carpet freshness.

I have carpets throughout my home. I don't like carpet. Personally, I feel like carpet is a mom's arch enemy. I mean the spills, the cleaning, the time it takes to clean, the dog, the stains...the list could go on and on, but I have found a little something to aid me in the process of the dreaded cleaning of the carpet.

Enter in...my essential oils. Thieves and Purification are two of my very favorite oils! I literally have used almost half a bottle within a weeks time. I love the way they smell and the benefits of antimicrobial properties that they have. If you have questions about Thieves oil, check out my blog here to just find out how awesome it is.

What I did was use Pinterest (isn't that just awesome!) and look up a good recipe for carpet freshner using Young Living essential oils. I also was looking for something to make sure I had no unwanted nuisances in my house (i.e. fleas) because of the dog scratching and it being 100+ degrees outside with little rain. So here is what I found.

Baking soda is a known ingredient to freshen up the home that is natural and inexpensive. Can I get an Amen?! It also acts as a magnet to hair and dirt and helps your vacuum pick it up better. Seriously, what more could you want from one product. Then add borax. Borax can be found in the laundry section. It is known to boost your already laundry detergent and is an aid to clean. It also has properties to kill fleas. Who knew, right? Now the essential oils. Purification is used to purify the air, disinfect and get rid of nuisances like bugs. Thieves, well, Thieves is a super antimicrobial, disinfectant. Now, I have had sickness hit our house this last week, so I was desperate to throughly clean my house.

Now, the ratios. I did 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup Borax, 7 drops of Thieves and 10 drops of Purification. I took a mason jar which I have several just lying up in the cabinet and I made holes in the top by hammering a screw (you could use a nail) just enough to get a "hole." I scattered them to make sure the mixture would come out evenly but not too quickly as I wanted it to be dispersed well throughout the room. 

Next, I measured out the baking soda and Borax and premixed them together. Then I pour about half into the mason jar and added 3 drops of Thieves and 5 drops of Purification essential oils. Then I poured the rest of the Borax and baking soda mixture in and added the last 4 drops of Thieves and 5 drops of purification oils. Then I swirled it around, careful not to spill until it was well mixed. I placed the lid back on the jar and let sit for at least 30 minutes to make sure that the oils could dispense throughout the baking soda/Borax mixture.

After about 30 minutes, I spread it out on the carpet. For my home, I was able to use that 1 cup total mixture for two rooms at a time, like my bedroom and my daughter's bedroom. I found mixed reviews on how long to let sit. I let my bedroom sit for about an hour, and then vacuumed it up. I was cleaner, but the smell wasn't very strong. Now, my daughter's bedroom I let sit overnight and it really smelt like the essential oils. So, I would say that it all depends on what you want from the smell stand point. My thought process is, is that at at least an hour, you know that most of the bacteria/viruses should be killed at this point and that was my main focus! So feel free to use and enjoy!

Also I have made some printable labels that you can use for you personal pleasure. Mix, sprinkle, print and enjoy my friends!

Happy oiling from this momma to the next, 

Lauren

Wanna know how to get your own oils so you can do awesome DIY's like this one? 

Contact me via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurenmcbridges or email me at lauren.bridges02@gmail.com. 

pure cleaning.

Are you a bleach momma? I know that I am, or rather was. It isn't clean unless bleach has been involved someway, somehow. That's how my momma raised me and her momma before her. Heck, we all know that bleach is known to kill pretty much anything and everything viral and bacterial wise. I remember being in my microbiology class in college and seeing videos of the outbreak of the Ebola virus and how the doctors would dress up in the crazy get up and literally stick their feet in a tub of bleach because they knew that would kill the virus. Bleach is something we use in the healthcare system to kill clostridium difficile (aka C. diff). In households, we use it to whiten clothes, disinfect bathrooms and kitchens. But then there's a downside. I'm pretty sure that my mom has killed her sense of smell because of bleach. Also, it can cause chemical burns. I literally had burns on my hands from using it one time and although I was slightly dumb wearing my jewelry while cleaning, it split my wedding band as well. So, the question at the end of the day, is it really something we should use in our homes?

So, my husband, who can be pretty skeptical asked if essential oils can be as effective as bleach. Well, I don't have agar plates to test, but lo and behold I googled if Thieves essential oil (by Young Living) was as effective as bleach and I found a retired biochemist who stays at home and did her own experiment. Now she herself claims that she is not tied to any essential oil company, but her results were astounding! You can check it out here yourself. To summarize, the thieves oil, clove oil and many others killed all the bacteria just like bleach. No this isn't testing viruses, but seriously! Who is not amazed by that!

