.

I have watched the news. 

I have seen the look in their eyes. 

Pain. Anger. Complete shock. Desperation. 

But can you imagine what He is feeling. He Who created each of those kids. He Who created that 20 year old shooter. 

What grief He must be feeling watching this unfold. Even though He knew what was going to happen today.  We have created this evil. We have grieved His heart. 

The world in which we live is evil. There is no way around that. We have allowed sin to overtake the world. 

I fear this is only the beginning. I don't think our world is going to improve. Not this side of heaven. We will reach out to them. We will band together to support, love, and pray for them. But the root of our world is still evil. 

Satan will only have his way for so long. 

Be near, Dear Lord Jesus in heaven. Bring us to our knees. Come quickly.  Please come ever so swiftly.

idolatry

(I wrote this a few months ago....thought it was still worth posting)

I think we can all identify areas in our lives where/when we put things before God. We allow the things in our lives that we love to become an idol. We worship them by giving into their pleasures. We get excited when thinking about them, allowing our minds to be consumed with them often.

I have often thought of idols as something we view as positive in our lives. We enjoy the thought of having enough money to buy what we want. We idolize the new gaming system to the point of "I must have that!". We spend our time with these idol and away from the Lord. I am not suggesting that simply having the gaming system takes us away from the Lord, but rather, when we allow our joy to be found in these pleasures.

But recently, I have looked at negative things we idolize. Worry. Defeat. Sadness. When capitalizing on these things, we allow them to become idols in our lives. For me, a recent loss in my life has created a strong sense of anxiety. There is no doubt that I idolize this feeling. I wish I could sit here and tell you I have a handle on it, that the more I pray about it, the less anxiety I have. But it's still there. Every day.

It brings me to my knees and some days all I can say is "The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still." Exodus 14:14

Everyone loves a good Before and After picture, right?

I have this weird obsession with taking pictures of my hair the day I have it done by my stylist...I just use my photobooth on my computer so the picture quality is terrible, but I thought I would show a little before and after for fun. 

Before: 

After:

OK, ok, so this before and after has nothing to do with my HAIR! My hair is done in all the pictures. Not looking so great in the last picture (right above)....must have been end of the day.

The before and after in these pictures...can you guess?

(One from tonight, just for fun...hair definitely NOT done!)

Did you guess??















See you NEVER FORTY-FIVE POUNDS!

PEACE!

B&W

Photo Shoot

My cousin is a photographer, and she is putting together a book with the owners of a European boutique and a salon. I had the pleasure of modeling an outfit from the boutique. I don't have the professional pictures, but I just love this pic. I took it, and it kills me that it's blurry!!

 Had my hair and makeup done! Not even sure why I love this pic, but I do! ha!

Sporting the fake eyelashes!

There are so many things I could post here.

Lots to tell.

Much I can't tell.

Life has taken an interesting road lately.

Clinging ever so strongly to Exodus 14:14...

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still."

 

So thankful for the ways the Lord has been showing His faithfulness to me. "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today." Ex. 14:13

Here..worth the listen

I just downloaded Kari Jobe's new CD, Where I Find You. Seriously SO worth it! Listen and fall in love with the Lord all over again. Amazing. Beautiful. Truthful. I love it!

a peace that passes understanding

If you run in the Christian circle, you undoubtedly know the phrase "a peace that passes all understanding". It's taken from Phil 4:7.

I have been thinking a lot about this phrase...and the responsibility that comes with it. As we walk through life's circumstances, we face trials. Those who don't know the Lord watch us closely. They want to know how we will handle situations. Will we crumble? Will be hold on to Jesus? Or will be grumble and complain like many? We have the choice to make and a testimony to uphold.

When I find myself in a trial, I worry. I allow my mind to race, play out different scenarios, and oftentimes become physically ill. I deny that peace the Lord gives us. It's almost a minute by minute battle that I have with myself and the Lord.

But as a Christian do I not have the responsibility to show the strength of the Lord? That even when I am facing something difficult, I can still find peace? But at the same time, I want to be real about the struggle.

I am finding myself in this place of figuring out the balance. How do I grasp onto His peace without hiding the mere fact that it's difficult. How do you explain that to nonbelievers and maintain His name?