Saturday, December 31, 2011

GOLD: 2011


2011

God taught me a priceless lesson in 2010: the value of Gold. By prompting me to record the little nuggets of wisdom that came my way--either written or spoken--I now have a great glimpse into the thoughts He illuminated for me for that day, week, month and even (last half of the) year. I'm carrying that lesson into 2011 (and beyond) because I recognize the 'priceless value' of wisdom snapshots ... or golden nuggets, as I like to call them.

Great peace have they who love the Word of God, for nothing shall offend them or make them stumble or confound them. Psalm 119:165 [Jan 1]

"Planning is great, but our future comes down to what we do with the Word of God and the promises he gives us." Jack Hayford [Jan 1]

"Be guarded never to let external circumstances and the way things look distort your internal standard of believing what the Word says!" Arnita Taylor [Jan 5]

"I want to learn the heart of sacrifice and the returning gift of a joyful heart because of sacrifice; that my sacrifice may be a fragrant offering to God, just as Jesus offered himself for me." Me to my Husband [Dec 7]

"God wants us all to grow in seeing and hearing Him and in choosing to be obedient in spite of our circumstances, which I believe unveils the condition of our hearts." Kerrie Oles [Jan 7]

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy. Proverbs 13:12 [Jan 11]

Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Matthew 11:28 [Jan 18]

"It's the grace of God that keeps us, but it's obedience to God that moves us forward." Stovall Weems [Jan 30]

"This is what I know: God always has a way of bringing to light what's hidden in the dark. And it's not to punish us (for what we did) but protect us (from what could be). God reveals because He loves." Me to my kids. [Feb 2]

I don't mind clothes, but I hate cover up.
I don't mind independence, but I hate isolation.
I don't mind maturity, but I hate pretension.
I don't mind privacy, but I hate secrecy.
I don't mind make-up, but I hate make-believe.
Jason Holdridge [Feb 3]

"Words carelessly thrown out from a selfish heart are some of the most damaging to those they land on." From my thoughts [Feb 3]

"Sometimes I wonder if, in my own discipleship journey, I settle for "fish on Fridays" by assuming that simply because I do the right things that my heart will automatically lean towards God as a result." Marcus Brecheen [Feb 3]

"A woman who knows her value knows she has something incredibly valuable to give and something important to protect." Nancy Houston [Feb 7]

"Scars remind us where we've been. They don't have to dictate where we're going." Anonymous [Feb 8]

"Real love is not having a human reaction to failure." Coli Jones [Feb 11]

"Will she learn to love again? Will she get her miracle, too? Love hopes all things." Borrowed Words [Feb13]

"The part of your story that will help people the most is the part you least want to tell." Preston Morrison [Feb 15]

"A dream reminds us of what's possible. It's like a balloon that lifts us from reality. It gives us somewhere to go when we feel grounded by discouragement." Coli Jones [Mar 7]

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?" Borrowed Words [Mar 9]

"You can't be hidden and survive." Bob Hamp [Mar 10]

"If you have no joy, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere." Billy Sunday [Mar 14]

"He really is as dependable as this morning's sunrise." Kate (McDonald) Andre [Mar 14]

"The wife is not anointed to lead a family with the same anointing as the man." David Smith [Mar 23]

"God never promotes manipulation." Robert Morris [Apr 3]

"Hope is not deliverance (from) my circumstances; it's knowing that God will walk with me (through) my circumstances." Robert Morris [Apr 3]

"Dead things are going to be resurrected!" Christine Caine, Prophetic Word from Pink Impact [Apr 6]

"Anointing is always given to fulfill a specific purpose or to carry out a calling on my life. And the whole purpose of any anointing is for God to get the glory." Lexa Brecheen from Pink Impact [Apr 7]

"HolySpirit only reveals what's inside us so that He can heal us." Nancy Houston from Pink Impact [Apr 7]

"My destiny is not about me needing to feel accomplished. It's about fulfilling the purposes of God on earth." Mary Faulkner from Pink Impact [Apr 7]

"Only a strong woman can fight for God's justice on her knees in humility; not fighting for her rights, but taking on the burdens and offenses of others by choice." Mary Faulkner from Pink Impact [Apr 7]

"The enemy understands the power of the influence of a woman; it's why he went to Eve first." Charlotte Gambill from Pink Impact [Apr 7]

"Dreams drown in doubt." Debbie Morris from Pink Impact [Apr 8]

"Prophecy speaks to a passion in our hearts only like HolySpirit can." via Pink Impact [Apr 8]

"The greatest temptation a woman faces is to close herself off (her heart) due to pain." T.D. Jakes from Pink Impact [Apr 8]

"Change requires me to embrace a stranger (a new version of me) and let go of the familiar." T.D. Jakes from Pink Impact [Apr 8]

"Identity is not a label; it's a journey." Charlotte Gambill from Pink Impact [Apr 9]

"We confuse 'position' with 'place'. We often sacrifice our place (where God wants to use us) in search of position (being out front, in the position of recognition)." Christine Caine from Pink Impact [Apr 9]

"I am learning that marriage isn't all about romance and passion and ideals that the media pushes on us. It is not even about happiness or having an increasingly better marriage as much as it is about the potential for real transformation in our own lives. Marriage can make us better as people, even when--or maybe especially when--it is hard and things don't go as planned and it is not easy and the demands on us feel unfair. Maybe marriage is at its best when it restricts us, defines limitations, exposes our sin and calls us to die to ourselves in favor of becoming what God has already declared us to be: ONE." Kate (McDonald) Andre [Apr 10]

"A burden has never been placed in God's hand that He dropped, nor have you ever leaned back and He's not caught you." Marcus Brecheen [Apr 10]

"Destiny = Destination (a place of arrival). Destinations often arise after a season of disappointment." Brady Boyd [Apr 10]

"It is the character of very few men (or women) to honor without envy a friend who has prospered." -Aeschylus [Jul 16]

Ask the Father to help you desire the thoughts, feelings and purpose of His heart. He’ll give you a new heart—His. You’ll begin to have His perspective and a supernatural love, compassion and righteous indignation that will stir you to pray on behalf of others, our government, families, nations, for Israel and so much more. This is the gift of intercession. It’s in this place of partnering with God— asking for His will on earth to be released as it is in heaven—where great joy is found.

