Happy October!

Happy October!

Reasons I love this month...

1) October is when all the colors on the trees really start to the change, the air gets crisper, the scents are spicier, and cozying up with a hot cup of something just feels oh so good (pumpkin spice or gingersnap lattes especially)!

2) My birthday is October 10th (10/10) - so there's always a little celebration to look forward to! (This is also my brother and sister-in-law's anniversary!)

3) October is when we frequent the cider mill, winery, pumpkin patch, and apple orchard. Love making those memories with my hubby.

4) Halloween! Love the scary and family fun movies (Hocus Pocus, Casper, Haunted Mansion), the music (Monster Mash, Thriller), and passing out candy to the cute little ones in costume.

For these four reasons alone, I can say that I really think this month will be great! Super excited for what is in store over the coming weeks.

I just finished my second week of bible study. I'm really liking the lessons. Much like the Kelly Minter studies, Tammie Head's lessons are easy to get into for someone like me who is on the go. The lessons are short and simple, but deep and insightful. I really like the overall layout too - I'm a bookworm and for me, everything from the feel of the book to the look of it inside and out matters. It invites me to sit down and take part in its pages. Last week it focused on how God has chosen me. This week it focused on how God has redeemed me. Throughout the past two weeks, I've been reminded of how much God loves me and just how freeing that love is. It's really amazing what God does for us who believe in Him.

Since I'm captivated by God's love, I decided that my 19th Scripture Memory Verse should focus on this...

Ephesians 3:17-19, The Message
"And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."

May my love of the Lord Jesus increase as I focus on and accept His lavish love of me!

Capital City River Run Half Marathon

Well...I DID IT! I ran my first half marathon yesterday and it was AWESOME! I put all of that training (12 weeks, 121 miles) to the test and it paid off! Here are the results...

Capital City River Run Half Marathon 2011
Miles: 13.1
Time: 2:09:22
Pace: 9:53
Place: 42 out of 80 in my age group

I am so thrilled to have accomplished this goal. All year I have wanted to be able to do this and to finally have it under my belt feels amazing!

Saturday night, Kenny prayed over me and yesterday morning before the race, I knelt in prayer again and read the scriptures. I was reminded, of course, of my scripture memory verse (I can do everything through Him who gives me strength) and also of Isaiah 40:31 which says, "Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I clung to these promises throughout my run, and in Jesus' name, I was victorious! Even when my knees began to feel the burn of the run and I had to slow my pace, I just continued to lift up my prayers and praises for the beautiful, perfect weather, and the opportunity and blessing to run this race, and He helped me get through to the finish line! God is so GOOD!

I'm continuing to celebrate today by taking my first day off in 6 MONTHS from work, and enjoying a rainy day with my hubby! It's going to be GREAT!

Praise God for everything He has done! I am so blessed!

Scripture Memory Verse #18

Just a quick post to share my 18th (wow!) Scripture Memory Verse for 2011...

Philippians 4:12-13, NIV
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation...I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

This verse is PERFECT for my race, not to mention life in general. I know that in God is where I find my peace, happiness, and contentment. I will be keeping this as my personal mantra while I run hard on Sunday!

12 weeks of training = 121 miles of running (134 as of Sunday)! Feeling victorious and ready to take on the world! Let's do this!

A Decade Later

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks across the nation. I remember sitting in my high school computer class watching the television with fellow peers as the events of that day unfolded. It was a horrific day - one that I, nor anyone else for that matter, can ever forget.

Today I am reminded of just how blessed I am to live in this country, with all the opportunities that have been afforded to me. I am grateful for the men and women who have laid their own lives on the line for the sake of my freedom. I am encouraged by the strength of my fellow citizens who rose up out of the ashes that day, and continue to do so everyday, despite the loss and heartache suffered.

President Obama read a scripture this morning, that I will now close with - a reminder that no matter what, God is in control and His hand is upon us...

Psalm 46:1,7 (NIV)
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

God Bless America, my home, sweet home.

Happy September!

It's finally here - September - YAY! I've been so looking forward to this month, as it officially marks the start of college football, cooler weather, changing colors, and a new season, which ultimately makes for a fresh start! Thank God for new beginnings!

I am writing from my place up north. Hanging out, listening to the crickets and grasshoppers through the window, while my MSU Spartans are playing their first game on the television...this is the life! It's nice to be up north and have the extended weekend ahead of me. I am in need of a little downtime as things at home have been so busy. I'm looking forward to some time of refreshment and relaxation. And speaking of chilling out, I've attached a few pictures of a recent hike my husband and I took last weekend. Nature is such an amazing way to get away from the strife of life and get some breathing room. It really makes a difference in my life when I take the time to get outside and enjoy God's creation!

