Grace.
What does grace MEAN?
What does grace LOOK LIKE?
Do I live grace out in my life?
These are questions I have been asking myself the past few months. And what a journey it has been and continues to be! One morning in the hustle and bustle of getting out the door for school, I felt out of breath, parched. Thirsty for HIM that is. For His love. For His words. And then the whisper....
My grace is sufficient....
And as I sit here writing, He floods to mind all the morsels of deliciousness He has been teaching me. That whisper was the answer to the GUILT I had been feeling from not spending hours of 'sit down' quiet time with Him.
Do you do this? Do you have a picture of what quiet time with Him looks like? Is it wrapped in a pretty little box and tied with a pretty bow? And when you don't get that 'pretty little box' time you feel guilty, angry, frustrated, not spiritual enough, not good enough?
I sure do.
I think I don't tap into the POWER of the Holy Spirit at its full, because I get hung up on 'not feeling good enough or spiritual enough'.
That if I don't follow these X and O's:
*if I don't have DAILY quiet time
*if it doesn't last more than 15 minutes
*if I don't have quiet time first thing in the morning
*if I have made poor choices
*if I have had impure thoughts
*if I'm angry, bitter, tired, jealous, negative, unforgiving...
*if I didn't hear from Him
Then I can't:
*pray with a friend or for a friend
*send an encouraging word
*ask for anything...healing, wisdom, peace
*be joyful
But you know what the word is?! GRACE!
He wants me all parts of the day, all emotions of the day!
There have been quite a few times I have prayed for friends and with friends, and there is part of me that has ALMOST not done it! This is because my 'self' has said, "you're not worth it...you haven't spent enough time knowing His thoughts to have anything that your friend needs to hear". And what I tell my 'self' back is...
'I didn't deserve Him in the first place!'
I don't deserve how great, wonderful, loving, forgiving and magnificent He is. I can't earn His love by what I do or what I study. But He loves me and wants to use me for good. I don't deserve the spiritual things He gives me to say to folks. I am not that smart. Please hear this girl who knows she is very loved beyond measure by her loving God, but knows...it ain't nuttin I've done on my own! I don't gain spirituality. and I don't lose it. I am just supposed to use it. Use it to love Him. Use it to love others. And I won't let the 'you're not spiritual enough or good enough', keep me from Him.
His grace is enough. His grace is all I need.
Lord, I wanna shut guilt out and have YOU come rushing in! Today is a fresh day...I wanna get quiet time out of the box. You have been so faithful to me. You have showed up everyday and everytime I have invited You in. You are faithful...even when I'm not. You show up...even when I don't. I love you and praise you!
In my next blog, I will be sharing some things I have been doing 'out of my box' to get with Him throughout the day.
'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' 2 Corinthians 12:9
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa Terkeurst
Less than 3 weeks!!!
Less than 3 weeks and our gals activate group is starting! I am soooo excited!!!
First, I should probably explain what an activate group is before I tell ya what we will be studying and that I want ya to join! So. An activate group is a group of people (in my case...us group of gals) that has up to 20 people in the group. We get together to hang out, form friendships and ride this crazy, amazing roller coaster ride of getting to know Jesus.
Getting to know WHO He is. Getting to know His heart. Forming a FRIENDSHIP with Him. Forming a relationship with Him.
And from getting to know those things...to be able to reflect Him properly...day in and day out, no matter what circumstances come our way.
This is my heart. This is what I wanted to do as our next study. I want to be a woman of character. I want to be able to reflect Him properly...in a way that my actions speak louder than my words...my character speaks louder than my words...in difficult circumstances to react in love, grace, mercy, compassion, understanding. I wanted a study that would go along with what I was learning (again) this summer... character
Do I read His Word and DO what it says? Do I live differently because of what I read? Do I live out grace, forgiveness, love? Do I live out relationships NOT religion? O so much good stuff He has been lavishing on me! But O how I have completely went SQUIRREL from letting you know about activate group!!! :)
So! I would love other gals to join me in this adventure. I would love and dream if this could be a COMMUNITY group. A community of women making a difference. Making a difference with our character. our serving. our love. HIS LOVE.
