Miracle Molli Storms the Castle!

This is such an amazingly beautiful day that the Lord has made! The crisp breeze flowing through the trees that causes the leaves to shower down among this playground area is a simply wonderful sight. My two year old's little voice laughing as she plays and climbs around is one of the sweetest sounds that I've ever heard. On top of all of that, seeing her push herself a little harder and accomplish things that she hasn't done before (like climb her way to the very top of the castle by herself) is enough to bring tears to my eyes. God is so wonderful to bless me with such an opportunity to see His work first-hand. Don't you just love him? :-)
Here are some pictures.

She is sweet, huh??

God, You're Such an Amazing God..

... is what I repeated out loud today while standing in my kitchen, crying my eyes out.
I pray daily and read my Bible, but its not every day that I am bawling my eyes out giving Him the praise He deserves. So what brought on this sudden wave of rejoicing? Back up a bit.
New Years (morning.. about 2 a.m.) I decided to start reading a book between books (a goal of mine this year is to read a lot more books). So I went to my shelf of books that have been loaned to me and picked out Max Lucado's It's Not About Me. Amazing book if any of you are looking to read something that will put you back in the place God made you to be in. It is a 150 page book and I figured if I read 50 pages at a time I would have it finished quickly. Well, I finished it today and it really helped shed light on some things that I had been hanging on to.
See exhibit A: in one of the last chapters titled "My struggles are about God" (This whole book is about everything being about God and not about me)
This was a verse that was in the chapter:
 "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3 NIV)"

Many of you reading this know that I have a special needs child. I have never read this verse the way that I read it today. That is my story! Here I've been wondering why in the world Molli is like this and what did Ryan and I do that would have caused her to be this way? And then God said, "I made her for ME. Not YOU." Molli is such a joy to everyone who loves her and I know that God has an amazing plan for her future. I am so excited for her!
I dwelt on that passage all day and then, as I was standing at my countertop taking a drink of tea, I just started crying out to God and all I could say was "God, You're such an amazing God!!" Over and over.
It's NOT about Me
It's about God!
I love Jesus.. His Grace is amazing.

Liebster Award

This is the Liebster Blog award. I've been seeing it be passed around today on a few blogs and then it got passed to me from Katie over at Intentional Pursuit . Very, very sweet of her to pass this to me. Thanks, Katie!

Anyway, in return I am to pass it to a few blogs that I love to read.

Cassie McLelland over at Beyond Measure is pretty special to me. Like me, she has a young child with Spina Bifida. But more important, like me, she is absolutely in love with Jesus. Her blog is very inspiring and I love to read it.

Kara Underwood over at Bryson's Blog is also another woman that inspires me. Her son is only a few months older than Molli and he, too, is battling Spina Bifida tooth and nail! Kara's committment to Bryson and trying to find him as much help as she can in our small area is very great. They are trying to raise money for treatment for him so if you feel like helping out- be sure to check her blog!

There are tons of other blogs and bloggers that I love and admire their hearts for Jesus! God Bless You all!

New Photo Blog

I made a legit photo-blog for my photography.

Check it out!

Mollipops Photography

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

I have been thinking a lot about the spiritual battle going on the county next to mine here lately. For those who aren't familiar with what is going on, I will elaborate. A group of atheists from up north have decided to try and aide a fellow atheist that lives in Henderson County by making a fuss over a Nativity Scene on the courthouse lawn in Athens,TX. They want it removed and/or they want to post their own banner beside it that reads:
"At this season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."


Silly, I know. If someone truly did not believe in Jesus- why in the world would someone fight so hard against him? Why not just roll your eyes and walk on by? Because there is a Jesus! He loves every single of us so much that while the world was still sinning- He died on a cross for us! "Us" including the non-believers! 


I have seen a lot of hatred being slurred about on social networking sites about this matter- from Christians as well as atheists! Christian people wanting these non-believing people to "burn in hell" and to leave them and their Nativity Scene alone. Instead of showing these people Jesus, all they are showing is how easy it is for Satan to come in and ruffle their feathers!


I have been praying for the upcoming rally that they are holding this weekend in defense of the Nativity Scene. I pray that my brothers and sisters in Christ step up and step out and show the world who's face they seek. I pray that every non-believing heart be witnessed to and made a believing heart and that nobody be turned away or turned off by the foul behavior of God's people. Be lights on a hilltop.


There is an awesome song by Casting Crowns from their new album, 'Come to the Well' called "Jesus, Friend of Sinners". It has such an amazing and personal message for everybody! Here are the lyrics:

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah...

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah...
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

A Meaningful Christmas.

 I Saw this quote today on Facebook and fell in love with it:
"Whenever Christmas begins to burden, it's a sign that I've taken on something of the world and not Christ." Anne Voscamp

It's so easy to get caught up in worldly splendors during this time and even easier to get caught up in tangles of debt and stress!  This year, I have completely turned around what Christmas traditions I had and started focusing more on giving. I don't want my daughter raised the same way that I was- and that is only seeing Christmas as an opportunity to stock up on worthless junk. It's not about junk- it's about Jesus! And Jesus told us, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for  Me."
 I praise the Lord for His sweet Spirit convicting me and always putting me right back where He wants me to be so that I can lead my child in a way that honors him.


Interested in giving this year?? Here are a few of the places that I am using this year.

http://www.cometogethertrading.com/
http://www.compassion.com/
http://www.worldvision.org/m/tt1


May God bless you all!

Intentionally intentional.

Here lately, I have decided to be more intentional with my role as mother and wife.. and tonight even Aunt! The turn-out is such a blessing, too!!

 A few weeks ago, my distressed heart was wondering "How in the world can I fix all of this?? Why can't I just get everyone to be the way I think Jesus wants them to be?" And then after intensely praying and crying out to the Lord about it, He directed my eyes towards a column written by a woman who had faced something similar to what I was facing. In her column, she talks about how she looked to the scriptures and came to Titus 2 and realized that it was HER who was not living the way she was supposed to- and that was that she was not submitting to her husband the way that God called her to. She saw herself as better than him and emasculated him with her faith. Upon receiving that heart check-she started complimenting him daily and letting him feel and know that he was respected. Though  it was extremely difficult at times, it eventually worked and brought them both closer to the Lord and to each other.

Back to MY story. I love that since I have been making it an intentional thing to pray with Molli and even (When I can) Jazzi, they both love to pray. Example, tonight Jazzi wanted me to pray over her "hurt" toe.. so afterwards, she and Molli laughingly prayed back and forth to each other while shouting "Amen!!''. Some might find that silly and petty.. but it made my heart smile that my two year old babies love to pray.

Dear Lord, these children are Yours and You love them so much. Please, Lord, equip us with wisdom so we can pour Your gospel into their precious little hearts. Amen.