Psalm 51

The other night before bed, I recalled singing this song as a little girl:

"Create in me a clean heart, Oh God.
And renew a right spirit within me..." (Psalm 51:10)

David was a worshiper. He was a skilled musician. He was a humble warrior known throughout Israel. He was a king! As he grew, he attracted people everywhere he went. Perhaps he was like an Old Testament ROCK STAR! He had been anointed as a child to replace King Saul on the throne and was celebrated for one of the most amazing defeats in all of the Israelite days in battle. No wonder Saul was so jealous of this guy! But David, being one of the most celebrated men of all the Old Testament, still messed up. Psalm 51 was his cry of repentance before God involving his secret sin with Bathsheba.

I think we all WANT to remember David for those celebrated accomplishments. I don't think any of us want to believe a Bible hero so great could have messed up so big. Surely when his sin was made known, he was disappointed in himself, or perhaps he regretted his compromising decision. But I happen to believe the saddest part for David was his knowing that his sin had made him FEEL separated him from God's presence- by his own choice and actions.

BUT, (I LOVE THIS PART!!) as his HEART began to turn towards repentance, true repentance, the only thing that mattered to him was to be close to the Lord again.

I kinda think this was a weepy song he cried out to God:

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

What a beautiful heart cry. We know that God's Word promises He will never leave us or forsake us. In fact, it's quite the opposite. He is waiting for us to run to him when we need grace and forgiveness.

Hebrews 4:16 (New King James Version) says:

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Haven't we all been in need of his Grace? As a mom, I am WAITING for my kids to run to me and get it right when they mess up. I never stop loving them because they didn't obey the first time. How silly we forget God the Father loves us also in that way! I just love how God leaves His arms open and he immediately receives us, forgives and LOVES!! Don't camp out in the problems of your life or your mistakes. Just like David, God can use you when you turn your heart to Him.

I love this quote, borrowed from my friend Amy...Troy liked it so much he used it in his Sunday message!

"God is not distracted by style, personality,
appearance or achievement.
His gaze pierces the flesh and weighs the heart.
Then He places His hand upon sincere souls
and turns shepherds into kings."

SUMMER LIFE GROUP: UPDATE!

We are celebrating the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL and the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! No more waking up at 6 am (well, at least for the kids!). For those of you interested in the summer life group, we have decided on a date and time!

EAT THE COOKIE, BUY THE SHOES!!!!

Wednesday, June 23 (10:00 am - 11:30 am)
Wednesday, June 30 (10:00 am - 11:30 am)
Wednesday, July 7 (10:00 am - 11:30 am)
Wednesday, July 14 (10:00 am- 11:30 am)


* We will be meeting at Highland Chapel Church at the Township, located upstairs (directly behind Soulshine Pizza)
* Childcare will be provided. You may bring snacks/lunch with your kiddos if needed.
* Anyone is welcome!

At some point over the next two weeks, try to purchase your copy of Joyce Meyer's, "Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes"
new book release. There are many sites online and it is probably at the local stores. The purpose for this group is to
CONNECT, ENCOURAGE, and have FUN!!! So please feel free to invite a friend.

We will CELEBRATE our completion of the group by having some girl fun- SHOPPING AND DESSERT!!!! Time TBA

Please leave a comment if you plan attend. The only thing I ask is that you let me know ages of any children coming, so that we may provide enough help.

Looking forward to our time together!

NEW SUMMER LIFE GROUP FOR WOMEN!

I am so excited about the idea of hosting my first Life Group for "The Girls" since I have been here in Madison. I have ALWAYS grown from these times together- girls just need time to hang out, be real, talk and pray with one another- especially for encouragement and LAUGHTER!!! I am thinking to meet once a week for 4 weeks and study the new book by Joyce Meyer, EAT THE COOKIE, BUY THE SHOES! Here is a little sample:

"I didn’t know how to trust God with daily life. I was out
of balance in almost everything and I did not yet realize that
celebration and enjoyment are necessary in our lives and we
cannot be healthy spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physi-
cally without them. We must remember that we are not built
for guilt, and we should deal with it aggressively anytime we
experience it.
The best gift you can give your family and the world is a
healthy you and you cannot be healthy without celebration
being a regular part of your life. You can change the entire
atmosphere in your home simply by giving yourself permission
to lighten up."

