Rodan & Fields

Launching anything new in life can be scary and uncomfortable. But I have been stretched and pulled out of comfort for some time now. It is only fitting to find myself once again walking the road less traveled. 

I want to introduce my new adventure that I pray helps fund my ultimate dream. I am launching my own business as a consultant with Rodan & Fields. This is an amazing skin care line created by the Doctors who founded Proactive skin care. 

This line targets women with all sorts of skin issues from acne to aging. In the next month some of my blog will be hijacked in an effort to show off the great products that this company offers. I am looking for people that want to join me in this adventure. To be part of a team that not only brings joy to people through revitalized skin, but also brings social justice to the marginalized and oppressed. 

Josh and I have decided to use ALL the proceeds from this business to build our first transitional living house for women and children that are homeless and need help to get back into life. I am partnering with Leah Gonzalez from Life-Skills house to make this dream a reality. 

God specifically called Josh and I into this ministry. We know that this business is a way to generated income for our ministry, as well as get the word out to the community of Pearland. We have very few resources in our area for women who find themselves needing a safe place to gain life skills and grow in Christ. We plan to provide that place and many resources to help mentor these women. 

When our house burned down we felt the love and support of our family, friends and community. We would NOT HAVE MADE IT without those amazing people. There are people in our own city that do not have anyone to help and support them in times of crisis. We have been blessed with the full measure of God and feel it is our calling to bless others. To bring the love of Jesus to those that need Him the most. 

Thank you for standing by us and supporting our family every single day! I will be having a launch party very soon so stay tuned for more information!

Email or message me on Facebook to find out how to get 10% off all orders and free shipping by becoming a preferred customer. I would love to hear from ya'll! 

My Website https://kristenmcginn.myrandf.com/

Service

There is a growing trend among our generation of believers. One that is purposeful and shows the true beauty of Christ. Serving our poor, our weak, our oppressed and marginalized. This work is the kingdom of God here on earth. It's Gods dream for not just America but the whole world. I see daily examples of servant leadership among my friends. The hard part of this work is when we start to see these people we are helping not as a project, but as a human.

A human who is flawed. One that might not live up to your expectations. When their gratefulness is not great enough. When they start to expect it from you. When they don't behave in the way that fits your mold. These are the times that we tend to just give up. To walk away and say, "well I tried my hardest but they just don't want it bad enough."

Did Jesus ever walk away because you didn't want it bad enough? I struggle with this on a daily basis. Serving God and setting down my ego. We are not in the business of changing hearts or minds. That is the business of our Savior. So lets see our business for what it is. Serving others and showing Christ's love as it has been shown to us.

Jesus illustrates us and his kingdom in the parable of the sower.

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

In what ways do we not understand the kingdom? Do we take scripture and twist it to fit our ideas of what our world should look like? Do we want to live a life of selfish desire instead of a life filled with God?

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Matthew 13:20

This is my struggle. I am filled with joy and receive the word, but in times of trouble I fall away. When it gets hard I rely on my own self rather than Jesus. Selfishness rears its ugly head and I don't want to move forward loving others. I want only to love myself. What is the root of my existence? Will I choose to be rooted in Christ or have no roots at all?

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

Living for the American dream. What our world calls success. This chokes us out. We become unfruitful. We do not have love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. What we have is a whole lot of dead.

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13: 23

Jesus help me be the person that hears the word and understands it. Help me to sow seeds that produce crops so vast I won't fathom the harvest in my lifetime. Help me be obedient to serve as the Holy Spirit leads me, bringing your kingdom to earth. Let me not grow weary, but continue to run the race you set before me. Loving God and Loving people.

Mothers

The moment that we breathe
Whether you wanted us or not.
Something stirs inside your heart
 It is over before you start.

We learn your heart, your joys, your depth.
Your hurt, your pain, your wrath.
 We learn strength and grace and keeping on,
 And the most important, how to laugh.

At times you don't know what to say
Or how to make it right.
 But knowing that you stand behind us
That's enough to stay in the fight.

You struggle through those little years
 Piles of diapers, lack of sleep.
 Most everything that shines is dirty
 And when you close your eyes, you weep.

We fail. We fall. We get back up,
Because it's what you taught us how to do.
We want to run before we walk,
 Down a path you would not choose.

 The hard part is trusting God.
 Knowing that you did your best.
 Letting go of what you cherish most.
Taking refuge in His rest.

