Wow ~ A Year Gone By & A New Year to Come!

Well hello there! I know it's been a while. But it is only by not writing for a year that I can now see the way writing engulfs my soul and brings quiet peace. I am slowly gathering the thoughts to recount the past year, and will share it's blessings soon. But right now, right now I am wanting to dive right into the fresh New Year that lies ahead like a blank canvas thristing to be covered in the beautiful hues of life. This whole New Year amazingness has never seemed so sweet as it does right now. To know all that God has done in the past, it brings sweet, sweet hope and glory to what will come in the days ahead. This girl has HOPE!!! Hope for all that the Lord has promised me. Hope for even more unraveling of the girl He created me to be...slowly grasping the soul within. Hope for more than I can even imagine or comprehend ~ for all the riches of His Kingdom are mine to behold! How's that for some hope???



On Sunday, as I sat entranced and blown away, our Pastor encouraged us to BELIEVE for MORE this year. We constantly limit our potential by believing in less than what God desires for our lives. We limit God. By constantly focusing on all that we are not, we diminish His power in our lives. And it is only through His power that is at work within us that we recieve Him. That we thrive. That we love. Only through Him can we truly live.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in
heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious
riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your
inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have
power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and
long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love
that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all
the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:14 - 20)



I make it my life's journey to grasp how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ. He wants nothing less for my life! I will no longer limit His work in my life. So this is the year I will declare all that I am believing in Christ for ~ handing over full control to Him and trusting His absolutely perfect love for me. Glory, Glory, Glory!

Lord I am believing you for an even closer family who seeks your heart and your desires in all things.

Lord I am believing you for complete health in our household ~ a return to healthy ways of living ~ body, mind and spirit!

Lord I am believing you for peace that surpasses understanding ~ in all things, good or bad, big or small.

Lord I am believing you for my true purpose here to be revealed and brought to fruition ~ leading to my life's work and passion.

Lord I am believing you for the home that my family will grow old in.

Lord I am believing you for a steady and exponential growth of believers at Bridge Community, who will reach the community with your love.

Lord I am believing you for financial freedom this year. That all debt will be removed and Jim and I will become the blessed stewards you created us to be over all that you have given us.

Lord I am believing you for your saving hand, which will touch the lives of many around us this year Lord.

Lord I am believing you for your call to action and that you will show me more this year than all the years past.

Lord I am believing you for your love.


One of the most potent ways to grasp His love is to see Him in all things. To desperately seek Him in every moment, every sight, every word. Seeing the Lord in all that surrounds us is sure to fill one with the Love of the Lord. I was introduced years ago to this amazing woman ~ Ann Voskamp. And it is my utter and complete belief that she has unearthed the most powerful way to see and know Him. You can click on her name and be swept away into His grace. So I am joining her in her journey of giving thanks. I am taking the Joy Dare and I will count 1000 Gifts in 2012. Because I want nothing more than to see God's love in everything. So every day I will count at least 3 blessings, giving thanks to the Creator of all things lovely. Here is the list I started years ago, and will now continue. I call it "The Way He Whispers I Love You" :)


