Faith Zone Challenge Kickoff

I am so excited and so glad you have come back to visit me today and that you are interested in taking the Faith Zone Challenge. Even if you did the challenge last year, dont expect the same results! God speaks to us differently and about different things in each season of our life, so I have no doubts that you will feel His presence and hear His voice as you spend time pondering His will and anxiously listening for His voice and direction over the next five days.

The challenge is not hard and I promise it will not hurt, but it will take some time, and a personal devotion to truly letting God move in your hearts this week.

Ready to get started? Lets go!
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Several years ago, God called me out of my comfort zone and into the unknown zone. God, of course, knew where I was headed, I just had to put my trust in Him and watch His plan unfold. And guess what? His plan was amazing!

As a result of seeing firsthand the miracles that God can do in someones life simply by trusting God and being willing to say yes to His call, I now have a passion for encouraging others to experience that same excitement. I want everyone to experience the joy that can be found from stepping out in obedience, despite sacrifices, fears, shame and doubts.

So..... for the next five days, I want to make you think. I pray that God will speak through me to inspire you to take some time and do things that would normally be out of your comfort zone.

"But why should I?", you may ask. "What's in it for me?"

Let's look at it this way - when you are sitting in your favorite recliner, remote in hand, focused on the TV; all snuggled up and comfy with your pillow and throw blanket, a few magazines on your lap or a good book; a soda in your hand and a popcorn bowl on your knee, and maybe a few kids - is there room for anything else? I doubt it. That recliner is probably getting rather crowded. Comfortable, but very crowded nonetheless.

In the same way, when we get so comfortable with our life the way it is, and with the things that are filling our life, then there is no room for God to introduce anything new. He desperately yearns to give us new things, but there simply is no room for them!

While we think we are safely sitting in our comfort zone, we are actually sinking into a dead zone. A zone where we dont see God working, because we are focused on life itself. A zone where we dont hear God speaking, because our ears are full of earthly noise. A zone where God cannot be felt, because we are too comfortable to make room for Him.

The result: we stay stuck in our recliner, a.k.a LIFE, all alone, uninspired, unchallenged and unfulfilled.

God calls us to be all we can be, and more than we think we can be - through Him. However, our doubts, busyness, insecurities, lack of faith and attempts to fill our hearts with earthly pleasures, often prevent us from fulfilling our true purposes.

This five day challenge is certainly not the answer to all our problems, but my prayer is that it will motivate someone to take that first step of faith towards a stronger relationship with Christ, help them begin to build a habit of listening for God's voice, and maybe even empower someone to jump right into God's will for their life, which they may have been hesitant to do before.

Consider Hebrews 11:6, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

It takes great faith to do amazing things - it takes God sitting in the chair with us. It takes us being willing to make room for Him, maybe even sit in His lap, and ask Him to begin reading us the beautiful story that He has laid out for our lives.

If you believe that He is calling me, and you, to trust Him, leave our comfort zones of our daily lives and enter THE FAITH ZONE, then this challenge is for you.

For everyone who is willing to take a chance, and commit to the challenge, please make a quick comment in the comments section. If you feel led to do so, post your commitment to this challenge on your own blog and challenge your readers to not only hold you accountable, but also get involved themselves! (note: you do not have to have a blog to get involved, you can simply leave a post that you want to participate, or just do it on your own!)

I pray that when the 5 days are up, many of you will leave me a comment about how the challenges worked for you personally and spiritually, or what struggles you encountered, as God changed your heart and mind, and maybe your life, as a result. Oooooh, Im excited!

So... are you ready to take the challenge? ___________________________________________________________
Challenge 1: Spend 30 minutes a day in quiet time with God for the next 5 days.

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Okay, okay - I know what you are thinking - 30 minutes??!! I barely have time to brush my teeth, get dressed or even breathe! Much less spend 30 minutes alone in quiet time every day, for five days straight?! (I realize for some of you, this may be an every day habit, but please extend grace to the rest of us.)

Your next thought may be this - "how is quiet time stepping outside of my comfort zone?"

Most Christians understand how important daily quiet time with God is, however, I dare say that most of us do not do it on a consistent basis - myself included! Life gets noisy, daily tasks take priority, and quiet times seem impossible. That is exactly why it is a challenge !!

