Journey With Jen

"Whatever challenges you may face, whatever circumstances are weighing you down, you can choose your response. How you life your life is totally up to you. It's not dependent on your circumstances. It's dependent on your choices. Abraham Lincoln said, 'Most people are as happy as they've decided to be.'" Joel Osteen, Every Day A Friday . I have just begun this book and this is one of the paragraph's in the first chapter. It is true though. Our praise should not depend on our circumstances. Circumstances change for better or worse. It takes us many times to places we don't understand. So often, the sound of our praise becomes silent when it needs to be the loudest. "The enemy always fights you the hardest when he knows God has something great in store for you. You are closest to your victory when it is the darkest. That is the enemy's final stand. Don't be discouraged. Don't start complaining. Just keep offering up that sacrifice of...

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah." Psalm 46:1-3 It is amazing how God can give you the words that you need when you need them most. I love Psalm's. I am here once again looking through the Bible and this verse is there. One that I have read many times but one that speaks to me tonight. Don't fear...don't worry...God has it under control. It doesn't matter what is going on in your life, God knows. It could be the kids are driving you nuts. Or maybe you are trying to say good-bye to loved one that is about to be with Jesus. Or stress from the holidays. Or too many things on your to-do list and not enough of you to go around. We all have been there. I have been there. You are not alone. God is our Father tha...

Every morning when the alarm goes off. I reach over and turn it off and lay there in the quietness. Each day I awaken with a short, heartfelt prayer in my heart and on my lips. Just be with me today, Lord. Protect my family. Help me to do Your will. And lately, I've asked for His mercy . It really is a hard thing to ask for. It's like one of those things you only pull out in extreme emergencies. The last time I asked for mercy was when Kent had heart surgery this year. Before that, it was watching my Dad suffer from cancer the year before. Maybe it's only me, but I don't think so. I like to think that I can handle what ever happens in life. Does that sound familiar? That God can give it to me and I can make it. I'll some how be able to turn the lemons into lemonade. Maybe that attitude is what has gotten me into trouble. Maybe that is why my life has had so much stuff to handle...and forgive...and to heal...and to let go... God uses us, you and me, to give His mercy...

Pride is constant part of humanity, from Adam and Eve to today. Human culture is full of pride. In our family. In our home. In our jobs. In our clothes. In the car we drive. Pride is always there sitting in the back of everyday life affecting out decisions daily. What happens when it is stripped away? What happens when our pride is put aside? I am getting there. Peeling pride away layer by layer. Pride has no place right now in our lives. Pride disappears when your car is towed away because your husband's hours were cut down to 32 for 2 months and health insurance is $800 month. Pride cannot be there when you look in the refrigerator and there's a half a carton of eggs and a couple cups of milk left. And no payday for another week. Pride disappears when the only car you are left with has front bearing and transmission problems. (Friday's news - it gets worse before it gets better, right??) Pride disappears when your son is doing breathing treatments nightly because his asth...

I've learned that wishing doesn't change things. Wishing does not cure cancer. Wishing does not fix heart problems. Nor does it cure Autism. Wishing doesn't make your problems go away. But, I believe that wishing is still good for you. It is still needed. Wishing and dreaming are both products of HOPE. Hope is what we need to make it through the difficulties. Hope is what keeps us going step by step through it. Hope is why we keep looking up ~ looking for the horizon. Believing that God will pull us through... maybe not today or tomorrow.. but God will provide our needs. So, today, I am wishing...and dreaming...and hoping. Today my faith will carry me through another day.

Right now, I am learning to accept God's plan. Although right now, His plan isn't looking all that great. I know His plans are for the long term. Mine are for the right now. God did give us a place to live. We went to look at a duplex Saturday morning. And as God would do it, Kent grew up with his kids and has know this person his whole life basically. So, we even got the key so we could move this weekend. I am SO exhausted physically and mentally. The idea of having no place for my kids to come home to is scary. Then, learning to accept what your given is difficult sometimes. So, now we are mostly moved in. We have a few things to finish up. It is smaller than the nicer place we found and almost moved in to. It also has paneling in the living room. And, it has a tiny ~ almost no existent ~ kitchen. But, I believe this is where God wants us right now... for some reason. (what's the chance of knowing some one and getting the key the same day?? that's a God thing!) Yes, a...

I know that God doesn't send troubles or cause the stuff in our lives. But, I do know that everything that happens to us passes over God's desk figuratively. It gets stamped "ok" sorta speaking. I guess that is why it is so hard to accept sometimes. Because as much as I pray for help and want out of the situation ~ I am still here. As much as I try to get out of it, I keep falling down. God helps those that help themselves right? So, I look around trying to figure out what, if anything, am I supposed to learn from this?? I gotta be at this point in my life for some reason. Maybe it is because I wasn't at rock bottom before. I always saw a glimpse of the light before. I could see the end. Who knew that it wasn't the end that I was seeing because another mountain was ahead! Who knew these struggles would last on and off for years now? Well, God did but I had no clue. While other families are planning vacations and starting to buy for Christmas, we are wondering ...