God Forgets

God is all-knowing. God doesn't forget things. He knows everything--from before the world was formed all the way into eternity. God knows all things. That's one attribute that makes Him God, and we love that about Him.

We love that He knows when we're hurting (1 Pet. 5:7). We love that He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30). We love that we can go to Him, night or day, and that He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). We love, maybe most of all, that He knows exactly what we need before we even ask (Matt. 6:8).

God doesn't forget about us, the lowly created, not even for a second. He is always there, always watching, always caring and guiding and loving and protecting.

And yet Jeremiah 31:34 says this:

"For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." 

While God knows created and thus knows all things, He chooses not to remember our sins. All we have to do is submit to His terms (repentance + baptism) and confess our sins (1 John 1:9), and He remembers our sins no more.

Why?! Why does the God of the universe, Who knows all things and sees all things and created all things, choose to forget anything?!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

God loves you. Yes, He created all things. Yes, He holds the entire universe in His hands. Yes, He knows the plans He has for you & the entire world. But, first and foremost, He loves you. That is why He chooses to remember your sins no more. Isn't that beautiful?! We have been given such a wonderful gift! Not only that God would give His only Son to die, but that He would love us enough to forget our iniquities. To wipe them clean. To remove them from our charge.

Thanks be to God! We are so unworthy. We are sinful and dirty and rough around the edges. But God loves us. So much that He sent Jesus. We are all so incredibly blessed.

A Heart of Thanksgiving

I spent a portion of yesterday feeling sad. You see, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle and instagramming of roses & candy that was Valentine's Day, a somber event occurred. Around 1PM, Robert led a small group of individuals in some solemn thoughts about death, as a feeble gentleman sat on the front row, mourning the loss of his wife of nearly 52 years.

52 years. Should God give us until July, Robert and I will celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. These individuals had been married 50 years longer than Robert and I have been. These individuals were married 27 years before Robert and I came into existence. They spent a lifetime devoted to each other, and even as I leaned in and whispered my condolences to this man, he looked to his wife's casket and remarked how beautiful she looked. Their love was the defining characteristic of their lives.

In the midst of the sorrow that surrounds any funeral, you cannot help but feel a sense of thankfulness. And so, today, I felt the need to express my deepest and sincerest thanks to the God of not only the universe, but of my lowly existence. In the wake of such a love-centered day, will you join me, please, in thanking our Maker for the days He has allowed us to spend with our loved ones.

My Maker and My Father, I thank You for this day.
I thank You for the countless blessings You have sent my way.
I offer up sincerest thanks for each day with my loved ones.
Especially, my Father God, for days with my sweet husband.
My greatest need You have supplied, a chance at sweet salvation.
I thank You, my Almighty God, for Christ's propitiation.
I thank You for, not only that, but every other blessing.
Innumerable ones, new each day, I can't begin to start addressing.
So thank you, Father, for this day, and every one before.
And thank you, most of all, my God, for what you have in store.

Blessings from God

There are so many day that I rush through life and forget to stop and say thank you to the One who has given me all of those gifts. Today, join me in thanking our Almighty Father for the bountiful gifts He has given us, including:

Free will -  I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I'm super competitive. And, while that can be fun and great when you're on a collegiate volleyball team or playing in the state finals in tennis, it can also be a curse if you're playing against someone who isn't really that into it. There is nothing worse than playing against someone who is letting you win. It takes all of the fun out of it. That is why I am so thankful that God designed His creation as free moral agents. We aren't robots that are forced to do His will and serve Him. Instead, we are creatures who get to choose to love Him and choose to serve Him.

Maybe you have never been in a relationship or friendship that was one-sided, but let me tell you, it is no fun. And so, while there are some who will not choose to love and serve their Maker, there are others who will, of their own free will, choose to enter into a relationship and covenant with God; one that will be enriching and beautiful. Would I enjoy being a Christian and having a relationship with God if I had to? Maybe not. But do I love being in a relationship that I choose to be in with the Almighty? Absolutely; because I recognize that this isn't a right I have. Instead, it's a gift. The created have no right to be so close to the Creator, and yet He loves each of us individually and I, for one, am so thankful that He does.

Being members of the church - Just recently I was hanging out with two of my friends and I thought to myself how amazing it was that I was a part of their spiritual family. It is so amazing to have like-minded people--people with some of the same struggles and fears and hopes and dreams--who only want to help you get to heaven. It is so uplifting and encouraging to sit around a table with 10-15 people your age who are all interested in going to heaven. It is absolutely amazing to sit under a shed with 1500 people who have all gathered together to sing praises to their God! I am so thankful that Jesus designed His church to be a family. Every single week I am encouraged by my brothers and sisters--those who live in the same town that I do and those who are spread out over thousands of miles. There are even some days that I don't think I could make it if I didn't have their advice or encouragement or support, which is exactly why the church was designed this way. I am so thankful for the foresight and mercy that was shown in creating the body of Christ. Truly God and His Son had people's feelings and emotions in mind when they made such a beautiful thing.

Prayer - If you are like me, sometimes you stand in awe of the fact that at any given moment, you can go to God in prayer. Most of the time, it is when I am in need of forgiveness or strength that I find this blessing to be so awesome. It is unfathomable that we, lowly and sinful human beings, can have a direct line to the Creator of the entire universe at any time we wish. Truly we are a blessed people, whose Maker only has their best interest in mind.

Today, I am so thankful for so many things, but for these especially. I am thankful that I get to choose to be in this relationship with God, and not only that, but that the choice is even made available to someone as sinful as I. I am thankful that, not only do I get to be in a relationship with God when I put on Christ in baptism, but I also get to be a part of a huge family whose one desire is to be in heaven when this life is over. And probably the greatest blessing of all is that we have a direct line to our Father, so that when we mess up (which for me is so often), we can beg for His forgiveness at any time, day or night.

Living a Blessed Life

One of my resolutions for this year is to do at least one post monthly where I list and subsequently thank God for the blessings that He has afforded me. Far too often it is easy for me to get caught up in the day to day affairs of life and not stop and realize that God is the One through whom all things were made possible. And so, today, I want to pause from the busy schedule that is life, and thank the Giver of all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17).