If you are willing, turn down the noise today. Carve out thirty minutes some time today, and try to get up earlier than normal for the next 5 days, find a place of solace, and spend time with your heavenly Daddy. Pick a Bible chapter or use a devotional book. Breathe, slowly, deeply, using your diaphragm, focusing only on Gods word. Your body will react to this relaxation, including muscle tension fading and even blood pressure dropping. Your mind will ease too, leaving you free to hear Gods whispers.

Quiet time is more than just a daily appointment with God. It's more like a visit with your closest friend. Just like a friendship cant flourish if you never spend time together, neither can our relationship with Christ. The more time we let pass by before we call a friend to chat, the deeper the separation and the awkwardness becomes. The same thing can be said for our Friend in heaven. The more dedication and time we devote to our faith walk, the closer we will feel to Jesus. The closer you are, the more likely you are to hear Him speak, see Him move, and feel Him near.

So to kick off the challenge, lets get back to basics. The basics of time with Jesus.

Prayer for today:

Dear Lord, please forgive me for not making you a priority in my every day life. Forgive me for getting so busy with life, and so bogged down by earthy noises, that I forget to spend quiet time with you. I earnest ask that you call me into Your Presence, and give me a burning thirst for your Word that can only be quenched during our quiet time. Grant me perseverance over these next five days, despite the hurdles that the enemy tries to throw my way to prevent me from keeping my commitment. Lord, help me make a permanent habit when this challenge is done.

In your name I pray, Jesus, Amen.



PS - if this sounds easy today, dont get too comfortable just yet.....the best (and most challenging) is yet to come! Come back tomorrow for Faith Zone Challenge #2.

Prepare Yourself to Embrace God's Plan

Welcome P31 readers! I am so glad you stopped by today.

Last week, God laid it on my heart to write two posts about embracing whatever God calls us to do, even if it is hard. Even if we do not like His plan. Even if we do not want to follow His call.

These two devotions are so applicable to todays devotion, that I decided to make them the focus today, instead of writing something new.

I want to first encourage you to read them below, and pray about what it is that God is calling you to do today, this week, this year, or with your life in general. Ask God for open spiritual ears to hear His voice clear as a bell this week, and to guide your thoughts to an understanding of what His will is for you. Also, before you say Amen, ask for the strength and peace to embrace His will, even if it seems outside of your capabilities, or way outside of your comfort zone.

Secondly, I want to encourage you to come back to my blog for the next five days and take the Faith Zone Challenge. I ran this challenge one year ago, and God used it so mightily in the lives of people who were serious about hearing Gods voice, seeking His face and His direction, and finding the courage that can only come through Him to step out in faith.

My prayer this week is that it will do the same for many of you, who may be in a place in life where you feel that something is missing; or you feel there has to be more to your faith than what you are living; or you feel that God has been pulling you into obedience, or calling you to a specific ministry or task that will glorify Him, but your fears have prevented you from taking that first step down the journey that He has destined specifically for you.

If you have ever thought any of those thoughts, or are simply looking for a closer relationship with the Savior that has promised you life, then I want to encourage you to get on board with this upcoming challenge.

I can already feel it - God is going to do great things in some hearts this week! I cant wait to see how God is going to move! As you participate in the challenge, it would bless me and the other readers to hear how God has spoken to you each day, so please share!

Be sure to come back and visit for the next five days! From everyone who comments each day, I will have a drawing over the weekend for a free copy of my book, Reinventing Your Rainbow. (A little incentive always helps doesnt it?!)

May God bless you as you draw closer to Him this week.

If It Were Easy, Everybody Would Do It.... part 2

Yesterdays post talked about how important it is that we persevere with things that are hard. Things that hurt. Things that knock us off our feet. I mentioned things like marriage, parenting, illness and life in general. All of these things take huge commitment if we ever hope to be happy and fulfilled. Sometimes the things that take the most work, are the things that bring the most happiness.

On that note, what about ministry?

When I first quit my executive job to serve in ministry, most people thought I was taking the easy road. Most people thought....how could working in ministry even remotely compare to the stress, chaos, rewards and gains of the corporate world? How could serving a God you couldnt see, possibly be as rewarding as serving a high powered man (or woman) in a suit?

