Here we go again .... Hospital ....and surgery ... Oh my....

Just wanted to give you a update on what's been going on ! On Thursday I was addmitted back in to the hospital.... After a series of test it was determined that the fluid on my heart had gotten worse ! On Friday I was transported by ambulance to a hospital that specializes in heart conditions. On Saturday morning I had a heart surgery called a pericardial window .... It's a rare surgery considering how rare pericarditis is .... I have been in quite a bit of pain .... The outlook for my release is on Tuesday ! Please keep me in your prayers !!! I'll try to update you guys again soon !

When God seems quiet ....

 I have pondered a thought for several days now , about when God seems quite when we are praying .... 

      I have been praying earnestly about something dear to me for sometime now. I recently had a conversation with a very dear friend about her preparing for our up coming ladies meeting ! She told me she had prayed and prayed but the Lord has not shown her what she needed yet .... I responeded to her with this , sometimes God needs us to take our hands off of it and let Him handle it on His time .... We prayed and I encouraged her, also reminded her that God has something awesome for her .... It was two days later I received a text and she shares God has woken her up with one of the most amazing lessons for her to teach in her heart !!!! She reminded me that often the Teacher is quite during a test .... Because He wants to see what you will do .... 

I shouted my living room down !!! 

Wow I had truly been here before .... Praying for an answer and God was quite! My ohh my .... Did He show up when He seen my obedience to follow Him even into the unknown ! 

I did some cleaning out today .... Cleaned some closets up .... Turned a closet into a sewing area .... After I stood back and looked at the transformation .... It sent shivers up my spine when I felt my Dad whisper in my heart ! Just imagine the transformation I see in you when I look at you .... I knew then my prayers weren't going unheard or unanswered . He's teaching me something ..... I know He has my answer .... So I will praise Him in the Hallway !!! While I wait for His answer !!!!! 

Thanks for stopping by ! 

💖 Shellie 

Being Content .....

I have been thinking alot lately about my blessed life !!!! I must say I am truly blessed!!! Being a stay at home Mom for 19 yrs , I have seen many things come and go ! Some good some bad .... I can remember times not feeling like I was enough or that I should be more .... Or my family needs that or this , when we already have plenty .... I got hurt over the weekend so my normal has been anything but ... Has led me watching more TV than usual .... I noticed or was reminded what I already knew .... It is nothing but a reminder of what your not ... Or leave you wanting for things you don't need ... So I had to find a alternative ! So I worked on some church things ... While I was preparing for a future A Life Of Faith Tea Party ! I realized that years ago people were content and thankful for all they had ... They were content in their own homes .... With their own families ... Never looking for what the other had ... Insted they pulled together to help one another ... Carrying the load of one another ... We lost much over the generations progressing into the here and now ... We left behind many of the important staples we should have carried with us ... Such as pulling together to help one another , praying as families , spending time together as family , moms teaching their daughters life skills , having meals together , and the list goes on .... I am so thankful for the most part my family still does these things ! It would do us all good to learn some lessons from Ma and Pa Ingalls ... Spend time with one another and bloom where you are and don't look to this old world to bloom in the ways of it ....hope you all have a very blessed evening !!! 

💜 Shellie

Kid Hero ❤️

Today was filled with many things , school , laundry , excersize, most of all dinner with my God family ! Almost 8yrs ago now we were blessed and asked to be God parents !!!! These kids will never know the joy they have brought to my life ! I love you Claudia and Dawson ! Almost a year and a half ago Dawsons parents received some disturbing news, our God son had a cyst on his brain that would require surgery ! He did great ! Come through surgery well , recovery was great ! At a routine 6 month check up right after we moved back home a spot seen during earlier scans had grown and raised suspicion ! Due to the size and placement of the tumor it to would require surgery ! This time it came back a rare form of brain cancer ....  He would spend the next three months at St. Judes ! Dawson is cancer free now !!!! I love it when my God shows up and proves Drs wrong ! We are almost to the 1 yr mark and it's time for scans again ! Even though he isn't fond of plane rides , needle , MRI machines , chemo one week a month for the next year , and countless drs appointments ! He never looses his laugh , smile , or sense of humor ! He is one of my heros in this life ! I don't know if he will ever know whatan impact   he has made  on my life !!! I am truly blessed to be apart of his life !!! So I spent the evening begging for pictures ,?stealing hugs , talking about our up coming lock-in at church , and praying for a safe trip !!!  He is so full of life ! I can't help to think how blessed I am to come home with healthy kids ! To not worry or wonder .... I'm blessed for the time I have with my God daughter during this time ! My girls always picked up like they were never apart... When we moved home this was still very true ! God was right on time , when He moved us home ! Because now I get enjoy that endless laughter and joy ! So just remember those days your kids are on your nerves .... That theres a Mommy somewhere would love to have one of those moments ! Hold your babies close and thank God for their health ... Honestly none of us never know ! I'm just glad that I know the Great Physician !!! He touched and Healed Dawson .... I can't wait to remind him he's my hero ... 

