Updated Blessings! :)

I wanted to take a minute and list out all my blessings, as this always helps me to love my life and God more, and remember to thank Him!

Newly realized blessings!  

• This day - It is beautiful and the sun is shining!!!  I love the warmth of summer heat!  :)  
• Answered prayers:
• My dad and brother have both recently received new jobs!  These are long awaited, wonderful answers to many prayers!  The wait was worth it, as they both love their new jobs :) 
• One of my close friends (from my small group) underwent surgery for endometrial cancer.  They had suspected she would have a long recovery and need chemo and/or radiation, but they were able to do the surgery with minimal recovery time, and she will not need follow-up treatments!  
• Online Bible Study - "Stressed-Less Living" is such a blessing to me!  I learned a lot through the book, Melissa's blog, and the blogs of others.  I felt so encouraged and inspired by reading posts and interacting with amazing women, and having people comment on my blog - this helped me get through some difficult moments in the past few weeks!  Proverbs 31 Ministries is amazing (their daily devotionals are wonderful too)!!!  
• Recent vacation - I got to spend a week with one of my best friends, relaxing and having an adventure in Cabo!  

I am so thankful to the Lord that I got to take a week away from the office, relax, get to the beach, explore a new place, and try out some new and exciting things!  The best part was waking up in the morning and reading my Bible and praying while listening to the waves crash on the beach.  

        Seeing His wonders in nature help me feel very close and connected to            

        Him!  

• Office - we have a policy manual and have been starting reviews - things are shaping up, and I have great hope for the practice!  
• Gideon Bible Study - I have started a new Bible study with two ladies from work.  In one week I have already learned more new and incredible things.  I am always amazed at how we can always be growing with the Lord, and how much closer we can get to Him.  Priscilla Shirer is an amazing woman and author!  
• Eating well - This is something I struggle with!  Whenever I am focused on God, I find I can resist eating the whole bag of Oreos, and reaching for something healthier instead.  When I am not focused on God, my eating (and everything in my world) goes awry!  
• The wait - I have felt as though the majority of my adult life I have been waiting.  Waiting for what exactly, I am not sure.  Just waiting for something more in my life, something bigger, something that made me feel more important in the world.  I have finally realized recently that we can always be waiting for something, or for more of something, but this is our life RIGHT NOW!  I've seen it before and it never really clicked, but life is not a destination, it is a journey.  This journey is my daily life - waking up and spending time with God and His Word, going to work and interacting with coworkers and patients (and attempting to be a blessing to them), spending time with friends and family, etc - this IS life!  And as I go through this journey with God, I have become who I am today.  If God had given me a big career that I had to spend many hours a week on, or a husband and a family of my own, I doubt I would be as close to Him as I am today, because I would not have had the time for building my relationship with Him; and would not be nearly as happy and peaceful as I am today!  I am so thankful that I have found contentment in Him :)   

Previously mentioned, and still wonderful blessings I like to reflect on:  

• A wonderful, loving, amazing, powerful God!  
• My awesome family 
• Great friends 
• Q-bert - my cat! Also my little yoga buddy (see below) :)  
• All my needs are met! 
• My two jobs 
• My co-workers 
• My health
• My church
• My small group 

Thank you for reading!  Peace to all, and God bless!!!  :)

Prayer

The verse of the week for our Online Bible Study this week, Romans 8:26, is another reassuring one!  I love that the Spirit helps us through wordless groans, when we cannot find the words ourselves.  

I also realized as I was reflecting on this verse and praying throughout the week that this applies to those who we are praying FOR as well!  Often times I find that I want to pray for someone, but have no clue how to pray for them.  I feel silly admitting this, but sometimes all I can think to say is "Please help them Lord!"  I pray that over and over until I feel at peace about it.  Not knowing how to pray for some people always felt like a big weakness of mine.  I did not realize until this week that it is the Spirit, interceding through wordless groans, that helps me to pray for them!  I am so thankful for this verse, and that the Spirit truly does help us in every aspect of our lives - even in our prayers!  

Thanks for taking the time to read, and God bless!!!  :)  

I Will Be With You

"I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."  

~Isaiah 43:1b-3a 

This verse is so incredibly reassuring!  It literally warms my soul, and makes me feel loved.  To think that God is there to protect me in the waves and fires of our lives is incredible!  He is there when I am at work when I am fighting fires with patients or other people.  He is there in my relationships when things get heated so I don't get burned.  He is there in my family when I feel like the waves of major change, economic stress, and life in general will wash us away.  He is there when I feel I will be drowned in a deep river of stress, yet my soul feels dry.  He is there in all of this, taking care of us, keeping us safe.  He is in control!  

In the midst of all our hardships, grievances, suffering, trials, and tribulations, God is there.  He never leaves us - we just have to seek Him always.  If we do not actively seek Him every moment of every day, then we may miss His presence in our lives.  We cannot know the incredible power of God unless we seek Him.  He has already met us more than halfway; we must just go our half to meet Him! 

Thank you for reading, God bless!!!  :)  

Trusting His Timing

Trust - firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something 

I have a firm belief that God is reliable, and will always provide and take care of me.  

I have a firm belief in the truth of God's Word.  

I have a firm belief in the ability of God to do amazing things with and in my life.

I have a firm belief in God's strength to provide me with strength, and to do incredible and seemingly impossible things.  

But why do I struggle with having a firm belief that God's timing is perfect?  

Sometimes (ok, often times!) I struggle with trusting God's timing.  Most days, I truly love my life and where I am at in life.  Other days, I feel frustrated with the wait for some of my heart's desires.  Why do I not have a higher-paying job already?  Why can I not find a good job in the field that I have a degree in?  Why do I not have a husband yet?  I could ask "why" questions all day, but I must remember to focus on the blessings I DO have, instead of my lack of what I THINK I need!  

In her book Stressed-Less Living, Tracie Miles says "I had temporarily and inadvertently allowed the frustrations to become my focus, instead of the life-saving promises of the Bible."  Sometimes, I allow my frustrations to become my focus, instead of focusing on Jesus Christ. When I realize this, I immediately pray for forgiveness and help on re-focusing myself.  The following scriptures are some of the ones I reflect on and guard my heart with when I feel the enemy is attacking:  

• Proverbs 3:5 (MSG) - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding."  Whenever I read this scripture, it reminds me that I do not need to have all the answers!  Even though I may not understand why God is making me wait for certain things, I have to trust (have a firm belief) that He has a reason for my wait.  
• Romans 4:16 (MSG) - "This is why the fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing Him and what He does.  God's promise arrives as a pure gift..."  If I want to receive His amazing promises and blessings, then I must trust God with everything - including His timing!    
• Romans 14:17-18 (MSG) - "...Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ..."  This is the only thing that God asks of us!  Serving Christ is the only thing I should be focused on in my life - not acquiring wealth, not worrying about when I will have a husband, or anything else that the enemy tries to distract me with.  
• Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV) - "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act."  I trust God with my life, and I know he will give me the desires of my heart - I cannot question his timing, because He has reasons for the wait!  
• Romans 5:3-5 (MSG) - "There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.  Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  God teaches us patience in our times of waiting, and uses this to help us draw close to Him.  He will fill our lives with abundant blessings!  

I know He uses my waiting times to help me grow in my faith and to teach me patience.  He will give me the desires of my heart when He knows I am ready for them.  I trust that His ways are the best, and that He will provide exactly what I need when I need it - He has not failed me yet! :)