Celebrate.

This past weekend was a great one! I spent it with some of my most favorite people, I had a lot of girl time, and we celebrated so many of our friend's birthdays. Most weekends seem to pass by so quickly, but this weekend went by at a perfect pace. 

I Love Celebrations. 

I love a good party. I love honoring and celebrating people. Not just because there is usually good food and cake involved, but it's because I think it is so important to take a few moments to let the people in our lives know just how loved they are. There is something amazing about seeing the look on that person's face when they realize that the crowded room or large dinner table is all for them. It is their moment.


Celebrate BIG. 


As I was indulging on my second piece of cake Sunday night I realized that there are areas in my life where I need to celebrate BIG. We have been praying ans believing for God to open up the doors for us to be able to attend a training/ conference. It is held in Birmingham, Alabama. So there are flights, hotels, conference registration fees, and other costs involved. There are dates to be worked out and it truly was/is a BIG ask. Well, this past week EVERYTHING came into place. Flights, hotels, registration fees, and we even have Grammie and Poppie meeting us there to take care of the girls! When the reality of us officially going to this conference hit us, we were beyond excited. This was/is a miracle. We celebrated. This BIG ask deserves a BIG celebration. So we have been celebrating non stop.

 Everyday, All The Time. 


I find myself spending most of my efforts highlighting the trials or situations that are not yet in our favor rather then celebrating what God has already done and what He is doing now. Kennedi and Brooklyn love to celebrate. Every time they finish eating their food or when they put their toys away and even after we change their diapers they clap their hands and sometimes even do a little dance. They celebrate all the time for any reason. So there is a party in our house all day long. I desire the same to be true for my life. To celebrate all things, big and small. Insignificant and significant. Meaningless and meaningful. Everyday, all the time. 

What about you? Do you find yourself spending more time focusing on what you are going through instead of taking a minute or two to celebrate what you have already been through? What can you celebrate today. Please share with me by commenting in the box below.



TRUTH: 

 I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

 ² I live and breathe God;
   if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

 ³ Join me in spreading the news;
   together let's get the word out.

 ⁴ God met me more than halfway,
   he freed me from my anxious fears.

 ⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
   Never hide your feelings from him.

 ⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,
   and God got me out of a tight spot.

 ⁷ God's angel sets up a circle
   of protection around us while we pray.

 ⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
         how good God is.
   Blessed are you who run to him.

                                                                                                           Psalm 34:1-8 MSG


DARE: Celebrate BIG!!!!

Tough Decisions.

Last week BJ, the girls and I went on a road trip to Phoenix, Arizona to attend a conference. We love road trips! It has usually been the place where we talk and dream about all the things we want to accomplish in our lives. I guess it serves as a visual parallel between the road trip-journey and our real life- journey. This wasn't the first time we had been gone to this particular conference, in fact we had been several times. The first time we had gone was when we were just dating over 6 years ago. I remember that trip like it was yesterday. That trip was so significant because it was the first time we talked and dreamt about our future together. During that conference we were all asked to write down the vision for our life; things we wanted to see accomplished in our lifetime, our goals and our dreams. 

 Write it Down.

BJ and I wrote down a few things we wanted to accomplish personally and then we wrote down what we wanted  to accomplish together. If you know anything about our story, you know that we knew we were going to get married before our first date. (so it wasn't too weird doing this before we actually married) This wasn't the first time we had shared what was in our hearts, but it was the first time we wrote them down. We prayed over our dreams and ultimately placed them in God's hands.

Make it Plain.

So here we were driving to this conference we had attended 6 years ago, but this time we had been married for 5 years, we had moved across the country twice, we had two little girls in the back seat listening to "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and we were traveling with a team from the Los Angeles Dream Center (our church and place where BJ is on staff) This was quite surreal on so many levels. 

Memory Lane. 

