{ sweet goodness! }

Not a normal post for this blog... but...

I made cookies! A lot of cookies. Seriously. Like forty cookies. I don't think they will last long though, seeing as I think we have already eaten half of them!

And of course, some plain ones for daddy. 

It was quite a productive day! I made cookies, and managed to get quite a bit of school done! 

Have a great weekend everyone!

In Christian Love, 

{ be anxious for nothing }

Mostly everyone has a plan.

Whether that plan is for today, tomorrow, or ten years from now... it could change at any second.  I have been seeing that more and more as I grow both in age, and spiritually.I just have to say. I am so glad my plans aren't always God's plans for my life. At first it might seem disappointing, but then I just have to breathe in and thank God for having plans that are better than mine. Every once in a while I get anxious. Not necessarily anxious about the moment I'm in, but moments that are ahead. Being a naturally anxious person I have had to learn to trust God with every aspect of my life. But, sometimes trusting is hard. Sometimes we don't understand what is happening. We don't understand what is going to happen, and we are afraid of the future. As humans we all have fears, doubts, and wonderings about the future. 

Guess what! We can cast all those fears aside, and stop being so anxious! The Lord doesn't want us to be anxious, but rather He wants us to trust in Him, and bring all of our prayers and supplications, with thanksgiving to Him! Isn't it wonderful that He hears our pleas, and has our lives planned out for us?! We should thank Him for our trials, along with the happy moments in our lives.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6 (NASB)

Also even though we might not understand what we are going through at the time, or why we are put into certain trials there is always a reason. Sometimes we just need to close our eyes for a moment and say: "Lord I know this is your plan, please help me to get through it, and honor you in everything that I do.". He knows what we are going through, and He has a reason for everything. Someday we'll understand. Maybe not now, but someday. 

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” - John 13:7 (NKJV)

We can find such comfort in the fact that even though we don't understand now, someday we will! Through trials the Lord draws us closer to Himself, and strengthens our trust in Him. 

Remember: His plans are so much better than our own. 

I know that my future is a lot brighter in God's hands than in my own. 

In Christian love, 

{ bountiful blessings }

I just realized how long it has been since I have posted on this blog. I suppose life has been a little bit busier! Also the fact that my computer doesn't cooperate most of the time makes it hard to post. So I decided to take the time tonight (while my computer is up and running) to write out a little update post for anyone who cares to read and catch up! 

We had our Vacation Bible School at church last week (July 8-12th), and I was in charge of the nursery. Well... the nursery consisted of Luca every day, except Thursday when I brought my darling little Adalynn along. I won't lie, it was a long hot, kind of crazy week. But, I am so glad I was there to help out. Also, on the plus side, Luca likes me now! He never really cared for me, but now he doesn't seem to mind me. It was a lot of fun, and by the end of the week I was just ready to have a nap! 

Within the last couple of weeks I went from having no jobs to having two jobs! They are just short-term for now, but that's okay with me. I am watching Adalynn once again on Thursdays and Fridays from 8:00AM to 5:00PM. I love watching her, she's such a joy! 

Then on Tuesdays I am watching my cousin's two kids from 6:30AM until (around) 2:30PM. I did have to get up at 5:15AM this morning, which I haven't done in so long. But it was nice to kind of see the sun coming up for the first time in a long time. 

It will be good to make some money, especially because I will hopefully be paying some car insurance bills soon... 

I understand that "hopefully" made you all tilt your head to the side and wonder why I would want to pay car insurance bills. Well. I'll tell you why... 

I AM WORKING TOWARD GETTING MY LICENSE!! 

All capital letters were completely necessary, and yes I was yelling... in a good way. I am currently working so hard to get my license. I have to give a huge huge huge thank-you to Suzy. I owe so much to her, because if it wasn't for her willingness I wouldn't be even close to where I am today when it comes to getting my license. She has been such an amazing help, she's so patient, and we have also had so much fun! 

Daddy is going back into the hospital on August 8th, which is a week later than we thought he would. But, it seems so close. I will be trying to get my license before August 8th, so I can be a help to my family whilst daddy is in the hospital and in isolation when he comes home. 

Thank you to those who have been praying for me as far as driving is concerned, and I ask for your continued prayers as I am trying to finish up! 

I am just so thankful for all of these blessings, and the way the Lord has been working in my life, and my family's life! 

I hope everyone's summer has gone well so far and it will continue too! 

Enjoy the hot weather! At least it's not snowing! ;)

In Christian love, 

Jane

Worried?

