Consider It Pure Joy

About two weeks ago Josh told me his favorite book of the bible was James so I thought why not do a bible study together on James? I turned to my trusty She Reads Truth community and discovered that, indeed, they had done a bible study previously on James. I love love love SRT and thought it would be perfect to use their bible verses and devotionals for Joshua and I's study. 

Life has be stressed to the m a x for me these past couple months, and it seems like it is progressively becoming more and more stressful. Between trying to earn enough money so we can move out of my parent's house into an apartment, save up to pay bills, figure out where's best to live that's close to Josh's school and close to our work, and just other "grown-up marriage" stuff. Not going to lie. It's been a total suck fest for the last few months.

But that brings me to the James bible study. We are only on day two and yet it has stopped me right in my tracks and spoke right to my soul. Day 2 was about all the trials we face, that we should consider it all pure joy. If you ask me I don't consider stressing about rent, bills, and marriage problems as pure joy. Since we're being truthful here I consider it pure hell. But James tells us to consider it pure joy when trials come our way because it produces great character within us and God will use that to further His kingdom. 

I love this quote from the Day 2 devotional on trials: "Don’t get over them. Don’t rush through them or past them. Rejoice –> IN <– them.."  I am asking God to teach me how to rejoice in my trials. That sounds so... weird to rejoice in our trials, but what God says goes. So Lord, here I am. Teach me how to rejoice in my trials of every kind and teach me how to consider it all pure joy - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Interested in reading the James devotional? Here is the link to the entire James devotional study

New York, New York: An Unconventional Guide

source

New York holds a special place in my heart, it holds a miracle there. You see, two years ago this past April my mom was told she had a basketball sized tumor in her stomach. Fear, oblivion, uncertainty all settled in. How would my mom and dad be able to afford treatment for my mom with no medical insurance? I remember the early morning hours when I first found out her diagnosis. I cried. I hid away. I called Josh. The word cancer was not uttered. We prayed and cried out to God.

A week after finding out about the tumor, my parents were on their way to New York for my mom to take place in a essentially free to her research cancer treatment study. She settled down in to her apartment in Manhattan on Wall Street. The 11th floor with a window that overlooked the city.  

My two visits to New York have been no less than magical. What made my time there so magical, you ask? Let me share with you my unconventional guide to New York:

+ If you ever happen to find yourself in New York, for any period of time, make the absolute most of it.

+ Rent an apartment with a window that looks across the city.

+ From that window be sure to people watch non-stop. My sister and I would sit in my mom's living room and people watch till the wee hours of the night.

+ Sleep on the apartment couch, leave the blinds up, and let the light and noise from the city pour in. Don't get annoyed by the loud dump trucks at 2 am. Just embrace it as part of the city's culture.

+ Wake up early and go get a smoothie from the food cart right outside the apartment. Then run down the street and grab something new you haven't tried from a food truck. Feed some of it to the pigeons. 

+ Visit Central Park. Walk slowly, take it all in. Go there multiple times to see it all. Watch all the artists with their puppets, drawing portraits, dancing, singing, playing instruments. Go ahead and throw some change in their tip jar. You just might make their day. Be sure to tell them how well they are doing.

+ Go visit the Museum of Natural History, but don't do it on the same day that you visit Central Park. Your feet will be screaming at you, loudly.

+ Be sure to go to the 2nd Ave Deli. Order the hot corned beef sandwich, Matzoh Ball soup, and a chocolate soda. Even if you don't have to use the bathroom, just walk in there and press the button on the toilet to watch how the sanitize the seat. Afterwards, go visit the Empire State building. Be sure to get the ipod that they offer for 10 extra dollars that tells you all about the history of NY. It is very worth it.

+ Eat greek food and then go to the bakery shop and buy a pack of macaroons. 

+ Grab a cupcake from Crumbs bakery and take it down to Seaport to eat. Be sure to take fancy photo's of it.

+ Walk all the streets of New York. As much as you can. Ride the subway to Rockaway beach. Pick up a bag of chips and sandwiches to eat while the waves crash at your feet. Share with the seagulls. It'll make for great pictures.

Just remember, if you ever find yourself in New York to make the most of it, to have a good time, and to create an adventure that you will never forget. 

Friday Letters

Dear Nashville, sometimes, when I angle the camera just right, you all of a sudden resemble New York City to me. Thank you for helping remind me of my most favorite magical city. Dear diet Dr. Pepper, you are my absolute weakness. I need to quit you. Dear life, you're an absolute hot mess, but it's a good one. Dear husband, two years to the exact date you asked me to be your wife. Our journey began at the top of the local science museum tower which overlooked the Nashville skyline. In ten days will be our one year anniversary. My, how time flies.