Thank you for doing the hard things
 In each and every second.
We would not be the people God planned
 Without your guidance, love and affection.

 So when it's hard and you think you can't
 Know that you are loved, cherished and blessed.
 By these people that started out so small
Who know their mother is the very best.

Free

Christ died to set us free. Not to lead us into another form of bondage. Not so we could follow another set of rules, but so we could be free from every yoke of sin and death. Free to follow where Christ leads. Liberated. 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Living in freedom means living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Following and listening for the spirit to guide your life. That seems like a hard concept. Especially in our world of self reliance. 

We like the check boxes and the list of rules. How foreign a concept to not follow a list. If A happens then you do B. We get to see the progress of how good we are. Our empires grow and we see the result of our actions in motion. 

To follow Christ is a totally different concept to this world. Christ does not give us a list of boxes to check. He daily gives us acts of service in love. Service is messy. It is hard. You do not see instant results. You see tears, anger, hurt, betrayal, frustrations and then ultimately the beauty in following Christ. There are no hard set rules. People look at what you are doing and it makes no sense. How do you allow this to happen to your children, family and home. 

 God is bigger than anything we can comprehend. He knows everything and we know very little of our circumstances. I can make the decision to listen when the holy spirit leads and every time my outcome is glorifying to God. 

He does not cause harm or confusion. 

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Galatians 5:7-10

Choosing to say yes to God in a world that is all about self can be so tough. Most of the time people think you are not doing the right thing. Then you will question if you are doing the right thing. God calls each of us to His kingdom. He has a different Yes for everyone. 

Standing firm in Christ and what the cross did for our freedom will ultimately lead to justification. 

9 Years

This is 9 years

What do I say to the man God placed in my life 9 years ago?  What words that come out of my mouth could do justice? How can I explain the mercy and grace that has been bestowed upon me unfailingly? There is only 1 word. Love.

God changed my perception and knowledge of love when Christ died for me. Sacrifice. Break. Bleed. We have had a first hand look at what it means to sacrifice. What it means to break and bleed. Not that we could ever compare to what Jesus did for human kind, but we can say our marriage has shown us the true nature of God. 

Josh lives sacrificial love. Even when I was not worthy, he endured. Josh always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Through 9 years we have had crazy. We have screamed, cursed, insulted and broken. We have shared joy and pain. We have clung to each other when there was nothing else earthly to cling too. We have been made stronger by Gods never ending faithfulness. If God is for us, who can be against us? 

This man who I have grown up with these last 9 years is the only person I want to grow old with the next 50 years. I could not imagine doing life without him. He is my rock when I can't see past my own mess. He shows me servant leadership. Most of all he shows me a picture of the love of Christ. 

Praise to God for allowing me the blessing of this man. Happy Anniversary to the best husband and daddy we could ask for. I love you with everything.

Lighthouse

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures you won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through

You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence you won't let go
In the questions Your truth will hold

Your great love will lead me through

You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My lighthouse My lighthouse
Shining in the darkness I will follow you
My lighthouse My lighthouse
I will trust the promise
You will carry me safe to shore

Rend Collective

He does not walk out. We receive him and he never leaves us. He never forsakes us.

Our minds can wander. Satan tries to deceive. The enemy is crafty and wants to pull us away from Jesus. We get lost in our sea of selfishness. My selfish desire to just turn it off. But that's the tricky part.

Isolation leads to destruction.  We feed the lies of the enemy in isolation.

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves.  We must know ourselves in Christ better than Satan knows us. When the doubt comes we ride the truth of Jesus.

Hide God's word in your heart. It is with this strength and power that we fight our depravity.

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you they are full of the Spirit and life.  John 6:63

In my doubt I dwell on this.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:39.

Lose=fail to save. Jesus will not fail to save us. He will not lose us. God's will in sending Jesus is so we are not lost.

Do not let lies and darkness guide you. But look to the Lighthouse to carry you safe to shore.

(My computer died while typing this post. Was determined to not let the enemy win so I typed it on my phone. Excuse the spelling errors!)

Bricks

The rubble that was our house is being cleared away. They are busting things up and making the land new. The slate will be clean. Rebuilding will be made possible. 

It was a structure. A place to dwell. The fire burned hot and destroyed everything to ashes. But the bricks remained. The bricks were charred and black but they survived. I wanted those bricks. They were something that I hated when they stood in tact. I complained about the color. I did not like them. I just wanted to paint over them or get a new surface. 

