Monday, January 28, 2013

Exciting News!



Hello sweet blog friends!

I am honored to share with you about an upcoming event in the Atlanta area on March 16th.

We would love to have you join us!

For those of you who have asked, we are working hard behind the scenes to organize The Pearl Event III ~ The Triple Strand, where we will host guest speakers and bloggers, etc. later on this year.

I will let you all know as soon as we have some definite dates.

In the meantime, God has blessed us with a tremendous gift through my beautiful friend Paige Knudsen. Many of you know Paige through her blog Simple Thoughts and some of you may have heard Paige share her powerful testimony last year at The Double Strand. She is amazing in every sense of the word!!

Paige has a dear friend at Mountain Park First Baptist who asked about the event and the possibility of bringing it to her church to share with their women's ministry. Paige just spoke at their Christmas Women's Event this past December.

To say that I am grateful and overwhelmed would be an understatement.

To have another ministry partner with your God dream....well, it keeps you awake at night with a heart full of gratitude.

By His grace, we are taking The Pearl Event on the road to Atlanta, Georgia!

I feel like I am giving birth all over again, only this time, it is in an out of town venue.

The event is from 9:00 - 2:30 and early bird ticket prices are $12.00 until Feb. 28.
After Feb. 28, tickets will increase to $15.00.

You can purchase tickets through the church website here.

Your ticket includes a light breakfast of muffins, coffee and juice as well as a boxed lunch.

There will be a live praise and worship team and lots of time together to squeal and worship and eat and fellowship. I will be sharing three sessions/teachings coupled with pieces of my own testimony . At the end of the event we will wrap up everything with a special video and the adorning of the pearl necklaces.

I am so incredibly passionate about this event sweet friends. God is so faithful to just hover over us and pour out His love and His truth and His goodness through the sharing of His word and through the word of our testimonies. .

I would love to have you join us and want to give away two tickets to the event...

Just leave me a comment below and include your email address so I have a way to contact you!

Closes this Friday at noon. ( Feb. 1, 2013)

I have been busy gathering information, pictures, videos, testimonies and beautiful comments from the last two events to share on a small and simple website solely for The Pearl Event. This will allow a place for all the details and FAQ's  and hopefully bring God heaps of glory through many pictures and beautiful words.  I will share as soon as it is ready!

In the meantime, if you have a testimony or comment or pictures that you would be willing to share, please email me at pearlsandgrace@gmail.com

We would love to add those things to the new website.

We are so grateful to each and every one of you who have supported, encouraged and prayed for this event over the years. Thank you beautiful friends....


To God be the glory.

Sibi

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Edie's New Book





I will never forget the first time I met Edie. 

( Mrs. Buttersworth is what I've nicknamed her for the most endearing reasons.) I was seated in a huge ballroom at a blogging conference and out of this large sea of people I spotted Edie walking around with a tray of cupcakes.

It was an Elle Woods moment.

She was passing out cupcakes with mile high buttercream frosting right in the middle of a blogging conference. There were laptops and business cards and talks about generating traffic and twitter and such.

And in the middle of it all...

There was Edie, holding out a tray of delicious southern hospitality.

She was doing what she does best.

Teaching us about what matters most in life.

Giving and serving and loving and buttercream frosting.

That was it for me.

I loved her.

And last year when the Father whispered to me about who He wanted to speak at The Pearl Event...

I was just beside myself to call her with an invitation.

Paige and I waited with bated breathe in hopes that she would join us and almost fainted when she agreed.

Then to hear her speak live and in living color....

Y'all.

She brought the house down.

We were bent over double laughing one minute and wiping our tears the next.

Edie is drop dead gorgeous and brilliant. She has a heart so full of the love of Christ that you want to sit at her feet all day long and beg her to teach you how it's done. She has a razor sharp quick wit and is absolutely hysterical in real life. She is such a gifted speaker that you never want her session to end and when it does, you want to invite her back again and again.

She is the most beautiful example of what it means to love and give and mother and serve a family that I believe I have ever met.