I hope your weekend is everything you wish it to be. Have an adventurous one :)

Proverbs 15:1

I wanted to share this short little devotional with you tonight. I just came across it and I love the message of it. I want to apply Proverbs 15:1 daily to my life.

From Spiritual Inspiration:

Throughout life, there will always be something that will try to take our joy. If it’s not a grumpy sales person, it’s a family member aggravating you, traffic is backed up, your flight got delayed, or your spouse is taking too long! Don’t go the next 20 years allowing the same people and same circumstances to frustrate you. Change your approach. What’s upsetting you now doesn’t have to upset you anymore. You can choose to keep your cool and stay calm and steady. Remember, a relaxed attitude is going to lengthen your life. The next time you’re tempted to be upset, ask yourself, “Is this really worth me giving up my joy?”

If you’ll make this decision to not give away your joy, to live each day happy, God promises you’ll be strong, you’ll have better relationships and you’ll accomplish more. He says a joyful heart is good medicine! Hold on to your joy and move forward into the abundant life God has in store!

Favorite Finds {1}

I honestly have been so overwhelmed recently with the happenings going on in my life. I can honestly say I have never been this busy before in my life. I want to blog regularly so I have decided to try to write out a blog posting schedule and try to stick to it. So in the mean time I thought I would share some of my favorites from this past week!

Thinking about framing this and hanging it on the wall when we get our own place soon

+ Charles Martin books. I just finished reading Chasing Fireflies by him and it was just so good. It was my first book of his I read.

+ The Hive - a British children's cartoon. I was scrolling through Netflix yesterday while I was babysitting two of my favorite girls and stumbled upon this cartoon. I clicked play and Evelyn loved it. It's so adorable. I definitely recommend it for the kiddos!

+ I love this romper! It is so cute. If only I could afford it... 

+ This children's book and this children's book are sooo cute and good. They both have great messages and the illustrations are wonderful. I read them both to the almost 6 year old I watch and she loved them both.

+ Last night I washed my hair with aloe vera and apple cider vinegar. A couple weeks ago I started washing my hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar but it just hasn't been working good for me, but the aloe vera & apple cider vinegar combination works wonderful for my hair. 

+ I have started utilizing Pinterest for mine and Josh's benefit. I have pinned soooo many "date night questions to ask your spouse" and I have started actually using them now. Josh surprisingly loved it and I am going to try to start incorporating the questions most days possible. I have learned quite a bit about him in just the few questions I asked him.

+ These guinea pig photos have made me have "guinea pig fever". Haha seriously though. Since Josh & I can't afford a dog right now I think I am going to try to talk him into getting me a guinea pig once we get a place.

+ I LOVE this color scheme for the living room! 

I love this too. Gonna have to hang it up.

What have been some of your favorite finds this week?

Have a happy Tuesday!

Weekend Recap

Recap:

One. I saw The Fault In Our Stars, not once, but twice already. I cried like a baby both times. Ugly sobs with tons of sniffling. The second time Josh came with us to see it and after Augustus told Hazel he was sick, Josh looked at me and goes "Wow, you're really crying." Yes dear, Yes I am.

Two. My sister and I went to the City of Hope celebrity softball game on Saturday! Our two favorites were Jessie & Eric Decker! They are so stinkin' cute. The two bottom pictures are of Jessie and Eric.

Three. We saw a car on fire on the way back from the softball game! Everybody seemed to be out of the car and okay.

Four. Sooo, I may or may not have remembered to put sunscreen on at the softball game. You can see the result of that, as pictured above, but no fear! A friend recommended Australian Gold Moisture Lock to apply on the sunburn and oh that stuff works wonders!

Five. Josh and I went to the park on Saturday to meet up with a few friends for a picnic and to play some games. We had a blast and Ryland even got to tag along too. We put a little flower through the hole in his ear. He didn't mind it that much ;)

Six. My dad is a country artist (and a few other genres at times) musician so he is always playing a gig somewhere. He played at the Nashville Palace this past weekend and we had never been before so the whole family went to watch him play. It was a lot of fun :)

Favorites From the Week:

Small Infinities: Thoughts on "The Fault In Our Stars" - great post on TFIOS that relates it to the bible

I hope everyone has a fantastic and blessed Monday!

