Loaded Queso // A Recipe

I have two words for you.

Loaded. Queso.

Do I hear the whispers of "You had me at hello"?

Yes, it is true, queso has had my heart for quite a long time. So early on (I'm thinking college) that I set out to find the perfect queso recipe.

It was a magnificent combo, one that can't be beat and is perfect for all things football and fall ::

Velveeta cheese + Rotel + No Bean Chili.

Simple. Delicious. Perfect.

However, as I have grown older, so have my queso tastes and sometimes the simple stuff just doesn't do it for me anymore.

So our new favorite - Loaded Queso - was born.

The thing about the basic queso recipe is that YOU can all the cheesy and loaded goodness that YOU want to add to it. Here is my version - let us know if you enjoy it! My crazy talented sister made this sweet recipe card just for you to print out!

 

How We Started Our Neighborhood Bible Study

(our original group at my baby shower) 

 

This isn't the post that I had planned for today, but I've gotten several questions about this recently. So I decided it might be God telling me to go ahead with it and put it out there. Maybe one of you can use this information and take those scary steps forward!

Years ago - several neighborhoods ago, actually - the Lord placed it on my heart to start a home bible study. But I had it in my head that I was no leader and even more than that I didn't know anybody. So I ignored the call. For years, y'all, I ignored what God was asking me to do. As much as it nagged at me, it was just too impossible in my head. I think back to those times and wish I had been braver. Hindsight is always 20/20 though, I guess. 

Fast forward a few years and we went through our first campaign season. I saw God work in the most magnificent and hard ways I had ever experienced. I saw Him come through for us when we trusted fully. I felt His presence when I was more lonely than I could have imagined... walking through a season that not many people could identify with. And as hard as it was, it was really good. 

And then we moved here. 

And again I felt that tug to start a bible study. 

We had just moved into our neighborhood - one that was rich with years of friendships that had previously been made. B started kindergarten and I briefly met a few women through school. But they were already close, and again, Satan kept putting it in my head that I was a nobody. 

I felt isolated as I began to see these friendships unfold from my windshield in the carpool lane. I had just been through a miscarriage that none of these women knew about AND I was pregnant again. I didn't even know how I was feeling about myself, let alone how I was feeling about these other women. 

Yet God continued to press me. 

And eventually I began to whine to Him about how nobody liked me, so stop nagging me already about that Bible Study. But one day I felt a nudge in my heart, "get out of the car, Becky." 

And so I did. 

I got out of the car and immediately found this group of women who were, against all the initial thoughts in my head, A W E S O M E! At some point I was at the park with one of them and she mentioned to me how she wanted to go to Bible Study but her church is way down town so it just wasn't feasible. I felt my heart beating fast and I casually threw out the question : "What if we met at my house on a weeknight?" 

Y'all, she didn't reject me. Despite all the scenarios in my mind where this conversation would take place, I vividly remember pushing our kids on the swings (my nightmare) and talking about bible study. She didn't really even know me. And she was like, "yes!" 

Not only did she think it was awesome, but she ended up pursuing me. I truly believe that God placed her in my life so that this would actually get started. So that I was held accountable to actually trust. 

It would have been so easy for me to forget about it. For me to continue to push it into the outermost parts of mind and think about it "later". And then years from now I'd still be dreaming of it. But God knew that not only did I need it in that season, but the other women did also. 

To make a long story short, the Lord has shown up BIG over the last two years of Bible Study. There have been secrets shared, baggage lifted, weights carried, tears shed and laughter that fills our souls for days. It has been challenging, encouraging and life-giving for all of us. There are seasons that are busier than others and we change up our way of doing it. There are women who have been added and women who have had to take a break for a season or two. Everyone is welcome. 

I have a hunch that if you've made it this far, you just might be feeling a little tug on your heart too, but it feels like so much is holding you back. The weight of fear... fear of rejection, of offending someone, of seeming like you've got it all together when - of course - you don't. Can I share something with you? If God is behind you, these things aren't your responsibility. The bible tells us that He goes before you and, I mean, you are wanting to start a Bible study, right? 

Just believe Him and be bold. 

So here are a few tips to starting your own bible study, if you're praying about it and feel the tug on your heart.