If you would like to know just what is in the thieves blend essential oil, it is comprised of the following oil blends: clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata, and rosemary. Now each one of these oils is claimed to do the following according to the Essential Oils Pocket Reference Guide, Sixth Edition (2014): 

Clove: is one of the most antimicrobial, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-infectious of all essential oils.  

Lemon: has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that amplify immunity. It promotes circulation, leukocyte formation, and lymphatic function.  

Cinnamon Bark: is one of the most powerful antiseptics known and is strongly antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.  

Eucalyptus Radiata: is anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory.  

Rosemary: is antiseptic and antimicrobial. It is high in cineole - a key ingredient in antiseptic drugs. 

Now, there is a story to go behind the name Thieves. During the 15th century, a band of thieves who were robbing the dead bodies of those who had contracted the bubonic plague. When they were apprehended, the band of thieves were questioned about how they managed to stay healthy while being around these dead and dying people. They then disclosed the blend of oils, herbs and spices that they rubbed on themselves to protect themselves from the plague and it was comprised of amyn of the above. I mean isn't that impressive?! To me, that just shows how powerful essential oils can be.

So here we are in the 21st century and the same oils and blends can be just as powerful. Young Living has a whole Thieves Cleaner line. I'm super stoked because my bottle of thieves cleaner will be here in the next few days. Just look at this chart below and see how it monetarily compares to other products:

So you can see above, how this can save you money all the while removing harsh chemicals from your environment. Just to put something else in your ear. Did you know that the Mayo Clinic is using lemongrass essential oil to treat patients with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)? The great thing about essential oils is that you have been hearing about bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, but did you know that bacteria cannot become resistant to essential oils? Yes people. These oils have opened up my eyes to something very new. I pray that they do the same for you! 

From one momma to another, 

Lauren

Want to know how to get your own Premium Essential oil kit 24% off retail value? Maybe even to try the Thieves Cleaner? Message me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurenmcbridges or at lauren.bridges02@gmail.com. 

sharing the love.

Essential Oils! Yes, I'm a user, believer and educator. These babies have changed my life; how I use products and see everything. Over the past year or more, I have researched and did webinars and classes. There are many different brands out there. But after a ton of reading, researching, asking users, etc., I have personally decided to start using Young Living. 

Young Living is the only brand that has the seed to seal process. From the seeds to harvesting, distillation and actually sealing each bottle, care is made sure to deliver PURE essential oils. Did you know that depending on soil and when the plant is harvested, what the weather conditions are, depends on how the oil with be effective and what constituents will be in the oil? Well, Young Living uses third party lab testers to ensure that you would get quality product. You can watch the video below on more information about the seed to seal process on the website. It's really neat! 

http://www.seedtoseal.com/en/process

So, that alone sold me on the company. But you might have the question, what are essential oils? Why do I need them? Well, I can answer that as well! Essential oils are the "life-blood of the plant." Basically, that means that the oils behave for the plant much like blood behaves for the human body. They are clear, volatile substances that carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells, removes waste and helps to restore damage. Essential oils are vital tho the health, protection and growth of a plant and if carefully managed into a bottle, they can offer the same therapeutic benefits for our bodies. 

Now, how they work. You can apply them in 3 different ways including aromatically, topically and internally. Once applied, they work much like they do in the plant, delivering nutrients, oxygen, removing waste and supporting cellular function. Our bodies are made up of 400 trillion cells, from skin cells, blood cells, neurons, etc. So if you can just get that picture of how MANY cells that is, imagine that one drop of an essential oil, let's say lavendar, has 400 million trillion molecules. Because these molecules are so small, our bodies can more easily "absorb" them. So all your 400 trillion cells are surrounded by 100,000 molecules of that essential oil within 15 minutes of being exposed. Now all those molecules are carrying oxygen and nutrients to these cells and removing waste from them as well as supporting them.

Now, if you happen to do any reading/research of your own you can find out that many essential oils can do multiple things for you such as being digestive stimulants, anticoagulants, analgesics, antioxidants, diuretics, antitumoral affects, anti-inflammatory, relaxants, aiding with emotional support, mental clarity, antimicrobial properties and many, many more things. Common sense can tell you that these pure oils are essential (pun intended!) to your life. They can uplift your mood, relax you, support you immune system, rid you of nuisances and just overall support your health. How can you say no?! 

