A Few Prayer Requests

Hey everyone! This is just a really quick post to ask everyone to pray for me right now. I have a lot of stuff on my plate and it's getting rather overwhelming.

First on the list, and really this request is for every college student, pray for finals. I know that mine start tomorrow, and most colleges have already started or will be starting within the next week.

My second request is because on Saturday I took a really bad fall at work and landed smack dab on my rear end. Sunday I went to the doctor and they did x-rays and stuff, nothing is broken, but I'm bruised really badly, my hip is insanely swollen, and I'm hurting like crazy. Orginally the doc just told me to take ibuprofen every 4 hours. Well, that wasn't working so I started rotating asprin and ibuprofen every 2 hours and still that wasn't helping. I called the doc's office today and asked if I could get a prescription from them, which they did give me one. The only problem is that it's making me REALLY dizzy and nauseated, which makes studying almost impossible. So please pray that all those little complications go away and I can once again focus on what needs to be done.

Finally a third request is for what God wants for me this summer. My original plans were to stay down here in Louisville for the summer and work. However, in the past 4 weeks I've been off 2 of them from the ammunition factory because they keep running out of supplies! I haven't worked there in over a week and I have a school bill to pay. I'm praying about finding another job down here, or possibly trying to find a job at home for the summer. A really good friend of mine told me about a restaurant where they are pretty sure they can get me a job waitressing.

So right now I have a lot of things on my plate. They seem so overwhelming, and to be honest I've cried more lately than I have in quite awhile. I know that God will get me through all of this and I've been praying almost constantly. You're prayers will be greatly appreciated.

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things thou knowest not."

~Jeremiah 33:3

A Time to Sleep

"And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison." (Acts 12:6)

Here is an amazing thing. The apostle Peter is in prison, bound with chains, heavily guarded, probably awaiting execution (his close friend James already had been put to death by Herod), and "prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him" (Acts 12:5).

Yet, here he is, fast asleep! He had been imprisoned at least once before for preaching the gospel, and the Lord had miraculously delivered him then (Act 5:17-19), so why should he be fearful now? The Lord was still in control, and there was nothing Peter himself could do about the situation, so he simply went to sleep. There are, of course, many situations where a Christian needs to stay alert and watchful. But there are also times when he has done all he can do, and there is nothing to be accomplished by further worrying, so he must leave it in the Lord’s hands.

In Peter’s case, he was sleeping so soundly that when an angel from God came to deliver him from his "impossible" circumstance, the angel had to smite him on the side (v. 7) to awaken him! In fact, he was still so sleepy that he did not really "come to himself" (v. 11) until the angel left him out
on the street alone.

Then, of course, Peter rushed back to the house of Mark’s mother, where the church was praying for him (v. 12), to tell them of the amazing answer to their prayers. As with Peter, there are times when we must simply "stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus 14:13), "so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6). HMM

From Days of Praise, April 17, 2010

She was Watching

I recently came across this song and I immediately thought of my parents, and Daddy in particular. I had thoughts of waiting to post this until Father's Day, but I couldn't wait THAT long!!

I love you Daddy!

She was Watching

He always called her daddy's little girl

She was four years old

Waiting by the door to run into his arms

Each time that he came home

And every night he tucked her in and read to her in bed

When she'd fall asleep he'd close his eyes and gently bow his head

But she was watching

Her daddy praying

And thought someday I wanna be like that

She was watching what he was saying

And the way he bowed his head

And though she can't recall the prayer

She was watching

Late one evening he was coming home from work

He called to say he'd lost his job

And after dinner they excused their baby girl

She knew they had to talk

But from inside her bedroom

She could hear them down the hall

They were dancing in the kitchen as momma

sang his favorite song.

She was watching

As they were dancing

And thought someday I wanna be like that

She was watching

Her momma singing

As they were dancing hand in hand

And though she can't recall the song

She was watching.

Faith can't be taught

It's just something that is caught along the way

No faith is never taught

It's just something that they catch from

watching you along the way.

He always called her daddy's little girl

But now she's twenty-three

He walks her down the aisle to give away his world

Oh but he can hardly speak

And when he kisses her goodbye he tries to hold it in

But as he turns away she pulls him close and whispers in his ear

I was watching

And I've been waiting

And finally found someone just like you

I was watching

My whole life praying

For God to see it through

And as he kissed her one last time

He said a prayer and closed his eyes

And she was watching.

~Mark Schultz~

New Blog!!!

I wanted to let everyone know that Kyle and I started a blog together!! I hope you will read and enjoy it with us!! ;) Click here to read it!

Each Simple Step

I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying lately. When I say a lot, I mean more than I've ever done in my entire life. As of late life for me has gone quite contrary to my plans, goals, ambitions, and agendas. However, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. God works in mysterious ways, and one of them is taking our plans and desires, and changing those into His plans and desires. He has bigger things for me than what I could even imagine.

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11. Throughout the years I've come back to it time and time again when it seems like my life is changing drastically.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

I often plan things and then get disgusted when those plans don't go the way that I want them to. However, when I stop to think about it, I know that God has a better plan. Maybe I don't see it right away, and maybe I never see it. All that matters is that I follow God. Taking life step by simple step. When I do that it's amazing how much God can and will bless.

His Way is Perfect

When my way seems dark and drear

and the future I don’t know,
My heart feels so empty as the tears unending flow.
When my heart breaks with sorrow and a tempest fills my soul,
This one thing I know for sure: My God is in Control.

His way is perfect, HIs way is perfect.
Though I don’t understand His wise and loving plan,
His way is perfect. His way is perfect.
Take my life and make a vessel purified.
God makes no mistakes; His way is best.

When the toils of life are come and my heart is worn with care,
I faint ‘neath the burden of a cross I cannot bear.
When the joy has departed from my sorrow stricken soul,
This one thing I know for sure: My God is in control.

His way is perfect, His way is perfect.
Though I don’t understand HIs wise and loving plan,
His way is perfect. His way is perfect.
Take my life and make a vessel purified.
God makes no mistakes; His way is best.

~Betsy Kistler

Trip #1 to Doylestown

I was able to go to Doylestown last weekend and spend time with Kyle and the rest of the Shearer clan. I thought I'd post pictures from the trip.

*****On a walk on Friday*****

*****Relaxing after the walk*****

*****Friday night we went on a date with his parents*****

*****Saturday we went to Kyle's grandparents house for Easter dinner/Easter egg hunt/hanging out/having fun*****

*****Easter Sunday*****

*****Me 'n Paige*****

*****Bestest pals, Kyle and Ivy*****

*****Brianna*****

*****Paige at the piano*****

*****Who knows?!*****

****Uh yeah...not the greatest picture, but it IS funny*****

*****NO MORE PICTURES! PLEASE!*****

*****Lil ray of sunshine - Ivy*****

*****Another happy person - Brianna*****

*****Aww...mush*****

*****Superman!*****

*****Kirsten and Hannah*****

*****Kirsten, Brianna, Hannah, and Paige*****
(Michaela was taking the pic, and Ivy was off somewhere)

*****Kirsten****

*****Me*****

*****Chickens*****

*****Paige*****

*****Bubbles*****

*****Ian*****

*****Kyle*****

*****Talking, what a crazy notion it is!!*****