Book Bucket List

Since I hear from a lot of people and baby blogs that once your little blessing is born there is very seldom time for yourself I thought what is the one thing I want to enjoy and savor and that's peace and quiet while reading a book. So I decided to come up with a book reading bucket list leading up to the baby so I can go on many adventures while not having to leave my home! I figured out I have about enough time for 20 books give or take a book a week or a book every two weeks.

1. Beauty and the Beast (the classic) 
2. Live Original by Sadie Robertson
3. The Book Thief by: Markus Zusak
4. Lioness Arising: Lisa Bevere
5. Finding your Voice: Natalie Grant
6. Without Rival: Lisa Bevere
7. God is Not Mad at You: Joyce Meyer
8. When God makes Lemonade: Don Jacobson
9. Beauty for Ashes: Joyce Meyer
10. Choose Love: Stormie Omartian
11. An Uncommon Heroine: Most Remarkable Women in Literature: Jamie Robertson
12. Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World: Jill Rigby
13. A Good and Perfect Gift: Amy Julia Becker
14. No More Christian Nice Girl: Jennifer D. Degler
15. I Love You To God and Back: Amanda Lamb
16. Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Fear: Gregory L. Jantz
17. The Good, The Bad, and The Grace of God: Jep and Jessica Robertson
18. The 5 Love Languages of Children: Gary Chapman
19. Leading on Empty: Wayne Cordeiro
20. Cultivating a Cutting- Edge Children's Church: Dick Gruber
21. **BONUS BOOK**: I still believe: Jeremy Camp

While most of these are ministry books that cover a vast amount of different topics, some of these are reads that I just simply enjoy, some of them I have read already a couple times and some I have had for a while but never started to read. Something my aunt and uncle who have straight A students has done since they found out they were pregnant with each of their children is they would have my Uncle read to the child in the womb allowing the child to hear dad's voice but also building it's fundamentals in vocabulary. My husband and I started this as soon as we found out we were expecting as well. Below is the list of what we have already read (mind you some days you just fall asleep and forget to read). Of course we hope to continue our reading to the child way after we have the baby but it is fun as parents to be right now just visiting our childhood and reading books some new and some from when we were little. I will say we DID NOT go out and buy all these books. I have a huge collection of them from when I was a child and also from my little nephew and yard sale finds that we did. 

1. 1/117: I love you this much
2. 1/1/17: If you give a mouse a cookie
3. 1/2/17: Hats off to Lyle (yes this is veggie tales) 
4. 1/3/17: The Tiny Angel
5. 1/4/17: The Foot Book
6. 1/5/17: I was so Mad
7. 1/6/17: A baby is born welcome to our world
8. 1/7/17: I knew you could
9. 1/8/17: Giggle Giggle Quack
10. 1/9/17: Luke 9 in the Bible
11. 1/10/17: Put me in the zoo and a fly went by 
12. 1/11/17: Are you my mother?
13. 1/12/17: Go dog Go
14. 1/13/17: This nest is the best
15. 1/14/17: It's not easy being a bunny
16. 1/16/17: Mouses first spring
17. 1/17/17: Glasses for D.W
18. 1/18/17: Flip and Flop
19. 1/29/17: Little quack loves colors
20. 1/30/17: A splendid friend indeed
21. 1/31/17: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too
22. 2/2/17: Smooch is a smoocher
23. 2/3/17: A Baby is born welcome to our world (second time reading it whoops) 
24. 2/4/17: Kiss goodnight
25. 2/5/17: Mouses first fall
26. 2/6/17: I love you honey bunny
27. 2/8/17: Just Grandpa and Me
28. 2/9/17: Arthur's reading race

So I know this is a lot of info and some of this blog post your probably wondering why I shared, well to be honest it's part of a memory for my husband and I to archive and revisit and because we want you guys to join us in our journey! If you feel drawn to one of the books I am reading on my bucket list reach out and let's read them together!!!! Also if you have any fun kids book suggestions for a future read hit us up with some fun ideas!!! Lastly out of curiosity, What was your favorite kids book growing up? 

Sheep and Wolves: Matthew 10

Recently in my devotions I found myself drawn to reading Matthew 10, throughout this chapter there were so many words that just spilled off the page in my Bible and into my heart that I just felt like I need to share what was placed on my heart. I in no way claim to be a Pastor, or am certified by anyone other than Christ and I to struggle  in my day to day life so please don't see this as me "preaching at you" rather sharing my heart and wearing it on my sleeve.

That said let's begin,

Starting with Matthew 10:9 and 10
"You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for you journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food."

• We were given Christ without having to pay for that major gift so God's love we should be giving at no cost to others. Since when do we get to decide who is and who isn't worthy of God's love and who is and who isn't supposed to be excluded from that free love which we received without having to give anything? 

Verse 13

"And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you." 

• Peace is to be given to those who deserve it or who are willing to receive it otherwise the peace of the Lord is yours to have. 
• Do not let someone who refuses to accept the word of the Lord, and the Lord to steal your peace, for peace doesn't belong to them it belongs to God and His people and only you can decide to allow someone to take your peace away. 

