Taken....I don't think so!!

For those of you who don't know, Tim and I attend New Life Church in Renton.....great church! Our pastor, Troy Jones, has been doing this three week series called "Taken". It's about our children, young nieces, nephews, our friends kids, or any young person we know and how this world and Satan are coming after our kids. It has stirred something in my heart. As a mom, I would never sit back and allow anyone to take my child....so why let the world or Satan take my child.

-2800 teens get pregnant everyday
-approx 3,000 teens a day will try cocaine for the first time
-Alcohol kills 6 1/2 times more youth than all other illicit drugs combined
-16.9% of high school students had seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year
-52% of teens report they have sexually active friends
-39% of teens said they know someone who has been shot

I don't know about you, but these stats scare me. We live in a world full of evil. I know that I won't always be able to protect our little girl, but I will do everything I can to raise her so she'll make the right choices.

Proverbs 22:15 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and it's desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Ok, so I couldn't decide between these two verses, so I used both. Both are so important! I just love the book of Proverbs.....a very practical book that's black and white! The Lord calls us to train up our children....translation....teach your children right from wrong. Not "your" right from wrong, but God's right from wrong. In doing this, we will set a path for them to follow. My baby girl is too young to fight for herself or chose her path, but she won't be too young forever. At some point, she'll have to make the decision on whether or not she'll continue to follow that path we've brought her up on. This is the moment when you pray and hope that the way you have brought them up is God's way and that they will make the right choices and stay on the right path!


I also love the other verse in 1 John. Like I said before, we live in a sinful and evil world! I will not let this world or satan swallow my daughter. I know she'll be tempted and struggle with drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, self image....and much more. I also know that I have the Lord fighting with Tim and I. It is my prayer that she will grow up to be a woman filled with self-confidence, compassion, mercy, a Godly woman who won't conform to the ways of this world, but conform to the ways of the Lord!!

So, who's with Tim and I to stand up and fight the enemy and to not let our children be "Taken"???

(Sources: Teenage research Unlimited 2003, familyfirstaid.org, soundvision.com, livejournal.com. gdcada.org)

I'm a big girl

I sure love my grandpa Bryan

Growing up WAY TOO fast!

Why???

On August 10th 2009 Roosevelt Hunter lost his battle with cancer. Roosevelt was a Christian motivational speaker, comedian, author, and teacher who loved God and people. He was in the prime of his life. He left behind a beautiful wife and two children. It's during times like this that I wonder why God would allow things like this to happen.....especially to a man who was teaching about God, who was so young, who had a wife, who had kids.....why?? I always come back to the same answer.....I don't know. I've lost many friends and relatives over the years to car crashes and cancer. I always ask why, and I always come up with this same answer....I don't know. What I do know is that God calls us to trust Him with all of our hearts...not matter what! I may never know why some things happen. I may think things are unfair. I maybe scared about the economy. I may lose a friend. I may lose a family member. I may watch someone around me in pain. I may face heartach. In the midst of fear and the unknown, I find a peace in knowing that Jesus is in control. He already knows what's going to happen. While we can see 10 feet in front of us. God can see 10 miles. Nothing happens to us without God knowing first. So, even though I may never be able to answer the question of why, I can still have a peace in knowing that God does know why and that's all that matters! I just need to trust in Him and He will take care of the rest!!

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

This is Tim's favorite verse. This verse has really grown on me over the years too. It's brought both of us through some hard times and will continue to be an ancher for our family.

A relaxed Sunday afternoon @ a car show.....

Our sweet sweet baby girl.....

After the car show, we went to Boehms candy and ate chocolate while we walked around their cute little park.

We had a lot of fun at the triple X car show....even though they were Chevy's and not Fords!

Sleeping beauty....

Tess has been teething for the last three weeks or so......still no teeth. Her gums were hurting so she was fussy when she went down for her nap today and fell asleep like this. On the upside she slept almost 12hrs last night without waking to feed. We'll see how long it lasts though!

Verse of the week

So, I've decided to start posting my favorite verses. I'm going to do my best to post one a week. This week the verse I chose is from Psalms.

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10

Sometimes I find myself trying to take care of or control everything on my own. It's hard for me to let things go because I'm a type "A" personality, and I always want to have things done my way. I know that when I try and control situations they never turn out the way I want. It's in these moments I am reminded to of this verse....to just be still and know that God is in control if I let Him!! I find that when I really let go and give whatever it may be to God, I have a true peace that everything will go according to His will.....and that is the BEST feeling in the world.

She made it!

My great aunt Edythe made it to her 89th birthday. She has had terminal cancer for several months now, and no one thought she would make it to see her birthday....she surprised everyone though. It was a special birthday for her, and the entire family came to celebrate with her. She is such a special person. We love them so much and are very blessed to have them as family!

Miss attitude already!

Mom....I don't want my picture taken....

ok, now you can take my picture.

Looking more like her dad every day!