make your vote...

so Mer and I have been looking all over birmingham for the perfect house for us... and we thought we should get your input... so take a look and post your vote...



this has definitely been an exciting time for us, but we don't just want the house that we like... we want the one that the Lord has for us. so if you would... pray for us to be lead to it... that is our biggest prayer these days and we would treasure it if all of our friends and community could join us in lifting up our requests to Father... then when HE comes through, because we all know HE will... we can have one heck of a party after move in day!!!

and okay... so one of them is alittle bit out of our price range... but still... our God is big!

two e-mails.

so I got two very moving e-mails today… both coming from special people… the subjects of each one being completely opposite than the other… yet each stirred my heart powerfully for the Word  >> and there was God.    

the first e-mail that I got was from an incredible old friend, who the Lord has used in my life in a big way. this is a brother who is living up the journey of life… never knowing exactly what the Lord is doing within him, but following the lead of his heart continually. I was moved with excitement for this dear friend as he told me of his time “walking on rocky ground”… by the shear truth of the Lord’s hand being upon his life… and the thrill of knowing the destination of his next journey being one absolutely filled with the beauty and glory of our Creator in His creation. the words to Wonderful Maker began to resound within my heart for this brother… with joy in the truth of God’s sovereignty and grace.

then I opened the other e-mail, this one coming from one of my real brothers… in regards to the grandmother of his dear girlfriend. Amanda’s grandmother had been in my prayers as she was put in the hospital last week due to an asthma attack. this e-mail told of her passing away early this morning. the news of which took my heart to a time of mourning.. so small in comparison to what Amanda’s entire family were experiencing, but my heart went out to them – and still does. that’s when I turned to the Word… not in search of answers so much.. but because it was what I wanted to do. and that is where the hope in the truth of God’s sovereignty and grace was revealed.

I turned to the pages of Romans.. as that is what I have been reading through.. to find these words.. "If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living." (Romans 14.8-9) 

my heart still goes out to Amanda’s family for the loss of a loved one.. while still being excited for the adventure to come for Joey >> and it is only by the unfailing truth of God’s sovereignty and grace on our life and our death that I can declare it. We are the Lord’s!!

one true sign

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen... By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise... For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. - Hebrews 11.

these are words that inspire me greatly in this time... this time of preparation for things to come... this time of training and learning... this time of great dependence on the Lord to fulfill his promise in my calling. oh how I cannot wait for that "city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God."

this world tries to lead us to do so many things... to try this... to pursue that... saying that this is how to obtain that "wonderful" life you are suppose to live [thanks ktb]. but the One True Source of life declares... "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect... Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." - Romans 12.

so I chose to rejoice in the hope of His faithfulness in all things promised to us - His beloved sons and daughters... and trust in His leading of my heart, made pure by His blood, to test and find those things that are declared "good... acceptable... perfect." Thank You my King for them.