What Love is Not - Getting to the Root

     Christians and non-believers alike are all keenly familiar with 1 Corinthians 13. The LOVE chapter. Usually gracing the middle of wedding ceremonies, the list scrolls: "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres". There are so many lessons in this text! What is this envy which challenges Love? What is this boasting which damages love? What does a protecting love look like? How can we persevere in Love? How do we do it all?!

 

    

     Recently, I have been mulling over the five words "Love is not self seeking". What does it mean to be self seeking? Is it really just selfishness...wanting your own way all the time? As believers (and hopefully mature adults...;)), it is kind of understood that we won't be going "gimme, gimme, gimme" all the time. We should not be hearing of major tantrums when someone takes something we wanted. We shouldn't be irate when someone gets a position we wanted -- whether it is on the Worship team or a position at our job. Where the Spirit of Christ is working, there should be an offering of preference extended to others. We SHOULD be going out of our way to show graciousness, mercy and generosity. 

-

     BUT. What I HAVE been thinking on are the sneaky little self-seeking thoughts that so often tiptoe their way into our minds. The thoughts that unconsciously can take root and grow into a stubborn weed. When someone says something with a "tone". When someone wears something we deem 'inappropriate' to church. When we see someone who seems to be better friends than we are with people. When we compare ourselves, our relationship with Christ, our physical appearance, our ANYTHING with others. When we get our feelings hurt. When someone makes a mistake which we think "foolish". When we see others with SO many more gifting than we see within ourselves. Note that I said WHEN....not IF. We are going to encounter each of these things. Someone WILL offend us (just go get on Facebook..aheh...). Someone WILL have a 'tone'--whether intentional or because of life stress spilling over into our conversation. Someone WILL be more "gifted" than us. We WILL get our feelings hurt. (We're human! and we aren't in Heaven yet!) ;)

     I, personally, am realizing more and more how sensitive *I* am. I am a conflict avoider, which makes me even MORE aware when there are undertones in voices or in situations  (I'm talking beyond "natural introverted quietness"). When this happens, I fold. I curl up in a ball inside and try to hide. I shut down because I feel helpless to fix things or I assume major guilt for problems I am not a part of. I don't want to get my heart hurt and so I put up a protection of silence. I have found that sometimes I withhold my opinion or my thoughts because someone might be hurt by the Truth...or they might reject ME. Jesus, in His INCREDIBLE kindness, has deemed it quite time to weed this out of my heart. PRAISE THE LORD! I never realized what it fully looks like until we recently had a series of several conflicts. I felt like my eyes were opened up to the way that I respond--which may seem harmless to the outside, but it is actually quite painful to those around me. I was putting myself first by intentionally shutting others out. "I won't let you hurt me" was the foundation I laid, brick by brick. Word by poorly timed word. I was seeking myself first.

-

     As the Lord has been healing my heart of some past wounds, I feel like He is re-teaching me the foundations of Love. Jesus Himself is LOVE---complete surrender to the Fathers will, ultimate giving of His entire life, and choosing to continue caring for us even while we were (and ARE) so unable to repay our debt. His love...His LIFE never was self-seeking. He never shut down when others hurt Him. He knew the Father. He knew where He stood in the Father's affections. He knew His Father's heart. He knew the Scripture. He poured out. He prayed. He walked in the Spirit. He healed, He encouraged, He challenged, and He never STOPPED. 

   So....I've been working on two new lists. I'm calling them "Lists of the Heart". Lists that we, especially as proclaiming Christians, need to fully grasp. If we want the World to actually SEE Jesus, WE have to get out of the way. We have to stop tearing one another down. WE have to make a decision--we have to stand against this. Self-centeredness has no place in the body of Christ. 

"Love is Not"

-Love is not defensive. 

-Love is not suspicious. 

-Love does not assume. 

-Love does not intentionally withhold affection. 

-Love does not withhold Truth. 

-Love does not accept a "defeated mindset" because it is not focused on winning. 

-Love is not self-centered. 

-Love does not build walls. 

-Love does not shut out or down.

-Love does not show partiality. 

-Love does not doubt. 

