Just because it's delayed...

A few weeks ago, I saw a John Hagee quote that has stuck with me. "Just because it's delayed, doesn't mean it's denied."It brought peace to my heart because in that day, I'd spent time sulking over a request I've been making of God for a few years now. It also got me thinking about the other 'long term' requests I keep tucked inside my heart and mind. Requests that involve the salvation of family members to personal goals I'd like to accomplish to every day obstacles that I feel hold us back.

A few weeks back I blogged about worrying. Many of you shared with me that it's a constant struggle you face every day and with that, I can empathize. I'm a worrier by nature, but God has not held back lately in reminding me how deeply He cares for the worries of my heart. Whether they be small or large.

An example of that happened this last week. This time last year we received a letter in the mail about home insurance that brought a lot of frustration and tears. A stupid something that was out of our control. A something that would would nearly make it impossible to ever sell this house and would cost us  financially in the meantime.

 I wish I would have known then what I'm about to tell you.  

Anyway, the good news was that there could be resolution to this problem, but we didn't really know what it could be or how to go about it.  We had no answers and no guidance.

Over the last year, I've been praying over it casually and hoping for something to show us what the next step needed to be. I've done different research, talked to people who've experienced the same and have just had to sit and wait. Not my best quality.

On Friday, I received another letter that at face value, looked to be another horrible, 'we want more money or else' type letter. I started to go into a panic attack when God sweetly reminded me my favorite verse. 

           Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 
In that moment, that moment of fear,  I had a choice to make. I could continue worrying and going through my typical 'worse care scenario' cycle, or stop and do what He has asked of me and give him prayer and praise. That's exactly what I chose to do and oh what peace filled my soul. I held that letter in my hand and I claimed victory over it. I praised God for an awesome work in the situation, even though I had no clue what that could even mean. Didn't matter, I was giving it straight to him, thanking Him for loving me and knowing my worries and praising him for it to be taken care of.  

Today, 3 days later and many phone calls later, I write to tell you that not only did that letter bring good news masked in ugly, but it looks like very soon, this entire situation will be put to rest and in a bigger, better way that we could ever have planned for ourselves. That my friends, is my God at work. I wish I could remember every time I have a concern  that the way God will choose to meet the need will always be in a much bigger, better and more awesome way than I could ever dream up. Just because the answer to this prayer was a year delayed...didn't mean it was denied.

Just because my request to see a promotion in my business has been delayed, doesn't mean it's been denied. 

Just because my request for healing in the concerns I have in my health have been delayed, doesn't mean it's denied.

Just because the sweet salvation of my family and friend's hearts and souls has been delayed, doesn't mean it's denied.

It doesn't matter what the length of time is. I want these met in God's way and not mine. In His timing, not mine. It's then I can rest well knowing that those way's will be something tremendous! You can probably ask just about any Believer and they could share a story with you about waiting on God's perfect timing in a situation and how it far exceeded their expectation once the answer arrived. It's how God rolls. :)

I fully stand on the promises of my God today. He has promised in Jeremiah that He knows the plans He has for me. Plans for me to prosper and not fail. Plans to take care of me and not abandon me. Plans to give me the future I hope for and I want YOU to know that He has those very same plans for you.

So this is my message to you today my sweet friends. It doesn't matter how long it's been. Years, months, weeks or days. Just because it's been delayed...doesn't mean it is denied. Wait for His precious timing, pray and praise while you wait and know full well that YOUR God is preparing something amazing for you.

-Amanda

From the Word:

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,

    or, whine, Israel, saying,

“God has lost track of me.

    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?

Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?

God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.

    He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.

He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.

    And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,

    gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don’t get tired,

    they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 40:29-31

All things yummy!

Time to take a break from all the deep stuff and talk FOOD! :)
Some of my very sweet friends have asked that I start sharing some of my recipes with you. I am kind of addicted to taking those super annoying food pictures. You know the ones. They make you hungry, make you want to eat it and then you don't have a recipe to go with so it makes you all cranky. Yeah, those. :) I especially love taking them when we're on vacation when we're experiencing new restaurants and dishes.

