January

It has been snowing here for centuries it feels like here in Cincinnati! I love the snow but I love it even more when I am off work but I haven’t had any of those days yet. I think I am ready to move SOUTH!

My oldest sister Jen is PREGNANT again. So we have another little one on the way! I can’t wait. I can’t believe we are going to have two little ones less than 9 months away. I pray that both pregnancies will go smoothly for both of my sisters! They make such great mommies ! Grace and Izzy are growing like weeds. Grace is talking like crazy and Izzy is moving around everywhere! It’s so cute to see them play together. Grace is the “BIG” sissy.

Tuesday night Lauren and I met with one of our friends from high school. Her name is Kristen and she is such a doll. It’s so weird to see how fast life flies by. Little Gracie went with us too! We did the good old Cracker Barrel. I love that place!

Josh and I are trying to sell our Passat so if you know of anyone who needs a car let me know. Other than that nothing is new, just being lazy with my husband on those cold snowy nights and eating lots of food.

Hello again!

I can’t believe it is close to the end of the year and it has been ages since I have posted something on my blog! Josh and I are doing great and have made all kind of changes to our house. We have been praying a lot about putting it up for sale and moving somewhere else so we can make more room for our future family that we are also praying for  All in God’s timing. My dream house is to live on some farmland while all our kids are running around outside in their diapers working with Josh in the yard.  Josh is looking for his dream log cabin which works for me too!

My oldest sister Jen had a little baby girl named Izabella Faith Sasser. She is the cutest baby ever and is getting prettier everyday!

Our second Christmas was so much fun this year being with friends and family. We finally moved into the 20th century and bought a nice new TV! Josh is in love! Our close friends Brent and Ashley also got engaged this Christmas which is so exciting. I think they are planning the wedding for late April. Can wait to post pictures 

God has been working in our lives so much these past couple of months. It has been a life changing experience for the both of us. It’s almost been two years since Josh and I got married and it still feels like yesterday when we walked down that isle! I love him more than ever and can’t wait to see what God has in store for us. We are attending Origins Church and have met some awesome friends there that not only are great friends but lift me and Josh up so much as a couple! We started a small group at Ben and Myla Steiger house that have about 6-8 couples and it has been an amazing experience for us. We are reading the book called “Crazy Love”. http(://www.crazylovebook.com/) If you haven’t read it yet please do. It will change your outlook on life so much.

A couple weeks ago I also attended a girls bible study group with over 50 women in the study. The Bible study was lead by Stacy Neal. The book that we read was written by Beth Moore called “So long Insecurities”. That is another book that has challenged me so much this year. You don’t realize how many insecurities you have as a women until you read the book. One thing that I have learned is to “Hold up our Wounds to the Healer” and not to our spouses or friends. God is the answer to all of our struggles and trials. I’ve always known that in my heart but to actually GIVE it to God is totally different then just knowing that you should be. I have also learned that while in a trial to embrace the trial and learn from it and not to beat yourself up about it. Try to embrace Joy in the rough times.

Right now I am reading this awesome book and one of the quotes were “ Not till we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty, acknowledging our littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.” J.I Packer. When I read that quote it spoke so much to my heart so much and it made me realize that I am so little and how God is so BIG! 

Here are some fall pictures that we took! :) I love my family! Lauren is expecting again too!!!

 


Here is a devotional that I got today and wanted to share with you.


Walking by Faith

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

We perceive our world through sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—and respond according to the information gained by these five senses. Yet God tells us that there is a higher reality, even though our perceptions appear as truth. And our Father commands us to walk by faith, not according to what we see.

So, what is this Christian faith? It is the confident conviction that God is all He claims to be in His Word. The truth of who He is depends only on the Almighty—it is not based on our opinions, circumstances, or feelings. Nor is it something we can scientifically measure. And remember, belief is a gift from the Lord, not something we create (Eph. 2:8). Therefore, we can ask Him to help us if we find our faith faltering.

The way we walk by faith is through our conduct, lifestyle, and choices. The Holy Spirit guides our steps, and we purposefully follow. It is important that we ask for direction and wisdom, expect that He will answer and meet our needs, and trust that He knows what is best.

At times, of course, we'll make mistakes. But God is always there to forgive our repentant hearts and help us back on track. As we grow into a deeper relationship with Christ, we become more focused on Him, and our trust increases.

When we try to handle life on our own, the stress can be overwhelming. How wonderful that our Creator offers us rest and peace as we trust Him to lead in all we do. Our infinitely wise, perfectly loving, and completely sovereign Father is supremely capable to care for His children.

New Pics!