Taking Stock

Making : plans for next weeks babysitting festivities to do with all my girls
Cooking : nothing really! Since moving in with my parents I haven't had to do a whole lot of cooking which has lead to some bad eating habits so I am going to try to start cooking and making meal plans next week!
Drinking : a whole lotta diet dr. pepper. I need help. But I am also loving Panera's green tea. It is amazeballs.
Reading: Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin, Evolving in Monkey Town by Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans, and Living So That by Wendy Blight
Wanting: to make a thrift store run for some clothes; also wanting a red pair of Keds
Looking: at the Walking Dead on tv right now
Playing: a lot of games with my husband's five year old cousin I am babysitting throughout the weekdays
Wasting: nothing I can think of
Sewing: nothing, but I want to learn!
Wishing: and praying that God would give us the house I am entering to win
Enjoying: the rainy evening, candles twinkling, and the Walking Dead on television
Waiting: for Josh to get home
Liking: that I am able to rest the rest of the night 
Wondering: if the "no-poo" method I'm using on my hair will work
Loving: that my dog is curled right up next to me
Hoping: that my sister and I get to meet Eric & Jessie Decker on Saturday at the City of Hope softball game
Marveling: at how good God really is to me, no matter what, and that He truly deeply loves me
Needing: a vacation!
Smelling: candles
Wearing: nike shorts and my light blue Washburn General Store tee
Following: so many inspiring instagrams 
Noticing: how my mom's chihuahua is sleeping in her arms. It is so cute!
Knowing: that this summer is going to be a blast
Thinking: that I am way too tired
Feeling: so sleepy
Bookmarking: June Photo A Day Challenge (I can't wait to start it tomorrow!)
Opening: McDonald's bags way tooooo often. I need to start being healthy again
Giggling: at the three dogs trying to chase each other out in the yard
Feeling: plain wore out

Five on Friday

Today has felt like the first time in a long while that I have actually had my schedule under control. I am hoping to just relax this weekend as much as possible. I start watching Josh's cousin next week three days a week until mid-August. I am super excited to start watching her and getting to make sure she has a fun summer!

I decided to link up to Five on Friday with April, Darci, Natasha, and Christina today!

{One}

Lately, I have actually found the time to pick up a few books and really start reading again. So far on my reading list is Living "So That": Making Faith-Filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life, The Circle Maker, What Kind of Love Are You Making?, Evolving in Monkey Town, and A Year of Biblical Womanhood. Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think of them? I'm loving every one of them [I haven't started A Year of Biblical Womanhood yet though].

{Two}

Was anyone else absolutely over the top obsessed with this season of Dancing With the Stars? My two absolute favorite teams were Maryl & Maksim and Derek & Amy. I also enjoyed watching Candace & Mark dance as well. Anyway, I know for a fact that Meryl & Maks need to get married and have "Russian Ice-Skating babies" as he said. And I would love to see Derek & Amy end up together too. [Oh and off topic but I am going to try to convince my husband to let us name our future husky Maksim. I seriously think that is a perfect name for him!]

Edited: I just realized that I forgot to include Peeta and James! They were one of my favorite teams too! They were so stinkin cute.

{Three}

I wrote this post yesterday and it just feels really good to get that off my chest and in to the open. It gives me some sort of a sense of relief.

{Four}

Has anyone went to go see Mom's Night Out? Oh, I loved it! I know I am not a mom [yet], but one of my biggest dreams has always been to be a mom! The movie was funny and was impressively quite faith based. It surprised me because I had no idea it even had anything to do with church in there. It was a great movie!

{Five}

Ryland's biopsy came back and thank God it was not cancerous! It turned out to be just gingivitis so I am going to start working on some homeopathic/holistic treatments for Ry so it can get better and we won't have another repeat :)

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Confession Time

I have a confession to make... I have no idea how to be a wife. I have been married for almost eleven months and I have no earthly idea on how to be a wife. I know the roles I play as a wife: cooker, cleaner, lover, friend... But I don't know exactly how to go about being these. Does that make any sense at all?

And since we're being honest here, I feel like a failure as a wife half the time. Does it have to do with getting married so young? Maybe, but I am not sure. Does it have to do with not having many married friends to give me advice and to lend a listening ear? Possibly.

I just know that during this season of life I feel like I am just wandering through the days, trying to get some sort of understanding on how to take on this role as a wife. Sometimes it sends me into a depression, making me just want to curl up with a book and a diet Dr Pepper and try to forgot all of my woes. But sometimes I am motivated beyond belief to give it my absolute all.

I am praying and asking God to help me find balance during this season of life. I know that He will bring me the peace and love and joy and balance that I need for my journey.