So today, I'm going to share the recipes for the dinner we had tonight. It was a chilly, start of Fall, rainy day and so I thought that stew with beer bread and some peach crumble would be the perfect Friday night meal. I'm all about simplicity in the kitchen, so you'll see nothing but that in these recipes. I hope you enjoy them around the table with your family as much as I did with mine.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew (you may also choose to use Venison- a favorite around here!)

1 lb. of cubed stew meat
1 bag of baby carrots
5 red potatoes, quartered
4 cups of beef stock
1 large onion, sliced and in rings (optional- my kids don't like onions so I left it out tonight)
1 cup of red wine (really...trust me on this)
1 package of McCormick stew seasoning

Set up your slow cooker and turn on.
Pour a small amount of vegetable oil in a pan and set to medium-high heat.
Toss stew meat pieces in flour. Shake excess and brown in pan. Do not cook all the way through. You're just looking for a sear on the outside.

While browning, pour rest of ingredients into your slow cooker. Once meat has browned, pour it into the slow cooker and mix well. Place lid on and let cook for 6 hours on low or 4 on high. Low and slow will give you tender, fall apart meat, but high get's it done when you forgot to put it all together until 2 in the afternoon. :) You may choose to use a little cornstarch to your liquids if you like a thicker stew.

Beer Bread

1 bottle or can of beer (yes, you can buy them singly at a convenience store. Ignore the stares and tell them you're baking!)
1/2 cup of melted butter
1 teas. of salt
3 cups of flour
3 teas. of baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350.
Mix dry ingredients well. Pour in beer of choice and stir well. For a crunchy crusted bread, pour batter into a loaf pan and pour butter over the top. If you like a moister, denser bread, mix butter into your batter. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center.

Peach Crumble

1 lg. can of peaches in light syrup (not pie filling)
1 box of yellow cake mix
1/2 cup of butter melted
1/4 cup of brown sugar
Cinnamon
1 tub of frozen light cool whip

Preheat oven to 350. Pour peaches into the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix (straight from the box) over the top of the peaches. Next, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top of the cake mix layer. Pour butter evenly over the entire dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with a spoonful of frozen cool whip for a delicious ice cream like treat!

Happy eating!

"I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food" - Erma Bombeck

The difference a year can make

              You know how there are years that you can look at and say not much happened? Nothing remarkable or nothing life changing? They become the years tucked in between those of baby's being morning, wedding being had and the other events that make their marks in our memory.
At a glance, I thought this last year was one of those years for me. On the surface, it seems as if the year has come and gone without anything of significance taking place, but then I started to really look at it. Boy, was I wrong!

