Through the Seasons

It's been such a long time since I've blogged I guess you can say I was in a "season"..a busy one! This morning meditating on Ecclesiastes 3 I realized that it's so true, there IS a season for EVERYTHING under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

For the last year I went through a wonderful season of growth being the director of the Life Builder Women's Resource Center. I have to say it was an AMAZING season that God took me through.

I can still remember the day that I was there alone, an empty building, dirty floors, so quiet i could almost hear my own breath echo in the building because it was so empty...

I remember saying to the Lord, "Why do you have me here?"
(being a stay at home mom for 11 years and enjoying it, I was a little curious!) and He said, "Because I want you to see that you can do this from the ground up"

Wow, talk about a season! A season of true growth..we went from empty to overflowing.

 

I met so many wonderful ladies, which many became my friends. As I sit here thinking about this season I can only imagine what the seasons were for them and what was truly nurtured in that season in their lives. (Ecclesiastes 3:2 a time to plant and a time for harvest) I have to believe that what was planted for both them and I , one day will be a wonderful harvest!

There were such great times there... it makes me smile thinking "it's true when you love what your doing, it doesn't seem like work!" It never once felt like "work".

At the center ladies learned how to manage their finances, how to start their own business, some ladies came to do 1 on 1 computer training, ladies even came out to have a fun night of zumba! I was just reminded that even the zumba instructor learned that she could do a zumba class! (that story brings tears to my eyes because she was grieving her moms death when she came in my office.)

I remember it like it was yesterday..She said, "I can't volunteer right now, but when I'm better id love to help." The Lord prompt me to ask her, "What is it that you like to do?" She said, "Zumba, I have my zumba certificate to be an instructor when I retire!" I said, "Well when your ready you can do a zumba class for us! She said, "wow really? Ive never done a class before." I told her, "Than this would be a perfect place to start! You'll be in a safe place!"

For her it was a season of new things, being ready to retire, she was ready to dance! (Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.)

The year was full of so much good stuff it would take me forever to share..

But in early October an injury to my neck would put me in a whole new season, a season of healing. (Ecclesiastes 3:3 a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up)

On November 12, I walked into the center to tear it down, pack up and get stuff ready to go to storage. Our rent free lease for 1 year was up...no new building yet, so we decided to store everything until a new building was found. It was definitely an Ecclesiastes 3:5-6 time...it was time to scatter, time to gather, time to embrace, and time to turn away, there was a time of searching and a time to quit searching, a time to keep and a time to throw away.

I find myself now in late November out at the ranch believing for rest and complete healing. In another season, Ecclesiastes 3:7 a time to tear and a time to mend. a time to be quiet and a time to speak.

Wanting nothing but to mend and be back to my old self. I have to be honest with you..I find myself asking God "Is it the old self i want or the new that I should look forward to? In this season... I'm believing for an even "better me." 
If you've ever been in so much pain, you know that at times you really don't even want to speak. And at times I thought it was better that I NOT speak, fear of saying something I really didn't mean. So i stayed quiet. (that's a new me!) ;)

Though this season has been rough (pain wise) my marriage has even healed in the midst of so much pain, because there were those Ecclesiastes 3:8 moments... "a time to love and a time for hate. a time for war and a time for peace."

My husband has been so supporting in this season, and I was so surprised and proud when he mentioned and encouraged all the couples at a recent couples event, "We need to support each other in these seasons, one moment you can be lifting up your spouse and the next moment he could be lifting you up!" We need eachother!

Although we go through seasons, some good and some bad, we have to believe that God has made everything beautiful for it's own time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Pain, grief, unemployment, arguments, graduations, births, deaths, new opportunities, a finished assignment, all those things, every single one of them under heaven...has a purpose, and even though we can't see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end, we should truly find a way to enjoy and embrace EVERYTHING... for IN them are the gifts from God.

"Listen my daughter, this season shall pass, and I will continue to show you all the things that I have for you, be of good cheer, be strong and courageous, don't look to the left or to the right, but look to me, I am the one who will heal you, I am the one who loves you, I am the one who will guide you, the healing is yours, the victory is yours. Look to me."

My Pinterest Inspired Idea!

Recently I've been so inspired by things posted on Pinterest, especially in the area of recycling and craft ideas. I about flipped over a simple but so cute of an idea pinned by Desperate Craftwives 

Yes, it's a recycled parchment paper box!!

 

so I held on to a freezer paper box,
just for the day that I could do this!

 

 

I used some scrapbook paper, a hole punch and some ribbon!

Oh and baked some amazing cookies from Six Sister Stuff.

 

well, I had 6 cookies that wouldn't fit in the box,
so I scrambled around looking for an empty box....

and what a perfect box for my "tea buddy"

 

so how cute is this???

I discovered a "cookie dispenser" lol

 

I quickly threw out all the tea bags
(you know you're going to do the same!)
covered the box in some scrapbook paper,

and cut a hole for the cookie to escape!

 

 

 

 Needless to say it was an absolute hit

when my bff stopped by for a quick visit!

 

Now, I pray I've inspired you to bless someone with your creativity!
 

 

  

 

Save The Date!

I'm really looking forward to speaking with these two

wonderful women of God on June 30th.

Get Your Tickets Today!

How To Win!

After the gym this morning I read an article in the Parade magazine about how presidents win the nominations. I thought it was very interesting and I asked myself, "Now how can I use this info to better myself today?"

The article mentioned 6 things that you must do...

1.) Observe the incumbent, then be the opposite. Basically the more different you can be from the guy who is currently in office the better. It also said that Americans crave honesty.

What I got out of that is this: Be different from everyone else (the world), be bold enough to stand out for Christ and with all your might be honest.

Luke 16:10 - "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."

2) Be able to deliver your message in seven seconds.

I've heard this before..."have an elevator speech."
Basically the amount of time that you are in the elevator with someone, you should be able to tell someone what you do (business/ministry) or what you believe in. ( practice this!)

3) Show some humanity. The article stated that people are skeptical of anything a political candidate says, so its more important to be human than perfect. David Axelrod said of Perry, "He looks comfortable in his own skin."

wow, do you feel comfortable in your own skin?? we should!! because the bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made; and His works are wonderful. Psalm 139:14
I think one of the things us ladies need to do is believe like God believes in us! and if we did that we would be more than comfortable in our skin and be more radiant than any skin care commercial!

4) Be Bold.

Enough said! Be Bold! Be Confident!

Hebrews 10:35 -36 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

5) Prepare for the Big Moments

Wow, what can I say about this??? Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Are you prepared? Are you prepared for the outpouring that God is going to do in your life? What will you do when those floodgates of heaven open up?
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 

This one truly excites me!!!

6) Always be a happy warrior
One of the things the article said is that running for president is brutal- its like running naked through a cactus patch on fire. That the process is designed to crush you and see what you are made of...

As Christians sometimes it feels just like that! However God truly wants to know what are you made of, who will you stand for, will you be crushed? Or will you stand? Will you persevere?
I love to be reminded that we are more than conquerors in christ Jesus (Romans 8:37), that we are the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13), that we don't need to be the victim but that we are the VICTOR! So be strong and courageous and that warrior that God has created you to be! You truly are a winner!


So I encourage you today, ask yourself am I set up to win? What do I have to do to win? Do I have changes to make? Then Pray and Do it! You are a winner! Be blessed today my friends!