Joyce Meyer

If you are interested, please let me know the best time and mid-week day that would work for you and we can get our plans rolling! We will provide childcare at our church facility, located in The Township.

Looking forward to a great summer together!

Hayley

New Day

Troy and I discovered this song by The Robby Seay Band.
We thought it summarized our journey in life right now, especially
the part about hope, coffee and a melody!!!

(You can scroll for it on my playlist at the bottom of the page.)


I'm gonna sing this song
To let you know that you're not alone
And if you're like me
You need hope, coffee, and melody
So sit back down
Let the world keep spinning ‘round
For yesterday's gone and today is waiting on you to show your face

It might not be
The prettiest thing that you'll ever see
But it’s a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day
And it might not look like
A beautiful sunrise
But it's a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day

I’m a pilgrim soul
I've traveled far and come back home
This land is hard and cold
For those who long to love
And I know it might seem
That the world is crumbling
But it’s me and you dancing in the kitchen at 2 am
And we're still alive

It’s the calm of the storm that comes blowing in
It’s the springtime saying I'm back again
The clouds that roll by
Crossing moonlight
Me and you love – everything's alright
Standing in the rain with nowhere to go
Laughing and we're spinning and I hope that you
Remember this day
For the rest of your life
Me and you love – everything’s gonna be alright

And it just might be
The prettiest thing that you'll ever see
It’s a new day
Oh baby, it’s a new day
If you look outside
To see a beautiful sunrise
It’s a new day

Framing My World

Since it's the beginning of the year and most people set "goals", I decided to do something different. I realize that most people have dreams and ideas of what they want their lives to be like. When I was young, I used to daydream about what I thought my future would be like! I wanted my husband to be dark and tan, like John Travolta looked in Grease!, and I wanted to live in a big beautiful white house with a little land. I knew I wanted at least 3, no more than 4 children. I wanted to serve God and raise my family the same. I wanted to graduate college, be a cheerleader and a teacher, and I wanted to always be where God is moving! Other than the big white house, I discovered that I am living out my own dreams. But I don't think I am finished! I still have ideas of things I want to accomplish, places I want to go, health goals, ministry visions, helping others, etc... So why is it that some people get there at the end of their life and they are fulfilled, and some people only talk about it and never live it?

I recall in college continually dwelling on the scripture Moses spoke to the nation of Israel as they were in the desert, as the Lord had spoken through him, "I set before you life and death, THEREFORE, CHOOSE LIFE!" So the reality is that life IS a choice and as we grow older, we are living out the choices we have previously made. I always ask my children if their choices are life-giving!? Believe it or not, a 3,5, and 8 year old know the difference! So, for fun, I had my Bible study girls do a project...We are going to get a picture frame and inside, create anything that we want that describes the life we want to live, so that we can have something to reflect on when we are carrying out our daily lives. It should be fun and it should represent who you are. The most important thing is to dream big-remember your childhood dreams. What thoughts are you allowing that help you choose life and accomplish those goals, and which ones are hindering you from growing each day? Remember the choices we have been given. You can choose to finish the race of life that has been set before you! Don't give up, just choose to define the world you live in, based on God's Word and promises! HAVE FUN

Here is an example of how to get started:

1. Make a list of all your thoughts-dreams. Remember places, people, colors, etc.
2. Try to find a scripture or scriptures that applies to you and what you want to accomplish
3. Select a frame that looks like your style (size and designs depend on you)
4. Use the computer to print, use picture, or just use words (some girls use magazine clippings)
5. Arrange your ideas so that they fit into your frame

* It would be interesting to hold on to it so that you can see through the years how God is faithful to you!