What I Was Not Too Long Ago

april 24, 2007

april 25, 2007

january 2008

never [skinny], but {Healthy} for my height and build. i WILL be there again. april 23, 2012 is my 5-year wedding anniversary. i want a photo shoot to remember it. but i will only do one after 4 months of hard work and commitment. here's to GOALS in 2012!

Beautiful Things (2011 Song)

Beautiful Things (by Gungor)

September 10, 2011- This song was performed by Matt Birkenfeld and Misty Presley as a musical drama duet at Gateway Southlake in honor of the 10 year anniversary of September 11th. Today, because of this song, I was "introduced" to the original singer/songwriter Michael Gungor... better late than never. Beautiful Things resonates in me because it encapsulates my 2011 scripture and all that God has been doing, and is continuing to do, with this year.

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

Thursday, December 1, 2011

30 Thankful Tweets

 
Since November marked the month we celebrate Thanksgiving, I decided that I wanted to make this year's holiday more meaningful by purposefully embracing a month of Thankfulness. I vowed to tweet a moment from each day for which I was thankful, because moments not captured somewhere tend to get lost in the shuffle of life.

These are my thankful moments as they were tweeted each day:

Day #1: Something small, but its joy is not lost on me. [TheRedCup]. Welcome November!
Day #2: Soooo NOT feeling healthy; just icky sick. Today, I am THANKFUL that I get to be home.
Day #3: Tonight I am thankful for @yepthatslindsey driving @teighlorelissa home from @GatewayPeople's Pretty In Pink. Allowed me to rest.
Day #4: Feeling better today. Yay! On another note, slept w windows open last night. The home dropped to 62. Burrr. Thankful for heat&health.
Day #5: What a great moment watching my husband freak out in excitement over his first earthquake.
Day #6: With 3 out of 6 struck by a stomach bug this w/e, I am thankful that I'm healthy to do the cleanup&care and that it's only 3 out of 6.
Day #7: Sitting in my living room lit by twinkle lights. I'm thankful for twinkle lights. They're my favorite!
Day #8: After watching Teighlor suffer harshly from this [flu] bug, I'm thankful she's able to get rest tonight.
Day #9: 6hrs + Red Cups + Pinterest + Lemongrass+PeiWei +Words&Laughter + Yes! + Bestie = Lots of Thankful Moments.
Day #10: Thankful for Thursday, Titus 2, Teaching and Prayer Growth.
Day #11: Thankful for a fun/full night hosting friends from South Carolina: Babe's Chicken to FW twinkle lights to D-town Dallas drop off.
Day #12: God spoke the same message to Anthony and me re: get debt free.
Day #13: Thankful that Mr. Budget allowed for pizza take out. It's delish.
Day #14: RT @TeighlorElissa: It's official. I'm hooked. Pinterest.com // Just introduced today. She asked, "Why?". Now this. Gotcha!
Day #15: Spontaenous Day + Her 1st Dream Unveiling + Bestie = My Today Gift
Day #16: WOW. WOW. and WOW! God is amazing. Super-splendiferous. Crazy in His ways. A wonder maker! He makes ways where we just can't see.
Day #17: Titus 2. Removing labels. A treasure chest of gold and Jesus. Kids giving Christmas away and getting it back. Thankful for so much today!
Day #18: Thankful for purposed friendship and Marci Harper.
Day #19: Thankful to have in our home Lilli Love Jones. The soon to be adopted daughter of Jason&Coli.
Day #20: Awesome morning service at Gateway, followed by an afternoon full of family, soon to be followed by Habitation. A good Sunday.
Day #21: A generous man will prosper. He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25-28 // Truth. Soul food.
Day #22: RedCups. Conversation. Truth. Wisdom. Dreams. Ministry. Chips&Salsa. Friendship. All part of my day. Thankful for Brittney Nelson.
Day #23: Ending a long day in the kitchen with a glass of red wine and a hot bath. Today was filled with all kinds of homemade fun. Thankful.
Day #24: The Days of Thanks is finally here! From family & friends to food & fellowship, I have much for which to be thankful. BLESSEDBEYONDBELIEF
Day #25: The Black Friday trip wasn't that bad. Gotta couple really good deals. I can feel Mr. Budget smiling.
Day #26: A relaxing day [mostly] at home. Chilly outdoors. Fire going. Twinkle lights on. Comfort food cooking. Sipping Cab-Merlot. Thankful.
Day #27: RT @anthonycoppedge: A fire on a cold morning makes for a happy living room. // And a a happy me!
Day #28: Spent hours online searching for the best CyberMonday deals. Very successful! Mr. Budget and I were both very thankful.
Day #29: Sweet morning of uninterrupted, long over due, 12 hours of sleep.
Day #30: A night of food, recipes, stories, new friends, old friends & laughter. Thankful for memories made!