My eBook and New Site

It's time for me to leave this blog behind and begin a fresh journey at my new online home...
 liveabundantlynow.com

I'm excited to announce that I wrote a book of over twenty-five prayers for parents to pray over their children during these perilous times for our world. It will be published in an eBook format and available on Amazon. The release date is planned for fall of 2013.

I hope you'll join me at my new site as I write stories of faith that I feel certain will encourage and uplift your soul.

Love and peace,
Amy

The Gift of Waiting

The telephone rang and I rushed to answer it. I’d been waiting to hear some news about my husband’s job. He had recently interviewed for a higher position with his company.

When I picked up the phone, Michael’s words were sweetness to my soul. “I got the promotion, Babe!”

I squealed for what seemed like a minute or two. I sounded just like the moms of American Idol contestants after their children call them to say they made it to the finals. It was long awaited news that made my heart leap.

Michael had returned to college in 2008 to get a degree that could be used in the medical diagnostics field after being laid off from jobs four different times. He had been in the IT (Information Technology) field in his past job history. But due to his lack of new certifications, he hadn’t been able to get rehired in that field. His dream was to use his IT skills in the medical field somehow.

His long time dream came true that day on February 27, 2012. I’ll never forget that day. It was also the day my ninety-six year old grandfather passed away. I know those two things were connected somehow. I don’t believe in coincidences anymore. God is too big and awesome for things to happen coincidentally.

I can’t begin to put into words what that promotion meant to us. We had waited for years and years and years to see God fulfill this desire and dream. This promotion pushed us closer to our other dream of adopting a child from Uganda. It was worth the wait. Waiting makes it so much sweeter than it does to get things instantaneously.

I remember when I was a little girl; there were movies that I had to wait a whole year to watch. We didn’t have DVDs or videos to watch. So every year, I was excited beyond measure to watch the Sound of Music again or to watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas time. It didn’t matter that I had to wait a whole year to see the shows and movies. The waiting made it blissful for me when the time arrived for me to see them again.

Waiting can be hard. We can begin to have doubts that good things are coming. But as followers of Christ, we are promised that all things work together for “good” for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

There is an old phrase I remember hearing, “Good things come to those who wait.” I love that phrase, but I would add a few words to it. “Good things come to those who wait in faith.”

Are you waiting for something that you know in your spirit is coming? Are you getting weary in the waiting?

Jesus said, “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). We can rest in His words and know that as we are waiting and believing, His good plans will unfold.

It’s worth the wait. It’s worth it because when you finally receive your blessing, you will have so much joy that you will feel as though you may burst with glee.

Hang on and trust Jesus. Your time of blessing is coming.

And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. ~ Hebrews 6:15 NIV

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. ~ Psalm 27:14 NIV

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. ~ Isaiah 40:31 NASB

Live Abundantly!

Amy 

The photo was downloaded at http://www.stockfreeimages.com/

A Saintly Example

Today is my mother's birthday. I am grateful for the inspiration she is and will always be to me. From her, I learned to be a good mother to my children. I learned to be a good wife and helpmate by watching the way she loved her husband.

I learned to forgive quickly because of her example. I learned to look to Christ for my purpose and worth because of her love and devotion to Him. I learned that God always creates beauty out of broken lives by watching how she lives her life so eloquently and intentionally. 

I learned to dance and laugh and sing in all circumstances by watching her. I learned about God's amazing grace by being around her. By her example, I learned that being a follower of Jesus means helping the poor by actually getting close to them and getting to know them. I learned how to be accepting of everyone, how to love unconditionally, and how to give sacrificially because of the way she lives daily.

I learned from her how to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not just talk about it. I learned how to show grace and kindness to all people no matter how they treat me. And I'm still learning to be generous and gracious in everything I say and do by watching her.

Happy birthday to the best mother and saintly example a person could have.

I love you, Mama, with all my heart!

Valentine Treasures

Valentine’s Day is always a fun time for my family.
 
When my daughter was about three years old my husband Michael created a special treasure hunt for us to enjoy on Valentine's Day. He hid small candies throughout our home for the family to search for. This treasure hunt is a tradition and a highlight of every year.
 
The hidden candies are fairly easy to find at first, but it gets harder and harder to find them after the most visible ones are found. Michael hides some of the candies in such concealed places, that we never find all of them on Valentine's Day. A great part of the joy in the hunt is that we always continue to find the candies unexpectedly during the days and months ahead.
 
Our anticipated Valentine treasure hunt is very much like life. When things are going smoothly, it's easy to see and enjoy the treasures. But during the difficult seasons, it can be a tedious thing to find and focus on the treasures. They have to be tirelessly sought after because they are hidden. But it is the hidden treasures that are truly the most valuable.
 
Without the storms, I don't believe I would have ever discovered the priceless treasures of life.
 
In January of 2006, Michael was self-employed, running a graphic design business with another design artist. The small company was suffering and eventually had to be shut down, leaving us with a very small income. This gave our family the opportunity to look for treasures in the midst of adversity.

On Valentine's Day that year, we had very little money and we knew we couldn't buy gifts or cards like we had done in previous years. We decided to make hand-made cards for each other instead of giving presents and store bought cards. Since then, we’ve looked forward to designing our homemade cards every year.
 

One year, the card my husband made for me had a huge heart on it, symbolic of the love that has grown in our marriage. My daughter made me a card with pictures and words that remind me of all that God has done in my heart. On the front of the card that my son made for me when he was ten years old was a colored picture of a rainbow, a storm, and a heart in the middle with a sword stuck in it. He had written words in that hand-made card that later proved to be prophetic. “Remember a rainbow comes after a storm. This is how you reach your heart’s goal.” Those were such words of wisdom from a young boy.

Each year the cards are more meaningful to me. They are irreplaceable—something that money can't buy. And even though my husband now has a good career, we realize that the best things in life are free (monetarily). I don’t want to ever forget those times of being in need. Our family learned the most important lessons we will ever learn.

Every year as I embrace the words and the love expressed through each of these handcrafted cards, I thank God for the storms of life and the blessing of my Valentine treasures.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field..." Matthew 13:44 NIV

Live Abundantly!
Amy 

This post has been updated and revised from a piece originally written in 2008.