Intimate

How well do you know your children? Well enough that you know your first born has a double toenail on his left big toe...one that he has had since the day he was born, or that one small freckle that looks like a pin dot underneath his right nipple. What about his right ear...the way it curves and is shaped at the top or his double crown which reminds you of your Dad's side of the family. That he loves peanut butter and jelly, but only on a pita bread. Loves to drink milk, but only if its at room temperature, and you know exactly who his favorite characters are on Sesame Street. What about your other children or your knew little addition to your family? Even if they have only been on this earth and in your arms for 12 weeks you still know them as if they had been here a hundred years. You know exactly the shape of their birthmark, and can pick their fingers and toes out of a crowd any day. You know their cries, their whimpers and you have already somewhat of a pretty good idea of what type of personality they are going to have later.

Oh, and we can not even begin to describe how much we love them! How much love our hearts can seriously hold for our dear children. How we would give up anything, even our lives to protect them!

Isn't it amazing how much us mothers, and fathers (if your reading) loves our children? How much we know them as well? When I think about how much I love my children and how much I so intimately know about my children that no one else knows...I can't help but think about how much my God loves me and how much he knows about me that no one else knows.

In Jeremiah 1:5 it says before He formed us in our mother's womb...He knew us. Psalm 139:1-3 talks about God knowing when we sit and when we rise. Luke 12:7 tells us that He knows the numbers of hair's on our head. Jeremiah 29:11 says He knows the plans He has for us and in John 3:16 and Romans 5:8, He loved us so much that He gave His Son to die for us while we were still sinners!

Oh how His word is just filled with so much truths about how much our God loves us and knows us...because He created us. The Creator always knows His work, and loves His work. Every detail of it. He knows what makes us laugh, what makes us cry, our joys, and our sorrows. He knows the dark and hidden places of our heart, the broken pieces of our lives, and the things done in secret. He knows our thoughts, our motives, our intentions, our insecurities and our failures....and yet He wanted us and loves us still.

I don't know about you...but when I truly think on these things it gives me such an overwhelming since of awe on how much my God personally and intimately knows and loves me. He knows the things that I would be ashamed if people only knew about me and what I've done. But, so thankful we have a Creator who is never ashamed of His masterpiece or His handiwork. So thankful for a God where there is "no guilt, shame or condemnation for those who are found in His son Jesus." -Romans 8:1, and thankful for a Savior who loves us with an everlasting love. -Jeremiah 31:3.

And guess what?!?!  He desires for us to intimately know Him!! The God of the universe...who owns the sky and knows the stars by name wants us to know His heart, and know His character. To know what breaks His heart, and what brings Him sorrow. To know what brings Him great joy, and what gives Him glory and honor.

To know Him and to ultimately make Him known.

Do you do you strive to do that as a follower of Christ? I will admit that I have often times failed in getting to know my God more. But, I want to encourage you to make it a habit of spending time with our God.That we get to know Him as much, and if not more than we know our own children. That we intimately spend time in His word daily, and get to truly know His heart...

...so we can make Him known!

Also, if your reading this and not a follower of Christ please know there is a God that desires to meet you right where you are at. Who loves you so much and wants you to know Him! Please reach out to me because I'd love to get to know you and your heart :)

 Let 2014 be the year that you start to intimately get to know the heart and mind of a God that loves and intimately knows you already.




"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

BELIEVE 2014!

As I reflect back on 2013 even though overall it was one blessed year I can still definitely see and remember their were areas of a constant struggle or time of testing; In mine and Nick's finances, in giving ourselves away, in our relationship with each other, at Nick's job, transitioning from a working mother to a stay at home one, and adapting to us being a family of 4. More than anything though, I look back and see moments where I lacked truly believing God for all things and in all things and moments where I had completely distrusted Him.

My heart aches to think about those moments. To think that the One who blessed me with all the highs in 2013 I lacked belief in and the One who was with me in all the lows of 2013 I had distrusted.

As I was thinking about my word for 2014 God laid upon my heart this scripture found in Luke 1:45

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"  


My word for 2014 is "Believe". This new year I am going to not just merely live God's word, but believe it and stand on it.

I am going to....

Believe that... "He truly does makes all things new." Revelation 21:5

Believe that... "He has plans for me, which will not cause harm, but plans to prosper me, to give me hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Believe that..."God will supply all my needs." Philippians 4:19

Believe that..."I am the apple of His eye." Psalm 17:8

Believe that..."All things work together for my good." Romans 8:28

Believe that..."I really can do all things through Christ strength." Philippians 4:13

Believe that..."He is my refuge and ever present help in trouble."  Psalm 46: 1-3

Believe that..."Nothing can separate His love for me in Christ." Romans 8:38-39

Believe that..."He will not fail me." Deuteronomy 31:8


I look back on 2013 and see where these are areas that I have questioned Him at times, and doubted Him. I am worn out from trying to do things in my own strength. I am exhausted with trying to control certain aspects of my life. I am drained from stressing out about finances and if we will make next month's mortgage payment, and I am especially tired of second guessing His love for me when I fall short or when I have moments of weakness.

I know I can stand on and rest in His promise that "nothing can separate His love for me."

I know this...but do I truly flat out believe it?

At the end of 2014...I want to be confident in knowing that I did believe my God. I trusted Him with everything....big and small, good or bad. I want to be the girl that God says, "blessed is she who has believed that I would fulfill My promises to her!"

I am so excited to see what 2014 has in store for Nick and I this year. I am so excited to see friendships grow deeper, for us to celebrate our 5th anniversary, to see my children accomplish new milestones and more importantly to believe in Christ like never before!!



HAPPY  2014!!


May this be a year of many blessings and true BELIEVING!