-Love does not rejoice in other's failures...or missed opportunities. 

-Love does not challenge harshly. 

-Love does not mock. 

-Love does not "lord" over another person. 

-Love is not vindictive (revengeful). 

-Love does not lash out in anger.

-Love doesn't harm. 

-Love does not gossip (speaking ill of another's character, even if "it's true")

"Love IS"

-Love is a defender -- a defender against the lies of the Enemy.

-Love seeks to address conflict without tearing another down.

-Love encourages -- when someone is struggling, Love comes alongside and says "lean on me".

-Love THINKS WELL of others -- even if evidence may suggest otherwise, Love CHOOSES to believe well

-Love GIVES affection without counting the cost. 

-Love generously shares the Truth, in kindness.

-Love shares the burden. 

-Love is Christ-conscious, eyes fixed upward instead of on self. 

-Love tears down walls and opens the door to all who would come in. 

-Love chooses to accept, unbiased. 

-Love rejoices in other's success!

-Love builds up others -- in courage, peace, hope and FAITH. 

-Love serves. 

-Love CHOOSES to forgive...not because they FEEL like it.

-Love pours out. 

-Love does not keep tally on favors. 

-Love speaks well of others. 

     What I want, what I REALLY want, is to fully grasp this. I want all of us to grasp this. What would it look like if we weren't satisfied with addressing only the outward signs of selfishness? What if we actually humbled ourselves enough to stare that weed in the face, and then have the Lord begin to remove it? I want to live out Corinthians. I want to shine the love of Christ--by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the thing is, we CAN'T do any of the above without the help of the Spirit. There is no physical way we can choose selflessness when selfishness comes naturally! But the most amazing thing is that "the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). God has shown us incredible, selfless Love. In turn, He has given us the Holy Spirit, not only that we might walk in righteousness and LOVE, but so that we might also show HIS love to others. We love because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). It is not just a check list. "oops. I need to work on my patience today". The fruit of the Spirit--or the "evidence" of the Spirit at work--is something that comes as we grow in Christ...as we put to death selfishness and self-centeredness. The Spirit at work within us is shown as we are earnestly pursuing Christ, listening to His voice, reading His Word, and seeking to love others as Christ does. We can't conjure up (and maintain) a life like Corinthians on our own strength. But that's the beauty of Christ. He knows that. :) It is the reason Christ died for us--because we can't save ourselves and we can't make ourselves perfect. But we can believe Him at His word, putting our trust, our hope, our life, and our salvation in the hands of Christ. 

So, friends, pursue Christ. Walk by the Spirit. Choose love--real, selfless love. Even when it's uncomfortable. Even when it seems like that person is unable to love you. And on the days where you stumble, look to Christ. Because "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" ( Phil. 1:6). By the power of His Spirit and for His glory!

In Christ, 

Fall into Christmas

I love this time of year. That crisp morning air, newly settled frosts--that hint of Christmas just around the corner. Perfect mornings for coffee. ;)

What a crazy two months it has been. Birthdays, the Election, baking for a Vow renewal, and just everyday LIFE. My dad is on his last stretch of his "busy season". He works with Humana insurance, and October-December is the busiest time of the year for him, as people are "aging" into different plans. He makes a majority of his yearly income in two and a half months...needless to say, it can get a bit stressful for him. ;) So this busy season often becomes a "press in" season for our family. Pressing forward even when things can get hectic, and pressing on in our pursuit of Christ.

Some highlights from the last two months:

Some dear friends of our decided to renew their vows, recommitting to honor and serve one another. 

It was a GORGEOUS, simple ceremony...and I'm pretty sure every single person cried. ;)

I have a running joke with the "Groom" that it's not an event until my cheesecake makes an appearance. Thus, I got to make Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Brides Choice) and the "Grooms Choice" was "Anything that Anna makes" (aka Cheesecakes)

A VERY sweet evening, one highlight being that I got to spend a little time with my Cousin Taylor. Even though we live in the same state, we often don't get to cross paths because of crazy schedules.

I (along with my little sister and a few friends) got to try our first "race". 

