a new challenge

today, i'm just giddy with excitement! no, there's no big announcement coming your way, just the joy that lies on my heart.

there's nothing more that i love than to be with a group of women and study God's word together! i'm very passionate about both...God and women! i love seeing how God works in other women's lives. i love sharing the journey together as we struggle through whatever circumstances we face, because we all know life isn't easy! sometimes it is down right hard, it even sucks at times and can be so discouraging! i can't imagine going through life without the support of women in my life!

i can't imagine if i didn't have their words of encouragement, their words that challenged me to go deeper with God and their willingness to pray for me. i love how God uses different women to bless my life. there's a particular lady that challenges me ever day to be a better woman, one that is continually growing closer to God.
my little lady inspires me everyday.
she also challenges what kind of person i really am.
she knows every flaw of mine.
and she's seen me at my best and at my worst.
i can't tell you in words how much i love my little girl, but if you are a mom, you know. i'm just crazy about her and desire so much for her! i know that God has great things planned for her.

as i was preparing awhile back for the James bible study that i'm co-leading, i was telling my little lady about what we would be studying. i told her that one of the options in this Beth Moore "James" study was to memorize the entire book of James. i told her this because my little lady is pretty good at memorizing bible verses and i wanted her to ponder what it would be like to memorize an entire book of the bible. you could see her eyes grow wider and wide at the thought of that. our conversation pretty much ended with that. however, God was stirring something up in me that i hadn't really given much thought too. as i had begun preparing for this study, the thought of memorizing the entire book of James n.e.v.e.r. crossed my mind. being a mom of two little ones, i feel like my head is constantly full of things like...
what am i going to make for dinner tonight?
did i switch over the laundry last night or am i going to have stinky clothes this morning?
where is that piece of paper i'm looking for?
i really need to get to the post office to mail out that package.
why are the kids fighting again?
and the list could go on and on.

so when i knew God was asking me to memorize the book of James, all of my thoughts came rushing forward and i thought, how will i ever be able to do that when my head feels like it is at capacity already? i still don't know how i will do it. but, i'm going to because i desire more than anything to be obedient to God. and, if my daughter can memorize God's word, than so can i. granted she hasn't ever memorized a whole book, but i want to be an encouragement to her. i want her to see me struggle through it...because the Lord knows, it won't be easy for me. i want her to see me be obedient to God. and lastly, i know she will get a first hand account of what it is like to her momma persevere through something that is not easy. i know through this i will grow, but i also hope that it will grow her in her faith with God.

so as the weeks progress, i will update you on how i'm doing. not to brag, because i know and so does the Lord, that this will be not of my doing, but rather of His. because if it was up to me, i would have said my head is too full and there might be a melt down if i try to add anything to it. i guess God disagrees. i'm not seeking praise of any kind or for you to say look at what she's doing, i'm just sharing what God has asked of me so that you can hold me accountable. because really, isn't that what life is all about?

i would love to hear what God is challenging or convicting you to do in your life, so that i may be an encouragement to you.

thanks for listening to my heart!