Oh how little they knew about ministry! And come to think of it, how little I knew about ministry at the time. How uneducated and unaware I was, of the sacrifices that would be required of me; of the surrender that would be expected of me; of the transparency that would be demanded of me; and of the battle that would be waged against me.

People who say ministry is easy, must have never served in ministry, because ministry is hard work. When I say ministry, I dont just mean public speaking, published writing, or becoming a pastor. I mean being a leader in whatever way God has called you to do - whether it be feeding the poor, helping post-abortive women find forgiveness in Christ, raising children who love the Lord, being a good provider for your family, being the spiritual leader of your home, giving Gods love and grace to your spouse, serving on a committee at church, being a womens ministry leader, helping a neighbor, or witnessing to people in your office.

The definition of ministry is: "something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means." Ministry is simply helping people, in Gods name. Sharing love and grace, in Gods name. Impacting the kingdom of Christ, in Gods name. Being devoted to being the best husband or wife you can be, in Gods name. Being the best mom or dad you can be, in Gods name. Being loving and kind and compassionate, even if is it not your inherent nature, in Gods name.

It means willingly allowing God to change us, so we can help others change.

Ministry means being an instrument for God, an authorized agency to do His work, a means for Him to speak to peoples hearts, through us.

Ministry is a call to unequalled privilege and unequalled blessing. However, it can also be a call to unequalled discouragement and fear, as Satan wages war against those who are a threat. Think about this - why would the devil waste time trying to trip people up who are already living in a pit of despair, far from God? He will use his time wisely, and cause Gods people to stumble -those who are committed enough to persevere in Christ.

Not to scare you at all, but I am a full fledged believer now in spiritual warfare. Maybe that sounds like silly-overly-religious-holy-roller-ghostly-talk to you, but as for me, I believe it.

Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We are not at war with the world, but with the one who desires to bring the world down to his level. When we take that first step to serving God with our whole hearts, the devil takes notice. That is why God's Word instructs us to put on His full armor. We might be able to protect ourselves from an attack by another person, but an attack by the devil can only be fought off through prayer, fasting, trust, and an unshakable devotion to Christ.

Every year prior to She Speaks, I see the war gaining momentum. All aresenals on go, and targets in place. Everyone on our speaker team, myself included, seems to get hit with new problems in the spring and summer months prior to the conference. Not that problems dont occur throughout our life all the time, but you can see the warfare happening when you witness it in full force against a team of people eagerly awaiting to be used as vessels by God. So many issues, for so many people, all around the same time of year, and year after year - that is not a coincidence. It is war.

The same story can be told about the attendees of She Speaks year. Their emails flood in every year with an outpouring of requests for prayer over difficult issues in their life, some that may even prevent them from attending the conference.
Coincidence? Absolutely not. Spiritual warfare? Most definitely.

If ministry were easy, everybody would do it. So lets face it - it is not easy. Serving God is not always an easy street, lined with ever-fragrant flowers, birds chirping, butterflies swarming, and sunshine glowing. It is a not a career choice that we make after a lot of positive research backs up our suspicions of imminent success. It is not a carefree life, free from stress, tears, worries or problems. But is anything in life that way?

Sometimes, ministry can be a hard road. Something that one has to pour their whole heart into, even when their heart is breaking. Something that one has to commit to doing, even if it means being transparent with others, or sharing a past mistake that they are not proud of. Something that may require financial sacrifice, and a willingness to change a habit of spending. Something that may solicit ridicule, but requires perseverance nonetheless. Something that calls us so far out of our comfort zone that we feel as if we are hanging off of a steep cliff, with only one tiny, flimsy branch keeping us from falling to a canyon of fear.

However, despite the hard things, ministry is a call to amazing unequalled privilege. It is a call to unfounded and unequalled blessing. It is a call to develop a relationship with a God so mighty, that He doesnt need us to impact His kingdom, but gives us the opportunity to do so because of His ever lasting love for us.

Ministry is fun, and exciting; rewarding and amazing; miraculous and fulfilling..... but not always easy. If it were, everybody would do it.