 I LOVED it....and you may find me doing it again. ;)

We also chased some sunsets while house-sitting. 

No matter the states I travel to, Virginia will always have my heart.

Thanksgiving was also pretty exciting for our family. We planned to go out of town the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, knowing that Rachel would be "somewhere around the country" and not able to come home. However, Tuesday (while I was at work), I got a call saying "Hey, can you come get me tonight in Staunton?" So, I met Rachel and the Sky Family at 1:00 a.m. in a Walmart parking lot to have Rachel home for Thanksgiving! Needless to say, it was a crazy, sweet, food-filled time. We were also blessed to be able to share one last trip to the cabin with a dear friend who has (now) moved back to Kansas. 

And NOW we are headed into Christmas! Is it just me, or has this year FLOWN?! I'm still sitting here wondering how we got a Tree up so quickly. But on that note, as we head into this Christmas season, I've been praying that the Lord would grant to me a quiet, contemplative spirit. I really want to grasp the incredible gift we have been given--how Someone SO Holy and worthy of continual worship would humble Himself, entrusting Himself to a young "insignificant" couple. We have SO many reasons to be Thankful for our blessings that God has given us every day, but I want to really understand (again) the Glory of the ULTIMATE gift coming to Earth. A gift which we do not deserve. Jesus, the Son of God, born into flesh. A quiet, humble birth. No self-proclamation. No "pomp and circumstance". Just the sweetness of the Holy Spirit and the glorious, perfect ways of a God who cares for us. All so that WE might be free from Sin, from bondage, from addiction--with the ability to walk in fullness of Joy with the expectation of Life with Christ in Eternity. Hallelujah!

Just out of curiosity, what are some ways that you prepare for this Advent & Christmas season? Do you do a Bible study? Do you do Advent readings with your family?

Resting in the Joy of Christ, 

All Will Be Well

I am, by no means, an "accomplished" songwriter or musician. All I know is that I love Jesus with all of my heart. More than that, I find myself pleading with Him to make my heart BIGGER so there will be even more love for Him. "Let me love You more!" is my plea. Out of that love flows songs of the heart. Jesus deserves to be worshiped continuously. Without ceasing. Without flaw.

I arrived home on Wednesday evening after a very sweet visit with my Sister Rachel and the Sky/Greenier family in Connecticut. The main goal was to honor two of my dearest friends (through Baby Showers) as they both welcome babies into the world this Spring. Throughout this week, through the craziness of planning/cleaning/baking/laughing/etc which come with any sort of party planning, I kept thinking about Eternity. But as the world is bouncing around like a chaotic Ping-pong ball--all I could think about was the incredible relief that will be found for those who truly love the Lord. When we cross over the threshold of Eternity, Cancer disappears. Leukemia, SIDS, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimers, Chronic Fatigue, Food Allergies--all of these things will vanish. Parent's that have miscarried will have their arms filled with the beautiful children they were parted from. There will never be any more need for tears of sorrow, or tears of goodbye. Anxiety, doubt, insecurity, hopelessness, depression--none of these things will be found in the Kingdom of God. 

Nothing but Joy. Unabashed JOY. Purity--no more "dirty jokes" or hurtful words. Patience--with everyone actually putting others above themselves. Can you imagine a world where everyone truly cares about your needs above their own? But not just YOURS. Everyone else's needs. True Kindness. Gentleness--the kind where you see a fierce Lion dozing quietly beside a peaceful little lamb. 

When I woke up this morning, I felt like there was a cloud of gloominess hanging over my head. I felt a bit "down" with parting from my sister, all the events in the news (forest fires nearby, etc), and just the normal every day struggles. But, when I sat down and truly cried out to the Lord--He heard me. I told Him all the weights on my heart, and He quietly listened. 

And He told me that "All will be well."

ALL. Everything will be well. Even if there are struggles today, He is in the process of working all things to an end. And there will be an end. But it is a BEAUTIFUL, victorious, glorious end. Then, to top it off, Jesus wrote me a song. So my prayer today is that you would be encouraged, strengthened in your heart, soul and mind, and filled with the Joyous anticipation of the Day when Jesus splits the sky--and makes all things well. 