Seacrest Beach

Troy and I started dating after a church beach trip to Sandestin. Because of our sentimental attachment and 7 years of revisiting that area, we just kept going back to the same beach location and loved every trip! God even blessed us for our honeymoon and a friend gave us their beachfront condo for nearly 2 weeks-completely paid for! We have brought the family back every summer. Needless to say, Sandestin holds a special place in our hearts. But lately, we have been feeling the need to venture a little farther down the coast and explore something new. WE WERE NOT LET DOWN! We discovered Seacrest Beach, which is a resort village only 20 minutes past Destin. It truly felt like a mini paradise!

Choose to Laugh!

I choose to Laugh!!

Would I choose to be normal? Sometimes- but that gets too boring around my house.
I love change and I love to laugh. My pastor's wife in Little Rock, and a mother of 4 as well,
told me there are always going to be moments where you have to choose to laugh or cry.
I have had to choose laughter these days because sometimes the hyper-activity of our household
would bring me to tears!! But really, it's awesome- here is a moment I chose to laugh:

Since we all were off celebrating the first day of the Christmas holidays yesterday, nobody got
to bed before 11 pm. Too bad we had to wake up for our Upward Baskeball/cheerleading game for
8 am. Everyone was happy, but Troy and I were racing to get in the car on time. We forgot Lauren's
pom-pom bag (thank God she didn't cry), I had to spoon-feed Joshua his breakfast (Troy's delicious eggs,
strawberries, and raisin toast); We forgot to charge the video camera so we had the power-converter plugged
into the car so we could charge it on the way. To top it off, everyone was thirsty, so Troy in his quick thinking
raced out the door with the entire jug of orange juice and plastic cups. 1/2 down the road, we were serving the
kids like a continental breakfast- Do you want more? Troy brought his electric razor so he is driving to the game holding
a jug of orange juice between his legs, and shaving- In the middle of his shave, he ran out of battery juice!!
LAUGH or CRY?? Pretty good moment to cave in! I asked him, "How many people do you know driving down the road
with a jug of juice!??? His reply, "MORE THAN YOU THINK!" I had to believe it is probably true, and laugh!!!

I learned that what makes the difference in your life is not the problems that come your way, but the way in which you
respond to them. We don't always get it right, but we can all learn to laugh a little bit more!

My dear friend Kelley moved to Heaven

My dear friend Kelley moved to Heaven. For those of you who don't know, Kelley Foret was one of my dearest friends and stood in my wedding. She was the first of my beautiful friends to walk down the isle!! Troy and Kelley knew one another since grade school back in New Orleans. Their families grew up together and Kelley and I met after Troy and I started dating. We shared many rooms on out trips to Destin. Kelley was (and still is) so full of life. She was a constant party. We used to have so much fun cutting up over our on "In Living Color" jokes-We frequently called each other at random parts of the day to talk about the things of God. When Troy and I were ever "on a break", she would be the first one to encourage me by saying "God has a plan and you are in it." Those words are always ringing inside." She developed a rare cancer and fought hard for her life. I cannot understand with my mind how this happened, but my faith is strong in the Lord and I am so glad she is not in pain anymore. Heaven is becoming a very clear reality for me. I know she is there and it won't be long until we are all back together! We love you Kelley.
You are a treasure...

Are You Dreaming of the Year 2009?

When Troy and I were dating, we always brought in the New Year at the night watch church service, and then went back to his
parents to celebrate and pray with family. But many years later when I was 8 months pregnant with Lauren, my second, I remember it was storming so we decided to stay home. Troy and I separated and we each had alone time with God to pray and get direction for the new year. When I was by myself upstairs, I finished reading the entire book written by Casey Treat (How To Fulfill Your God-Given Destiny). It changed me! Troy and I had frequently talked about committing ourselves to full-time ministry but never made a decision to do it. This night was very clear- All roads lead to Rome...If I ever doubted it before, everything in my life pointed me in the direction of this life-long calling that we were to pursue it for the year 2003. Troy and I met up together around the 12:00 mark. He confirmed to me that the Lord told him the very same thing. What an awesome revelation of truth and understanding we got that night about how to really bring in a New Years! From them on, we have done our best to spend our New Year time of celebration with each other and especially with the Lord.