We talked about the vision we wrote out 6 years ago and as we went through them one by one we realized that many of those dreams and goals we wrote down we have already accomplished! It was so exciting and it gave us great perspective of this crazy adventure we have been on together for the past 6 years. The past few years have been filled with great times, amazing moments, tears of sadness, betrayal, loneliness, obscurity, victory, doubt, faith, risk and fun. They have been the most amazing 6 years of my life and I wouldn't change or trade not a single moment of them, honestly. What I can say about every moment and season over these past 6 years is that although they have been made up of a lot of things, one thing remains the same. These past 6 years have been made up of tough decisions. 

Defining Moments.

We have had to make some tough decisions: Decisions to move across the country, to move across the country with 3 month old babies, decisions to leave great positions, decisions to trust God in the most unsure times of our lives, decisions to forgive people who have hurt us, decisions to take positions that we knew technically could not provide for what we need, decisions to not defend ourselves or our reputation but allow God to fight for us, decisions to give when we knew we didn't have anything to give, decisions to not give up, decisions to not care when people have thought we were/are crazy, decisions to stand for a cause that is unpopular, decisions to believe that we have not been forgotten, decisions to honor and defend those who have not defended us, decisions to stop pursuing relationships and people God has removed from our lives. The list could go on and on. 

Tough: strong or resilient.

I don't list these tough decisions so that you could give me a pat on my back, but instead to paint a picture of what it means to have vision for your life and to submit that vision to the One who has the power to make that vision come true. Over 6 years ago we gave God the WHAT and He has determined the HOW. Each moment, each season, each tough decision has helped us grow and mature into the people He wants us to be. These decisions are not called TOUGH for no reason. They have been extremely tough to make and I would be lying if I said that we handled them the right way every time. But I am so thankful for a God who is rich in grace and who knows the intention of our hearts. Our desire has always been to please God and to do what He has asked us to do. We are here today with so many of those goals and dreams accomplished not because we are amazing and deserve an award, but because we have learned to see that what is in your heart is often hidden behind a tough moment only to be received after a tough decision.

One Decision Away.

I don't know where you are in your adventure. I don't know what the vision for your life is. Maybe your vision is to marry an amazing man who will one day father your children and make you the happiest woman on the planet. Your tough decision might be to continue to believe that your prince charming is out there and not to settle. Maybe you are not fulfilled in your job and you have a vision to own your own business. Your tough decision might be to submit to your boss, not complain about your workplace meanwhile putting a business plan together for your future company. Maybe what you envision for your life looks nothing like your current situation. Maybe your tough decision is to take a risk and stop doing the same things day in and day out expecting them to change. I don't know where you are or what you envision for your life, but I do know that you are one tough decision away from seeing what is in your heart become a reality. 

Are you at a tough decision crossroad? If so, I would love to hear from you. Please comment or share in the comment box below.

TRUTH: "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

                                                                               -Philipians 4:13MSG

DARE: Decide to make that tough decision.

The Happiest Place On Earth.

TRUTH: "If you can dream it, you can do it."- Walt Disney


DARE: Make your world the happiest place on earth. 

Disneyland.

This past weekend we took our girls to Disneyland. To say that I was excited is an understatement. It was like Christmas all over again. All week I would explain to the girls that we were going to see all the Disney characters, ride fun rides, eat cotton candy and have the best time ever. I knew my daughters had no idea what I was talking about, but they could sense my excitement and would get super enthused. They would respond to me by clapping their hands, dancing and even snapping their fingers. Their beautiful eyes would light up as I would go into great detail about our day at Disneyland. They were excited because I was excited even though they had absolutely no clue what I was talking about.

Tomorrowland.


I could hardly sleep the night before our big day. My girls on the other hand slept like babies. For them, tomorrow was just another ordinary day. But tomorrow was not so ordinary, tomorrow was going to be a special day. Before closing my eyes, I leaned over and whispered to BJ, "Tomorrow we are going to Disneyland and the girls have no idea." Tomorrow came early and we made our way to the park ready to have a perfect day. It was a perfect day. The girls were happy from beginning to end. We did all that I had planned we would do.  We saw all the Disney characters, we rode fun rides, we ate cotton candy and had the best time ever.

