Another Angel Sent to Heaven

I read their blog today and it absolutely B.R.O.K.E. me to pieces. This mom and dad is facing one of the saddest tragedies. AAHH! I am such an empathy that I was just in tears when I was reading through her blog entries over the last few days. Less than a week ago their entire world was turned upside down. They lost their precious angel so unexpectedly.

These are the times that do not make sense to me. I am mad for them. You can't help but ask why in the world God would do this. Today they are in need of so much prayer as they lay their daughter to rest, their 4 month old daughter. I pray that God shows them his purpose through this awful time. I pray their faith stays strong and that God's grace shines. I pray for peace and healing.

Don't take a single breath, loved one, or interaction for granted today.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."-Isaiah 41:10

Reading Obsession

I have always been a reader, for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, though, I go through these reading addiction spurts. Is spurts a word? Anyway I go through these times when I want to read everything in sight. My sisters used to make fun of me because I would spend hours in Barnes and Noble just walking around staring at books. I think I was waiting for the moment when I had finally stared long enough that I would just start absorbing the words of the book I was staring at. It never happened, but that would be really cool!

Currently, I am in one of those phases. Phases is a better word, I will stick to that. The last time I went through this phase was in November. I went to the library and checked out 10 books! I have read 1 since that time and they are due back in a month. Since I will be so disappointed if I return those book without even looking at page one, I have a goal to get through most of them before their due date. The hard part is I also have about 5 other books that I am really into right now. Allow me to share.

Heaven is For Real

I saw this one yesterday at Hastings and immediately bought it on my Literati as soon as I got home. It was cheaper that way. I am so excited about this book. It's about a boy who at 4 years old went to heaven during an emergency surgery. He sat in Jesus' lap and angels sang to him. He met his miscarried sister that he never knew about and his great grandpa who had died 30 years before. It is a true story.







Wrestling with God

I mentioned this one a couple weeks ago. Its all about growing close to God through the tough stuff in life. I am about half way through it and I love it! I just get distracted to easily by other books.









Gazelle's Baby Steps and 37 other Things Dave Ramsey taught me about Debt

Jon Acuff is hilarious and this book is awesome. I have gotten through most of it already since I bought it on Saturday. The chapters are short and super easy to read, not to mention funny. The title pretty much covers the content of the book.







Stuff Christians Like

Another Acuff book. This one is based off his blog. I just started this one last night, but it too is hilarious. I have heard great things about this book. More to come!










OK so I guess that was only 4 but there was another book at Hastings that I saw yesterday that I will probably pick up shortly. Oh AND Pioneer Woman's new book just came out about her love story with her husband and I am dying to get that one too!
What are you reading? Has anyone read Sheet Music?

Be Blessed!

My Life is Forever Different

Today has changed me. If you are friends with me on facebook than you know it was no secret what my day consisted of...The Dave Ramsey Live Event. I volunteered for three reasons: I love volunteerism, I love events of that nature, and I have drank the Dave Ramsey Koolaid. When I first found out about the event just a short 3 months ago I knew I wanted to go. My immediate thought was, "I COULD VOLUNTEER!!" Then I would get to be there, but also be helping, which is awesome!! I signed up to volunteer and got the message that I was on the waiting list...a waiting list?? I thought for sure I was out. Well about a month ago I got the email saying I had been picked to volunteer. I was beyond excited!! At that point I had no idea what I would experience today.

As I am most days, I was running late. I was flustered because I showed up about 30 minutes late. Everyone was so nice anyway. After 2 hours of setting up and product training the doors were ready to open. I must also mention that Dave and his daughter Rachel both went around and shook hands with every volunteer in the arena during that 2 hour period. How cool is that? People poured into the arena with excitement and lots of buzzing. There was a pre-show that included Jon Acuff, more about him later, Rachel, and the VP of their publishing company, Chris Locarto. Finally, at 1pm it was time for Dave's appearance. As he entered they had the lights going on and off, everyone was cheering, it was loud and I was lost in the moment. I was overcome with emotion. I was covered in goosebumps. I could not help but say a prayer in that moment to thank God for this experience.

Dave spoke for 5 hours to a crowd of 10,000 people about becoming debt free. His passion is indescribable. The love for the people that's lives are changing is amazing. He kept it funny and entertaining, while getting a very clear message across. Normal is broke. Here are some other notes I took from the day.

