More than Conquerors (I heart you)

Hey guys - time for another I <3 U post. The last one can be found here! I have to admit, I've not been staying on top of my blogging or even thinking about it, really. This cookie thing plus school has taken up a lot of my time! It's really hard balancing it all, but I'm learning how to. So, anyway, today I sat down at my desk to rest and get some school reading done, but decided to pick up my bible first. I'm trying to get through Jeremiah right now, so I read a chapter or two there and then flipped to the New Testament. This week I've been flipping through Paul's letters to the different churches not really sticking to one solid book or chapter, for that matter. Today I found myself in Romans 8:28-39 and it captured my attention. So much so, that I pretty much underlined the entire section of Scripture. So go ahead, grab a bible, visit biblegateway.com, and listen to this song as you read.

Verse 28 is a pretty 'famous' verse, it's very well known. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who ahve been called according to his purpose." A footnote in my bible says "...God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good" which I thought was pretty interesting. God works together with us? Most of the time we view it either as God working for us, granting our every wish, or us working for God, doing everything and anything he asks us to do. But this says that our relationship is mutual, God works with us to do good. He wants to accomplish things with us and for us, but primarily for His glory.

Now, the next 2 verses are a little tricky. They have to do with predestination, which is something that there is a lot of conflict or debate about in the church. Some people say that predestination could not be because Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 to pray for all people, that they may be saved. If everyone is already predestined to salvation, what's the point in praying for them? I don't have time to go into all of this, and honestly, I don't know whether we're predestined or not, but research it a bit more if it interests you. Here is a sermon from John Wesley himself, about it.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies." (Romans 8:31-33) We can't find satisfaction or validation in other people. 'It is God who justifies' God didn't spare his son, he gave him up so that we could be with him. We are validated in Christ. He holds our worth and he showed that by sending his Son.

I love this next part, "Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life -" I can just see Paul scribbling out the 'who died' section of it and re-writing 'who was raised to life'. That's the power of God. He didn't die, He's alive! "is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Christ is interceding for us, he's rooting for us. His death was an intercession on our behalf. He intervened on our behalf. "Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" No way! Christ went through all of that for us and He did it all in love, we can't let all of these things listed above get in the way! They can't get in the way, Christ already has and will defeat them again!

Let me leave you with the last 3 verses. "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angls nor demons, neither the present nor the futurem nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

We are MORE than conquerors!
~Jessica

A piece of my heart for you

Today I'm writing a letter, it may be to you it may not be.  I have a few specific people in mind that I am writing this to, but please if it speaks to you, put your name in there!!!

Dear ___________,

I've been watching you.  Creepy huh??  Haha, No, not that kind of watching, the watching that someone who cares deeply about you does.  When I look at you, I see all of the wonderful qualities that God has given you.  I see the purposes that you could fulfill, if only you believed in yourself.  Oh I know people have hurt you over and over and over again.  So much so, that their words and the pain have become a part of you, like an outer skin.  Remember Spiderman III (I think) where the black suit took over Peter Parkers body....that's the kind of pain and becoming I'm talking about.  Where, no matter how hard you try to out run it, to pull it from your body, you eventually give in and it consumes you.  You become someone else, trying to pull off this rough exterior, like no one could ever hurt you again.  I don't blame you, it totally makes sense, from where you are standing.

But from over here, the place where I am standing, it makes no sense at all and I want to scream out loud "YOU CAN FIGHT THIS!!!!! DON'T GIVE UP, I AM HERE FOR YOU, LET ME HELP!!"  But you can't hear me. You pretend to hear me, saying "I know, I know" but I know that it only bounces off that outer shell of who you've become.  It pains me to see you hurt like this and it pains me even more to know that there is nothing that I can do for you.  That all of my love and words of encouragment just aren't enough.  If I could go beat up every person that has ever hurt you, including myself, because I am not without fault, I would do it in a heartbeat, if I thought it would help.  It won't, you and I both know it.  You put on a brave face and say it's fine, but I know you're heart, because it beats and hurts just like mine.  Underneath we are all not so different ya know.  Pain is pain and hurt is hurt and it doesn't matter how it's delivered, it all sucks the same.