She is part Tammy Wynette, part Beth Moore, part Paula Deen and part magazine cover girl.

She makes me want to homeschool my children, learn to apply a smokey eye, make soup from scratch, hoard chicken stock, purchase a golf cart along with real chickens, who will ride on that golf cart,  and invite people over and feed them and love them so well that they never want to leave.

I absolutely adore her.

And today Edie is giving birth to a God dream and I am so proud of her and for her that I could just bust.

Her new e book: 31 Days To A Heart Of Hospitality is available today.

You can follow the link here and purchase it right from her website directly.

This book is going to bless you and inspire you in the most beautiful ways!


Edie Buttersworth Wadsworth,

I love you. You are a gift to the blog world and a gift to me.

Your space in the blog world brings hope to the weary and encourages each and every one of us to want to become more like Him and that to become more like Him,you remind us to start at home.

You bring out the best in people beautiful friend. You hold the virtual serving tray out for your readers, filled with love, hope, family and faith and teach us how to partake.

We are better for all the ways you teach us Edie.

I am so proud of you and for you.

I know that this is just the beginning of many great and mighty things that the Father is going to do through you.

You have truly allowed the Lord to bring beauty out of your ashes.

What a gift.

I love you.

Sibi

Monday, January 14, 2013

Ten Life Lessons ~ January 2013




I've kept a list for a while of life lessons, many of which I have learned the hard way. I use this list of experiences and lessons learned to encourage others during speaking engagements, over the phone or through emails to friends, etc.

I have also woven them into my blog posts here over the last five years.

Experience is the best teacher, isn't she?

We can call this post 10 Life Lessons or 10 Things that will hold you back in life or 10 things I had to learn the hard way. :) I could share at least a hundred things I've had to learn the hard way but thought we could just start with ten for today!

I also thought it might be helpful for those of you who want some encouragement for the new year...

These are not listed in order of importance but are each equally important.

I pray that this blesses you today!


1 .Holding on to Regret

This is something that will hold you back from ever moving forward and keep you in a state of sorrow and wishing for what might have been.

Let it go. Let go of your mistakes. Let go of your guilt. Let go of talking about what might have been.

Everyone makes mistakes.

You can't change the past. But you can change today and tomorrow and so on.

Let it go.

Learn from it. Make things different in your life starting today. Rise above it.


2. Living Life Through The Eyes Of Comparison

I've written about this before. I would love to write parts two, three and four this year. Simply because I believe that this is one of the top five things that holds people back in life. Truly.

Comparison is a trap. It is a lie. If we take the bait of the enemy and fall into comparison we will never fulfill our purpose or live the abundant life God has promised us.

Nothing compares to you and who God created you to be. Rest in this promise this year.


3. Being Set In Our Ways

The older we get the more this lesson can hold true. We can become set and stuck in our old ways, our old mindset and our old habits. We do the same thing, every, single day. Routines are good. The same routine for five, ten, twenty years without any seasons of change are not so good. Change helps us to grow and blossom into who He has created us to be....

Try something new. Take a class. Learn how to play an instrument. Learn a new language. Join a bible study. Join a new church.  Start a small business. Host a dinner party. Sell your belongings and start over with a completely new style. Paint your rooms. Join the gym. Learn photography. Take a risk. Learn to cook. Interview for a new job. Take a leap of faith and try something new every month this year. You just may surprise yourself...


4. Waiting For Permission And Or Approval

This is a big one. I think so many of us can get and stay stuck in this area. We wait for permission or approval before we start the new project or business or book idea. We wait for friends and family to tell us that they approve of our going back to school or changing careers in the middle of life. We wait for everyone to rejoice with us before we act on our God ideas and creativity and big dreams.

Here's a little new flash. You do not need anyone's permission to live your life. Live it!
If you sit and wait for permission and approval from the crowd, well, you'll never begin. Because there will always be a crowd of people telling you all the reasons that you shouldn't do whatever it is.

Surround yourself with some people who inspire you. Step away from the naysayers in your life.