Another day at His feet !

I love when I think I have it all figured out ! Then my heavenly Dad slams on the brakes !!!! Well I posted yesterday I woke up feeling bad .... Well today is no better all except I'm not gasping to breathe ! Which is always a good thing ! I just knew I was going to get my long to do list done for the next few day .... Well Dad (God) said NO !!!! On the couch you shall be for at least another day or so ! So I spent the morning canceling ministry meetings in between my two naps .... Sulking because I have no idea how I am ever going to get caught up ! Then I read my devotion ... It began just like this :Relax In My Healing Presence ! I think my Lord is telling me to slow down !!!! So I continued on reading to realize that this devotion was going to crawl right up beside me camp out awhile .... After reading my scripture I realized something .... I am so much like Martha busy ! I need to be more of a Mary in this Martha world .... My scripture today came from Luke 10:39-42 

Mary who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,42 but one thing is necessary.[a] Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

I'm on a daily basis a busy person ... In general ... I don't have much down time .... After the past few days ... I think God is showing me it's time to slow down , spend more time at His feet learn to enjoy the simple things ! Even if it means being on the couch sick with a fever !  I want my Lord to be pleased with me ...! I think I have also realized I need to slow down and enjoy my family more ... Meetings , cleaning , school, and other things can wait till I feel better .... Enjoying my time with the Lord is always top of my daily list ... It's amazing !!!!  So another day on the couch it is ....  

I would like to leave you guys with the scripture ....

4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
    seek his presence continually! 

                          Psalm 105:4

Pray your day is filled with moments at His feet ..... Blessings ..... Shellie

Breaking Free

I have been praying for awhile now about the upcoming year .... What did the Lord need from me ?!?! What do I need to let go of and how would He have me to do these things ..... The longer I prayed the more I realized I let the past hold me prisoner .... Making it harder to move on and do new things in ministry and life ! This one verse of scripture kept coming to mind:

 Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
    but the word of our God will stand forever.

I prayed and asked the Lord what was I to learn from this .... I had read this scripture a thousand times its one of my favorites ! What had I missed ! I learned I had missed a lot actually !!! I would like to share them with you ....

The grass and the flowers fading stand for three things in my life ...

1- my past it has happened but it's over ! It can no longer hurt me ! People's words can and the memories .... The act itself no longer holds keys to my life ! Jesus

 took them the day I got saved ..... I don't have to worry about people's opinions anymore .... Theirs doesn't count !!!! I need to break out of the cage my past is holding me in ....

2- in order to realese myself from the cage I have to quit looking back .... I don't mean stop having relationships with those close to me ... I must stop looking back at what God closed the door on ... It's was done or He wouldn't have said GO !!! That He did !!! He told us to Go it was time .... I don't need to worry about how much they stalk social media , talk about me to make sure it gets back,

or worry about their opinion .... God wasn't worried when He closed the door ... Why am I still worried about what they think ! Gods opinion is all that matters ! He loves me for me He created me ! He knew about all these things ! He had a plan ! 

3- In order to stay out of the cage I must close this year knowing God is in control ! You see there was nothing that happened that surprised Him ! Me on the other hand I was blind sighted several times .... I lost a lot this year .... Oh but I gained so much ! I learned so so much about my home ..... Things that needed to change ... Things that need to embrace ! I learned God closes one door to open a new amazing door full of blessings !!! When 2015 arrives I can't continually go back to visit 2014 ! I must embrace 2015 knowing God has it !!!! I must break out of the cage because the grass and flowers there are dieing and I will to if I stay stuck there .... 

