May 2009 bless your socks off!!!

Happy New Year! I hope that 2009 God blesses you like no other year in your life!
My prayer for you is that in 2009 you give all that you are and all that you have to God and see what He does with your life. May the life you live honor and glorify the one who made you so beautiful.
In Revelations 20:12-13 is says that we are all moving toward a day in which we will be judged: "The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books". One day you and I will stand before the Lord and He will look at how we lived our lives- what we did with the time that He blessed us with. My challenge for you is to really take a good look at your life~ none of us are perfect, and God is not asking us to be. He knows we are not already. But what He wants is your obedience, your willingness, your heart. He wants you to desire Him above all else. In a world full of so many opportunities it is easy to find ourselves headed down the wrong path and not even know it. The road may appear like the right one- exciting, fun, successful, even safe- but is it the road that God wants you on? Is your road- your life’s journey, worth something to God or is it simply all about you- your wants and your needs? Often times in the past I was held back by my own desires of how I wanted my life to look, believing I really had some say… If the Lords call didn’t ‘look’ the way I had pictured it, if it involved more giving, more pain, more sacrifice then I had envisioned- I bolted- headed down a different path- hoping down that road I would find what I was looking for. And you know what- the funny thing was- God let me. He let me wonder, let me continue to look-always searching- but never being completely fulfilled. He let me remain lost, remain empty-all the while giving me the time I needed to grown until I was finally able to say “Yes Lord- have your way” and mean it. My life today is nothing at all how I once would have chosen it to look-but you know what- it’s the way God planned it to be- and I am so very, very blessed. He knew all along what I couldn't see it.

I was reading a blog post the other day and came across this comment a reader posted. I happen to know the person to left this comment and I couldn’t help but be blown away by her words. She gave me permission to post it on my blog. (Thanks Lisa- you rock!) I hope it touches your heart like they did mine.

The blogger had asked this question (which of course caught my attention). She asked: Are there some people who are cut out to have a lot of kids and some who aren't? And here is what Lisa H. wrote:

"I'll jump in on the question regarding being cut out to have a large family. I think the question is really "How is God wanting to use my life?" I don't think that God has called us all to have large families, but I think He has called us all to have a place where we get our hands dirty and our lives messy in meeting the needs of hurting people. It might be ministry to single moms, prisoners, the poor, the homeless, widows, inner city kids, immigrants, the sick, etc..., but SOMEWHERE God has a place for each of us to serve that will complicate our lives, and our homes, and our personal space and time....AND that place will be a place where we know a special kind of fulfillment and satisfaction and where we are used to have eternal impact. For the lucky ones of us, it's the call to parent children who need families! :o)Yes, that call has involved giving up personal time and space, living in a home that rarely reflects the ideal I have in my mind, and feeling a little over-stimulated, even, at times, from the comings and goings of our crew. But I KNOW that this is the call of God on my life and our family, and even in my worst moments, I know I'd never choose to miss the precious children God has brought to our family for a little more personal time or a more magazine worthy home.
Last summer I had the afternoon "off" as my husband cared for our children. I went out to lunch and sat in the sun at an outdoor cafe while I sipped tea and read a magazine. After a while, I thought, "This is great! I needed this!....But this is nothing to build a life around!" and I was ready to go home, and be back in the game with my family.
We are all unique creations and we have different needs for space, quiet, order, etc. We need to respect these limits and live within them. But we need to be sure that we're not resisting God's desire to stretch us and push us out of our comfort zones as He enlarges our hearts to love the world through us. It's a hard, painful process but the end result is JOY, for us and for those we're called to love... I think if we are faithful to ask God His intentions and to be seeking His wisdom with open hearts, then He will show us which situation applies to us. My .02 on a great question!"

Lisa H. Mom to 7

Can’t wait to see what 2009 brings for you!!! Love, Amy