friendships

I've been thinking a lot about friendships the past few months. I've felt lonely feeling like I don't have enough authentic relationships in my life.  I have a lot of surface level friends but my heart isn't satisfied with those. I desire more- true, honest, open, Christ centered, vibrant friendships. Why are these type of friendships hard to find? I think that's because they take work. We are so busy with our husbands, children, homes, jobs, responsibilities that it's hard to take the time to maintain this type of friendship. As women, community and fellowship are so important. It helps keeps us accountable and encouraged. Days spent with littles beneath your feet can become very lonely even though we are constantly surrounded noise. {i love my children but oh.the.noise.} I also think it's because it is scary to be real. To share with each other our insecurities, our faults, our dreams, our past, our sins...sometimes we just want to talk about how cute our kids are, how tired we are of all.the.laundry, how much we hate gravity and what it has done to our bodies. Don't get me wrong, all of our conversations don't have to be serious. Some of my happiest moments are ridiculous text messages that my BFF and I share throughout the days. But think of how much more you can have! Making new friends is also hard. Sometimes I find myself feeling like I am still that awkward 7th grade girl not knowing what to say... if we always play it safe and don't reach out to make new friendships we will keep missing out potential life changing relationships.

I think that the work and the fear of rejection are a huge reason we don't put out the effort. But the fruit of these type of friendships are so worth it!

"We can believe that God alone is our security and love is always worth the risk and there is no better investment than reaching out to someone and locking arms and unlocking your heart" Ann Voskamp

I think another reason we don't have these friendships is because our hearts have been wounded {again, 7th grade anyone?!?} It still happens today. Friendships come and go. Sometimes, they were just a season in our lives. Sometimes, it was a necessary ending. Sometimes, life just gets messy because we are after all- sinners. Some of my greatest friendships have been through the ringer. Yet, because of grace and mercy they are some of the sweetest. We will hurt each other. Us women are passionate yet fragile creatures. We have to learn to be vulnerable, open up, and forgive! If we choose to distant ourselves from people in order to protect our hearts from future hurts the only thing we are guaranteeing is that we will end up alone.

"No better investment than finding time for friendship and the courage to be real and the humility to say we're sorry" Ann Voskamp

"Distrust can cost us the very richest life of all and the price for being safe can be too expensive and friendship is the only thing that will show up at our funerals" Ann Voskamp



My prayer is that I can learn to grow these type of friendship- for His glory.

3rd times a charm?

This is my 3rd attempt at a blog. The first one I created when I first got engaged and was meant to serve as a place to talk about wedding plans, etc. The second one when I first became a mom. It overwhelmed me because I so wanted to 'fit in' in the blogging community so much. I wanted to post pictures of my daughter dressed in sweet dresses and always smiling. I wanted to talk about our fun filled days- we went here and we went there. I wanted to display a 'perfect' life. The problem was- I don't have a perfect life. So I stopped. I finally got passed that and then accidentally deleted it one day.

So here I am, starting fresh! I am terrible at keeping up with baby books so I am hoping this will be place where I can preserve some of my children's memories. I also want to share about my life and all that God is showing me along the way. Even if no one else reads it. ;)

God has really been rocking my world lately! Revealing things to me about myself that are just down right ugly. He is also revealing more and more of Himself to me- "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

I went to the dotMOM conference last weekend and it was AHHHHHMAAAZZZING! I cannot say enough good things about it. God confirmed so many things to me and pounded into my heart and head over and over again what I needed to hear! I left feeling so relaxed and so encouraged- just what this momma needed.

I made new commitments to Him and set goals for myself- most importantly to make sure and keep up with my quiet times. Some days I am just tired y'all! I am not a morning person and I enjoy laying in the bed until the last possible second. However, I want to spend time in His presence more! The days I don't start my days with Him I am ugly. Ugly to my kids, ugly to my husband and ugly to HIM! I am discouraged and tired after breakfast.

One of the speakers last weekend told the story from the Old Testament (Exodus 16) about God providing for His children. He provided manna from Heaven for them- he told them that he would provide  enough for each day and to take only what was needed. But what did they do? They tried to store it- to prepare for the future- even though God told them he would provide for their daily needs! When they disobeyed God they found that the manna had 'got wormy and smelled bad' (v 20). Our relationship with Him works the same way! We cannot be sustained on 'food' from yesterday. We must meet with Him everyday and He will provide us with enough food for that day and that day only. I just loved this illustration and it totally hit home. As a mom of three littles I need him! He will provide me with enough love, patience, wisdom, and energy to get through my day no matter what it looks like!

He is so good. Meet with Him today and we will give you what you need to make it through!