If I waited for everyone'e approval before growing my own family, I would still be the mother of one child. There are 13 years between my first and second babies. I would also still be waiting for everyone's permission to grow that family to a family with six children. I keep my face to the sun and my heart pressed in to Him. Everyone isn't called to raise a big family. Many hearts are called to adopt. Many others are called to do both. We can't compare. Read number 2 again:) Whatever it is, we just have to trust God that whatever He has called you to do, He will make a way. We just have to have a little faith and take the first steps and crush that desire inside our hearts that wants to compare. Nothing compares to you and the way He created you and the things He created you to do.


5. Waiting On Perfect

I know. It's a big one too.  Here's the thing I've shared many, many times with other friends and readers, etc. The enemy is an imitator. Remember this. Whatever good and perfect thing the Father has created, the enemy has an imitation for it. Always. We have to learn to distinguish between the two. God has given many of you a spirit of excellence. It is a spiritual gift and it is very needed in the body of Christ. It is a beautiful gifting. The enemy has offered us a cheap imitation of our gifting.
That is called perfectionism. It is a lie and a huge trap to keep us feeling less than.

 Perfect does not exist.

So many times, I see couples waiting for "perfect" before they try for a baby. Or people waiting for the perfect spouse to show up. Or waiting until things are perfect, (finish school, bills paid off, whatever it may be) until they get married, start a business, open a shop, write a book, etc.  I do believe that there is such a thing as God's timing. But waiting for everything to be perfect just isn't going to happen. As soon as you think that it is, the bottom is going to drop out and you will have another reason to delay your purpose, dreams and desires, etc.

I want to encourage you to start today. Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.


6. Do Not Allow The People To Frustrate You (Or Why Moses Didn't Enter The Promised Land)

Let's all take a moment of silence, shall we?

We all know about frustrating circumstances, situations and sometimes even people.

Even Moses. (Read Numbers 20:7-12)

You can look it up and read it for yourselves. But I promise you it is true. That incredible and faithful Moses, who did so much for God and for His people, he never entered the promised land.

Y'all.

Listen.

Why?

He allowed the people to frustrate him.

If you allow the people to frustrate you, you will never fulfill your purpose and destiny or your dreams.

Because as long as we live and breathe sweet friends. Some people are going to be frustrating.

Not all of the people, all of the time.

 But I can promise you that some of the people, some of the time are going to enter the building called your life.  I can promise you this. God will use those circumstances and situations to grow us and shape us and mold us into His image, IF we will allow Him the chance. We can get upset and quit and get mad and throw in the towel, the first time frustration enters into our lives or we can allow it to teach us and shape us. Iron sharpens iron. Allow it to sharpen you. And shape you. But do not allow it to frustrate you to the point that you want to give up and quit. Ask me how I know?

I would never have organized and orchestrated two Pearl Events and soon to be three, from literally nothing, if I allowed frustration to take me down completely.

Press past it and rise above it and enter in to your promised land. :)


7. Unforgiveness

This was something I struggled with in my own life and still have to make a concious effort and determined choice not to allow it to become a stronghold on a daily basis.

Forgiveness is a daily decision. It is a choice. We are choosing to forgive the offense and the offender. Whether they realize the offense or not. Whether they apologize or not. Whether there is healing and restoration or not.

It is a choice we have to make.

It is a gift we give ourselves.

It is probably one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself this year. To let go, forgive and release all of that hurt and anger and disappointment to the Father. Then, watch what He will give you in return.

A peace that surpasses all understanding. Joy Unspeakable. And the space and grace in your life that you need to fulfill your calling.


8. Fear

Fear and Regret and Comparison are like the trifecta of purpose destroyers.

When we allow that trifecta to take up space in our hearts and minds, it will paralyze us from moving forward or doing anything in life.

Fear paralyzes us. Regret keeps us in a constant state of sorrow or wishful thinking and comparison walks around with our pretty pink measuring tape held up against everyone else we know.

So what if you've failed at some things in life. You can't allow that to hold you back. At least you tried. At least you did something. At least you set some thoughts into action.