I have no idea how to be a wife, but I know that God will guide my steps and hold the lantern for me over the path that I need to take each day. He will hold my hand and we will walk side by side as He leads me on this (somewhat) new adventure I have been embarking on.

Grace Upon Grace {Four}

I am going to be honest. I feel like I have been stuck in such a rut these past couple of weeks. I feel sort of just... there, going through the motions. I don't want to feel like that. It makes me feel so crappy and not full of life. But God. He is always going to be there for me whether I feel low or on top of the world. I can use this season of feeling not so great to draw closer to Him and rely deeper on Him.

The great things in my life from God never cease. They will always be abundantly there, even if I overlook them. And you know what? The good will always far outweigh the bad.

One. I know I have mentioned this before, but I am just so thankful for the She Reads Truth reading plans and devotionals. Every single one always has something for me. I love that God can speak right to me through this community. The Nehemiah plan that we are currently doing is just absolutely rocking my world.

Two. Ryland had his surgery today to remove a growth on his gum so that it can be biopsied. The vet said he did great during it and when I picked him up he was just as happy as he could be! Please pray that the growth was nothing at all.

Three. I really am so thankful for the blogging community. I love coming across a new blog and reading all their current posts and archives. I love seeing what other people love, what their passions are, their families, and just their adventures in life. It really is so inspiring to me.

Four. I am so excited for the water park passes that my dad bought my sister and I for this summer! He also purchased a parking pass and locker for us to use when we go. Even though I am a married woman, he still loves to help me out with covering costs of things. He's the absolute best.

Five. As I was reading passages from the SRT Nehemiah plan I came across two bible verses that I just fell in love with. I'm memorizing the first one this week and the second one next week:

Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes! -Nehemiah 4:14

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things. -1 Chronicles 29:11

Six. The warmer weather is just a blessing in itself. It may feel like a hundred and ten degrees some days, but all the more reason to hop in the car and drive to the water park :)

Go link up with Jordyn at She Who Fears to share how God is blessing your lives this week! Can't wait to hear all about them :)

May Barkbox Review

Ryland playing with his new toy from Barkbox

Ryland has received close to 10 or so Barkboxes and he always loves every single one! They always send out a shipping notification and the box gets here shortly afterwards.

Barkbox comes with an information card telling you about the theme of the box and each item included in the box. This month's Barkbox celebrates healthy eating. They focused on organic, GMO-free, and eco-friendly products.

~JW Pet Bone ($9.99): Ryland LOVED this toy and so did I! It's super durable for his incredibly tough chompers and great for him because he absolutely loves to chew anything. Ry is pictured above chewing on it.

~YumZies Natural BBQ Chicken Flavor Dog Treats ($8.53): I'm pretty picky about treats for Ry, but I approved of these. They are grain-free, natural with zero grains, have Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, chicken is the number one ingredient, and they are made in the USA! They're soft enough too for my parent's chihuahuas to munch on. Overall a winner.

~Cool Treat's Smoothies For Dogs Carrot Cake ($?): I couldn't find an accurate price for these on Amazon, but you can buy a pack of 6 for around $10.00-$16.00. Last time that it came in the box I froze it and gave it to Ryland, but he didn't really like the coldness of it so this time around I'm just going to try giving it to him straight out of the cup.

~Flexi-Bowl Small Pet Bowl ($9.01): This bowl will be perfect for when we are traveling or even if we go to the park for the day. It says it is free from cancer-causing chemicals which automatically becomes a winner for me. It's also oven and dishwasher safe which I thought was pretty neat!

~Barkworthies Premium Dog Treats, 12-Inch Thick Bully Sticks ($11.30): I think the bully stick is Ry's favorite every time one comes in the package. He always grabs it, runs away, and hides with it so the other two dogs won't try to take it from him. It's so cute.

Overall, I loved this Barkbox and Ryland did too :)

http://www.aharvestofblessing.com

Grace Upon Grace {Three}

To be honest, this past week has been so busy. I feel like I haven't got to really sit down and rest in over a week. Between packing and moving back home with Josh, everything is feeling just a bit overwhelming right now. But God never ceases with His grace upon grace, even when the graces don't seem so clear to me.

One. I feel so worn out and tired, but God has given me the strength and energy I need for each day to just make it through, and I praise Him for that.

Two. Josh started his new job yesterday! He actually got sick this past weekend had to go to his first day of work sick, but thank the Lord that we were able to go to the walk in clinic yesterday before he went to work so he could get some medicine. Please pray that he gets over his sickness quickly and that his job continues to go well!