There is only one thing that will ever make a difference for you.  You know what I'm going to say, because I've said it before.  I have to say it, it really is all there is.  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  He created man and woman and they didn't trust Him (much like you and I) and they turned their backs thinking they could do it on their own.  They couldn't.  Life goes on and years pass by and the earth is full of life, people, animals, problems, enemies and only One Savior.  But rarely do His people acknowledge Him. 

He decides to send His son, hoping that will make a difference, hoping that His son will win their hearts back, the ones that have turned so cold and hard. It doesn't.  To some it does, quite a few actually.  Hope is restored and people believe again in the One true God and lives are changed!!!!  The lame walk, the blind see, the dead raise from their beds.  But for the majority, life goes on in the same, old, tiring fashion.

Years go on, life passes by, generations come and go and here were are today, fighting the same fight that Adam and Eve fought that day in the garden.  Trust in someOne bigger or trust in ourselves.  Day after day we choose ourselves.  We blaze our own trail, do it our own way and how do the days end....pain, heartache, lonliness.  We find that we have exhausted ourselves in the trying and yet we still choose to deny Him.  If I could grab you by the shoulders and shake this into you I would.  But God says no, He will never, ever force Himself on you.  I've explained it before, I wouldn't want to force my children to love me, it doesn't feel the same. Don't bother.  I want it to be genuine, to come from a deep place of knowing, understanding and pure love for me.  So does He.  He loves you so much - He sent His one and only Son to live on the earth, to walk the roads that you are walking, to feel the pain and lonliness that you are feeling, to die for you, to cover your sins and offer you a life above the pain.  A life with Him.  We couldn't put a price on that gift, yet He paid the ultimate price.

I don't want to preach at you, I know you won't listen.  I know that this is something bigger than me, bigger than you.  It's a work that only He can do.  I pray every day that you get to that point quickly and with the least amount of pain. I don't want to see you hurt anymore, but like a parent that has to discipline their children, sometimes God has to let us learn the hard way.  Oh how I pray that your way doesn't get much harder.  I don't know how much more I can take.  Have you ever tried to convice someone of a truth and they just won't listen???  Hello!  Okay, well I have said all that I can say and the truth is, you will probably never even read this.  But in case you do, I wanted to tell you.

YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH. 
YOU ARE LOVED JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PERFORM FOR OTHER PEOPLE, YOU'LL NEVER SATISFY THEM. (that one really makes me angry to watch you do)
YOU SHOULDN'T CHANGE FOR ANYONE BUT YOURSELF...that is if you're unhappy with you're current situation - only you can make the choice to change it.
I BELIEVE IN YOU AND SO DO ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME
IF I COULD WALK YOUR ROAD INSTEAD, I WOULD DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT. Does that even matter?
JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU, IF YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON ON THE EARTH HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT JUST THE SAME!!!!!  Do you know that kind of love? Can you fathom it? (remember The Passion movie?)
and I guess last is DON'T GIVE UP - I LOVE YOU.  I THINK YOU ARE WORTH IT, I JUST WISH YOU THOUGHT THE SAME OF YOURSELF.

With all of my heart and soul,

_____________________<3

Be Still

Just a little reminder.....

(http://gracefilledhands.blogspot.com/)



Simply His

Happy Monday friends!!!!  Does that greeting bring joy & anticipation or fear & angst to you spirit?  If I were to take a guess, I'd go with the latter.  Why is it that we find ourselves not looking forward to another day?  What did Monday do that was so bad that it turns stomachs?  Could it possibly be because we don't live our days out in the right way, right place, right mindset?  I'm going with yes on that one!  We're gonna tackle that one today.  Jesus came so that we could live life abundantly....groaning over Monday doesn't sound like abundant living to me!!  Let's go!