All Will Be Well - by Anna Dumaresq

When I cross over Jordan, 

Through the gates of Heaven, 

What a glorious delight will fill my eyes. 

All pain and heartache, 

and every need for goodbye, 

will vanish as dew in morning sunlight.

Chorus:

And all will be well, 

All will be well!

As the burdens of this world

drift from sight

And the Glory of the King, 

Will be the Light of Heaven

With Jesus, finally by our side

--all will be well. 

When I see the children laughing

And those who've said goodbye, 

what a radiant Joy will flood my soul, 

For there in their midst

is Jesus--surrounded

As He gathers all His children close beside.

And as I finally stand before Him, 

What undeserved Mercy, 

As His tender hand of pardon

Stretches out!

And all of forever

what songs shall be lifted!

To the One who has come 

to set all things finally right.

Ch 2:

And made all things well!

All is now well!

As the burdens of this fallen world

are now vanish from our lives. 

And the Glory of the King, 

Will be the Light of Heaven!

With Jesus, Himself, has shown to be

the Way, the Truth, the Light

--And made all things well. 

In Him who is making all things right,

An Image Bearer

I love flying. I love the hustling, the walking, the anticipation as you wait on the runway. I love strolling up and down the halls during a layover (I know, I know. I'm crazy!). Mostly, I really love people watching.

I made a trip to New England recently, bringing me to a layover in the Charlotte, NC airport. [Side note: Can I just say how much I love that airport? Full of sunlight, faux trees, and wooden white rocking chairs. As far as airports go, a layover wandering those halls was pretty pleasant!]

As I boarded the first leg (in Boston) of the trip, I noticed the...uh...abundance of grumpy people. If you want to find a grumpy person--check the airport. However, before I got too sidetracked by staying out of their paths, the Lord reminded me of my mission as a Christian: we are little Image Bearers of Christ. We are to be little Jesus'--wherever we go, whatever we do. Whether we are handing out tracts on the streets of the Broncs, or walking through through Airport security. This being said, as I was waiting to hand my ticket to the security guard, I found myself smiling. Really big. I don't know why--but all of a sudden I got a super goofy grin on my face. I couldn't stop.

I walked through security, beaming at the grumpy glares shot my way. Eyes got big as I met the gaze of disgruntled passengers. I grinned as I walked down the terminal. I started humming softly as I waited for the call to board. Honestly, I just kept thinking about how much Christ actually loves me. How much He dearly loves all these people that were streaming past me. He sacrificed His own life for every single person--even those that reject Him. He gave Himself for the teens with dark eyes. The tired moms cleaning up spilled goldfish. Hunched over elderly gentlemen. Business men with spotless shoes. I kept thinking, and I kept smiling more (I may have even started whistling)! Then, as I walked through these sunshine-filled halls of Charlotte, I had another thought. What if my smile is the only smile someone sees today? What if I'm the only person that really looks them in the eyes? What if I am the only Christian they come into contact with today--or this week? What would I want someone to know about Christians, simply by seeing ME?

As I have walked with the Lord, I really REALLY believe that Christians (should) look different. Not weird different (although, now, we are starting to be considered REALLY weird), but we are "the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing" (2 Cor 2:15). We are to be different. We are to look different from the people surrounding us. For those who have found the kind of Hope which only Christ brings, there comes with it a peace, JOY inexpressible, and a quiet trust. We are to be LIGHT amidst darkness. We are to radiate the Love of Christ. 

I want to be different. I want to be so full of Love that people can tell I genuinely care about them. I want compassion to be in my eyes, words of kindness on my lips, arms prepared to serve, and a humility settled within my heart--a heart which knows who really IS to be praised. His name is Jesus. 

What about you? For those of you who follow Christ, what would your friends (those who call themselves Christians and those who don't follow Christ) say about you? That you are quick to argue or that you are a keeper of Peace? Is your mouth the first to "dish out juicy gossip", or do you intentionally go out of your way to encourage others ? What does your facebook say about you? What do your texts hold? What would that slow cashier at the grocery store say about your patience? Do you continually complain (even on social media) or are you looking for ways to help? What do your eyes say about the condition of your heart (Matthew 6:22)?