How can you get started? First, I suggest you do your own research if you're leery. But, if you have already decided that you need these oils today, I'm here to assist you in the process. Contact me at lauren.bridges02@gmail.com or through facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurenmcbridges. If you allow me to assist you, I can help you become a member and to receive 24% off the retail value of a premium starter kit which is listed below. Trust me when I say that this is the best deal you can get! 

sickness & healing.

Sickness. Man. My family has been blessed that we don't have a lot of sickness in our home. I can count literally on one hand how many times my girls have been sick. So, when sickness does strike, it has been hard. Hand foot mouth disease was in the books last year for Gracie. That literally was a really difficult 3 days. Being pregnant with Zellie and only getting 3 hours a sleep a day on top of a miserable, high temp little girl. RSV also made an appearance while Zellie was only 2 weeks old and breathing treatments, vomiting, sleepless nights and miserable girls were in the mix. But, at the end of the day neither one had been hospitalized.

Now, enter in Monday this week. Zellie started not feeling well the week before, overcame and then around 3 in the afternoon started running a temperature of 101. As the day went on, medications were given and the temperature would come back higher and higher. 102. 103 was hit in the middle of the night with a miserable 8 month old. Fussy and not urinating ANY in 12 hours, I made the decision to take her to the ER. NEVER AGAIN. It was pretty much rule out RSV and flu and send her home. Tuesday morning took her to the pediatrician and explain to the NP about her condition. The fevers, the diarrhea, the lack of urination, no lethargy and now urinating, but stool, well it smelt awful. Yes, I understand that poop stinks, but hers, it was a different foul smelling infection kind. Trust me, when you're a nurse, you know the difference. So, we decided to do a stool culture which doesn't come back far at least 24 hours. We go home and take ibuprofen and tylenol around the clock.

Low and behold, that afternoon my essential oils came! I had been waiting on them for about a week and a half and they come in the midst of illness. Perfect timing! If you want to know more about essential oils, check out my blog here. So with much caution, I applied peppermint oil to her feet and her temp came down from 103-98.8 in 20 minutes. No kidding! However, after about 30 minutes it spiked again. If you know anything about peppermint oil, you have to be very cautious placing it on young children. So, I went back to tylenol and ibuprofen. Throughout the night the temperatures continued. Around 1:30 we hit 104. I gave the tylenol again. Followed with ibuprofen. Then the vomiting came once and we went back to sleep. At 8 that morning, she was BURNING up. So I checked her temp axillary and it was 104.5. Took it rectally, 105.5. Yes, you read that correctly - 105.5. Called the office and in we went. We weren't sure what was causing all of these high temperatures so the next few hours ensued of CBC, in and out catheter to check urine, blood cultures, urine cultures and then finally one dose of rocephin IM (shot). Everything was coming back inconclusive. So, we went home and continued the same regimen. I was continuously diffusing Thieves essential oil. You can read more about it here. I kept putting thieves on her along with cool washcloths. Anything I could do to get her comfortable.

Well, around 4 that afternoon, we received the call that her stool came back positive for salmonella. So many thoughts went through my head. "Salmonella? Salmonella! Did I hear that right? Where? How? When? No body else is sick. Gosh, they must think I'm the worst mom ever; that I'm dirty. But, I'm constantly cleaning, washing and doing everything constantly to maintain a healthy environment." The NP tells me that fortunately we have done the right thing giving her rocephin which is the treatment for salmonella and to keep watching her and making sure she's drinking and not getting dehydrated. If anything comes up, to call, but she would see her in the morning. So, I called and told my husband, my mom, Sam's mom and everyone asked the same thing; where did she get it. That was the million dollar question. No one knew. So the night ensued with 103-104 temperatures, but never seemed dehydrated. We made it back to the pediatrician's office the next morning and she was miserable. Seemed sicker more now than before. The decision was discussed and made to admit her to the hospital. "Wow. This is how it feels to be on the other side," I thought.

