Not a means to an end.

Over the past several years that word got out that we were wanting to adopt a common theme began to develop. Very frequently and even just this week I'm told "Oh, once you adopt you'll get pregnant." or "We started that/did that but then I found out I was pregnant." While I know these people mean well this always feels like a punch to the gut. I want so badly to say " that's not why we are doing this." But that would be rude because I don't believe they mean it to come out as flippant as it sounds to my ears and I realize that I am sensitive to the subject. What I really want people to know is that yes we want to be parents. Always have. Before we were married we would have long conversations naming our future kids and daydreaming about what it would be like to have babies. 8 years into this journey our desires have shifted. Yes we still want to be parents but its a little different. Since we felt like God was leading us towards foster care our idea of parenting has changed a bit. Our eyes and our hearts have been opened to adopting an older child. We no longer feel like we have to parent a child from infancy. Our desire with becoming foster parents is ultimately to adopt but we also know that there is a chance that this may not happen. God has a plan and we have no idea how that is going to play out. The amazing thing is how he has changed our hearts. Just last night Micah told me that Gods plan may be for us to always be foster parents and never to adopt. That maybe we will just be a moment in a child's life but a moment that we provide all the love that we have to give. I have to admit that this scares me because I want to adopt. I want forever. But this is not about me. This is about the child/children that God has already planned to come into my life and what they need. 

Memorization Monday: Proverbs 31:26

This weeks verse comes from Proverbs 31 the description of a wife of noble character. This verse causes me to pause and think. Think about the things I say. The things I say when I'm busy and stressed or just plain frustrated with a situation. The things I say when I don't agree with someone or how something is being handled. How often do we think before we speak? When we don't we have regret over words we wish we could take back. Our words hold power. Power to bring someone up and bring someone down. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman is a great book and I highly recommend it if you haven't read it. After reading this book and taking the quiz I learned that my primary love language is "words of affirmation". I'm super sensitive to words that are spoken to me and at the same time words that are left unsaid. While I may be sensitive to this I still need help with keeping my mouth shut at times. This is something I need God to help me with. To teach me there is honor in keeping my lips sealed. To not talk unless my words are for the good and lift someone up. I realize that there are times that we will have to say unpleasant things but I also think that with Gods help He will help us to be graceful when those situations arise. This weeks verse is:

"She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26

*Memorization Tip* Tape this verse to you bathroom mirror. Say it out loud while you are getting ready for the day and remember that true beauty comes from Jesus that shines from within us.

*A Challenge* Go out of your way this week to say something kind to someone. Be intentional about this!

So Excited.....We just can't hide it!

On my way home from work today the hubby called and was so excited to tell me that we had recieved a letter in the mail from DHR. Our GPS classes are officially scheduled! We will start September 9th! The classes will last 10 weeks and God willing at the end of those 10 weeks we will be ready to welcome a child into our hearts and our home. We are so excited to start this part of the journey that God set us on almost a year ago! 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called  according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Memorization Monday: Matthew 6:27

Happy Monday!! So often Mondays are not what we would refer to as happy. Sundays are such good days spent worshiping God with fellow believers. I always feel light and happy on Sundays. Enter Monday morning. Mondays bring work, bills to be paid, tasks to complete, stress. Gods word is full of verses telling us not to be anxious, to worry for nothing. I fail at this everyday. How do we overcome this? We hide his words deep in our hearts. This weeks verse is:

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27

Those are Jesus's words friends. I don't know about y'all but every time I read this verse I feel convicted. Jesus told us not to worry. Why? Because He is with us always. He has a plan for our lives, even those crazy Mondays.

*Memorization Tip*  Tape it to your refrigerator door & say it out loud every time you open the fridge this week!

Memorization Monday Psalm 18:2

In Sunday School we have been studying wisdom. What is wisdom and where does it come from?  Are we following God's wisdom or that of someone else? How do we know that the "wise words" we are hearing are from God or our own idea of how life should go? Well one way to know God better is to know his words and I believe with my whole heart that the better we know him the easier it will be to know when it is HIS wisdom we are hearing. So what better way to know His words them to hide them in our hearts! This weeks verse is:

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my GOD, my stronghold in whom I take refuge, my shield, the glory of my salvation, and my high tower." Psalm 18:2

I love this verse and am so excited to commit it to memory. Psalm 18:2 states the many roles that God plays in our lives. He is so complex and just BIG! There is no area of our lives that He can't touch and that is so amazing and such a comfort to me and I hope that it is to you as well!

*Memorization Tip* Write this verse down then repeat 20 times! Once you have memorized this verse try saying it out loud replacing every "my" with "your name"! Jesus loves you my friends and He is all of this to you and more. He wants you to know it and believe it! 

*A Challenge*  I believe that God sometimes will bring to your mind someones name. It may seem totally random because this person may not be someone you interact with on a regular basis but I don't think that its random at all. If this happens to you this week, stop and pray for this person, send them a text or drop a note of encouragement in the mail. You never know when someone just needs an encouraging word but God does. Let's be an encouragement this week to someone and show the Love of Jesus! :)

Memorization Monday Joshua 1:9

Memorization Monday's : Every week I am committing myself to memorizing a new verse from the bible. I hope you will join me! This weeks verse is:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

I love the part "Have I not commanded you?" What a beautiful reminder from God. HE commanded us to be strong and brave because HE is always with us! I don't know about you but I am so excited to hide these words from God in my heart. So often the enemy uses fear (of anything and everything) to distract us from the truth of God. This verse will help us to fight back when fear and doubt start to creep in.

*Memorization Tip* Write this verse on note cards. Tape one to your bathroom mirror. Leave one in your console of your car.

Memorization Monday (Even though its Friday)

I have been reading Crash The Chatterbox by Steven Furtick and it has made me realize just how important scripture memorization is. Psalms 119:11 says "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Satan loves to get in our heads and trick us into believing his lies. Everyone is different so the lies he uses are different for each of us. But his goal is the same. To pull us out of fellowship with our God. Crash the Chatterbox is all about learning how to fight back. The best way to do this is to hide Gods word in our hearts. So when the enemy starts to confuse us with his lies we can fight back with the truth of Jesus. Let me tell you a secret about me. I am horrible at remembering stuff. Peoples names(so embarrassing), a specific ingredient at the grocery store, a bill(eek!), something the hubby asked me to do for him, and the list goes on. So memorizing bible verses has never been very easy to me. I always am impressed by people who can pull out scripture at the drop of a hat! Several things has happened lately that has made me feel that God is saying "Ashley, remember my words!" I started reading Crash the Chatterbox, #SheReadsTruth has days that are only a verse to memorize, and last week a devotional was about this same topic. So I'm going to do it. I'm going to pick a verse a week to memorize and since we are not meant to do life alone I am going to start "Memorization Monday"!

Every Monday I will post a new verse from the bible to memorize that week! I hope that you will join me in Memorization Monday and we can work together to hide God's word in our hearts!