Dance Camp!

DAY 1

 The night before Dance Camp started I got a phone call stating Adelyn's class had been cancelled. I was sad for Adelyn because she was so excited to go but I knew Annabelle would have fun and I could still distract Adelyn enough not to let her know she was missing out on anything. Annabelle of course wore her cute little ballerina necklace.

 Annabelle insisted on picking out her out fits all week and I knew it was not a week for me to argue so I didn't for the most part. It was just not a battle worth fighting for me. She wore "her favorite shirt" the first day. She told me she had fun but the teacher came out and told me Annabelle was a little shy.

DAY 2

 The second day of dance camp Annabelle was so ready to go. She was doing her dances and let me take these pictures of her "practicing." I was excited for her.

 And she looked so stinkin cute in her outfit. I failed to mention that the parents are not allowed in the room while the girls are dancing so I have no idea what is going on in there. So, the girls come out of the room and the teacher tells me that Annabelle was a little less shy today but that she didn't dance much but liked the trampoline. I thought that was great and we went home.

DAY 3

 Annabelle had developed a little bit of a cold so I was a little leery of if I should have her continue or not but she seemed like she really wanted to so I let her. She loved dressing up like a fairy and having her wings. I was just glad she was having fun.

 While Annabelle was in class I went strolling with this little one. She is so precious to me.

DAY 4

 Annabelle has a little "performance" of what she has learned at camp and so I let her put a little shimmer on her face and she was more than excited!

 Adelyn, Daddy, and I waited for the performance to start.

 From here, it gets funny and interesting. During the performance, Annabelle literally stood there the whole time. She did not move. The teacher warned us right before we came in that she was not participating much but that she had practiced one of the songs with the group.

 We didn't know if she was: a) just didn't feel well from her cold b) just stubborn c)got stage fright but whatever the reason it was hilarious. We kept videoing but we also kept laughing because we were just videoing her standing there doing nothing. :)

 The teacher ended up asking Adelyn if she wanted to join in and of course Adelyn did and had a blast!

 Adelyn did so great! Afterwards the teacher asked us if we wanted her to refund our money because Annabelle didn't do anything at the performance. She welcomed Adelyn to come to the August class; she thought she would have a great time. :)

 Adam brought Annabelle a flower for her "performance." She kept hugging him and we could both tell she felt really really special. She's talked about how much fun she had at dance camp since then so I'm glad she had fun no matter what that looked like for her! :)

It's so fun having girls. :)

Thankful Tuesday from Annabelle

Annabelle's Thankful Tuesday List:

*The Sun :) (Ya'll know this one makes me happy!)
*Mommy and Daddy
*My House
*God

Thankful my sweet girl is catching on to the "Thankful Tuesdays" or really just being thankful in general. We are trying to emphasize that whining and complaining are basically the opposite of thankfulness. (I need to remember this for myself as well!!) Oh what God teaches through kids!

But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying (AND GIVING THANKS) to God who gives me life. Psalms 42:8

Prima Ballerina

Can't wait to write about Dance Camp! :)

Randoms

 This little sweet faced girl is potty training. It is not even half as painful this go around and before you hate me for saying that just remember that I almost literally keeled over trying to potty train Annabelle so I could send her to preschool. (Annabelle is the reason I got Dobson's "Strong Willed Child.")

Anyway, this morning Adelyn wanted to take her "daddy" to church with her. haha :) What a cutie.

 Leaving church today Annabelle would not stop disobeying so I took her in the bathroom and very loudly explained to her why she was getting "in trouble." When I walked out of the bathroom there was a mom standing there who said, "I'm glad to hear we have the same type problems." haha I guess I was a little too loud.

Anyway, just enjoying being their mama. 

This week is the beloved Dance Camp. We are very excited to say the least :)

The Hurt & The Healer and My Journey

"The Hurt & The Healer"

 by Mercy Me

(Click on the title to listen.)

Why?
The question that is never far away
The healing doesn’t come from the explained
Jesus please don’t let this go in vain
You’re all I have
All that remains

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

Breathe
Sometimes I feel it’s all that I can do
Pain so deep that I can hardly move
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You
Lord take hold and pull me through

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood
When mercy takes its rightful place
And all these questions fade away
When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say “It’s over now”

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When The hurt and the healer collide

Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide

Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here

Somewhere in the past few months someone sent me this song and I thought of it again today and how awesome it was and I wanted to post it. I love the message that the hurt throws us into the arms of the only one who can really heal us. This is so true and such a testimony of God's power.

God's Glory. The last line is what all of life is about on this earth right? Video Voyeurism is something that few know and understand and it's even something that is hard to picture for yourself if it's never happened to you. Some people think that there is a way to grieve and time limit of grieving such a thing but I assure you it is different for everyone. I will never forget watching the videos taken of me without my knowledge. And sometimes through this journey I have hurt so bad I thought it was going to break me into pieces.

But throughout this 8 month process, I can say that the Lord has done a mighty healing work in my life. Video Voyeurism has changed my life drastically and I definitely have a "new normal" as far as many areas in life go, from trusting people to simply getting in the shower most days but I can say, "Glory to God" the one who has carried me to a place of joy and peace I never knew existed. 

