Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Prayer Request
Dearest Friends,
As we grow closer and closer to the start of our Bible study, the enemy's attacks have strengthened in both frequency and intensity. I am asking for your prayers. It never fails- whenever I step out in faith and obedience, especially if it is teaching God's Word- I get sick. Every. Single. Time. It's like clockwork. And I do not believe that it is happenstance or mere coincidence. The enemy does not want to see God's Word declared- especially through mediums such as this blog where the potential for those to read/hear these truths spoken is innumerable and completely at the mercy of the Holy Spirit.
Though I expected this to happen and sought to prevent it in any way I could, God- in His Sovereignty- allowed it. Perhaps it is to remind me of my dependence on His Strength? Or maybe it is to humble me of my pride so that I would come to you and ask for your prayers? I do not know the Lord's reasons, nor am I entitled to, but I trust Him completely. So whether I am still coughing up a storm or completely healed, we will proceed with the Bible study on Thursday regardless of how I am feeling.
I am excited and anxious to see how God is going to show Himself through this study!
Come, Lord Jesus. Have Your way in us.
May our hearts be soft and pliable, so as to yield and bend at Your touch
- Amen
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Happy Bithday {All Things New} and the Mystery Giveaway Winner
Happy 1st Birthday {All Things New}!!!
And the moment you have all been waiting for...
The winner of the Mystery Giveaway is...
The winner of the Mystery Giveaway is...
Congratulations!!
You won the following items from
{All Things New}:
Target Gift Card
LifeWay Gift Card
Starbucks Gift Card
(1) OPI Nail Polish
A HUGE thank you to all who participated!
I appreciate all of the love and support you have given me over the past year and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for this blog in the years to come!!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Friday Night Lights
As I mentioned earlier this week, Hayden was selected to represent his elementary school at the high school homecoming game last night. According to the letter we received from the school administration, he was selected on the basis of both academic and character excellence. I love that his school not only recognizes, but rewards these attributes, because it reinforces what Greg and I strive to teach him at home. Way to go, Hayden! Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you!
And as promised, we captured the moment on film.
{Thank goodness for iphones! I realized I had forgotten my camera once we had already left the house. }
It was a good thing we arrived at the stadium when we did because parking would have been a nightmare.
The boys enjoyed all of the pre-game festivities and I have to give a special shout out to our local Verizon store for the goodie bags we received! It helped keep these two little rascals entertained until the game started.
L-E-T-S G-O!
Lets Go! Lets Go!
{Sorry- the former cheerleader in me escaped for a moment}
Waiting patiently in the Tiger Tunnel.
I thought they were running onto the field with the football team...but I'm almost certain the boys didn't mind hanging out with the cheerleaders instead.
Daddy trying out the video feature on his phone for the first time.
Video from where Rylan and I were sitting in the stands.
Homecoming Court
We only stayed for the first quarter. The boys were already getting restless so Greg made the wise decision to go ahead and head home- only to surprise us with a trip to Starbucks along the way!
I'd say we had a successful night out as a family :)
How did you spend your Friday night?! Any fun stories you'd like to share?
13.1 Dallas Update
Well...today was supposed to be the day that Greg and I ran 13.1 Dallas with team World Vision. Sadly, we had to make the decision to forgo the race due to unforeseen injuries. I'm heartbroken. I have been training for this race since February. However, if I want to be able to run any time in the near future, I need to take care of my body, and running 13.1 miles on an injured knee was a risk that I could not afford to take.
I am scheduling a doctor's visit next week to get my knee examined so that I can *hopefully* lace up my running shoes again and maybe run a half in December/January.
Have you ever had to make the decision to back out of a race?
How did you cope with your decision?
Friday, October 26, 2012
Jehovah Rapha
As you may have gathered by now, I am posting a different Name of God each morning as we draw nearer to the start of our Bible study. My desire is that you will take some time before we begin to reflect on these personal and intimate Names of God. Journal your thoughts as you prepare your heart and discover how radically this will shape your view of Who God is.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
The {faith} filled life: Week 16
The purpose of this link up is to put the abundant goodness of God on display for all nations to see!
Write a blog post and share with us how God is currently working in your life. It can be a passage of Scripture that God has used to speak to you. A devotional. A song that particularly ministered to you. A poem that you wrote or were inspired by. A photograph that you took. A personal testimony of God's grace. A call to action. A challenge. Use your creativity, for it is a magnificent gift given to us by the Creator Himself!
