Glad He knows the way ....

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

                   Exodus 33:14

I finally feel human again !!! Thank you Jesus for your healing !!!! This weekend has been very busy for me ! However I am happy I felt like keeping up with it ! I spent some time with my sister This weekend !!! I am so blessed to have her ! We finished up going through the last of the things that came from my nephews when he passed away ! It was very emotional most of what was left was my my MawMaw's .... It was her things from her house in West Virgina .... There was a lot of time traveling .... So many memories attached to each peice .... I was beyond astonished when my sister called me the other day ... She had came across a box , when she opened it up it had a bunch of little boxes and they had my name on them !!! Much to my surprise it was my MawMaw's Rose parrerned China !!!! Years ago I had asked in the event of something happened to her could I please have the tea set ?!? She told me that day to take it, I didn't want it till she couldn't enjoy it herself anymore ... Life happened things happened ... I was told it was gone .... I am blessed to have it with me now !!!! As I took my Christmas decorations today , I had forgotten about all the little things I had gotten when Josh passed away .... The wave of emotions ... Were so strong .... I found my self talking to my heavenly Dad about how I felt , all through my day !!! Telling how my heart ached for my sister and nephew .... How I missed their voices , laughter , and smiles ! He reminded me he holds the map of my life ! When I get caught in the valley He is there to lift me out !!!! To help me get to higher grounds !!! I am so glad He is !!! With out Him I'm afraid I would drown ... He eased my hurt and helped me get through my day !!!! My house is now back to normal , disinfected , and fresh decor ! 

 Not sure why , but I love to change things up ! What an awesome opportunity to do so ... When your taking down ... To put new out ! Needless to say we will be kicking off school tomorrow ! Also a healthier me !!! I plan to start excersizing again !!!! So glad my heavenly Dad holds tomorrow !!! I plan to let Him hold the map and lead the way ! Hope you guys have a blessed evening !!!

 💖Shellie 

Giving Praise

My devotion this morning was such an amazing reminder ! It's was all about praise ! Better yet praising even when it's hard !!! It really made me reflect and ask some questions ! Such as do I praise him only when it's easy? Do I praise Him daily? Do my kids see and hear me praise Him ? I was quite surprised and pleased to realize I do much better than I thought ! However there is always room for improvement !!!! I looked over my prayer journal , asked my kids , and looked back at text messages  !!! I was so honored to hear and read responses from all areas that I had made them feel better at certain times in life ... Even in the hard times .... I was amazed at the change I seen from several years ago to now ! How much easier it was to thank and praise God even when it's hard too !!!! I guess I have realized that there is never a moment that should go with out praise ! You see I know the creator of the heavens and the earth ! He knew all that would be that day !!! If experienced heart ache and joy in this life !!! I thank my heavenly Dad for each part the sad and the happy ! Because each have helped me to see the big picture .... That all things work together for His glory ! It's apart of my story ! One day I hope my story changes someone's life ... It helps them to see it's possible !!! There is a rainbow at the end !!! I pray that my Praise is increases daily !!!!! I will sing praise I will lift my voice ! I will sing praise I have made my choice 💜 I hope your day is filled with praise and blessings !!! 💜 Shellie

146 
2 will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

146 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 146:1-2

Make it count !

.... I have spent a lot of time reflecting the past few days .... Well let's be honest being laid up on the couch hasn't left much choice .... I felt some better yesterday ! I was so excited I just knew I would even better today and school and cleaning would surely begin ! 

Then it happened ... I woke up feeling awful again !!!! I was so disappointed ! I decided not to pout about it and just rest .... As I did my devotion I realized God wasn't surprised He knew ! I am can just imagine him laughing at me ! Because He knows me ! I'm sure He finds me humorous to know I can't clean and I am going to start school back next week ! My perfect plans have been turned upside down !!!! My OCD self can not stand for things to be out of order !!! My heavenly Dad must think that He needs to switch life up for me !

    It was As I was reading my devotion though I realized it may feel like gloom today , but later when I look back I will see just how God used it to build something better ! I have enjoyed the morning and afternoon conversations with my college girl !!! The lazy hang out afternoons with my youngest teen ... The not so hustle bustle of ministry life and a homeschool mom ... I haven't been happy about being sick ... I realized that God enjoys it when we slow down and enjoy Him as well !!! I love my time with him ! I realized today I have been through a lot of changes last year!!! Some were very hard ! Others not so bad ..... One this is for sure though ... I like her the woman I have became .... She is kind , gentle , loving ,creative , but she can hold her own ! Above all though she has realized With God I can do all things !!! And we have no where to go but up from here !!! Blessings guys ! ❤️Shellie 

Only time .....