Most importantly, what would the world say about Christians by looking at you?

Friend, may our hearts be pure, TRUE reflections of the Image of Christ. May we be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry", full of "[peace], gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 1:19, 3:17). May we be truly different from the rest of this world.

In Him, 

#thebrockedees

The past few weeks have been a blur. On June 28th, one of my dearest friends (Miriam Petrofksy) was married to her fiance Daniel Brocke! *yahoo!*

It was one of the sweetest weddings I have ever attended...and I've been to my share, mind you. ;) I arrived about 3 days before the wedding because I was part of the cake making crew. The week went by in a delightful blur--full of rejoicing, laughter, stressful moments, prayer, and the sweet presence of Jesus. I cannot express how full my heart was to be able to be back on PEI (Prince Edward Island, Canada) soil and to witness the opening of a new chapter in Miriam and Dan's lives. 

The morning of the wedding was beautiful. Sunshine streamed through the windows during our Family devotion time. Around 10:30, we gals made our way to the 2nd floor of the Inn (The Sky family has an Inn connected with their house. The girls made the 2nd floor their "prep" area) to begin all of our makeup/hair/etc. 

We were a bit late to start (the bride had a hard time getting her hair to stay curled! Yikes!), but however, when the piano music started, the door opened and it...made you want to cry.

All I could think about was how mighty and beautiful the heart of the Father is towards us--His own children. Years ago, I never knew Miriam existed. By complete "accident" we met the Petrofskys, and over the years, we because true friends. Miriam was one of the first girls I have had intense hours of prayer with (Newfoundland, Canada), one of the first people I learned to love to hug, one of the first people I learned to trust with my heart. Miriam and I have had hours of talking under starry skies, in a moonlit field of daisies, over the phone in our different time zones. Over the last 2 years, we have seen each other infrequently and cannot talk very often--yet we have never had that *awkward* toll distance often places on relationships. She is one of my dearest friends and I feel so honored to have a Miriam-sized piece in the puzzle of my heart. Above all, all I could think was "Blessed be the name of the Lord!" because He has written a glorious story for Miriam and Daniel--because He loves them. Jesus calls each of them "friend". Jesus has brought them together, all for His glory. Praise the name of the Lord.

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Brocke!

The Bride & Bridesmaids

 The cake Tai Sophia & I made!

Father Daughter Dance

Overall, my heart is full. I cannot fully share how beautiful it is to see two people (both sold out for Jesus) step into a new journey--their gaze fixed completely on Jesus. I am beyond excited to see what the Lord has in store for the Brockes!

Praise the name of the Lord for He IS Faithful, He IS True, and He has GOOD plans for those that Love Him! <3

Love,

Overcoming Jealousy

(Image source:Google)

"Wow. I wish I was as cute as she is....", "Why do they have so much money? And why do they go out and buy 13 new shirts? I wouldn't do that if I had half as much money as they do", "Why do they have so many friends and I'm stuck at home?", "Why do they get to go there?", "Why did I get all the horrible genes in my family? My friends can eat whatever they want and still look fabulous?", "Why didn't you bless me as much as you did them, God? You are always doing things for them", ....."Why doesn't God love me as much as He loves them?"

Over and over, the questions bombard us. Despite the gender. Despite the age. There will always be someone, somewhere with something that we desire. Attractiveness. More money to do "fun" things. Freedom. Companionship. Less responsibility. Even the way in which God seems to love them more. I mean, He must love them more because their life is great. Right....?

Jealousy is one of the hardest, sneakiest, and most destructive things to a human soul. It creeps into our minds at unsuspecting times, comfortably making itself at home.

I have found that it does 4 things:

1) Jealousy causes me to realize what others have
2) Jealousy causes me to realize what I don't have
3) Jealousy causes me to question the why I can't have what they have
4) Jealousy causes me to question God's character
(because obviously He loves that person more than me...right?)