1. Be brave. Take a second right now and right down the names a two or three women that you know in your community. It's scary to start mentioning the idea to others, but just do it. Start to throw it out there. Pray for God to put you in situations with people that you know would be into the idea. God blessed me with THREE women women who latched onto the idea and then basically did the rest of the inviting. The first night that we met, it was my first time to meet a few of the women there. It was a kindred community, and that's all that mattered. Monday nights ended up being the best for our group and we've stuck with that since the beginning. Yours will most likely look different. We meet at 7:30 after the husbands are typically home, but we almost always end up having at least one woman needing a sitter. My kids are in bed and sometimes they wander downstairs (but they've been threatened so they generally don't). Make it work for your community!

2. Choose a study that promotes vulnerability - especially when you're first getting started. We began with Restless. I cannot recommend that study enough! It really meets every woman where they are in all stages of life. It also promotes awesome conversation and provides videos so that you don't even have to "teach", just facilitate the conversation! It sounds scary, but I promise that if the women show up, they are longing for these conversations. I have more recommendations of what we've done at the bottom of this post! ***Your church might have DVD's available to check out through the women's ministry! It's a great place to start!***

3. Get talking. If you need help guiding conversation, IF: Table questions are such a great way to start. They sort of cut through the small talk and get to the hearts of everyone there. There are so many times where we get off track and end up talking about something that happened at school, but we always aim to get back on point. This takes a little practice and honestly, when there is something hard going on, I find that we do need to stop and focus on that for a while. And that's okay. Every season and every study will be different. The biggest thing is to provide a safe environment for women to wrestle with their faith, share their struggles and be encouraged that they are not alone. After all, that's probably want you are wanting out of this, and most likely that's what they want too!

4. Switch it up. Looking back on it, we've almost always alternated between a more substantial bible study and a book. For example, during the holiday season we tend to a do a book and meet only 4-5 times. But right now we're going through a study that is 9 weeks. Everyone is in different seasons and in our experience, this helps keep everyone engaged. The last thing I want anyone to do is burn out!

5. Remember that it does not have to be perfect. When we first started, Jeff was traveling all the time back + forth to Austin so we always met at my house. I think this is probably the best way to start. But this semester is the first time where we've moved houses and that's been a nice change of pace too (at least, for me!) There are nights where my house is less than cleaned up and I only have tap water and apple juice to offer for people to drink. There are nights when we all come in our pj's. Then there are nights where we cook dinner and sit around the table and eat - although those are rare. Right now we've been sitting outside under twinkle lights and enjoying the spring weather (minus the june bugs). Provide a comfortable environment, but don't get hung up on this! Think about what blesses you when you walk into someone else's home. Is it sparkling countertops? Chances are it's not! Snacks, a smell-fantastic candle and some worship music are a great place to start! Light a fire if it's chilly, provide blankets to make it cozy. Do your 15 minute refresh and you're ready to go. The conversation and the women are what you want to be focused on, not the perfect place to sit. If the time spent together is beautiful, comfortable and life-giving, the environment will naturally feel just so.

God only knows what I missed out on by delaying my obedience, y'all. And, as always, He took care of all of the details! He is so faithful and has provided such a sweet and beautiful place of fellowship and community through our bible study. I cannot encourage you enough to bite the bullet if it's been on your heart! I promise you won't regret it!!!! 

Here's the list of other studies we've done in the two years we've met. 

Restless by Jennie Allen

The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst

Fighting Back with Joy by Margaret Feinberg

What Love Is by Kelly Minter

Bread + Wine by Shauna Niequist

For the Love by Jen Hatmaker

IF: I believe by the If Gathering (current study)

Taking it All In.

So we've started this new thing at our house. Actually, it's only been two weeks, so I'm not sure I can technically call it a thing, but I want it to be one. Maybe you've heard of it?

Sunday Night Dinner.

Yup, I just capitalized it all... as if it is it's own restaurant or something. Because it is... at my house on Sunday night. Mondays tend to hit us all hard and after much discussion between Jeff and I, we decided we needed a better transition. Maybe it's me who needs a transition, but either way, it's good for everyone when momma is relaxed, am I right?

So Sunday Night Dinner it is.

Last night was our second night. We had flank steak tacos, bacon wrapped dates and a cucumber + tomato salad along with chips and our favorite salsa. We set the table outside to enjoy the fruits of our labor from our weekend work. I love to cook, so it is important to me that the smells, sounds and warmth of the kitchen be a part of the whole thing.

Cooking dinner with three kids running down isn't the easiest. It's not the easiest with ONE running around. I have little eyes and noses trying to check out what I'm making to make sure it's to their liking. There are constant questions happening as to when it will be ready, what's in the salad and what can they have to drink. Is dessert going to be available if they eat well? Can they have a snack? I mean, come on y'all... let me cook dinner!

