Reason to Rejoice

We are about 6 weeks into the Jonah Bible study by Priscilla Shirer right now.   Some of you have read on here or seen me quote or at least mention on Facebook about this study.   I absolutely LOVE it!!!   It is one of, if not my MOST favorite Bible studies I have ever done.   It really does hit home with me at this juncture in my life.   From a few posts ago, you may have read that my heart’s desire is to live each day as a better person than I was the day before.   Nothing could be closer to the truth.   I am not sure if I have ever been more desiring to see God work in my life.   I just truly am trying to figure out what He is teaching me in every aspect of who I am, what I do, who I come in contact with, and how others see me.   The problem is, I think my focus {partly} has been wrong. This past week Priscilla pointed out something in the video session that just struck a cord with me.   I mean, really shook me to my core. ...

I had been doing so good with blogging and then...well, I wasn't...I'm not.  I am going to try to get better but I just don't have the time and I have other things that are higher on my priority list BUT....this is one way that I feel I can reach people....so, I am going to make an effort to try to be consistent. As a lot of you know, I am leading a women's Bible study on Thursday evenings at our church by Priscilla Shirer called Jonah. It is FANTASTIC!!!  One of my favorites that I have ever done!  My post for today is going to be short, simple, and quoted right out of the Bible study from this previous week.  I could not say it better and it was just too good not to share. "Hear me clearly: The Lord is always willing to forgive.  He is quick to extend mercy.  If you stand in need of His forgiveness today, then know that He is waiting to forgive you.  Yet He desires that the knowledge of His longsuffering way and His willingness to show grace not...

I get comments all of the time about how they couldn't do my job and questions about what I do at my job.  The fact is that I do not think of being a social worker as merely my job...it is my calling...my passion, if you will. When I was a little girl, all I ever wanted to be was a mommy.  I think at one time I wanted to be a doctor, a teacher, and a nurse but for the most part I just wanted to have babies.  When I was in high school my goal was to go to college and then go on to nursing school.  I wanted to be a pediatric nurse practioner.  I went to college with that goal in mind - pre-nursing.  I LOVED college...everything about it...except for the studying part....college was a rude awakening and it was HARD.  Long story short, my 2nd year of school, with the help of lack of self-confidence, I dropped Physiological Chemistry and changed my major to Christian Counseling.  My end goal now was to go to graduate school and become a soc...

So...as part of my New Year's resolutions  I wanted to really organize my home.  I wanted to start in the office but in order to start in the office I had to really start in the garage.  I really really wish that I had taken before and after pictures.  Those that know me and have been to my house and seen my garage know how desparately this needed to take place.  Let me let you in on a little secret....we had carpet in our garage from when we moved into our house....SEVEN YEARS AGO!!!  We literally had a path...A WALKWAY from the garage door to the entrance into the house.  It was INSANE!  Now...it's still cluttered but it is MUCH MUCH better!!!!!  The carpet is gone, there is a garage floor and we had so many bags of trash!  There is new shelving and everything just looks so much better.  I need to list several things on Craig's List and it will be almost perfect.  Thanks to Matt and Aunt Donna for the use of their truck and c...