1: My amazing husband - Every single day I am reminded just how mindful my Heavenly Father is of me, because He has given me the most amazing husband in the entire world. Proverbs 31:10 speaks about how rare it is to find a virtuous wife, and I believe that the same could be true of a virtuous husband. Were Proverbs 31 written about a man, it would be describing my Robert. He is far too good for me, and has the heart of a true servant. If you read my Defining Moments post, you know how blessed I was that he entered my life when he did. Every moment since we got married could also be described as a defining moment, because with every day that passes he is helping to shape me into the person God wants me to be. He helps me so much, every single day, and I am so blessed by God to have him.

2: My beautiful home - This past month has been the first month where Robert and I have really been able to 'entertain' in our home (*I should add I am so thankful for this time of year, too, when things calm down!). Having people in our home is one of my favorite things, I'm pretty sure. It is so nice to be able to have a space for people to come and be a part of your life. Jesus exhorted those present when He delivered what has been dubbed the Sermon on the Mount not to worry about the externals of life, but to instead seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest would be added to them (Mat. 6:25-34). I fully believe that God's fingerprints were everywhere in the process of buying this home. The entire process was smooth, even when we went out of town for Polishing the Pulpit for a week during the closing process. It is so amazing to have a God who is active and present in your life, and hears your prayers and takes care of you. Recently, I was watching a documentary entitled "God of Wonders" on Netflix, and it amazed me all over again how huge our universe is and how great our God is, and how amazing it is that He is mindful of us. When little things, like houses and food and clothing, are taken care of by the Almighty Creator of the universe, it humbles you and leaves you in awe of His compassion and mercy. I am so thankful to my God for the blessing of this home I have been given.

3: Diet Coke. This may seem like the most trivial and ridiculous thing in the world to be thankful for, and yet it is so much more than Diet Coke. Like my last point suggested, does it not amaze you that God made things like taste buds and colors? God has given us life and breath and eternal life, and yet He has also given us the tiny pleasures of this sinful world. And so, while I am a huge fan of Diet Coke and Nutella, it all points back to my amazing God who has been mindful enough of His creation to create things that they enjoy. To give their temporary bodies ways of experiencing pleasure and taste and smell. God designed our bodies in such a beautiful way, and I am so thankful for the care He put into creating us. And so yes, I will be thankful for Diet Coke, because no thing is too small to not thank God for; and perhaps I thank God less for the little things, and so I need to be even more mindful of thanking Him for the little 'Diet Cokes' in my life.

Today, I urge you to join me in thinking about and thanking God for the blessings in your life, both big and small. The old adage rings true, "What if tomorrow you only had the things you thanked God for today". Let us do our best to thank God for every single one of the blessings He's given us, knowing that even if we listed a new one each day, we would never scratch the surface of thanking Him for all of them in a million lifetimes.

Beautiful Promises to Christians

Yesterday I was briefly reading in 2 Corinthians and came across these verses:

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; stuck down, but not destroyed." (2 Cor. 4:7-9, emp. mine). 

How marvelous and comforting it is to be a child of God! This earth is filled with sin and poison, with deadly disease and tragedy abounding. Evil has encompassed us, and yet we have these assurances from Holy Scripture that say that God's child will not be crushed, will not be in despair, will not be forsaken, and will not be destroyed.

If your life is anything like mine (and as a human being, it will be), you have experienced loss and heartache and grief and discouragement and fear and hurt. You have been hard-pressed by the devil's tactics, persecuted by those who are doing his work, and beaten down for holding strongly to your beliefs in the Almighty God of heaven. Please know, though, that in every hour of trial you have these promises. You will not be crushed. You will not be destroyed. Most importantly (to me, at least): you will not be forsaken.

The Creator of the universe will never leave you. In this life, He is always with you...His light shining though you (2 Cor. 4:6). In the next life, we will be face to face with Him, and He will wipe the tears from our eyes and give us the crown of life (Rev. 21:4, James 1:12).

No matter what this life offers you, God promises to deliver! And, in the midst of your hardships and battles, He promises His immeasurable and indescribable peace (Phil. 4:7). Again I will say, how marvelous to be a child of God! Thank Him for this blessing today and always.

A Year in Review

On my old blog, I did a post at the end of each year highlighting what I had done in the previous year. Really, it's just a nice way to be able to quickly look back at what has been going on. Since I don't keep many traditions from my old blog, I decided I'd implement this one.

• 2012 IN REVIEW •

January:

In January, I had the bright idea to cut off all my hair. In case you've forgotten, my hair used to be incredibly long. In October of 2011, I decided to cut off a little (8 inches). Since that wasn't as traumatic as it could have been, I decided to go the extra mile and chop it all off. It was undoubtedly the second-worst hair idea I'd ever had. The first being the bowl cut era.

February:

Though still mourning the loss of my beloved hair, I did my best to make it work for our first Valentine's Day as a married couple. Needless to say, it was all kinds of wonderful. My new husband knows me so well, and he planned a much-needed getaway for us. Also, I started this blog!

March:

This month started out pretty epicly, when my Great White macbook started to die. My ever-loving and Apple-supporting husband insisted that we get me a new computer. But, one trip to the Cool Springs Apple Store later and we're both the owners of brand new iPads (because hello, that's cheaper than one computer for me!). My precious husband spoils me so much! Also during the month of March, we had our annual gospel meeting at EH and I got to know an amazing speaker, brother Jimmy Clark! We also started taping three new programs for the Gospel Broadcasting Network, and that meant that I got to meet/know a little better two amazing, godly men: Cliff Goodwin & Chris Clevenger. From the moment they were introduced to mine and Robert's life on a regular basis, it has truly made all of the difference.

April:

April was one of my favorite months of this past year because, after 8 long months apart, my best friend traveled all the way from Florida to come see me!! Alyssa and I had a wonderful week together, filled with the OTH finale, sparkling grape juice, Nutella to go packs, Ferrero eggs, and REAL European Nutella. It was remarkable.

May:

May brought a little bit of sadness, as two of my dear friends had their first little boy--and he had some difficulties. They spent a lot of time in Vanderbilt, and I spent a lot of time in prayer. Thankfully (and praise God for this!) little Cullin responded well to the surgeries and treatments, and has developed into the perfect and most precious little boy of all time. And while I would never wish this kind of fate upon anyone, I know that the trial that Jake and Shea were placed in helped us all; it helped my prayer life and my faith in God, and no doubt it helped theirs. *This photo is from December because that's the first time I got to meet Cullin, but isn't he the most precious!?*

June:

June was a wonderful month, filled with all kinds of kid-centered things. For the entire month (8 sessions) we had Summer Bible School, so that kept us pretty busy every Tuesday and Thursday. But, one of my favorite kids in the entire universe, my precious niece Jenna, had her first birthday! We definitely enjoyed being a part of that day (since Robert is now a full-fledged uncle!).