This group is not only for Celebration gals to join, but all gals in Marion and surrounding areas that would love to be a part of this roller coaster ride of making a difference for HIM!
Our first get together will be Tuesday, October 5th, 6:30pm - 8pm. We will be meeting at Celebration Christian Church for our 1st get together. Then...I'm toying around with the idea of having every other group at this cool hangout place in Charleston Place in downtown Marion! It will be a total experiment! But isn't that how He works?!? It will be spontaneous...we will just have to see how that or IF that works. I feel like He tells me often...'Just enjoy the ride, andrea'. Honestly though...some parts of the ride I want to barf and get off, but that is YET another SQUIRREL!
ANYWHO! back to deets:
Age: 18 years old to 108+...and sorry guys, just for the gals!
Childcare Available? : A BIG OL' YES!
Cost of participants guide: $10 (note: I have the actual book, but I am not going to make the book a requirement. We will be watching the dvd series and doing the participants guide along with the dvd's.)
When: we will meet each Tuesday starting Oct. 5th and ending Dec. 21st. 6:30pm - 8pm
TO SIGN UP: either comment here, on my facebook page or sign up on Celebration's website (which has a lot of other great activate groups for everyone, not just gals)
And here's a little clip about what we are going to be getting into. It will get you stirred up with excitement and ready to go! Let's enjoy the ride, girls!
Friday, September 10, 2010
football friday night
Ok...so I know this next blog was supposed to be about my gals activate group but I have had it on my heart lately to blog prayer for my Harding boys. To pray for the team, our staff, our community and most of all....my honey, the head coach.
precious Lord, our Guide, our Ultimate Coach...I thank you for this day and I praise you for being in my life. I thank you for this opportunity of football you have given our family. Lord, I want to be selfish at this very moment and pray for a win. O how that would seem to relieve some of the pressure. BUT I know and praise you that you have an ultimate plan that is for our good. Lord I pray that in our minds and hearts that we would not be defined by our losses...those are past...done. but Lord that we will be defined by our integrity, our character, our hard work, our 'never give up' attitude, our 'no excuses' attitude. Lord that our team, our staff, our community may be defined by these things rather than by our wins and losses. We cannot change yesterday and we should not worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). But TONIGHT...tonight we have the opportunity to represent who we are. and i pray we grasp this opportunity and represent the team, staff and community that you want us to be....no matter the outcome of tonight. Lord I pray for unity, among our staff, among our boys and among our community. I pray the boys will flow together as one tonight. Build them up today in godly confidence. Encourage them Lord. Give them ears to listen to their coaches. Allow the coaches to speak inspiration into their very being. May the seniors and leaders of this team rally the team together tonight! I pray for our coaches...renew their strength and pump them full of energy. Allow what is on their tongues to be worthy of you. May their words spur on the boys to action. Actions that unite, actions that glorify you. Give the coaches creativity, wisdom and quick well planned thoughts. May the boys execute the coaches plans...each and every play. And last Lord, you know I can't help myself...but please give a good ol heaping of grace to the refs, that they would want to extend that same grace to my boys tonight....heehee. thank you...and i love you.
and last...I cannot believe I just found out about this song! but I gotta end today's football prayer with Kenny Chesney's The Boys of Fall. I especially loved the coach's speech before the song even starts. TONIGHT!
See next post for song (sorry I'm new to this blogging thing ;)
precious Lord, our Guide, our Ultimate Coach...I thank you for this day and I praise you for being in my life. I thank you for this opportunity of football you have given our family. Lord, I want to be selfish at this very moment and pray for a win. O how that would seem to relieve some of the pressure. BUT I know and praise you that you have an ultimate plan that is for our good. Lord I pray that in our minds and hearts that we would not be defined by our losses...those are past...done. but Lord that we will be defined by our integrity, our character, our hard work, our 'never give up' attitude, our 'no excuses' attitude. Lord that our team, our staff, our community may be defined by these things rather than by our wins and losses. We cannot change yesterday and we should not worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). But TONIGHT...tonight we have the opportunity to represent who we are. and i pray we grasp this opportunity and represent the team, staff and community that you want us to be....no matter the outcome of tonight. Lord I pray for unity, among our staff, among our boys and among our community. I pray the boys will flow together as one tonight. Build them up today in godly confidence. Encourage them Lord. Give them ears to listen to their coaches. Allow the coaches to speak inspiration into their very being. May the seniors and leaders of this team rally the team together tonight! I pray for our coaches...renew their strength and pump them full of energy. Allow what is on their tongues to be worthy of you. May their words spur on the boys to action. Actions that unite, actions that glorify you. Give the coaches creativity, wisdom and quick well planned thoughts. May the boys execute the coaches plans...each and every play. And last Lord, you know I can't help myself...but please give a good ol heaping of grace to the refs, that they would want to extend that same grace to my boys tonight....heehee. thank you...and i love you.
