Holiday Wishes!

Hi everyone!

With the holidays coming up, I don't think I am going to have a blog post for the next couple of weeks unless I end up having the time to actually sit down and write...maybe....but I know how that goes! :)

But I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who reads and supports my blog, it means so much to me that anyone would care about what I have say and actually continue to read it.

And personally it has been a blessing for me to just write what God lays on my heart and what I learn through my special furry crew. I hope it can be an encouragement to others or simply bring a laugh or two. ;)

It has been a great year and I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next! I hope and pray everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday season with their loved ones and friends. Cherish every moment, never take it for granted and hold onto the true meaning of the season.

Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Years from me, Brooklyn, Merrylegs, April, Sam, and Bella!

What is Christmas Truly About?

Hi everyone,
So I am figuring based off of the title everybody is guessing a pretty cliché post about the true meaning of Christmas and how we should celebrate. Well yes and no. I want to offer my perspective of this year's Christmas. I have always enjoyed Christmas time with all the music, good food, time with family, and traditions. There does seem to be a magic in the air around this time of the year that can be infectious. But I have been reminded this time around that their is also a darker side to the holidays. The stress of running to countless family gatherings, being with people you may not always see eye to eye with, having the pressure of cooking Christmas dinner for everyone, shopping for the perfect gift for everyone, and feeling like you have to complete this unspoken checklist of mandatory Christmas festivities. I have spoken to several people this year who can't seem to wait until the holidays are over. They just want all the stress to be over with and done until another year. Now in many ways I get that...speaking as a true procrastinator when it comes to gift planning, but this year I have been much more at ease and I want to tell you why and see if maybe this can encourage anyone out there today who is simply just worn out about the whole Christmas thing. I have been asking myself this year the age old question of what does Christmas truly mean to me? It is like Charlie Brown when he has reached the end of his rope and feels as if he can't do anything right for the holiday season and cries out for someone to tell him the true meaning of Christmas. And sweet little Linus takes center stage to proclaim the story of Christ's birth. It may be just a "kids" show but I tell you I tear up every time I watch that precious scene. Why? Because that means something to me. The day Christ was born was the day I received the best gift I could ever imagine. The hope and the way to my salvation. No material gift I could receive here on earth could ever compare to that. There is a reason why it is called CHRISTmas and why some people refuse to acknowledge it. We have tried to replace it with cheap imitations of things that may make us happy for a season but have no affect whatsoever on our souls or eternal happiness. Now I am not saying it is wrong to give and receive gifts but we need to think of the heart of the matter. Are we giving because it is an obligation or because we truly want to? It is just something we do or do we truly wish to bring a smile to someone's face or make their holiday a little brighter this year? And let me tell you not all gifts are material things. I believe some of the best gifts are the ones not in a touchable tangible form. To me Christmas is first and foremost about Jesus's birth but it is also the celebration of this with others. It is the time spent with family, the smiles, the laughter, the memories, and the stories. It is the joy of giving of our time and our hearts to those around us and to helping those less fortunate. Now this recognition brings me to another revelation I have received.
So many people don't appreciate the holidays because of the stress and pursuit of materialistic things but for many others the holidays reminds them of painful things. Past childhood memories that weren't so joyful, broken families, and loss of people dear to them. Everyone of us knows someone who has lost a loved one who they will not longer get to spend Christmas with or we ourselves have experienced this sorrow. And I have to say that the thought has humbled me especially this year and has made me think not just about Christmas but about the whole year entirely. I feel like most our days in this fast paced world, especially the holidays, are filled with the "let's get this over with mentality". I want to change that to a "let's cherish this" mentality. Now not everything will be perfect and rosy all the time but not to sound like a narcissist and simply be real, we aren't promised another holiday season. We aren't even promised tomorrow. And I for one don't want to spend my days stressing over the things that don't really matter. The things that cloud the chance to have a  precious conversation with a family member, laughter from the kitchen mishap, off key but heartfelt singing of Christmas carols, smiles and love of those around you. I want the magic of the Christmas season to last beyond December 25th. I want it to last all year. I want to cherish everyone and every moment I have been given on this earth and to celebrate the life I have received. The future I have been given by God on a glorious night in a stable. I want to give hope to those who have lost their joy for this season. I don't want my goodwill toward men to happen only around this time of the year. So many people out there are chasing all the wrong reasons for Christmas. They are trying to do Christmas instead of receiving Christmas for what it truly is: a time to celebrate the greatest moment in history. When real, lasting hope was born. Every day that hope needs to be reborn inside of us, 365 days of the year. It doesn't need to be about how well we did by the world's standards, but how we did with what God gave us. We all need to be a little Linus and proclaim without fear when all those around us are in desperate need of the real truth because you never know who is really hurting, especially this time of year. Enjoy your gifts, hot chocolate, decorating, and music but remember, what you can't replace is the time God has given you here on earth to share the good news, spend with family, friends and the impact you can leave on someone's life this holiday season. And that is what Christmas is about: the act of giving the gift of all the hope inside your soul, just as the precious Savior gave His all so that we may have life beyond this world. So let's spread the Christmas cheer not just in this month of December but all year around.

Got It All Together?

Hi everyone,
I am sure you have heard the phrase "He/She just has it all together" or "They've just got it all figured out".  It is used to describe someone who's life seems pretty great to the eye and they just seem to have everything mapped out and planned to a T. Life seems to go so smoothly for them or they appear to take it that way. Someone labeled me with this phrase recently and I took it has a compliment, gave it no more thought, and went about my day. But this week I have been pondering about it more. What made them think that?
Now, during church last week the pastor was talking about a subject that brought it all back. It may seem like I am getting of track but just stick with me. :)  Anyway, he was talking about how God gives us limitless grace no matter what we have done in our past. We have the ability to repent, be forgiven and come to know Him with a fresh new life. There is no divide that He can't cross. Now we as Christians have a tendency to "limit" that grace. We have set up all these traditions and regulations that cloud the true path to God. Instead of Christ being enough we add on all these hoops that you have to jump through to be the "perfect" believer or the "perfect" Christian. It can be manifested in so many ways but we begin to pick and choose our own qualities of a qualified Christian. Often these qualities have a tendency to be related to what we think we are doing good at. We go to church every Sunday, we never doing any work on Sunday, we tithe such and such amount, we pray and read our Bible 10 times a day, or we never ever smoke, or drink, or cuss, have done anything remotely "bad". Let me tell you....we aren't fooling God. These things don't make us Christians. On the surface some people may think we got it going on, but inside we are really just broken, weak, and sinful-natured people who need a Savior to forgive us.  So confession time...for people who think I got all my ducks in a row. I'm great at hiding. I am great at holding everything in so it looks okay. Partial that is because I don't want to bother people with my struggles, I mean everybody has got their own problems right? But the other reason is because I don't want people to see the weak mess that I can be. I want people to think I've got it all under control. No, I'm the girl who lets perfectionism rule her life at times(I mean who loves making mistakes right?), who acts like she's this tough spirit sometimes when ultimately she has spent her fair share of nights crying because she feels lonely, or inadequate, or angry because I didn't say the right things or because I feel like I am too sensitive. The girl who doubts herself and can be her own worst critic. I'm also secretly the girl who from time to time wants to have "her moment" to shine, to hog the attention, to not have to be the kind and sweet Kayleigh all the time because let's face sometimes a lot of people hate you for it and think that you are just pushover spineless baby. Not to mention being kind can hurt at times when people step on your heart and don't appreciate it. And of course this wouldn't have to do with being selfish ever would it? I am not strong at all on my own. I can be a train that comes off the track at times. I have made future plans for myself and wallowed in disappointment when there is a lot of people out there who don't have the ability or chance to have the life I have right now.  I don't have it all together and I sure don't have it all figured out. I do not deserve that title. I have told people things and gave advice on things that I have failed at myself. I have been a hypocrite before...we all have. The truth is we all have our messes and it doesn't matter how "bad" they are. Obviously some things are worse than others and we're not going to into heinous crimes and such but in God's eyes the playing field is the same. For we " all have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Romans 3:23 (ESV) We all have sin in our hearts. Not a single one of us is more deserving of God's forgiveness and mercy than the other. We all have our battles we deal with every day. Our weak spots that the devil digs at. So instead of putting those around us down because they do "this" or thinking that somehow we are so much "better" than them and therefore more deserving of God's love, we should be understanding of their struggle and and strive to help them. We need to be  more open and not act like we're "OK" all the time. We need to be real. Also we need to be careful about those we hold in regard. Not that it is bad to have role models, but watch the fine line between that and idolizing someone. Christ should be our true role model.
Now I have to tell you what helps me is to recognize, admit and face your struggles instead of sweeping them under the rug or throwing distracting decorations over them. We want to see the real Christmas tree even if it's a little shabby and uneven. (It's close enough to have a Christmas analogy right? ;) Admit that your areas of weakness and don't be afraid to ask those you trust to help pray for you and those struggles. You don't have to go into to extreme detail if you don't want. But we have to stop pasting on the smile and acting like we are these picture perfect Christians. I think that this is one of the biggest struggles of the modern church today. We are so caught up with looking and sounding the part and we have added all these requirements in addition to Christ that we in a sense play God Himself. We are unconsciously telling people they will never be deserving enough to be a part of His family when the truth is not a single one of us is. That is what grace is about, saving those who have no way of earning it on our own. Granted our lives need to change for the better when when we choose to live for Christ and there has to be fruit, but we are never going to be perfect and we all  will still have our battles to face. But if we face them together and with God's help we will overcome. (Matt. 18:20) So I do not have it all figured out and honestly there are things I am sure I never will. I wake up every day with a challenge I must face, a selfish desire I must die to, choices to make that sometimes I mess up on. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose, but I have to strive to be better each day. And this is why I keep writing for this blog and how it as grown in different directions that I first imagined. I'm not writing to put myself on some pedestal or to get tons of views, but to share the real life struggles I face in hopes that it can help someone else, so they won't make the same mistakes and to know they're not alone. So here is the line to describe me: I am a messed up sinner saved by God's grace, working to be the best I can be for His Kingdom and my hope is through that I can show others, anything good that comes from me is Christ. So how about we put down the facade, be real with people, stretch out a hand, and be people who "figure it out" together with a loving Father who wants to guide us every step of the way.

