2012 - Thankful!!

This year has had it's share of ups and downs...I've had some good days and not so good days.  I must admit that the good days carried me through the not so good days. 

I learned that with age comes wisdom.  I learned that I can make a difference in the lives of others.  I learned to make choices for my life and worry a little less about what others thought of my choices.

I laughed more.  I loved more.  I listened more.  I accepted more.

I shared my thoughts.  I shared information. 

I prayed everyday!  I prayed for others and I also prayed for myself.

I am filled with peace in knowing that my Lord is with me and I with Him.  I am filled with joy in knowing He died so that I may live.

As I journey through this life, I'll take 2012 with me!  Thankful!


~JourneywithJennifer~

Gone too soon!

I have memories of my childhood, the memories of sheer freedom....

1.  I remember feeling like I could fly, as long as I was being held in my Daddy's arms, touching the ceiling of our home

2.  I remember feeling like I had the best Mama in the world.  She made delicious homemade biscuits, pork chops, and soup

3.  I enjoyed those lazy days of play - on my bike, in the dirt, kickball, hide and seek, cartwheels across the yard, pretending to be a mother...

4.  I loved spending time with my grandparents - my Granddaddy's smile, my Madea's flapjacks, and my Grandmama's pork and beans

5.  I spent days playing with my siblings, cousins, friends, or just on my own

6.  I said my prayers every night and we prayed in school

7.  I loved picking blackberries and pecans from trees

8.  I stayed outside until the street lights came on during the summer

9.  I indulged in tropical punch Kool-Aid

10.  We had the best shows on TV

As I grow and journey through this life, I realize how precious those times were.  Although my life wasn't perfect, as I've grown over the years, I realize no one's life is perfect.  But I lived a life freely with happiness and very few fears.  As a child, you are innocent, you are full of life, and you are loved.  I pray that we all experience love.

God's greatest gift to us all is love.  He gave us his son, Jesus who died for our sins.  We are allowed freedom beyond our dreams and still wake up living in fear and suffering because of a life gone too soon; but not just lives taken.  There are minds, souls lost.  If we could only let go of darkness and look for light.  Because when it's all said and done, we should never give up or never give in..

~~JourneywithJennifer~~

Been Missing The Blog

It's been a while since I last posted a message.  Actually, it's been three months.  I haven't taken the time to even consider what to write or how.  So to cut through the blah and get to the point - I haven't been eating right or working out at all!!!  That pretty  much sums up the last three months and my well being.

I have the classic story to explain why I haven't been focused on taking care of me - I am busy these days with my family.  It's not that I wasn't busy before, but school started in August, practices started in August and a few other activities have started since then and my whole life has been me focused on my family life and no focus on myself.  I figured out too late this wasn't the best thing for me or my family. 

I forgot about my own life and my own goals for me. 

****My goals *****

- Eat healthy the majority of the time
- Be an example of how you can start fresh no matter where you are in life
- Share my journey with others
- Have healthy meals at least weekly (leftovers)

***Promises to myself***

- Be me in all situations
- Don't sacrifice myself to be someone else in order to please others
- Be God's Girl
- Love everyone and see the good in everyone but not so much that I hurt myself in the process

What have I been doing?  How am I making a contribution?

I am missing this blog...Going to catch up on my life and find a fresh new start.  I'll keep you posted.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid (Proverbs 12:1 NIV).

I am not exactly feeling my best and need some discipline in my life.  It would be unfortunate if I didn't take the time to correct my mistakes and acknowledge that I've made them..Oh and will continue as long as I am living.

***JourneywithJennifer***

Thankful!

I am journeying through this life, sure that each and every day He reveals Himself to me.  I am learning about His word and how my life lessons are found there.. A friend said that I am learning and recognizing that I am learning because it's a living Bible and it applies to life today.  I never thought of the Bible in that way and must admit that it's an eye opening thought something that stays with me these days.

I cannot count the number of times that I've read and  not understood something important  - Old Testament.  A few weeks ago in Sunday School our teacher said that Jesus is revealed in the OT.  Now I am sure I've heard this many times before and this time it actually stuck.  I am currently reading the New Testament, involved in an online Bible Study.  It's been great!  Once we finish up, I'll definitely be starting the OT again.  I may even start this January since I have one of the chronological one year Bibles. 

I think it's important to recognize how great this life really is and how much God truly loves us and to just be thankful.  I am thankful for who I am, where I am, where I've been and where I am going!

**JourneywithJennifer** Thankful!!

God Has a Plan and Purpose for us ALL! Jer 29:11

God has a plan and purpose for our lives.  If we could just hang on to that TRUTH!  Hang on!  That plan involves your TRUTH and the beauty of your being here.  We are truly here for a reason and we must listen to Him so that we may understand and go forward with joy and peace.  More importantly than all of this is to go forward in LOVE!

I know that we all have our struggles, everyone of us.  The season of the journey can be painful and very, very long.  It's like no one understands.  No one else can see us, they cannot hear us.  God hears!  God sees!  He really does..He gave us His only Son. 

Sometimes it feels like others have more to carry, and we feel like we're complaining.  The truth of the matter is that we cannot truly walk in someone else's shoes.  Only our own shoes can we walk in and only imagine what someone else must be feeling.  Even though someone else's burden my seem small, it's still a burden to them.  Yes, your life and your struggle.  It's okay to be sad and to feel your pain...Just always remember - You have the love of your Savior!  You don't have to drown in the pain of it all.  You have been redeemed!