I am excited about today, but I am also excited about the future and what is to come in the year 2009. I am steady in faith and not moved by what is going on in the world around us, even though it seems crazy at times. I am ready to receive a new word of revelation and learn about God's plans and visions for the Loveteam for the year 2009. Be encouraged. God will do the same for anyone who asks! I believe He has a plan and purpose and CLEAR direction for what each of us should be focussed on for the upcoming year. (Matthew 7:7)

Victoria

What a beautiful friendship! Victoria and I were roommates at LSU. She couldn't speak English yet and
I couldn't speak Spanish- Living together was so funny! Somehow this was a divine thing. Victoria and
I were like sisters and ALL our families felt the same way about each other. She eventually learned more English than I did
Spanish and we were able communicate- I had a chance to visit Venezuela and live with her precious family for 10 days.(When I got back, Troy and I finally got engaged!) I was so happy she got to walk through the wedding with me, but we have not seen
each other since Christopher was small, 7 years ago. Someday soon we will get back together! I know we are sisters for life though. One day Troy and I hope to do ministry work in the South American regions. Until next time Victoria, Happy birthday NOVEMBER 5! You are loved

The next Generation

Today we are celebrating the home-going of Ruth Stockstill, the co-founder Bethany. When I was younger in college and Troy and I were dating, I used to sit back and admire the 3 generations serving and worshiping together- Pastor Roy and Mrs. Ruth, Pastor Larry and Mrs. Melanie, and all their 6 children. To be able to witness the fruit of their labor is so encouraging as I am raising up my 4 children. It especially reminds me not to get discouraged if I don't see the whole picture. We are all co-laborers for the kingdom and we will not always see everything, but we will hear "well done my faithful servant." So, for the seeds she has planted in all of us, I praise God that I got to witness her life and it encourages me to be stronger in my walk with the Lord and strive to plant seeds into my own, the next generation.

Interesting, because last night I went to the Live the Dream conference at HPC and April S. spoke- Joel Osteen's sister. She had a powerful word about fighting the good fight of faith because it is teaching the next generation what to fight for- we are warriors for Christ. It was based on her experience when her mom (surely everyone has heard this story) was diagnosed with cancer and was given 3 weeks to live. She came home looking deathly, and April witnessed her parents praying and standing in faith for her healing. Of course, the end of the story is that she is still living and just celebrated a birthday last Wed.- She outlived her husband! God is so good. If anyone gets this update, Please pray for KELLEY, one of our best friends who is battling cancer in the hospital right now. I believe in the miracles of God for EVERYONE. I cannot let other people's circumstances change my faith in God's Word. By Jesus Christ's stripes we WERE healed and I will believe that for Kelley today. Please join your faith to ours. She needs a miracle in the next few days.

Check out the HPC conference live on the web. I think you can get there by healingplacechurch.org

Who is your "sauce"?

Really, it's who is your "source"- Dr. Cho from South Korea pronounces it "sauce"!
Just a thought question for me today. I have heard so many people raising the concern of what is going on in the economy. Definately it is a wake-up in our
spiritual lives, to know who our source really is-God or this world? Our pastor
said that the nation is experiencing a shaking- we understand that since we just lived through a hurricane season-but the shaking of our nation relates to the fall of all the things man has trusted in-Money, power, modern conviences, even people are falling from their high places! I guess I can now SEE how God is proving His goodness to us in these days. When you see a tree that has some brown leaves and broken limbs and something SHAKES it, all those parts of the tree that are disconnected fall and those that are healthy and connected to the main parts stay the attached. I think that is a true picture of this passage of scripture when Jesus says,

"I am the true vine and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2)

I believe in the LOVE of God first. If there is a wake up call for our nation to turn to God, God will do everything in His power to draw his family back to Him.
So I am not blaming God for every horrible thing that goes on in the world. But I do think He is needing the body of Christ who is connected to rise up and declare his GOODNESS- spread the good news of Jesus, love our neighbors as ourselves, forgive others, live a life of integrity, you know! I hope for all my friends and family that you trust God as your source, no matter what the gas prices are or what the stock market does! We have a promise that is GOOD and we need to let those around us see our confidence in the Lord in such a time as this.

"Think about what you are thinking about!"