I just returned from a weekend women't retreat and the title was "Simply His".  Isn't that sweet, refreshing, and endearing?  If you are married, think back with me for a moment to when you either first laid eyes on your spouse or when you first realized that you longed to be Simply His or Simply Hers; no messiness, no drama, no confusion, no one elses, Simply Theirs <3  God calls us to be Simply His, He longs for us to claim that we are Simply and Only His.

This could almost be placed under Jessica's "I <3 You" series.....we're going to Isaiah 62:1-3ish, here are a few nuggets from that, little love notes, if you will.

*  "you will be called by a new name (and recieve a new character) 

*  "you will be a crown of splendor"

*  "the Lord will delight in you"

*  "your God will rejoice over you"

So when we come to Him, He gives us a new name, like a lover gives a nickname to his love, we receive a special name, full of love and affection.  We will be a crown of splendor -  something to behold, something of great value to be placed in a special position of honor.  Where do crowns usually go?  Yes, on your head.....God places us up above the rest, for all to see!!  He will delight in us!!!  His pleasure, His joy, His love, His enjoyment all comes from us!! God will rejoice over us!!!!  He will be glad in us and take take delight in us.  I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty amazing!!!  To have the affection, that kind and amount of affection from someone is exciting.  But to have that from our Creator puts me through the roof with joy and gladness!!

So do you remember how you felt when you were dating your true love?  Remember how you couldn't stand to be apart?  How you hated to say goodnight and you lingered long there in that moment, dreading the end of the day?  You anticipated the next day with such delight and excitment because you were free to think about and spend time with your love again!!!  That, my friends, is how we ought to approach our days, every.single.one.  Mondays are a gift, Tuesdays are a gift, Wednesday....gift <3  Each day is another chance to spend with our One True Love, the One who delights in us, who takes joy in us, who longs to be with us.  Every moment of every day is a chance to be with Him.  If you walk through your days with Him by your side, everything has to be better.  Yes, even those moments of dealing with crying children, spilled milk, loads of laundry, dirty diapers, etc. I'm totally serious here, please don't laugh it off and say "yeah right". 

This life is hard and frustrating, but remember how that young love made everything better?  Don't you think that God will make things even better than that??  You have a choice, you can just accept the dirt that life throws in your face, or you can catch it in a bucket and build a sandcastle!!  (I know, that was totally corny, but just go with it).  Thank Him in those hard moments, for that is where you will find Him!!  He longs to be enough for you!!  He is absolute truth and absolute love!!  That's not something that you want to walk away from and let go.  Stay connected (i.e. pray without ceasing) walk with Him through the moments of your days and nights. 

But in order to walk with and in that Truth, you have to know the truth.  One thing that stuck out to me this weekend was the comment the speaker made that "Every thought is a voice and everything that we see creates a thought".  Chew that for a second..............done? Good....what voices do you have in your head, what lies or truths are you bending your ear towards?  Know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free!  Free from the bondage of sin, free from the bondage of lies, doubt, insecurities, addictions, lonliness.  Do you want to be free?  Know the truth - know freedom.  A few practical nuggets for you:

*capture every thought (where did it come from?  truth or lie?)
*know the Truth (as the sheep know their sheperd, we too can know Our Shepherd)
*walk in that truth
*practice loyal obedience
*He is Absolute Love
*He is Absolute Truth
*Jesus is ENOUGH!!

It's time to renew our mind friends.  Know who you are listening to and make the proper adjustments.  Fall in love with Jesus, for He delights in You <3

-Lorraine

Friday Favorite Five #11: Disney Edition

Happy Friday!!!! In honor of a special trip you heard about yesterday, we're going to do a Friday Favorite Five: Disney Edition!!!

1. Craft(s)

I love these cupcakes!! How cute, unfortunately, though, I couldn't find the original link to them. So, these are not my doing... But how cute and simple???