July:

How could July not be an incredible month, as it marked a pretty huge milestone for us: our one year anniversary! It was a tumultuous and crazy year, but it was the best I've ever had! Being married is just awesome.

August:

This month brought our yearly spiritual recharge in the form of PTP (Polishing the Pulpit). We got to spend lots of time listening to amazing sermons, as well as lots of dinner times around amazing Christian people (such as Paul & LaDon, Joe & Pam, Tim & his dad and brother, Brandon & Jade, and my grandmother). It was a much-needed, amazing time. Already looking forward to another year should God give us that time.

September:

Just when you thought your year couldn't get any more exciting, we bought OUR FIRST HOUSE! September was a crazy time of packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking, arranging, cleaning, rearranging, losing things, and finally getting settled. It was wonderful, and everyday I am still so thankful that God blessed us with such a wonderful place to call home.

October:

October may have been one of my favorite months of 2012. After a month of home-buying/moving stress, we took a 5 day vacation with Robert's family to Florida, and it was a well-timed getaway for sure! On the heels of that trip, though, came the Ironaton campaign that we filmed in Talledega, AL. It was another much-needed week, in that we got to spend some quality time

November:

Again, another month of awesome stuff happening. Obviously everyone loves Thanksgiving, and we spent that in Pulaski this year. It was a wonderful, fattening day followed by the annual putting up of the Christmas tree....and the now annual going to the store to get more lights. The following week, I went to Miss Mary BoBo's for the first time with Robert's family for his grandmother's 81st birthday. It was absolutely fantastic, and I would recommend it to anyone who has never eaten off of a lazy Susan*. Finally, to cap off this wonderful month, my podcast released on TLN's website, marking the beginning of exciting times ahead for sure!

December:

And now, December is upon us. This year has been crazy-packed with tons of epicness, and I'm sad to see it go. But, this month definitely portrayed exactly what the rest of the year was like: pure and unadulterated awesome sauce. To start, we had a food giveaway at East Hill and we helped to show God's love to over 500 families. It was a beautiful thing to behold, and I was so blessed to be a part of it--not to mention how blessed I am to be working under the oversight of such amazing elders!! The very next weekend one of my dearest college friends got married, and that was just fun times all around!

Obviously this year has been incredible. I would like to give a huge shout-out to the followers I have of this blog, because you are what keeps me going. I would also like to give a big thanks to my supporters/faithful readers who come here via Facebook. You are all such an encouragement to me and I thank you so much for strengthening me as I try to strengthen my own faith.

May you have an amazingly blessed 2013.And, in case you were curious, you can check out my previous years in review here and here.

*Also, don't you just feel bad for the lady that the lazy Susan was named after?

12 from 12: A List of Blessings

Last year, I started the tradition of listing some of the blessings of the previous year. It was a beneficial backward glance at the great things God had given me (as the Giver of all good and perfect gifts - James 1:17). This year, I want to have the same sense of thankfulness for my Father, and so I will do a post reflecting twelve of the greatest blessings from this year.

12 blessings from 2012

12: A running, working car. For the entire month of October, I was Prius-less. Poor Julius was shop bound after a run-in with a reindeer. It was through that experience that I learned not to take for granted having a vehicle--and not taking for granted having two vehicles between the two of us (Robert and I of course). God has given us so many physical blessings, and through the unfortunate events surrounding the whole deer fiasco, I learned to appreciate them more.

11: A great job. There are a lot of people who don't have jobs, and therefore I am very thankful that I do. There are a lot of people who have jobs who don't enjoy their jobs, and so I am again very thankful that I do. There are a lot of people who have and enjoy their jobs, but don't get the fulfillment that I do, and again I am so thankful. God has blessed me with the opportunity to work in the field of video editing (closely akin to the journalism field), and not only in a field which I enjoy, but working with subject matter that is so rewarding. Every day of the week I get to work with spiritual lessons and sermons, around people who love Christ and aim to do His will. Since I can't be a preacher, I think this is the greatest job I could ever have! I love what I do.

10: Robert's great job. If you aren't a preacher's wife, this may not make as much sense to you. Obviously if you are married to someone who isn't a preacher, you want them to have a good job. You want them to enjoy their job. At the same time, though, their job is theirs, and you probably have your own to deal with. The life of a preacher is far different than that. His job affects everything--including our spiritual life. For most people, if the need arose to change congregations because spiritual needs weren't being met (or some other situation), that would simply mean changing what time you got up on Sunday mornings to accommodate the time difference from driving to church A to now driving to church B. For us, where we worship is everything. If something happens and we have to change congregations, it upends our whole life. I am beyond thankful that the church at East Hill is so loving and caring and wonderful. The elders here are some of the greatest the world over, I fully believe. They have such confidence in and appreciation for Robert, they love us so very much, and they are so spiritually minded. It means the world to the both of us to be able to labor here and serve under their oversight.

9: Growing closer to my sister. Valerie and I have had ups and downs in our relationship, but this year has really been an outstanding one. I have watched her grow spiritually (and subsequently seen myself grow), put herself out there, and take an active role in the church. I am so proud of her and all that she does--not to mention, she's hysterical and I love every moment I get to spend with her.

8: A new house. This process was so beautiful to me. So many (and I mean so many) people told us that buying a home is a ridiculous process, but we were blessed immeasurably by it all. Truly our God and Father was watching out for us and guiding us in this process, as we could not have been more blessed. Through every little detail of the experience, God's hand was there. There were no hiccups, no hassles, nothing! Plus, we got to pick paint colors and flooring details and landscaping design! Truly it was a blessed experience, and I am so thankful to God for being with us through what could have been a quite tumultuous process. Not to mention, having a home (verses renting and not being able to put nails in the wall!) has truly made Pulaski feel like home to me.

7: Monthly devotionals with the ladies at East Hill (aka our TNTs). Every month of the past year we have had at least 20 ladies take part in a monthly devotional, and it has been a tremendous blessing in my life. Getting to know these wonderful, spiritual ladies at East Hill has made me feel like East Hill is my home, and it has been integral in helping my spiritual life. I will forever remember these precious ladies, one of which has already gone home to her reward. I am so thankful for Janet and all of the memories I have of her.

