you pray, you learn. you ask, you learn.

i'm currently in a bible study that centers around freedom in Christ. yesterday we discussed the fundamental importance of prayer and the destruction of prayerlessness. there are things in my life that i feel like i have struggled with for years. things that i feel like i have tried to overcome by asking God but that i still continue to struggle with anyway. these are some notes i took during the video i watched and it hit me really hard, but also was such an encouragement and a peace that i can truly be FREE:

- our captor tries to coax us into making peace with our bondage. (ex: apathy, giving up, refusing to acknowledge truth, taking the easy way out).

- our captor likes to remind us of all who have fallen and poses the question, "and you think you will be delivered?" (we give up before we even start, thinking nothing will change).

- over and over scripture portrays prayer as the first act of war when under attack. (i sadly think most of the time its the last thing i do, i usually look for a shoulder to cry on or a friend to talk to before i ask God).

- God has reserved momentous victories and great rewards for us, but we'll never make it to our milestones if we can't make it through our moments.

Making it Through the Moment: The Role of Prayer

1. Prayer changes passions.

two reasons we don't choose to take the exit (when tempted/struggling):

a.) we don't want to. Psalm 40:8 - "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is written on my heart." (Lord heal my "want to" let my heart want to change.)

b.) we don't feel like we deserve to. Romans 8:1 - "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus."

2. Prayer activates partnership. Jude 24-25 - "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

if we pray for our hearts to truly change, to truly desire change in Christ, our struggles can be truly swept under our feet by the power of our loving deliverer, Jesus. Amen.

i'm a ghost and i don't think i quite know, where we're gonna go?

little updates.

--- i have some great girl friends here at IWU. it has been such a blessing this year with the new RD staff. our weekly coffee dates, our movie nights, game nights, nights out, driving through snow storm to get chinese food nights, it's been lovely.

--- i recently joined a bible study (it's about time, i know). we're doing a the beth moore series called "breaking free." i have never done a beth moore bible study before, or read anything by her. i'm sure like all popular christian writers/speakers/etc people have mixed opinions of her. however, i'm truly enjoying the study. it's refreshing for me being since i haven't been in one for over two years, and the topics are meeting me in a lot of ways of where i am at. the videos we watch in correlation with the daily reading material are also insightful, funny, and just good. i feel myself letting go of my need for control and slowly but surely letting my trust in God persevere.

--- debo got accepted into Geneva's graduate program for Higher Education. he's doing the institutes program which means he has class two weeks in the summer (8 hour days), and 1 week in the winter, and the in between time he has reading and online work. it takes 3 years to finish this way, but it is very conducive for his life here. especially since he has summers off and a winter break (both times where he would have class). he also can then do his work on his own time. i'm really excited for him!

--- i am such a sucker for valentines day. i use it as an excuse to buy red, pink, and white things and make cute little gift bags for friends and my kiddos, and bake pink things for my boys. i made a bunch of homemade chocolate pretzels for my girl friends. i did both milk and white chocolate and then sprinkled them with red & pink sprinkles. then i packaged them in cute lil baggies. ha! i'm such a nerve. for our hodson staff of boys i made strawberry cupcakes with a whipped cream cheese frosting. i even added red food coloring to the frosting so it would turn pink, and then i sprinkled all the cakes with heart shaped sprinkles! even boys need some pink in their lives.

--- for valentines weekend we are going to be livin it up. it's been a while since we've done any date days alone with each other, since we usually go out with friends or residents most of the time. so debo and i our going to get a couples massage friday night (which i can't wait, cause my lower back has been killing me lately), we are also going to go see a movie and grab lunch on saturday. pretty simple but perfect for us. sunday afternoons debo plays ice hockey, so i am probably going to see the movie "Valentines Day" with my girls here. it should be a nice weekend.

--- our friend allison davis spent the week with us (she got here sunday and left this morning). she works with as an admissions counselor/recruiter for a Lithuania study abroad program with a Christian school there. she spends most of her time in Lithuania but she has tours several times a year at various Christian colleges getting students interested in the program. i love when she comes to stay with us, because although she has long days and she won't get back home till 9 pm we have great conversations over tea. she's such an amazing girl, and an encouragement, i love her. it's so cool to see how God has been working in each of our lives.

--- half marathon training is going great. i have been really disciplined about getting my workouts/runs in everyday. i also feel myself getting stronger, especially my lungs. it's such a great feeling, and i love having a goal to work towards.

--- fresh daises, a pear candle, and cup of green tea our making the apt very cozy on this sunny winter day, and the most beautiful comfort:

"Remember these things, O Jacob for you our my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like cloud; your sins like the morning miss. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." ~ Isaiah 44:21-22

"Beloved, whatever we grip to bring us satisfaction is a lie -- unless it is Christ." ~ Beth Moore

wishing you all a lovely weekend. hope you can make it out of the snow where you are!

peace & love,

look again and consecrate.

matthew 6:30

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

"A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us if we are not simple. How are we going to be simple with the simplicity of Jesus? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, obeying Him as He brings the Word of God, and life will become amazingly simple. "Consider," says Jesus, "how much more your Father Who clothes the grass of the field will clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him." Every time we have gone back in spiritual communion it has been because we have impertinently known better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed the cares of the world to come in, and have forgotten the "much more" of our Heavenly Father. "Behold the fowls of the air" --their main aim is to obey the principles of life that is in them and God looks after them. Jesus says that if you are rightly related to Him and obey His Spirit that is in you, God will look after your "feathers."

"Consider the lilies of the field"--they grow where they are put. Many of us refuse to grow where we are put, consequently we take root nowhere. Jesus says that if we obey the life God has given us, He will look after all the other things. Has Jesus Christ told us a lie? If we are not experiencing "much more," it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us, we are taken up with confusing considerations. How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work? Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing. We cannot consecrate once and for all. Am I continually separating myself to consider God every day of my life?"

~ Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest"

learning to serve and to trust with each day. learning to be content and thankful. Holy Spirit help me to renew my heart daily & make it forever aligned with Jesus.

1 thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

peace & love,