I have never done the admission process, go to the admission desk sign papers and get in like this. The next few days were a blur with multiple IV sticks, holding her down screaming and not understanding why we were doing this to her. I'm telling you, I knew this would be what I dreaded most. I have been that nurse taking care of a 1 month old and having difficulty finding veins to stick to start an IV. I have had to tell the mommas that this was the best way to make him/her better, holding the baby down and listening to his/hers cries. I have lived it and seen it. But here, here I was being the momma. Having to hold her look her in the eyes and tell her "It's to make you feel better. Mommy loves you. You're such a big girl" all the while she looks back at me pleading with her eyes to stop and why am I letting them do this. Yes. It was one of the hardest things to do and I did it 14 times. The whole time not letting emotion take over, but pleading with my Father "Lord, please let this one be it." I knew God was listening and I knew He had the situation, but I was overwhelmed by the moment.

It was an up and down roller coaster thinking one moment we're doing better, but then to find out the next not as better as I thought. The fevers continued and so did the diarrhea. But, she slowly started coming back to wanting to eat solid food and play and smile. I had a moment one afternoon as I was finally able to come home after 48 hours being in that hospital room and get a few things that we needed and I prayed and cried before the Lord. I told Him I know that you have this: "You're the Great Healer. You know exactly what's in her body. Lord you made her body. You know every hair on her head and love her way more that I do. So, Lord I place her before you. Heal her little body. Only You can allow the antibiotics that man made because you allowed us to work against this bacteria. God, please touch her. Heal her. Thank you for suffering the stripes and pouring out Your blood so that we can be healed. Thank you for never leaving us or forsaking us, but carrying us through this."

I was a desperate momma needing intervention after a very long week. Mind you she had fevers that were 103+ for almost 5 days. Yes, 5 days. We made it, but it was hard and it was a battlefield. But, if I could have learned one thing from this, is that God is awesome and great. First, she was able to stay mostly hydrated throughout all the high fevers. She never got lethargic or had febrile seizures. Second, because I was able to mention the smell of her stool, it lead the NP to do the stool culture. Otherwise, it may have been done much later and she could have been much sicker. You see the salmonella bacteria ended up being in her blood, running throughout her entire body. I believe this is why her fevers were so high. But because God is awesome, he protected her and we were able to get treatment early. Otherwise, she honestly, could have died. Sepsis is a killer that isn't usually mentioned. Did I mention that the NP decided to do the rocephin shot before we knew she had salmonella? Yes. And that just happened to be the number one antibiotic to treat although it is susceptible to any antibiotic. You see, although yes she contracted this illness, God protected her through it. And now tonight, I have a healthy 8 month old playing on the living room floor. I could be angry and upset that she ever got sick, but the Lord never said that we wouldn't face things. He simply promised that He would be with us through it all, never leaving or forsaking us. And that, my friends, is exactly what He has done.

Tonight, my heart is full. Full of gratefulness toward my Father, that he hears us and holds us and walks with us through it all. Praise to the One who loves, and loves deeply.

Much Love,

Lauren

he's alive.

Today is one of those days; I feel the enemy flooding in from every direction; my thoughts, my emotions, my relationships, financially. Do you have those days? Days that the thoughts of "not being good enough" whether it be physically in your appearance or perhaps how you interact with others or maybe doing what God called you to. Like your every thought is "Look at my life. I'm terrible at _____." "Why do I even try. I just give in." 

But then something with inside of you wakes up. You have to proverbially slap yourself in the face and tell yourself "snap out it!" The enemy is trying to convince you that you're not good enough because the Lord has something ahead for you that will shake up the kingdom of God. Like David, you must "encourage yourself in the Lord." Take a moment and look at what is happening in your life. Have you made a recent decision to follow passionately after the Lord, or even commit to doing something for the Lord? If so, the enemy is most likely pounding on your door. Don't give in to the lies of the enemy today. But remember to put on the full armor of God:

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.12 For we[d] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[e] 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.[f] 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[g]

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Futhermore, remind yourself and tell the enemy today, "You're right I'm not good enough. But, Jesus, you see is alive and all the power is in His hands, and I have that same spirit that rose Him from the grave living inside of me. He has already conquered you Devil. And because of what He is done, I am alive. I am empowered through the Holy Spirit and I am boldly proclaiming the victory that he has already provided me with."

My dear friends, don't let the enemy steal your joy today. Jesus is enough. Dwell in His presence and He will provide you with the wisdom and peace through the storm. To my fellow mommas out there, your days are long and hard - the sleepless nights, the never ending babies tugging on you needing you while you're trying to clean, cook dinner and tend to the other children will soon pass. Enjoy the craziness, for one day they will be long and gone, and you will finally have peace and quiet in an empty house. 

