3's a Charm... Right?!

It has been so long since I have updated our blog .(Actually this will be the 2rd time we have tried this.) I am kind of a rookie at this whole blog thing. I am an expert at following others blogs but when it comes to my own I cant seem to find the words to describe the works God is doing in our lives. This past year since my last post has been a whirl wind of a year. I have about 6 posts that I have saved as drafts through out this last year. I never could post them because they didn't seem adequate enough to express the changes God has worked in our lives. We have had highs and lows and many life changing moments. Over this last year I have been grown and stretched in more ways than I knew I could be stretched. At times it has literally felt like my flesh was being ripped from my bones. I have encountered more "drag you out of your comfort zone" moments than I have ever encountered in my while 23 year existence combined. God has been moving in our house like crazy. Our marriage has been completely restored. My walk with the Father has grown and reached new levels. Levels I didn't know existed or that I would ever reach if they did. I have had many revelations on what Phillip and I's purpose is here on Earth. We have learned to forgive, love unconditionally, serve, submit, we have learned patience and compassion. A lot of my heart change has been from following some incredible blogs written by bible believing, Christ loving believers like myself. I have felt more challenged and have been more convicted by reading some of your stories. It is amazing what God is doing in the hearts and lives of others around this nation. I have been recently challenge to live radically for the Lord. If any of you have not read Radical by David Platt you need to go get it today. It will slap you in the face and knock you out of your shoes. It was truly a life changing book. It has opened my eyes to what being a true follower of Christ is about. My whole life I have known the Lord and loved the Lord but never really understood what really loving is was all about or really living your life like he lived his until recently. Whats sad is I didn't even know that I did know this. I never truly weighed the costs of following him until recently. I don't think I ever knew I was supposed to "weigh" costs. But trust me the costs are so worth giving when you see and know the rewards. I love the Lord more than I have loved him before. I understand him more and when you understand him how can you not be in love with him. 

Not only have I been radically changed. My husband has been radically changed. He is not even close to the same person he was 6 months ago. I don't even know or recognize the old Phillip. The old Phillip is literally dead. Phillip in a new creation in the Lord. He has genuine laid down his life to serve his Father. Since we have been walking spiritually in-sync life has not been filled with as much joy as it now. Our souls our bound to each others. We share a heart beat and our heart breaks together and it torn in the same direction. The power that there is in one God serving couple is amazing and I cannot wait to see and live the journey God is going to take us on. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life building the kingdom of God with my best friend, my husband. 

God has also been doing a work in my children. Even though they are 4 and 2 I believe God works on their hearts. They are so moldable and teachable at this age. We struggled with Parker this last spring. I felt like we were hitting a wall with him. I couldn't control his fits and I couldn't change his heart. But then I realized one day in my quiet time with the Lord. I am not supposed to change his heart and mind. God is. I begged that day for God to work on my son and give me some supernatural ideas to teach him and mold him to please the Lord and to have patience with him. After several days of seeking Gods face and relying on him to guide me through this Parker wild spirit began to chill out. He became tender and sensitive towards his actions. Im not saying he is perfect we still have the normal 4 yr. old meltdowns but I can see Gods hand all over him. I will fight for the souls of my children and family until death. The enemy has no reign or control over them. 

With all that said, we are going to begin blogging about what life is like with us. What we are going through, where we are challenged by, where God is leading us, our kids and all the fun things that life brings our way. Its hard to know exactly where to start this blog over. So I guess we will begin with the kiddos.