I have struggled with jealousy in my own heart. Through these past few years, as life looks a little different than I had imagined for myself, I have repeatedly come face to face with my flesh rearing its ugly head. Mind you, it is ugly. The truth is, I don't like to be left out of things. I don't like to be "left behind" as others move through exciting new stages of life. I don't like staying at home while my friends get to go off on adventures. I get lonely. I don't have a swarm of friends waiting for me to have a day off so we can go do fun things. *begin mournful background music* ....that sounds pretty pitiful, huh? :)

A few years ago, my sister and I had a mutual friend with whom we were very close. We both loved this girl to bits, cherishing each moment we had with her. However, because we are competitive (unconsciously), jealousy crept into the picture. If this friend had a deep talk with one of us, immediately the other would feel left out. That sister would want to have a chance to talk with this friend, too. On and on and on and on. We were jealous of the affection we saw being bestowed on each other.

One day, as I was thinking about the situation, I realized how wrong my attitude was becoming. How ungodly is it to covet a blessing being bestowed on another person? Jesus showed me how I was damaging my relationship with my sister, and also on this friend. It was causing a strain in our three-some, putting pressure on our friend to continually "balance" her time. As I repented, I asked the Holy Spirit to purge out the spirit of Jealousy and to show me how to actually run from Jealousy. I am so glad to report that correcting my own heart attitude has helped so much. For the last few years, the three of us have been able to have a sweet fellowship and my jealousy towards my sister (or her time with this friend) is no where to be found. So, Anna, if I struggle with jealousy, how do I combat it?

Well, I'm glad you asked! ;)

1) Realize Your Jealousy is Wrong
As uncomfortable as it is, jealousy is jealousy. Calling it by any other name doesn't change the fact that it leads us to doing wrong--whether in our outward treatment of others or even sinning in our own hearts. When we begin to treat others differently, growing more agitated or looking for ways to have people feel sorry for us (which is self-pity). Jealousy provokes us into believing that others owe us something--attention, sympathy, etc. I cannot emphasize enough how destructive this is in relationships. Not only destructive, is simply a wrong attitude to have towards our Brothers and Sisters in Christ! If we are supposed to love those who speak ill of us and talk about us behind our backs, how much more are we supposed to love those who are in our day-to-day lives!

2) Repent
Frequently in our culture, a "solution" to problems we face often leaves out repentance. Repenting simply means to actually feel remorse about what you did (or the thoughts in your heart)...actually being sorry. When we are discontent with what the Lord has given to us and linger on that dissatisfaction, we are actually kind of informing Him that He doesn't actually know what we need--or that He shows favoritism. Neither of which are anything near the truth. "The Father knows what you need before you ask Him" is truth (Matthew 6:8). When we dwell upon what He has given to others, we challenge Him that He is a good Father and often turn to blaming Him for not giving us those "good gifts". It breaks my heart to think of all the times I have grieved the Lord by pointing out to Him "His lack of goodness to me" by seeing fit to give me a small circle of friends (most of which are out of state). The only way we can truly have victory (in any area!) is by repenting.


3) Praise God For What You Do Have
What on earth am I supposed to praise the Lord for when I am watching others live a life with perks? Good question. For starters, do you have ears? Can you hear a worship song? Do you have eyes? Can you see the colors in a sunset? Can you see the wildflowers dancing in the sunshine as you drive by?Do you have the ability to read? Are you able to sing (even off key)? Praise Him that He has given you the ability to breathe! When I'm struggling intensely or overwhelmed, sometimes it's the simplest of prayers that get my mind back where it should be--on Jesus. You can't imagine the power that comes when we turn our thoughts toward Jesus. The devil knows that when we take our eyes off of our Savior--and turned toward ourselves--that is when we stumble and doubt Jesus (think Peter sinking when he tried to walk on water). By taking our eyes off of "all the things I'm missing out on" and redirect them to the Lord, we realize what He has given us. He has allowed us to be in relationship with Him! We have daily chats with the Creator of the Universe. What other religion has actual communion with a God who wants us to know His love, but also to share His love with people who need it? A God of compassion, a Warrior who never fails to come through on His promises, a God of Music and laughter, a God who does not forget the orphans and widows, who promises that the proud will be humbled and the humbled will be exalted. If that doesn't get you started on praising the Lord, email me because I could give you a few more! ;)

