35 Day photo challange-Day 21

As I sit tring to figure out something in my life I wish I could forget, I  think of only a few things I wish I could forget.  Then I was reminded that had each and every event in my life not occured as it has up to this point in my life, I wouldn't be the person I am today.  I would choose to forget nothing, I am who I am for a reason.  Now I am moving forward and seeking the Lord and what He desires for me to do with who I am and use my talents, gifts and scars to help others.

35 day photo challange-Day20(yesterday)

The place I have always wanted to go is Hawaii....

35 day photo challange-Day 19

Todays challange is image of me when I was little. I don't have to many pics of me when I was little, which may be why I am a picture taking freak with my own family....but here are a few of my favorites.

Me at a birhday party.

This is a image of my 1st cousin Donnie Lee Cantrell with which I share my Birthday with.  We were born on the same day, March 5, one year apart.  I guess he really shares it with me since he was born 1st...

Momma & I on my dad's yellow dirt bike.

My daddy & I.

This is my favorite picture of me, it is stuck to broken glass.  I was crying )0:

Me a little older in my favorite cowgirl boots...they had little finger holes to pull them on with...I am told I would cry when made to take them off.  I wanted to sleep in them.

35 day photo challange-Day 18

Today asks for an image of my biggist insecurity.  For me, that would be myself.  I spent years feeling like I didn't know who I was or what I wanted to do with my life.  I spent alot of time asking myself questions that I had no answer to.  I have discovered that I don't know what's best for me and major decisions are not mine alone.  I have a Lord and savior that baught me for a price and it wasn't cheap.  My body is not my own, it belongs to the Lord(1 Cor. 6-8 is wonderful reading).  I am comming to understand I was not born for me, but for the Lord's purposes.  He has fearfully and wonderfully made me with talents and gifts that are to be used for His glory and purposes.  The world spends alot of time pumping up peoples egos, telling them that they need to be themselves, be independant and different.  Well, that's all true,  to an extent.  We are all raised by imperfect people who in some way influence who we are, what we do, how we act and respond to situations.  We are surrounded by imperfection and are influenced each day by the world and the imperfect people who surround us.  I am reading a wonderful book called "The Common Cure for the Common Life" by Max Lucado.  This book backs up some things the Lord has been showing me in my studies, Max writes, " Use your uniqueness(what you do good-TAG talents & gifts given by God), to make a big deal out of God(why you do it) every day of your life(where you do it).  At the convergence of all 3 you will find the cure for the common life:  your sweet spot.  What you were put here for.  God packed you on purpose for a purpose.  You can not be anything you want to be.  But you can be everything God wants you to be."  We can live with the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.  I am on a mission to live my life to it's fullest for the glory of God, to go after the Lord with all  me heart. I can have and do, what He says I can have and do, anything less would be unacceptable. I take Him for His WORD, my God doesn't lie.   Less of Me and more of you Lord, you are the potter & I am your clay, mold me and make me! 

35 day photo challange-Day 17

Todays challange is something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.  That for me and my family,  would be changing churches.  As hard as it was for our family, I have to say it has made a very huge impact on me, in me and in my family.  When you feel the Lord leading you in a different direction you have no choice but to follow.  Doing what He asks isn't always easy and we struggled with it for a while, but once we followed the Lords lead and visited Free Chapel we knew without a doubt what the Lord was asking was best for us.  Within 2 months, on December 9, 2009, I rededicated my life to the Lord.  That next year we joined in on the fast and during it we had so much to happen for us you wouldn't believe it all if I had time to list it.  But most importantly on the final day of the fast, January 31, 2010, our daughter Aly recieved Christ into her heart....All I know is this one act of obedience has made such a huge impact on myself and my family.  My one piece of advice to anyone in the process of making a major decision would be to pray and ask the Lord what he would have you to do, and no matter how hard it might be for you, just do it.  Prov. 3: 5-6 says trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all you do aknowledge Him and He will direct your paths...God always knows best.

35 day photo challange-Day16

Todays photo challange is someone who inspires you.  My choice of a person that has greatly inspired me is my grandmother, Joann Elizabeth Brown....

I know her life hasn't been perfect or the easiest, as no one's life is. We all have things to forgive and overcome.  I have watched her overcome and be a good example for so many people.  I  believe she'd do anything for anyone.  From a young age I always felt drawn to her caring, loving, understanding & kind spirit.  Until I grew in the Lord I really didn't understand what that STRONG drawing was, now I know that the Lord has been shinning through her for years and using her to show everyone Him and His love, she truely exhibits the fruit of the Spirit.  I couldn't ask for a better grandmother and mentor.  This lady right here is the real deal, she has brought so many to the Lord and shines in His grace, love and peace.  I really couldn't possibly put into words what I think or how I feel about my Granny Brown and how much she means to our family.  I am thankful that the Lord blessed us with her, to God be the glory (O:  I believe she has no idea the impact she has made in many lives.  I love you and you are true inspiration!!

35 day photo challange-Day 15

Todays photo challange is something you want to do before you die...I would love to visit Israel and stand at the places written about in the Bible.  I hope to visit with our church, Free Chapel, on one of our yearly trips when the kids get old enough to go. 