              This last year hasn't brought us, what would look like to others, as major life changes, but goodness how life has changed.
              This time last year, I was still in awe that I had been able to get on a plane to go to our annual Scentsy convention in Las Vegas. It had been a total fear of mine for so many fears and the ONLY things that got me on it and there were my husband, God and knowing my bestie would be on the other side. On the way home, it was my girls I was coming for. I was beyond terrified. They say once you do it, the fear goes away. That's a lie. :)
              Two months later, our family would unexpectedly be inviting a sweet German exchange student to come into our home. You can read more about that experience here. We had not planned on taking a student, although we'd been asked. We didn't think the time was right for our family, but God thought different. Our family of 4 was now a family of 5 and I had to learn how to 'parent' a teenager who's mom was the same age as my own. :) God had preparing my heart all summer to be His hands and I kept looking everywhere else for what it was He was preparing it for. This was it all along.
            Two months after that, in an effort to push myself as a leader in my business, I auditioned to be a speaker at a regional meeting we call them Spring Sprints. I really only auditioned just for the sake of trying. In my heart, I really didn't want to be chosen. But I was. When I received the email, I completely freaked out. These people must be nuts. Why on earth would they choose me? Self doubt crept in, but I'm thankful for my friends, team and husband who encouraged me to just move forward and give it my best try. In February, I stood in front of over 1,000 and did just that. Now, I can barely give a testimony in church without shaking and bawling, so this was a HUGE deal people! :)
           In March, my marriage was healed. No need to go into great detail here as you can read about it in this post.
           In April, Josh and I traveled to Charleston, SC. on an incentive trip we'd earned. It was amazing! It was the first time we'd left out girls for that long and I was so nervous. While we were there, we went sailing (I know they say it can't tip over, but I'm still not convinced), kayaking with dolphins (they're not super great with the ores), drove over this bridge (vomit), and even went on a dinner cruise in Charleston harbor (I've seen Titanic too many times. I spent most of our trip hovering somewhere between elated and a nervous wreck. :)
         In May, Maja went back to Germany and we had 2 very sad little girls. It wasn't much long after, that I received an phone call that in the most literal sense, made my jaw drop. I remember the words and my reply was 'now do what?'. My sweet friend Sara who works for training at Scentsy corporate was calling to ask if I would be interested in speaking at the annual convention. Again...do what??? I honestly could not believe that of their choice of thousands and thousands of consultants, my name was even an option. I most humbly agreed and then almost threw up. What did I get myself into?
       I spent most of June with my stomach in knots and in early July, walked onto a stage in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to share my heart with almost 10,000 of my Scentsy family and friends. I think what I spoke on sums up well who I was and where I am now.
        And here we are, back to September again. A couple of weeks ago, I received notice that I had earned an all expense paid trip for my husband and I to our leadership conference in Cancun at the Moon Palace Resort in January. Let me remind you that only a little over a year ago I had taken my first flight as an adult and hated every second of it. Here we are now with the opportunity of a lifetime. To be in Mexico in January learning and networking from the cream of the crop in my business and the only thing in our way is a 2.5 hour plan ride across the Gulf of Mexico. The day I actually had to register, I had a near panic attack. I'm talking  heart racing, dry heaving, pacing the floor attack. But you know what? I worked hard and my husband deserves for me to drug myself up, get on that plane and take him to Mexico in 4 months, but can I do it?

So let's recap... In the last year, I...

Challenged (not overcame) my fear of flying
Lost almost 50 lbs (watch the videos for more on that)
Took in an exchange student and learned what it was to become His hands
Gave my first speech in front of over 1,000 people (never gave one in high school or college)
Had my marriage saved
Traveled across the country
Shared my heart at the Scentsy Reunion
and will soon, take a flight to Mexico

I wanted to share all of this with you not to brag on what all I've done. Really, it's the complete opposite. I wanted to share this with you to show YOU what YOU can do.
I am a person who constantly fights fears. Fears of not being enough, of not giving enough. Rational fears and some irrational. I like my comfort zones and don't like the feeling that rises up in my tummy when I'm being challenged to get out of them. But look at that list. Look at what I've been able to do because I CHOSE to get uncomfortable.
It is amazing what challenging our fears brings. It doesn't always bring resolution to those fears, but in creates something in us that makes us so much more. After each one of those events, I was changed. Some part of me was different. I felt more powerful,  more open, more willing, and more vulnerable.
Today, I sit here writing a completely different person than I was a year ago. My life changed. A remarkable year. Not at first sight, but deep in the heart of the matter. This was a year of significance.

I think it is said best here....

What are you afraid of?

-Amanda

From the Word:

           

           

ATTENTION: No worrying necessary

Ever have one of those weeks where everything seems all sunshine and unicorns and then one small thing throws it all of course?

Well, that's what last week was for me.

Now let me preface this post by saying that by nature, I'm a worrier. I like to know exactly what's going on at all times and anything 'unplanned' or spontaneous makes me anxious. My sweet husband is the 'roll with the punches' kind of guy while I'm like "punches? What punches? AHHHHH!!! PUNCHES!!!" :)

I feel like it's important for you to know this so you know why I react to things the way I do. I like structure and predictability because that's what gives me peace.