4) Pray For That Person/Situation
This is awesome--and can be difficult to put into practice. However, I have learned that it is almost impossible for me to stay jealous or angry at someone when you pray for them. Try it. Not just a mamby-pamby "God bless such-an-such". If you are jealous of a friendship, pray for those people. Ask the Lord to bless their friendship, pray that each of them would be strengthened and encouraged. Thank the Lord that He brought forth a friendship for them...and ask the Lord to be close to you as you feel lonely. Ask Him to open your eyes to anyone who may need a friend. Again, this is one of the best ways to help me redirect my thoughts towards Christ. Pray for those people. If you are struggling with not feeling as pretty as someone else, ask the Lord to draw them to Himself in a close friendship. Pray. Pray. Pray. When you're done, and if you're still feeling icko...pray some more! :)

Don't get me wrong--this is not "Anna's Quick Fix to Jealousy in Just 4 Easy Steps!". I still combat jealousy. The question is, what do we do with it when we find it in our hearts? The further I walk with the Lord, the more He is showing me how to let Him weed out the things in my heart that are causing me to stumble. I am growing to be disgusted whenever I find jealousy in my own heart...and I know that realization is a gift from the Lord. When we are disgusted with something, we want to put that thing far from us. I want to put jealousy far from myself. In fact, I want to hightail it away from jealousy faster than you can shake a stick at me. Whatever that means. **snickers**

Anyways, I hope this will challenge and encourage you! Remember that "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13). He can help you overcome. Keep looking to Him. He has never failed His children. :)

With Love, 

P.S. I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, ask a question, or just someone to pray for you as you are working through your relationship with the Lord--I would love to hear from you. 

"Comparison is the Thief of Joy." ~ Theodore Rosevelt

Just A Glimpse

It's official! Aimee has graduated from Regent University! 

It is so incredible how the Lord carries us quietly, sometimes without us even really realizing it is by His strength that we press forward through every obstacle. When Aimee graduated, it was a testimony of hours invested in learning and also a proclamation of the Lord's faithfulness. He has carried her though so many things--including extreme plan changing and life goals being shifted. Even the week leading to Graduation held the glory of a God who provides for our needs. Each day He carries us in His arms.

After the ceremony, we shot over to Chincoteague, VA (known for their wild ponies) and spent two nights near the Downtown area. Full of Gift shops, Seafood, Ice Cream parlors and coffee shops--it was the perfect place for the Dumaresq family to land.

Step outside our hotel door and walk to your left. This is the view you will find.

I came fully prepared with my beach hat!

Wave Jumpers

Crabby Lady ;)

When at the beach, you HAVE to play Sand Games.

Exploring Secret Paths

Ice Cream Sundaes as Big as Our Faces. No Joke.

AND, we managed to find the horses!!

The best part was that each point in our weekend was an answer to prayer. We (as a family) have not had a truly relaxing weekend ALL together in such a long time. Our mini-getaway was just that--a time to step back and rest quietly as a family. Our dear "Fremily" (friends that feel like family) were able to join us for a night, making our time there even more special. Quiet nights with a salty breeze blowing by your window, Sunbeams bursting through the mist covered waves (which was really a sight to see!), laughter floating through the air as we joked and teased each other, and the beautiful reminder of how much we truly have to be thankful for. Every white-capped wave, every seagull, every wild horse prancing around, every baby waving as they toddle by--they all come from the heart of a God who knows us and longs that we might know Him. I am so thankful for His heart. 

I keep telling the Lord how grateful I am for His faithfulness and His thoughtfulness. Not just for "things", but that all of the visible sights are a mere foreshadowing of the a land awaiting us far beyond the beauty of Chincoteague. We have Him waiting for us on the other side. A time when the rest, joyful fellowship, peace and the companionship of Jesus will be "normal" days of Eternity. Even now my heart is gleefully anticipating hearing Jesus' laugh and running straight into His arms. It is going to be the sweetest day we have ever had. Hallelujah!

Looking Eagerly Towards Eternity,