Fantasyland. 


I think we were in Fantasyland when I caught myself just starring at my girls; it was as if time stood still. It was either because I was captivated by the moment or it was because the line for the Dumbo ride seemed to never end. Either way, I had a moment. A BLOG moment. How many times have I gone to sleep at night thinking that on the other side of today awaits just an ordinary day?

Adventureland. 


This life we live should be defined as anything but ordinary! Instead, it should be defined as an adventure. There are memories to be made, experiences to be had and opportunities to be taken everyday. I have slipped into the "routine" of life a time or two but I want to get up in the morning with the same excitement I had when I woke up knowing we were going to Disneyland. My hopes is that this doesn't come across cheesy. I don't want to live for the weekend or be the person that wishes Monday thru Thursday away. I want to live everyday with great expectation, believing that tomorrow will be far from ordinary. How about you? Have you found yourself in the routine of life? Have you counted down the minutes until school or work lets out on Friday so you can begin to enjoy yourself? Or maybe you have found ways to keep each day fresh and full of great excitement. If so, share your experience by leaving a comment in the box below. I would love to hear from you.

TRUTH:    

 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you

                                                                                                                                -Romans 12:1,2 MSG

DARE: Break out of routine and live tomorrow a little not so ordinary. 

Daddy, B & K in their Minnie Mouse Shirts.

Brooklyn received a CELEBRATION Pin for walking up stairs all by herself!

Mommy and Kennedi

Brooklyn pointed at EVERYTHING she wanted to see!!

Our FIRST ride!

Us! xoxo

When time stood still... Far from ordinary....

The girls having FUN! K(back) B(front)

Don't Stop. Running.

TRUTH: "It's ok to want to quit, because that means you have something worth quitting."
                                                                     -Tommy Barnett


DARE: Just don't.

Don't Stop. Believin'.

My girls are toddlers! Where in the world has the time gone? I now know what all you mommies mean when you post status' updates that say, "You know you are a mommy when you no longer go to the bathroom alone." I used to giggle at those updates and now I am no longer giggling at you, I am giggling with you. My house is completely rearranged with random objects blocking the lamp, (my girls love to knock the lamp over time and time again) and the garbage can has permanently found its home in our hallway, which blocks the "cleaning supply cabinet" along with my vacuum and laundry basket. Confused? So am I. haha.

Determined.

After I hurdle my way through the baby proofed hallway and attempt to "use the bathroom" in peace, I usually notice four little eyes starring at me. For a while they would just look at me and wait for me to finish. Those days are long gone. After watching me maneuver through the various objects that stand in the way between the hallway and the bathroom, my girls are no longer satisfied with just starring at me from the other side. They climb, move, re arrange, even army crawl their way to me every time. They are relentless. The never stop.  They are so focused and determined to get to me, no matter how difficult it appears to be. I am sure in "Mommy 101" you shouldn't allow them to cross over to the other side, but I do every time. I admire how relentless they are. I don't ever want them to lose that. I want to be more like them when I grow up.


No Boundaries. 

I am a firm believer in boundaries and that boundaries are meant to keep us from harm. And while I want to teach them to respect and honor the boundaries I have laid out before them, I don't want them to lose their desire to never give up. I think we lose that along the way in this journey called life. I know there are times in my life when I have wanted to throw in the towel, and give up all together on something or even someone. I was such a proud momma starring at my girls as they pried their way through the many obstacles that stood in their way. Our journey is no different. There are many obstacles that stand in our way. Whether we have put them there or whether they have been placed in our way to test our desire to never give up. This year has started off strong for me and I am still as hopeful as I was on December 31, 2011 when I rang in the new year. But it doesn't mean that there have not been things that have already tried to stand in my way. When we believe for big things we have to be prepared for big things to stand in our way.

