He's working it out....

You Are God Alone!

Jake and I have found ourselves smack dab in the center of an extremely stressful season in our lives. There is not just ONE thing at the source of our stress just a combination of many things and circumstances that seem to be piling up and reminding us daily that we are not in control! But I think God allows stressful seasons like this one into our lives to help keep this faith thang in check. If there were not sooo many circumstances in my life that are absolutely out of my control, then I might get a false sense of power and this season has done nothing if not caused me to surrender to the God who is calling all the shots and working EVERYTHING out according His plan and His agenda, not mine. (Ephesians 1:11). I am confident that my faith is strengthened every time I find myself not in control and not even wanting to be in control.

One of the most frustrating things about faith and trusting in an unseen God is when life just doesn’t make sense. And things that are happening in life leave us asking, “Why?” But God has more of a right to ask us “why?” than vice versa. And over the years I have learned that answer to all my “why?” questions will always be simply because He ALONE is God and His ways are always higher than mine and He sees the BIG picture when I can barely catch a glimmer of a glimpse of the picture.

I am reading this amazing book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and in it he asks, “Can you worship a God who is not obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation?” He also says “not being able to fully understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous to think we have the right to limit God to something we can capable to comprehend. What a stunted and insignificant god that would be?! If my mind is the size of a soda can then God’s is the size of the ocean….”

Music has a way of speaking volumes into my stressed out soul and lately I have fallen in love with this song “you are God alone…”

You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that's just the way it is
[chorus]
You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone
You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that's just the way it is
Unchangeable
Unshakable
Unstoppable
That's what You are

“But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations’ But you remain the same and your years will never end.” ~ Psalm 102:12, 27

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~ Isaiah 55:8, 9

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who WORKS OUT EVERYTHING in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” ~ Ephesians 1:11

Celebrating this day in history... when the most amazing man on the planet was born (and yet God chose me to be his wife)

So today is my sweet husband's 32nd birthday! In honor of this occassion, I am going to list the top 32 reasons why this day and this man should be celebrated...(also because we are cheap, money is tight, and I am trying to think of as many ways to make him feel speical without spending lots of money) Drum roll please... (in no particular order):

1. He has more faith, courage and boldness in his little pinky than most people have in their entire bodies (myself included)!

2. He is the hardest worker I know. And even though I sometimes complain about the way he never stops working, it also makes me very proud that he is so dedicated to providing for our family and further God's kingdom

3. He inspires me and others to want to be a better person and not to waste our lives but make the most of every opportunity God placing before you

4. He can make me laugh so I hard I cry even when I am determined to be in a bad mood

5. He is man's man who is also not ashamed to cry about things he really passionate about

6. He can honestly say that no one's opinion of him matters other that God's and he is not afraid to live his life that pleasing one

7. He occasionally cooks dinner and even cleans the kitchen after wards. He makes amazing enchilada soup, chili, pancakes (not in Haiti), spaghetti, and he has mad grilling skills

8. He is VERY transparent with people and will be the first to admit his weaknesses, apologize when he has done something wrong, and take ownership for his action and past mistakes

9. When he sets a goal for himself, he will go to great lengths to accomplish it and is so determined it's scary

10. When I first became a Christian, I was terrified about the parts of the Bible that ask women to be submissive of their husbands. But the way that he unconditionally and unselfishly loves me makes submitting to him just a natural overflow and reaction to that kind of love

11. He has such a servants' heart in so many ways.... which I was reminded of last week as I watched him clean up the vomit that covered our bathroom floor after a sick child didn't quite make it to the toilet

12. He laughs and smiles a lot... and the extra wrinkles of his face just prove that.

13. He loves our daughter in such a way that will require any prospective husband to have big shoes to fill and a high standard to live up to

14. He does pretty all the laundry... really he does. I hate laundry and he has just always done it

15. He rarely complains about anything and lives out Philippians 4:12 in a way that amazes me

16. He has changed more poopy diapers and given more bedtime baths than any man I know

17. He would give away the shirt off his back and our last penny in the bank if a friend needed it (and he has). He uses everything that God has given us to bless other people (our house, car, education, resources etc..)

18. He always see's the glass as half full

19. He forces me to try new things and get out of my comfort zone and I love him for that

20. He has no desire to "keep up the Jones" and refuses to let our family become another causality of the American Dream

21. He is the most amazing Dad to our children and any other children God places in our life that need a daddy.

22. He has the ability to see hurting people, find out what they need, and then bend over backwards to make sure that need is met

23. He truly believes that "anything is possible" and and always encourages and challenges the people around to do more "big" and "impossible" things

24. He has never met a stranger and when he talks to you has an uncanny ability to make you feel like you are the only person in the room

25. He is very protective of his family and God's church

26. He see's the injustice of the world and wants to BE the change

27. He chooses to be a blessing even when cursing would be so much easier

28. He is always a student... doesn't think he knows it all, has everything figured out, or has arrived

29. He has overcome a lot of really difficult obstacles in life and learned from every one of them

30. He has forgiven some the most "unforgivable" people

31. He will die long before his convictions about certain things do

32. He's smokin hot!!!

the picture of us holding happy birthday daddy signs (another cheap gift lol)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!

Baby Hope

My brother and his wife have a big decision in front of them. Their baby, Hope, has something called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. There are only two options... multiple surgeries that will "temporary" fix it (which will probably need to be done in Michigan) or let her become sick and wait for a heart transplant that would more "permanently" fix it. Right now they are going to try to find out her blood type so they are better make that decision based on her blood and the likelihood of an infant heart transplant. Please send lots of prayer their way as they try to make this difficult decision and especially that Sara can remain pregnant as long as possible so Hope can be as healthy as possible at birth (Sara has a history of premature births but Hope isn't due until first of March). They have an appointment with a fetal cardiologist on Tuesday. So we should know more about what is to come then.


We keep reminding ourselves that her name which was chosen weeks ago prior to this diagnosis... Hope is what we need to cling to.



"When the world is falling out from under me, I'll be found in Him, still standing!"