And now all that unravels.... :)

I was headed out on Thursday to run some errands and grabbed my mail. There, inside the mailbox, was the piece of paper that through my day into a tailspin. A notice from our mortgage company telling us that our monthly payment would be increasing by $300! GASP! 

In a moment, I flew into panic. I started making phone calls while trying to hold back the tears choking in my throat. "Why is this happening?" "How will we afford this" "What will we do?" were only a few thoughts that went racing through my head. This was piled on top of some other situations that just simply caused my heart to go into panic mode.

In between calls, as I waited for answers, the tears came. As we drove on to our errands, my little girls were asking why I was upset. I gently replied that it wasn't for them to worry about. That there are things that happen and they're for mommy and daddy to worry about and not them. That is when my oldest daughter, Kate, very quickly replied, "No, it's not for you to worry about. It's for God to take care of."

Wow...right? I mean, she's 8 and half. Where does this kind of knowledge come from? I truly believe that God was using her to catch my attention in that moment and man, did He ever.

She was right. He is right.

I battled with emotions, frustrations, and calls all day long and into the evening and Kate's comment just kept coming back to me. As I laid in bed that night, I prayed about the situation. I told God that He asks us to lay every worry, care and concern at His feet and that's what I was doing. After all, this is one of those situations that only He was going to be able to fix. I asked for His intervention and His peace. 

When I woke the next day, I prayed the exact same thing again. Not only that, but I made the decision that I would not be letting this situation be the master of my day. I decided that any time the problem came in my head that day, that I would quickly shut it down and give God praise for something I was thankful for. Not only did that bring the peace I needed throughout the day, but it kept my heart distracted from worry.

And praise be to Him because by 4pm that day, we had our resolution! In a BIG way! Isn't God amazing???

He is the master of making opportunity from our circumstances.

So this is what I want to share with you. The first being is that we have no need to fear. We have no need to be concerned. God is the peacemaker. He is our Father is knows the needs each and every one of us have. Especially for those like me that need to feel like they're in control, letting go and letting God can be a huge challenge, but I can guarantee that His outcome will always be better than anything we can strum up.

The second is that when your heart is troubled, whether it be over finances, an illness, a situation with another person, that one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is praise. To choose in those quiet moments, when the scary things creep in, to stop and give God praise. Thank him for resolution in those situations or simply give Him praise for something else, but praise Him! He dwells in the praises of His people. 

I want to encourage you, as much as I need to remind myself, that God is in the details. He so desires us to lay our burdens at His feet. To give every tiny fear or unrest to Him. It's in faith that we do this, but in His love for us that He replies. When we feel like our world is out of control, that He is the master of it.

Sweet friends, I want to encourage you today to remember that your life isn't for you to worry about, but for God to take care of. 

-Amanda

From the Word:

6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds. Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry—I am with you.
    Don’t be afraid—I am your God.
I will make you strong and help you. Isaiah 41:10

People might make many plans, but what the Lord says is what will happen.

Proverbs 19:21

I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. Jeremiah 29:11

Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Consistency Is Key

It's been something I've been chewing on for the last week or so. How important consistency is.
I truly believe that it is the key to all we do. To all our successes.

In my leadership role with my Scentsy business, I must be consistent. I have to continually lead, encourage and support. Not here and there. Not just when I feel like it, but consistently. Consistent leadership in any company will create loyalty and loyalty creates production. They want to work for you because you can be counted upon...always.

In my role as a friend, I must be consistent. I can't be the friend that's only there when it's good. I have to be there when it's bad. I have to be there to take late night phone calls and hard conversations. I have to always speak truth even when it's not what they want to hear. I have to be there to celebrate their lives and not become jealous. Consistent friendship creates trust and trust builds bonds that become hard to break. These are the friendships that will give you the greatest of worth.