We can all admit that there has been a time in our lives when we have worried about the future. Or maybe you have never worried about tomorrow, or what the future holds... But, I have. I will admit to the fact that I have worried about the future many times. I might even worry about it today. It's a part of human nature, we worry. Some people worry more than others. I myself have an especially anxious heart. I am working on being less anxious, and not worrying about the future. There are many reasons we should not worry. The most important one is, because the Lord tells us not to worry.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles." Matthew 6:34 (NKJV)

"And who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27 (NASB)

Along with verses there is a quote I love,

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength."

Another reason is, because The Lord knows and has planned our future. He knows our next move before we make it, our next breath before we take it, our next thought before we think it! Isn't that just an amazing, comforting thing to dwell on? He has planned our future according to His perfect will for our lives.
 Through my teenage years I went through many times of heartache, uncertainty, hardships, and trials, but through all of those I had a Rock who is higher than I. At the time of those trials and heartaches I became very overwhelmed, anxious, and I worried for my future. I had someone a lot of teenage girls in this world don't have. I had The Lord. I had the assurance that He would hold my hand, dry my tears, and lead me safely through what seemed like crashing waves. After a while He calmed the storm in my heart that was slowly tearing me down. He took me under the shadow of His wings and caused me to see His glorious face. I was drawn so close to Him as I clung to Him, crying out to Him with my shaken heart and fearful voice. He opened my eyes and caused me to see that His plan is perfect, and that worrying changed nothing, being angry only made me miserable, and I could not find true comfort anywhere except for in Him.

After my brother's death I memorized this verse:

"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

At the time I could not see any good in this tragedy. All I could see was broken hearts, sorrowing souls, and unanswered questions. Now that I look back in this I see how close it has brought our family, and how it had caused me to cling to The Lord. I have also learned that The Lord allows trials to come into our lives to draw us closer to Himself.

Through this battle we are currently in the midst of many people probably look at our family and wonder how we are still holding on. They probably wonder how we function, how we can look forward to the future with such radiant hope! I have a simple answer, and that is...

The Lord is on our side! He knows the future, He hears us when we cry out to Him! He has planned every moment of our lives, and we have no need to worry. Worrying will not add a single moment to our lives, so we just live. We live for The Lord, and we live day-to-day, in every moment. Life is beautiful, and it is a gift so we need to live in each moment, and trust The Lord with our whole heart.

No, I am not saying that I don't worry, trust me... I do. But, I can hand my worries over to The Lord, and trust that He has my entire future planned out.

So, stop worrying and trust. It's hard to do, but the Lord never breaks His promises, and He wants us to trust Him with our whole heart, and know that His plan is perfect. He doesn't want us to worry, He wants us to trust.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:1-78 (NASB)

In Christian love,
Jane

Overwhelmed?

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me." Psalm 142:3

I came across this verse in my devotional reading recently. The verse above really stood out to me for a few reasons... 
When we are overwhelmed with the path ahead of us the Lord knows and has planned our future. He has planned every one of our footsteps. He knows what we are going to do every moment. He knows the decisions we are going to make. He knows the hardships we are going to go through. Even though He has planned everything out, we still need to live to honor Him in every single thing that we do. When we are overwhelmed we need to look to The Lord, and keep our eyes fixed upon Him... Not fixed on our troubles. We need to cry out to him when we are despaired, and overwhelmed with our circumstances. He gives us our trials to draw us closer to Himself, to teach us to rely on Him and not on our own strength. 

"I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I." Psalm 142:4-6

When reading this passage I was also reminded that when every man is against us the Lord is on our side. He will always care for us. It may seem at times that no one cares for our soul, but the Lord God always cares for our soul. We are His children, and He loves us as a father loves His children.  He knows the path ahead of us, and He is our refuge. Even when our persecutors seem stronger than we are, we have the Lord on our side.

In Christian love,
Jane Ashley

Well, I have decided to start up a new personal blog. I had been posting on one for quite a while, but I discontinued it, and I thought it would be nice to start up a new one!

I feel selfish sometimes when I blog, seeing as when blogging you're basically talking about yourself and your life... But, I remembered how much I loved blogging, and sharing my thoughts with everyone. So, I finally decided to jump in and try it again. I have decided that this blog is going to be based on what the Lord is doing in my life, how He is blessing me, and the trials He has put us in.

Life is rather exciting, and scary at the same time.
But... I am so thankful that my faith has found a resting place.
I don't ever have to go through a day alone. I don't have to worry about the future, because my path is already laid out for me. Even though I might go through struggles, and life might seem unsteady, I have a Rock who is firm and unshakable.

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

I have so much to be thankful for, and I want to share my joy.

Always,
Jane Ashley