Feel Good Wednesday #14

As I was driving to work this morning there were SO many songs that were just so good. But you know, each song I hear on the christian radio stations should be good. These songs use scripture, talks about faith, strength in troubled times, etc. My radio stations may play the same songs over and over but they sure are uplifting. This song I'm sharing today I have heard over and over. A friend of mine even text messaged me a while back to tell me to listen to it; that it reminded her of me. I love this song. Love the title.....Hope Now.....love the words, love the tune, love everything about it.

One line in this song really hit home to me today. It says "how quickly I forget I'm yours". That is so true. So many times lately I forget about His grace and His love for me. That He has everything planned out just for me. I need to remember that He can do anything! What He did once, He WILL do again. From time to time, I will fall quickly to human nature and start worrying about what I want and what hasn't happened. If I'd just stop and think for a second that it will be ok. He will be my shelter in the storm. All I have to do is keep holding on to my faith and my hope.

I had a friend pay me the best compliment yesterday by just a short subject line of her quick email. In the subject line of her email she said "my hopeful friend". If I have done anything in my life; I have shared my story and testimony of hope. No matter what you are hoping for at this very moment.....God knows! We can hold on to our faith, that He knows what is best. The answer may not be yes, for now, or even later, but somehow He will bless us. You must have faith! Matthew 17:20 "....if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

A book I am reading, Intercessory Prayer, by Dutch Sheets had a line in the very first chapter that struck me. He said "Nothing can keep us from receiving our miracle. Nothing!" I want to start thinking like that. He was talking about being persistent with our prayers. Just the first chapter in this book did wonders for me. I may be talking more about this book later as I get further along. So now on to the song....

Hope Now by Addison Road

If everything comes down to love

Then just what am I afraid of

When I call out Your name

Something inside awakes in my soul

How quickly I forget I'm Yours

(PRE-CHORUS)

I'm not my own

I've been carried by You

All my life

(CHORUS)

Everything rides on hope now

Everything rides on faith somehow

When the world has broken me down

Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm

Rising waters all I want is the shore

You say I'll be ok and

Make it through the rain

You are my shelter from the storm

(CHORUS)

I am not my own

I've been carried by you my whole life

(CHORUS)

You've become my hearts desire

I will sing Your praises higher

Cause Your love sets me free

Your love sets me free

Your love sets me free

Memorial Weekend

This three day weekend was one busy weekend. I've done anything from going to a very special little one year old's birthday party to screaming down a zip line. Boy oh boy has this weekend been so much fun but also very exhausting. Today I have been trying to catch up on my rest. I know that a lot of people like to see pictures when they visit blog sites. Well today, those people that love to see more pictures than read words will be happy to see this post. I love to talk (write) ya'll. I just can't help it.

Kasey & Scott's Home (just beautiful!)

Logan enjoying the zip line

Logan and his cousin, Ethan, selling lemonade. They did a great job. Logan was very polite to the customers (church goers and farmers). He said "Thank you. Please come again." I just love him.

The farmers who stopped to get a refreshing break. They gave the boys a $3.90 tip. How sweet!!!

Can you see who that is getting ready to do the zip line? Yep, that's me!

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" So much fun! Wes was taking pictures and video. I accidentally (yes seriously, not lying) lost the video of me saying to Wes at the end "Catch me, catch me!" so I wouldn't hit a tree. hahaha
Our flag flying in front of our home. Please remember to pray for all of our men and women who serve our country. I am so thankful for what they do for our freedom.

I don't know if you can see it or not but I love how this picture below shows all the flags flying on our street. This year was the first year I remembered to pay our donation to have this. Love it!

Feel Good Wednesday #13

I think it was yesterday that I heard a song and thought that it was the one for today. It was by Selah, the same group I am featuring today. The song was You Raise Me Up. It's a beautiful Irish sound. The words are powerful as well. But then.....then I came across the one I am going to share today. Selah is not even in my Ipod but they will be soon. They have some powerful words to their songs. Beautiful messages.