In my role as a mother, I must be consistent. I can't say something I don't have intentions of following through on. Even greater than that, if I do say something, I need to remember it later. :) There is a quote that says " I may not always know what my child will do, but my child should ALWAYS know what I will do." I must not only be consistent in discipline and training up, but I also must be consistent in hugs, kisses, tickles and play time. I must consistently show them what a Christian mother looks like and what it means to to love the Lord. I can't ask them for self control if I can't hold on to my own. Consistent parenting creates security and is there nothing more a child craves (whether they know it or not) than security?

In my role as a wife, I must be consistent. I must always show my husband respect, even when it's hard. I must consistently forgive him for the silly things that frustrate me just as I hope he'll forgive me. I must consistently support, love and encourage him. We make these vows when we get married and then somehow quickly forget them when times get tough. I must consistently thank him for his hard work in our family. To the men, your wife needs consistency from you more than you know. It provides her her with all the things I've already mentioned. Loyalty, worth, security- the sames things you'll receive from her as she strives to be consistent for you. A consistent marriage will create a healthy marriage. Both partners will know exactly what to expect from the other and both will feel more fulfilled. This will lead to a happier, healthier home.

In my spiritual life, I must be consistent. I have to continually seek God's place in my life. I must read His word, apply it to each of these areas and strive to always build a stronger relationship with Him. Just as with friendships and marriage, I can't always go running to or even away from God when things are hard. It's the consistency of putting His will above my own each and every day.  It's not questioning his judgement, but looking for His lessons. For praising Him for His blessings and preparing praise reports when I'm uncertain.
I do believe leading a consistent spiritual life can be tougher sometimes than all of the above, but it's absolutely the most crucial. You see, when we are where we should be with our Creator, we are much more able to let Him lead us in the rest. A consistent spiritual life brings peace and there is nothing my heart needs more.

As in everything, consistency isn't always easy, but it is essential! Nothing can be achieved without it. It's about doing the little things each day that will continue to make us greater. I challenge you to seek for consistency and not complacency in your life as I do the same.

Target practice

We live in the South. The place where Jesus, family values, good manners and guns are a part of the culture.
Next week I'll be taking a class to get my concealed carry permit. I don't plan on carrying a gun on me any time soon (maybe a taser?), but I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and take the class. I need to know what I'm doing if I come across a situation where I need to use one to protect my family.
My husband hunts and in an effort to spend time with him, I've gone each season over the last few years. For safety in that environment and for personal protection, experience in handling, loading/unloading and a proper shot is super important. I'm terrified of guns, don't get me wrong. I have a very high respect for them, but if the occasion arose and I didn't have this knowledge, I don't know that I could live with myself. At least like this, I can set that crazy part of my mind at ease.
Anyway, yesterday, in prep, my husband took me down to his father's farm so I could target practice. It was my first time with a 9mm gun. Not bad, eh?

They'd at least bleed. :) Hubby was super proud of me which is all I really needed anyway. 

More importantly, I've been talking to other women who do conceal carry and ask them how they carry those pieces. I mean, a man can use their pockets or a holster on their hip, but as women, our options are fewer. (unless you want to go all on the thigh or in the bra) ;)

Many have said they just keep them in their cars or in their purses, but wish they had something that not only made their gun more accessible, but was actually cute!

So when my company came out with a new style bag for our Fall/Winter launch that met these needs, I was super excited. Not only is it a STUNNING bag, but it has the perfect pocket on the front from left or right. It doesn't have that 'I have a gun inside of me' or tactical look. It's just a gorgeous bag that happens to have a pocket that would fit a full size frame.

So now I have to decide whether I'll continue to carry my sweet Heather in Ocean blue bag that I'm crazy over...

Or grab the new Giselle bag and start packing (when I'm good and ready) is sassy style...

Which would you carry? 