It's taken me all day to muster up the courage to blog .... I still haven't felt well ... That wasn't it though .... Today marks a very hard day .... It's hard to believe this time 2 yrs ago I was making my way to West Virgina ... After a phone call from my sister Jackline .... I'll never forget how the call began ... Shellie I don't want to upset you ! Then there was a pause ... That was followed by I just received a call Laurie (my oldest sister ) had been un responsive for thirty minutes and they had revived her she was on a reparatior! I needed to come .... The days leading up to this was beyond belief ! We had talked really talked for the first time in years !!!we had laughed , cried , shared memories.  & most of all told one another how proud we were of each other .... That wasn't something that normally came easy for us ... We had a strained relationship for many years ... Life had not always been kind .... Choices made things worse ... However on Christmas Eve she called and told me she had accepted Jesus as her Savioir !!!! I was on top of the world !!! We let things that plagued is go .... Several days later our Uncle died ... She was beside herself .... She asked me 4 times to come home !!! She needed to see me ! I just couldn't .... I couldn't go for many reasons .... 5 days later I would make that trip any ways .... I never thought the last conversation we had telling each other how proud we were to be each other's sister would be the last time I would hear her say bean I love you ! Always remember that okay ..... 

  I have lost many through the years ... Nothing prepared me for this loss ... I felt like when I saw her on that bed apart of me was laying there with her .... Left with her the next day .... When she left this world for her heavenly home.... She never woke up .... She never responded to our voices or touch .... She was a shell that was empty it seemed ... I'll never ever forget before the decision was made to turn the machine off ... We all gathered by her bed and sang .... She was always so full of life and loved to sing ... She had the voice of an angel .... I couldn't help but think she was singing now .... Maybe not with us !!! Yet at the feet of Jesus !!! With The one just days before have her a new life and a promise of eternal life just days before!!! I couldn't help but think how lucky she was .... Today marks 2 years .... Much has happened .... Even though in some ways it's easier ... In others it's not ... I'm not sure your heart ever gets over loosing someone we love .... I think we will always miss their presence ... Especially during the holidays ... Anniversary and of course Birthdays .... Today a thought crossed my mind ... Tomorrow marks her eternal birthday !!! Meaning I will see her again , I will hear her sing , laugh , feel her hug me once more , and most excitedly hear her call me Bean !!!!! I know there will be days that are harder than others , I know Jesus understands after all He cried when He heard the news of Lazzareth ... So I know he understand my hurting heart ... I wasn't shocked when my devotion matched my aching heart this morning ! That's just how amazing my God is !!! He's always on time !!!! So I will leave you with a thought and some scripture ! Always make time to make. Memory , take pictures even if you don't want too , forgive quickly , and always say  I love you !!! You never know when it will be your last time !!!! I'm glad I did those things with Laurie before she went home .... I want to leave you with this scripture John 16:33 says :

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Im glad that with Jesus there is peace !

Many Blessings Shellie 

My sweet sissy when I was 16 !!! This one of my favorite pictures of her 💜

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

A Teachable Spirit

.... I awoke with a fever and the crud again !!!! I was so frustrated ... I have so many things to do .... Take tree down, clean house, prepare to start school back, prepare for ministry meetings , and the list goes on !!!! So after breakfast and a hot bath I set in the couch .... Wandering why on earth did I have this stuff again ! Then when I asked Jody to bring my devotion book I caught a glimpse of why possibly .... My devotion came from Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I started an amazing devotional by Sarah Young Jesus Calling ! The very first sentence was , "come to Me with a teachable spirit , eager to be changed ...

It was then I realized ,that I have me best talks with God when I feel bad ... Because there is nothing to distract me !!!! I want to always have a teachable spirit .... To learn from my Heavenly Farher daily !!!! Today's lesson was just this .... Sometimes His plans aren't my own.... I need to slow down take care of my body , the chores will be there tomorrow or when I feel better , meetings can be rescheduled , but time alone with Him comes everyday .... To learn what adventure with Him is next !!!! It's sure to be amazing ! He never fails to offer hope ... Love or grace ! He also never makes. Mistake .... So the couch for me it is today ..... I have already learned so much from my teacher today .... I'm so blessed to call Jesus mine !!!! I would like to leave you with a scripture to think about toady ... For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 

I pray you too trust Jesus with your plans ... Hope everyone has a blessed day !!! Happy New Year !!!! Praying your 2015 is filled with blessing , hope , joy , love , and of course lessons from the Master ....

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