Many people trust God, but not enough to step out of their comfort zones.

Many people know Gods Word, but dont have it tucked away in their heart.

Many people love God, but not all love Him enough to do what He calls them to do.

So if God has called you to do something for Him, dont expect it to be easy. If it were easy, it would not be a call, but simply a task. But rest in confidence, believing that when times get tough, you will have a God so strong to hold you up; a God so smart to guide you; a God so all-knowing to teach you; and a God so powerful to control your future.... that you will soon begin to stand on His strength, instead of your own. You will become more aware of when you are being pulled into war, and sense the immediate need to put on the armor that God has prepared for you.

Ephesians 6:13-17 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Many are called, but few are chosen. We are told this truth in Matthew 22:14. This does not mean that God picks over all the people, and chooses who He deems worthy, because no one is worthy. Instead, this verse means that those who are chosen, are the ones who step forward, out of their comfort zone, to fight the good fight. The "chosen ones" are simply the ones that say "yes" to God, even when everything in their entire being screams no.

If it were easy, everybody would do it. What is God calling you to do today?

If It Were Easy, Everybody Would Do It

Last night around 9pm, my little Michael came home from his second football practice of the season. I could tell when he walked (or should I say hobbled) into the door, that he was hurting. He had that look on his face that said, "I really want to flop down in your lap and bawl my little eyes out, but that would not be very manly so I wont do that".

Instead, he gradually made his way to the couch, winced as he slowly sunk into the cushions, and in his little boy voice, began to tell me his every ailment. He had a bad headache. He was congested. His back hurt. He had turned both of his ankles and they hurt. His foot hurt where he had fractured it earlier in the summer and it looked a little swollen again. His thighs were hurting, front and back. His arms were too sore to pull himself up. Then he pleaded for an Advil, some chocolate milk and a cookie.

Even at the tender age of 9 years old, football is hard. Football consists of relentless drills, running, lunges, hitting, pushups, throwing, leg lifts, and falling. Although football is my very favorite sport, I do have to feel sympathy for those that actually hit the field - especially when my sweet little man is one of them.

As my son continued to complain, which got worse as the evening went on, I couldnt help but console him, and try to care and comfort him, waiting on him hand and foot so he didnt have to experience any more soreness than necessary. This, of course, resulted in a scolding from my husband (one of his football coaches I might add), as he instructed me to quit babying him. (but I cant help myself!)

In the midst of my husband/coach reminding me that my son is a football player, not a baby, he said some profound words. "If it were easy, everybody would do it".

I have to admit, that even though my hubby is not known for his overwhelming sense of sympathy, his words rang true in my heart. Although I desperately want to keep my little boy safe from harm, I do admire him for wanting to play such a tough sport, for not taking the easy way out, and for being willing to persevere and continue doing something he loves, even when the going gets tough. Even when it hurts. Even when he gets hit hard... time and time again.

I thought about this statement all day today. For some reason, it just stuck with me, and I found myself pondering how much I need to apply this simple truth to my own life.

Life can hit hard too sometimes. We might get knocked down, even when we didnt see it coming. It might be a little punch, a painful hit, or a glancing blow that brings us to our knees. But the truth is,that it is not about how hard we get hit, but rather its about how hard we can get knocked down and still find the strength through Christ to move forward.

If faith were easy, everybody would be walking around on mountaintops all the time. Instead we have to trust in Gods sovereignty, even when we dont like what is happening in our life. We have to depend on His Word to hold us up during hard times, to encourage us when we are down, and to help us persevere when we want to quit.

If marriage were easy, everybody would be happily married. But statistics prove that divorce is at an all time high, even among Christian marriages. Instead, we have to walk in love, even when we dont want to. We have to forgive, even when it may not be deserved. We have to hold our tongues from responding in anger, even if what we have to say is valid and right. We have to persevere when we want to quit.

If parenting were easy, everybody would have perfect children, with no worries of drugs, sex, abortion and alcohol. No worries of our children walking away from the Lord and making bad decisions that will affect them for a life time. Parenting is hard work, every minute of every day. Some parents grow so weary of trying to be a good parent, and not seeing positive immediate results, that they give up and unassumingly grant the child too much freedom, offering them an open invitation to complete despair. Parents have to persevere, even when we feel like quitting.

