Learning the guitar

This is about the 4th day of practising chords on my hubby's guitar.  I'm starting to get motivated about it, I'm looking forward to playing well someday!  I'm recording my progress on webcam :)

Holly

Thank you Jesus, for Beth Moore

This past Saturday a group of women and myself loaded into a vehicle and went to a church in Moose Jaw to watch a simulcast of Beth Moore preaching from Texas live. Over 300,000 women were watching this simulcast (about 5,000 of them were at the massive church she was live at). I had already begun her book, So Long, Insecurity, but put it down about a week ago when I was facing something, and never picked it up again...yet.  The message she was speaking in the book hit too close to home at this time and I ended up sobbing and crying until I couldn't see the words. I got the message, but I knew it was time to put it down for a little while and stop tearing open a wound that hadn't had a chance to even begin healing yet.  I do not idolize Beth Moore, but I have this love for her that I didn't know was possible to love a stranger this way.  I feel like she's truly my sister in Christ.  She tells it like it is, and is very candid in how she tells millions of women about her past and even current struggles.  There is no growth in excuses and denial, and I think Beth really understands that.  I'm just so grateful that God chose to use her to speak to me, and so many other women and girls; she is a vessel for Him.

This topic of women and their insecurity is not something I'd thought much about before her book. It's a chronic problem with our gender no matter what we look like, how successful we are, or how much our men do, or do not love and respect us.  Now that I have some scripture and other tools to deal with my own issues of insecurity, I'm confident that the Lord will help me work through this and find true, steadfast security in Him.  Already this week I have felt threatened by movies, tv, magazines, other women...but I did not let it get the best of me, and with God's strength I overcame it and willed myself to see past it and move on.  Beth says security starts in the mind, moves to your feet, and settles in your heart.  She also says that we cannot wait until we feel secure to start being and acting secure.  We must will ourselves to do it, and keep guard over our minds, then our reactions and daily living must reflect our minds and thoughts, and then as we continue to act more secure, our hearts will begin to believe it, and we will start to truly feel secure by the grace of God,  Thank you Jesus.

Cling to Jesus

Every once in awhile I get the rug pulled out from under my feet. A bucket of ice water dumped over my happy little life. I'm not trying to sulk here, I'm just trying to identify the fact that life happens, and I get that, I expect it, but it's not easy to enjoy it.  Battles and challenges come our way for many reasons, but I'm certain that some particular ones can potentially do amazing things for us in the end.  My most recent ice water occurence left me feeling like I could just fall into a dark pit and miserably stay there forever.  Of course, 5 minutes later it was already feeling a little bit less devastating and more managable because I had the sweet reminder that God is the Author and perfector of our faith, He is the best heart physician known to man. He can and will heal this heartache if I surrender it to Him...and so, knowing this, I DID!  Tears still flow and wounds still open sometimess, but I cling to Jesus and pray for healing and he consistently and faithfully restores me, comforts me, and gives me the peace of mind that no other could.  I praise Jesus for who He is, and for being a perfect, loving Father to me.

24 years.

Oh what a day! Today is my birthday and I thought it would be fairly mediocre because Devin worked at 4pm and we had banking business to do in Assiniboia. But it was NOT mediocre at all. We were woken up this morning by a phone call by my future sister-in-law, Nicole, telling me the news of my new baby nephew's birth. Jackson Bruce Clarke was born around 6:30 this morning, so we're birthday buddies! He was only 5 little pounds, I can't wait to meet him.

The day then continued on with a trip to Assiniboia to do some joint banking and we went out to a steakhouse for some awesome lunch.  After lunch we went to a friend's house to pick up some free furniture. We now have all of our spare rooms furnished and our dining room has a large table and 4 new-to-us chairs. We're so pleased! 

Later in the day, my friend Karisa and I went to the pool and did an hour of aquasize...it was so fun, I plan to do it every Mon. Wed. and Thurs. Then when I got home from the pool, our friends stopped by with their kids and they sang happy birthday to me and gave me presents and cupcakes...it was so special.

I feel so loved today.  Looking forward to my 24th year.

So Long, Insecurity

I was determined not to fall behind on my blogging, but it always happens to me, even when I have ideas and I'm feeling very inspired to write. But alas, I'm back.  I'm currently reading "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore, and it is AWESOME! It would suit any woman who has ever felt less than perfect, or beautiful, or desirable, or smart, or successful...so basically every woman who ever has or ever will walk this earth.  I'm not through reading it but I'm thinking the main point of the book is to find security, not in worldly things, beauty, power, possessions, or even the love of a man, but in The Rock a.k.a. Christ.  Everything in this world changes, fades, or passes away, and that can cause some severe insecurities in us, but God is the same today, tomorrow and forever so if we put our confidence and hope and security in Him we can't be moved.  It's a message I've heard before, but Beth puts it into perspective like I've never heard before.  I'm going to a simulcast in Moose Jaw where Beth will be teaching about this book via satellite; I can't wait!
Time for sleep.  Bye for now.