Happy September!

Long time, no blogging! I can’t believe it’s been 3 months since I last posted. This summer has definitely been a busy one. There’s been a lot of change and some challenges the past few months, but overall it’s been very rewarding and enriching. Here’s a recap of what I’ve been up to…

*We moved into our new home at the beginning of June. We’ve been getting settled into the house – making it our own more and more every day. Almost all of the indoor painting is done and we’ll be working on unpacking boxes and starting the finishing touches on our basement over the winter months. Most of the landscaping is already complete, so in the years to come we’ll just have to plant what we want and work on keeping up the deck and porch areas. It’s a beautiful home – sometimes I can’t believe I really live there – I feel like I have to pinch myself when I wake up in the morning. It’s really a dream come true!

*I’ve been continuing to diet and exercise (when it’s not super hot and humid out). As of the end of August, I am down 30.4 lbs and to a size 1/2! I feel and look the best that I have in a long time, if I do say so myself. I never expected to lose this much weight. I’m so glad I made the commitment and was able to stick with it…now if only I could get some clothes that fit…lol!

*I found out around Memorial Day weekend that I am going to be an Aunt as my little brother and his fiancé are expecting their first child on February 14, 2011 (Valentine’s Day). We got the news on Monday that this baby is going to be a BOY! So, I will have a nephew in the New Year and I must say, I am already thinking of ways to spoil this kid rotten!

*My Aunt Beth and I completed one bible study together and are now working our way through a second study, both by Kelly Minter, whom we are both so blessed to have discovered. We joined Beth Moore’s LPM Blog and the Siestas for “Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy” and let me tell you, for only being 4 chapters long, the Book of Ruth is PACKED with so much wisdom and practical insight for today’s world. It seemed every time I opened up the studies pages, the lesson was speaking to exactly what I was facing. It was wonderful and refreshing. Now we’re working on “No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern-Day Idols” and in only 3 weeks of completion, I am already learning so much. A lot of what the study has focused on has taken me back to previous studies I’ve done and has reaffirmed things I feel God has been speaking to me for quite some time. I really appreciate Kelly Minter’s style – these are the kind of studies I like to curl up with in my chair and a hot cup of coffee. I highly recommend these if anyone out there is looking for low-key but impactful studies!

*We’ve been continuing to go up north to our “home away from home” when we aren’t feeling the need to stay at our real home and accomplish things there. It’s been a beautiful summer weather-wise – we’ve been able to swim as much as we want and have had a great time with family and other campers who have chosen the marina as their “home away from home” as well. We actually had the opportunity to take a week vacation the last week of July, which tied in perfectly with our 3rd anniversary. We were up in Ludington for part of the week and then ventured up to Harbor Springs as my husband had a 2 day seminar for work. While he was off learning, I traveled the coast from Charlevoix, through Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Cross Village, Sturgeon Bay, all the way up to Mackinaw City. It was a great time and a much needed break!

*Work has been good, but challenging, in that we aren’t sure about funding for the coming year – specifically with my program. We’re hoping to know something this month, but it could go either way. The hardest part is the uncertainty; other than that, everything is going well. Regardless of what happens, I’m very grateful for what the last couple years have afforded me in this position. I have learned so much and have been blessed to work with great individuals – all educated, talented, and hard-working individuals. We don’t serve the easiest of clients and in this economy it’s even more difficult considering we’re in the business of workforce development. But all of us show up to work every day and do our absolute best and that’s something to be proud of, so I think all of us will be just fine no matter what happens. My new motto is, “Keep the faith! Life is GOOD!”

*We just closed on and sold our other house yesterday. What a relief and a blessing. Again, with the economy being the way it is, there’s a huge risk you take when you put your house on the market and have a new one urging you to pay the bills. But, we prayed and kept positive, and it all worked out.

That’s basically all I have for updates, aside from that fact that this coming weekend I will be traveling to Tucson, Arizona to see my very dear friend from college, Stephanie, get married to her wonderful man, Todd. I am so very excited to see her and give her a big hug. They are expecting their first child and I can’t wait to see that cute baby bump! It’s going to be a great time!

Well, there will be much more in the weeks and months to come for sure. I will try to be better about posting more consistently now that things are getting somewhat back to normal. I’m excited to see what the future will bring as I move forward in the blessings God has bestowed upon me. I’ll be leading another small group through church this fall and we’ll be studying “One in a Million” by Priscilla Shirer, so I’ll share some insights on that as well. God always speaks so much to me through the bible studies we do as a group (in fact, I actually picked up this book back in the spring when I went to Lifeway down in Tennessee – talk about God speaking!) The women are such a delight to learn and fellowship with on a weekly basis.