6: Being a part of the food giveaway at East Hill. In the early part of December, East Hill had a huge food giveaway in which we put together over 30,000lbs of food to give to over 500 recipients. That day, I was put at the registration table and so I got to meet at least 80 individuals or families who would be receiving a box. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever been a part of. On that day, I got to ask all of those people if they wanted to have a Bible study with us sometime, and the majority of them said yes. Some of them were so very excited about it, and you could tell they were really searching for Jesus. It is a beautiful thing to be able to meet the physical needs of the poor, and all the more rewarding to show them the Light of the world. That day forever changed my heart.

5: Teaching the teen girls at East Hill. Words cannot adequately describe the love I have for the five girls that come in that classroom every Sunday morning. They have helped me so very much! I have never been in a teaching role like that--the oldest I've ever taught would be 1st & 2nd graders. Having an older group with real questions and real struggles has forced me to dig deeper into God's word and study, and has shown me things from my past that I wish I could do over. Teaching them has really helped me to appreciate forgiveness, because I need it and have needed it so very much.

4: Meeting/Becoming friends with the Clevengers. If you are a Christian, you understand the deep need you have for finding spiritual friends. As a preacher's wife, I have found that having a preacher's wife friend helps all the more with my daily walk with God. Chris and Melissa have been such a huge part of our lives this year, and I pray that God will continue to grant us the opportunities to work together and be together, as their friendship means the world to me.

3: TLN. My amazing husband came up with the idea for a network of podcasts, and this year that dream has become a reality. I have been so blessed to be a part of this adventure, not only in hosting my own show (which is helping with my public speaking nerves), but also in working so closely with other like-minded Christians (and my mega-talented husband!). Getting to know Chris, Melissa, Brad, & Torrey has been a huge blessing, and the technical kick-off for the network hasn't even arrived!

2: Peace. 2012 didn't have a lot of drama, and can I just say that I am super thankful for that one? I have experienced such contentment and joy in 2012, and I can only thank my Father for that one, as the peace that passes all understanding comes directly from Him (Phil. 4:7).

1: Being married to the man of my dreams. Last year, marrying him was the greatest part of my year, and this year, the fact that I've gotten to spend 365 days with him is the absolute best part. As awesome as getting married was, being married is all the better. Waking up beside the love of your life every day outweighs any other blessing there could be. I am ever thankful to God for allowing me to have time with Robert! I love him so, so much, and I have loved our first full year together.

12-12-12

There is a lot of hype surrounding today, and understandably so. Today is the last day in our lives (and probably the lives of our children) that we we will see a sequential date: 12-12-12. And that's exciting to us. Really, though, does it matter? Probably not.

If you're like me, you don't believe in luck. You believe in blessings from God Almighty, as all good and perfect things come from Him (James 1:17). And so, instead of basing your attitude about today on a sequence of numbers, meditate on another 12-12 with me.

Romans 12 has always been an inspiring section of scripture to me. To begin with, the apostle Paul urges the Romans to be a living sacrifice--not conformed to the world, but transformed...a perfect picture of living a holy and sanctified life. As the chapter continues, we are introduced to a segment that is generally referred to as a guide on how to behave as a Christian. It is within that context that we read the following:

"rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer." (Romans 12:12)

On this twelfth day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of this century, why not practice the things that Romans 12:12 urges us to do.

1: Rejoice in hope - Biblical hope isn't the same as worldly hope. Biblical hope is an expectation, not simply a wish. And so, because of all of the things God has promised to those who love Him and are faithful to Him, we can rejoice in our hope of heaven...in our expectation of heaven. We don't have to live in doubt, wondering what will happen to us when we die. We can rejoice and have confidence that we and our loved ones who are living faithfully will all be in heaven when this earth is no more.

On this day of superstition and luck (and in the coming days with the Mayan calendar mumbo jumbo), remember that our eternal destiny is already known by our Father, and that His promise of heaven has already been given. It does not take luck to get into heaven--it takes obedience to God's word.

2: Be patient in tribulation - Perhaps this point is even more relevant around the holiday season. Sometimes family gatherings can be hectic and chaotic and stressful. Other people tend to be stressed, which can then lead to negative encounters while shopping, driving, and even assembling to worship! Though it is the season to get stressed out, try your best to refrain from such. Know that in whatever trial or pitfall you find yourself in that the God of all comfort is there with you. Mediate on such passages like 1 Corinthians 10:13 and Hebrews 13:5. Know that God is bigger and stronger than anything that could ever come your way, and in Him we have strength and a peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

But also know that your attitude makes all the difference. Sometimes we don't think of attitudes as sinful, but they can be. Instead of flying off the handle because you've had a bad day or letting your lips flap because someone has gotten under your skin (am I the only one who struggles with this daily!?), remember whose you are and how Christ reacted when placed under extreme stress and tribulation. Did He lash out at the crowd crying "crucify Him!" or respond when those soldiers beat Him and spat on Him? No day you have ever had will be that bad, so remember to practice some patience.

3: Continue steadfastly in prayer - Every day of our lives should involve prayer. Our God has done so much for us, and we fail Him so often. Remember to go to Him and thank Him for the time that you've been given, for the people who have blessed your life, and for the physical wealth you have been given in abundance. Our Father is such a liberal giver, and we all have so much to be thankful for.

While the rest of the world is making a wish at 12:12 on 12-12-12, why not say a prayer and thank God for all the marvelous blessings He has sent your way? And, because He has given so much, make a special effort to be a blessing in someone else's life today. Pray that God will give you an opportunity to serve, or to simply make someone's day brighter.

A Month of Thanks: Hope and the Old Testament

In the very worldly sense of the word, November is a month of hope. We sit around, hoping someone makes our favorite dish at Thanksgiving--hoping that our candidate is picked for President--hoping that we get what we put on our Christmas list. Really, we're wishing. We're crossing our fingers and thinking that maybe, if we're lucky, our wish will come true.

Biblical hope isn't a wish; it is an expectation.  Psalm 119:166 says, "Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments." The psalmist isn't wishing for salvation. On the contrary, the psalmist is confident in the salvation that God has promised to the faithful. Why is he doing the commandments of God? Because he knows that God will give eternal life to the one who keeps His commands. Again let me emphasize that biblical hope isn't a wish--it's an expectation. 