Josh and I took some pictures a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share! : )

Morgan's Wedding

Lemon Rice Soup

Lemon-Rice Soup



I thought this recipe looked yummy and wanted to share! : ) I'm going to make some tonight!




Lemon-Rice Soup

serves 4

6 c vegetable broth

1 c Arborio rice

1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 lb silken tofu

the zest of 1 lemon

fresh cracked black pepper

In a large stockpot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add Arborio rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Blend the lemon juice and tofu until well combined. Add to the stockpot, stir and continue to simmer five minutes. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with lemon zest and black pepper.

Spring!

I saw this picture on a friends blog and LOVED it. It reminded me of spring and I can't tell you how anxious I am for it to be here! I love snow but I am ready for some change! I hope you all are staying safe and warm. Love you!

Britttany

Happy Valentines Day

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

Grace Covers

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love
covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 (NAS)


Devotion:

Cartilage is a tissue that is found in many places in our bodies, including at the end of bones where joints form. It protects our joints from wear and tear, helps them move smoothly, and absorbs shock. When the cartilage in our knee, for example, is damaged, we feel pain.

Grace in our marriages is like the protective covering of cartilage in our joints. Couples who show each other a gracious attitude cover their marriage with understanding, protect their marriage from misunderstandings and short-tempered emotions, and help one another absorb life's jolts and shocks.
For example, the other day Scott came home late to discover that I had forgotten to turn off the hose after washing the dogs. The backyard was overflowing with water—an inconvenience and a costly mistake on my part. He could have gotten mad at me, but he didn't. His gracious attitude covered my shortcoming.

Today's key verse contains the word love rather than the word grace. That's because one aspect of love is grace. It's the part of love that is generous, forgiving, encouraging, and unconditional. It's the part of love that empowers you to fill in the gaps rather than notice what's lacking in your spouse. Grace asks, "How can I help you?" instead of growing frustrated or bitter when your spouse isn't measuring up to your standard.

Bringing criticism, judgment, and self-righteousness into your marriage is all too easy. Saying "Why didn't you..." "You should have..." or "I told you so" requires no effort. But being gracious is what we need in marriage, and that's what Christ calls us to be. We're human. We're going to disappoint one another. We're not always going to meet each other's needs.

When you are fully aware of your own weaknesses and of the ways you fall short of the glory of God, you are more likely to show your partner a gracious attitude. God's Word reminds us that "love covers." How can you cover your spouse with the love of grace today?

February 2010

I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging for the past couple of months. It’s been kind of crazy through out the holidays and such. : )
Josh and I had an awesome first Christmas together! : ) He got me diamond earrings, clothes and just little stuff like lotion and candy. I got him a tool box that he uses in the basement, a smoking pipe. All of Josh’s friends have a pipe and Josh begged me to get him one. I also got him board games and a bunch of other little stuff. We spent Christmas Eve at Origins with Josh’s family
which was awesome and then we spent Christmas Day with my family! We went over to mom and dads for the traditional Biscuits and Gravy breakfast. Jenn Jenn made it extra yummy this year.

Here's a picture of our first Christmas Tree!

Josh and I have been married for 10 months now. Where coming up on our First Year anniversary. I can’t believe it, it has flown by. I have learned so much this year, we have had our good times and we have had some rough times which makes our marriage even stronger. God has blessed us so much and has been our rock during those hard times. I know one thing that I have learned in our first year of marriage is that I am not God and I am not in control of my life. There have been so many times within our marriage were I let fear, anxiety and doubt run our marriage but I know that is Satan trying to ruin what God has blessed us with. I recently read this awesome devotional and it spoke to my heart so much. I would LOVE to share it with you. Anytime you feel like there isn’t an opening at the end of the tunnel just stop and PRAY for your husband. The angrier you get while fighting opens many many more doors of regret and harmful words.

A Husband's Prayer Warrior

Today's Truth

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

Friend To Friend

Of all the roles and responsibilities that God has given wives, the position of a prayer warrior or intercessor is perhaps the greatest of all. An intercessor is a person who intervenes or prays for another person. It was derived from the Greek word, enteuxis, which means to go before a King with a petition or plea on behalf of someone else. In essence, it means the same thing today. We go before the King of Kings with a petition or plea on someone's behalf. What we accomplish on our knees in the invisible realm will ultimately affect the strength of our marriage in the visible realm. There is no other person who is more called or more qualified to pray for your man than you.

In the Bible, God describes the marriage of a man and a woman as a visual example of the spiritual union between Jesus Christ and the church (all Christians). Believers are called "the bride of Christ" (Revelation 19:7). We are walking, talking, earthly examples of the heavenly relationship between God's Son and those who believe on His name. God instructs men, "Love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25).

