I Pray God Never Ceases to Amaze Me! (& You...if that's ur desire too)

Its been a while since I have stopped to blog! I am so thankful! Today, my Babe and I finished foster care training. To be honest, it felt like something I was doing because it was part of the process necessary for me to help someone in need, but that I wasn't going to get anything "really" out of. Boy, was I WRONG! We had the best 2 instructors and the Holy Spirit's presence in the room. I feel I grew as a mother, aunt, and friend to children by attending the class. As a result of these classes, we haven't been at church or at our children's basketball games; its been anything but "normal". Nonetheless, God provided. He has had us in a season of having to ask for help. This felt very uncomfortable for me at because I don't like ask for help...why not? I know it now as "pride". This experience humbled me in ways that I didn't even know I was prideful in. The support that God gave us through people on our children's teams was even more humbling. I mean making sure they got to practice and home, to tournaments and back, as far out as Marietta (45 mins from my house) and Sandy Springs (30 mins from my house) on different days and different times; making sure they had whatever they needed. It brings tears to my eyes realizing that God has shown His love for us in this was causes me to give Him the glory! And to be able to speak life to my child via texting when she felt she didn't do well and she 'get it' and switch up to help her team win! All I know is I'm glad God's my Daddy. (I feel I could write a book right now---really, but I wont) One more thing, before getting to class today I had a conversation about locating my father & his side of my family (I don't know them. All I know is that I have 13 siblings and last counted were 36 nieces & nephews.) The last person to speak in my class was the Region Registry staff...they help adopted children find their biological families and vice versa. I don't expect them to do the search for me as I wasn't adopted and nor am I from GA, but now that we are licensed foster parents, I have resources available to help me go about this in the proper, deliberate way prayerfully resulting in favorable outcome. I pray it is favorable, nonetheless, I don't have ignorance to hide behind anymore.

School is back in session! I'm taking Life Coaching and Classroom Management. I truly felt compelled to do the Life Coaching class, not sure why, but I'm glad that I was obedient. Then I'm learning from both the secular and Christian perspective. It seems I have been flowing in an area that I didn't know there was nor did I have a name for. It feels like a gift is being unwrapped right before my eyes. I'm just going to continue forth and see what the end is going to be. I've even gone ahead and registered for summer classes. Last summer I took the break instead of working through it and paid royally for it.

Lastly, I've been applying for jobs and business opportunities and watching God increase my Real Estate and Hair Clients daily. Amazed with people calling me for interviews for jobs I didn't apply for, but willing to see what the end will be...

How are you living? Are you growing in the Lord? Are you taking time to get to know Him just a fraction of as much as He continues to know you? If not, I encourage you to start now, you don't need your Bible with you to read it...check out www.Bible.com. All I'm saying is we know how to give priority to whatever we want to give priority to. Think of the last time you wanted to buy some shoes, or clothes or something to eat...you know what diligence is...just re-direct it to love Him more. The Israelites would cry out to God when they were in trouble, but once God delivered them it was business as usual (i.e., serving other gods (the things they had made). Thanks for reading...LB

It's Wild....

So, what is amazing is the things that Shontice (11th grade) is learning in Science about electricity, Benjamin is too (even during the same time)! She's able to look at his paper and tell him where his answers are off and he can challenge her on the topic also. Benjamin is in the 5th grade! I see how the school systems are challenged to get our younger children ahead so that they will be more advanced in coming years/decades to be able to compete with our international counterparts on a global educational scale. Look around...have you noticed the pace of things increasing without little to no resistance?