Instead I want to stand on the promise of the last part of the verse ! The Word of God will stand forever !!!! 

That's means there is nothing I will face in 2015 that God will not be right there with me !!! So my new year resolution will be to BREAK FREE and enjoy the life God has given me !!! I am blessed beyond word ! I plan to blog daily through the upcoming year ! If I miss a day it's because I was soaring in the blessing Jesus has me for that day !!!! Pray each of you have a year full of love and blessings that fill your lives with joy !!!! I know mine will be because I'm breaking free 💖

Shellie 

early morning talks lead to hope

I woke up early this morning after my sweet husband left to do somethings at the church .... I took advantage of the quite around me ! The girls are all still asleep my Grandmaw is still resting ... I headed outside to feed the chickens ! That's when the talk to began !!! 

My sweet Jesus started speaking peace to my spirit ! It was weary from sleeping on the loveseat so my Grandmaw could have my bed .... From the dreams that I had chased away again all night .... My physical and spiritual me is exhausted ...

So when He spoke I listened so eager to commune with Him this morning and He whispered HOPE ! He reminded me that the house was still quite that I should return inside and spend time with Him in His word ! He had Hope for me ! 

So I did just that I brewed some coffee set down with the Word of God and listened to what he had to say to me ...

He spoke to me from Psalm 62:5 

He reminded me HE alone is where MY HOPE comes from !!! Not man or wordly thing, just Him !!! I really needed to hear those words this morning ! 

He has my back ! He will be fighting my battles ! I just have to let Him !!! Hand it over and say have it !!! I have done just that !!!

I look forward to a day of joy !!!

I love when the house is still and I get to have a early morning talk with my savior !!! 

So I have decided that I am going to set a goal to rise before anyone else does in the morning so I can have these early morning talks with my Savior !

Please help me pray I can do this !!!

Many of you may have woken up fighting a battle ! It's never to late for a walk and talk with Jesus !!! He wants to carry your burdens .... Let Him !!! The day is so much better when we let Him lead !!!

Remember that this is the day the hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it !!!

Praying each of you have an amazingly blessed day !

Changes

Changes 

 To every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die ; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up which has been planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal ; a time to break down and a time to build up; A time to weep , and a time to laugh; a time to mourn , a time to dance ; a time to cast away stones , and a time to gather stones together ; a time to embrace , and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get ,and a time to loose ; a time to keep , and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; A a time to keep silence , and a time to speak ; A time to love, and a time to hate ; a time of war , and a time of peace ;Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

He hath made everything beautiful in his time : also he hath set in the world in their heart , so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end . 

Ecclesiastes 3;11

This verse has spoken to my heart in volumes the past few days !!! In more than one way !!! the world around us is on the verge of change from the smallest of things we take for granted such as season changes ! It won't be long and the world around us will burst into color to show my heavenly Fathers creativity ! The air will become cooler day light will shorten ... times will change ! I am so ready for this ! Fall is my favorite season !!! 

However it has made me ask some very serious questions to my self ! Are there things you need to change ? and the answer was yes and no ! 

I the light of loosing my nephew more like my little brother has made me stop to think !  Life isn't promised tomorrow ....

I would like to share first about the things I need to change ! First of all forgiveness ! We all are guilty of holding on to things we need to let go ! I have struggled with this my whole life ! loosing Josh made me realize that unforgiveness keeps us from enjoying our loved ones ! Josh and I were OK when he passed but there had been a time when we were not ! we both were guilty of holding on to things we should have let go from the beginning ! I am just glad we were OK before he left this world ! I did however make me think about something God forgave me ! I didn't deserve it but He forgave me ! Grace !!!! I am not saying you should continually place yourself in relationship with someone where your continually hurt ! I am saying though grant forgiveness !!! Cut the ties that bound you to hurt ! Forgive quickly ! life is to short to hold a grudge ! 