We must live our lives for Jesus! He died for our sins so that we may be saved. I know it is difficult to go outside our feelings sometimes. We're human and we don't know how we're going to deal with life's journey. One thing we can do is pray. Pray always for ourselves and others. We can read God's Word and when it all hits the fan - We can use those words. The words in our hearts and minds is what's going to pull us through.

**JourneywithJennifer**

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 NKJV)

He's always there!

He's always there!  Thanks to my Lord for always being with me.

I must say that the latest Biggest Loser Contest isn't as sweet as the previous.  I am not sure why, but for some reason, it's not the same.  I am not sure if I am pressuring myself about my weight gain.  Yes, gain.  I gained three pounds.  I am a little down about this, but not feeling like it's the end of the world.  I have learned that the body does really adjust to different foods.  I ate salads - I saw less fat, bloating, inches, and weight.  I drank more water, I saw more junk leave my system.  I am just a little burned out on the salads and eat more fruits, veggies, and proteins.  The basics have been enough.  At least now I feel like I actually have food in my stomach and don't feel weak and fatigued.  I am not sooo hungry.
Oh, yes, back to the weight gain.  SPLURGE ANYONE??  Yes, I decided to enjoy my favorite hot dogs, ice cream, peanut butter cookies, and chips during the holiday.  Unfortunately, I loved it a little too much.  In my defense it's difficult to tell your family that you cannot cook, bake or even eat favorite foods because you're trying to lose weight.  You really cannot use this excuse on special occasions.  You have to go ahead and make a choice and eat and cook and eat some more.  I guess this isn't funny though..maybe a little sad.

I still feel like I need to be in control and that by eating and then eating more, I am not in control.  Hello, I should know by now that I am not in charge of anything..One thing the weight loss has done is take some of the pressure off.  Once you let yourself know that hey this isn't working and definitely isn't correct, improvements can be made.  And, you should give yourself a break.

I am excited to say that God's been with me through all of this yes indeed.  Typically I get down on myself and my goals if I gain a pound.  Well, I gained three and don't feel like it's the end of the diet as I know it and on to eating more food.  NO, I realize that doesn't help me and that I should consider how my actions will affect me in the long run if I never stop and just take a chance on losing these 20 extra pounds I am carrying.  Yes, the kid has lost 15 pounds and has a few more to go..

I am never giving up and never giving in.  I am in this all the way and my Lord, He's not even a step away.  He's always right here...

~JourneywithJennifer~

Being Available to use My Abilities...For Him

 
Wow! Today's message at church was awesome! Our pastor encouraged us all to be available to God and to use our abilities to glorify God's Kingdom! I don't know if we ever truly think about what we can do right now, today, right where we are for God! I know we all talk about being in a better place and being in the right frame of mind.

We're all taught at such a young age that when you come to God, you must be all the way in, no playing or pretending. It sounded like you had to be perfect or He would strike you dead. Like, BOOM DEAD. No questions. He sounded so harsh, like that one person who you couldn't embarrass or shame because you had to follow whatever He said. I didn't hear about the grace or the mercy...

I remember being in college and buying a key ring that had the name Jesus on it and being told by a friend that I needed to be careful.  She said that I shouldn't be playing. Well, unfortunately for me, that was one of many experiences for me after being saved where someone made me feel doubts about who I was and where I was going. It's true, I was young and unsure and not really certain of how to act or how to be or who to be...

I remember being saved at 19 singing songs and talking to my parents about Jesus. They were so proud of me. My Aunt Linda, BF's Mom, had said that I needed to be there all the time and not away at college. I didn't understand then that I needed a good church home. While away at school, I was left to fend for myself, so I thought and didn't really know what I was doing...I needed a mentor or a good Pastor, or even just a nice church member to help me along. MORE IMPORTANT than that, I needed to call on Jesus Himself to keep me home. Instead, I turned away thinking that I wasn't ready or that I didn't know enough about Him or know enough about His word - He who became flesh...

Cannot really say I got this at home, because I didn't. I am not sure I even asked. I knew that my life should be different. I know that Mama said to know the Lord's Prayer - a model from Jesus. She said I should know the 23rd Psalm. My Mudear said I should read the 27th Psalm if I was ever afraid. My Dad, the Sunday school teacher said to read the books found in the Bible written by the Apostle Paul. Romans 10:9-10 gave me the words and the understanding of all required to be His forever.  I had the words to spend all eternity in God's House - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

The more I read, listened, learned, and heard about Jesus, something in me told me there’s more.  I knew that He had a destiny for me and it wasn't about that indescribable feeling of joy I felt knowing I was saved. You see, I knew that Jesus loved me. I was HAPPY and had JOY beyond what I could ever imagine. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know how to go to HIM and ask to be led by Him. I believed, but I didn't know how to live in my belief.

I must admit that I did know how to pray and to ask for what I needed. I wore out a few bible pages over the years with all my stuff....Today my soul tells me that I am connected to Him and that I am His. I know He has a purpose for me and that He wants me to find my way in Him. I would love to tell my parents what I do know because of what they taught me, what I didn't realize so long ago..His plans

... It was about me knowing my true purpose in life, to know Him.