So last night, I put on my cooking playlist and made a plate of snacks for those who were waiting patiently. I had hummus, carrots, salami and almonds out.... so I didn't think they'd eat much to be honest... they were more for Jeff and I.

I noticed something by doing this, y'all... everyone ended up in the kitchen. No t.v. was on, just the music and all of our voices breaking through the chopping and sizzling that was happening. Jeff sat down and chatted with me as he snacked on the food and the kids came in and out grabbing stuff off of the plate.

I was standing at the stove checking my steak and almost tripped over a plastic tupperware that Landry had gotten out. I hastily kicked it to the side - most likely annoyed that I have to pick it up yet again. And then God whispered to me, "Soak it in, Becky. The noises, the toys, the hustle, the laughter... just take it all in, My daughter. It's not like this for long." This was not one of the almost-audible voices, but a very gentle nudging in my soul that came from nowhere... from God.

Soak it all in. 

It's a birthday week in our house so I'm a little more sentimental than normal. I have F I V E more years until I have a smelly teenage boy running through this house. That means I have exactly TWO seconds until he starts to hate us and be embarrassed of us, right? That is not long.

It's so cliche, and I hate it when grandmothers at the grocery store tell me this, but it really does go by fast. I tend to not be super sentimental, because I want to be deeply present in today. The hustle and bustle of the week - and even the weekend - tries to take me away from being attentive to today. The busy tries to steal my moments one by one and throw them into eternity, never to be seen again. But this week I will be intentional about being present in my moments.

That means setting my phone down often. That means turning the news off when I'm done watching it... it doesn't need to be my background noise. That means looking at my kids in the eyes and telling them how much I love them and letting that soak down into their little souls. That means kissing my husband - for real - before He goes to work.

It means letting the little mess ups and petty arguments do nothing to me, but moving on and taking it in stride. It means letting my kids be little, make a mess and teach them to clean it up. (I'm not crazy, y'all). It means noticing the little things in my moments... the sights, the smells, the sounds. The things that will stick in my mind years to come.

And that's why Sunday Night Dinner.

It's a marker that we are a family and God has placed us all together today. I hope that it serves as a reminder that this is where our loyalty lies... this is where our home is set. Together. Not in our house, not in our friends, not even in our dear community. But in each other, deeply rooted in our faith. I picture heavy discussions happening here. I picture family arguments happening here, tears being shed and burdens being carried. I picture laughter, hand holding and prayer happening here. I picture our family being strengthened, lessons being learned and people feeling known here.

My hope for Sunday Night Dinner is that it's something we look forward to more than not. That it's something done with intention and helps to solidify our family of five. A time in the week that grounds us and roots us together in Him.

No matter what happens during the week, or what is going to happen during the next week, my hope is to make a place for us all to take a deep breath, settle our souls and gear up for battle together.

The days are long, but the years are short. We only have this life once... and we only have our kids at home for such a little while. No matter how hard today is... and I know it can be H A R D... let's soak it all in for what it is...

Today.

on {NOT} hoping.

that post title sounds kinda morbid, doesn't it - but that's totally NOT what i mean. i don't mean to lose hope or that i've lost hope or that i don't hope.

because of course i do.

here's what i do mean ::

last week we went to our school's end of the year picnic and it was awesome. i had been praying for so long for some sweet friends at school + last night i found myself surrounded by these awesome women that i've met in the past few months. i have two dear friends who have first graders so i've met several first grade moms + our kinder class is amazing filled with precious kids, of course, but also wonderful moms! it's been a deep blessing for me over the past few months and it is not lost on me that this was an answer to some serious prayer. {more on that later.}

but as i was walking awayt, after the bounce houses, the laughter, snow cones, barbeque, face painting and dance contesting, i found myself hoping that it never changes. that we always love it as much as we do + that our kids are always happy there + that we always maintain this group of school friends + that c gets the same teacher, etc.

but then i caught myself. that's not who i want to be, y'all. and i'm not saying anything is wrong with it - because i know that it's a very normal 'mom' thing to do. but for me, i don't want to hope that everything stays the same. i've never wanted that. no, i don't particularly like change, but i do like growth + refinement + stretching. and if everything stays the same, i would never grow, my kids wouldn't see me grow + for sure they wouldn't grow.

