Tired Tuesday!

I had the best time at Bible Study last night! Even though the weather was bitter cold and windy, and there was a downpour of rain in West Michigan ~ it was a Magnificent Monday, nonetheless!!

God has hand picked 74 of the most warm, beautiful, fun women to journey together! I am SO EXCITED to see what God has planned for our group!!

But for today, I am exhausted! I've been on the go since early this morning and am just plain tired. I am in need of a divine infusion!

Today's post is a repeat from the Spring when I had similar feelings of exhaustion. Enjoy! :) I'm off to take a nap!

I'm exhausted today. Overwhelmed with all of the school notes and phone calls to return and bills to pay. Hockey starts tonight, t-ball this weekend, I have forms to fill out, dance recital papers to sign, field trip $$ to send in, and someone just called to see if I could bring in 2 dozen cookies for tomorrow's Spring Program.

My hair is too long, my nail polish is chipped and I've worn these jeans one too many days in a row. My life feels cluttered and disorganized and in need of an intervention!!! Anyone else?? :)

And so I turn to God's Word (don't worry...I am reading God's Word with a venti Starbucks latte in my hand). I love Philippians 4:13 in the Amplified Bible…

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me –

I am ready for anything and equal to anything

through Him who infuses inner strength into me…

That's what I need today ~ an infusion of His inner strength into me!

I picture myself in my comfy purple chair with my arms stretched out, palms facing upward, and an IV of His strength slowly dripping right into me. And I pray....

Infuse me with Your STRENGTH, O Lord..., and I think about how STRONG and MIGHTY He is...

Infuse me with Your PEACE..., and I reflect on His peace, His perfect peace, that surpasses all understanding...

Infuse me with Your PATIENCE, O God..., and I think about how patient He has been with me. May I extend that same patience to my kids (and my dog!) today!

Infuse me with Your GRACE..., and I am overwhelmed as I ponder His amazing grace. His grace that saved a wretch like me. May my life (and my thoughts and actions) reflect His grace to all who encounter me today.

Let's be honest. After I've finished praying, my circumstances have not changed. I'm still tired. My desk is still cluttered and now I'm late for recess duty!

But by asking God for an infusion of His strength, peace, patience, and grace ~ I can leave the house equipped and empowered by the One True God to face any and all circumstances that life will throw at me today. Bring it on!

What about for you?? Could you use a filling of God's strength today? An extra dose of His peace? May I encourage you to sit back, relax and allow God to infuse you with everything that you need to face the circumstances that come your way!

Let's pray: Dear God, Please forgive us for trying to meet the challenges of our day in our own strength. Thank You for the promise that You will equip and empower us with everything that we need for victorious living. Please infuse us with Your Strength and Grace so that we might reflect You to our friends, family, neighbors, and this lost and hurting world. We love You! In Jesus Name. Amen :)

What's On Your Nightstand?

I love books!! As a little girl growing up in Indiana, one of my weekly highlights was a visit from the Bookmobile. (Does anyone else remember the Bookmobile? My son Jake thinks I'm making it up. He also thinks his mom was weird for loving the Bookmobile!).

My husband John lovingly teases me about books being "my friends" (they are!). I usually have a huge pile of books near my bed...and have even been known to hide extras under my bed. :)

Imagine my delight when I recently came across Whats on your Nightstand from 5 Minutes for Books. What fun! :) Techinically you're supposed to participate on the 4th Tuesday of the month (I'm a couple days behind, sorry), but I couldn't resist joining in on the fun!

Here is what is currently on my nightstand...

A Bible (The Leadership Bible)

A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot

Shame Lifter by Marilyn Hontz

Life Lessons from the Hiding Place ~ Discovering the Heart of Corrie Ten Boom by Pam Moore

Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver

Lord, I Want to Know You by Kay Arthur

Clippings from My Notebook by Corrie Ten Boom

When the Enemy Strikes by Charles Stanley

Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore

Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom

Prison Letters by Corrie Ten Boom

Amazing Love by Corrie Ten Boom

I did have the book "I Stand at the Door and Knock" by Corrie Ten Boom on my nightstand, but somehow it made its way over to John's nightstand!! John has been very gracious, though, and has been reading a chapter from it to me each night before bed (which is even better than reading it myself!)