Proverbs 10:28 tells us this: "The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish." When we die, if we're been faithful to God, our hope will be realized and we will be glad. We will have attained our salvation and we will be eternally joyful. On the other hand, if we are not faithful to the Lord, we cannot have such an expectation. The wicked will perish. If you are choosing to live outside of God's commandments, you are choosing to expect (hope for) torment when you die. 

I know that I've been pulling our 'hope' verses from the Old Testament, so let's use one from the New, shall we? Romans 15:4 tells us, "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." The reason that we still use (and love) the Old Testament today is not because its laws and precepts are binding, but because we can draw lessons and hope from the text. I, for one, fall more in love with God when I read about Him in the Old Testament. When I see, through the minor prophets, His love for His people and His pleading for them to return to Him. And, as we see in Romans, one of the reasons we can even have hope (an expectation to live with God one day) is because of what the Old Testament teaches us about His love for us and His plan for us. 

So today, I am thankful for the Old Testament. I am thankful for the stories of old and their relevance to my life today. I am thankful for the psalms and their comfort; for the proverbs and their wisdom. I am thankful for the account of the life of David and his beautiful heart, and the account of Abraham and his faithfulness. I am thankful that I can read about God's love for His chosen people, and realize that He's chosen me (1 Pet. 2:9). 

However, I am also thankful for the hope that the Old Testament provides. I am thankful for all of the promises God has made to us that He has already fulfilled, such as the promise to send a Savior to heal mankind once and for all. And, because He has made good on some of His "big" promises already, I can be all the more confident that He will deliver me when this life is over. 

We can go to heaven and we can know that we are going. We, like the psalmist, can have a hope in God's salvation. Ephesians 2:12 says, "that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." If you are without Christ, you are without hope. If you don't have this kind of hope...this kind of assurance in your soul's final abode...talk to me. I'd love to share with you how I know and how you can, too. 

A Month of Thanks: Marriage

Last week we talked about forgiveness. There aren't many things in life that are greater than that. Without it, I wouldn't have the chance of heaven, nor would I ever get to meet my Savior. I would never be holy or pure enough to see my Father. But with it, so many other things are afforded to me!

Since this is a different Friday, I suppose I should go on with a different topic. Today (and everyday) I am thankful for the institution of marriage, and the commands God gives to husbands and wives.

For the last 16 months I have been married to an amazing Christian man. While Robert is a great person, and would no doubt be very loving and nice according to worldly standards, it is only because of his love for God that our marriage is as wonderful and blissful as it is. Because we both strive to put God first, our relationship with each other has been blessed. Paul instructed the Ephesians in this way:

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church." (vs 22-29)

Because the Holy Spirit guided Paul to write these words, we can know and experience Godly marriages. Had the Holy Spirit not inspired these words, I may not be in a marriage where my husband cherishes me and protects me. I may not be in a marriage where my husband will give himself for me, and love me as much as he loves himself--really, as an extension of himself. And, were we not guided, I might not want to submit to my husband or respect my husband like I do. I may have trust issues or feel bad about myself---like I had to compete with other women or the internet or other perverse things that our world sets before men's eyes.

Instead, we do have these beautiful, inspired words to live by, thus ensuring that Christians can have wonderful marriages. I have been so blessed to have someone whose main focus within our relationship is to help me get to heaven, and I am thankful for my sweet husband every single day.

A few weeks ago, I was teaching the teenage girls and we were talking about dating. I asked the girls to think about the boys they were dating/wanted to date and think about the characteristics they possessed. Then I asked them to look at the text from Ephesians and think about these questions: Does my boyfriend treat me as well as he treats himself? Does he try to present me as pure and holy, without spot or wrinkle? Would he be a good head to my body? Does he respect my body? Does he nourish and cherish me?

I could tell that some of the answers to those questions were no, and it made me sad. It also made me reminiscent. I dated a few boys who didn't treat me that way. I wasn't cherished, respected, or guarded. When I met Robert, I knew that he was different--and the difference that was inside of him was Christ.

My life wouldn't be filled with nearly as much joy if I weren't married to Robert. And, had God not set up boundaries and given us instruction on how to treat our spouses, I doubt we'd be as happy as we are. I am so thankful that God has given me a man whose heart wants to be like Jesus, and that He gave us the institution of marriage (and the aforementioned guidelines) so that we can have someone urge us along on the straight and narrow as we walk this earthly sojourn.

**As a special note, one of my great friends and a preacher that I greatly respect has written a blog post today about marriage, and it is an interesting, thought-provoking, and wonderful read. Take some time to visit it here.

Who is in Christ?

Ephesians 1:3 tells us: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Think about those words for a second. Every spiritual blessing/gift is found in Christ. Some of those gifts include redemption and forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), justification (Rom. 5:18) freedom from sin (Gal. 5:1), and salvation (1 Thess. 5:8-10). I am sure that every single person who has a belief in Jesus Christ wants those spiritual blessings. Even those people who do not believe in Jesus want some form of these gifts! But what was it that Paul said at the end of that verse? Those blessings are found somewhere: in Christ. To obtain these blessings, we must be in Christ. To obtain salvation--the opportunity to be in heaven with God face to face--we must be in Christ!

Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:10 that he endured all things, even chains, so that those to whom he preached could obtain the salvation that is available in Christ. That was the reason Paul preached--so that others could obtain salvation. The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17), and that's exactly why I want to explore this topic today. I want us to all open our hearts to what the Word of God teaches so that we can be exposed to the salvation that is made available through Jesus.

While this is a sentence I don't want to write, it is necessary: those who are outside of Christ (not in Him) will not have these spiritual blessings. They will not have forgiveness for their sins or justification or salvation. They will not have heaven as their eternal home. Heaven will only be for those found in Christ--the ones who have remained faithful to Him until death. That is why it is so important for us to explore what exactly it means to be in Christ, so that we can determine if we ourselves are in Him or if we are lacking.

So how do we know if we are in Christ? Galatians 3:26-28 tells us this:

" (26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

I love these verses for a lot of reasons. I'm going to take them a little out of order, but I think it's necessary for the congruity of thought. First, in verse 27, we see that those who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Therefore we can deduce that it is those who are baptized (Mk. 16:16, Acts 2:38, 1 Pet. 3:21) who are the ones that are in Christ. All of the spiritual blessings that are made available in Jesus are only accessible to use once we have come in contact with His blood (Rom. 6:3-4). In order to have salvation and the forgiveness of our sins, we must be baptized. Once we are baptized, we are in Christ and we can have every spiritual blessing.