That’s all I have to share for the time being. I’ll close now with the passage of scripture I feel I am being lead to memorize over the next 15 days…

1 John 4:16, 18
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

There is no need to fear, God is here! Keep the faith! Life is GOOD!

Blessing, Love, and Peace,
Hannah

Scripture Memory Verse #11

Happy June! So much has been going on in the past couple weeks since I last wrote. Let me give an update...

Health and Fitness:
Still actively working out (primarily lifting weights and running). I am currently down 21 lbs and am incredibly happy with the fact that I reached my goal and can now just focus on maintaining this current weight. If I continue to lose some that's okay too, but staying healthy and fit are the main focus at this point.

Spirituality:
My Aunt Beth and I traveled to Grand Rapids two weekends ago to see Beth Moore at Van Andel Arena for Living Proof LIVE! We made it a girl's getaway weekend of sorts. It was an awesome event and I am still relishing the message she passed on to us. It definitely hit home in more ways than even I could see then. Since hearing her teach and going back over my notes, I am realizing how much I need to put the message into action! (More on that when I share my verse for this blog...)

Family:
Currently involved with packing up our current house and getting ready to make the big transition out to the country on Thursday. Hoping everything between now and then falls into place so we are ready to go! It's been quite a process - quite tiring and stressful to be honest. I've realized just how much stuff we have and it makes me just want to simplify everything as we start fresh in this new place. I'm hoping that as we unpack, we'll be able to eliminate more stuff and be able to keep things neat and tidy. I'm sure between the hubby and I, we can make that happen!

On a fun note, we are going to see "Phantom of the Opera" tonight! This will be the third time we've seen it for both of us, but we love it and can't wait to see the magic unfold!

So, that's the latest. Now on to my verse for the next couple weeks....

I mentioned above that I was realizing how much I needed to put the message Beth Moore shared with us in action. Her message centered around the theme of trees and was titled, "Lessons from out on a Limb." One of the "limbs" she shared was "Trees Need Reign" and with this, that there are four types of things that tend to reign over us. The idea of the "thornbushes" (Judges 9:17-15), representing the difficulties/frustrations/annoyances of life, reigning over us really resonated with me. I tend to dwell on the negativities of everyday life and allow the challenges I face to rule over my heart, mind, and spirit. It's not always good for the attitude, especially when it comes to having to deal with others. It's all too easy at times to take my frustrations out on others, rather than giving it over to God.

I was pondering over this during the long weekend. While having my coffee and just enjoying the peace and quiet of my up north retreat, I opened the scriptures and found a verse that really spoke to me.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

This is the attitude I need to embrace. Rather than allowing circumstances and little petty things to get the best of me, I need to keep my eyes centered on Jesus and the promises He has made to me, as well as the inheritance I have in Him. As a new creation in Him, I need to be denying the old self and it's behavior and letting the Holy Spirit do a mighty work in me each and every day. So, this is my prayer - to be renewed by Him day by day and focus on the unseen treasures and blessings I have in Him. I ask that Jesus enter my heart and that He will have dominion over my words, thoughts, and actions. May they reveal a life embedded in His Word and the encounters I have had with this magnificent God! Amen.

Scripture Memory Verse #10

Well, there sure has been a lot going on in my life since the last time I posted! I’m posting a little later than normal because we were up north over the weekend and the wireless internet isn’t set up at this point, so today will do just fine!

Just an update on my diet and exercising….I’ve continued to work out consistently throughout the week and have finally hit my weight-loss goal of 20 LBS! As of this morning, I have lost 20.2 lbs! I am very happy and excited to have finally met this goal. I had intended to meet this by June 1st, and am thrilled to have met it 2 weeks early! I intend to continue to stick to my guns and stay motivated. At this point, my overall goal is to stay fit and be healthy. I will still track my progress and report as needed.

In other exciting news, we are soon going to be the owners of a newer home out in the country! The offer we put on the house back in March was accepted and we are moving forward. There’s a lot to do before we actually move – tidying and packing, cleaning and organizing, painting and updating – the list goes on…but I’m really trying not to get overwhelmed and just take it one day at a time. My husband and I make a good team (thank the Lord!), so I’m confident we’ll be just fine. We are totally trusting in God to be with us as we make this life-changing transition!