Meet Bella

Hi everyone!

So I would like to introduce you to the newest member of my little family:                                   

Meet Bella. She is 4 year old miniature who has the ability to melt hearts. ;) She has some of the softest sweetest brown eyes I've ever seen and if there ever was a pony with a "...gentle and quiet spirit..." (1 Pt. 3:4) it would be her.
Lately I have felt like God has been calling me to get back to my original focus of using horses as therapy animals as a branch of my business plan. A therapy pony has to be pretty special and withstand a lot of unusual circumstances. My other guys are gentle enough but I need something I can train to "go on the inside" if you know what I mean and visit people in actual nursing homes, hospitals, schools etc. Now Bella is very shy and has not had much done with her but apparently has an affinity for children. It is my hope to work with her and possibly get her certified for therapy work or.....
Bella is also expecting a little one this next summer. And to say the least I am sooooo excited!! This will be my first equine baby and I am looking forward to the experience. And this baby is going to be born with a job...haha! From the very beginning I will be able to work with her/him and train it to the perfect little therapy pony. So whether Bella comes along or we find out that being a inside therapy pony is not her gift, then I will be able to use her little one.

Each time I have gotten an new animal I feel as if God has guided the process. Each of their stories and the connections made with absolute strangers has been such a rewarding experience. I have made new friendships and new doors have opened.
It is also exciting to see how He is opening the doors to my business. This next year is shaping up to be the right year to start this venture and I have gained resources that I would have not had if I started this earlier. Just evidence He always has a plan! I also feel He has convicted me to get back to some of my original visions. I have always been happiest when I am helping others and bringing happiness to other people's lives. Something about taking the focus of yourself and your "problems" and being there for someone else is good for the soul. As Christians we are supposed to be Kingdom and Christ-minded and what did Christ do? He cared about others. He sacrificed. The focus was not on Himself. I want to reflect that. I want to bring joy to people's lives with the amazing creatures He has blessed me with. Lately I have had feelings of guilt that God has given me a fairly easy life with my health and abilities when so many people are struggling and in pain every day of their lives.  But I have realized that I don't have to feel guilty. Now that doesn't mean I parade around and act like I've got it all together because I don't. But  rather it is a humbling and huge calling. Because I have been blessed with all the capabilities I have, I need to use those to help everyone I possibly can around me. I can't sit on the sidelines when I have work to do. I have a responsibility to help, encourage, stand up, speak out, and fight for people who need it. I need to use this body and mind to give it everything I've got to help those God puts in my path. And that means using the gifts God has given me with my animals to make lives a little brighter even if it is just for a day. Because one day's kindness can last a lifetime. And I want that legacy. A life used up to the very end giving to others as Christ did. My hope is Bella and her little one can help bring that dream to a reality as well as my other special buddies.
I ask for your continual prayer in this venture and that God will give me the strength and guidance to stay on the path He has for me. And I will and would suggest for you to continually pray for God to show you those around you that can use your help, gifts and abilities. I have been amazed at how sometimes those people are those that happen to simple be in my every day life. And understand that if you have a particular challenge or struggle in your life whether physical or mental you have the ability to touch so many lives with your story. In a way that some of us never will be able to. Because we all have our battles. God always has a purpose and a plan for our lives irregardless of how easy or hard our lives may be and He can speak to someone through us whenever He so desires. So use what He's given you and give someone a little ray of sunshine today whether it be by your own hand or by what the Lord has blessed you with.

"...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." Luke 12:48 (ESV) 

The Busy Life

Hi everyone!
So I completely space last week's post and this week will be short and sweet...maybe. ;) I am currently sitting on the porch swing enjoying a rare evening of solace for this month. October always ends up being the busiest month out of the year for me it seems. It is the month where I pick up a seasonal job driving horse drawn carriages in the the little town of Nashville, IN in addition to my full time job. Plus I've gotten more involved in my church and in other areas of my life. And I have to admit it has become a little overwhelming at times. I try to cram so much into my schedule it seems I have rarely had an evening at home to just breath. Now I enjoy being busy and there is a certain element of challenge that comes with it that I like, but what I am realizing is, not only is rest necessary it is essential. As I  have been running to and fro for the past few weeks I have noticed aspects of my spiritual life struggling. I have become more stressed, a little less patient and somewhat burned out towards life. I have been neglecting certain things such as time with God and I believe some of the things He is wanting me to work towards. Also I feel as if I have been neglecting others. I have not been giving them my best as far as listening and being there for them because my mind is off into the next day's tasks.
I believe through all of this God is showing me the importance of prioritizing. What is to be truly important in my life. It is good to be busy don't get me wrong but what is productive I think is the question to be asked. Are we merely just doing busy work running back and forth or are we actually getting the things He wants accomplished? Often times I think when we are in the mindset of what all we have to get done we have a tendency to simply just focus on getting it over with instead of enjoying it in the moment. What person could God be bringing to us that needs someone to listen to them, what opportunity to we have to minister in our tasks, what attitude to we have towards these tasks, are we doing them just to put a notch in our belt? Ouch, but I have to say it because I can be guilty of it. What attitude do we need to show for the world to see in the midst of our busy schedule?
In the busy times of our life I believe it is extremely crucial we examine all that we are doing against God's microscope. Now obviously there are things that have to be accomplished and we simply cannot just "cut out". But if certain things are causing a serious detriment to our spiritual life and walk with Christ then perhaps we need to consider things carefully and prioritize. We still need our quiet time with Him to be rejuvenated and refilled with His Word. Nothing can come out of empty cup.
When I step back from  the craziness and say this specific time is for Him and to simply enjoy His presence I am encouraged and given new strength. And my eyes are opened to the things that He wants me to actually be focusing on....like the business plans and critters I have been neglecting lately. I am continually reminded that my business plan has the opportunity to become such a ministry tool and I need to stop putting it off. Also I think sometimes when we are so busy, at least for me, my focus can easily become all about me and what "I" need to get done and what "I" need to accomplish when I think the real question should be what can "we do together Lord, to further Your Kingdom today"? My first and foremost goal should be doing things for God's glory not my own. How I am I furthering His Kingdom, how am being His witness?
I am reminded of a phrase I learned in college that has stuck with me and it is "quality over quantity". It is not about how much stuff you are into. It is about the quality of what you are doing. Are you so busy that you are not able to give something your very best?...think about that because that something might really need it. Someone might really need you and you are off into the next day already. Be busy at life but be slow enough to see what God is really trying to show you. Write out your schedule and weight the pros and cons. Pray about it and ask God for His guidance and what needs to change.
Because I don't know about you but I don't want to get to the end of the road and have a list five miles long all the things I managed to juggle but all the hearts and details that I missed that desperately needed my attention.   