But it is funny how important the surface becomes when you are going to lose it. Those bricks housed my family. Those bricks protected us. They held our cries, our joys, our screams, our laughter, our love. 

I wanted to save some of those bricks to bring into our new home. Our new dwelling place. The thought is to clean them up a little. Leave some of the character and make them even more beautiful. 

When the men came early to clear the mess, I was not prepared. I had not collected my bricks. I cried and panicked. I drove to the house. I called my friend crying. It was a bit of an overreaction. But this meant something to me. I tried to communicate to a Spanish speaking man that I needed those bricks. He looked at me like I was a little CRAZY! I just started hauling bricks to our backyard. My greatest friend came and together we piled those bricks that are going to be made into something beautiful.  

When I asked Jesus to speak His name Boldly, the Spirit came in and started tearing down bricks. My thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors and attitudes. They are ugly, charred and gross, but they are still my bricks. Sometimes I want to hold on to those bricks. They were mine for 33 years. They were my feelings, my love, my life. But Jesus claims those bricks now. I give Him ALL my bricks. I ask Him to make them beautiful. That others would see Him when they see my bricks. 

All the character that I have is being refined. All the best parts of me are being used so others can see the ONLY ONE who is worth seeing. Jesus. 

I don't care what my life is or does as long as when people see me, they see HIM. When God asks  something, that I say Yes. Obedient. Loving people as I have been loved by God. Showing Mercy as I have been shown Mercy. Leading others to a life of freedom and of service to the least. 

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19

Redeemed

I am redeemed, you set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains and 

Wipe away every stain

Cause I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed.....I'm redeemed.  

Redeemed. "To buy out," especially for purchasing a slave with a view to his freedom. 

I was a slave. Anger was my master. I walked where it wanted me to walk. I talked like it wanted me to talk. I hated like it asked me to hate. 

I was a slave. Covetousness was my master. I desired and lusted after objects. Consumed by envy over what I was without. Hating those who had more than me. Defeated.

I was a slave. Insecurity was my master. I would not let people see me. I did not want to embrace women as friends. I put on my fake smile all the while slowly dying away on the inside. 

At some point you think, "maybe this is the best it ever gets." This could be normal. The master beats you down so low that even when you can escape, you won't. 

They say call on Him and He will save you. But maybe just maybe the darkness doesn't want to be saved. It's comfortable in the dark. No one really questions you in the dark. You can tell them everything is fine and they believe. 

Part of you screams from your soul. Just rescue me! Just see me. Even though you have no idea what it is you need rescuing from. 

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3: 19-21

The deeds are just deeds. The living is your whole self in the everyday walk through this world. 

Fear is a lie. God did not give us a spirit of fear. Bring it to the light. Just one thing at a time. The more you expose it to Christ the more His blood pours out covering you. He broke and bled so we could be free. 

God sent a savior. Not to condemn the world but to save the world through him. John 3:17

You are not judged you are saved. It's already been done. I can tell you He Loves. 

If our Father does not judge, then who are we to judge? We are called out of bondage. The chains that bind you should only be bound to Jesus.

I am not longer a slave to the enemy. I am an ambassador for Jesus. 

For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that in this I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:2

IF

If Gathering happened over the weekend. One woman started with a vision 7 years ago. Jennie Allen. This gathering was held in Austin. 1200 women of all denominations gathered in one building. If Local was women coming together all over the world in homes, churches and theaters to stream the sessions live. 21,000 women. No cost to go. No paid speakers. Only relying on God because He called them to do it and they said Yes.

Theology was different but one theme was strong. JESUS. Lovers of JESUS. The premise was If God is Real...Then what? What do we do about that? How do we live this radical life out? In our gathering of Crosspoint women, hearts were changed. Light overcame Darkness. Freedom was found. Repentance was sought. And Jesus came. Repentance comes before Revival. (Ann Voskamp) We were a body of broken hearts and souls. Wondering what else is there in this life of Pearland. We once were dead in transgressions and sins but because of His GREAT LOVE, His MERCY and His GRACE we are Free. Now take that into our city of Pearland.