Three. I've been looking for a nannying or babysitting job over the summer and I finally have gotten one! I will be watching Josh's little cousin for three days out of every week this summer! I am so excited to spend time with her and have loads of fun :)

Four. Even though I have been so worn out, I am just so thankful that we have moved back to Nashville! I have wanted to be back in Nashville since the day we moved, but we finally are back and I am just so excited to see what God has in store for our lives here!

Go over to She Who Fears to link up and share about what God is doing in your life!

Weekend Recap {and Grace Upon Grace}

Recap:
One. We celebrated my mom and sister's birthday with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, balloons, cake, presents, cards, and the movies! They were both born on the same day!

Two. My sister and I watched all of DWTS episodes from this season (except for the very first one). Our favorites are Derek and Amy! They are so DANG cute! I really love everybody who is left, but I would love for Amy and Derek to win!

Three. We watched the season finale of Eric & Jessie on Sunday night and oh my word they are the cutest! They really inspire me to have that kind of marriage with Joshua.

Favorites from the week:
7 Things You Learn Your First Year of Marriage. So funny and so true! Written by the husband's perspective.
On Laundry & Love Stories. This was beautifully written by Shauna Niequist. My aunt-in-law shared it with me a couple days ago. "Cooking and cleaning never built a marriage. But listening and memory-making and looking each other in the eye will." So good.
Lessons from the Hundred-Acre Woods. Was anybody else completely obsessed with Winnie the Pooh growing up? I was. I cannot wait to share the stories of Winnie the Pooh with my babies.
This husky is absolutely gorgeous. Josh wants a husky and I would love one too. Once we can afford to get another dog you better believe we are going to go get us a husky!

I was reading Jordyn's Grace Upon Grace over at her blog She Who Fears. I missed the She Reads Truth devotional on Saturday but Jordyn posted a quote from it that I absolutely love:

"Look around your life. Where do you see the risen Christ today? What needs has He fulfilled that you did not anticipate, did not plan for, did not even know to ask for? Where do you see the fingerprints of His grace and lovingkindness? Sister, He is revealing Himself to you even now, in ways only you can recognize."

The past week has had it's fair share of ups, downs, and in betweens, but God's grace is always abounding, even in the moments that seem like your heart is breaking into a thousand pieces. God endlessly provides for Josh and I, each and every single day. Here are just a few of those graces He's blessing us with this past week:

One. Well, we are FINALLY moving this week back to Nashville! I just love how God answered the desires of my heart when I didn't even think to pray about the possibility of moving back to Nashville. He is so good to His children. He knows the desires of our hearts even when we don't think to tell Him about them.

Two. It may not seem like a big deal, but I've finally (for the most part) gotten to the point where I can get rid of a lot of items that I have been holding onto for whatever reason. It's helping us to simplify our lives and it's especially helping us since we are in the process of moving our items back to Nashville and storing them until we find a place of our own.

Three. I've been having a lot more motivation recently to work out a lot more than I usually do. It feels so refreshing and freeing. I am hoping to begin a regular weekly schedule of working out once I move back to Nashville this week.

Four. We took Ryland to the vet on Friday because of a place on his gum that hasn't healed over the past month or so. The vet said he believes it's a benign growth, but he wants to have it removed and sent to be biopsied. I was thinking that his surgery would cost thousands, but the vet brought the estimate back into the room and the high end of the estimate was only 506 dollars! Praise the Lord! Josh and I will be getting it removed sometime during the summer months so please say a prayer for our little Ryland!

Ryland {3 years and 10 months}

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" - Marley & Me

Ryland is my baby, and like any mama, I want to document my baby's life. I've decided to document his life monthly on here. We adopted him 10 months ago tomorrow from the animal shelter and life has been so good with him. We did not know the day he was born, but he was around three when we adopted him so we've decided he is going to be a patriotic dog and celebrate his birthday every Fourth of July. 

"Ma, enough with the selfies."

Things Ryland likes: running around in circles, chewing on bones, eating gobs of coconut oil, snuggling, playing outside

Things Ryland dislikes: dogs that are bigger than him, the vacuum cleaner, sharing his bones, wearing his doggy harness seat belt on long drives

A Prayer for Your Home

I felt inspired to just write out short prayers for each individual part of the home. I was looking for something similar earlier, but couldn't find anything. I hope it inspires you to pray over each individual part of your home, apartment, town home, your parents home, dorm, wherever you find yourself living.

The Entryway: I pray that all who enter my home would be filled with the Holy Spirit, that God would reign down His special favor upon them, and that He would set their heart's on fire for Him. I pray that He blesses them abundantly and that Josh and I would "not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." [Hebrews 13:2]

Great Room, Living Room, Family Room, etc: I pray that God would do great things in this room. That all who gather in the great room would be filled with love, peace, and joy by the Great One, that as they warm their hands by the fire that their hearts would be warmed by Him.

