Bloom Week One

Before I attended Bloom, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I went in willing, but with a little hesitation. I knew I needed the body of Christ and I couldn't continue this journey on my own. Moments after the class started I knew I was at the right place at the right time. God knew exactly what I needed.

The first topic that was discussed was the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus. Our foundation must be in Christ. Everything we do and say is a direct reflection of our time spent with The Lord. They had a panel of seasoned mothers and grandmothers giving different examples of how they set their time aside with The Lord, in their younger years and in the present. Some in the morning, some at night, some during their children's nap time. Everyone is different. The point was to be intentional about setting the time aside. They stressed the importance of giving ourselves grace, lots and lots of grace. Also, our time with The Lord will vary upon the different seasons in our life.

Some nuggets I wrote down:
We must declutter our thoughts and mind by washing of the word. Meditating on it, memorizing it, reminding ourselves of Who God Is, turning off all the noise and bringing in the quiet. As we do this, our vision is cleared and our joy is renewed.

But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. (‭Psalm‬ ‭1‬:‭2-3‬ NIV)

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭8-9‬ NIV)

We must be willing to die to self. We must be willing to lose ourselves. When I let go of my own earthly desires, comforts, and conveniences and totally surrender to the work at hand, then and only then can the power of Christ be fully at work in me. Elizabeth Elliott said it perfectly "the secret is Christ in me , not me in a different set of circumstances". We will face all sorts of mountains in our life, and we will even be challenged beyond what we think we can handle, and at times, we may want to run away from it all , but with Christ as our foundation, we are given the power to stand no matter how difficult the storm . In Christ we are unshakable, immovable, steady and firm!
But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you,
Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)
To God Be The Glory!

Blooming Again

It feels like forever since I have blogged. A little update on my family. My oldest son graduated from high school in June. He is currently attending junior college in hopes of being recruited for football by a D1or D2 school. I admire his patience and determination and I am supporting him every step of the way. My daughter also promoted in June and she is currently a freshman in high school. It's been quite the roller coaster ride so far, honestly, a lot harder than I expected, but God has been good through every single dip and turn! His faithfulness is unending and my hands are up and surrendered! My youngest will be 3 at the end of the year and he is full of energy, joy, and laughter! He is also very determined and my hardest of the three at this age. I am beyond thankful for him though! He brings all the "tough times" into perspective .

     Last month I decided to join a class at my church called "BLOOM"... Building a Legacy Out of Motherhood.  One may think that my kids are a little old for this? Isn't it a little too late to build a legacy??  Well, the great news is that God's mercies are new every morning and everyday we are all given a second, third, and fourth chance to build a new legacy! It is never too late to build or re-build a legacy.  I've had moments that I will remember fondly with my older two, moments I wish I could repeat over and over again because they bring so much joy to my heart. I also have moments I wish I could take back in a heart beat. They are both a part of who I am though, the good and not so good.  They are a part of the legacy that began 18years ago. Thank God my legacy is not over! Thank God I am not the same person I was when this all started. Thank God my legacy is ongoing, transforming, and renewing day by day. Because of Christ, that is, only because of Christ! So, this new class I decided to take could not have come at a better time in my life! I'm glad I didn't let pride come in between the need for growth and re-building!   I have learned so much already, and I have been reminded of simple small acts that can make such a huge impact on my family. This stuff is all so good and beneficial and it has brought me back to this blog for two reasons.

1. I want to document all that I am learning so I can actually use these tools I have been given.  I don't want to forget anything!
2. I want to pass on all of the valuable info. I am receiving with any other mom wanting to do some re-building too!

I look forward to sharing with you! To God be the Glory!

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭3-5‬ NIV)