No Regrets

Just sittin here with my feet up thinkin about how much better life would be if i lived without regretting. Without spending time wishing i had changed the way i responded to things or how i could have done things differently.

Like Monday. I worked out for the first time in a while. I decided to go on the tricycle in my little gym... I was on that thing for 20 minutes and i thought i was going to die! For the next hour i really wished that i had slept the extra hour instead of waking up early only to feel like my life was ending. It was horrible. But the rest of the day i was walking a few inches taller because i successfully beat the crap out of myself!

I wish i wouldnt make so many mistakes and that i would think before i: Speak, Eat, Make decisions, and live! I do so many stupid things on a daily basis. Part of that has to do with because thats just who i am... Deal with it... But the other part is because i just go with it and dont really take time to realize what the effect of that is going to bring. Like girlscout cookies... Obvious that choice brings nothing by bigger sizes!

I can beat myself up all day. But all of it is pointless because i cant change what ive done. SO WHY DO I TRY TO! I am grateful for all my mistakes. The LORD has been so faithful to me by showing me how much stronger i am because of them. Gosh, only the creator could make me better by my stupidity! I am beginning to see and appreciate him in a whole new way. Its pretty awesome!

In other news... Baby Chelsea McGinnis is coming any moment now! :) Praise GOD!!!! I am so excited

New Thinking

So lately things (if im honest) have kinda sucked! But this time around the debby downer mood has not followed me, I am so amazed and blessed by all the times ive seen GOD this past week. Everyday i either hear a song, read a bible verse, hear a comment or see something pretty that is a reminder that GOD is here with me and that he is carrying me through this. Even though i continually get discouraged throughout my days, my hope remains in him, because just around the bend there is something fantastic waiting to be discovered!

I will keep my chin up and trust in the one who rescued my soul from the fire!

My encouragement today came from Biblegateway.com Daily Bible Verse.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”~ROMANS 15:13

Mercies in Disguise

Over the past few weeks the LORD has really been doing a work in me. Its definitely not an easy one! But ive found a lot of encouragement and hope from a few songs.

The first one i heard on KLove after i encountered a really tough situation! Funny how he makes everything work out for good, i know this will be no different from all the other hard times! I am actually very excited to see where this leads me. (Kinda hope it comes quick! haha) The second was actually a Rascal Flatts song... Im convinced it was written from GOD to me! If you dont think so... Hush it... haha dont steal my thundaaa!!!

Blessings by Laura Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZRg-SEQJSE

I wont let go by Rascal Flatts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIIorYfTSTo

One of my blessings in disguise was of course Terra. Papa knew i needed her to be here when it got real hard.

Thankful :)

Ive really taken some time lately to dwell on the many blessings ive been given. I am so grateful for such a great GOD who is always faithful! Always present. Always protecting and guiding me. He is so patient and understanding. Forgiving and loving me in spite of my constant stupidity! He is amazing in every way and i am super grateful that he is so always with me!

Im blessed to have so many people who genuinely care about me. I take them for granted so much, i will NEVER deserve them. I have such great friends and amazing influences. I have learned so much from them. The LORD has used them in so many ways to help direct me and teach me right. They tell me the truth in love, even when the truth is telling me im being an idiot! I love my friends and family!!! I can never express my appreciation or gratitude enough to you. But if you're reading this and you have in some way or another impacted my life know that i love love love love love love you and appreciate you way more than you will ever know! :)

I realized this morning as i was spending time with the LORD all the things he has given me; things i look at every day and pass by as if it was no blessing at all... Like my couch, and dining room table! My car, my apartment! He has given me so much! What a great life he has given me. WOW dont i feel like crap for constantly walking by and not acknowledging his generosity!

Our GOD is an AWESOME GOD!!!!!! :)

Blessings in Obedience

Recently i've been given a task, a task that is not only extremely hard; but one that i've been avoiding for a while now. You know how GOD is patient and amazing all the time. Well, he was very patient with me, let me run my own course into destruction that is totally my fault. He watched and waited for me to turn to him and ask for him to take control. Well finally i broke down like us humans do, i realized i was walking away from the path of righteousness that i have so heavily been determined to follow. I ignored my convictions, and i'm now paying for it.

But the amazing thing, is that when GOD so clearly spoke to me and gave me the solution; though i didn't like the solution because it wasn't what i wanted, he blessed me today in so many ways because i was obedient to it. Today was great; Yesterday i was DREADING today. I cant help but Praise Him for such a great day. The weather was absolutely stunning. I had a great day at work, laughed a lot! (Which i did not expect to be doing much of that today) I felt so alive and free. What an AMAZING and FAITHFUL GOD we have!