If you are on Twitter or Instagram, use the hash tag #faithfilledlife to follow along with others. Feel free to grab a button and share this link up with your readers. Let's continue to make much of Jesus.
I {heart} Fall!
Fall is my favorite time of the year.
Okay... scratch that- as I say that about every season when it is upon us.
But I really do enjoy Fall.
I love the cooler weather.
Which around our house, means gettin dirty!
Our sweet golden retriever, Max.
I had to throw in a picture of him, just for fun!
Oh ya know, just hanging out...
Three words.
Boots.Scarves.Sweaters.
The perfect Fall combo. Throw in a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and you have experienced a little bit of heaven on earth.
And who doesn't love visiting pumpkin patches?!
And don't even get me started about my love for high school football games...
By the way, Hayden was selected to represent his elementary school at the high school homecoming game tomorrow night. I'm one PROUD Mama. He has been rewarded with VIP seating at the game and will get to run through the Tiger Tunnel with the football team {something EVERY little boy is dying to do at his age}. Not to mention, several of the girls that Greg and I taught in Sunday School are on Homecoming Court this year...so expect lots of pictures and a possible video on the blog!
What do you love about the Fall?
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Southern Mama's Blog Hop #10
I want to personally thank all of you who have joined us over the past few weeks for the
Southern Mama's Blog Hop.
It has been a joy and a privilege getting to know you!
At this time, I feel lead to take my blog in another direction, so it is with sadness that I am announcing that this will be the final Southern Mama's Blog Hop. I do not regret hosting the blog hop one bit, because I have met some truly incredible women as a result. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be a small part of your life.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Living in the In-between: Let the Mountains Move
A few days ago, I was writing in my journal, listening to music by Christy Nockels.
'Waiting Here For You' came on and as always, I immediately began to sing along.
I have heard the lyrics to this song probably a thousand times, but that morning, the following phrase struck me to the core of my being.
If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move...
I was forced to ask myself the million dollar question, "When was the last time I asked God to move mountains?"
Ummmm.... Well.... Okay, I admit, it's been awhile.
Then God and I proceeded to carry on the following conversation:
"Do you believe that I am El Shaddai? That I AM God Almighty?"
"Absolutely!" I cried.
"Do you really believe that, Dear One? With all of your heart? With all of your being?"
"Yes, Lord. I truly believe that you are capable of such things."
"Are you sure you want Me to ask you this question again?"
After an extended period of silence, I finally answered, "Forgive me, Lord, for ever doubting You."
I believe that God is capable of extraordinary things. I have not only been witness to it in other people's lives, but I have personally experienced such things in my own life as well. Why now, would I suddenly doubt that He could move the mountains that currently stood in my path? Why now, was I beginning to doubt His goodness and compassion toward me?
I have been wrestling with these thoughts for days; asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate areas in my life where doubt was lying hidden in the dark crevices of my heart. It didn't take long before it became apparent to me that the root of my doubt was caused by my inability to fully relinquish control over to the Lord. I doubted His timing- therefore I doubted His Sovereignty. And because I doubted His Sovereignty, I began to doubt His goodness. If left unchecked, it would have continued to snowball from there.
I believed in my head that God's timing was perfect. Absolutely perfect. But my heart began to slowly resent God when His timeline and my timeline were no longer aligned.
I had grown tired of waiting and instead of presenting these feelings honestly before God and asking Him to change my heart, I buried them deep within; thinking that I could somehow, someway, hide them from my Lord. My doubt had slowly seeped into every aspect of my life- and I didn't even realize it. Not until that divine conversation.
I praise God that He loves me despite of my self and that He longs to draw me close. I love that He is willing to shine His Light on my heart and expose the sin that had taken root. I love that He covers me in His grace and through His forgiveness, remembers my sin no more.
And I love that it is through Christ, who is in me, that I can now look at the mountains currently blocking my path and confidently proclaim in faith, "Move."
"...if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there, and it will move..."
Matthew 17: 20
{Mornings with Meg}: Names of God Bible Study
"Let them praise the name of the Lord; for His name alone is excellent;
His glory is above the earth and heaven."
