2016

    A few years ago my sweet friend Amy encouraged me to choose a Word for the year.  

  My word for 2016

  STRIVE
 

Strive to:

Be more like Christ

Love more

Serve more

Continue on the weight loss journey 

Believe, Expect, and Trust God more

Worry less

Let go of fear

Do things out of my Comfort zone
Be intentional

I'd love to hear your word of the year!!
Blessings,
Jenn

Bumps in Life

Flying is Peaceful, especially at night time,

Until you hit those bumpy patches.

Flying back from Alabama we hit several patches

that my stomach got a little queesy in the moment.

I'm reminded we all have bumps in life.

Some bumps draw us closer to God 

where other bumps cause us to have set backs.

No matter where we are in life- we are going to have Bumps in the road.

But that's when the Lord reminds us:

1. He's got us in the palm of his hand.

2. He's got a plan.

3. Increases our time to Pray and Study his Word.

4. Be obedient.

We sit back stop worrying, taking control, and watch him Work out

Everything for our Good.

Hold on tight to his Promises!

Ephesians 3:20

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us!

The next time you have a Bump in the road look out for what God will do through the BUMP!

Blessings in Life,

Jenn

WAIT Part 2

After blogging about the Wait, I was thinking about it on my late flight. 

W- when(whenever)

A- anxious

I- I 

T- trust 

Sometimes while I'm waiting several things can happen.

My mind can get the best of me which causes me to become anxious.

I can become impatient, frustrated, or start letting my mind think negative. 

Instead I need to remember to WAIT. 

In the WAIT I am reminded to Trust God that he's got the plan. 

Nothing good comes from being Anxious!

Psalms 27:14 -
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.


1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your cares upon him, because he Cares for you!

The next time you/I start to get anxious Remember to WAIT! 

Blessings,
Jenn

December, December

December, December

oh where did you go?

You started off with a Bang,

from Parent-Teacher conferences,

attending baby showers,

 celebrating engagements,

attending football games,

going on 2 school field trips,

babysitting,

getting a bridesmaid dress for an upcoming wedding,

planning and preparing lessons for my students,

having special guests come read to my students,

lots of working out,

spending time with family,

Attending Prestonwood's Gift of Christmas,

Parades and Christmas light outings,

seeing Santa with my cousins kiddos,

 baking and trying new recipes,

throwing parties,

lunch with sweet friends over the break,

time with my parents,

Celebrating the birth of Jesus,

Christmas, 

Reuniting with childhood friends

(Angela, Paige, Karla, and Tiff)

meeting the newest addition to our family, plus spending time with my cousins, etc

TRAVELING,

Seeing one of my Sweet  friends (Amy)

while traveling,

ending the year with a Precious coupe Getting Married..

What a month, 

What a year!

Excited to see what is ahead.

Jenn

Wait

Wait

A few years ago I was challenged to come up with a word for the year.

My word for 2015 has been WAIT.

Wait on the Lord.

Every week I would read a scripture on Waiting on the Lord

or read a devotion with the application being Wait on the Lord.

I learned that I am not patient when it comes to waiting. 

Ive had to lean on the Lord and lean to trust his plan.

I've had to accept doors closing--no wait Slamming shut

while waiting on him to answer.

While waiting on the Lord:

• I've reconnected with old friends.
• I have been encouraged by friends who are waiting on the Lord.
• Ive been blessed by an amazing team that walks through life with me.
• Ive had the opportunity to serve in Jamaica, Boston, and  local community.
• Ive been blessed to babysit for families and build lasting friendships with the moms.
• I've had friends text me they are walking through this journey with me.
• Ive learned to cry out to the Lord.
• In the waiting period God has been at work.
• Ive grown in the waiting period.
• I'm still waiting for the Lord to answer but while I wait I will not get discouraged- I will trust him.
• IF you are waiting on a prayer to be answered-let me encourage you to keep going before the Lord.
• PRAY. PRAY. PRAY.
• Hold tight to scripture...

Remember you are not the only one that has waited...(Abraham waited, Hannah waited, etc)
Psalm 27:14 KJV Wait on the Lord; be of good courage 

and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait I say on the Lord. 

Blessings,

Jenn

Merry, Merry,Merry Christmas

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas

Christmas was a little different this year for us, 

I'm thankful for spending it with my parents, Uncle Rob and Aunt Nan.

Plus Im grateful for spending time with my dad's side.

It's not about the Gifts

But the True Meaning of Christmas,

Jesus...Jesus..Jesus...

One of my favorite traditions is attending a Candlelight Service.

This year I got to see alot of my childhood friends, 

which lead to meeting up for breakfast the next day.

You see this is what my heart needed,

 to talk about life the good, bad,

and most importantly how the Lord is at work. 

We picked up r like we had never been apart. 

Each girl at the table has a heart of gold,

and each girl at the table I admire. 

We may be in different stages of life but sitting around the table 

we laughed( I may have snorted laughed a few times).

We were given words of encouragement 

but most of all,

Those Girls are Gems...

It's a Merry Christmas to start it off with them.

Thank you Lord for placing each of those girls in my life.

Thank You Lord for sending your son to this earth,

Jesus you are the Reason for this season.

Merry Christmas

Jenn

 

An old hobby

Back in my mid 20's I got into scrapbooking. The other day I was cleaning out a closet when I ran across my old scrapbooks. Of course I had to sit down and look through them. As I looked through one I had cut out all different cards I had received over the years. Tears  rolled down my face as I read through cards. The hardest thing was seeing words of wisdom and notes from my great aunts who passed away this fall. I'm so thankful to cherish their sweet words. Then I came across words from my Big Mama and Mama Smith which just made my heart beam. Next, I came across a letter from my Pop. He had written me a letter the day I graduated college! Tears rolled down my face as I read it. His words of wisdom and love from my Pop are priceless! 

Even though I've stopped scrapbooking I'm so thankful I took the time to make a card scrapbook. 

                             Thankful for the memories!

                         Jenn