I had to share my blessings with you. I am so encouraged. I still feel like an idiot for continuing on with something that i knew was wrong. But i am so grateful for the lesson of Obedience and that i need to listen immediately, rather than when i want to.

I LOVE MY GOD!

Trials

In the stillness of my mind the LORD spoke to me about trials. I was super encouraged; thought i would share with you.

"In this life you have been given many trials. In these trials rejoice; for the LORD has entrusted you with them so that you will succeed in bringing him Glory. Not that you should fail. If however; you do fail, the LORD will not be disappointed. But make haste. For the LORD will give you the strength you need to succeed!"

Finding Hope in scripture

Yesterday was super rough for me. So at College Group Nick Fox gave me scripture. I wanted to share it cause i was very encouraged by it! :) Hope you enjoy!

¹I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of the LORD’s wrath.
² He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
³ indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.
⁵ He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.
⁶ He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

⁷ He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.
⁸ Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.
⁹ He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,
¹¹ he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.
¹² He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

¹³ He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.
¹⁴ I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
¹⁵ He has filled me with bitter herbs
and given me gall to drink.

¹⁶ He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.
¹⁷ I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
¹⁸ So I say, “My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD.”

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For no one is cast off
by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.

³⁴ To crush underfoot
all prisoners in the land,
³⁵ to deny people their rights
before the Most High,
³⁶ to deprive them of justice—
would not the Lord see such things?

³⁷ Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it?
³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?
³⁹ Why should the living complain
when punished for their sins?

⁴⁰ Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.
⁴¹ Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven, and say:
⁴² “We have sinned and rebelled
and you have not forgiven.

⁴³ “You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;
you have slain without pity.
⁴⁴ You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can get through.
⁴⁵ You have made us scum and refuse
among the nations.

⁴⁶ “All our enemies have opened their mouths
wide against us.
⁴⁷ We have suffered terror and pitfalls,
ruin and destruction.”
⁴⁸ Streams of tears flow from my eyes
because my people are destroyed.

⁴⁹ My eyes will flow unceasingly,
without relief,
⁵⁰ until the LORD looks down
from heaven and sees.
⁵¹ What I see brings grief to my soul
because of all the women of my city.

⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause
hunted me like a bird.
⁵³ They tried to end my life in a pit
and threw stones at me;
⁵⁴ the waters closed over my head,
and I thought I was about to perish.

⁵⁵ I called on your name, LORD,
from the depths of the pit.
⁵⁶ You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief.”
⁵⁷ You came near when I called you,
and you said, “Do not fear.”

⁵⁸ You, Lord, took up my case;
you redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ LORD, you have seen the wrong done to me.
Uphold my cause!
⁶⁰ You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
all their plots against me.

⁶¹ LORD, you have heard their insults,
all their plots against me—
⁶² what my enemies whisper and mutter
against me all day long.
⁶³ Look at them! Sitting or standing,
they mock me in their songs.

⁶⁴ Pay them back what they deserve, LORD,
for what their hands have done.
⁶⁵ Put a veil over their hearts,
and may your curse be on them!
⁶⁶ Pursue them in anger and destroy them
from under the heavens of the LORD.

Life :)

Gunna give an update on things Brittany. :)

Ive been at Starbucks for almost 2 months now. I absolutely LOVE it :) It is super fun and super stressful at times but its always interesting and gives me lots of good stories. Today i was dared by some co-workers to stick my hand in a pitcher full of ice and water.... I basically rocked it for 13 minutes! Im hard core :) My hand was numb for like 10 minutes after and super red. I love the people i work with, They are awesome! So it makes the job way more enjoyable. But also i am surrounded by people all the time which makes it way more interesting. :) People crack me up!!

Pool cleaning has reached its easy stages... PRAISE GOD!!! After the freeze i was pretty ready to call it quits but i didn't wanna let my Daddy down so i stuck with it like a hoss... Basically i enjoy the fact that i get to be outside a lot, Not crazy about the driving EVERYWHERE and since Texas is so flippin huge it takes me forever to get to my jobs. But GOD has blessed me with beautiful weather these past few weeks so i am super grateful for it!

I miss the foster kids like Crazy. I dont cry every time i think about them which is a great thing. But i they are still on my mind everyday and i wonder how they are. Rumor has it that they are adjusting very well to their new home which is another HUGE blessing and i am soooo grateful for that too! :) GOD is faithful.

Basically things are not as bad as i make them out to be at times. The Lord has definitely blessed me this year with helping me stay positive. Seriously it has been a great year so far in the midst of everything that has been going on.

I said it before and ill say it again... GOD is Good and super Faithful and Amazing and just GREAT! :) I dont deserve him but i am super glad he never leaves my side!