With much love, 

Lauren

Rejection.

Today I come with an open heart to write what the Lord has been writing on my heart.

Rejection.

Have you ever felt rejected? Maybe by a friend, loved one, a group of people, God? Rejection is something that we all have faced from one time to another. It is an idea that we hate. So, we fight to not be rejected. We do whatever it takes to fit in. Sometimes that involves losing who we truly are to become something that we are not. Rejection has led to divorces, suicides and depression. In itself, it is destructive. There is someone in the bible who we consider "a bad guy" that faced rejection. He was rejected by God first, the people second all because he wanted to please other people. Oh, the irony. His name is Saul and I want to look at his story.


We start in 1 Samuel 15:

15 One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! 2 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. 3 Now go and completely destroy[a] the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”

4 So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah. 5 Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: “Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites packed up and left.

7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. 8 He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. 9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

The Lord Rejects Saul

10 Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.

12 Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.”

13 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lordbless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”

14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.

15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the Lord told me last night!”

“What did he tell you?” Saul asked.

17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. 18 And theLord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:

    your burnt offerings and sacrifices

    or your obedience to his voice?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,

    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

23 

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,

    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,

    he has rejected you as king.”

Saul Pleads for Forgiveness

24 Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. 25 But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected theLord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”

27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you. 29 And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”

We know the story well. Saul was anointed to be king of Israel. He was given a commandment. Instead, Saul did what he thought was best and disobeyed the Lord. However, he tried to rationalize that what he was doing against God, was really for God. Have you ever done that? What you knew was wrong that God told you not to do, you did it instead. Then in the Lord's name you declared that it was on His behalf? I believe that we all do this. We all decide to serve ourselves. Our own ambitions. Or maybe we serve those around us because we are afraid of what they may think of us and what God told us to do. That was Saul. He served not only his own ambitions, but rather what people thought around him. Samuel came to Saul and asked him a very important question: "Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you as king of Israel." I think that this displays the state of Saul's heart. Saul was forgetting who he was and succumbed to being afraid of the people. God had set Saul apart. He was anointed. He was to listen to God and be different than those around him. When we accept the Holy Spirit into our lives by believing in Jesus, are we too supposed to be different from those around us, separated from the world? Paul says that we are to not be of this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. Instead, Saul listened to the fear of rejection, and forgot who he was called to be and disobeyed the Lord.

So not only did Saul fear rejection of the people, he made an amazing rationale and tried to change the disobedience into giving a sacrifice. How well do we know this idea of spinning a situation to make us look like a martyr instead of a disobeying child of God. "I give my time to the church; I give, I sacrifice, I attend, I come." However, how far are our hearts from the Lord. Are you doing these "sacrifices" for the Lord, or for the appearance of good - people pleasing. The pharisees were well known for being "white washed tombs," looking good on the outside, but dead on the inside. Working in the name of the Lord without the Lord ever being invited into the work. You see, when we "work" for the Lord without Him, his guidance isn't sought and ultimately disobedience is found when we aren't seeking after Him. Samuel explained this to Saul "Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of the rams." God desires obedience over anything. Mike drop. Period. Finito. No arguments. No ands, ifs or buts. 

Saul is much more like you and I than we rather admit. Because admitting that we are like Saul means that we could potentially face the same rejection from God that he faced. The Lord told Samuel that he was sorry that he ever anointed Saul as king. My prayer is that God isn't sorry that he ever called me or chose me. You see, because of Saul's fear of rejection and blindness caused by the fear caused Saul to lose who he truly was. He lost his anointing and his calling. God also gave both of these things to someone else. He had chosen someone who would be known as the man after God's own heart; David. David wasn't a perfect man, but he was a man willing to not let fear drive him and to pursue God's will and desire. I long to be the woman that isn't letting fear drive her who is willing to pursue God passionately. Although, I fail more times than not, I hold on to the hope that God's grace is sufficient. I pray today that this finds you and encourages you to not let fear be what is separating you from the Lord. For "perfect love (of the Father) casts out all fear." 1 John 4:18

dreams.

Dreams.