Psalm 148:13
I'm excited to announce the first online Bible study for {Mornings with Meg}: the Names of God- which will begin November 1st. Each morning, I will post a short 5-10 minute video at 5 am CST, discussing the intimate and personal names of God found in Scripture. Then on Monday evenings (beginning November 5th) at 8 pm CST I will host a Google+ hangout for whomever would like to join us, as we further discuss what we have learned over the course of the week, and to build community with fellow believers.
In the meantime, I have some homework for you. In the comment section below, if you will, please answer the following question:
What character attribute(s) is God displaying most prominently in your life at this time?
I look forward to hearing from you and am excited to see how God is revealing Himself to you at this time!
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Dangerous Love of God
I came dangerously close to the heart of God. And it almost killed me.
I was preparing a guest blog post for my sweet friend, April, when it happened. As I researched global orphan statistics, with an emphasis on Ethiopia, God allowed me- for the first time in my life- to experience just a glimpse of His heart for the fatherless.
There are no words-in any language- that can adequately describe such a feeling.
The weight of such love was so potent...so fierce... that it was physically too much for my body to bear.
I was forced to my knees, overcome with emotion, as the dry heaving and sobbing began. There was a tightness in my chest that burned with an intensity I have never experienced.
I couldn't breathe.
It was as though I were drowning. Wrestling. Struggling. Desperate for air. I needed relief- only- it wouldn't come. It lasted only a moment... but I am still feeling the effects hours later.
As I sat in my car waiting to pick up my son from school, God whispered the following in my ear,
"I love you that much, too."
That fierce, passionate, almost dangerous love that I felt earlier this afternoon- He has for me. And He loves you with that same intensity as well. Friends, if you only knew the depth and weight of His great love for you, you would never experience another moment of doubt ever again. It's that vast. That potent. That real.
And it's for you.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:16
Mystery Giveaway: Clue #4
If you haven't entered the Mystery Giveaway yet, now is the time because there are only a few days left!!!
As you have gathered so far:
and now... for Clue #4!
It's SUPER easy.
{not the color included in the giveaway}
Best of Luck!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
A Gift in Disguise
It's little reminders such as these that often bring me to my knees.
Father God, even though I may not understand why I must endure this extended season of waiting, I trust You. Thank you for this gift of time. Thank you for being near to me in this time of uncertainty, and help me to remember that Your greatest gifts are often wrapped up in unassuming packages.
~Amen
Friday, October 19, 2012
The {faith} filled life: Week 15
The purpose of this link up is to put the abundant goodness of God on display for all nations to see!
Write a blog post and share with us how God is currently working in your life. It can be a passage of Scripture that God has used to speak to you. A devotional. A song that particularly ministered to you. A poem that you wrote or were inspired by. A photograph that you took. A personal testimony of God's grace. A call to action. A challenge. Use your creativity, for it is a magnificent gift given to us by the Creator Himself!
If you are on Twitter or Instagram, use the hash tag #faithfilledlife to follow along with others. Feel free to grab a button and share this link up with your readers. Let's continue to make much of Jesus.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Ornaments for Adoption
I cannot begin to tell you how excited and blessed I am to
participate in Ornaments for Adoption. When Megan first contacted me and asked
me if I would be interested in fundraising for the Brock family, I did not
hesitate, because I know first-hand how hard it is to sacrifice and somehow
stretch an already tight budget to bring a child into a forever family. As most of you know, our
family has been called to adopt from Ethiopia, so this fundraiser holds a special place in our heart because we are very passionate about providing orphans with a forever home.
It has been my experience so far in our own adoption journey
that God often provides the funds through people like me and you- strangers who
have no personal ties to the adoptive family- but who understand that the
church is obligated to care for the least of these, as Jesus commanded. {For a
list of Biblical references on the Church’s responsibility to care for the
orphaned, visit my orphan
care/adoption page}.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress... James 1:27
Most of us will begin, if we haven’t already, Christmas
shopping for our loved ones. Why not give a double blessing this year? When you
purchase an ornament through Ornaments for Adoption, you will not only bless
your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, with an adorable custom made ornament,
but you will bless this precious family with the means to bring their child
home.
The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:40
Will you pause for a moment and contemplate how different
your life would be if you did not have the love of a family? Will you give the
gift of a family this year?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Southern Mama's Blog Hop #9
Welcome
Y’All
We are thrilled to have you!
