To Know You...

I can't get this Casting Crowns song out of my head. I have it on my ipod, and I bet I've listened to it 4-5 times today. This is my heart's cry friends! I especially love the line..."To know you is to ache for more than ordinary, to know you is to look beyond the temporary." I literally ache for more than the ordinary, because I know that God is not ordinary...He's extraordinary, and He's looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him. I seek to know Him more...

Maybe this song will bless you as it has me...just had to share...

Disappointed in me...

Have you ever felt like you're a huge disappointment to everybody? Well...that's me today. I guess I'm stuck in my own little pity part, of sorts, but as a friend reminded me so sweetly..."it's okay to visit...just don't stay for cake." I love that! Anyway, here I am on the day that I pledged to begin my 40 consecutive days of blogging prior to leaving for my African mission trip, and I'm going to have to back down on that blogging commitment. Truthfully, I'm overloaded. I'm overloaded at work. I'm overloaded at home. I'm overloaded mentally, emotionally, and physically. So, rather than take on one more challenge (blog writing everyday for 40 days like I did at the end of last year), I'm going to step back and simply say that I can't do it right now. I owe the sweet Liberian women that I'm soon to meet that much. You see...I'm preparing a message of Christ's love for them, and I need to place my focus there. I need to be spending more time with my precious Savior to ensure that I serve Him in Africa the way that He intends for me to and that I share the message that He's giving me for these women. So, I pray you'll forgive me for backing out of this challenge. I still hope to blog here and there before I leave, but I just can't commit to that much time right now.

I welcome your prayers immensely as I prepare for this amazing trip! My heart is fluttering with excitement over the days ahead. I don't take the honor of being part of this trip lightly. To Him be ALL the Glory!

Susana Whittaker needs your prayers!

Friends...I have no words to express the heartfelt sadness I'm feeling over the recent news of little Susana. She is the 4-year-old daughter of Hatian missionary friends of our class at church. After surviving the earthquake and both parents contacting malaria, this family is now dealing with the terrible news that little Susana is covered in cancer. Please, please pray for her healing this side of heaven. Please, please spread the word via other prayer chains. You can read more about this on their blog at howcantheyhear.org, but I'm also including the words of their latest entry here. Thanks for the fervent prayers on behalf of Susana!

Susana Has Cancer...Those are the hardest words that I have ever heard in my life. The doctor just informed us that she has tumors everywhere. My heart aches like it has never ached before. Our tears won’t stop. Words cannot express what we are going through. They said that it is called Neuroblastoma and they said the news is not good. It is an aggressive cancer. They are getting ready to do a bone marrow test and a biopsy and that will determine what the course of action will be.

Our ONLY hope in all of this is Jesus. We cling to Him. We cry out to Him. We trust Him in everything. We cling to His Word and His promises that all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called by His purposes. We trust Him for the grace that we need each second. We trust in His plan, whatever that might be. We remember that His ways are not our ways.

But we still grieve. We still fear the worst. We are emotional wrecks. And we still wait.

Please continue to lift up Susana. God has all power and ability to heal if He so chooses to do so. Our prayer is that she would be healed on this side of heaven. Thank you to all of you who have been praying and offering support. We will continue to post updates as we are informed. – Cody and Maria

Scripture memory verse 8!

WOW! It's shameful to realize that the last blog post I actually wrote was the one entitled "Scripture memory verse 7!" That means I haven't written in a couple weeks. I'm so disappointed in myself at times, but friends...I simply can't do a lot better than that right now. From a work standpoint, this is my busiest season. In addition to that, my Africa mission trip is just a little less than 2 months away! I've had 4 shots already and 2 more to go! And...if that wasn't enough...I've begun a new Mary Kay business for the purpose of earning money for adoption. Yes...adoption! More to come on that later. Then...She Speaks (more on that later too) is only a little more than 3 months away, and I have to prepare for that as well. And...I'm leaving for a quick jaunt to Florida with some work friends in the morning for a little work and a lot of fun! Yes - lots going on, but I'm grateful for the opportunities God continues to give me! He IS amazing!

Aside from busyness, it IS time for those of us committing to this scripture memory verse challenge to post another verse. I know the day is almost over, as of this writing, but it's still April 15. So, I'm going to post my verse! Those of you that are joining me on this journey or would like to join me...please post your verse within the next day or so. Don't forget to give the book, chapter, verse, translation, and type out the verse. I'd also like to see where you're from...first name and city, state will do nicely for that. If you have no idea what I'm talking about...read here for more information!

The verse God has led me to this time is from Proverbs:

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

How often do we set out to do something and never even ask the Lord what He thinks about it or what His desire is for us in the matter? Do you struggle to find success with plans that don't involve God? From personal experience, when God is in the center of my plans (His plans), and I commit those plans to Him...he allows success. But...I fail to do this so often.

So...what verses are you working on? Let's hear 'em friends!

Coming up...another 40 day blog post journey. Stay tuned! God willing, I'll be blogging the 40 days leading up to my mission trip to Africa (April 26-June 4).

Be blessed friends!

Scripture memory verse 7!

Good evening friends!

I'm so sorry for getting this posting up so late today. This day has been a full one, and unfortunately I'm just now getting around to posting my April 1 scripture memory verse. That's right! It's that time again scripture memory verse team! I can't wait to hear what you're working on for this first part of April.

Today, I've chosen a verse that is simply filled with praise. God is so worthy of our praise, dear ones! He is worthy of our praise in all circumstances and at all times...happy, sad, lonely, wonderful, fearful, times of grief, and times of joy, and I could go on and on. Bottom line - He IS my praise, and I choose to glorify Him!

I love beginning my morning quiet time prayers with praise and thanksgiving. We do the same thing at my Wednesday night prayer group. Having specific scripture verses to offer aloud as praise to the King of Kings only enhances that intimate time.

So...with that said...here's the verse I've chosen:

Psalm 63:3-4 (NIV)
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will life up my hands.

As always, feel free to join me in my memorizing that verse, or work on whatever you feel led to work on! Let's hear it folks...verse, translation, first name, and city!

Have a blessed evening!