My aunt and I are traveling to Grand Rapids this weekend to see Living Proof LIVE with Beth Moore! We are really looking forward to seeing her teach in person! We are huge Beth fans, so this is a real treat! I’m especially looking forward to the “spiritual retreatness” of the occasion. It’s always nice to get away and spend time with another person who lives in the faith. I’m hoping it’ll be just the thing I need to get through the next few weeks with the above mentioned activities!

Onto the reason for my post…

I recently listened to a Beth Moore video (big surprise, right?) in which she talked about prayer. She pointed to a verse that I had never really noticed before, but it's now become something I think about while I'm preparing for the busy day ahead each morning.

Psalm 90:14
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

What I so love about this verse is that it makes it clear that the only thing that can ever satisfy our souls is the love of God and that when we draw strength from that first thing in the morning, it is with us the whole day. That's a big deal. I know throughout a normal day, I encounter challenges and difficulties that were it not for God's unfailing love, I may not have the ability to get through them. But with God, I can get through everything and still have joy and gladness. It's really a mindset and an attitude - that no matter what happens, God loves me and that love is all I need to live. Amazingly simple! I need some simplicity!

I hope this verse will become my daily morning prayer and that at the end of each day, I can look back and see how God's unfailing love carried me through. Thank You, Lord, for Your truth, wisdom, and love! You are an awesome God and I love you so much. I praise You for the amazing things You are doing in my life. Amen!

Scripture Memory Verse #9

Happy May! Already 5 months into the new year - how time flies! It's so refreshing to see the earth coming back to life after winter. The scents and colors of this spring season make me so very excited for the coming summer!

Since my last post, I ran in the Mid-Michigan Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K. It was a fabulous experience - awesome and inspiring in so many ways. My girlfriend, Nicole, and my husband, both ran with me. We had a great time and all did a great job time-wise. I was proud to finish better than my last race at 28:01. I'm going to continue to work on improving that over this summer by doing other various 5K's around the area.

It's so cool how running has opened up doors for me that I didn't see possible. I thank God for the ability to run and the opportunity to grow in the process. Since my last post, I have hit the weight loss mark of 18 lbs. I feel great and definitely have experienced a boost in my self-esteem and confidence. From the beginning though, it's always been about being healthy and living the fullest life possible. I hope that my challenges and successes will help to serve others who have faced what I've faced and will encourage and inspire them to live their best lives too! It's a journey worth taking!

To close on the subject of running, I will add that May is National Runners' Month. I've been struggling to find a race to run this month because of my obligations to our business venture up north on the weekends, but I will be training this month for a race on January 12th up in Ludington, MI - the Ludington Lakestride - very exciting to be running in one of my most cherished places! And I'd like to share this quote that I got via email through Runner's World...I absolutely love it because it totally defines what running has become for me...

"Running is a retreat, a place to commune with God and yourself, a place for psychological and spiritual renewal." -George Sheehan, M.D.

Now onto the real reason for my post...my 9th scripture to focus on over the next 15 days...

I'm wrapping up my Esther study this week with my women's small group at church. This time of year is always bittersweet - while it'll be nice to have my Wednesdays opened back up during the week, I'm going to miss immersing myself in such detailed study of God's Word and the fellowship I've experienced with these precious ladies. Thankfully, more studies await me in the future, but I'm hoping that the teachings from this study last long into the coming months until I start back up again (most likely in the fall).

I mention my bible study, because I read the verse I've chosen while doing the final week of homework. The verse I decided to focus on is one that reflects my heart, as it most closely resonates with the testimony I hope to have every day of my life. It is...

Psalm 16:5-6
"LORD, you have assigned my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."

The verse, as well as Beth Moore's commentary of the verse, really hit me in the deepest part of my heart. Every day presents new challenges and victories (some big, some small), as well as good things and bad things. It is all too easy for me to get caught up stressing about the small things and feeling like life is going to fall apart if I can't do this or that, or this does or doesn't work out. I'm the type of person who has a list of things to do for every day of the week, and I'll be darned if those things don't happen in that exact order...you see where I'm going with this. So much of my effort in one day is wrapped up in trying to control every last detail, fretting to make sure that every little thing works out as I have it planned.

BUT, God calls me to a different way of operation. He values my gifts of administration and planning - it has it's place in my life - but ultimately, He is in control! My life is going to work out, despite all the ups and downs, simply because He is the author, creator, and leader of my life. In Him, I am secure and I have no need to worry about every little thing. He has my inheritance ready for me - I just have to trust that He is there no matter what! Seems easy enough, right?