Kitchen: Lord, I pray that Josh and I would serve others with the food we have prepared, that those who have not had something to eat in days and weeks would be able to come into our home and be fed a hot meal that would not only nourish their stomachs but would nourish their souls as well.

Master Bedroom: Lord, I thank You for the rest Josh and I will receive as we lay our heads down on our pillows at night. I thank You for dreams sent by You and for the prayers we will pray that will bring glory to You. I thank You that as our feet hit the floor each morning we will be prepared to accomplish great things for Your kingdom.

Bathrooms: I pray that all who look into the mirrors will know they are made in the image of God and that they are "altogether beautiful, there is no flaw in you." [Song of Solomon 4:7] I pray that we will be able to serve those who have gone days, weeks, months, and even years without a hot shower. I pray that they would be able to step into the showers and wash away all the dirt that covers them and that they would not feel ashamed by any dirt left behind.

Deck/Porches: I pray for all who gather for fellowship on the deck and porch. I pray that their hearts would be filled with Your love and that they would experience You whether they are there for a barbeque, worship, or a bible study.

Guest Rooms: I pray for all who enter into our home as guests. I pray that they would feel loved, secure, and full of joy and hope. I pray that Josh and I would be able to be a light in their life and that they would recognize Christ in us and in our home. I pray that they would leave our home feeling more joyful and more full of life than they have ever felt or experienced before. I pray that we can be, with the help of Jesus, what they need.

Bonus Rooms/Extra Rooms: Father, I pray for all who step into these rooms. I pray that "whether they eat or drink, or whatever they do, that they would do it all to the glory of God." [1 Corinthians 10:31]

Laundry Room: Jesus, I pray that the laundry room would serve as a service to others to come to have their clothes washed if they are in need. Whether it be someone less fortunate who needs clean clothes for an interview or just a neighbor whose washer and dryer has broke, I pray that we can be a service and ministry to them.

Office: I pray that all work done would glorify our Father in Heaven and that He would bless the work of our hands and help us to succeed in each and every part of our lives.

Your Grace is Enough

I am a few days behind with the link up, but I loved doing it so much last week that I definitely wanted to link up again this week!

God's grace is more than enough for me. He blesses me each and every single day with His grace upon grace. Here are just a few of the graces He has bestowed upon me this past week:

One. I am just so thankful for the She Reads Truth community. I look forward to reading the devotionals every day and everyone's comments about it. It really is a breath of fresh air. The devo yesterday was so on point. It was all about how God has appointed us, as His disciples, to tell all of His children about His unending grace, His hope, about repentance, and His forgiveness. We are to go and proclaim that. Someone commented and said that we must simply be obedient and the LORD will cause the harvest. I could not agree more. So, so good.

Two. This. Lordy mercy. That boy can sing and is SO anointed. It's on repeat for me. "Now He's alive and there's an empty grave." Praise the Lord.

New haircut!

Three. My mom took me to a fantastic salon out in the rich part of town and she even paid for my haircut! I am so blessed with amazing parents.

Four. Reading this blog post on loving Jesus as a newlywed. I literally just realized that I've been married for ten months today so I am very much still in the newlywed season (or maybe that's just me that classifies the first year as being a newlywed?). Anyway, this sentence struck a chord within me and stirred up my soul in how to love Josh: Putting Christ first, is loving my husband well.

Sweet little Jose

Five. I sponsor a little boy through Food for the Hungry and this past week I received a little updated picture of him! I pray that God richly blesses him and his family and that God would use him in great ways for His kingdom! Anybody else sponsor a child through any organization?

Happy Wednesday, friends! Why don't you go link up with Jordyn at She Who Fears and share your graces from God this week?

Grace Upon Grace

Today, I am linking up with Jordyn from She Who Fears. She is challenging us to share just four ways grace has been evident in our lives lately.

One. I know I just posted about this yesterday, but I am just so excited about Josh and I being able to move back to Nashville. Nashville is where my heart is. I love it there. It's my hometown. I am so excited to finally LIVE there with my hubby! I can't wait to play tourist there this summer with him! There are so many possibilities ahead of us, and I can't wait to see how God moves in our lives.

Two. Josh got the job he applied for last week back in Nashville! I am so happy and excited for him! It's a little part time job, but it's so much better than nothing. It'll bring in some money while we are living with my parents so we can save up enough to pay the bills on whatever God blesses us with!