Exposing Evil and Pursuing Truth

Hi everyone,
This past week has been a whirlwind of events in both my world and in the world as a whole. Unfortunately there has been tragedy, and unwelcoming news and let's just say that this week has reminded me of how messed up and broken this world can be. I have to admit it kinda of wore on me this week. I am a person who wants to fix everything. I want to say and do things that makes everything all right. I want to take away people's pain and sorrow. I want to think the best of everyone and that no one could be a possible tool for horrible things. I want to basically ignore the evil in this world. Now you may say that's not a bad thing...I mean, who wants to dwell on evil right? But I realized something. What are our usual chain of reactions to evil? Often we go through stages of shock, maybe denial, then anger and sorrow. The end result is often and hopefully justice, the resolve to make things better somehow or and try and prevent it from happening again. Now let me tell you what I am noticing now days. Whenever evil decides to rear its ugly head often the end result is to start laying blame and pointing fingers at one another and other people irregardless if they were even involved. Suddenly everyone is the cause of this wrong doing and the real problem is buried in the stones being thrown at one another until we forget about the real issue. And then we move on until the next act of evil comes and we start the cycle all over again.
The problem I believe here is that we don't want to dig for the real root of evil, we just want to start throwing stones at our neighbors and call it a day. Sometimes I think we are afraid of what we might really find. And yes we are hurt and confused and don't know what to think sometimes, but that doesn't give us the right to start swinging. I'll be the first to confess when something bad happens I can get angry, tunnel vision and want to spout off the first thoughts and theories that come to my mind, but that is not always the best option. I have decided I really want to fight evil in the most effective way possible. Instead of fighting it haphazardly and eventually moving on and forgetting. I want to dig deep into the heart of the problem, look beyond the surface and get real answers. Sometimes acts of evil are blatant and some have many layers of deception that are hard to uncover. The Bible says the devil "prowls" around like a lion seeking who he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8 ESV) Evil is sneaky. And we as lights in this dark world and speakers of the truth must make sure we are seeking the real truth and not settling for what everyone wants to tell us. This does not mean we beat around the bush and not call a spade a spade when it is obviously clear, but we need to expose evil in the right way. We are called to be the light that exposes the darkness (Eph. 5:8-11) We base our truth upon solid evidence and reasoning. We light up evil for what it really is and we shun it. Now does this mean we take it out on all the people who are innocent? No. Does this mean that we shut down everybody else's freedom? No. Does this mean that we place ourselves as the beacon of all of knowledge and decision making? No. We simply stand for what we know to be true and we don't back down. The devil loves it when we fight as families, friends, communities, and nations. Because while we are doing that we are scuffling dirt over the real root of the problem. He wants us to be so distracted at condemning each other that we don't shut down the real evil doers and evil doings in this world. We don't dig into the real evidence because we are so blinded by our personal preferences and biases that we can't see anything else. And we are all guilty of it in some shape or form. Ultimately only God knows the whole truth and is the final judge, but we are called to stand up against the evil in this world even if it is hard. Even if it exposes some pretty ugly things and even if it hurts a little because in the end I think it will be far worse if we turn a blind eye. Of course we shouldn't seek to find evil in everything and everyone and let that color our interactions with people that we know or meet. It is important to see and find the good in people and situations while still being wise. We must be wise and discerning in a evil world but be standing in what is true and just ourselves. It isn't about condemning everyone because we all have sinned.

Now as far as our other responses to evil one of the things that I always want to do is help people any way I can. Sometimes there are things that we just cannot fix, but I bet if we really think about it, we can come up with ways to combat evil. We can pray, we can use our talents and abilities to help those hurting, we can speak out when we know the truth, we can be a shoulder to cry on and to help carry the burden with, and we can be a ray of light in a dark situation. Being righteously angry about something is not wrong, but if we just run always run our mouths and do nothing about it to try and make a positive difference then it is utterly useless. Hurting people in the face of evil don't always want someone ranting, they want someone to stand alongside them. We have to face the real issues head on and refuse to back down until the truth is brought forth, irregardless of our egos and personal gain.
There unfortunately with always be evil in this world until Christ comes back but we still must do our part to not let evil take more and more ground. And it starts with us saying enough is enough and asking God to show us the real issues we need to face. The courage to search for the real truth and illuminate the darkness. The strength to realize our feelings will get bruised from time to time and it's OK and to but down the stones in our hands and reach out with and open hand instead. Evil hates compassion and it hates people who strive for the truth no matter what. If we start coming together and fighting the enemy within us, we will be able to stand up against anything. So let's do some truth seeking and crush evil.

"...Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and not city or house divided against itself with stand." Matthew 12:25 ESV

Eyes on the Horizon

Hello everyone!
So I have an interesting experience to share about my horse Sam. I take Sam a couple times a week to the barn I work at to ride and we often go outside as he and I both prefer the fresh air and open spaces. Sam is truly my horse based off so many different traits and ways that I could go on and on about but something I have learned about him is unlike any horse I have know before. When we go outside we are able to go quite a ways from the barn down the road and to different pastures. He is always eager to go out and explore however, whenever I try to bring him back he is reluctant. When it is time for us to head back to the barn and when most horses would be eager to get back he does everything in his power to turn around and continue to travel away from the barn. Now from a realistic horse person's perspective, he has no sort of bad experiences that would taint his memory of being at the barn or riding inside the arena. He simply tries constantly to turn back around instead of going back "home". I have experimented a little to see where exactly he is determined to go and I truly believe if I just let him he would continue on his merry way to who knows where! If he hits the end of fence he stares off as seeing new lands he wants to explore on the horizon. Now before this gets to sounding too much like a sappy movie...yet again a seemingly insignificant moment has turned into a spiritual insight for me.
     It makes me think of two opposing horses: the one who has the tendency to be barn sour and wants to turn and head back as soon as possible. The barn is a place of comfort, where food is and where close buddies are at. They really hate to leave unless pushed to and are the first to head back at a high rate of speed if allowed. Then there are the other horses, (honestly I can only think I my horse at this point right now :D) who are completely content and actually motivated to leave the barn and stay out as long as you please. It is not until you turn them back that they seem to lose that spark and reluctantly shuffle back looking for a way to get out of it and keep exploring. I think we can identify these as two different kinds of people as well. You have your people who as soon as you ask them to go out away from familiar, the usual routine, and where all their friends and family are they really dislike it and at the first opportunity are cutting out and headed back home. The safe creature comforts found there are far more welcoming than exploring new places beyond their everyday circles. Then you have those people who are eager to go out and explore news places and things; they like home just fine but would rather continue discovering what could be in store around the next bend.
Now I am not writing this to say that enjoying being at home and finding solace there is a bad thing. Home is my safe haven from a hectic crazy world and I am glad I can go there to get away from it all. However I feel that God has been showing me something through this example my horse has given me. Sometimes I have a tendency to be to attached to home. I can be barn sour. God may be calling me to go out and do something or spend time somewhere else and I am waiting around for the first available moment where I can turn and hoof it back home. It is so much easier to shut the door on the chaotic world and live in your own little space of solitude and shelter. Now you definitely need time to rest and recharge but if you are like me sometimes I  have a tendency to make that excuse a little often. It is not that I don't like going out or spending time with people and doing things, it is just some things can be intimidating, or seem daunting when you are not exactly a social butterfly that everyone gravitates to. :) And sometimes God does call you to go out of your comfort zone and do things that aren't exactly your area of expertise. He doesn't want you so wrapped up with the comforts your safe place that you miss out on all the adventure He has in store for you. Maybe he is calling you to leave the "barn" and go to a new place and meet new people, join a new study group at your church, get involved in your community, go on a mission's trip, volunteer at a shelter, or have lunch with a co-worker that looks like they need someone to talk to. Maybe it is going to require some late nights and long days and maybe a weekend or two, but I think what we will discover when we do those things is more than we thought possible. When I go out and do things more, I find myself enjoying life more, becoming more confident, making new friends and feeling more satisfied when I do go home to recharge. I also feel at peace knowing I did something for others and that in turn makes me feel better about myself. I begin to want to do it more and more and home becomes less and less the hideaway hole of security. Instead it becomes more of the place I can recharge and prepare to head back out again when I really need it. Don't let the "barn" become your crutch. Don't be so quick to turn tail, instead like my little Sam be determined to explore. God wants us to seek out new horizons, new places and adventures that He has for us. He wants us to take the quiet time with Him at home and use it out in the world. And when we do we will begin to really enjoy it. We will find ourselves wanting to head back early less and less. We will keep on wanting to press forward and give Him all that we have. When we hit a "fence" we will keep on wanting to go farther and He will use us if we are only willing. But we have to be ready to go. We have to be ready to turn our back on the creature comforts at times and go the extra mile even if it is a little scary at times. Sam and I always have our challenges from time to time outside. Some things are intimidating but our desire to reach what's around the bend becomes greater than that fear and worry. Our desire to follow Christ wherever He takes us will become greater than our fear of rejection, failure, and challenges. After all this isn't our real home anyway. What a shame if we just hid behind our closed doors for the rest of our lives and missed out on all the excitement that lies out there. Yes, it can be a cruel world out there and we do have to be smart and careful. But if none of us who know the truth go out and share and shine that truth then what good are we doing? How are we showing we care if we have our eye on the door the whole time? Or more importantly what does it say about us if we don't care? This has been a conviction for me and I hope that sharing it can help other people as well. Let us be the ones who use our homes as places of rest and shelter for ourselves and others when really needed but let use the abilities that God has given us to "ride" out to the new adventures ahead, eager to keep going and reach the goal our Father has given us, no turning back. (Phil. 3:14) Keep your eyes on the horizon.