One such blessing is found in verse 26. The text says that we are sons (and daughters) of God through our faith in Christ Jesus. When we have faith in Jesus and are obedient to His commands (because faith without works is dead--James 2:20,26), we can be called children of God. I find this to be one of the greatest blessings of all! Not only is the God of the universe giving me the opportunity to live with Him forever and have my slate wiped clean, He loves me, individually, and is calling me His daughter! It's one thing to be in subjection to the King of the world, but another altogether to be a part of the royal family! How extremely blessed are we to be called sons and daughters of God! And that blessing is only bestowed on those who have faith in Jesus and have acted upon that faith in obedience through baptism!

The third reason I love this verse is because of verse 28. We are all one in Jesus Christ. There is no partiality (Rom. 2:11-12). Because Jesus humbled Himself and came to this earth to suffer and die for us, we ALL have the opportunity to go to heaven with Him one day! Had He not come, heaven would never have been a possibility for any of us, because we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). And yet, Jesus gave the same commands to all people. He didn't give one set of commands to the Jews and one set to the Greeks; He didn't give one set to the apostles and another set (or new revelation) to us today. He said that we must repent from our sinful ways and be baptized into Him for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38-39). And if we truly love Him and truly want to be found in Him, we will do what He has said (John 14:15).

God desires that all men everywhere will be saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4). It isn't only Americans or religious-type people or rich people or poor people or white or black or hispanic. It is all men; everywhere. That is why it is so important for those of us who have heard the gospel to spread it to those who have not; because God wants everyone to be saved--not just those of us who have already heard. And while it is important to go and spread the gospel, it is also commanded (Mt. 28:18-20). In order that we can be pleasing to God, we must be telling those who are not in Christ what they can do to be found in Him and thus have the opportunity to go to heaven!

I know that this hasn't been the most cohesive post I've ever written. I know there is a lot thrown in here all at once. The point is this: if you have not been baptized into Christ, you aren't in Christ. And if you aren't in Christ, all of those spiritual blessings aren't available to you. The great news is that God wants to have a relationship with you; and Jesus' sole purpose in coming to earth was to seek and save people just like you. If you want to go to heaven, turn from your sinful ways and put on Christ in baptism. If you have more questions about that--you can leave me a comment and I'll email you!

If you have been baptized into Christ and are enjoying the many blessings that He has given to you, make sure that you are telling other people about the blessings that you enjoy in Him--and if they aren't enjoying them, tell them how they can!

A Month of Thanks

It is common this time of year to see statuses and posts about all of the things that people are thankful for. I love the sentiment: it is always appropriate to thank our God for the blessings and compassion He has given, which truly are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-24). Along the same lines, I would like for every Friday of this month to be dedicated to thanking God for a spiritual blessing He has given us. Today, I would like to focus on forgiveness.

I am a sinful person. While I try to walk in the steps of my Savior every single day, I'm not perfect. I struggle with complaining, being negative, being critical, judging others, and not doing the things that I should as much as I should (reading, praying, visiting the sick). I try with all of my might to serve my Lord the best that I can, but I fall short day after day.  That is why I'm thankful for forgiveness.  Along those same lines, I'm thankful that I live in the year 2012.

Hebrews 10:4 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. Under the old covenant, people were reminded, year after year, of their sins. They were made to offer tedious sacrifices to God so that their sins could, in a sense, be rolled forward for another year. Then Jesus came. And now we don't need to offer animal sacrifices. We don't have to live in a state where our sins are constantly before us. Instead, since Jesus died once and for all (Heb. 10:10), we can have forgiveness of our sins in an instant. When we are baptized, all of our past sins (and we all have them--Rom. 3:23) are wiped away, and we start anew--clean and pure in His sight. After we have been baptized, we won't remain perfect. We'll sin--maybe even that very day that we are washed. But that is the beauty of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. So long as we are trying to walk in the light, His blood will continually cleanse us from unrighteousness if we'll confess it to Him (1 John 1:9).  Forgiveness is not available to me, however, if I continually, habitually walk in my sins and don't repent. Forgiveness is not available if I defy God's laws for my life and do things on my own terms. But if I am truly penitent, I will want to tell God that I'm sorry. I will feel guilt and shame for my sin, because I know that I am trampling underfoot the sacrifice Jesus offered on the cross (Heb. 10:28-30).

I know that I am unworthy of this forgiveness. I feel so terrible every single day when I have to ask God to forgive me for my thoughts and actions of that day. I feel so undeserving of the extreme sacrifice Jesus made in coming to earth and dying a cruel, painful, torturous death on the cross...for me. That's why I am so thankful for God's grace in extending forgiveness to me.

The beautiful thing about God's forgiveness is that it covers everything. In our limited, human perspective, we tend to categorize sins. We may think lusting is a small sin, where adultery is a big sin. To God, all sin separates us from Him, and therefore He hates all sin. Whatever sins you have in your live, past or present, can and will be forgiven by a loving and understanding God. If you are willing to repent (to own up to your sins and turn away from them as I recently heard it put by some high schoolers) and submit to God's terms, forgiveness is yours. And not just forgiveness as we sometimes call it--where we 'forgive' it but keep it right near the surface so that every little mistake someone makes we can throw back in their face. No, God forgives and wipes clean. He keeps no remembrance of our wrongs (Jer. 31:34).

I am thankful, every single day, for the forgiveness my God and Father grants me. Though I can empathize with Paul when he calls himself the chief of all sinners--still, Christ has washed me. Thanks be to God for His grace!

Forgiveness is a beautiful gift that we have been given through Jesus Christ. Come back tomorrow for a post on how we can access this wonderful blessing and so many more.

Christians Should Be Joyful

Last night, my husband delivered a sermon at our home congregation about the life of David: a man after God's own heart. One of Robert's points was about joy. He made the point that, as Christians, we are to be the most joyful people on the earth. After all, we have a hope and assurance of heaven that other people (who have chosen not to be close to God) simply do not have. We have riches beyond compare (in heaven awaiting us), we have plenteous blessings on this earth, and we have been given redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ's blood. For what cause could we NOT be joyful?!

Little did I know that in less than an hours time, Robert and I would be sitting on the side of the road in my Prius after a deer flew into our car. And yes, the deer flew into our car.

Here's what happened:

After speaking at East Hill, Robert had another speaking engagement about 15 miles away. We rushed away from services so that we could have enough time to get across the county. As we rolled out of the parking lot, Robert said, "We're making good time." And we were. We had plenty of time to get to the second congregation of the evening. Well, normally we would have had plenty of time....

