We're Back

We've been back a couple of days now and the trip was a blast. I haven't been able to post yet because as soon as we got off the boat I had to go straight to work and have been working ever since.

What a great time it was to just relax and do nothing. We were able to spend a lot of time reading, talking, laughing, etc. I camped out a lot in the Psalms and was able to start studying Romans 6 to begin preparing for Celebration. A verse that I kept turning back to was, Psalm 25:10- "All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." What a comforting verse! Everything ahead of me in my life will be because of Gods "steadfast love and faithfulness" towards me. Whether good or bad, it will be for my good and Gods glory! How exciting!

Well, here are some pictures from our trip. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

We're Goin' Cruisin'

Yep that’s right! We are leaving tomorrow to go on a cruise to the Bahamas. The funniest thing about this whole thing is that we just decided to do it today! Knowing my dad this is not out of the ordinary! My dad was just checking out the rates of cruises and came across one for REALLY cheep. He started asking me really random questions like, “Candace, what days are you working this week?” and “Candace, what days are Amber working this week?” Finally, I said, “why do you need to know what days we are working this week???” I knew he was up to something! He finally replied with, “I want to leave for a cruise tomorrow” All I could do was stop and laugh. Long story short I was able to arrange the schedule's at Bruster’s so that Amber and I can go with my parents and three little siblings (Jonathan has to work) I’m really excited to get to spend time with my family and get to relax a bit! I'm especially happy that my mom will get some down time and won't have to worry about cooking, cleaning, book keeping, etc. She definitely needs a break! Hopefully I will be able to post while we are out at sea!

Oh Fay, Please Go Away

Well, the wind and rain just picked back up again. There are lots of trees and branches down around our house. We moved all our cars to a big parking lot because in previous storms we have had big branches fall on them that caused quite a bit of damage. We haven't lost our power in our house yet but we have lost power in one of our Bruster's stores. It has been off for over 36 hours, so we are going to have a pretty big mess to deal with once we can get down there. Since we've been locked up in our house the last couple of days, Victoria, Karah, and I took a little adventure to our dock this morning in the rain. Here are some pictures and videos we took. Notice all the, "as you can see's."

This is usually a max of about ten feet wide

Our Neighbors dock slowly disappearing

O My Soul Wait, In Silence

Psalm 138:3, 8-“On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.”

Over the last couple of weeks these verses really reflect what has been going on in my life.

“On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” About a week and a half ago I was really feeling this stirring up in my heart and a fire burning in my soul. The Lord has been working mightily in my life! He has increased my “strength of soul.” God has recently given me this extra passion to be spending time in the word, praying, writing songs, and a heart for missions. This is something that I have been praying for, for YEARS now, that the Lord would increase my passion for Him in a mighty way. I’m not too sure what He is doing in my life but, I do sense He is preparing me for some thing.

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” This has definitely turned into a “waiting” season for me. I need to stay strong and be diligent in all these things that the Lord has recently placed in my life. This is not something that I want to have just now; it is something that I want to have all the days of my life. I need to remember the Lords steadfast love for me and “not forsake the work of His hands.”

With all that said, please be praying for me in the area of trusting and waiting on the Lord! To Him is all the glory!

Here is one of the songs that I have recently been working on. It really reflects everything that is going on in my life right now.

In The Shadow

Verse 1
At the cross You took our sin
Redeemed us from Your wrath
Now clothed in grace
We are, Your children

Verse 2
Oh steadfast love, You hear our cries
Turn mourning into joy
Unite our hearts to fear Your name
Every weight aside

Chorus
In the shadow of Your wings
We will wait for You
In You Oh Lord, We place our trust
In the shadow of Your Cross
We will worship You
Our hope is built on You, Our God

Verse 3
We will praise Your great ways
Fix our eyes on You
Mercy and love You pour on us
You are our delight

Bridge
You are good
Faithful in every way
We will bless you day after day
You are our joy

Thank you Lord, for the grace that You have ALWAYS been so faithful to pour out upon my life. I’m so undeserving of it! May my life reflect one that glorifies You. May I give thanks to You daily with my WHOLE heart. Father, I pray that my strength be found only in You alone and that my soul may wait in silence.

Here's a small glimpse....

Of my gratitude for you!

Hi Ladies!

Today I was thinking about how school has just started back up (or is starting soon) and most of you are home schooling your kids. I can’t begin to express my gratitude to you for your faithfulness to God and your children, especially during the school year. In growing up in a home school family I know how hard it is for a mom to stay strong and not want to give up. I can’t express the gratefulness I have in my heart for my parents deciding to home school me. My mom has been so patient and such an example through the years. I can only hope to be the same to my future children. This is coming from someone that most definitely DID NOT enjoy doing school. Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is anything wrong with private/public schools. I know there are many women that would love to be home schooling their children that can’t because of needing to serve your family in other ways. Know that the Lord sees your service to your family and you are glorifying Him!