"I have decided to follow Jesus; not turning back, no turning back."  

 

Stand Out

Hi everyone!
So do you ever feel like you stick out like a sore thumb? No matter what you say you feel like the odd one out in social situations with your peers. You feel like you just don't think and see things the way they do? You feel left behind in the normal "expected" milestones of  your life as others seem to chug along in success?
Maybe you haven't but true confessions from me: I certainly have. In this day and age especially. It has become increasingly difficult to relate to my peers. In a day and age where everyone is glued to their electronics I tend to daydream about the days of Little House on the Prairie and how hard yet simple and satisfying it would be to be completely self-sufficient. When they are talking about celebrities, I'd rather talk about philosophies and the real issues with politics. Instead of going to parties I'd much rather be in the woods and in nature. Often instead of talking, I like sitting, watching and observing people and getting to know them through their body language, expressions and actions. I'd rather be out stacking hay and hauling wood than having a inside, air conditioned job. I love the 80s and am almost a quarter of a century old without having any romantic prospects. (Maybe the 80s music is the problem :D) From the modern day person's perspective I can seem quite strange and it can be easy to feel left out sometimes. It can be hard to relate to others and can feel down right lonely at times.
I wonder if this was how many of the men and woman felt like in the Bible. They had different views and different outlooks on life that in some ways alienated them from others. How hard it must have been sometimes to have to walk alone and be the one to stick out like a sore thumb. But yet what would they have missed out on? Ruth would have never met Boaz if she had chosen to follow her sister back to "find" a new husband. Esther would have never become queen or saved her people if she had not been different than the other girls and stood for what she believed in. Daniel would have never have found favor with the king if he had not decided to be different and not eat the king's food.
Sometimes standing out from the crowd is hard and uncomfortable because believe me, you will have eyes on you and people will notice it. Sometimes that will be greeted with astonishment and pleasantness and other times it will be with contempt and alienation. I have had people surprised and have gotten appreciation from the fact that I make a choice not to bury my face in my phone in waiting rooms and public places so that I can perhaps strike up a conversation with someone who needs it. Other times when I spill information about my beliefs or my stance on politics I get looks of disdain. But in the end it isn't about how we fitted in with this world. It is about how we stood out for Christ. That may make us weird, old fashioned, and crazy by many people's standards but who's is it that we are really trying to meet? The world can't save our souls. The world cannot give us what we truly desire and need. Only God can and He should be the one we are following and He has called us to be different. He has made me with all my little quirks so that I can use those to be a testament to others. I have four young girls at work that help me and it is my hope that I can be a positive example to them and show them the values that truly matter. And I can't do that by blending in with everyone else my age or even older than me. I have to be who God intended me to be and stand by it.
Yes it may be hard sometimes and lonely and I may feel like I am getting left behind. But in all actuality maybe in a fast paced world  what we need to learn again is to hold onto to what has carried people through the generations before. People who held to what they believed even if it wasn't popular and they made their lives with their own two hands and with their faith. They didn't care about fitting in or following the trend.
So be weird, be different, be counter cultural, and stand out. I used to want to blend in because it was safer, no rejection or eyes staring at you. But I have realized...I'd rather die having loved fiercely, worked relentlessly, and stood strongly than having lived a "safe" empty life without God's fire in my heart. So will you join? Because we really aren't alone...we "sore thumbs" have each other and we have God. And we aren't really sore thumbs at all...we are Jesus's hands and feet made to do amazing things. But we can't do that if we are trying to be like everyone else.

"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."                    Romans 12:2 (ESV)

