Reasons For Seasons.

"5 He (Joseph) went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her first born, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David the Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13 Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his  favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and Gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told to them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived."

 

The reason for the season!

I love gifts and I love giving gifts. But honestly NOTHING can be as great and Gods gifts to us. The gift of salvation and the continual blessing of redemption, mercy and saving grace that He washes over us. 

I used to believe in Santa, it's true, I admit it. But now I see the joy in giving rather than receiving. Receiving is nice (by all means don't feel like you shouldn't gift me if it is on your heart to give!). It just gets me really pumped when others follow Gods promptings in their hearts. To trust, to give and to love without holding back and without reservation! My prayer is that it would expand past November-December and turn in into an every day life mission!

To see Gods miracles and provision on lives of loved ones around you is such a beautiful gift in its self. As my friend, Becky, would say at the beginning of exciting news or an intriguing story,

"OK, so..." I've got some exciting news just as it was exciting 5 years ago when all of my closest friends were getting hitched! Now they are all beginning to have babies!

Families are growing and it's but an absolute joy to see this growth in so many different ways. New little hearts, minds imaginations and little laughs. It's been really amazing to see my friends fall more and more in love with their spouses and grow in these ways as we continually put more experiential life under our belts. So, so thankful...

Christine and Trevor Block: with Emma and little brother Reese!

 Ryan and Sam Scavo: With #TheBabyForest

 Stevie and Ben Hegge: In expectancy of a little beloved baby girl.

 Emily and Tim Hall: In expectancy of a radical beautiful little bundle of joy!

All these beautiful ladies becoming beautiful Mommas!!

 Except me currently... Not pregnant people. NOT Pregnant...

Beyond stoked!

-Keep Adventuring.

Join my Support Team!

Here's How!

What Are These Things You Speak Of?

Last night I was sitting in bible study with some amazing ladies in my church community. We have been studying the book of Philippians. It was our final study for this specific book. and there was a lot of inspiration and memory jostling that took place.

Now I'm not saying we were the best at staying on task through this entire study. We would VERY often go off on different tangents and circle back around to realized we had only gotten through 3 out of the 20 questions we had to answer during the week.

BUT there are certain parts of conversations and words, Gods words that stir up some pretty incredible thoughts and words that he speaks through us as we bring our perspectives of understanding.

The main scripture that really began our discussion was Philippians 4:8.

"8Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."

What even are these things?

True- Conformable to an essential reality, being that which is the case rather than what is manifest or assumed.

Noble- Possessing outstanding qualities, of high birth or exalted rank, possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals.

Right- Being in accordance with what is just, good or proper, conforming to facts or truth.

Pure- unmixed with any other matter, free from harshness or roughness and being in tune, free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes.

Lovely- Obsolete, Delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace, eliciting love by moral or ideal worth.

Admirable- Deserving the highest esteem, obsolete: exciting wonder.

Excellent- Very good of its kind: eminently good.

Praiseworthy-  Deserving of Praise; laudable, deserving approval and admiration.

Now I have come from a mental background of performance. To do each of these things and these things only can be a very hard goal to set for ones self. I mean who can really be excellent, praiseworthy, pure? Jesus can. But as life goes on we do get our clothes dirtsy and blemmished and that is where Jesus comes in as we repent and lift these stains to him that he continually washes away. Yes when we have choosen to follow Jesus, we are indeed once and for all forgiven. But it does NOT make us perfect individualts. No where up there does it say "what is perfect". Why? because we will never be able to attain what God is because we are currently human.

But my how we are so noble! Possessing outstanding qualities. Of high birth. God has created us in his image and He himself has outstanding qualities. We are his sons and daughters. We are royalty and we were reborn into the most royal family of all.

There is a mixture of all of these things within us. However, nor does it say in scripture that we need to perfectly execute each of these examples. We are to THINK upon these things and move forward accordingly. There are many times our flesh will fail us. Our heart will fail us. But when we are within a like mindedness of Christ it is possible to work continually towards the finish line. 

Fight the good fight, Finish the race and keep the faith. (Reference Acts 20:24)

In all of this though there must be grace upon our selves upon each other and perspective of Gods mercy and Grace upon us and we strive for each of these things listed above but the grace comes in the stumbling and weakness as God lifts us back up and continually teaches incredible things.

Things that are lovely in my mind: 

Big fat snowflakes that fall in mass amounts that create a deafening bubble while gliding across his majestic snowfall. Lovely is the rest you feel God bringing to you on a Saturday morning while you are drifting between asleep and awake. Lovely is that feeling you get when all of the sudden you see someone you've know forever in a completely different light or perspective and the beauty of God through that person.

-Keep Adventuring

Join my Stellar Support Team!

Here's How!

Are You All In?

Are you ever in the middle of trying to focus on a task or detail and your physically falling asleep? The way your eyes go all cross eyed and they go out of focus while the eyelids get heavier... This is what my brain feels like this morning.

As I begin to focus on tasks my brain floats elsewhere. To places that I couldn't even disclose the location because it feels like my feet and body are going, going, going and then instantly slowed and stilled until I come to find myself standing or sitting still. Where did my brain go?

Often I think about the ways in which our bodies function and how sleep or lack there of can really bring about odd things and feelings. Nothing is wrong with me, just tired today. It's an on going trend as I am currently in the midst of detoxing from sugar and wheat.

Because of this detox I have been finding it profoundly interesting for many reasons. Our bodies or addicted continually to something. Sugar, Coffee, Nicotine, carbs, bad habbits, nail biting, sex, pornography, TV, Technology, the list could go on. Even when we are with in good self control and personal discipline. The reasons it is a constant practice is because our bodies constantly crave something.

When we cut our bodies off from something it loves and has grown dependent on, they begin to rebel. Your body begins to feel different and the cravings are higher and harder than ever. Even things as simple as sugar can bring out withdrawl symptoms that can throw you through a  loop. Headaches, stomach aches, insomnia...

But your body recalibrates its self to look to what it truly needs. Just like we take pain meds to cover up the pain instead of fixing the pain we become distracted. Instead of solving we self medicate to simply live with the problem instead of dealing with it head on. The worst part? When we make a decision to pursue healing it is often times harder in the beginning of the healing process to continue forward to full restoration because of body rebellion and discomfort.

"13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it."- Matthew 7:13-14

A few of the differences that I have observed of these 2 paths is the commitment to these things. Are you all in? or are you in but not wanting to give up this or that or do something but under your terms and not Gods...

In order to see change and exercise growth and progress forward we need to work at it. Have the profound discipline and obedience. If you want to become a better skier you must ski a lot , practice and be OK with falling alot. You'll never be perfect.

But to trust the process come what may...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

God is present.

-Keep Adventuring.











Hop on board my support team!
Here's How: Click here!