The next thing God showed me, was to be myself ! Be who he created me to be ! Not my Mom , sister , friend , movies star, or anything other than me !!! He created me to be fearfully and wonderfully made !!! I am not suppose to look or act like anyone but me !!! After dealing with a loved one who has serious body issues ! I realized that we live in a cruel society ! That thinks we should all look like barbie ! Not that there is anything wrong with barbie ... Yet realistically we are not suppose to look like her ! God didn't make me to be a size 2 .... I don't have perfect hair and I can't do things some people can ..... Yet He did make to look exactly the way I do ! I am am a confident attractive woman who loves her amazing husband , I have two beautiful girls from the inside out !!! I love to homeschool and spend time with them ! I  can sew , create things out of nothing , I love kids ministry its my calling ! I love chickens ! tea parties ! spending countless hours playing with kids ! The list is endless ! God made me to be me !!! I should never look to the world to find beauty in myself and self love !!! I love who I am !!! I want my girls to do the same ! I find it sad that young people are wearing girdles to hold their stomachs in which there isn't a stomach to hold in ! They have eating disorders because someones idea of beauty is pushed on them ! When they are already beautiful they way they are!!! They don't need change to fit in !!! God made ME to STAND OUT !!!! I am thankful for that !!! 

The next thing I want to share will be the last I share about change .... I think its important though .... Never be pretend to be what your not or try to live beyond your means just to fit in with someone else , or to be accepted ! You see if the only reason we want to be around some is because what they have to offer us ... We never truly loved them for who they are .... We shouldn't want to spend time with someone because we think they have money , or not be kind and not friend someone because they have less than you !!! Because you see if they don't love you or you don't love them  for who they are!  No matter what you have to offer they will always make you feel worse about yourself instead of lifting us up.... I have never really struggled with this but I want to make sure I never ever do !!! Because I have seen the devastation it leaves behind !!! It leaves you hopeless with no where to turn !!! Its a downward spiral that become quickly out of control !!! 

When I started  praying about these things God was showing me, I asked him what I needed to keep ! He showed me several things! He showed my never change the love I have for my home ! Never be sorry for putting them first ! He showed my it ok to say NO ! To cut things and people out of my life and my families life that are toxic , hurting us , or destroying us ! He showed to stay true to my style ! Its who I am it shows the creative person He made me !!!! He showed me not to change the never grow up attitude lol !!! i asked why I loved the reply ! I called you to reach kids ! I need you to think young ! Its ok to stand up for what's right ! stand my ground for Him ! Tell my story he brought me from it ! Just because people want to be ignorant I shouldn't be ashamed ! For He brought me through it I am saved by His wonderful Grace !

Change can both be easy and hard ! My life has been in change for months now !!! We are still trying to find a new normal ! To find a homeschool group of friends , To adjust to loss of someone so special ! To get used to dear best friends being far away ! Also being closer to family whether they are blood family or by choice !!! We are changing daily !!! I can say I am honestly thankful for it though !!! Because I have realized that with out change nothing would ever be born !!! I thankful for new adventures !!! I am blessed to set down and blog today ! I am blessed to be on the journey He called me to !!! he promises He will never leave me or forsake me !!! He walks with me ! Are you ready for the changes your facing ? Or the changes that may be coming your way !!!  God will be right there embrace it ! Don't run from it ! Remember somethings are only for a season .... Others are forever .... 

One day someone will have to write my obituary .... I want to make sure that its about the me God created me to be ! Not the me the world wanted me to be !   

So I choose to embrace the change !

our new adventure

It has certainly been awhile... I have missed sharing with everyone ! So I thought I would take a moment to share my heart ....

We have now been in Gold Hill now for 4 months ! It has been a true blessing to know you are in the center of Gods will ! We are in love with our new church and church family ! 

We have already seen God do great and mighty things ! 