If dealing with the illness of a loved one, or our own illness were easy, we wouldnt need to depend on God. We wouldnt need to seek His face and desperately pray for His strength, wisdom, and healing. Coping with illness through extreme faith takes hard work; a commitment to Christ; a dependence on Him; a complete surrender to His will, even when it does not line up with our will. We have to persevere in trusting Gods plan, even when we dont understand the plan.

Life is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But not everybody does it. Some people are alive physically, without being alive spiritually. Some are married, without being engaged or committed to the marriage. Some are parents, without being willing to be the parent God called them to be. Some are sick, without the hope of healing or the gift of eternal life.

God does not only exist in the easy places of life, where everybody makes sense, where everybody agrees with us, where everybody treats us kindly, where everybody follows the rules and makes good choices. A life where everything is good and pleasant, where problems belong to someone else and where heartbreak lives in other peoples hearts. God lives in the hard places too.

Life is hard. Faith is hard. Its not easy to have faith when life is hard. But that is why it is called faith - believing in the unseen, and trusting an invisible God.

Have you gotten hit with life lately? Have you been knocked down to your knees? If you are like most of us, your answer is yes. Small hits, or big hits, they are hits just the same. But how long do you stay down? Do you wallow in self pity and stay stuck in the pit that you fell into, or do you reach somewhere deep inside of you and pull out every ounce of faithful courage within you that can lift you back on your feet? Are you trusting God, or blaming God? Do you quit, or persevere?

Lets commit together today to be the exception. To be the ones that keep going, even when the hits are hard. The rewards of perseverance through Christ will far outweigh the temporary benefits of taking the easy way out. Its not easy, but through our God, we can do it.

Prayer is asking for rain and faith is carrying the umbrella. (Barbara Johnson)

Faith is not an easy virtue; but, in the broad world of a person's total voyage through time to eternity, faith is not only a gracious companion, but an essential guide. (Theodore M. Hesburgh)

It need not discourage us if we are full of doubts. Healthy questions keep faith dynamic. In fact, unless we start with doubts we cannot have a deep-rooted faith. One who believes lightly and unthinkingly has not much of a belief. One who has a faith which is not to be shaken has won it through blood and tears--has worked his or her way from doubt to truth as one who reaches a clearing through a thicket of brambles and thorns. (Helen Keller)

My Top Ten She Speaks Moments

Well today was a reality facing day - ran around this morning getting Kaitlyn to cheerleading practices, then spent a couple hours getting eye exams for the kids, and then an hour at another doctor for Morgan, then on to the pharmacy, the grocery store, and home to cook dinner.

Was it just yesterday that I came home from She Speaks? Surely it was longer ago than that? But even though I have to come back to the ordinary of life, I expect to continue to experience God in extraordinary ways as a result of fully experiencing Him this weekend.

And I have to tell you, that I experienced a revelation this weekend. I had prayed in the last few weeks for God to give me a revelation, and He did. I will be praying about how God wants me to share that message with you, but in the meantime, I want to share a few thoughts with you about She Speaks.

My sweet friend Glynnis put her top ten She Speaks moments on her blog, and it seemed like a great idea! I had been trying to wrap my mind around how to put down all of the blessings that I experienced over the weekend, and that seemed like a great way.... so here they are!

1. Getting to spend two days with all of my Proverbs 31 sisters before the conference began. Funny how you can not see someone for a whole year, but once you get together, it seems like they never left. Precious friends.

2. The realization of Gods intervention in the lives of the 600 women that invested their time and money to come learn about speaking and writing, even when most of them didnt fully know what God was calling them to do.

3. The fact that these 600 women came from 42 states and 5 countries around the world to attend this conference leaves me awestruck.

4. The special treat this year of having my mother and both of my daughters at the conference with me, and getting to share this invaluable experience with them.

5. The renewed passion and enthusiasm for serving in ministry that I walk away with each year.

6. Seeing all the hands raised, tears streaming, hearts moving, and hugs flowing as we sing treasured worship songs to the beautiful voice of Cheri Keaggy.