 What if we take LOVE, MERCY and GRACE into the lives of those that have not been set free? Not rules and regulations, but JESUS CHRIST. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

 Ephesians 1:22-23 His fullness fills everything. HIS FULLNESS FILLS EVERYTHING! Not Kristen, Not Angie, Not Katie, Not Laurie, Not Ashley, Not Amber, Not Alyssa, Not Katie E, Not Allyson, Not Crystal. JESUS CHRIST the Chief Cornerstone IN Kristen, Angie, Katie, Laurie, Ashley, Amber, Alyssa, Katie E, Allyson and Crystal. So we as a BODY of BELIEVERS, From the same womb of Jesus. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God LIVES BY HIS SPIRIT. Ephesians 2:21-22

 This is a Revival. We no longer can sit back and hold this in. There is a building of the Holy Temple happening in Pearland Texas. We go out and we show Jesus to those that need him most. We invite others to our party. I was late, so late arriving, but I made it to the party. I want every soul in this city at the Jesus party. God want souls to have the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. No more searching. No more bitterness. No more anger. No more hate. Just Love. Just God.

 How simple and yet how so complex. What can we do now? How will He use you when you choose Yes? He does not call the equipped, but equips the called. I have been called. I have said yes. These other women have said yes. We strive to show His love in our everyday. To each person we come in contact with. What a great redemption for our city if we earnestly choose to walk with Him.

 P.S. Please Pray for my friend Amy McPeaks daughter Meagan. She is very sick in CCU fighting for life.

Fight

Some days are hard. It's hard to get up. What is the purpose of starting again with the day. God is so big and so powerful and we are so small and so insignificant. How is it that one person, on one day, can impact this place? How will I impact this time and this place?

Then I remember who my enemy really is.

12 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

We are at war. We struggle everyday to get up and fight. We put on the full armor of God and prepare for battle. The greater the obedience, the harder the fight. And this is our defense. 

1. Scripture
2. Immediate obedience

I find that when I know God is calling me to be obedient and I don't it makes me feel separated. We all lived among it at one time. "Gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts." Ephesians 2:3. 

But we are created for a different purpose. We are created for God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Do you see what that says? You are created for a work that was planned before you even thought of it. EVERY SINGLE ONE. 

Yes you have a work to complete. What are you fighting for? Get up. Pull on your big girl panties and fight for your cause! 

Remember when you were separated from Christ? Excluded from citizenship? Without Hope? Without God in your world? 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

We miss so many because we assume so much. This is a war for our salvation. Living in this world with beauty and love instead of ugliness and hate. We hold ourselves to a different standard. To not bring it up. Not talk unless it's things of motherhood and makeup. What if our conversations changed to Christ? What if our talk was that of healing and hope for those who have none. This is real. There are people who are lost even when they look like it's all together. 

I WAS ONE OF THEM. God has asked. Obey. What will it do? I will tell you. It will lead you to a life of purpose. This life that God says he planned for you. Our time here is short and our purpose has eternal consequences. The luxury of waiting on someone else to step up has come and gone. 

It is terrifying to me. It is hard to speak of Jesus in the midst of a selfish world. I couldn't even mutter His name much less proclaim that He is my savior. But once the light shines in your darkness, you want it to shine for the rest. Fear is not an option anymore. At least not for me. I can't stand up without the help of my savior. But He promises He will never leave me. 

If we as a generation of women do not stand up for our sisters and friends then who else will? 

Rooted

There's a stirring deep within me. Could it be my time has come?

When I'll see my gracious savior.

Face to Face when all is done.

Is that his voice I am hearing?

" Come away my precious one."

Is he calling me? Is he calling me?

I will rise up! I will rise up!

And I'll bow down

And lay my crown

At his wounded feet.

These lyrics are playing over and over in my mind. There is a stirring. And He is calling me. I have laid down my crown. My life that was so consumed by me. So comfortable in my misery. Anger. Bitterness. Hate. I hid it well. Oh so well.

But I could no longer hide from Him. He was calling me. Day after day. Whispering my name in the quite places of my soul. But my flesh wanted what my flesh wanted.

The change that can happen when you lay down your crown. You are no longer the ruler. You are not longer the queen. You are a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given to you through the working of his POWER! Ephesians 3:1

I can testify that it is the best life you can have. Become a Prisoner for the Lord. Replace that emotion, whatever it may be for you, for being completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2

What if you could trade off all the anger and hurt for joy. Friends I am telling you that you can. The only way to life is through Christ.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you , being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

The concept is real. What if we started to come together as a community of believers to grasp this concept of Christ love. What if we were Christ in the center of Pearland. Instead of fixing our eyes on what we can do for ourselves, what if Christ works through us to touch the broken. You are encountering brokenness in every person. We all have something that needs the love of the Lord's holy people. God says it plain as day. There is power in the community of holy.