2. Music

This song is so cute!! * sigh * 

3. Blog/Other

This website is so awesome! http://family.go.com/ has tons of Disney party ideas and recipes and everything you would ever need to throw the best Disney planning meeting in the world!! hehe

4. Scripture

I don't really have any way to figure this out except to say that Disney's motto is "Where dreams come true" and we know that this is what God says in John 10:10. The only place we can have true satisfaction in life is through Christ and all that he promises us!

5. Quote

This is my new life motto. Stop talking. Start doing. 

Thanks for joining us on this Friday! I dedicate this post to all of my friends who have endured all of my ridiculous planning and I also dedicate this to my super awesome guidance counselor, Trish!!!

Everything has it's place...

If you guys have noticed the pattern, you're probably thinking "It's Thursday, time for an I <3 U post!". But, I want to tell you that you're wrong. I'm changing it up this week and bringing you an organizational post! As you might remember a few months ago, I mentioned my love of lists and now I'm going to talk to you about my love of being organized! Let's get started...

1. Planner/Calendar/Appointment Book

Whatever you want to call it, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ONE!! I don't know what people do without these things, but I would never go on... Okay, that was a little dramatic, but you get my point! I love my planner. I just got this one from Walmart for somewhere around $7, what a great deal!

(I'm really sorry for the bad lighting, the sun is going down and I really hate taking pictures.)

As you can see here, it outlines the months for you, but that's it. I prefer them like this, just the months and not broken down by weeks. It gives a broader overview, which I prefer. I like to be able to see what I'm doing this week, as well as next week, as well as in a month! Maybe it's just me....

2. To-Do List & Favorite Pen

I always keep a pad of paper near my desk, and cute things are so much more motivating! This pad of paper is from the dollar section at Target and I have multiple colors of my favorite pens! On my lists, I write everything from cleaning my bedroom (something that needs to be done this week) to blogging (something that needs to be done today) to planning for a meeting I'm having in two weeks.

I almost forgot......

Post-It Notes!!! I have post-it notes everywhere, as you can see I have small post-its, big post-its, colored, decorated, etc. These are great for daily to-do lists. Maybe you only have 3 or 4 things that need to get done, use a post-it! I might have too many post-it notes......

they're organized, though!!

3. Files

Now, I use files in a traditional way too, in the little hanging folders with labels and carefully organized. But, more regularly, I use cute file folders (from Target) that just sit on my desk. These are for all of the misc. papers that I need at my fingertips, but I don't need laying all over my desk and floor!

The first folder has alllllll of my misc. papers in it. Everything from blog ideas to long-term to-do lists to Spanish vocab to pictures I need to frame. You get the idea, EVERYTHING! The thing is, though, they aren't on my desk. I don't feel like a cluttered mess because of them, I know they're in the nicely stacked file on the corner of my desk and I can grab them whenever necessary.

In the next folder, I have some things I need to plan an upcoming meeting for an upcoming trip that is gonna be super awesome! You'll hear about it soon, but for now this is all I can show you!

These are just some of the things I use to keep myself organized in the day-to-day. Find out what works best for you and stick with it! I love to know what I'm doing, where everything I need for that is, and how I'm gonna be doing it and this helps me with that! One more thing, A few weeks ago I got new glasses, if ya wanna see them!

Yeah, yeah... I'm making a goofy face, I know!! :D I hope you guys all have an awesome week and come back tomorrow for Friday's Favorite Five!!

~ Jessica

Let it Go!!

Last week I had one thing hit home over and over again....

LET IT GO!!! 

 Enjoy this song from Tenth Avenue North

I went rolling through my to-do list pretty well last week, I had the Tea Party looming in the distance and had to coordinate my daily responsibilities with this large Saturday event.  Things were going smoothly, until Wednesday.  I recieved a call that altered the course of my day at an hour that I couldn't really afford to have things mixed up.  .

LET IT GO!

Jump that hurdle, move on.  Thursday, fine. I was able to maneuver through my to-do list with the exception of the phone call updates on my son's progress (the situation that occurred the day before) of going to the DMV and working out the problem.....he had to run around quite a bit before it was all said and done.