7. Bumping into two wonderful ladies who had invited me to speak at their event last year in Georgia - wonderful to see them again and get reacquainted. Also saw several ladies from past speaker evaluation groups which was great!

8. Getting to know the hearts of the women in my speaker evaluation group as they nervously shared their testimonies and messages that they had prepared, sometimes for the very first time. What an awesome privilege to seeing the reality of God working so powerfully in their lives.

9. Getting the opportunity to hear powerful and life changing messages throughout the weekend, from Lysa Terkeurst, Wendy Pope, Renee Swope, and Jennifer Rothschild.

10. Getting to meet Jennifer Rothschild, have her sign her book for me, and entrust me with a picture of us together. This is a woman that I so admire and who has been a spiritual influence for me as I have walked down this path of getting to know God. (I will tell you more about her later!)

And even though I said only ten, I have to list one last thing - the most important of them all - the most astounding and breathtaking of them all - the most life changing and heart rewarding of them all - GOD SHOWED UP BIG TIME.

His presence could be felt so strongly throughout the weekend, and especially in our prayer room. So much so, that even people who worked at the hotel seemed at a loss for words, and were moved by the Spirit, even if they didnt understand what they were feeling.

On Saturday, one housekeeping employee asked one of our speakers what was going on in the prayer room, and she told her. This lady said she could feel the Holy Spirit so heavily that day, but she didnt understand what it was all about, until she asked and the love of God was explained to her. Then she said that when the conference comes back next year, she plans to attend as an attendee, not a housekeeper. Wow. And listen to this - she was a hispanic woman, who didnt speak English and without knowing, she asked my wonderful P31 sister Van, who just happens to speak fluent Spanish. Wow. Out of 600 people, she asked Van. Wow.

I hope to post some more God-stories from She Speaks in the next couple weeks, so check back for some serious inspiration!

Ready For An Amazing Weekend

Well, She Speaks officially started today. Wow, I cant even believe the blessings I have already received over the past two days since our team has been here. We have spent time hanging out and in team meetings, meeting our special guests and publishers, recieving some great training, dining together, talking, catching up, and sharing the anticipation of all the breath taking things that God is going to do this weekend. Very motivating and exciting!

I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know I would covet your prayers over the weekend, if I happen to come to your mind.

I have been working hard and praying over the the message that I will be sharing during the conference, which is part of the womens ministry leadership track today, called Staying Filled Up So You Dont Get Burnt Out. I taught this session last year and several times at other conferences, but God led me to really change it up this year, so I hope it goes well!I just hope to successfully share the message that God has laid on my heart for these sweet women who have answered the call to serve in womens ministry.

I also will be meeting with 3 publishers and an agent this afternoon - I can already feel those butterflies making their way forcefully into my tummy. My proposal is for a book about how to tap into the power and presence of God so that we can control the stress in our lives, instead of letting it control us. I have no idea whether they will be receptive to it or not, but I fully trust in Gods plan and timing.

Please also pray for the nearly 600 women that will be attending the conference this year. Each of them comes with personal issues weighing on them, testimonies that need sharing, hearts that need healing, and dreams that need sprouting. They are each and every one nervous and anxious about what to expect, except those who have attended before, so they need prayers for comfort, peace and confidence. And also, please pray for the 200 women who were on the waiting list and unable to attend - I pray that God does amazing things in their life over the coming year, and that next year they will be able to join us and have God confirm 100% what His calling is on their life.

And guess what - I get to enjoy an extra special treat this year - my mom is coming to She Speaks! I still have to pinch myself to believe it. I cannot wait to see how God will move in her heart and life. And if that isnt enough, both Morgan and Kaitlyn (my daughters) are coming too! They will spend the weekend on the Next Generation track, learning about being Godly girls, living for Christ, standing up for what is right, and making new friends with fellow Christian teen girls from across the country. I pray God continues to mold them into the beautiful young women He desires for them to be.

Last, but certainly not least, I left the two most important men in my life, my two Michaels, at home for the weekend. Please pray for their well being until I come home, that they eat something healthy at least once while Im gone, and that they enjoy a great a father/son weekend together!

So..... did I say I was excited? :) Thanks for your prayers!