and last...I cannot believe I just found out about this song! but I gotta end today's football prayer with Kenny Chesney's The Boys of Fall. I especially loved the coach's speech before the song even starts. TONIGHT!
See next post for song (sorry I'm new to this blogging thing ;)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
MOPS-Mothers of Preschoolers
Ok...so here's the 4.1.1 on MOPS.
MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. It is a group of mommas who still have kiddos at home. Kiddos, babies, rugrats, offspring, little darlings...whatever your name for them is, as long as they are PRE school-age (which includes kindergarten)...you are more than welcome to come hang with us mommas! We get together twice a month...usually the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 9:30 am-11:30 am.
I enjoy MOPS so much because it is my escape from responsibilities at my house for just a short while. I walk in (technically I RUN in, dragging my kids behind me because I am usually late...surprise, surprise!)...anyways...I walk in and am greeted by so many friendly, wonderful people as I go to drop off my little ones to their classes. People that are willing to care for my kiddos while I rest, relax, regroup.
As the last of my little darlings is dropped off to their class...I feel like dancing to mine!! My shoulders relax as I approach the room where the mommas get together. I hear momma chatter, smell delicious food and a big OL smile goes across my face! There is a spread of food that sure beats that piece of buttered toast I grabbed while getting one kiddo off to school and the rest of us ready for MOPS.
A yummy breakfast and a HOT cup of coffee. Yes, HOT. If you have kids, you KNOW this is a delicacy. AND I get to finish the whole cup!
This is just the beginning.
There is a group of mommas, called the steering team. And this group of mommas deserve an APPLAUSE! This team serves us MOPS. They plan games, crafts, speakers and so much more. These gals are mommas with their own PRE school-age babies and kiddos making sure we all can relax, share, rest, and regroup together.
So when 11:30am is here...we end our time together as MOPS mommas. And this time as I head to pick up my kiddos...I feel refreshed and ready to be a better mommy.
More details on MOPS:
For a MOPS near you visit their website www.mops.org
MOPS in Marion is held at Cornerstone Church
1st MOPS is September 17th at 9:30am
October MOPS are Oct. 1st and 22nd
NEW!! MOPS at night! Kickoff is Tuesday, October 12th
website www.marioncornerstonemops.org
MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. It is a group of mommas who still have kiddos at home. Kiddos, babies, rugrats, offspring, little darlings...whatever your name for them is, as long as they are PRE school-age (which includes kindergarten)...you are more than welcome to come hang with us mommas! We get together twice a month...usually the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 9:30 am-11:30 am.
I enjoy MOPS so much because it is my escape from responsibilities at my house for just a short while. I walk in (technically I RUN in, dragging my kids behind me because I am usually late...surprise, surprise!)...anyways...I walk in and am greeted by so many friendly, wonderful people as I go to drop off my little ones to their classes. People that are willing to care for my kiddos while I rest, relax, regroup.
As the last of my little darlings is dropped off to their class...I feel like dancing to mine!! My shoulders relax as I approach the room where the mommas get together. I hear momma chatter, smell delicious food and a big OL smile goes across my face! There is a spread of food that sure beats that piece of buttered toast I grabbed while getting one kiddo off to school and the rest of us ready for MOPS.
A yummy breakfast and a HOT cup of coffee. Yes, HOT. If you have kids, you KNOW this is a delicacy. AND I get to finish the whole cup!
This is just the beginning.