Anyways, lately the topic of praising God has been all around. When we are struggling with something and maybe feel like it's hard to praise Him, that's when we should be able to count on our friends or other family members to help praise Him on our behalf. I was a little leery about this song but I think the message is very awesome.

My grandmother's favorite scripture was Psalms 23.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

This song uses the words of this scripture. It seems like there are people around me who are going through some hard times...either themselves or their family. Verse 4 says "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...". I looked this up in my Bible and it says "The valley of the shadow of death can refer to any distressing time in our lives. The awareness of our own mortality often comes with sickness, trials, and hardship. But the Lord, our Protector, can lead us through these dark and difficult valleys to eternal life with Him." We do not need to fear even in our darkest times in our lives. He is right there with us. He knows our thoughts before we even think them. He knows the numbers of hair on our head. He created us. He knows our future. He has it all planned out. If you're like me, you know that He has it all planned out but it can be so difficult to give it all over to Him and be at peace with that. I am trying to become less impatient with His timing. I need peace. I need patience. Lord, give me these things. I am like a sheep. I can be afraid of all that is going on around me, of all of life's battles...but God will be my shepherd and He will lead me. Our battle's are not ours, after all....they are the Lord's!

Selah - All My Praise

I will follow You through green pastures

And sing hallelujah to Your Name

I will follow You through dark disaster

And sing hallelujah through the pain

And even in the shadow of death

I will praise You

And even in the valley I will say

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

You are seated on your throne in heaven

And You see all of us down here

And You have promised

You will not abandon

So I shall not fear

And even in the shadow of death

I will praise You

And even in the valley I will say

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

You made every star

And You taught it how to shine

You knew my name before there was time

And all this was just part of Your glorious design

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

Holy, My God

You are worthy of all my praise

I hope this encourages you today. I hope that you can cling to God in your life's battles. I hope this lifts your spirits if they are down.

Much Love and a Happy Feel Good Wednesday everyone!

Just to prove God listens to our simplest requests

Ok, so you remember yesterday I had mentioned there were 3 songs that stupid music playlist website didn't have that I wanted to share? Well shortly after I had posted that I received an email from one of my favorite artists. Yeah, I'm going to believe it was actually the one and only....Warren Barfield. Hey, I can believe it if I want. Anyways, he was letting us all know that he has a new website and more cool stuff. I went to check out all the new stuff his site had and lo' n' behold there are things I could add to my blog. But still "the" song I wanted to share with you guys wasn't there. I had the brilliant idea to email and see if they'd at least add this song to one of his players on his page. I thought it was at least worth a try. Guess what?! You see that little box on the right column? THEY DID IT!!!! I was so excited. I thought this couldn't wait till next Wednesday. I had to share with you guys today. So go and check it out. Scroll down the player to find Take My Life. And below are the words to this song. Warren Barfield has an AMAZING (yes, I'm yelling) voice. I purchased one of his cd's called Reach and fell in love with this song.

Take My Life

This world is not my home

This life will pass

Only what is done for God will last

With the time we have

Let’s not waste it away, no

Let every heartbeat, let every breath we breathe say

Lord, take my life and use it up

Spread it thin like a blanket of love

Over the world that You gave Your blood for

Take my life, take it all, Lord

Lord, without You

Nothing makes sense

Down here the grass dies on both sides of the fence

So all my vain searching

Will never amount to much

Here’s my life, Lord, use it up for the cause of Love

Aren't those words powerful! This has been my prayer this year. That God will take my life, use it, help me to spread His love all over and to do what He wants me to do. This song is my prayer for all of you as well. That you will allow yourself to develop a closer relationship with God. If you seek Him, you will find Him. He's not going to come hunt you down and start up a relationship with you, He wants you & me to make the first step. Then He wants us to share His love with everyone else. I could listen to this song all day long! I hope you get something out of this song like I have. This is why I have wanted to share it so bad. It has really touched my life. Made me think.