LET IT GO!

Friday, fine.  Moving through my list, checking things off, tea party is right before me.  There were still things on my tea party list to be accomplished and I spent the morning ironing the linens for the tables.  I had a break mid afternoon, jumped in the shower and talked to my mom briefly.  While we were talking, she recieved a call on her cell phone that my dad may have had another heart attack and was being taken to the hospital!  She's freaking out and I, of course, drop everything and go.  Yes, there are still things on my to-do list, but what else am I gonna do.  I dried my hair, threw on some decent clothes and headed out.  An hour later we arrive at the hospital and Thank God that it was not a heart attack and about 4 hours later he's discharged. 

I had left my house at 2:30, I returned home at 8:15.......the family is finishing up from dinner and the house is full of activity.  Now my mind is focused on the remaining items on the to-do list. It's late and I'm tired.   These things were not crucial to the party but they were things that I really, really wanted to to do.  I attempted to move forward but there was no grace there.  I knew that I had to let these last few items go.  LET THEM GO!!!  I was frustrated and angry.  I could feel myself getting snappy with my husband and children and I knew that was not a path that I wanted to go down.

We got the kids settled into bed and I just had to sit down and decompress.  What a week!!!!  How in the world do these things happen, out of the blue, when you are least expecting it??

LET IT GO!

Jesus tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  All my anxiety?  Everything??  The phone call from my son?  YES  The scare with my father?  YES This.....tea party???  YES!!!  I'm sure you could add quite a few questions to that list and the answer will still be YES!!!  LET IT GO!!!!  Cast ALL of those things that chew up your stomach, that plague your mind and keep you up at night, throw them down and walk away.

One thing remains true and worthy of standing on no matter the storm that rages around you. God IS Good and if He is good, then there must be something good in that storm, even if the only good you see is Him, He's more than enough.  Stand right there under His wing <3

It's Wednesday now.  There's a thunderstorm rolling around outside, nothing major has really been thrown at me.  Well besides calling a driving school yesterday for information for my 15 year old - Jessica!  Oh and we have a 10:00 apppointment at the community college to speak with an advisor about the courses she needs to take!!!  And you know this whole Honduras thing, that's out there!!!  These are all amazing and good things, but I admit, my stomach is rolling a little and I have to LET IT GO! 

I am choosing to rest in Him, He is able to do far more than I can ever ask, dream or imagine.  So why do I need to worry?  He's got it under control!  I am just going to roll with the punches, duck them when I can and absorb the ones I can't and let Him handle it all!!

What things do you need to LET GO?  Start today, type them in the comment box and take the first step in letting them go!!  I will stand in prayer with you and together we'll keep moving on!!

<3 Lorraine



Just another quick update...

We've had quite and eventful week as you can read here. But there are a couple of things that have come up that are really exciting for me that I would like to share! So read on to hear more...

1. We have raised enough money for one ticket to Honduras so far!! Yay! Cookie orders are coming in steady and I'm still getting some more support letters back. Pretty much my week has consisted of baking and more baking (see here), which I am fine with as long as I see an outcome, which I have! We have until June 17 to raise $5000 and we're about halfway there.

2. I have an appointment with the local community college tomorrow to talk to an advisor about starting classes in the Fall, if not Summer. I am planning on starting college in the Fall, maybe a course or two in the Summer and then taking my GED when I turn 16 in the Fall. I could get an Associates degree from the community college and then transfer to a 4 year school. That's been my thought for my whole Sophomore year and now that I'm finally going forward with it, it's scary!! So prayer for that would be so greatly appreciated!

I don't have a whole lot to say, as I've been swamped with baking, school, and other things like that. It's really been hard for me to sit down and just write. I hope you all are having a great week!

Thanks, Jessica

NOT another Manic Monday

I am finding myself really anticipating my Monday!  So strange!  Especially after the past few Mondays.....you can read about them here and here if you dare....put your Wellies on, we got a little deep!!