so i just want it to be what it was ::

a beautiful, God-given night that was meant to celebrate such a fun year in kindergarten. we will have memories that last a lifetime, yes, but i don't want to be stuck in those memories. i want to enjoy them + learn from them + smile with a very full heart over all that God has done, but then i want to press forward into what lies ahead.

bring it on, first grade.  

saying yes // a guest post + a giveaway

***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
***WINNER IS DANIELLE R. CONGRATULATIONS!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING BROOKE SO MUCH LOVE + FOR SUPPORTING OUR SHOP!!***

y'all. i could not be more excited to introduce you to my sweet friend brooke! we've known each other for years through our high school youth group + at baylor, but just reconnected over the last year or so through social media and our common love for africa and trying to live on fire for the Lord! she is awesomesauce, y'all. and she's dreaming big dreams of going overseas with noonday as the extra special blogger that gets voted to go by YOU!!!

you can vote here. all you do is click vote. you don't even have to put in your email!

be encouraged today. her post will bless you! and stay tuned for a little giveaway at the end of the post!

Hi friends, my name is Brooke.  I'm married to Freeland & we have 3 kiddos: River, Wylder, and Chapel. I just became an ambassador with Noonday and I'm really excited to see what the Lord is going to do through it! I blog about our life over here. We are also currently in the process of adopting through the foster care system here in Ohio.  I'm so excited to be doing a guest post with Becky! (because she is the sweetest EVER) She asked me to share my heart on saying “yes” to the Lord because we both deeply feel that the Lord is calling so many of us to start saying YES.
 
I feel so passionate about the way I see a movement of the Lord awakening desires, dreams, and passion in people. Its incredible and I'm so encouraged. But I also feel like He is going deeper and calling us to press in actually say YES to those dreams and passions too! I feel like I see Him calling us to know who we are as women, wives, mothers and friends and to also feel secure (that means-let go of your insecurities!!) and walk in freedom to know He created us a certain way for a certain purpose. The gifts, talents, passions and dreams we have are for a reason! The restless feeling we have is for a reason! The place we live and relationships around us are for a reason! Its as if He is sitting and waiting for us to just say yes.. and then pull open this curtain to show us all He has and then display His glory in all new ways.

I'm not a writer and I definitely don’t have the gift of teaching so all I know to do after praying about it, is to share what saying yes is currently looking like for me and my family!

For me, this has looked like such a journey and process of learning & knowing who I am & it is also knowing what the passions and dreams that I have are. Its taken me pressing in, paying attention and asking the Lord to show me those things or remind me of them. Then I think it is a matter of being brave enough to believe they are there for a reason and begin to speak them out loud and share them with people! The thing that has amazed me the most is how as I have begun to ask the Lord what He desires for my life and what my dreams and passions are, He has begun to mold my passions for the things that stir His heart and the things He is passionate about. I believe as we do this He begins to reveal His scripture and passions to us in such a new way! He opens our eyes to the world around us and breaks our hearts for the things that break His!

Saying yes, at times, has been an emotional moment of hearing from the Lord and surrendering and then saying yes.. but its not always this radical moment of hearing His voice or its not like there is always a burning bush in front of me. Sometimes saying yes is just simply walking in faith and obedience to what I read in His word or to the small nudge I feel. Through asking & submitting, He has birthed so many new desires in my heart. He had given me a desire to advocate and seek justice for those in poverty. He has given me a heart to give a voice to those who don't have one and share other peoples stories. He has given me a heart for our neighbors and for relationship with women all over. I just wonder what if I hadn't said yes? I know last night I would have been missing out on the revival happening right in front of me in our neighborhood.. and in the next few months Id be missing out on loving another child and seeing God restore my son or daughters life. Most days it feels like He has lit a fire in us. 

Here is the deal though, just to be real with you guys, sometimes saying yes for me also looks like this: being willing to let go of my comfortable and ‘easy’ life and allow the Lord to come all up in it and wreck it. Knowing that even though I may no longer be comfortable or have the simple life I once did - my life will now be filled with so much more joy and passion than I ever imagined. It does sometimes feels like I could easily say “never mind my life is just fine how it is” though and turn around and go back to it being simple. Instead I choose to know I was created for more and I choose to remember what the Lord said and be obedient to what He is calling me to.