I wish I could say that the journey was over now, but in many ways it is not. But I am thankful that through this period of waiting, hurting, and healing, the Lord has been faithful and patient with me and has allowed me to see a side of His goodness that I would have never known existed and would not trade for anything in this world.

Find Your glory even here Lord, please. 

Five Areas to Evaluate before Him so I won't "Look Back" but will "Press On"

“Come, follow me.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9

I love the word of God. It is exactly what I need in my life, without it I would be nuts and if you know me you really know that's the truth! I was thinking yesterday how much I love/hate it when God teaches me from His word and through my relationship with Him. I love it because I never want Him to be "finished" with me. I want Him to keep working, but when I realize my heart needs work sometimes it feels just like when the bible says the word is "sharper than a two edged sword." The depth of the work Christ needs to do on my heart hurts sometimes and hurts deeply although it is always always worth it in my life. 


Luke 9 was a cross reference to the Philippians 3 verses I was studying this morning. And I read, "Come follow Me" and loved the Life App's take on it and wondered practically what keeps me from "looking back" or abandoning the work Christ has given me. I realize the correct answer to this question is that Christ alone keeps me going in ministry but I also thought through some practical things that keep me going in ministry.

I realize I am young in ministry but the longer I am in ministry the more I admire people who stick this ministry thing out for the long haul. It is hard and much worth it work. I make this list for myself from my time with the Lord for me to offer these things to the Lord for Him to tell me what I need to do with more dependance on Him etc. 


So with all of that said, I feel like the Lord gave me 

Five areas to evaluate before Him in helping me not "look back" but instead to "press on":

1) Time Alone with God

A must. I heard this quote somewhere and don't know where it came from but it says, "You cannot minister to others if you are always with people." I have to be filled with Christ in order to be able to pour into others, otherwise the ministry depends on my own strengths and abilities instead of the overflow of Christ in my life. Christ was our ultimate example in this area. 

And early in the morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there.  

Mark 1:35

2) Priorities

I am constantly having to reevaluate my priorities. I could spend the entire day on the phone trying to talk with people or texting people in need but then my family and especially my girls would not get the attention they need or deserve from their mama. To me this is such a touchy subject, the Lord directs each family and person differently. I know for myself, that making sure my priorities are in order: Christ, my husband, my children, my ministrys, etc takes me asking the Lord to show me where I need to change constantly. 

But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you. 

Matthew 6:33

3) Seeking the things above.

If I don't keep my eyes on things above, I will get weighed down with so much whether it be how wicked the world is, bad things happening, people I love hurting, church drama etc. My only hope to keep the right perspective is to look vertical and not focus intently on the horizontal, remembering that God has a plan for good (Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28.) This is NOT easy for me, I can so easily get wrapped up in the horizontal and don't get me wrong the horizontal relationships and life need my attention and time but in the midst of these things the bible is clear as to where my mind should abide.

Set your minds on things above and not on things of this earth, for you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 

Colossians 3:1

4) People

We are made for community. I must make time to spend time with other Christian ladies who encourage me in my walk with the Lord. This rejuvenates and encourages me.  

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Hebrews 10:24,25

5) Rest

God made of creatures who need rest. We must have it so we are refreshed for the task ahead. For me, I tend to feel guilty when I rest. This is a lie from the enemy that rest is bad, without it comes burn out therefore it is so important and any kind of guilt is not of the Lord! (Romans 8:1)
 

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”...

Mark 6:30,31

 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Friends

 Tonight we went out with our friends Tara and Wade. They are moving July 1st to Cedarville to start raising support for going back to South Africa. Tara has become one of my good friends that I always knew was leaving Marysville but we couldn't help becoming good friends anyway!

 We went to a little cafe' in downtown Marysville and to an ice cream shop. It was so fun. We all enjoyed ourselves so much. There is just a certain understanding between people in the ministry and we have that with the McComas. :)

 I am so thankful for the chance to get to know people our age who have given their lives to mission work. What a calling. I am thankful the Lord gave us the opportunity to know them because I feel like we will be able to pray for each other as we continue in ministry.

 Along with Tara and I becoming good friends, the girls fell in love with Finn. He is such an adorable, laid back little boy who is so fun!

It is so neat to see the friends God brings into our lives. Just the right people at just the right time. Just like God... :)

Random Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful that I can look at life with the perspective that the victory has already been won and now I'm looking backward and that I know personally the one who wins in the end! Praise the Lord!

There is a family that I have committed to pray for every Tuesday. It's a long story and has absolutely nothing to do with anything good in me but that family is heavy on my heart today and has been this week. I know God is working out whatever He needs to in this family. Just needed to type that.

I am in kind of a blogging funk but I think it's because the Lord is teaching me intimately "stuff" between Him. I pray that I am faithful with what He teaches me. The enemy knows me so well, he knows my faults, my failures, and fears but my God knows me better and knows that with and through Him I can and will overcome.

I am thankful.

Lately in Pictures

 {A little Saturday Golf and Swimming}

 {Make-up time when Mommy and Daddy weren't looking}

 {The Zebra and the Ballerina on a walk}

 {Corn hole with friends}

 {Snow-cones for summer!}

{Adelyn swimming with the boys}