My prayer is to reflect on this verse over the coming 15 days and thoughtfully consider how I can surrender every bit of my life over to Him every day. I pray that my testimony at the end of each day will read something like this..."Whether it was a good or bad day, everything was as it was supposed to be because my life is all worked out in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Him, I am exactly where I need to be at this very moment. Amen."

Scripture Memory Verse #8

Already that time of the month again...a new verse with new insights from a GREAT God!

This next verse I've chosen to focus on is inspired by my pastor who told us to reflect on this verse over this past week. We are doing a 10 week study over the Book of Colossians and our next message will be examining this scripture...

Colossians 1:13-14
"For he has rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Although I recognize the significance of this verse, especially for what means to me as a Christian, I'm pondering what our pastor will speak about with regards to this passage. I'm going to do my best to reflect and memorize it over the next few days and pray that God will breathe life into my heart through these words as I hear them on Sunday morning!

Just an update on health and fitness...since my last post, I have lost 17.2 lbs total to date! Very excited that I am continuing to tone my body and improve my health. I've boosted up my running for the race happening in a little over a week. I actually ran 3 miles in 28 minutes the other night and all praise to God for that! It was so awesome and such an incredible feeling. Hoping He will help me keep up the good work!

Lastly, just to share for fun...my husband and I got free tickets to go see Carrie Underwood in concert last night. It was a great night - there's something magical about live music. I was really pleased with how both artists (Craig Morgan and Carrie Underwood) acknowledged God in their music. For all the fame and wealth they have, it was encouraging to see that these individuals know where their talent comes from and who made them to be the people they are. I was really inspired by it in that it made me think about how I need to be living my passions out for God and His glory. Still pondering those areas - don't have them quite nailed down yet - but I'm going to work it out with Him and see what He reveals.

That's all for now - Goodnight!

Easter Update

Had to share some awesome things the Lord has done over the past Easter weekend...

1) Before leaving for Tennessee on Friday, I got my biopsy results in the mail and the news: negative for any abnormalities! Yay! Don't have to go back to the doctor's for another 6 months - this is fantastic!

2) While in Tennessee, my brother proposed to his lovely girlfriend, Ashley. Everyone in my family absolutely adores her, including me! She is a godly girl and I am proud to call her my "sister" in Christ!

3) Got on the scale this morning and I have finally hit my 15 lb weight loss goal. To date, I have lost 15.8 lbs! Woohoo!

4) I think I ran my fastest 2 miles yet tonight. (Don't know that for sure, but I'm almost 100% sure that I did...I think I'll go with it!)

Anywho, those are my praises! So grateful and blessed for the wonderful things God is accomplishing. I continue to pray that He will use me for His good and complete the good work He has started in me. Amen!

Scripture Memory Verse #7

Happy April! This year is just flying by, but what a great year it has been so far!

I am happy to say that I am still doing well with my workouts and healthy eating plan. To date, I have lost 12.8 lbs! My husband and I ran our first 5K of the year on Saturday, March 20. Although it was the first day of Spring, it was 35 degrees and snowing...that's Michigan for you! BUT, we had a great time. I ran the entire 3.2 miles and finished in 31 minutes. Not bad for my first race in a very long time. We are now preparing for the Susan G. Komen "Race for the Cure" on Sunday, April 25th. I am very excited to run for such a great cause!

Well, the Easter holiday will be here in only 3 days. I've always loved Easter and what means to me as a believer in Jesus Christ. Its the time where we get to celebrate the fact that He conquered death and rose from the grave, a miracle beyond all comprehension, and that points the finger to an Almighty God. In doing so, the chains of sin were broken and we were offered a life of FREEDOM in Him! Isn't that truly amazing? I absolutely LOVE it!

For the next 15 days, I am choosing to focus on a verse that capitalizes the meaning of Easter...

Luke 24:5-6

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!"

I love the question in this verse, and I love that its directed toward WOMEN. How many times do we look at or for dead things - whether they be issues from our past, relationships that are long over, etc. How come we have such a hard time moving forward and living the abundant life to which we are called? How come we don't always believe God for the things He tells us? In the case of this passage, the women had been told Jesus would rise from the dead, but they still journeyed to the tomb to tend to His body. Why? Why do we not listen?

I'm praying that over the next 15 days I will be open to what God is speaking to me - the truths He has to share with me about my life and the direction I'm headed. I'm praying that I would move forward and be FREE from things in my life that are dead and no longer needed. And I pray I'd be obedient in following where He leads.

He is RISEN!