I'm learning that I also have to make room in my life so I can say yes to the Lord... so it means that I have to know what to say no to as well. Saying yes doesn't mean I never doubt or question what the heck I'm doing. Honestly, I often question and doubt myself probably at least 80% of the time. It feels so much easier to believe lies most days than to know the truth. I constantly have to go back to the word and remind myself why I'm doing what I'm doing, and remember that God is who He says He is and God can do what He says He can do. I'm also finding that for me, its easy for me to say yes to the big things and believe God in those...but in the little things or in the things that make me uncomfortable its so much harder to be faithful! He constantly reminds me that my faith is not in myself... its in Him. This really has very little to do with me.

I'm so passionate and excited about this! I wish I could sit and share my testimony in person with each of you and hear all of your testimonies of how the Lord is moving in your life too. But I can encourage you and testify that God doesn't call certain people to say yes.. He calls ordinary, tired, lazy people like me to say yes! Saying yes to the Lord and the dreams He has given me is what has restored my life and my joy and relationship with Him! Its made my relationship with the Lord adventurous and real. I'm not sure what it looks like for each of us...maybe its saying yes to a job, a mission trip, taking care of your neighbor, finally getting together with that friend, forgiving someone, staying home with your kids, or maybe its saying yes to getting on your knees and praying for someone or even serving your husband better! Sometimes I feel like we just need to start somewhere...and that's half the battle! Even if its simple .. just say yes and move forward. Are you restless and unfulfilled? (like I was) Then go ask the Lord what to do...and then get even crazier and DO IT! Whatever it is or may be, I encourage you to say “yes” to that nudging you have from the Lord because when you do, I believe you will find it to be such an adventure you will wonder why you waited so long!

My favorite part of all of this is that us saying yes will allow someone else to be brave enough to say yes. Us saying yes will give your kids the ability to say yes one day!  I absolutely believe our dreams and passions will leave our children with greater destinies.  I cant imagine what the Lord will do with our generation of women (an Esther generation!) once we all start saying yes to our part and running our races that are put before us! It makes my heart pound when I see this vision of what He is doing all over. I feel like most importantly and one of the things I get the most excited about is cheering each other on.. and getting on our knees and praying for each other! I'd love to hear dreams and desires and passions each of you have that you've already said yes to or that you're about to jump in and say yes to! Lets all do it .. and lets all cheer each other on!

********************************************************************************

thank you so much, brooke, for following God's call for your life! you lead by example and i love following your journey!

you can find brooke here and you can VOTE FOR HER to go to rwanda with noonday HERE.

and in honor of her journey, i thought it would be fun to do a little giveaway from our therefore go collection!

today little branches is giving away this little 8x12 sign! enter to win using the rafflecopter entries below! **Winner will be announced Friday!!!** Good luck and remember to go give Brooke some love!!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

party animals.

 several weeks ago my first baby turned S I X !!!! can you believe it. i feel like the days go by SO slow, but the months go by SO fast. do you hear me??

 

 

i used to be one of those over the top party people. i still kind of want to be again. but we've found it to be waaay less stressful to keep it simple. and honestly, our kids don't really notice all of those cutesy details. at least b doesn't. i had to get real honest with myself a year or so ago and ask why i was putting so much pressure on myself. yes, i enjoy doing crafty things, but when it comes to doing it + getting food together and invitations etc. etc. it only stresses me out. it makes me a bad mom. i wish it didn't - and maybe someday again it won't - but right now it does. 

so i keep it simple. 

we went to our neighborhood park and had snacks and cupcakes in the pavillion. that's it. we sang happy birthday and the kids ran around and played. it was supposed to be on sunday and there was supposed to be pizza involved, but the weather had other plans. so we moved it a few days and had it after school. and guess what.... the kids did NOT care. all they want is to play and sing and run and climb. and maybe eat a few cupcakes. 

 

are you a pinterest party thrower???

 i LOVE all the ideas i see on there. i do. i love all the decorations and costumes and invitations and themed food. i really thought i'd be like that. and surprisingly i could probably throw it together on a normal day, but on a party day? nope. it's just not in the cards for me right now. the hubbs and i would like to stay married and i'd like to have a party for the kids that didn't involve yelling the preparation. 

so, today, i'm telling you it's okay!! be the kind of party thrower that you LIKE to be... not the kind you think you're supposed to be!!!! the kids just want a happy mommy + a happy party with their friends and family. i promise! you can do it! you're AWESOME.

{almost} summatime.

in texas, summertime is RIGHT around the corner. {ignoring this little cold front that just came through and is NOT helping our pool temps!}

and i could NOT be more excited. it's one of my very favorite times of the year. lazy and easy breezy. 

what do you think of when you think of summertime? 

popsicles.

late nights.

crickets {cicadas} chirping.

lightning bugs.

patio dinners.

citronella candles.

fresh fruit

pool floats. 

diving boards. 

water parks. 

farmers markets.

road trips. 