Three. These two verses: "But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace." -1 Corinthians 15:10 and 

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." - John 16:33. These verses speak right to the depths of my soul. God's special favor. Wow, don't you just want that? I know I do and I have been praying for God to pour out His special favor on Josh, me, and my family.

Four. Easter was so simple and so good. Church was beautiful, the weather was great, and I just loved the simplicity of the day. Mom cooked a wonderful Easter lunch and we all just ate, hung out, and napped. Speaking of simplicity, I have began trying to simplify my life one step at a time. We are moving in two weeks or so, so I am trying to declutter as much as possible. It's been a success so far and I am loving simplifying!

Josh's eyes are closed because the sun was shining right in our faces!

Go share your graces over at She Who Fears!

God-Sized Dreams

I posted a couple weeks ago that I had started reading The Circle Maker and that it was absolutely rocking my world. Let me tell you, that book is LIFE changing. I'm reading it s l o w l y. I want to soak every bit of it's goodness in. It is truly an anointed book and it could not have gotten into my hands at a better time.

Around the time that I got the book, my dad was offered a job (my dad is a country musician and plays for several country artists) to be a bass player in a well-known country artists band. He had to go on tour with them for a few days to "audition" for the part. It was a big deal so I did what I knew to do - I prayed relentless circles around it. I thanked Him in advance for blessing my dad and family with the job. And guess what? God came through and blessed my dad and family with the job. He is so good. Can I get an amen?

Josh and I have been living about an hour and ten minutes away from our families and my heart's desire ever since we moved away was to live closer to them. I knew it wasn't going to be possible until Josh graduated from college in two more years, but God knows the desires of our hearts. A couple weeks ago Josh discovered a new career path and has decided to change his major to it. The college he currently attends does not offer the major, so guess where we are moving to!? Back to Nashville, baby! T-minus (roughly) two and a half weeks! I could not be more excited! Once again, He is so so so good.

Does it get better? Yes it does! Josh and I currently do not have enough money to get a place of our own when we move back to Nashville, so for a few months we will be living with my parents and sister. One night, I was on bloglovin' just searching through some blogs and I happened upon a blog telling about the HGTV Smart Home giveaway. Do you know where the home is located? Nashville, Tennessee!! It's located in a part of town that I have ALWAYS dreamed of living. The house comes fully furnished, with a brand new car, and a 100,000 dollars!! I have been praying BIG circles around that baby since that day I fell in love with it. Every time I enter on the websites I pray God-sized circles around that home. If it's His will to bless us with that home, I know He will! It's my job to pray circles around it and thank Him in advance for it.

Can I just tell you a few more things about the home? I've been praying circles around it from the moment I heard about it. I decided that I'd drive my sister and I out to see it in person. We turn onto the road it's located on and the end of the road is a CIRCLE!! Circles are already surrounding that home! A couple days later my sister and I stopped at Walgreens to pick up the Sunday newspaper. I sat it on the counter and opened up the newspaper to just browse it and I TURNED RIGHT TO A PICTURE OF THE HOUSE! I had no idea that the house was even in that issue of the newspaper!! Thirdly, a special on the house came on HGTV so my mom and sister joined me to watch it. As we're watching it, two of the men who are part of the team for the house went to a coffee shop. In the background of this coffee shop is THE CIRCLE MAKER! I nearly lost it right then and there.

I do not know what God has planned for Josh and I with this home, but what I do know is that God sees me and He is hearing my prayers and that no matter what He is still good. So so good.

This is it!

The Circle Maker

I've recently seen quite a few blogs posting good, good stuff about The Circle Maker, so obviously I had to order myself a copy. Y'all. It's been rocking my world and I'm only thirty pages in. I have been really wanting to deepen and strengthen my prayer life lately and this book is helping me do just that. It starts off with helping you identify what your "Jericho" is, what walls need you to circle around so they will fall down and so that you will receive your promises from the Lord. I've began to identify mine, my Jericho. I'm praying circles around them day and night, and I fully believe the Lord will come through and answer. They're bold prayers, telling God exactly what I want, just as he asked the blind men "What do you want me to do for you?" He knew exactly what they wanted Him to do for them, but He wanted them to know exactly what they wanted Him to do for them. He wanted them to identify it and speak boldly their request.
I can't wait to share more about this book and about my Jericho and prayers being answered.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You won't regret it.

Simple.