I love our new home ! We have have started new adventures in the few short months we have been here ! Amber is officially a high school graduate ! Christian is now a high school student .... My babies are no longer babies .... They are beautiful young ladies I see God preparing for their adventure everyday !
Jody bought me chickens !!!! I never thought I would really get some !!!! I love them !!! Tom, Lily, Buttercup, Ruby, Powder, and Maybelle have became very special to me! I love waking up feeding them and seeing how much they have grown ! I have learned so much in the short time we have had them ! Patience would be at the top of that list lol ! 
I guess you could say we have settled into our new life quite well ! I love being near our families again reuniting with friends and making new ones ! Reconnecting with our God children ! I can remember when our ministry was first starting .... How hard it was just to let go follow God and let my husband lead our family ! When we both realized God was going to move our family from our home town to the NC mnts. How scary it was ! How hard the adjustment was behind closed doors .... Because what the last thing you want a new church to think is that your not happy where God placed you ! When in fact I was happy I just missed my family and friends !!! 
I must say though that was the best thing that ever ever happened to our family !!! We learned to depend on one another to be a true family ! to listen to God and follow His leading in all we do ! So when He said to go this last time we were able to follow His call so easily ! 
My favorite book series is the A Life of Faith Series Millie Keith ! One of my favorite passages from the first book is said by dear aunt Wealthy Stanhope ! Life is not a tea party but an adventure to be lived ..... 
I love my new adventure ! 
I miss my friends in the mountains ! I have many dear ones !!! that I love dearly ! I love that we take time to email , facebook , call, and visit ! I know we will do these things for years to come ! I love hearing about their adventures God is sending them on ! 
Please pray as we continue ours !!!! As we start a new school year , try to find a new homeschool group, grow our new ministry here, and make continue in this new chapter in our life ! I look foreword  to  sharing our days to come with you guys ! Blessing to all of you .....

Transition

I am so sorry it has been awhile since our last update ! Our family had had alot on our plates the past month ! My husbands sweet Grandma graduated into eternity just a few short weeks ago ! Also The Lord has shown our family it was time to step out in faith ! So we resigned the church we have been apart of for the past 6 1/2 yrs ! 

It has been an emotional time for our little family ! Even though this has been a sad time for us, We are excited about the adventure the Lord is leading us on !!! 

So Our family will be packing our home up preparing for our move ! Much like the Ingalls !!! I didn't realize when we started the primer that the Lord was preparing us for our own journey ! I just wanted those who followed our Prairie School Days we haven't quit ! We have just took a break !We should be back to Prairie School around the second week of March ! 

I look forward to sharing our journey in the future ! 

 

Sorry it has been awhile ! I have been very busy making memories over the holidays with my family !!!! We haven't started school back , we plan to next week !!! I spent the day today crafting with my Mom , Sister , and my youngest Daughter . I was reflecting back over 2013 while we were spending time together .... I lost and gained allot in 2013 .... I learned many lessons ... Some easy many hard ! One thing I did realize today that we don't slow down often enough to spend time with one another .... What are we teaching our kids ???? That all things should be spent doing on the run ... never slowing down to enjoy the moment and make true memories with our loved ones ! We just surpassed the one year anniversary of my oldest sisters death ....There were many times we didn't make time to spend with one another making precious memories .... Then there were those times we did , those were the jewels and precious stones that I would never trade ! Just wish there were more ..... So as I was praying last night spending time with Jesus its like He spoke to me even then that we should teach our children to make time for one another .... Teach them the true joy of life isn't in the things we gain from worldly things .... The true joy comes from the simplest things .... Such as a craft day in your Moms kitchen laughing .....

My Husband and I had the pleasure to attend the Up Lift Conference for preachers and their wives this weekend !!!! It was truly amazing ... I learned many things through our short time there ! I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from great men of God !!! 

The one thing I would really like time to share with those who read my blog was a ministry opportunity we all can have a hand in !

There is a preacher and team of men from his church who will be riding bikes for 800 miles in the effort to raise $30,00 dollars to stop human sex trafficking in Tennessee !!! 

He shared the story with us about to little girls the ages 6 and 14 who were kidnapped and placed into sex trafficking .... these girls were offered 50 or more times a day to perform sex acts ... these young ladies were rescued !!! But there are many more guys and they need our help !!!! The average life span for these girls is only 7 years !!!! Ask yourself what if this was one of your girls ??? Wouldn't you want to help them ??? The money raised will be used to help to continue to build safe houses for these girls ! Provide counseling ! Clothes and other personal effects they may need ! 

This cause is near and dear to my heart ... as a young girl I was abused .... I know the emotional damage that comes from that .... So I know first hand the help these girls will need if they will ever have any form of a normal life !!! Please consider helping !!! Go and check out this web site !!! It has all the info you need !!! You can even donate online !!! remember no donation is to small every little bit counts !!!

GVTOURDEHOPE.COM

Blessings