is involved He will make sure that you get something out of the experience. You just can't gain wisdom without bumps and potholes in the road. That's just how a life of faith works.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I set out to train for this half marathon, I knew that it wouldn't be easy. Here I have been running consistently for almost 7 months, and yet that did not prepare me for this next step. Making the commitment and throwing myself into the endeavor is what is preparing me. I have hit a few bumps along the road and now a major pothole. I just passed my half way mark and I literally can't run. Pain associated with a longtime condition in my feet has totally sidelined me. It's hurts just to walk. And so I am at a crossroad. I can yell "unfair" and pout about it. "Why is this showing up now, when it has been totally fine for so long?" I can give up and say, "look I'm hurt and I can't do it. Let's face it, this whole training thing is hard work anyways." Or I can keep on moving forward with trust and faith in the process. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Living a life of faith includes understanding the hiccups in life. That overcoming the hiccups is what makes you stronger, not just finishing the race.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am going to the doctor this week and I fully intend on being at the starting line in November, even if I can't run until that day. I am praying that my feet will be just fine, but either way I will take the process as it comes. No complaining, no whining, and no pity parties. This is my journey and I will grab it running or sitting down. Hard work is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I want to put in whatever work God thinks I need the most.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Whatever it is that is sidelining you right now. Don't give up. Whatever it is that is causing frustration, tears, and pain, have faith that it's part of His process. </div>
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-39186464547382331772012-09-30T22:29:00.000-07:002012-10-01T22:29:53.874-07:00Day 274 - Choose<i>I have a choice. You have a choice. We can choose to dwell on disappointments and shortcomings. We can choose to be bitter, angry, or sad. Or when faced with hard times and hurtful people, we can choose to learn from the experience and move forward, taking responsibility for our own happiness.</i><br />
<i>- from </i>Life Without Limits
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4158776099286896925.post-61113920959116931962012-09-29T22:26:00.000-07:002012-10-01T22:26:27.256-07:00Day 273 - Life without<i><br /></i>
<i>Life without meaning has no hope. Life without hope has no faith. If you find a way to contribute, you will find your meaning, and hope and faith will naturally follow and accompany you into your future.</i><br />
<i>- from </i>Life Without Limits
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Bobbie%20Lou/Signature.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725211271468662079noreply@blogger.com0