1. Stupid people are broke and people get offended when you mess with their stupidity.
2. If we were doing math we wouldn't have debt.
3. God's not mad at you. You entertain him.
4. One definition of maturity is learning how to delay pleasure.
5. Prayer REALLY works.
6. Normal is broke. Be weird.
7. Live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later.

I honestly could go on and on. There was so much to take away from his lessons I could not keep up. During breaks I got to do what I love and that was serve people. I got to sell Dave's products for less than retail and people loved it! I got a hug from a stranger because I chased her down after she left her FREE deluxe envelope system sitting on the table. I got to help in the start of people changing their lives. It was incredible.

At the end of the day my heart was filled with so much joy and inspiration I could hardly contain it. Obviously, I felt the need to come home immediately and write it all down. I called Zeb and talked for probably 5 minutes straight about it without stopping once. I worshipped Jesus the whole way home for the experience and everything he has done in my life to bring me to this point. The people that work for Dave are incredible as well. They are servants for the Lord and they show that in their work. Again, I could go on an on.

Here is what I hope you take away from this though, find freedom in your life. I want you to find the financial freedom that so many have already found through Dave's practical steps, but before you can do any of that you must find freedom in your savior. And when you do your life will be forever changed.

Finally, because I believe in the things that Dave Ramsey is doing and the lives that are being changed I have a giveaway! I am giving away Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book. This is the perfect book to start out on if you have never heard of Dave or even if you have and just want to see what it is all about! So here is how to enter:

1. Post a comment below about what gets you excited, restless, passionate, etc.

2. For an extra entry into the contest share this post on Facebook or Twitter.

I will randomly select a winner Monday morning. Contest ends Sunday at Midnight!

Be blessed.

Fruitful Fridays

Source

This weeks thoughts are a tad scattered...bare with me.

I took on anti-wedding week in order to breathe. It had become all I was doing recently. It turned out to be wonderful. I was able to enjoy a valentines night with Zeb without a single talk of wedding stuff. I think he enjoyed it too. I have also been able to focus on helping him with post wedding stuff such as finding an internship and achieving career goals. Being a bride that others can tolerate is hard work. Speaking from experience, I never have the intention of making it all I do, but when it is my reality it is hard to not do. Does that make sense?

There is this friendship that means so much to me. This person was an important influence in my life and it kills me for some reason when I think about where we stand at this moment. This has consumed both my thoughts and prayer life lately. I want to go back to where we were before everything changed. Then I ask myself why it matters so much when I have lots of friends that do really care about me. Why do I need (or feel like I need) this 1 friendship above all the others?

I have found a home in Oklahoma and I like it here. I feel comfortable in this small town, with my small group of friends, and my small church. I can't help that I have become a small town girl. Since I have been in anti-wedding mode and future looking mode I have thought more about how sad it makes me to think about leaving. I don't know when we will leave or where we will go, but I know I am not prepared for it. Not at this moment. So I pray that God will adequately prepare me for that time and that His good plan will take over my selfish desires.

So whats going on in your life this week?

p.s. 5 months ago on this day my future was forever changed when Zeb Austin decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and I agreed. I am thrilled to follow thru with that promise in a short 91 days.  

Taken for Granted

Last night I had a small emotional fit. OK, maybe a rather large one, but I can justify this. Between working out to get my body in a healthy form again, selling everything I can in my apartment, and balancing life with two jobs, wedding prep, and marriage prep, it just all caught up to me. Thank goodness Zeb can be patient with me. I said some words to him that I should not have in the heat of the moment. I apologized and then prayed after he left for help from the only one who truly can save me.

This morning I stumbled across a blog of a married couple. They are raising money for adoption. They have been trying for years to get pregnant and it hasn't worked and they feel God has led them to this place. Yesterday I found another blog. This one was for a 20 year old girl who just found out 2 months ago that she has the rarest form of ovarian cancer. She has lost all of her hair and is going through intense chemo right now. A friend of hers has started a business in her honor called Jars of Love. A few weeks ago I was made aware that a previous supervisor of mine had a baby boy last year who is now facing severe complications. The hospital bills are astronomical and they need help.

Those are justifiable reasons for small or large fits. My petty problems are not. My problems are not means for harsh words towards the ones I love. So this morning I was hit with the realization of how much I take for granted. I was changed by these stories and reminded of how blessed I really am. I was challenged to rely more on my creator rather than myself. And then I read this:

"...Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest"-Luke 12:22-26