The other night at my women’s accountability group there were many ladies that were feeling overwhelmed with this new school year coming up. There were also many ladies that were needing to hear direction from the Lord in certain circumstances. I was trying to think of a way I could encourage you all. The Lord has layed SEVERAL verses on my heart to share with you. I’m sure you’ve heard most of them before. Hopefully you’ll find them encouraging and uplifting. Each of you are a blessing to me! Know that I am praying for you all!

Lamentation 3:22-25- “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great it Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seek Him.”

James 1:2-4, 12-“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”

Matthew 11; 28-30-“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Psalm 9:9-10-“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

Psalm 25:1-2, 4-5-“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the joy of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.”

Psalm 27:12-“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Psalm 28:7-“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”

Psalm 34:8-“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Psalm 42:11-“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.”

Psalm 59:9, 16-“O my strength, I will watch for You, O God, You are my fortress. My God in His steadfast love will meet me. But I will sing of Your strength; I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning. For You have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”

Psalm 62:5-8-“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is in Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out Your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

My Heart Exults in The Lord

1 Samuel 2:1-2-"My heart EXALTS the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I REJOICE in Your salvation. There is NONE holy like the Lord; there is none besides YOU; there is NO rock like our God."

Amen! I absolutely LOVE this prayer! What a great example Hannah is in these verses as she offered up her son to the Lord. Oh how I desire for my life to reflect upon this prayer! I pray that my heart may exalt in the Lord every second of my days. May my strength be found in the Lord every time I am weak and weary. May I rejoice daily of my Salvation and thank my savior for choosing me, a wretched sinner that is SO undeserving of His grace and love towards me. May I remember daily that there is no other rock like our God! Oh Father, I am humbled and in awe of Your GREAT love for me!

Psalm 5:11- But let all who take refuge in You REJOICE; let them ever sing for joy, and spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may EXULT in You."

Don't Waste Your Humor

Last night I listened to one of C.J. Mahaney’s messages titled, “Don’t Waste Your Humor.” It benefited me greatly! You can listen to it here.

The Main Passage of Scripture was, Proverbs 15:13-15:

“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

Here are some notes I jotted down:

-The gift of laughter God has kindly given to us.
-When ones heart is cheerful, life becomes a feast. It is a continual celebration regardless of adverse circumstances.
-Laughter is a celebration of the goodness of God.
-If you look beneath the cheerful heart, you will find a discerning heart, a heart of humility.
-Humor protects our hearts from being weighed down with sorrow.

Point one-Humor generates joy:

Nehemiah 8:10-“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

-Humor is a means of transferring joy from a sorrowful heart into a glad heart.

Point Two- Humor cultivates humility:

-Laughter is a divine gift to the person that is humble. It helps us realize that we are not the center of attention.
-How often do we laugh each day?
-When we don’t find humor in someone making fun of us, we have a high view of ourselves. Humor and humility are an invaluable help during those moments.
-God uses friends to reveal pride in our lives through humor.
-Humiliations hit with little warning! We need to prepare our hearts for those moments.

Point three- Humor serves others:

-Humor is not to impress others or exult ourselves.

Ephesians 4:29- Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

-The divine use of humor is to edify others. It is ultimately to extend grace to others.
-If we’re going to draw attention to ones deficiencies we need to notice our own.

Point four- Gospel centered humor and laughter:

Psalm 126:2-3- “Then our mouth was filled with laughter; and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘the Lord has done great things for them.’ he has done great things for us; we are glad”

Taste and See That God is Good!

I love Psalm 34… especially Verses 1-8

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be on my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered all my fears, those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

What a steadfast God we serve! He is always loving, always caring, His mercies never cease, and He is GOOD! This Psalm says to, “Bless him at ALL times.” I know in my life that isn’t always the case! There are definitely moments, days, or even weeks that I haven’t been persistant to “bless the Lord at ALL times.” This Psalm helps me put things in to perspective and realize why God created me, to glorify Him ALL the days of my life.

There is a song on the new Sovereign Grace CD, “Psalms” that was written out of Psalm 34. I love this particular song and pretty much every other song on the CD. It is great!

When I was poor and helpless
The Lord, He heard my cry
He saved this wicked sinner
The King redeemed my life

Oh taste and see that God is good to us
Taste and see His never-failing love
Our God is good

You’re near me when I’m broken
My comfort when I’m crushed
My hope in all afflictions
My God in whom I trust

I’ll make my boast in Jesus
The One who is my life
His glory is my gladness
In Him I’m satisfied

Graduation and Fun

Like I said in my last post, things have been pretty busy around my house. For one week my family stayed in St. Augustine with my moms side of the family and the week after that my dads sister and a very close family friend came and stayed at our house. The reason they all came was for Amber's graduation. It was a blast having them all in town! We had a great time and made many memories! They even helped us roll flyers!!!

Here are some pictures of Amber's graduation....

busy, busy, busy

My family has been going none stop for the last couple of weeks with work and family being in town for Amber's college graduation. I will have more pictures and posts coming soon! I hope and pray you are experiencing God's abundant grace today!