Lately, I have felt so overwhelmed in just about every area of my life. The solution? I am going to start simplifying like craaaazy. I want to live a simple life and leave room for the things that truly matter - my husband, my family, God, and just enjoying life. I no longer want to feel weighed down by so much stuff, so my goal is to s l o w l y start simplifying each area of my life, one step at a time. Our Yellow Door did a series on simplifying that I am using as sort of a guideline. I can't wait to continue to tackle this and I hope it yields some great results :)

April Goals

I am praying that April will be a blessed month with an abundance full of love and joy, and of course the determination to complete all my goals for this month! It feels so weird that APRIL(!!!!) is finally here! 

Marriage:

• Ten day marriage challenge via The Vanilla Tulip
• Focus on growing together as a couple in our faith & relationship with God
• Atleast one date once a week, doesn't matter if it's an at home date or going out date
• Go outside together daily, even if it's for just ten minutes or a short walk
• Be intentional with Josh

Homemaking:

• Continue with Money Saving Mom's four weeks to a more organized home (I'm waaaay behind, but my goal for April is to catch up on it)
• Be intentional with planning what's for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks (even if it's something small)
• Simplify, simplify, simplify!
• Donate/get rid of items in both back bedrooms that aren't serving a purpose
• Swiffer when there's noticeable grime on the floor
• Sweep when there's noticeable grime on the floor
• Work on gallery wall in the living room

Personal Goals:

• Make living room garland
• Finish reading The Antelope in the Living Room (highly recommend it if you're married; it's so funny!)
• Come up with some sort of blog posting schedule

Health:

• Start taking bee pollen and coconut oil in the mornings. Interested? Read about it here
• Exercise everyday, 15 minutes minimum

Faith:

• Start reading The Circle Maker with Josh and possibly do the study guide with it
• Be consistent with a devotional. I'm thinking about starting this one. It has 42 reviews with a solid five star rating!
• Be intentional with my prayer list and praying over it
• Read the bible at dinner each night with Josh. We started doing this regularly at the beginning of the year, but as the year got busier we just didn't think about doing this as often.

I realize this list is a bit extensive, but I'm hoping for big things this April!

Jonah & the Whale

A week or so ago I started the She Reads Truth Jonah bible study. I have loved the She Reads Truth devotionals for so long now, I can't even remember when I first discovered it! Yesterday we read Jonah 4:1-11, and it helped open my eyes to realize that I am indeed a selfish person and that I pitch a fit when things just don't go my way. In fact, I usually throw a full on tantrum, just like a 5 year old would. It's ugly, messy, and just downright childish, but in Jonah 4 we see Jonah do the exact same thing when God changes His mind about the people of Ninevah.

The verse that really stuck out to me in the chapter was verse four: "Do you do well to be angry?" - God. I am definitely one to get angry and I am not one to be slow to anger so this verse really is challenging me. I've thought about it so much over the course of the last day and a half and it has spoken right into my heart.

On this Friday, I am so thankful for the Word of God and how it does wonders for our heart, soul, and mind.

Life, lately.

(Can you tell I'm a dog person? Haha.)

Life lately has been busy, and now when I'm not technically "busy" I feel the need to be doing something to fill up my time. I'm trying to learn how to just r e l a x, but I'm not so sure it's going well right now. I got to babysit two of the most precious baby girls quite a few times this past month and it makes my heart so happy. We just hang out and watch Frozen on repeat 984320924 times. I have been so thankful for this on-and-off Spring-like weather (even though it randomly SNOWED yesterday). This past weekend, I (with my mom, dad, and sister - Josh had to stay in town because of school) went to North Carolina to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncle, and cousins, as well as for my grandpa's retirement party! I definitely enjoyed myself and always feel relaxed at my grandparents house. Sunday night we drove up to my mom's sisters house and pretty much had a Walking Dead party and watched the new episode. It was so so so much fun! I wish we lived closer to them so we could do that every Sunday. On a side (and a completely different) note, my Kat Von D foundation fell out of my makeup bag and SHATTERED, so I had to go buy some new foundation. I picked up some Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation from Walgreens, along with Studio 35 Beauty Blender Brush

Husband-Approved Sloppy Joes

Photo courtesy of The Glamorous Housewife

 

I'll be the first to admit it - I am just not a good cook 99.9% of the time, but tonight I made a real winner. I found a sloppy joe recipe via The Glamorous Houswife and I knew I was going to have to try it because it looked so stinkin' easy. Literally all you have to do is brown ground turkey meat (or your choice of ground meat - even use vegetarian substitutes), drain it off, mix in ketchup and mustard, and put it on a hamburger bun! It's seriously that simple. My husband said it was the best sloppy joes he's ever eaten. So if you can't cook worth a flip, give this one a try!