The last thing I remember before the loud 'thud' was Robert saying this phrase in preparation for his upcoming sermon: "God is a spirit". Then BAM. It felt like a cinder block hit our car (going 50mph). I didn't see it, but Robert said that he saw the deer (that apparently first hit another car going the opposite direction) flying at our car with its head down and its hind end/tail sticking up in the air. Like I said, the deer flew at our vehicle.

Robert had great control of the vehicle (for which I am thankful). He pulled it off to the side of the road and got out to assess the damage. I was going to get out, but my door wouldn't open. I looked out the window and saw a large chunk of plastic (from my car) sitting beside me, so I assumed it was blocking my exit. False. Robert walked around the vehicle and shook his head, and I knew that ol' Julius (my Prius) had taken quite a blow.

Turns out, the deer did quite a number on Julius. As we were examining and trying to figure out what on earth we were going to do, a couple from our congregation pulled up next to us. Thankfully they had decided to go home instead of grabbing something to eat in town. On their way home, they saw us and first thought we had a flat tire. We only wish we did! They saved the day, really, because they took Robert on to his meeting and then brought me back to the vehicle where I waited with Robert's dad while the wrecker and the police officer came. Needless to say, it was quite an ordeal, and completely unexpected (as most accidents are).

All throughout the night last night and especially today upon further reflection, I have been thinking about Robert's sermon from last night. You see, I love my car. From the moment I bought it (in 2010) I have been completely attached to it. After all, what's not to love about 50mpg? And Julius has been good to me, so you can see where I would be really sad last night as I watched him being put onto the wrecker. And I'll admit: after I climbed out of the back seat last night and laid eyes on him for the first time, my immediate reaction was to cry (though I was in such a state of shock that I really couldn't). But here's the thing: Julius is just a car. While we are without our primary vehicle from now until who knows when, it's just a car. It's an earthly possession.

I could get all bent out of the shape over the process. I could get upset and angry and depressed that a lot of our plans are now either going to be cancelled or at the very least inconvenienced. But what was it that Robert said in his sermon last night? Ah yes, Christians are to be joyful.

Joy isn't fleeting like happiness. Happiness is pretty circumstantial is it not? Robert used the illustrations last night that some people will be happy when there's sunshine and sad when there's rain; they will be happy when something good happens to them but sad when something bad happens. Christians, on the other hand, aren't supposed to be that fickle. Our joy comes from Someone who will never disappoint us and Who has promised us everything. Sure, we may "fall into various trials", but James tells us to "consider it all joy" (James 1:2).

Throughout this process I could get irritable with the insurance adjuster for not calling me back or complain that this had to happen at such an inconvenient time or be moody and depressed, but that's not how I'm supposed to handle situations like this. I'm supposed to consider it all joy, because this process can produce something very valuable: patience (James 1:3).

I love my car and I do hope that it will be ok, but I know that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). That car isn't even mine; it's on loan from God. He has given us (me, Robert, you, everyone!) so many physical blessings and sometimes they're taken away. That doesn't mean I'm not still blessed, though, because I still have the gifts of redemption and forgiveness (gifts that will never be taken away from me should I continue to live faithfully). So my car is on a wrecker on some lot awaiting an inspection to see just how much damage was done. So I crushed my iPhone case with my Hulk-like strength as soon as I felt the deer hit our car (yes that really happened). Physical blessings can and will be taken away from us, but during those trials and situations, we have the option to choose to be joyful or choose to respond just like the rest of the world. God has called us to live differently (cf Rom.12:1-2). As a chosen generation and His own special people (1 Pet. 2:9), we must look, act, and respond differently than the world so that the world can see Who made the difference in us.

Don't be so attached to "your" stuff that you let it steal your joy when something bad happens to it. Just remember that it isn't yours and it doesn't really matter anyway.

"And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation." Psalm 35:9

Notice that the Psalmist said his soul was joyful in the Lord, not in physical things. Let your soul be joyful in God, and when something happens to all the stuff you have (and we all have SO much stuff, don't we?) it won't deplete your joy in the slightest.



**On an unrelated note, this article was written by a preacher friend of ours, Chris Clevenger, about my wonderful husband. Please go read it! It definitely brought some joy today.

The Beautiful Road of Hardships

 Life isn't perfect.

I know your life hasn't been perfect, and I can tell you firsthand that my life hasn't been either. Still, I can tell you with boldness that my life has been blessed. One of the beautiful ways that God has blessed my life is by giving me times of trials and tests; by allowing me to suffer through situations that would make me better on the other side.

There are numerous people, situations, and circumstances that have made my life less than perfect. And yet, looking back, I wouldn't trade any person or thing that led me where I am today. I know, I know--that sounds like a cheesy Rascal Flatts song, but it's true. Everything I've been through thus far in my brief 24.5 year existence has gotten me here: married to the most amazing Christian man I've ever met, in a town that I have come to love, surrounded by God's people, working at a job that means something to me.

Presently, I am looking back down a road that was hard. Sure, I'm standing on a hilltop now, looking forward to the next way that God will teach me something that I'm in desperate need of learning. But the road behind me hasn't been an easy one. It's been filled with hurt, tears, bitterness, struggle, resentment, and all kinds of baggage that I simply had to leave along the way. Because, you see, there was no way I could be where I am now if I was still holding on to all of those heavy burdens.

That's the beauty of Jesus, isn't it? He takes away our burdens. He said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Mt. 11:28-29)

Thanks be to God for His infinite grace and love and wisdom and mercy!

You see, once sin entered the world, life for the human race changed forever. No more would there be walking with God in the cool of the day. There would be no more perfection; at least, not until Jesus Christ came. And that's just it: even though His human race had spurned Him--defied Him--God still sent His Son. For that reason (and that reason alone) we can have hope. We can be joyful, despite living in such a sin-filled world. We can walk hard, long, trying roads and still come out on top on the other side, because Jesus gives us that way. Because He came, we can know that we have another chance at perfection. We can know that there is something greater out there for us. To attain that prize, though, we must endure (and react in a Christ-like way to) whatever is set before us on this earth. We must walk those hard roads. We must endure those trials. We must press on toward that goal.

And Jesus is the way.

Thanks be to God for His perfect gift of love. Thanks be to God for giving us a way of salvation; for giving us hope.