A Clean Slate

Hi everyone,
So my post this week is kinda going to go down a different path. Most of my stuff has had sort of a horse connection to it, but this week is going to have a different concept behind it. A little hobby that I have picked up on the side is refinishing furniture. It is very satisfying to take something that needs a transformation and make it useful and fresh again. There is something fun about looking at a piece of furniture and seeing beyond all the chipped paint and worn finish to the potential it has to be new again. I am currently working on a dresser that has had a lot done to it in the past. It has a couple of layers of paint, a broken drawer and looks pretty rough at first glance. Last night I was scraping away at it, slowly taking off the old paint and as I was sitting there thoroughly coated in paint chips I got this image of Jesus as a carpenter sitting and scraping away all the residue off with a smile on His face as if seeing something in this broken down object that no else could see. It was like He could see something underneath all the ugliness and He was intent on revealing it. That was of course when I realized that this image in my head was the picture of Jesus and us. We are like the dresser for lack of a better way to put it (so glamorous I know :) ...we have all these layers of past troubles, experiences, scars, sin, and filth that has coated our soul. The raw beauty underneath is covered up by all the mess. And then Jesus comes along and He looks at us. But instead of quickly glancing and walking on by like many people do, He stops and really sees us. He sees all the potential and the beauty behind the brokenness and what everyone else has forgotten or given up on. And He wants to take it and make it into a masterpiece. But now you have a choice to make. Will you allow Him to refinish you? When you allow Him to take over you have to realize that not everything is going to come easy. You have to let of go of that old "paint" and let Him peel back the layers. (Rom. 1:9, 1 Peter 2:1, Titus 3:3) In order to refinish something often times you have to scrape, strip, or sand down the old finish to the point where the bare, clean wood re-appears. Only then can you apply the new finish with complete success. Sometimes we just want God to "paint" over our old finish in hopes that it will be quicker, less work and less painful. But in the end, as I have found out,  the old residue still over time creeps back through your new finish rendering it useless. In the same way our old habits and sin will creep back to the surface if we refuse to let God cleanse us from them completely. And sometimes that isn't fun. Sometimes parts of those layers just don't want to come off easily. They take time and extra care. But He never quits as long as we are willing and eventually we get back to the clean slate that is ready for the new. Our hearts and souls may be raw and exposed for Him to see yet He smiles because now He knows we're truly ready for His best. He begins to apply a new way of thinking for us with new habits, characteristics and layers of strength and faith built upon His Word. (Eph. 4:22-24, Gal. 5:22-23, 1 Peter 1:5-7, Col. 3:12-15) There is nothing like getting a piece of furniture sanded down and finally ready for the new and exciting plan for it. We become God's work of art as He creates us into what He intended us to be. We still have to be "touched up" from time to time, but He never stops seeing the beauty He created and He wants to show it off to the world. And at the end of this life hopefully we can stand before Him as His beautiful masterpiece.
     Another quick little lesson I learned while refinishing a table was that we need to resist the urge to "fix" God's work. I struggled with this table because I could never seem to get the layers of paint on it to blend just perfectly and so I kept on slapping more paint on it, trying to fix it. Finally I realized something. How often do I try to fix what God is doing with me in my life? He is working on me and I am going along behind trying to perfect everything as if I know better. As if what He is doing isn't good enough. I mean everybody still doesn't love me and I am still not the life of the party. I think I'm doing God a favor but what I  am actually doing is covering up the amazing work He is trying to do. We aren't going to be these always perfect human beings that grace the planet with our very existence. We will always have those little imperfections that poke through from time to time. But I think God knows that if we were these picture perfect people walking around all the time no one would see the real us. The dirty rotten sinners saved by the grace of God alone. And if we are these perfect human beings walking around like Pharisees how is this going to look to the broken who are still in need of Christ's craftmanship? How welcoming is that really? We have to let Him do the work and not try to tweak things to our liking. It, much like that table will only leave us frustrated and empty.  Does this mean that we don't strive for excellence in our lives? No. But I think we need to discern the fine line between striving to be like Christ and allowing Him to work in us without taking a hold of the reins and saying I can be perfect exactly like Christ.
     God wants to make us His pièce of résistance. He wants to take our old layers, and broken parts and make them new again. But first we have to let Him turn us into a clean slate so don't resist. We have to offer up our hearts, endure the struggles, keep the faith, and refuse to "fix" things ourselves.  He will never leave us and He will always look at us and see the true potential that no one else sees. I also think it is a calling to see the world through His eyes. In the way I look at broken down, worn out furniture and see the opportunity to give it another chance, for it to be beautiful again, I need to view those broken around me the same way. Because we all have our layers that need to be chipped away. I need Jesus's eyes...smiling at what I see underneath and reaching out hand, and deciding to do something about it.

"And I am sure of this, that He who has began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6 (ESV) 

A Beautiful Mess

Hi everyone,
So I am going to say something you may not like but please stick with me and hear me out because this is something that slowly has been changing my life, so here it goes
You are a mess. You are imperfect. You are flawed. You are out of place. How many times have I  thought theses things about myself  but I would have never have thought to say them to anyone else. It sounds so cruel right?
I have always been one to tear myself down, more often than anyone else would. I always been quick to agonize over my imperfections and flaws. And as a woman going through her early twenties and now reaching her mid twenties it became all to easy to pick at these "flaws". Not blessed with what I would call beauty queen looks, plain blemished complexion, looks much younger than I am, more quiet reserved nature, too emotional, not an eloquent speaker, converses much more easily with those older than me than my own peers, not graceful, not the kind of girl who attracts many men, and not funny, charming enough. And the list could continue. I began to use these things as a list of what was wrong with me. They were why I wasn't the life of the party, why I wasn't extremely popular, why nobody wanted to date me, and why I felt so out of place. I was a mess! And who wants to be around a mess right?
How many times have I been at work and been standing literally close to my knees in horse manure, became a living scarecrow from stacking hay in 90 degree weather, had horse snot on my clothes, dirt under my nails, hair looking like it went through a tornado, five different tan lines and lets not even talk about the albino things you call legs (horse girls with understand this:), the smelly clothes, and the dust tanned skin. How many times have I been a hot mess only it literally just meant being extremely warm and looking like a disaster?
And what about when I am running around grocery shopping and running errands in barn clothes and I'm sure smelling like it too. I mean I'm pretty sure one day the ladies at Sally's Beauty thought I needed a little more help than hair coloring! :D All the while getting to go home so I can clean a house, cook dinner and probably wear some of it too, pick up spilled dog food, tend to 3 needy fur "children" and get into the ten different projects my overly ambitious self starts all at once.
Do you ever just step back and think wow what a mess I am? I mean if I was perfect then I could juggle everything just so and still look great while I am at. I could be one of those amazing woman bloggers who have oodles of stunning projects to show all why looking fabulous and having it all together.
Well you are right about one thing. Yes, you are a mess. But you are a beautiful mess. You see God knows we are not perfect. Only He is perfect. He knows you are flawed. He created you but those "flaws" He calls beautiful. He knows knows you are out of place. He didn't make this earth your real home. When God created you he knew that you were going to be imperfect. He knew that you weren't going to measure up to this world's standards, that you weren't going to be "super" human, girlfriend, wife, mother, that you weren't going to have it all together. He knew that there would be days when you would be an absolute mess of emotions and presentation. But nevertheless when He created you, He smiled and couldn't wait to show you off to the world. What we see as imperfection He sees as beautiful. He created us individually with our exact shape, physical make-up and our own unique personalities for a reason. He gave us our "flaws" and weaknesses because He wants us all to compliment one another and build each other up. He wants us to use our weaknesses to show His saving grace in a dying world. He lets us be a mess so that we can take that mess, lift it up to Him and place it into His outstretched hands. If we were perfect, had it all together and were just these amazing people that everyone awed over and understood then there would no need for Him. It is only until we embrace the fact that yes we may be a mess sometimes but when we give our all for Him, He uses that to mold us into the most beautiful creation ever. A glorious whirlwind of a mess that has the potential to be extraordinary.
But first we have to:

1. Acknowledge that we will never be perfect. We are human and we are never going to have it all together. We may never be flawless according to the world's standards. And we live in an imperfect world. Not one is perfect. (Eccl. 7:20)  
2.  This world is not our home. We are not called to fit in. We are to be different even if that means being deemed awkward, non-popular, and strange. (John 15:9, Phil. 3:20-21)
3. That we are loved no matter what by an amazing God who will never see us as not worth His love or time. (Romans 5:8, Romans 8:35-39)
4. We have to immerse ourselves in His truth. If we don't spend time with Him then we are never going to find harmony to all that we are doing in our lives. We will never learn how to make priorities out of the chaos and spend the time on what truly matters and what furthers His Kingdom. And we will never learn about who we really are. Because if we'd only read about what we are as individuals to God in His Word and truly believe it then our lives would be so radically different and we would never worry our heads again over our imperfections. (1 John 3:1)
5. And with this realization we need to act upon it. (Phil. 3:12-14)  Now I am not saying you go around acting like you are all that just because God loves you. I mean you are still a sinner saved by His grace alone so being humble is key. Also that doesn't mean that you don't ever strive to take  better care of yourself, dress up a little when you can, and try to improve areas in your personality that you struggle with. It just mean that you live your life like the precious child of God that you are giving your very best irregardless if you have a million things to get done that day, the food gets a little burnt, the laundry doesn't get done again, you didn't say the perfect words at the exact right moment, the cashier at the store gives you an odd look or if you find yourself standing in _________ (insert word that best describes your messy situation) while the object of your affections walks up. 