More importantly, I wonder if Ree Drummond over at

  Pioneer Woman would carry one? 

Home Improvement

After last week's post , my heart has been so blessed. To be honest, I expected silence from that blog. Uncomfortable silence. Instead, you all have opened your own hearts to me sharing how you'd been there, are there or feel like you're getting there. I've been able to hear how you are starting over in your own marriages after my 'coming clean' and to say that it has brought confirmation that it was the right time/place to share our story is an understatement. I'm thankful God moved on my heart and brought my fingers to the keys last Monday night.

In light of that, I asked my husband if he'd be willing to write a little something regarding the healing in our marriage. We both have seen so much change in our relationship and own lives, that I knew he'd have something valuable to share.

As I read his entry, I couldn't help but think about how much we as women, in an effort to be 'equal'  can end up taking away any chance our husbands have of supporting, loving, and providing for us in the way God has intended. At the same time, as this happens, men over time haven't stood up and been firm in their roles. Maybe because what Josh talks about below is just easier than fighting with a stubborn woman who wants her way (even if it's not the best way). Regardless, God has set in place a perfect design for the marital relationship if we are willing to follow it. It doesn't mean that women can't be strong, work, provide and have opinions. It does mean that we have to be willing to let our husbands lead our families. We trusted them enough to marry them and have children with them, we MUST trust them enough to guide us and take care of us.

And now, a word from My Mr....

My darling wife has asked me to write something for this blog.  I said “sure!”  That was stupid.  I failed to consider the fact that most of you who are reading this blog are women; and many of you have been very moved by one or more of Amanda’s posts.  I am glad that she has been able to share our experiences; but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a bit intimidating to try to follow all of that. 

If you have been reading you know by now that things are really good between Amanda and I right now; but that this hasn’t always been the case.  While she has shared several reasons for this already; including her past and how that shaped her perceptions of relationships; it’s not the whole story.  The rest of the story might not be as interesting; but it may be the most common thread in all of this. 

For the first 10+ years of our marriage; I had no idea how to be the husband that Amanda needed and deserved.  Don’t get me wrong, I was the perfect husband… if you judge by what you see on TV.  I had fallen into the prototypical role of a husband/father that is depicted in nearly every American sit-com in the past 40 years.  I had a job; came home; spent time in the recliner in front of the TV, patiently waiting on my wife to hurry it up with dinner; and played the part of the overgrown child fairly well.  I reasoned that I worked hard; and when I came home it was my time to relax; grumble if the kids were too loud; and catch up on whatever I could manage on Sportscenter.  If I was involved in something; it was one of my projects; a race-car; a truck that I never got quite right; something that separated me from my family.

All of this seemed perfectly normal.  From Tim Allen to Homer Simpson to Ray Romano; I was fitting right into the mold.  Unfortunately; it’s not a mold that anyone should want to fit into.  This isn’t what I needed; what Amanda needed; and definitely not what my two young daughters needed.  Husbands are not another child to raise.  They aren’t to be buffoons that our wives get together and one-up each other with embarrassing stories over.  Whether or not we are the primary financial provider (which is less and less likely) we should come home to be engaged with our families; not to shut them out.  My daughters need to see someone who is happy to see them and play with them.  Who shows them attention and loves their mother.  My wife needs to know that I can’t wait to get home to her; not ESPN.  I’m not saying that we shouldn’t take time to rest or re-charge; but should we be doing that at the expense of the people we love most?

As Amanda and I reassessed our roles in our marriage; it forced me to look at my role in our family overall.  I’m still working on it.  There are still times that I fail to show my family the attention that the need and deserve; but I’m working on it.  I may never be the perfect husband or father; but I can darn sure beat the Tool Man.

From the Word:

25 Husbands, love your wives the same as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. Ephesians 5:25

4 He must be a good leader of his own family. 1 Timothy 3:4

18 Wives, be willing to serve your husbands. This is the right thing to do in following the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be gentle to them. Colossians 3:18-19