35 day photo challange-Day 14

Todays photo assignment is a photo of someone I could never imagine my life with out...as I thought I couldn't think of anyone, other than my Lord and savoir Jesus Christ.  People are indeed irreplacible, but when someone passes thier true journey has just begun.

35 day photo challange-Day13

I was intro duced to the music of Rebecca St. James as a teen.  I had no idea Christian music could be so cool...

Brandon sings one of my all time favorite songs,  GIVE ME YOUR EYES,  it speaks about seeing things as Christ does...how we tend to look over hurting people.  I can just sing this and feel it all in my spirt.

These are a few of my favorites, not all of them though, that would take a while.  For almost 5 years now all I listen to is 104.7 the fish.  Thier radio station is just so family friendly and every song that plays touches my soul.  It's like having church all the time (O:  For myself and my children I want the Lord to be front and center, our main focus.  I have found that in keeping God first in my life and being a good(not perfect) example for my kids that life is easier to enjoy.  I try to not stay busy, be thankful for the small things and stay focused on what really matters.  God is good, all the time.  I just love it that Christians have stepped out and provided people with soul touching lyrics that have real TRUE meaning!

35 day photo challange-Day12

Something you LOVE...ah this one is even harder than yesterdays by far.  Thier are so many things and people that I love and hold dear in my heart.  First and foremost my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, if it weren't for the Lord and His precious BLOOD I honestly don't know where I would be today.  I would say I love the Lord more than anything or anyone.  My family would be next on my love o meter.  I love the cross, the Bible(God's Word & my truth).  I love nature and watching God's creation in it's cycles, each creation doing what the good Lord created it to do.  I love watching people(any/everyone) smile.  I love giving & the joy it brings to my heart.  I love life and desire live it out to it's fullest.  Doing as the Lord would have me to do, for Him, my family and whom ever he places in our life on this journey.

35 day photo challange-Day 11

 A photo of something you hate, hmm where do I start.

Really good wings rite boys(I don't need to see anyones T & A while I eat)....

So much I could list here.   I will name some and post images of a few...I dislike a dirty mouth, debt, snakes, weed eating banks, disrespect, credit cards, sushi, snot, headaches, toothaches, nastiness, and when someone dresses inappropritately provacative(short shorts/skirts and shirts that are to low cut, these days self respect is a major issue) thier is a place for showing off your body and it's in the bedroom with your husband, some things were spicifically and wonderfully made for your spouse ONLY.

I am...

As  I lay in bed this morning I couldn't help but think about all I am and have been in my life without the Lord.  I am a bit lazy when it comes to working out, I tend to procastinate.  I am a thief, a liar, and often covet.  I have commited adultry and murder.  I know I have broken probably all the 10 commandments repeatedly.  By no means am I bragging or giving my self a pat on the back for doing so.  I am merely aknowledging what I am without the grace of God.  You see I have recently learned that the grace of God isn't just in salvation, the grace of God gives us the ability through Christ to do things we couldn't normally do on our own or in our own strength.  I am talking about overcomming our past and looking to our future in who we are in the Lord and going to Him humbly on a daily basis for all we need.  I know I wrote in my blog, (somewhere in the 21 day fast) about how I felt throughout most of my life... that I never really knew who I was or what I wanted to do in life.  We are all missing something and I really felt that void from a early age, I just didn't understand it or know what it was or who it was for.  As an adult I now see that we all have that void in us.  That void is a feeling of a need in yourself for a special unconditional love which only the Lord can provide.  No person, drug, habbit, or anyting self soothing can fill that void.  You see no matter how hard we try to soothe ourselves and fill that void with somthing else, the more we are being self distructive(alot of times it is pride-it likes to hideout sometimes in us, I found this out the hard way).  The Lord doesn't want us being so independant as to never need Him, he desires for us to seek Him out on our own and follow Him willingly without force.  A God of love isn't going to force His creation to want Him, you see that void was created for Him to fill and what we do with that void is our choice.  That is our free will to choose our own destiny.  I have now found my true self in the Lord.  I am so thankful that through the blood of Jesus, I am free from my past and future attacks from my past.  No matter how many times a day, year, hour or minute I may have to stear it in the face and say to it "get behind me satin". Satin is a liar and the father of lies, he will do whatever it takes to try and take you down and keep you from moving forward for the Lord.  The key is to recognize when he is comming against you with your past, trying to convince you that  the past is who you are and then you let  him know you recognize him and what he's trying to do to you and call him out, let him know you remember he is a thief and a liar...he wants to kill, steal and distroy our future and who we can be in the Lord.  The devil knows what we can be in the Lord and he is afraid of who we can be through the Lord and what we will be able to acomplish with the Lord. Recognizing the lies are easier than you would think, if something from your past arises it is the devil..the acuser of the brethren.  If something doesn't agree with God's word it's a lie and don't fall for it.  Speak God's word to it.  Never fall for anything less than the truth, for it is a lie for sure.   I always feel confident in  knowing I am forgiven and everything I am now is through my Lord and He is working on me on a daily basis because I humbly choose to include Him daily.  I am not perfect and will never be perfected until the day the Lord calls me home, but my faith is in my creator.  I know he is working in my life and making changes in me...sometimes I follow freely and sometimes I may struggle with the freely part and put up a bit of a fight.  I don't claim perfection, I claim that the great I AM(One of God's names-for those who might not know) is leading me and guiding me through this journey of life into the true person that I am in Him.  I just love the Lord and am so thankful that no matter what I or you have done, He is always there with open arms and unconditional love for us all..His will is that no man should perish, he loves us all deeply.  No matter what someone has to say about me from my past or present I know and have to keep in mind that is who I was and I have to keep moving forward with who He is making me in Him.  We judge people on a daily basis and rip them apart with our tongues.  That isn't what we are here for.  We are here to spread and show the Lord's unconditional love.  I am trying so hard to put this into practice myself, some days go good and sometimes I just get plain FLESHY...a term I use when I take over, forgetting lifes not all about me!  When this happens I turn back to the Lord ask for forgiveness, don't beat myself up and move forward in His love and grace.  Whom the Lord sets free is free indeed (O:  Don't look back at your past just keep moving forward with the Lord in all you do.  Grow in Him each day, it is a journey and thier will always be something new ahead.  It may not always be easy, but you have a promise that you won't be alone.  The Lord will be there for you, just let Him.  I always try to remember to forgive those who try to judge me for offense births bitternes and unforgiveness.  For those practicing judgement  know nothing about my personal relationship with God, it is real...I can see and feel the fruit of it...without a doubt He is real and working still in people and lives.  I pray that the Lord will help me remember to stay humble,  be forgiveing , love everyone and not judge.  BE CONFIDENT IN GOD!