So my children just woke up and they haven't presented me with a parenting delemma to blog about yet and hopefully there isn't one in the near future.  Ther are a few things that I want to share, and as much as I'd like to combine them, I think I'll just stick with one.  Are you ready for pictures??  Hope so!

Saturday, April 28th we celebrated the end of our Purity Study with our youth group girls!!  It was a really sweet way to end the journey, which really isn't the end, but just the beginning.  We had a "PuriTEA" (thanks to my friend Angie for that name)

Who can have a tea party without beautiful tea cups?

We challenged the girls to ask themselves this question:  Do you present yourself like a precious tea cup, a common ceramic mug or a value-less styrofoam cup?  Who wouldn't want to be a tea cup - they're gorgeous, delicate, valuable and treasured <3

We did the best we could to transform this meeting room.  I'd say we did a spectacular job!!  The challenge:  to allow God to transform us and our path from what the world says we are and should do to the perfect plans that God has set out for us.

I feared that we wouldn't have enough food.  Did I need to fear?  The challenge:  to not fear what the Lord has for us, even though it may require hard lines to be drawn and hard decisions to be made....He always prepares more than enough for us, if we wait <3

Who doesn't love beautiful, sweet smelling flowers?  I was so thrilled that I had some flowers available in my own garden in addition to the ones that I purchased.  God not only gives us what we need, He goes above and beyond.  He wants to spoil us in His love, giving more than we can ever hope, dream or imagine <3

Oh the gifts, not just for one, but for all!!!  The challenge: let go of the fake gifts (pearls) and receive the True Gift, the one with the greatest price <3 God is so good, He loves us tenderly and yet He loves fiercely...fiercely enough to send His Son to die on the cross for us.  He doesn't want to hit us with all of these rules and regulations.  He Gives Good Gifts to those who call His Name and Wait for His plans to unfold before them. 

From top left to right

Kelli, Emily, Me, Tanya Martie

Bottom row

Angie and Briana

Missing: Erika



Living a life of purity is not just about remaining sexually pure until marriage. (although that was a very strong point that ran through the study)  It is something that needs to encompass our entire life.  The lesson isn't just for teenagers, it's for all of us, from the youngest of young to the oldest of old.  Purity in thought, speech and deed.  When Christ is our filter, everything comes out Pure.  What areas could you use a pure cleansing in?  Do you harbor ill thoughts towards certain situations or people?  Do you have a "dirty mouth"?  What words roll across your lips, are they words that curse or bless?  Do you take the things that God intends to be perfect and pure and muddy them up with ideals that world offers?  All of these things and more can be given over to Him, He will cleanse you from the inside out.  Don't wait any longer.....run to Him and recieve the gifts that He has prepared for you <3

<3Lorraine

Friday's Favorite Five #10

Happy Friday!!!!

1. Craft(s)

I made these paper flowers this past week for an upcoming tea party. These are super cute whether you lay them on a table, hang them from the ceiling, or use them as napkin rings! To find a step-by-step tutorial look here.

2. Music

This song is originally by Gotye (you can find the original video here) and this version is by Walk off the Earth. I love the way that they all play the same instrument! It's super cool and unique! We can't get it out of our heads!!! We have multiple versions we like: Pentatonix, The Orchestral Cover, Ingrid Michaelson, Michael Schulte and Max Giesinger, Chad Sugg,  and sooo many more!

3. Blog/Other

Check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/aplace2gather to stay connected and get notifications whenever we post! Sometimes we even post some extra reading material from other blogs to supplement our personal posts.

4. Scripture

I love this verse, it was referenced during youth group on Wednesday night and it stuck with both me and my mom. I made an I <3 U post about it that you can read here!

5. Quote

Picture courtesy of: http://lalalovelythings.com/page/5/

A simple quote to hold onto. Something we should remember daily.

Thanks for joining us on this Friday! Come back on Monday for a post from Lorraine!