Feel Good Wednesday #12

I had mentioned earlier in the week that I had found "the" song for today. Well as I was laying in bed that night, the thought hit me..."oh that darn music player, I bet it doesn't have this song." Guess what, it didn't. Bummer. There are 3 songs I'm waiting for the music player website to add. I'm not sure it ever will. Maybe I need to come up with a better idea. I've even tried searching youtube.com. Still not there.

Today I'm going to feature 2 songs. Just because I want to. Makes me feel a little better since the 3 songs I really want to add, I can't. So onto the songs....

The first one I have heard over and over on KLOVE. It's a great song. I came across the 2nd song by Kari Jobe this morning and loved the words. The words of both songs were just what I needed this morning.

I have been getting up at 6:30 a.m. every morning for the last 1 1/2 weeks....praying. There are so many prayers on my list. We all have prayers we all desperately want to see answered. (Man, I really wish that music player had that song!) Within the last couple of days I have felt like God is trying to tell me something. Not trying to put words in His mouth but it goes like this "Hey, I'm here, I hear your prayers, but why don't you just keep following Me, keep seeking Me, get to know Me better, put your eyes on Me and all your prayers will come together." And then I hear these 2 songs....

Tenth Avenue North - By Your Side

From the album Over And Underneath

Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Why are you crying?

Let me lift up your face

Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?

Why are you still searching?

As if I'm not enough?

To where will you go child,

Tell me where will you run?

To where will you run?

Chorus:

Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

Please don't fight these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

Look at these hands, at my side

They swallowed the grave, on that night

When I drank the world's sin

So I could carry you in

And give you life

Chorus

Here at my side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

Please don't fight these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

And I, I love you

And I want you to know

That I, I'll love you

Chorus

Kari Jobe

The More I Seek You

The more I seek you,

The more I find you

The more I find you, the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand.

Lay back against you and breath, feel your heart beat

This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.

I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

(From Top)Chorus:4x

For all of those who are reading this, you are in my prayers. Please continue to pray for me.

Much love,

Tonya

Psalm 6:6-9
I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

Psalm 94:18-19

When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Tag, you're it...

I was tagged by my good friend Jill. I like doing these things. They fill my time when I'm not wanting to work.

8 things I look forward to

Being a mom
Weekends (not working)
Church
Vacations
Girl-time with my girlfriends
Massages
Pedicures
Heaven

8 things I did yesterday

Showered
Church
Lunch with mom and sister
Swung by my inlaws
T.V. with Wes
Laundry
Trip to Dairy Queen with Wes
Prayed

8 things I wish I could do

Get pregnant (lol - obvious answer huh)
Play the piano
Swim
Sew
Snap my fingers and all my work be done
See my friends every day
Lose weight
Be a witness to more people

8 shows I watch

The Today Show
Biggest Loser
The Office
The Hills (yeah I know it's retarded)
Two 1/2 Men
Celebrity Apprentice ( go Joan!...won't comment on your connections with happy people *wink*)
Law & Order
Rules of Engagement

8 people I tag

Summer
Kristi
Marcy
Amanda (my sister-n-law so maybe she'll actually update her blog - lol I keep reading the same one over and over)
Shontel
Ashley
Jill (but she's the one who tagged me)
And You, whoever you are....if you land here you must do this if you have a blog :)

Walk In the Light

I felt many prayers yesterday. I had a good day. No breakdowns. I had a good lunch date with my mom and my sister. Wes took me out for a Dairy Queen blizzard. Yumm.

Today it is a gloomy day. The ground is soaked from all the rain we received this morning. But I took this picture a couple of weeks ago as I was driving to work. Whenever I see the beams from the sun shining through the clouds it makes me smile. I automatically see that as God's love shining down on us from the clouds. I love it. I hope you all have a blessed week. Remember to walk in the light......

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

P.S......I wrote this blog then went to Itunes. I stumbled, really?, stumbled...no, I think not...I am pretty sure God. Anyways, God lead me to my Wednesday Feel Good song already. I can't wait! I love it. I can't wait till Wednesday to share with you all.