There is a group of mommas, called the steering team. And this group of mommas deserve an APPLAUSE! This team serves us MOPS. They plan games, crafts, speakers and so much more. These gals are mommas with their own PRE school-age babies and kiddos making sure we all can relax, share, rest, and regroup together.
So when 11:30am is here...we end our time together as MOPS mommas. And this time as I head to pick up my kiddos...I feel refreshed and ready to be a better mommy.
More details on MOPS:
For a MOPS near you visit their website www.mops.org
MOPS in Marion is held at Cornerstone Church
1st MOPS is September 17th at 9:30am
October MOPS are Oct. 1st and 22nd
NEW!! MOPS at night! Kickoff is Tuesday, October 12th
website www.marioncornerstonemops.org
Monday, August 23, 2010
worn out momma
School is in full swing this week and I just wanna shout from the rooftops...
SCHOOL IS IN!!! WOOHOO!! YIPPEE!!! FREE babysitting for ME!!!
Now don't get me wrong. I love my kids and I love summer. But this worn out momma is ready for a break and ready for schedule!
That is how I describe myself lately...
worn out momma.
Allow me to set the stage for you the day 'worn out momma' came to be...
It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood, but inside the Hinton house...
bills and papers piled SKY HIGH covering all counterspace and then some.
the toilet was moldy and 'ring around the tub' is an understatement for our bathtub.
so many toys on the floor, I feel like I have to play hopskotch to get from one room to the next.
clean clothes are doing the tango with dirty clothes...and I have no idea which is which.
dishes are taking over the other counterspace that the papers haven't toppled over onto...yet.
breakfast and lunch food and dishes are all over the table and floor...and the cinnamon life and macaroni and cheese on the floor have been crushed and squished under the tootsies of a very happy 1 year old.
And then the moment I still haven't forgotten.
Standing in the middle of the living room...my 1 year old hanging on my legs...my 8 & 5 year olds needing 'somethings'. The room started spinning. All the mess started closing in. My body started tensing up and shaking...I WAS GOING TO EXPLODE!!!
That moment when you wanna scream and know you shouldn't, but you do it anyway! Well out it came...
MOMMY NEEDS A TIMEOUT!!!!!!!!!!!
I removed the 1 year old from my legs and ran to the front door! Quickly shut the door behind me and fell...collapsed into the porch chair!
Big heavy breath. Sigh. Drained. Strained. Wore Out. Spent. Tired.
That's it. End of story. There was no great revelation or answers that day.
I've prayed before, 'Lord, reveal to me times to regroup before things get really bad.' And when those opportunities came up, I would grab them! Be it, sitting on my porch or someone else's porch, taking a walk or bike ride...I've been dangling my tootsies off the edge of nowhere (previous post). But it has been different the last part of this summer.
Since that day, there has been a few more 'exploding points'...sadly. But today, in the calm and quiet as I've thought about 'worn out momma'...
I realized I haven't been taking care of ALL the parts that make me who God built me to be.
I've been taking care of the...wife part of me.
I've been taking care of the...mommy part of me.
I've been taking care of the...friends and family part of me.
But I haven't been taking care of the...
me part of me.
The two things I've been missing are:
1. leading a group of gals once a week for Bible study. (which...sneak peek is...we're doing 'Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl' by Lysa Terkeurst!!)
and,
2. relaxing and enjoying MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) twice a month.
Both of these things are on a regular basis and are on the calendar just for me. The 'me' part of me. The part that completes the whole picture of who God created me to be for this season of my life...a football wife to my honey, a mommy of little ones, a family and friend to all the wonderful people in my life and....me.
In my next two blogs, I will be giving more details on these two wonderful groups.
So what about you? What are all your parts that make you who you are? Are you taking care of all those parts?
SCHOOL IS IN!!! WOOHOO!! YIPPEE!!! FREE babysitting for ME!!!
Now don't get me wrong. I love my kids and I love summer. But this worn out momma is ready for a break and ready for schedule!
That is how I describe myself lately...
worn out momma.
Allow me to set the stage for you the day 'worn out momma' came to be...