I've failed many times in life. Many. We all have. Let us all bow our heads in prayer. Amen.

But I can't give up. And neither can you.  I have six babies looking to me for some type of example of what it means to follow Christ, and mother a family and be good to people and honor a husband and take an idea from just an idea to an actual blog, ministry and Women's Christian Conference and ultimately a business.

I can't sit around curled up in the fetal position crying about what might have been and all the times I have failed and made mistakes and worried about what everyone else thinks....not for long anyway.

It hurts, it does. Some days last year it actually hurt for me to just breathe,  but I had to press on.

I had to make a blender full of morning glory smoothies and hug and kiss my husband and my babies and thank God for another day and begin again.

That's the gift you know. We get to begin again. Every, single day is like a brand new Jan. 1st.


9. Climbing, Positioning, and Pushing Our Way To The Top.

I will share this.

The word says that your gift will make room for you.

A man's gift will make room for him and bring him before great men.  Amen. Proverbs 18:16

If your gift will make room for you, then there is absolutely no need to climb, push, press or crush our way to the top as we try and reach whatever goal, mark or destination we may have.

Also, no comparing. Keep your eyes on Him and on your own life.

The longer the delay, the bigger the blessing.


10. Leaving God Out Of Everything and or Having An Orphan Mentality.

If we leave God out of our lives. If we leave Him out of our plans, dreams, marriages and families and attempts at trying to create and fulfill our purpose, we have placed a ceiling on what we can do. We have put limits on our abilities. We are truly limited.  He is the author of our lives. He is the One who placed those dreams inside our hearts and minds. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the One who knows all things. He is the One who takes the limits off of our lives. In God there are millions of ideas and plans and divine strategies. His ways are always better. He always has a better idea. His creativity is endless. His plans for our families and children and marriages are better than anything we could possibly try and create for ourselves. He wants a realtionship with every, single one of us. Truly. Then everything will flow out of and from that relationship with Him.

Additionally, even though many of us have that relationship, we can sometimes spend our days with an orphan mentality. We work, live and breathe as if we have no Father. We are not orphans beautiful friends. Even though there are many of you who are reading this now, who do not have an earthly father. Myself included. We belong to the One, True Father. He is our Father.

We also have to remember that there is more than enough in the kingdom. There is more than enough. So we can let go of this grip on life that there isn't enough. There is more than enough in the kingdom. Ask Him to release your portion. Whatever you need. Ask Him. Ask Him for healing or restoration or recompense. Ask Him for love and friendships and a spouse. Ask Him for creativity and favor and ideas. Whatever it is. He wants to pour out in our lives. It may not always be released in the timing we are hoping for. But Father knows best. He truly does. His timing is always perfect. He knows what is best for His children. We have to seek and ask and know and trust that His ways are not our ways. They are better than our ways.


2013 is going to be your best year yet beautiful friends....

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9




Friday, January 11, 2013

Change Your Perspective



Morning Glories,

I wanted to share something that the Father used to encourage me this last year and already again in the first month of this new year. I pray that it blesses some of you today.

During some difficult days this past year the Father whispered this to me....

Change your perspective.

He asked me to get His perspective.

He led me to read through the book of Job many times last year.

I've read it before, but last year this book in His word came alive to me more than ever.

Job 42:10 is the verse that continued to be highlighted to me over and over again.

Then specifically, one simple word within the verse.

When.

The scripture reads like this..

"And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends."

Which friends?

The ones who betrayed and falsely accused Job!

Can you relate to this?

So many times our broken hearts get this biblical principal turned around.

We want to right the wrongs, defend ourselves and clear our name.

But God wants us to get His perspective.

He tells us again and again. Bless those who curse you and spitefully use you, so that you may inherit a blessing. What does inherit mean?  It is something set aside just for you.

It has your name on it.

When people falsely accuse you, hurt you, use you and betray you....

We can choose to stay angry or we can choose to have God's perspective, forgive and pray for God to bless those people.