 

this will be our first year with a "real" summer from school. i'm thinking it'll be GREAT, but i also have some things up my sleeve for when it's not. we're scheduled for a VBS and a dodgeball camp with a few friends. i'm trying bulk up on some activity boxes so that we have some stuff to "do" instead of just watch t.v. all day when we don't feel like heading to a pool somewhere. 

let's be honest though - i don't have much of a problem with watching t.v. all day AND we'll be living at the pool. the end. 

buuutttt.... do you have any good summer ideas {that don't cost a TON of money??} we are buying season passes to a local water park that a lot of our friends go to but other than that i'm not planning on spending a lot of money going to entertainment places. i'd rather save money for actual VACAY. :) i've found some cute ideas on pinterest here + here , but was wondering if you smart mommas have great ideas too??

ALSO:: if you haven't heard, noonday is doing this awesome trip to rwanda this summer with lots of amazing bloggers. they have such a neat opportunity where you get to VOTE another blogger in! how cool is that?? my sweet friend brooke, who just shared that she'll be starting the adoption process through the foster care system {ack!!!!!! i LOVE this!} sent me a goosebump-filled email yesterday asking for us to VOTE for her. i'm sure she will share more of her story on her blog but PLEASE go check her out and vote for her to go!!!!! it's going to be amazing and i sure do want to be a small part of something BIG the Lord is doing in her life!!!! 

vote for her here!!!!

limbo.

a girlfriend of mine was sharing her season of anxiousness with me yesterday. she is a dear friend to me & i strongly desire to bear her burdens with her. i wish i could just lift this off her shoulders and carry it for her. i wish i could bless her in such a way that her season of life would seem smaller and more insignificant. i just wish we could pray her out of it.

all these things are deep & good desires of my heart. all true & pure.

but as much as they are desires of mine - it's not reality. as a friend, it's hard for me to realize that sometimes. it's not my job to make sense of it all and to explain it away. as much as i want to fix it, i can't.

so i listen.

i listen to her thoughts & her precious heart as she pours out to me all that it is going on. i listen as she goes through all of the possible scenarios - all of which are less than ideal in our eyes. i listen as she tells of her heartache & her desires for her children, her family and her marriage. she is dear to me. and this season in her life makes her all that more dear.

and as she shared and asked for advice i was quick to tell her to - for lack of a better term - chill out.   how dare i say that to her, even if the thoughts i shared with her came from the heart and she took them as such. there were no hard feelings on her part, we both just feel free to tell it like it is.

but i realized, after telling her "He'll work it all out" and hung up the phone that i'm coming from a different place than she is. there is no doubt that she has witnessed the favor of God in her life. no doubt that she's experienced His goodness & love & peace & blessings. but she's in a season of hardship & it is so hard to hear "it'll all work out" when everything is beyond your control.

i texted her late last night with a thought that the Lord had placed on my heart.

i have recently come out of a season of doubt - a season of limbo & uncertainty. i am currently in a peaceful season - one in which contentedness comes easy &  joy is always within my grasp. but i've been where she is, and being fresh out of that season it is easy to remember His faithfulness.

i'm fresh out of a season of limbo. in the past three years we've moved two times. when we were looking for a house to rent two years ago & were in a time crunch, we were ready & willing to rent this awful house that probably should have been condemned. we prayed & cried about it - but we wanted to be willing if that's what the Lord had for us. and at the time - in a time crunch - it was honestly our best option. we applied for the house and got denied, for no good reason. we were dumbfounded & heartbroken. was the Lord telling us we were going the wrong way?

but the VERY next day, a perfect house in the PERFECT area came along & was the perfect price.

it all worked out.

if you find yourself in a broken season today.... weary & tired & alone... i want you to do something. i want you to grab a piece of paper & a  pen and sit in the stillness. think back on ugly seasons in your life. i challenge you to think of ONE instance where the Lord came through faithful. where you so clearly saw His hand move in your life that there was no other explanation than to accept that the Lord was present - and He had gone before you on that journey. i bet if you think of one you can think of ten. go ahead, write them down and keep them close to your heart.

let that reminder of His faithfulness lighten your dark journey today. let His love pour over you today as you recall His goodness & His grace in your life. 

let your blessings color your day today - not your circumstances.