It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood, but inside the Hinton house...
bills and papers piled SKY HIGH covering all counterspace and then some.
the toilet was moldy and 'ring around the tub' is an understatement for our bathtub.
so many toys on the floor, I feel like I have to play hopskotch to get from one room to the next.
clean clothes are doing the tango with dirty clothes...and I have no idea which is which.
dishes are taking over the other counterspace that the papers haven't toppled over onto...yet.
breakfast and lunch food and dishes are all over the table and floor...and the cinnamon life and macaroni and cheese on the floor have been crushed and squished under the tootsies of a very happy 1 year old.
And then the moment I still haven't forgotten.
Standing in the middle of the living room...my 1 year old hanging on my legs...my 8 & 5 year olds needing 'somethings'. The room started spinning. All the mess started closing in. My body started tensing up and shaking...I WAS GOING TO EXPLODE!!!
That moment when you wanna scream and know you shouldn't, but you do it anyway! Well out it came...
MOMMY NEEDS A TIMEOUT!!!!!!!!!!!
I removed the 1 year old from my legs and ran to the front door! Quickly shut the door behind me and fell...collapsed into the porch chair!
Big heavy breath. Sigh. Drained. Strained. Wore Out. Spent. Tired.
That's it. End of story. There was no great revelation or answers that day.
I've prayed before, 'Lord, reveal to me times to regroup before things get really bad.' And when those opportunities came up, I would grab them! Be it, sitting on my porch or someone else's porch, taking a walk or bike ride...I've been dangling my tootsies off the edge of nowhere (previous post). But it has been different the last part of this summer.
Since that day, there has been a few more 'exploding points'...sadly. But today, in the calm and quiet as I've thought about 'worn out momma'...
I realized I haven't been taking care of ALL the parts that make me who God built me to be.
I've been taking care of the...wife part of me.
I've been taking care of the...mommy part of me.
I've been taking care of the...friends and family part of me.
But I haven't been taking care of the...
me part of me.
The two things I've been missing are:
1. leading a group of gals once a week for Bible study. (which...sneak peek is...we're doing 'Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl' by Lysa Terkeurst!!)
and,
2. relaxing and enjoying MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) twice a month.
Both of these things are on a regular basis and are on the calendar just for me. The 'me' part of me. The part that completes the whole picture of who God created me to be for this season of my life...a football wife to my honey, a mommy of little ones, a family and friend to all the wonderful people in my life and....me.
In my next two blogs, I will be giving more details on these two wonderful groups.
So what about you? What are all your parts that make you who you are? Are you taking care of all those parts?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
mover of mountains
Yesterday I was reminded and encouraged why I started blogging. I sent a text prayer to a friend, who then forwarded it on to encourage others. Throughout the day, she sent me the responses she received. I learned so much from the responses.
I started blogging because I love community. I love doing things together.
Let's try this together....
Let's pray this together....
Let's learn this together....
Let's mess up together....
And in my plethura (love this word! or I could write out 'many' a quadrillion times to the infinite power) of mess ups, I love to bathe in the fact that there is One who loves me no matter what I've done. And in return, I want to love all over Him and share that love with others.
So I'm gonna forward the prayer on again this morning:
Mover of mountains....Lord of our lives...You are our HOPE....You are our CONFIDENCE...we rest in You, Lord. Move mountains in the people around us! Move mountains in us! Let us not be of talk, but of action. Overfill us with Your love that it splashes the people around us....that they catch what You got going on!!! May our words, our tones, our faces, our movements be full of gentleness and love and received as such. May we not believe the lies about us. Help us to hate sin and love love love people.
I started blogging because I love community. I love doing things together.
Let's try this together....
Let's pray this together....
Let's learn this together....
Let's mess up together....
And in my plethura (love this word! or I could write out 'many' a quadrillion times to the infinite power) of mess ups, I love to bathe in the fact that there is One who loves me no matter what I've done. And in return, I want to love all over Him and share that love with others.
So I'm gonna forward the prayer on again this morning:
Mover of mountains....Lord of our lives...You are our HOPE....You are our CONFIDENCE...we rest in You, Lord. Move mountains in the people around us! Move mountains in us! Let us not be of talk, but of action. Overfill us with Your love that it splashes the people around us....that they catch what You got going on!!! May our words, our tones, our faces, our movements be full of gentleness and love and received as such. May we not believe the lies about us. Help us to hate sin and love love love people.
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