It qualifies you for a blessing beautiful friend. It qualifies you for double.

Last year I walked through some pretty dark days and nights.

So much of my life was under attack and there was very little that I could trust, except for
my faith and trust in the Lord.

And there were days that I doubted even Him. Truly.

At the same time, as the enemy would orchestrate it, I walked through some very hurtful things with some friendships.

Trust was a big issue.

This was in addition to walking through one of the most difficult years of my adult life.

I felt entirely as though I was having a modern day Job experience.

There were days that it hurt to breathe. Literally.

I would pray and the Father would take me to the same theme in the scriptures.

Pray for those who hurt you. Bless those who curse you. Again and again.

The last thing I wanted to do was pray for God to bless the people who had hurt me and my family with their careless words.

I also realized that none of my prayers were going to be effective if I prayed with anger in my heart toward those people.

I had to forgive them.

I forgave them and I prayed for them.

At first, through many tears and few words.

By His grace, I did it.

And then, as the days and weeks wore on, I began to pray fervently for them. All of them.

I kept a list.

Not of wrongs committed against me, but of people to pray for who had committed the wrongs.
I couldn't remember it all in my prayer time so I kept a list. Which, by the way, is not some holy moment with candles burning and beautiful music playing. I am a Mother to six children. I rarely have prayer time like that.:)

I prayed while I was doing the laundry. Cooking. Cleaning. Bathing babies. I prayed while I was driving in the car, running errands or at home rocking babies to sleep.

But I began to pray. I prayed my heart out for these women and their marriages and their families and their finances. I prayed for every good and perfect thing I could think of over their lives.

I will also never forget the way I felt when I received apologies from four different people the following week.

I just sat on the phone weeping with gratitude.

God is so good.

There is still much heartache for the Lord to recover and redeem.

But I continue to cling to the verses in Job 42.

God knows the truth. He sees. He knows. He also looks at the heart of His people.

I love the verses in Job 42 where the Lord tells Job's friends....

My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept Him, lest I deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken to me what is right, as my servant Job has.

He's talking to Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. The Lord is calling them out on falsely accusing Job.

And then He sends them to Job to have Job pray for them.

This was only half the miracle.

Job had a decision to make.

The scriptures tell us when Job prayed for His friends (the betrayers) then the Lord restored Job's losses.

The other half of Job's miracle was being held in the prayers he prayed for his enemies.

This is God's perspective.

We can stay angry and hurt and full of bitterness and resentment over what has happened.

Or we can get our miracle.

It is our choice.

My prayer is that by sharing small pieces of my own struggle, it would help one of you today with yours. I pray that you would bring your hurts and heartaches before the Lord and allow Him to pour out His healing balm and heaps and heaps of His unconditional love. I pray that you would have the courage to forgive those who have hurt you and mistreated you and that you would also be prompted to begin to pray for those same people. I know it hurts right now. But in time you will have joy again beautiful friends. If you feel led today, offer those heartaches up to the one who knows best of all and watch how He will begin to move and pour out in your life.....

Here are just a few scriptures to encourage you in this area today.

Big hug sweet friends,

Sibi


1 Peter 3:8-9 
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessings, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:4:12-14
Beloved, do not think it is strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Matt: 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet the brethren only, what do you do more than others? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Luke 6:27-28
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Royal Diadem





"The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name.

You shall also be called a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a
royal diadem in the hand of your God.

You shall no longer be termed forsaken, nor shall your land any more
be termed desolate, but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;

For the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married." Isaiah 62:2-4

Macey Girl,

The Lord delights in you. He delights in you. He is overjoyed with you. He rejoices over you with singing. He hovers over you and guides you and protects you and covers you. He is an ever present help for you.

He adores you. He created you. He chose you.

He has called you by name, for such a time as this.

You were His idea. His purpose. His plan. His design.

Beautiful, incredible, amazing you.

You were the absolute desire of my heart from the time I was a little girl.

I dreamed about you. I desired you. I longed for you. I had you named before you were born...