I was reading a great book by Joyce Meyer that addressed how we are to be cautious not to let
our minds wander or wonder too much. Perhaps in a normal day, we get focussed and begin
working on something meaningful but our mind wanders down another thought path! Anyway,
it was an encouraging word to know that we do have the strength to take hold of our thoughts and
turn them over to God. Most of the time He is trying to give us the insight and direction that we
are really in search of for our day, but we won't get it we wander down 3rd Street and we are supposed
to be on Main! Just a thought!

R U a Real Tiger? Guess where this pic was taken!

Geaux Tigers!

LIVE LIFE!

I have discovered that life is what YOU make it, not what you want others to make happen for you. As a young mom, I have to decide each day when I wake up that today will be great and that God has something awesome in store... So instead of waking up tired and frustrated because of all the responsibilities that come with life, I have learned to chill out and just have fun! No matter how many times I clean my house and make it perfect, it doesn't stay that way for longer than 30 minutes! I don't want to live my life stuck in a closet trying to get organized-I certainly appreciate those who have the natural gift of order, but the order I want in my life begins with my priorities- GOD, FAMILY, and then EVERYTHING ELSE!

Here are some things that make my mornings go smoother!

1. Read your Bible and pray before the kids wake up. It will set the tone for your day.
2. If you have time, take a walk around the block. It is so peaceful and getting out of the house will change your perspective!
3. Get some good music going in your house (I couldn't live without our family ipod)
4. Welcome your family in the morning with a happy heart, especially your husband! A warm cup of coffee with our Bibles on the patio is our favorite date. We discuss our lives, the future, and even our daily schedules- who drives carpool, what we will do for dinner, etc.
5. Some days I just want to lounge in our pj's and hang at home- other days I just need to throw on my coolest jeans and go shopping- KNOW YOURSELF- don't get stuck in the house every day and don't run your family crazy because you are so BUSY! Balance is the key.
6. Forgive and Live! Don't get hard on yourself because you aren't perfect. We are running a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes we get ahead and sometimes we fall behind, but thank GOD, we are still in the race and it isn't over! KEEP MOVING and don't give up!

Fall is here!

The thing I love about the fall, besides the beautiful landscapes and cool breezes, is the mark of "change." Fall reminds me that it is okay to let go of things and look forward to the new season of life! Sometimes transition is difficult, but if our hope is in God, then we know it will be good!

My favorite things about fall!

1. LSU TIGERS FOOTBALL!
2. Back to school!!!
3. Beautiful leaves and landscapes on Highland Road
4. Great shopping
5. New jeans and cool boots
6. Being outside with my family
7. Hollidays at the Centroplex

Hurricane Season! Welcome to Louisiana

what a welcome back to Louisiana- Hurricane season- these are a few pics the morning after the hurricane- we weren't supposed to be out on the road, but we had to get the kids out of the house and there was NO WHERE TO GO! We were so blessed with no damage to our property- not even one branch- people all around us had damage but we were fine! The night before, Troy and I took prayed with the children and blessed our home- I am so glad they were able to witness God's answering our prayers- what a testimony for them to remember- the only problem was that we had no power for a little over a week- hardly a problem- it brought families and neighbors OUT of their houses and together- I saw people reading on their porches, families taking walks, laundry hang-drying outside- it was like living a week in "the good old days!"






The above picture is my awesome husband heading up disaster relief at the church. The first few days they passed out
over 1,000 batches of water, tarps, and supplies-Bethany is such a giving church.

"Today is the first day of the rest of our lives!"...A famous motto in my house. So, today is my first day to blog. It seems
fitting for me since I love my family, I love to write, and I love to communicate the goodness of God and what He has done
in my life.

I Miss You Julie!!! Our Trip to the Grand Opening

My Father, The Hero

On the beach flying kites. What a way to enjoy being with family!













For those of you who don't know, my father lives near the beach! He is a veteran pilot of the US NAVY
and I am so very proud of him. He is also an expert sailor and knows more about sailing than ANYONE.
(and he's not afraid to admit it either!)
We got the chance to visit the US Naval Aircraft museum with him on this trip...what an honor!