Holy is set apart. Different from the rest. When you say Yes to God, you say Yes to Holy. I strive for holiness. I strive for different. I strive to lay down my crown every day.

I want to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We have been called out. Separated.

There is a stirring. It's all around me. God has big plans up ahead. Plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Hope

God has given me a vision. A very clear and very detailed vision. I said YES to Boldness. I said YES to obedience. The vision has come but the HOW, the WHO and the WHEN  have not yet come.

God has covered my eyes and my heart with a blindfold until the big reveal. I know this is going to be huge. I know that when it starts it's going to be full steam ahead. I feel this, deep down in my bones. I'm taking a leap here. I'm also terrified of failure. I'm so scared that I will disappoint and screw up. Sometimes I second guess God.

But I cannot afford to second guess God. I cannot afford to go back to the dark. I covet the light. He is my light in the darkness that was my soul. I will not let my enemy win this battle. Satan is fighting dirty. God says go ahead, Christ now claims her soul.

I had a spiritual encounter at work on Saturday. I've been praying constantly about this vision. It's messing me up. I had the book Nehemiah come to my mind Saturday night. It's like a blue print for mission. I had never even looked in this book before. The next night my co-worker told me that she was compelled to tell me to read Nehemiah. WOW. We ended up "having church" for like the next 5 hours.

God puts this mission on Nehemiah's heart. The Bible says that he was very disturbed to hear the news about the destruction of the wall and the state of  Jerusalem. So disturbed that  he wept.  He wants to rebuild the wall. To make it grand again. To make it safe again. To bring the people home. He just doesn't know the HOW, the WHO and the WHEN.

God uses a pagan king to give Nehemiah the resources to re- build the wall. There were over 40 sections that were built by different people. This was not just one man. This was a community. God gives one person the vision and the resources but it takes an entire community to get it done.

This was a miracle after reading how many people built different parts. It was complete in 52 days. 1.6 miles of wall. "and not a gap was left in it." When God leads you in your plans, there is no weakness in the product.

The opposition to this wall was great. The enemy schemed, lied, confused, deceived and intimidated. But they did not give in. "the people worked with all their heart." They were afraid many times. Sometimes the intimidation was more than they wanted to handle.

Here was the rally cry from Nehemiah, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

When the wall was finished this is what happened. "When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God."

I can not live life in fear of failure. When God calls us to a mission and we accept with all our heart, He will see it through. Although I don't know how this is going to work or who is coming on this journey with me, I know that my King has my back. My enemy will not win this battle. I say YES to the stripping down of my desires and the filling up of Jesus.

I have 1.5 Acres of land that will someday house more than the McGinns. God has given us a vision and all 4 of us choose to say YES.

Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Thankful

If you are anything like me, then sometimes you get depressed about what you don't have. You have "that person" or maybe even "those people." You know. The person that has everything you want or does everything right. Constantly comparing yourself is exhausting. I know because I did that. Like ALL THE TIME. Instead of peace I was in turmoil. It's so hard to not get caught up in the game. We set the standard to live by our neighbor and not by our savior.

 I loved to relish in my despair of "it's not good enough." I drove myself crazy and resented the people that I loved. I did not even know that my heart could feel a different way. But now I know true contentment. When you have nothing left you rejoice even for the junk! My heart has had a makeover. No matter that the furniture doesn't match. No matter that every wall is white. No matter that that the backsplash is pink and green. No matter that the dishwasher and stove are 1980.

 When you have nothing you are grateful for everything. What if this concept was kept when we find ourselves in self pity? Grateful for everything. Thankful for everything. Instead of focusing on what we don't have, focusing on what we do have. The minute I knew I could have lost my girls was the minute I understood what is real. They are real. They are worth getting worked up about. My lack of things is not.

  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined-then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews12:7-10

I know that the lessons learned from this hardship are part of my journey to holiness. I pray daily that I will continue to be shaped and molded into the follower of Christ that I meant to be. May I be disciplined and may I submit to my Fathers way that I can continue to truly LIVE. I am loved. I am Thankful. I am His.

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