What's on your nightstand these days?? I'd LOVE to hear from you!!

Blessings to you!

Family Fun Idea ~ Letterboxing!

If you've been looking for a fun, family adventure, I have the perfect idea for you ~ Letterboxing!

Regardless of where you live, how old you are, and/or the age of your children (or even if you don't have children) ~ Letterboxing is a ton of fun, educational and free! You can't beat it!

Here are some pictures from our Letterboxing Adventure this past Sunday...

Top picture ~ the happy Adventurers ready to begin! (Jake was with a friend watching football.)

Below ~ Daddy helping read the compass. Good thing Benj just learned his N,E,S,W directions (Never Eat Soggy Wheat) in class last week!

Below....the Letterboxers are closer to finding the hidden treasure!

Benj found it!! (Although I think Amanda ~ smiling behind the tree ~ is happier than Benj is!)

And the happy Mom and Dad resting while the kids play at the park! Another beautiful Sunday!

Ready to give Letterboxing a try?? Here's what you'll need:
Access to a computer
Compass
Notebook
Pen
Rubber Stamp
Ink pad
Bag to store your supplies ~ (We keep everything in our pink "Letterboxing" Barbie backpack)
Bug Spray (Little Sarah got 10 mosquito bites on Sunday!)

After you've gathered your supplies, go to http://www.letterboxing.org/. Here you'll find everything you need to know about letterboxing and more!

As we ended our day Sunday night and shared highlights, we all agreed Letterboxing was a great way to spend our afternoon. The weather was beautiful. The sibling fights were minimal. We didn't spend any money. It was a GREAT family day!

What about for you?? What are some fun, family things that you like to do together?? Share with us please! :)

Let's pray....Thank You, God, for the gift of our families. Thank You for the beauty of time spent together. Lord, would You protect our time from the distractions of this world? Would You remind us to take time to rest in You? Also, please give us fun, fresh new ways to enjoy each other's company (especially for moms like me who has kids that like to fight and whine when they are bored!). Thank You Lord for our health and our strength and for the joy that is found in LIFE in YOU! In Jesus Name. Amen.

P.S. If you live near Grand Rapids, Michigan, we just found the Pad-dler's Prize hidden at Lakeside Park in Caledonia this past Sunday. It'd be a great first Letterboxing Adventure to try!

Red Hot!

I was walking with my spiritual mentor a few weeks ago. We were praying for our upcoming Monday night Bible study and for all of the women that would be attending.

As we were praying, something that my mentor shared really stood out to me. She prayed that all of the women (ourselves included) would be "redhot for Jesus!".

Now for me, being a woman that likes to operate in themes, I couldn't get "Redhot" out of my brain!! All night long I reflected on what it meant to be Redhot for Jesus. I went to the Word. I consulted my Commentaries. I kept praying...Oh God, wouldn't that be awesome to have a group of women fired up and passionate about living Redhot lives for Jesus!!

Soon others caught the Redhot vision! Julie, my close friend and ministry partner loved the idea! Lindsay (our Administrator Extraordinaire) encouraged us to go with it! And then Natasha "Party Queen of the Decade" Ohlman took the Redhot idea and totally brought it to life!!

You should have seen the Sunshine Room at Sunshine Church on Monday night! It was Redhot!

After Bible study ~ all of the women received Redhots to take home!


Natasha created this amazing background for our teaching area. The wreaths are filled with red peppers! Isn't that awesome?!

Here are some of the women that came to our Kickoff! We had over 60 women come our first night, and almost 20 more have recently signed up!

And here is a picture of me sharing about the pit the Lord rescued me from, and the healing and wholeness I now have in my life. Jesus alone is the difference!! I want to be Redhot for Him!

I love how God wires us all different, but with everyone using their gifts a vision can become a reality! I love that Bible study can be colorful and creative and fun! I love that Jesus can take a shy, insecure girl (me!) who made tons of poor, self-destructive choices, and fill me with a Redhot passion for Him!! I love it!!

Thank you, my dear Magnificent Monday sisters, for helping the first night of Bible study be so welcoming, safe, and fun!! I can't wait until we meet again on the 28th!!

Here's to Redhot living!