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I managed to get through all of Margaret Feinberg's books this summer, which were fantastic - I highly recommend for those hungering to hear God's voice and have a more intimate relationship with Him. I also re-read "Captivating" for the fourth time. That book is what helped me to fall in love with Jesus all over again in June of 2006 and inspired me to recommit my life to Him. I try to make a habit of reading it once every year, just as a little reminder of that special time in my life. In terms of fiction, I just finished "The Help" and absolutely LOVED it! It was a great story and very encouraging for those of us who hope and dream for more and better in our lives. Reading has greatly helped me to take the time to just chill in the evenings after a busy day and has given me something to look forward to at the end of the day. I just picked up two more books and hope to read those over the weekend!

I've been continuing to run. I'm a little over two weeks away from my big race. I can't believe how fast time is going and that it's less than 20 days away! I am incredibly excited, but also nervous about what race day will entail. Above all, I've been praying for strength, endurance, and God's grace from head to toe. I know that in Christ, I can do all things. He will make me victorious and help me to finish strong - in this I put my faith and trust!

With it being the beginning of a new month, that means it's time for my new scripture memory verse (#17)...

1 Thessalonians 4:7, The Message
God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful — as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

I happened upon this verse and it just struck me as so simple and yet profound. The life God calls me to is a life of holy beauty. So often I settle for less, but He desires the absolute best for me. In no way do I deserve His love, grace, or mercy, but He willingly extends His hand to me and invites me into this glorious adventure with Him. When I get to Heaven, I hope and pray it will be said of me that I always said "Yes" to God when He reached out to me. I know I've missed plenty of those moments in my life already, but I so desperately desire to be willing and obedient to Him.

Lord, give me the heart to know You, the eyes to see You, the ears to hear You. Restore, rebuild, and renew me from the inside out. Make me beautiful in Your Presence. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Here's to September...

Scripture Memory Verse #16

Just a quick "hello" to share my sixteenth verse I'm working on memorizing for the year...

Hosea 6:3, NIV
Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

I came across this verse through a book I've been reading and it has just stuck with me since seeing it. Acknowledgement of God for everything should be a central part of my life, but I'll admit it isn't always. I so often acknowledge other things over Him. But my heart's desire is to know Him and give Him all the glory. I pray that may be the point of my life every day!

That's all for now. Goodnight!

Happy August!

It's the first day of August - hard to believe it's here already! The month of July just flew right by!

This past week was incredible. My brother and his family came to visit from South Carolina and pretty much stayed with us the entire time. It was great because we got to spend some quality time catching up and visiting and we had the chance to really bond with the little one. I absolutely adore my nephew! He is the sweetest boy! When they left yesterday morning, I felt like a piece of me left. I've really been missing him. I sort of got used to waking up and coming home to see him here. I really hope it won't be too long before we get to catch up again. Hopefully by Thanksgiving we'll get to see them!

In addition to my brother and his family being here, we had much to celebrate this past week. My dad's birthday was on Wednesday so we went out to dinner for that and then came back to our place and had cake. (My step-sister made a fabulous homemade carrot cake with homemade cream cheese frosting - it was delicious!) Then my husband and I had out 4 year wedding anniversary on Thursday. We exchanged cards and will be celebrating just the two of us later this week! And then Friday we had a little cookout here at the house, which was great because we got a new grill and were able to entertain for the first time this summer! It was nice to hang out on the deck with family and friends. And on Saturday, we went up to Grand Rapids and watched our dear friends, Logan and Nicole, exchange their wedding vows! It was an absolutely beautiful day and the time spent with old friends was awesome! So, overall, a very busy week filled with so many good times! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and to be surrounded by so much love!

In other news, I registered for my half-marathon yesterday! I will be officially running my first half-marathon race on Sunday, September 18th! I'll admit I am a little nervous, but I am also super excited and looking forward to the challenge! I had a fantastic 4 mile run on Saturday morning - it was a perfectly cool and sunny summer morning and I felt like I could have ran forever. It was so refreshing and incredibly motivating! Only 7 weeks to the big event!

Well, because it's the first day of the month, that means it's time for Scripture Memory Verse #15...

Hebrews 6:18-19, The Message
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God.


This passage has been coming up a lot lately as part of my devotional reading and it's really inspired me. I love the imagery of grabbing onto God's promises with both hands, never letting go, and being drawn deeper into His Presence. This is ultimately the desire of my heart - to cling to Him with all I have within me and to be brought closer to Him in every way! May my life be transformed and may I fulfill the purposes He has for me as I seek to live out my life for Him!

Happy August! :-)