And by His immeasurable grace and against all odds and not because of anything I deserved.....

On January 10th, twenty three years ago.....

He gave me the most indescribable gift in you as my daughter.

There are many things as your Mother, that I wish I could change. But to change all of those circumstances and situations and hardships, would change who you are.

And I absolutely love who you are.

When I look at you, I marvel at the Father's hand.

The very thought that He would trust me with you and your calling is something that keeps me in a place of gratitude on a daily basis.

You are a gentle, heart changer. You are a creative, world changer. You are a compassionate, intelligent and wise beyond your years leader, who will point many hearts right into the arms of their loving Savior.

You are a royal diadem that shines for Him.

One who is called to stand before kings and minister the gospel.

You have the heart of a pastor Macey and a call to go in His name, to the corners of the earth, corners where most people would never want to go.

And I know that day is coming.

And I know that you have dreams of your own too....

But when you place your purpose and destiny into the hands of the Father.....

His dream always collides with yours and is bigger than anything you could ever do on your own.

I thank Him for all the He has done and all that He will do with you, His beautiful, royal diadem.

Happy Birthday to my first born gift.

You are His Pearl Macey....anointed, appointed, healed, sealed and set apart.
You are an overcomer by every defintion.

Tried. Tested. Precious. Pure and True for such a time as this.

What a treasure to call you my own.

I love you.


"They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them and a man spares his own son who serves him."- Malachi 4:17

"Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily. " -Isaiah 28:16

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. To Him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." - Revelation 2:17



Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A New Thing ~ Happy New Year 2013





Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. - Isaiah 43:19


I wanted to share one of my favorite scriptures with you all on the first day of this new year!  So many of us need a new thing right now.

God tells us in His word that not only will He do just this, but that it will spring forth, even in the wilderness and even in the desert! 

This is one of the many scriptures I have held close to my heart over this last year.

We had a wilderness and desert type year in 2012.

It was a refining year. 

It was a year of shedding and pruning and cutting back the branches in every area of our life.

It was an extremely painful year for our entire family.

The last three years have been like this for us, but 2012 just about did me in as a person.
We all have a few months or  years like that.

We also held The Pearl Event II and walked through a tremendous amount of warfare for


For those of you who have asked, we truly want to hold The Pearl Event III in 2013 with incredible guest speakers/bloggers, etc. again. We are praying for God to have His way and that we would just be willing and obedient to whatever that looks like.

I feel a huge call personally, secondary from the gift of motherhood, that this ministry was the reason God created me. I don't want to just tuck that under my pillow at night and forget about it forever. Even though there have been many, many nights that I have tried to do just that. Wondering if I had even heard Him correctly and if this was all worth it. If He had the right person, etc.  

There have been many "midnight hour" times with the Lord over this last year.

As many of you know, when God calls you to do something for Him, that has never been done before, it keeps you awake at night.

We are praying that God would bring many open doors, the right hearts to partner with us as well as the tools, creative team and servants hearts we need to take it to the next level. 

Big dreams going on behind a small computer screen.

I want to share that we are so grateful to each one of you who prayed and drove and flew and made arrangements to attend the last two Pearl Events. I cannot tell you what it has meant to me personally. 

I am forever grateful to each and every one of you.

We are also so grateful for this last year, in spite of everything.

Sometimes the most change and the most growth and the most fruit actually come from a previous wilderness and desert type year. 

We are excited and fully expectant about the fruit that we pray this year will bring forth from the many, many years we have sown into the kingdom and into the hearts of His people.

We are hopeful that the years of pruning and cutting back and making the paths straight will bring much fruit in our lives this year in 2013.

God is so good. We love Him and we trust Him and we have praised Him through the years of heartache and pain. Just like we praised Him through the good years before that.

We celebrated today with a confetti party, just like we have done with the children  for years now. We celebrated all the difficulties and heartache we have survived as a family and we rejoiced in the many blessings that are to come in the new year. 

I pray that 2013 will be a year filled with the "springing forth" type of blessings for each and every one of you.

Happy New Year sweet friends!