Verse 16

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

• When we look into the nature of the animals listed above it doesn't take long to see what the Lord is calling us as His followers to behave and portray. 
• Sheep: These are naturally non-aggressive animals that are peaceful animals
• Wolves: roams the wild with a thirst for freedom working within a social environment
• What does all of this mean for us? 
• God calls us to be non aggressive, by separating from the pack of wolves we are the ones who receive the utmost freedom. By allowing God to direct our lives we then become not one of the heard and the world. Now the verse also states we are to be wise as serpents. Have you ever watching serpents hunting their prey? They gain the trust of the prey and then in a fast very orchestrated attack in one sweep of motion they demolish their prey. God isn't asking us to be dumb, or to sit and do nothing but what He is asking of us is to be purposeful, and to be peaceful ,and lastly we are to be innocent. We are to keep our hands clean of injustice towards others and in this day and age and what is going on it's not hard to see we are surrounded by many of wolves and many of people who claim christianity but forget what that entails. 
• God does not call us to hate those who are different than others, God does not call us to prevent those from better life, God does not call us to be spiteful of those who don't accept our faith. Further in to Chapter 10 we see this. 

Verse 20

"For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking THROUGH you."

• This is a very meaningful piece of scripture, something that I feel is of utmost importance to remember. It is NOT us who are to speak out on matters but THE LORD who is to speak THROUGH us. We are to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit to move. Often times we forget that the Lord is the one who is to express in the dark hour, it is the LORD who is supposed to be the one to reign over all things. 
• Often times we forget that the Lord is the one in control and we construde OUR OPINIONS as the LORD'S FACTS! Instead of speaking for God, let God speak for you

Verse 34 to 39

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the Earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

• The Lord isn't bringing peace to Earth but rather fighting for the Lost, and preparing us for battle. 
• Those who love others above God will be denied, choosing your children, parents, aunts or uncles, grandparents before you choose God and follow God's order for your life will lead to God denying you. God is to be above EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING not just the things that you want to put God before but above all of it. 
• Your enemies can be found in your own house: I know this one is a shocker but sit for a moment and let that sink in. How often has God placed something on your heart or a call on your life and you thought "My family would never understand this" or you actively pursue it but upon speaking about it with family you hear from them "How irresponsible, or immature, or they offer an alternative to what you feel God has placed on your heart." Rebuke it. This could be mom, dad, or even a spouse. No one is above this piece of scripture it is in the Bible for a reason. Our family is our greatest weakness or our greatest supports there is a reason that God warns us of enemies within our homes. 

All of the above being said I genuinely recommend you pray and really pursue God and what He expects and has called for your life. Pray that God gives you that check of if you are in the right place that God has for you or are you running and hiding from what God wants for you? Have you put your finances, family, and "practicality" above God? It's never to late to fix the path you are on. 

I pray for all of you that God will reach you where you are and bless you abundantly for accepting God's call and walking in faith. 

Baby Baby

Those of you who have followed my journey as a new wife, beagle mom, and recipe tester, you have read posts about my struggle with infertility. You've read about the hurts that my husband and I have faced and the insensitive remarks we have heard. When I share on here I always share my heart and share very honestly how I am feeling and thinking so that being said I wanted to be open and share our latest update for my husband and I with those who have prayed with us, for us, and been so supportive for us.

Are you ready for the big news?!

WE ARE EXPECTING!!!!!!!!!!!!

I KNOW, CRAZY RIGHT?!!!

As of a couple days ago we hit our 11 week mark and the day after Valentine's Day we will be having our FIRST ULTRASOUND!!! We are so blessed and so excited for this new adventure! I want to say thank you so much for praying for us and being our support we found out with a home test on New Year's Eve, and was confirmed right after New Year's. What a way to start our year!!!

For those still struggling: 

I want you to know that I have not forgotten you, I have not let go of the hurt and the feelings of disappointment over and over again. While I know I am pregnant and you are struggling I want you to know I am still here for you, I still remember the hurt of finding out time after time that there is no baby, I remember hearing the words from doctor after doctor telling me without fertility treatments I more than likely would not carry a child and even with its a slim window, I did not forget the stinging hurt everytime someone told me they were with child, the feeling of having to smile and be happy for them meanwhile crying in private wondering if that would ever be me. Through this experience while I am eager and excited for this journey I want you to know I never want to EVER be insensitive to you. I will always be there for you. My encouragement to you is to keep your faith, to stay strong in the Lord even when your at your weakest. Let your heart express the hurt your feeling with God and take the time to let God speak life into you! I know what I am saying is hard and I know at times your not going to be able to follow through with it all but I need you to know I was there, I have journal upon journals to show the hurt, anguish, depression, and lostness that I had felt.

Lastly,
My Uncle said something so memorable to me while I was visiting family a week ago and we were discussing how it could be twins, and I was so scared and said "No I couldn't handle that" with all the joking aside and with the most calm, serious, loving, compassionate tone he responded with "You'll handle it perfectly because God only gives you what you can handle, and He will give you the resources you need, God is not limited in finances alone." That stuck with me and it still sticks with me. As hard as the hurt is that your feeling God is going to get you through it just stay faithful and remember that birthing a child isn't the only way to be a parent. Right before my husband and I found out we conceived we were ready to start looking into adoption and to be honest we still will probably look into it in time.