The purpose of this blog hop is to connect with other Mamas
(Pet Mamas are welcome too!)
who have, ever secretly desired to, or are currently living on Southern soil.
Not from the South, you say? No problem! We’d still love for you to join us.
We’ll gladly adopt you and make you an honorary Southern Belle!
So go grab yourself a glass of sweet tea and let’s party!!
The Rules:
1. Kindly follow each of the hostesses via GFC
as a way of saying
Thank You
for the opportunity to connect with other like-minded bloggers.
Please leave a comment to let them know that you are following along so that we can return the favor J
Megan @ {All Things New}
Host
Sonja @ Running in Pearls
Co-Host
Kimberly @ Sew Encouraging
Co-Host
Allie @ Living the Adventures
Co-Host
2. Grab a button and spread the word.
3. Mix and mingle with other bloggers.
4. Leave a comment and show them some love!
*Tip*
Be sure that your email address is connected to your blogger profile.
This makes it much easier for those who wish to reply to your comments J
5. Have fun!
Email Megan at:
Monday, October 15, 2012
Mystery Giveaway Clue #3
Hey Y'all!
I hope you are having a terrific Monday so far.
If you guessed LifeWay gift card for last week's clue than you are correct!
For those of you who are keeping track, the Mystery Giveaway includes the following:
Target Gift Card
LifeWay Gift Card
?
?
Can you guess what the next two items are?!
Here is Clue #3
+
Best of luck!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
LifeWay Texarkana: Celebrating our Local Heroes
LifeWay Christian Resources will often host Kid's Days at their local stores throughout the year-each with it's own theme that typically coincides with a new Veggie Tales DVD release. Veggie Tales releases The League of Incredible Vegetables on October 16th, so naturally today's theme involved super heroes. Our LifeWay in Texarkana wanted to honor our local heroes and invited the Texarkana Police and Fire Departments to join them.
Hayden and Rylan have been talking about Kid's Day non-stop this week! They are infatuated with firetrucks and Rylan will tell anyone within earshot that he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.
{The fire department also visited his school this week so he was one happy camper}
The officers were incredibly kind and showed all of the kids how to use the equipment, allowed them to tour the various parts of the firetruck, and gave them each a goodie bag to take home.
Hayden was disappointed that they didn't turn on the sirens while we were there, but he was excited to get his picture with the squad car!
As tradition, the boys didn't want to leave without getting a picture with their Daddy.
We honor you- our local heroes as well as their families- as they make tremendous sacrifices and are willing to lay down their lives if necessary, to protect the citizens of Texarkana and uphold justice.
Thank you for all you do!
Friday, October 12, 2012
How to Clean Makeup Brushes Like a Pro
I worked for Estee Lauder as a makeup artist for several years- so I consider myself knowledgeable when it comes to makeup and skincare. Friends and family often ask me for makeup tips and advice, and although this is not a beauty blog, I figured it's okay to break away from the norm every now and then.
So today I am going to share with you how to clean your makeup brushes like the pros.
Save your money ladies!
There is no need to purchase those expensive brush/sponge cleansers, because you can make your own at home. In my personal opinion, this homemade solution works far better at dissolving all of the excess makeup and oil from your makeup brushes than those name brand cleansers. Even if you clean your brushes on a regular basis, you will be surprised at how much dirt and grime will be removed with this simple trick.
Here is what you need:
- Dawn Dish Soap- Original
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Glass Measuring Cup {2 cup}
- Water
Mix together 2/3 cup of white vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap in a glass measuring cup. Fill the rest of the measuring cup with hot water. Place your makeup brushes in the measuring cup and allow them to soak for 5 minutes. Remove the brushes from the solution and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. Lay your makeup brushes on a towel and allow them to air dry. Once dry, your brushes are like new!
Be sure to clean your brushes at least every other week for optimal performance and to extend the longevity of the brush. Note: with sponges, your makeup will naturally change the color of your sponge, so if it does not return to it's original state don't worry, it's still clean and disinfected. As long as the water runs clear and no makeup runs off the sponge after you have soaked it in the solution, then you are good to go.
Do you have any makeup tips or tricks that you would like to share? We'd love to hear from you.