There is someone who wants to destroy that living example, and his name is Satan. Jesus said, "The thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). He desires to destroy the God-ordained and designed institution of marriage. He began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and continues his destructive tactics even today. Satan is not very creative, but he's very effective, and he uses the same temptations and tactics today that he used in the first marriage on earth. Satan has proclaimed an all out assault on the family and he begins at the top - with the husband and wife.

So many times we fail to see the real enemy in our marital struggles. The writer of Ephesians explains, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). When I am having a conflict with my husband, I need to stop, take a deep breath, and think...who is the real enemy here? There is a spiritual battle raging all around us that we can't even see, but is very real. It is the greater reality. It is a battle that is not to be feared, but one that is to be recognized and fought in the only place where it can be won - in prayer.

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord, I pray for my husband, from head to toe.

• His Head -That he will look to You as Lord of his life. (1 Corinthians 11:13)

• His Mind ¬¬- That he will have the mind of Christ and think as the Holy Spirit would lead him and not the flesh. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

• His Eyes -That You will keep his eyes from temptation and that he will turn his eyes from sin. (Matthew 6:13, Mark 9:47)

• His Ears - That he will hear Your still small voice instructing him. (1 Kings 19:12, Psalm 32:8)

• His Mouth - That his words will be pleasing to You. (Proverbs 19:14)

• His Neck -That he will humble himself before You and be strong, courageous, and careful to do everything written in Your Word so that he will be prosperous and successful. (James 4:10, Joshua 1:8-9)

• His Heart-That he will love and trust You with his whole heart. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Proverbs 3:5)

• His Arms-That You will be his strength. (Psalm 73:26)

• His Hands-That he will enjoy the work of his hands and see it as a gift from You. (Ecclesiastes 3:13, 5:19)

• His feet - That You will order his steps and that he will walk in Your truth. (Proverbs 4:25, Psalm 26:3)

I hope you guys enjoyed that devotional as much as I did. I will continue to write more on my blog, Sorry it has been so long. I start school tonight at Cincinnati State. I’m super nervous so say a quick prayer for me : ) Love you all.

O and here are a couple of pictures of Gracie! She is getting so big! She's been sick for a couple of days : ( Jenn  and Andy are expecting too! That;s right another little GRACIE is on the way and they are due on my birthday! August 17! Im super excited! : )

Hillsong Movie Starts Tonight @ 7:30

Sunday

Sunday’s church service was so awesome. Scotty did a great job bringing that service. It spoke so much to my heart and makes me so much stronger in my everyday life. Lately in my own struggles I have been struggling with a lot of anxiety and worrying. I’m not giving things to God lately and taking matters into my own hands. So many of us worry and worry over the smallest things and then there are times in life where huge things happen like a death in the family or someone treats you so bad and you just keep wondering why.



Instead of trying to fix it and wonder why things happen just say to God “WHAT NOW”? That spoke to my heart so much because we aren’t going to understand everything that happens in life. God allows things to happen to us so He can guide, strengthen, love and to teach us to be more like Him everyday.


Hebrews 12:2


Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

October

Madilynn Anne Reese

Josh and I went and visited some good friends of ours a couple of weeks ago in Junction City Kansas. We had so much fun! Brittany and Adam just had a little girl named Brittany Anne Reese. She is the cutest thing in the world! : ) Brittany is moving back to Cincinnati this weekend and Adam will be leaving for Iraq in late November. So please keep him in your prayers. I will attach some pictures for you to see!

Marriage Conference

Madison Irene Randall

Last night I got to spend the night at my mom and dad's house. It was soo good to go back home and be a kid again! : ) I had a girls night with Madison and it was so much fun. We got up early and got ready together this morning. She is the cutest thing in the world. This look just like my my mom in this picture!

Just thought I would share with you all how precious my Maddy Irene is! : )

Our First House!

Here are two pictures of our first house! We live in a cute house in Glendale. We have lived there for almost 6 months now. Recently we have remodeled the living room and the dining room. Our bedroom was done a couple of months ago when just Josh was living there. We get most of our stuff from IKEA. I absolutely LOVE that store!


I will post more pictures later this week of the inside!

Family

Family


God has blessed me with the most amazing family ever. I am so thankful for each and one of them. My mom and Dad are the strongest people I know and have brought us up in a strong Christian home and I am so blessed for that. Here are some photos of my Fam!

Here in this picture is my aunt Glenda, mom, uncle Gary,me Aunt Kalleen and mamaw. I absolutel Love and adore each and one of them and so blesses to have them in my life. : )

Here is a picture of my sissy and her husband Andy. There in Hilton Head in this picture! They are the cutest couple ever : )

Me and Dad

Gracie bein silly

Me and cuz Ash at Wendy's..