1. The grooves of my finger prints ~ reminding me He's only made one!



2. The blue of Mac's eyes ~ yet to be matched.

3. Pat's eyelashes ~ perfect for butterfly kisses.

4. The morning sun kissing my cheeks, reminding me this is the day that He has made ~ I will be glad and rejoice in it!

5. My stretchmarks ~ a forever reminder that He allowed me to assist Him in 2 miracles!

6. The brilliant red hue only witnessed on a sunny fall day.

7. Raindrops in puddles.

8. A baby's belly laugh.

9. Pat's goodness.

10. Mac's wisdom.

11. My ability to choose good.

12. A stranger's surprise and then true joy at an unwarranted smile from me.

13. The amazing arrayof colors found in the fruit and veggie section of our modern convenience known as a grocery store.

14. Eyes ~ they allow one to see the world while also allowing others to see one's soul.

15. The exquisite scent of a stargazer lily.

16. Poppop's hands and the memories they created.

17. Being still and knowing Him.

18. The ability to learn, especially from my mistakes.

19. Photographs ~ the ability to capture a moment forever!

20. The sweet smell of coffee on a Sunday morning.

21. Slippers and pockets

22. Lemon water hydrating my soul.

23. Pearl Jam's lyric's moving my soul.

24. The Bible ~ could He have made it any easier?

25. Locating a pencil buddy!

26. Brothers ~ their hugs and knowing they will always love me and be there no matter what!

27. Love notes from my children!

28. The smile on my face as I read back through these blessings...

29. This day, today.

30. The goodness coming to me and my children with every breath I am given.

31. The color purple ~ a great movie, but also a color that all should feast their eyes on ~ it will change your soul.

32. Chubby fingers stroking my cheek, because that is where they need to be.

33. Witnessing compassion and goodness from a 7 year old ~ that will also change your soul.

34. Muscles ~ they will always be there and are good enough to remind you when you haven't used them in a while!

35. Waking to the sounds of life the way God created ~ nature at it's finest hour!

36. Watching my Grandmother, my Mother, and my daughter plant vegetables together ~ pure magic!

37. A step-father who has brought a broken family to wholeness.

38. Blackened bottoms of small feet.

39. Watching my son and my brother teach each other about life...and how to throw a frisbee.

40. A child walking through the dark with glow sticks on every appendage.

41. Money being given to me at the moment you need it most, from the person I least expect.

42. A note hidden in my purse from a daughter who just wanted to say "I hope you have a good day Mommy, you know I love you."

43. Spending time with friends I never should have lost contact with.

44. Praying over a boy because he is really afraid of a bad ghost...and having that boy say he would like to come to church with me.

45. A mother who truly is the wind beneath my wings.

46. A long lost kindred spirit who moves in and out of my life, but always with the right words, the right hugs, at the right moment.

47. Writing God's ways in a way that touches hearts and minds...glorifying Him.

48. Waking up to a Christian radio station that I hadn't turned the dial to the night before.

49. Music ~ the soundtrack of my awesome life!

50. Three absolutely God-picked teachers and amazing women who are changing my heart.

51. A group of amazing people who accept my love, just as it is, and give love and are walking similar paths toward Him.

52. My sisters ~ step, half, and in-law ~ my sisters, who are true beauty and keep walking forward, teaching me to stay strong

53. HUGS!!!!!

54. Driving with all of the windows down, screaming some crazy awesome song, wind in our hair, knowing all is well!

55. Two best friends who complete me.

56. A new church family who feel like home.

57. Quiet moments where I breath and know I am loved and protected.

58. While I complain about my job, it provides much for those I love.

59. Forgiveness given freely.

60. My vegetable garden, teaching me how to grow.

61. Honesty ~ not always easy, but always worth it.

62. Patrick's desire to grow an orange tree.

63. Quicker & quicker recognition of stumbles.

64. Watching bubbles float by on a lazy wind.

65. Mckenzie's missing teeth, reminding me that she will grow but I can always hold her heart in mine.

66. The touch of a kind word.

67. Laughter that touches the soul.

68. A clean car.

69. New perspectives.

70. Authors who have the courage to put it out there for all to be affected.

71. Clarity creating clarity.

72. A narrow path.

73. Choices made that get me back on the narrow path.

74. Realizing that everything involves a choice.

75. The desire to be better.

76. Love given.

77. Knowing I'm loved.


Today I add the following:

78. A message from my husband, saying he's sorry for not kissing me goodbye this morning but that he loves me. That could only be you Lord!!!

79. Peace in my heart amongst swirling chaos and brokeness.

80. Knowing that I am here to help others and being given the opportunities to do so.

81. Encouraging words from a soul sister that begin with "Hey Sweet Pea". Oh, how my heart smiles :)

82. Remembering just how addictive it is to count the ways He loves me. It's gonna be a GOOD YEAR!!!


I pray that this year to come would open before you like unwritten pages of a book, waiting eagerly to be written on with love and life. Choose the colors and words you will use this year ~ colors of bold living ~ words of believing Him for MORE ~ colors of thanks and praise ~ words of life and love.

So glad to be writing again and letting my soul fly!

Much, much LOVE!!!!