If I weren't a Christian, I would be so sad. If this ugly, tainted, sin-stained world was all there was--why would I want to get out of bed? Why would I want to do anything? Oh, but because of Jesus--because of His blood and the hope of heaven--I can be joyful despite my hardships. I can be joyful despite the ways people hurt me. I can walk those hard roads and be joyful along the way....because I know that one day I will live in perfection, so who cares if my life isn't perfect now. One day it will be. And because my life here is so hectic and hurtful and hard sometimes, that home in heaven above sounds that much sweeter.

Thank you, God, for giving me the opportunity to go through trials. Thank you for giving me more reason to long for heaven, as if being with You weren't enough.

Where I've Been

Hi!

I'm incredibly sorry for my way-too-long hiatus from my blog, and I promise not to be gone for so long anytime soon. Fortunately, the reasons I've been away have been outstanding things that have been happening, and I'm here to tell you about a couple of them.

First, we (Robert and I) left for PTP in the middle of August and spent an amazing 7 days around about 2500 Christians in Sevierville, TN. I heard dozens of lessons that I'm still trying to implement into my life, and I hope that I'll be able to share a few of them with you, too. Needless to say, though, after 12+ hours listening to lectures each day, I didn't have any time to write. So...I didn't.

As soon as we got back from PTP, we left for Kentucky so that Robert could speak at a youth rally. He did an amazing job as always, and it was great fun to be able to travel with him. Yet again we were on Eastern Time, so that threw off our schedule a bit and therefore...no blogging once again.

When we got home from Kentucky, WE MOVED! Talk about timing, huh? In which case, the next week was spent packing boxes, moving boxes, packing a UHAUL, unpacking boxes, moving furniture, buying things from Home Depot, fixing things, etc. Oh, and cleaning out our apartment. Once all of that was squared away, well, we didn't have internet at our new house, and you know what that means--no blogging.

BUT! Today, the wonderful little internet man came to our house and installed our internet, so here I am, telling you all about my last three weeks from the comfort of my new home. While this list has mostly been a catch up, quick overview, really it's a short, summarized list of blessings.

God has richly blessed our home and our little family, and we are so thankful and grateful for that. We live in such a wonderful place, surrrounded by wonderful people that God continually uses to bless us and enrich our lives. It is our prayer that we can use all of these things--PTP & our new home especially--to enrich the lives of those around us.

I am continually amazed by God's goodness and love. His blessings truly are new every morning. It seems that every day for the last month or so, I've been able to see even more clearly His hand in my life and His blessings around me. I am so thankful for all of these things, though I know that God is still good when the sunshine isn't out. For us, however, the sun has been shining brightly and we're praising God for all of the wonderful blessings He's provided.

What has the last three weeks looked like in your life? What kinds of things has God blessed you with? I'd love to know!

AND, I promise that if you'll come back, I'll blog even more! Thanks and okbye!

Must-Tell Monday: Flashback Edition

One year ago today, I was the happiest I'd ever been. Looking back, I didn't even know what happiness was. One year ago, my best friend proposed to me. I could recount the entire story to you, but I've already written about it once, so you can just reread that!

Now, why would I say that I didn't even know what happiness was on that glorious spring day a year ago? Well, because I only thought I was happy when Robert proposed, but after nearly ten months of marriage I can tell you that I was just barely scratching the surface of true happiness. True happiness doesn't come in the form of a ring or a question. True happiness comes from the day to day, routine life things.

True happiness comes from waking up beside your best friend day after day. True happiness comes from knowing what a person is thinking simply by a glance or a squeeze of the hand. True happiness comes from the insight marriage gives you into the other person. True happiness is building a life together.

You see, true happiness isn't just the based on the happy, exciting times in your life. True happiness isn't about stringing together lots of wonderful memories and happy times. No, true happiness is going through the grime of life together, clawing your way through drama and craziness together, hand in hand. True happiness comes from the times that would be so hard to go through alone, but knowing you never have to again. True happiness is having your best friend there, always; in the good, the bad, the ugly, the terrible, and everything in between.

I'll be honest, it hasn't been 12 months of smooth-sailing. It has, however, been 12 months of growing closer together, leaning on one another, and loving each other more than we ever thought possible. Right now, a year later, I am telling you yet again that I am the happiest I've ever been. I cannot wait to see where another year with my best friend will take me. I look forward to whatever happiness is in my life a year from now. And with a heavenly Father like the one I have, I know that blessings will abound.

Must-Tell Monday: Marriage

Facebook is an interesting creature. Without even meaning to sometimes, you peer into people's lives that  otherwise you wouldn't necessarily know anything about. I say sometimes because I know there are those moments when we purposefully "creep" on people that we only semi-know, or that we don't know at all but our "friends" know, but sometimes it really is by accident. Something will pop up on your news feed about one of your friends' new houses or new jobs or new baby or new ____. That happened to me recently and it made me reflect.

There are a lot of people my age that are getting new houses and new jobs and new this and new that. There are people my age getting nice cars and nice furniture and nice vacations. I'm happy for them, and glad that they get to enjoy those luxuries, but the thing is, I'm not jealous at all.

From the outside looking in, my life might not seem very glamorous or exciting. My week usually consists of, well, nothing. My weeks don't have a usual. As a preacher's wife, my life is always sort of unplanned. One week there might be a gospel meeting, the next a summer series, the next a hospital visit in a nearby town, the next an out of town lectureship, and a whole bunch of local events in between. There are no fancy vacations or big promotions. There are no extravagant parties or over-the-top amenities. Instead, it's just me and my new husband, living exactly the life we want to be living.

Sometimes I stop and think how different life could be. I think about what it must be like for some of those people with all the nice things. I quickly stop myself, because I don't want any of that. I don't want anything other than what I have: a wonderful marriage to the man of my dreams.

I am so thankful for everything that is in my life. I know that God has blessed me far beyond what I could ever deserve. I have an amazing, Godly husband that I get to be with nearly 24 hours a day, who never ceases to make me laugh. We have so much fun together in our rented apartment. The memories that we're making now are going to last me a lifetime, and I am so thankful for that.

All of my life I've heard that choosing your mate is the most important thing: not where you live, what you have, but who you're with. That couldn't be more true. I could have all the luxurious amenities in the world, but if I didn't have Robert, I wouldn't want any of it. More than that, though, I could have everything in the whole world INCLUDING Robert, and if I didn't have a relationship with Jesus I would have nothing. I am so thankful for my Robert and my Savior.

Life is good.