35 day photo challange-Days 7-10

Momma & Eli

My most treasured item is a Bible my Granny Cantrell gave me, the person who has gotten me through the most is my momma and the one who makes me laugh and I do the silliest things with is our little Eli (O:

35 day photo challange-Day 6

I would LOVE to trade places with this man for just one day, so that I would know just how his mind works & functions.  I would love to swap jobs for a day & know what he goes through at work too and let him do my many jobs here at home with the kids.  I would probably loose his job for him though, so maybe that wouldn't be such a great idea.  The thought of knowing how his brain functions and differs from mine excites me & would be a tremendous help, LOL.  Men and women are just so different, I'd just love to have a better understanding of these interesting creatures, especially this one (O:  I LOVE YOU!

35 day photo challange-Day 5

February 9, 2001 is my favorite memory.  My very first little gift from God was born.   This birth was the begining of my journey with the Lord.  I knew my life was going to be changed forever.  Even though I was saved as a young girl, when I had my babies I knew that my life would never be the same and it hasn't been.  My children made me realize that the Lord had to be my main focus and that they needed to see me living for Him so that they could follow and know what that relationship should be first hand.  I love my babies and the change they have brought into our lives.  God is so good all the time (O:  Our babies are such true blessings!

35 day photo challange-Day 4

This is a photo of my favorite night, Sept. 3, 1999.  This tatoo is a reminder of the night I met my better half, Michael.  Even though I had marked on my Lords temple this night and was in a place(club) I shouldn't have been in, doing things I shouldn't have been doing... this was a time the Lord used His grace to take something bad and distructive I was doing myself and turned it around for my good.  I love the Lord.  God is sooo good (O: All the time!

35 day photo challange-Day 3

Greys Anatomy, my favorite TV show...

Day 2-pic of you and someone you use 2b close to(Leslie)

I have missed this girl right here(Leslie Hensley) more than anyone in the world.  We use to do so much together and we were there for one another through some rough times in Middle School.  We had so much fun together.  I haven't heard from her since probably 10th grade.  Last time I saw her I lived in Murray Co. and went to High School there.  She had gotten married and was expecting.  I have heard she has been throuh some rough times and I really wish I could have been there for her. As I have had rough times also and would have loved to had her sweet self to talk to. I have tried to contact her through her grandmother and have had no luck or response.   I would love to reconnect with her, she was such a wonderful friend and a true blessing in my life.  Miss and Love Ya Leslie (O:

35 day photo challange Day 1

Frankly I am missing writting something each night before bed, so I have decided to blog the 35 day photo challange.  Today is Day 1 for me -post a picture of yourself and 15 facts (O:

1. I love the Lord with all my heart  2. My family means the world to me  3.  I attend Free Chapel in Gainsville, GA...Pastor Franklin is a great teacher.  It's crowded there, but thier childrens program ROCKS!  4.  I home school my sweet kiddos 5.  My parents are the BOMB and I hope I will be all of what they were and then some  6. I LOVE my husband of 11 years, he is the BEST   7.  My favorite food is strawberry shortcake  8.  my favorite show is Greys Anatomy   9.  I love to rock out to upbeat christian pop music ALL the time  10.  TBN is my favorite TV station  11.  I now own my all time favorite vehicle, that I always wanted...Cadillac Escalade   12.  I enjoy spending time with my Cowboy church family (O:  13.  I love photography  14.  I like coloring, it releaves stress  15.  I always have to have some ranch dressing for my pizza