We all have them. Big, small. Some realistic, others far fetched. Dreams that have been obtained and others that are far off the horizon. Regardless of where your dreams are currently, we can all say that at one time or another dreams have been apart of our hearts. Some of us have found ourselves on the path where we are currently pressing toward that "dream" while others find themselves hurt by trying to accomplish a dream due to failure. I know that there are others of us that can't remember the last time that we had a dream that we wanted to see come to pass because life has squashed out those flickers of hope.

Dreams.

I know that for me personally, I have accomplished some dreams like obtaining my RN license and having a nursing career, or getting married and becoming a mother. But, on the road of dreams, I have found that what I once longed for in the dream world, I was unsatisfied; longing for something different and more. Have you been there? When you finally accomplish that dream that you have had for so long that it isn't at all what you thought or hoped it would be. The argument that although this is very disappointing, scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that "...God has placed eternity on the human heart..." Our desire for the Lord is innate. When our dreams do not line up with His will for us to further His kingdom, what are we really accomplishing. If your drive for success, money, recognition, etc is what is pushing toward your dreams, then unsatisfaction is sure to follow. Only God can fill that place of satisfaction. Dreams can come for the Lord, for "when you take delight in the Lord, He will give you your heart's desire." (Psalm 37:4). When we are willing to please the Lord, he gives us dreams and allows us to fulfill those dreams.

So, today, I myself am making a list of my new dreams or perhaps even forgotten dreams that I found that the Lord is placing on my heart. Once written down, I asked myself the following question which lead to even deeper questions: "How do I work toward these dreams/goals/desires?"

First, "Who is someone that I look up to and why?" When I set my mind on who I can look up to, I recognize that they most likely possess qualities that I am searching for within myself who also have obtained similar goals and become successful. I believe that it is perfectly okay to look up to someone, but recognizing that they are a person, too. What we perceive on the outside of someone's life is usually a snip of what they have experienced in life and only a tip of the iceberg of what is taking place in their heart. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that although on their exterior life seems just peachy, their life can be up in flames. Hello, people. (On a side note, this is why I have stepped away from facebook...more on that later). Also, I think that if you decide to look up to someone, make sure that they have similar Christian values as you because what good is it to look up to someone when you're trying to further the kingdom when that person is not.

Second, I asked myself "What do these dreams/goals do to glorify Jesus and how can they further the Kingdom." This helps me make my life more purposeful and fulfill the scripture that I earlier mentioned. Without God, I can't do anything, but with Him, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). If I am not trying to glorify God, then what I am I really trying to do?

The last question is the most difficult, but most necessary: "What requirements and/or sacrifices of myself most I make?"You can see why this is the most difficult. If we are not willing to give up something, then we are never going to really obtain it. And you can't argue that you won't have to give up anything. Usually it will be your time. However, dreams more frequently than not require that you give up so much more. Many times we find ourselves making the argument that "I just don't have enough time." What I have found, is that you are willing to make time for things that are most important to you. For instance, I can either sit on the couch and watch TV, or I can make my time much more useful. Something that I have personally encountered is that the people that I look up to can accomplish so much because they don't own a television. Hey, it sounds crazy, but there's something to be noted there. Something even deeper that we must sacrifice might be our feeling of being "comfortable" or "safe." When we are willing to get out of our comfort zone, then that is really where we are able to learn and to grow.

Lastly, the thing that the Lord has spoke to me about my dreams is the following. My prayer is that it speaks to you just like it has spoken volumes to me. It is to recognize what my talents are and to stop trying to pursue other talents/gifts because you don't think that yours are special enough. Yes, I often find myself making comments like "I wish I could do _____ like so and so." What happens is, is that I find myself feeling unqualified, worthless and deeply unsatisfied. God has given me and you our talents specific to us. It's our job to acknowledge them, embrace them and put them into action. When we find ourselves not embracing them and pushing forward with them, we are so deeply destroying who we are and what we are created to do.

Hopefully, through my struggle that I have had over the past couple of weeks, you can find the encouragement that I have found. What are my dreams you may ask - well, one of them is this blog. One of my dreams that I wrote down this morning is to teach others life lessons and how Jesus works within our day to day all the while encouraging other along the way. My dear, sweet husband encourages me that I can write to others, that I am good enough and I can make a difference. But you see, in the world of blogging, there are so many. I am new at it and don't want to be another one in the thousands upon thousands of blogs. I sometimes like to believe the lies of the enemy (anyone else with me here?) that one more doesn't make a difference. How can I be so wrong. One more can make all the difference. Be that one more today.  Be encouraged. Make a difference and DREAM.