No Doubt.

My girls have no doubt in their minds that they are going to get to me. Even when they come up short and when I have baby proofed it just right, they try again and again each time believing that what they have set their mind to they will accomplish. This is what I think about when the Bible talks about us needing childlike faith. I know there are times I have lost my childlike faith and what is in front of me seems impossible to get through. What about you? Do you find yourself having a hard time believing that you can accomplish what is in your heart? I would love to hear from you. Share with me an area in your life where you are having trouble believing by commenting in the box provided below.






TRUTH: "Don't Stop Believin'." -Journey

DARE: Don't Stop Believin'.


Sneak Peek For This Week:

• Don't Stop. Running.     (Video Post)

Good Day. Bad Day. Which Day For You?

This past Sunday my favorite football team (since I was born), The San Fransisco Forty Niners lost to the New York Giants, ending their season one game shy of the Superbowl. I must admit I was heartbroken. I think I even cried. It was a close game and they lost by only three points in overtime. The game ended when the Giants' kicker, made a game winning field goal. Before he kicked the ball the camera panned the Giants' sidelines. I think just about every player looked up to heaven and prayed for it to go in. They panned the Niner's sidelines and they too were praying, except they were hoping for a different result. The ball went in, the Giants went crazy and the Niners' sidelines weren't so happy. It was a good day for the Giants, a bad day for the Niners. What kind of day is it for you?

Good Day.

After the game I thought about this for a while. Both teams prayed/believed/hoped for the outcome to result in their favor. (I am not presuming that all these players are Christians and were praying to God) They were hoping/praying/believing for a certain ending and only one team went home happy. I thought about how sometimes my best day is someone else's worst day. As I rang in my 28th birthday at midnight watching an episode of Revenge (great show by the way) I saw that one of my family members' friends had just passed away. I was celebrating another year of life and someone else was mourning a death. Same God, same day, different feeling.

Bad Day.

I am sure none of the Niner teammates blamed God for the outcome of the game. (They had plenty of other reasons and players to pin the loss on) But I began to think about how many times I have felt "let down" by God. As I woke up this morning I felt like I should encourage you, whoever you are today who feels like God has let you down. Whether your marriage ended and you feel like God should have changed the outcome, or if you lost a loved one too soon and you feel angry towards God for allowing it to happen, or if you lost a job and you haven't been able to find another job ever since, or if you lost a pregnancy and you are confused as to why this had to happen to you. I don't know who you are or what you are facing or have faced, but I want to encourage you and remind you that God has not let you down. He loves you, remembers you and is here for you!

Which Day For You?

There have been many moments, situations and even season of my life where things seem to not work out in my favor. Times when I felt like God was so far away, but as I look back time and time again I see that He was always there. We live in a world where tragedy faces us everyday, but there is a God who is greater than any circumstance. He doesn't bring us tragedy but He does allow us to go through it. God has not let you down, He has been setting you up! With every heartache, let down, or tough time, God has a hidden agenda to make you stronger, wiser, and ultimately make you and I more dependent on Him. I am not sure if you are having a bad day or a bad season but I want to remind you that God is for you and that He loves you.


Sometimes it seems as though God doesn't answer our prayers. Sometimes it seems like He is so distant. But God is always there and He always answers our prayers, it is just not always the way we hope He would.


Are you having a good day? Are you having a bad day? Which day for you? Would love to hear back from you. Please comment in the box provided below and enter in to win a STARBUCKS gift card. My prayer is that if you are facing a tough time, that you have been reminded that you are not forgotten, that God has not let you down and that He is For YOU!



TRUTH:                   Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified
                                        because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you;
                                              he will never leave you nor forsake you.”


DARE: Spend just a few moments in God's word today and be reminded of all His promises to you.