He Knows - IBC Indiana Bible College

What Is It Going to Take for U to Stand??... I Expect U to Thrive

So, talking to one of my plants that have been with me the longest...1993 or 1994 to be exact. I said, "What is it going to take for you to stand?" As I walked away it almost seemed like an epiphany or spiritual experience but I kept moving. While thinking I needed a longer pot to put her in, I went back over to her and used the stakes that was already in her pot to help her to stand. It just required a little repositioning. I took out another dead stalk. As I went to the other plants to water and take off the dead leaves, I handled one of my medium mature plants to tough and one of her strong stalks broke off. I heard in my spirit to put it in the oldest plant's pot. I would not normally do this. I usually would put it directly into water to wait to see roots, but I have never had to do anything like this with this plant. So, I've now made the older plants stalks stand, put new greenery in her pot, even one that had gained some roots in water and then one of her newer stalks broke off, I put her in the water that I had taken the other rooted plant from that's been added to her pot. When I was done, I looked at the oldest plant and said, "Now, I expect you to thrive."

It occurred to me that this is, many times, what happens in churches. They automatically expect their oldest and older parishioners to thrive just because they have been their the longest. While all the while, they are the ones that need the most tender loving care. They need to be refreshed and repositioned with new greenery put in their pots. They then begin to stand stronger and taller than they have ever been. So, my question to you today, what kind of plant are you? What I failed to say...when I began caring for the oldest plant,(i.e., watering and stuff), it seemed the other plants were saying, "We knew if we got her to care for her, we would all get refreshing!" And they were right, they all got watered & trimmed of any dead leaves...I will go by to check the moisture of their dirt to make sure I didn't forget not even one. As you can see, this is really not about "plants" at all, its really about love, it just so happens God gave it to me while caring for my plants.

WOW! God is Awesome! (Amazing Biology)

I am so excited about having completed the past 21 days! In that I rejoice, because I know that God has come through for me in ways that money could not pay for. To this, I glorify God for loving me so much for His "Namesake"!

Then, I'm back in school. I decided to put my fear of science behind me and go ahead and complete Biology 101. EVERYTHING being guided by the Holy Spirit. So, I'm attending this class online so it requires a lot of reading, but what just occurred to me is just how magnificent GOD IS! Though I attained the courage to take the class, I had still be complaining inwardly about having to do the work. Well, after reading the text (in one of the most beautiful books God could have provided - colorful and all) and having a Professor that loves God more than anything else. I just accepted that this is part of the process of denying what I learned to complain about and DECIDE to ENJOY the experience! When I stop and consider what intricate detail God has put into my living and being here, I cannot help but praise Him! Did you know even our smiles, pains, heartbeats are all explainable in terms of electrons moving between molecules? I find that amazing! Even love, faith and even arguments have meaning. You know I had to talk to my Heavenly Father after that reading. Consider for yourself, just how important you are to God and that your living is NOT in vain. Ask God, how you should use your time and energy and believe that He is going to answer you. This year my perspective is being changed and for that I am thankful! Peace, be still!

Life is Good! God is Listening.

So today I was in a blah mood this AM so I prayed. God never ceases to amaze me when I give him even my emotions. I went into Publix (grocery store) to return the sushi that I purchased that didn't taste quite right. When I went back to the sushi bar the chef offered to make me a fresh sampling. While waiting I went down the coffee isle and the coffee grinding rep was present. He offered me 2 bags of coffee for FREE and ground up the beans for me. I felt that though these were 2 simple acts of kindness God had a way of smiling on me which lifted my spirit.

Israel Houghton | Moving Forward & Every Prayer feat. Mary Mary

OMG, THIS IS MY NEW ANTHEM! So many times I've bucked against the things that were placed before me not recognizing them always as GOD-ORDAINED, but GOD in His love, mercy & patience for me. Thank you Daddy! Tonight, I blog with a heart that is open to God. I have finished my "Untangling Relationships" book and previously The 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse and several other works but these 2 have made be feel as though I have been re-born. I am so thankful. I have experienced many wonderful things that may not have seemed wonderful at the time, but on the other side of the experience, I can call it wonderful. I have gotten to behold the glory of God in so many forms and all I can say is, "Thank You, Lord!" Thank you to all of you that have been a partner of mine at any part of this journey. I realize that God allows us to change partners so that we can learn the dance of life that He meant for us to experience. So many time I have preferred to keep things and people as they are, but today I can also thank him for removing those that were too familiar too. Be blessed as you hear the words of this song!