One thing I will always remember is one day some time ago when I was having one of those messy days with mud and who knows what else on my boots, hay everywhere as if it was new clothing accessory, hair askew and a make-upless face.  I pretty much smelled and looked like Pigpen from Charlie Brown and someone looked at me and said I was beautiful. And that stuck with me. Now why would they say that because I know for a fact I wasn't looking my best that day? What I think made the difference...I had a smile on face. I was happy. And joy is beautiful. Joy and peace with who you are is one of the most attractive things about someone. A healthy desire to grow and improve is necessary but being happy with the way God made you and who He made you to be is key.
God has been showing me how to have joy even when I am struggling and am not particularly feeling happy about my status in life and on those days when I feel like a walking disaster. It is still a battle and ultimately it is a choice of what thinking I choose to have. But what I have learned He does not make ugly things and He doesn't make mistakes . We may be imperfect, flawed, damaged, broken, out of place, and messy. But when He sees us at our very best and our very worst, He always sees for what we are. A perfectly imperfect, glorious, beautiful mess that is to die for. :)

Facing Your Fears

What are you afraid of? And I don't mean things like spiders, wiggly things, and clowns.
What are you afraid of doing, or afraid of trying?
This past week I did some things that I will admit were a little intimidating for me. Opening up to someone about some of my beliefs in a controversial topic, learning a new task at the barn with my bosses' (no pressure :) tractor, and agreeing to join my church choir. Now to some people this may be no big deal but to me it is. Often my fears stem from worrying that I won't be able to accomplish a task well enough, or at all, or that once someone sees me mess up that they'll regret thinking I could accomplish the task. I am afraid of being misunderstood. I am afraid of opening my heart for everyone to see the jumbled emotional roller coaster mess it can be.
And ever time I face these fears, I have a choice to make. Will I turn tail and run, make excuses of why I can't do it and keep putting it off, or will I face it head on and go for it, whether that means charging full steam ahead or just simply trudging through. I really like picture analogies so in this situation I think of my experience as a rider on my horse coming to a scary obstacle or dealing with a particular problem.
 Often there are three common responses:
 1.  As soon as the object becomes visible, flight mode kicks in and he turns tail and decides he is going to put plenty of distance between him and whatever the obstacle is.
2. He stands about frozen in fear and either refuses to move or does this dance back and forth without actually making in progress towards said "scary" thing.
3. He slowly but surely chalks up the courage to either rush through the obstacle as quickly as possible or simply buckles down and gets it done.

We have the sames choices when we face something that we are intimidated by. Which one do we often choose? When my horse Sam is afraid of something, he likes to turn away if he can and it turns into this elaborate dance of back and forth, a step here and there but I always have to keep asking, keep prodding. Sometimes letting him check the obstacle out for himself works and he musters up the courage to advance. But sometimes it takes me pushing him through it the whole way assuring him that he won't die, until he realizes it isn't near as bad as it seems.
How often to we dance around something we are afraid of? We avoid it as much as possible, we figure that God will just eventually give up and not push us any more. He will just let us walk away. Sometimes we let the horse walk away. We say it's just not worth the fight or maybe we are even afraid and insecure about our ability to get our horse through it. But what happens? The horse stops learning, he stops growing. He can't face his fears so he can't advance to the next stage. You can 't travel up the mountain trail if you can't cross the creek. And whatever adventures that lie ahead will never be seen or experienced.
It's the same for us. If we never face our fears head on and work through them we will never advance in that area of our life. We will never taste the sweet victory or experience what awesome things may lie ahead if refuse to do so. I think God lets have the option to walk away but he uses it to prove a point and how many times do people do it and miss out on so much? They may have been hurt before in a situation, don't think they're good enough, worried of what other people think, or that they will fail. I have learned though that failure is not when you fall down...true failure is when you stay down and refuse to get back up. God uses our fears for His glory because ultimately it takes His strength to get us through it. He is there alongside us, telling us we are worth the effort, we can do it, and we can be victorious. His opinion is the only one that should matter. He has so much in store for us if we would just let go of the things that hold us back.
We have to turn to Him and ask for His help in overcoming our fear or maybe even our pride because we want to be perfect. (Because you know as mortal humans we are so capable of being absolutely perfect ;D) We have to be open and honest with ourselves of this fear or pride and be honest with God and admit it. We need to realize as children of God we can be stronger than our fears. We can with His power overcome. A favorite verse of mine that especially helped when I was dealing with anxiety attacks was 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (ESV) Sometimes I just had to repeat that verse over and over until it permeated my soul and I truly started believing it and acting upon it.
We need to get others involved and help fight our fears with us. You may be surprised how many people have faced or may be currently facing the same things or can at least relate in their own fears and insecurities. They can offer advice and be there as support. It's just like getting some insight from a horsey friend or a trainer for your horse's challenges. Sometimes you need that added encouragement and perspective.
And then work towards overcoming your fear. For some of this that may mean just biting the bullet, doing it and coming out alright on the other side. Or it may mean simply taking one step at a time until you are certain you won't die and wonder why you ever were worried in the first place. Or it may even take a few or many tries until you come out triumphant on the other side. We don't have to be perfect, we need to be real. And the only way we can get better at something is to learn from our mistakes. Remember failure is letting the fear win. So whether it's summing up the courage to speak in front of a group of people, join a ministry group in your church, meet new people who don't exactly fit your peer group, learning some new skill, start your own business (hmm that sounds familiar) or simply standing up for what you believe even if you might be persecuted for it. Don't give in, don't turn tail and run, don't make excuses. We have only got this one life here on earth. We can't go back and redo a single day. Yesterday is gone forever and today is all we truly have. What amazing things could be lying just beyond the shadows of your fear? What beautiful trail lies beyond the scary rocks? What doors could open up? What stories could you tell? God will be there every step of the way, helping you push through. Or sometimes giving you the little love tap (or shove :) that shows you that you will survive. With Him there is not room for fear because He is fearless and we are HIS. ( Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, Romans 8:15) And what I have also found is once I face and conquer a fear I am more likely to face another and another. My confidence in Christ builds and I am much more at peace with who God created me to be and where my life is headed. And trust me my friends we are going places!
So let's take a deep breath, look it in the eye, and take the first step. 

The Green Eyed Monster

Hi everyone,
Have you ever been bitten by the green eyed monster? I know I have! Jealousy is defined as "anxiously suspicious", "apprehensive or vengeful out of fear of being replaced", or "expecting complete devotion". It, in my experience, usually starts off as a little prick that catches you from time to time. You may not give it much thought or rationalize it away. However it starts to slowly come upon you more often until it starts to color your thoughts every time the situation or particular party comes across your path. And before you know it, it turns into slowly drawing away from the given situation or people. If left untreated, it can eventually even turn into the point where resentment takes root in your heart, arguments break out, relationships crumple and everything and everyone involved suffers because of it.
Enter example:
The other day I was spending time with my two boys: Sam and Merrylegs. For those of you who do not know that is my horse and miniature horse. :) And what was a regular grooming session turned very quickly into a learning moment. I began to notice every time I would pay attention to Merrylegs, Sam would gently try to insert himself  between us or hover near me for attention. But when Merrylegs would let his presence be known,(he has a stronger personality;) Sam turned away to point where he was moping off to the side. Now on the flip side of things: when I paid attention to Sam, Merrylegs would become very cranky and get snippy with Sam. This would either turn into a flat out attack on Sam or he would bitterly stand off to the side refusing to have attention at all until I buttered him back up again.
What a perfect example of two common reactions. We may be a Sam where we become increasingly jealous over something or someone and we will try and gently insert ourselves, trying to make out presence known, silently saying we want attention. But if we get butted out by someone else, either intentionally or unintentionally, we eventually grow disheartened, feel sorry for ourselves and "mope" around thinking that we are somehow no longer deserving of love or attention. Or we may be a Merrylegs. We let jealousy take over to the point where we lash out at that person that we either are jealous of or even the person or thing we are jealous over. Then we become bitter, hold a grudge and refuse to accept any reconciliation until our "terms" are met.
I tend to respond in the first reaction of jealousy. I cut myself off from whatever or whomever it is because I begin to believe that I am not worth the attention or time and that is why I feel as if I am being "forgotten" or "neglected". And sometimes in my selfish heart I will hope that the person will see my self-inflicted pain and feel sorry and apologize. Yeah, such an attractive trait right? It makes me feel horrible just talking about it, but let's face it, it is what we do sometimes.
Now why would we feel this way? What can cause this jealousy? Well the one of the definitions says fear, another expectation, also I believe insecurity, and selfishness are causes as well. In my case, I usually get jealous because I feel as if I'm being replaced by someone else or that I am just not good enough because I am not like this particular other person. This turns into an insecurity of myself and who I am which is not what God created me to be. I forget that God created me the way I am for a reason and that not everyone has to love me for it. Often I find that my feelings of jealousy are not even valid as that person was not trying to replace me at all. Other times we selfishly want attention all to ourselves and if someone else gets it we aren't happy about it. We expect to have complete devotion to us when that person may have not committed anything to us. Now obviously in marriage things are different but we are not going to bring that into the equation. I use the main example as friendships. Friendships are not exclusive. People can have multiple friends and it doesn't mean that they are constantly looking to replace you or make you feel inferior to their other friends. Now I do understand and have experienced being replaced in my life and I know it does happen so I don't  mean to brush off those situations. It sometimes feels like it gives you the right to be jealous but ultimately it is selfish and not of God. We must realize that if we have been a truly good friend and someone walks away that our fulfillment doesn't come from them. We need to give it to God, forgive and move on. Maybe that person will return or maybe they won't, either way it's okay because if someone truly cares about you they will stick with you no matter what. They may mess up from time to time but we all do and grace is for everyone.
In both situations it is important to know how to respond before things go bad. And as I am learning those are:

• To fight jealousy effectively you must first recognize it, even if it stings. Even when the feeling first starts to arise you have to nip it in the bud then before it blooms and is harder to kill. (Lament. 3:40)

• Then you need to run to God, confess it, and ask Him to take this seed of jealousy out of your heart. (1 John 1:9) 

• Get into the Word read about jealousy and the repercussions it can have on your life. (James 3:14-16, 1 Corinth. 3:3)

• Go and reconcile yourself to the person or people that you may have hurt. (Matt. 5:23-24)

• And ask God to help you in the future to repress future temptation of jealous thoughts in the future because only with Him can it be defeated. (1Corinth. 10:13)

For me as well, I have to start reminding myself daily of who I am in Christ through His Word and quotes from trusted Christian authors. Read passages about who you are to God and His love for you. He is completely devoted to you! He will never leave you no matter how imperfect or undeserving you may think you are. He has made us all special each in our own way with our own gifts and talents. Some people will love us as well for those things and others will not. That is not an excuse for us to selfish and want everything or everyone to ourselves. This is not the heart of Christ. Human love and admiration is flawed but God's love is never flawed because He is perfect and loves us all equally. So let's kick the green eyed monster out of our lives together and love others with the reminder that we will never be alone.

Be Thou My Vision

Hi everyone,
So it has been about forever since I posted last. I wish I could say it was for some totally awesome reason like, I've been in some foreign country for the past 5 months without modern conveniences on a mission trip or backpacking across the US street evangelizing. But let's be honest...the real reason...are you ready for it...? Lack of Vision .Yep, that's it...very adventurous and romantic right? I don't consider myself to be a very creative, genius of a person therefore my wells seem to dry up very quickly. And I've been a dry spell for about 6 months now. About this time I thought I would be clogging this blog full of my new pony party business adventures. But I hit kinda what I would call a rough patch with my job (of course I put it more dramatically than others would; a learning curve sounds better) but I felt like I really needed to get some things figured out and focused on it before I sucked up even more time in my own separate venture. And plus being a procrastinator has been my nemesis sometimes on things, as well as fear of failure hence my crawling back to this blog that I have neglected and to say that my business plans have been put off for another year. I do however, think it was for the best and I am in a much better position now to prepare for next spring, and besides, I have gained some pretty cool resources in the time being that I think are really going to help me do it, and do it right. I guess that is the simple terms explaining the reason why I stopped posting. I felt like the driving force behind writing was the business and everything about it. I mean who really cares about my thoughts on the world or life? Who cares about my struggles and triumphs in my own life? I am just a women with a narrow vision that got blinded when I felt like I had nothing in my life worth talking about. I mean I had nothing exciting or fresh to talk about so what was the point? Soon it became easier and easier to just put off writing anything until I didn't really think about it anymore....until recently.
These past couple of months I feel God has been growing me. I say He does the growing because I gotta be honest, I haven't always been willing but He seems to do it one way or another. ;) Not to mention I have been convicted over a few things as well...pride, laziness, selfishness, hard heartedness...ouch! It stings even as a write and expose it to everyone. Anyway He has been calling me out on some of this stuff and how I need to change things. He has been calling me out on things I need to start doing or get back to doing. And just to touch on one: that is writing this blog again. I hope to write about these other less than attractive traits as well and my observations in my own life in the following weeks because it sounds like so much fun right!? No, because I feel like this is what God is considering the growing process even if it's not so comfortable for me or completely boring to you...sorry.

But what I do want to touch briefly on in this post?...sorry that was a huge introductory but I have a had a huge self-proclaimed fast from this blog. Now for the actually meal here.
I mentioned above the reason for my lack of or I should say one of them was lack of vision. When my business didn't take off I felt like I had nothing to write about. Well, that was because my vision was tiny. I had this initial plan for my blog and what it would entail but that was my vision not God's and I'm figuring out His is so much bigger. I felt like most everything about my blog had to be linked to horses, my dream, and goals but that is not necessarily true now I see. I was stuck on a few topics when God was saying I've got a lot more in store for you to talk about if you would take off the blinders.
Why did I have them on in the first place? I think partially the reason was and still can be, is because sometimes I feel that unless I have something exciting and cool going on in my life then I have nothing worth talking about. To me my life is pretty boring and uneventful...I get up, go to work, go home, do what I got on the agenda to get done at home, got to bed, and repeat. I do good to maybe go out a couple of times a week, maybe. Oh and that includes,  grocery shopping, appointments, etc. :) My life seems so emmbarrasingly dull compare to others I know who are off seeing the world, getting married to a great guy, raising a family, meeting popular people, or posting about their thriving business ventures, mission trips, and spiritual lives. And I'm here cleaning horse stalls, trying to chase after fresh horses, and saving grasshoppers from water troughs. (Those of you who follow me on Snapchat know all about my Snow White adventures ;) How thrilling.
But what I am actually starting to learn in all of this, is that life doesn't have to be the world's definition of "exciting" in order to be full of joy, vision, and impact. It doesn't have to be jammed packed with all these grand adventures that you have to chase. It sometimes is about making adventures out of what comes in your day-to-day path. Now of course I am NOT saying that all the things listed above are not great and awesome things because they are, but for too long I have placed my value as a Christian on those very things. I have lacked vision that my life could be so much more with what I have right now however little it may seem. Sometimes your life may not consist of going to the heart of Africa and building orphanages for children but nurturing the youth in your own community. It may not be serving in Afghanistan, but standing up for the truth in your own country and state and making your voice know. It may not be street evangelizing in Las Vegas, but speaking the truth in love(Eph. 4:15) in your workplace or home. It may not be be starting churches in multiple countries, but starting a group or conversation in your own church. It may not be working two businesses and being a part of ten different organizations, but simply giving your all at the job you currently have. It may not be out worshiping with hundreds of other believers at every concert but sitting with that one person who needs someone to just listen to their pain and to really truly "see" them. It might just mean getting up early on a Sunday morning and spending it alone in a barn, cleaning stalls and having your own church service because someone needed to be with their mother in the hospital as God taught me this morning. God is teaching me that nothing we do is insignificant. It can just either be for His glory or ours. Once again, none of those larger scale things are wrong or should be put down. However it is easy for people like me to feel as if we are not making any difference. But we are. Everything we do has an impact. And our attitude when we do those things has sometimes an even greater impact. Because as believers our attitude needs to reflect Christ in whatever we do. Some people can do the greatest things but have a sour heart. This is something that I have to work on every day because I can fail so easily. And we just need to open our eyes to the bigger vision. We need to view our lives through our Father's eyes. We need to have our Daddy's eyes. And we need to pray for vision. To make what we have going on right now be the best it can be, because we never know what He will ask us to do next. And we are all equally significant and important in His eyes and He has given us a voice.
Let's use it and see what happens.

"Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine Inheritance, both now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art!"

-Be Though My Vision (1912) 

The Mood Game

Have you ever played the mood game? One minute you're feeling like your on cloud nine and then just a few hours later you are contemplating why you even care about anything? One instant you're loving life and then the next you're questioning why it's gotta be so dang hard sometimes?
With me, my mood tends to be effected by the weather. Anyone who knows me fairly well, knows that I am not a fan of winter...period. Snow and cold temps are acceptable for Christmas Day and that day only in my mind. Many people have experienced my random cries of angst over frozen objects, cold hands and toes, and be bundled up, feeling like the Michelan Man. And of course they happen to often find it quite amusing much to my continued angst. ;)
So the other day I was at work and it of course, was a typical gloomy and cold January morning. And I have to say my mood was not in the greatest of shapes. I had much grievance on my mind at the time and it was one of those times when you wondered why you even cared about what was going on around you and you just wanted to crawl in a hole and be alone for like forever. Anyway...as the morning progressed, all the sudden the sun made its presence know and the skies cleared. And like a lightbulb, as the warm sun seeped into my bundled body, a warmth took to my mood. Suddenly the coldness seemed to just disappear and I didn't even care anymore that it was winter. All I could feel was the warmth on face, hear the birds chirping and feel my soul coming alive. And I couldn't help but burst into a smile and feel a refreshed pep in my step and hope in my heart.
Now you may be asking where in heck am I going with this....or analyzing whether or not I may be bi-polar...haha! But as I thought about it later that day, it struck me, how a simple change in the weather could cause such a difference on my mood and outlook on that day. Even later in the day the gloomy skies returned and I could slowly feel my mood trying to shift back to match the gloominess. But I began to wonder why. Why should such a thing affect how I feel? I may not like winter, but why should that change how I view the day? Am I not alive and breathing? Did I not have the ability to get out of bed this morning? Am I not walking on two feet and getting to be out in creation instead of a stuffy office?  Why should a silly thing like the weather change how I feel?
I believe we grow up associating our external surroundings with certain feelings. A raining, gloomy day can make us feel sad. I mean rain on a wedding day can be considered a bad omen right? As kids who didn't draw a sun with a smiley face on it because the sun is supposed to happy of course! The cold outside can make us feel cozy inside by the fire. The heat can make us either really enjoy the pool or make us irritable and sluggish. But how much of this is actually just all in our head? I mean obviously we can have physical reactions to these different things, but should they really have that much of a profound effect on us?
And as I continued to think, I wondered if people noticed the changes in mood in each other according to this. Could people tell the difference in me? What kind of message was I sending to others? That my attitude could be changed so easily by my surroundings and the thoughts that I let it breed in my mind? God doesn't want us to be people who are easily tossed about by the external elements around us. Just because it's a gloomy day and our current circumstances might not be ideal, doesn't mean that it's not a day to celebrated. Just because the sun's not shining doesn't mean it can be a good day to be enjoyed. It can be 10 below and you can still trudge out in knee deep snow to break ice in the water tank with pep in your step. You can be knee deep in mud and soaked through with a smile still on your face while tying to chase unruly horses. You can lift your face to the bitter cold wind or the heat waves and have the most ridiculous grin on your face because nothing can touch your soul. Our source or quality of life doesn't come from the things around us....the situations, the circumstances, the people, or the weather.  It comes from deep within us; from what we know to be true. That Someone gave us another day to live and breathe oxygen. To soak in the sun, to feel the rain on our skin, to appreciate that we have fingers and toes that tell us when they're getting too cold, to catch a snowflake on our tongue, to learn from our mistakes and try again and to make a difference in our world. What would people say if we were the ones always smiling no matter what the day was like? If we were the ones soaked to the bone but dancing in the rain. Cheeks frozen into a permanent grin? Sweating bullets but still laughing?
I don't want my mood to be affected by something as petty as the weather or by how other people are feeling and acting. I want to be the mood changer and the winner of the mood game. I want to be the one who brings the sun with me every day because I have the true Son in me!

Follow Your Heart?

Hi everyone,
So I had a huge revelation this morning about something that I though I had under control but realized that, in fact, I didn't...surprise, surprise! ;)
I was listening to a sermon from a church that I am potentially looking at going to, that had a very attention catching title. Follow Your Heart. I mean we've all heard of it right? The phrase that is used in countless movies that puts the main character in a position where they have to make a monumental, life changing decision and their confidant tells them that they just need to "follow their heart". The pastor was talking about how different phrases that we grow up hearing throughout our lives become almost like Bible verses to us. As if they were actually words spoken by God Himself. However, you will not find verses about following your heart. Instead, you will find verses that say that the human heart is not to be trusted. That it is foolish and deceiving above all things.
And I mean think about it, it is true. How many relationships, marriages, job opportunities, and countless lives have been wrecked because people just had to "follow their heart" instead of following what was morally right? The pastor went on to explain how we can want something so badly that our heart becomes convinced that something is true, however, that does not make it true. We can convince ourselves that something is right when in fact it's not. Our hearts can be blinded. That is why we need to give our hearts to God and let Him lead them because He loves us and knows what is truly best for us. Our hearts need to led, not followed. A heart, if followed can be deceived into deception, lying, killing, bad choices, infidelity, and self-destruction. But if we lead our hearts by holy principles then we have a strong path to follow.
So now this brings me to a confession. The thing that hit me right across the forehead today and made me have to rewind parts of the sermon several times. I have been following my heart to the point that my dream has become my idol. I, of course, told myself that it was all about inspiring people and making a difference in people's lives, but let's be honest....that feeling of longing to be recognized, to be admired, to be "successful", to have "my time to shine"; was always lurking below the surface. My heart was telling me that I wanted it for others, and to an extent that was true, but slowly I was wanting to taste that glory for myself more and more. My heart was changing and I was following it. And because of it I was dragging my feet when it came to different things in my current life situation. My business idea had been placed on that back burner even though I knew I needed to start doing something about it. My ability to read people and know when they really needed someone to simply take an interest in them had been dulled. My drive for my job had waned.
This morning was a reminder that I am following my heart instead of letting it be led by God. I may have let go of my dream into His hands but then I just started treading water. Before I had the idea of training horses for film, I had the idea of having a therapeutic riding facility some day and reaching out to all ages with the joy a horse can give. And I let that vision fade, as I became more and more enamored with "silver screen" plans. And now I see that God has been calling me back this whole time and I am finally getting it. I need to do this business because that is where my heart is being led. I want to bring joy to children's lives and heart's with God's amazing creatures. I want to bring a smile to the face of a nursing home patient or a veteran. I want to bring laughter to people who are hurting. I have always wanted to do that, because that it what truly makes a difference. A movie can leave you with an experience and a feeling that can last for a little while if it was really good. But a personal moment with someone face to face, can leave an impression that can last a lifetime.
I want it to stop being about me and become about others. If that means I never grace the credits or train the horses of any film in my lifetime so be it. Because I don't want to risk losing my heart just because I thought I was doing the right thing by "following" it when I truly was going down a road of self-indulgence. I will still keep on trick training and enjoying movies with horses in them but I will only go to that industry if God leads me there some day and not on my own terms. And I tell you what; I already feel relieved. With God leading my heart, I don't have to worry anymore because He will always take me where I need to be.
Now that I have that off my chest....I can now plan more excitedly for my new business venture!!
There is a lot of things to be done in just a few short months if I plan to kick off my pony party business in the spring and I need all the prayers I can get!! And I need to ask ya'll a favor....perhaps the first and most important step in the business starting process is a name for my business. I feel like in order to make this totally real (besides that thing called finances, not super important right? :)) I need a name that is going to define what adventure is all about. So I am asking for suggestions...because I am horrible about coming up with names! I want something that is a little out of the box, attention grabbing to the general public, and that has a good message to it. Fun, yet meaningful. So please feel free to leave suggestions on my blog Facebook page...any help would be greatly appreciated!
And please be praying that my heart will stay on track and hopefully I can start bringing some happiness to into some people's lives soon with the crew that has brought so much to mine. :)