So...It's been a YEAR!

Two of my English students during Taiwan's 10/10 celebration.

It's amazing how quickly the time can fly. Life has been life. It passes way faster than you realize, and then you look at your blog and realize that you haven't posted anything in over a year! Oh my! I don't know if anyone really missed my ramblings but let me apologize for my absence and move on.

So what have we been up to lately? Let me see...

Last time I posted we had just left McCarthy Baptist Church and were praying about God's next step for us. Shortly after that post it was confirmed in our hearts and lives that God was calling us to Taiwan. I know! I was totally shocked too! If you want more of the low down on how that came about please continue reading on our Taiwan Ramblings blog.

The other really big news is WE HAVE A BABY! After one confirmed miscarriage, one possible missed miscarriage, and years of trying to conceive, we landed in Taiwan and conceived a baby within a week. Talk about life changes. We definitely weren't expecting that to happen! Our beautiful little Noelle is now ten weeks old and is thriving. We love her so much and we praise God for the special blessing that is our baby girl. We are honored and humbled to be her parents, and we are striving show her our love and God's love every day.


I know this is a relatively short post compared to all that has been happening but you can find more details on our Taiwan blog. Until next time!

Grace and Peace,

Christiana

God Uses Imperfect People

Life happens. People makes choices--good and bad everyday. Then we judge ourselves and others based on those choices.

I guess I have been thinking about this a lot lately. So when I saw the video "Flaws of Biblical Proportion" on a local churches Facebook page I thought I would share it with you. It's a funny, creative skit about all the "messed up" people that God used to do great things.

I hope you enjoy this video and get a few laughs while you remember that God can use flawed people like me and like you.

Flaws of Biblical Proportions - Finding the Perfect Small Group Leader from rightnow.org on GodTube.

What If Your Best

This morning my husband shared this song with me. It's called "What If Your Best" and it's by a Christian group called FFH. It really spoke to me. I encourage you to watch the video and see what God says to you, and then take the time to read a little about what God said to me.

Chorus:
I want your best but what if your best is brokenness
Would I be broken?
I want your best but what if less than what I ask
And what I'm hoping?
What if your best is here in the waiting, here in the going thru the motions?
I'll still be trusting all I am, and all have, and nothing less to Potter's hands

I honestly can't tell you how many times I have asked these questions lately. It seems like things aren't going my way and maybe God isn't even listening. Who knows? Oh yeah, God does! Sometimes it's all we can do to believe that God is the Master and He doesn't need our help. Thankfully He chooses to use us and He does care about us and does want His best for us. A lot of times it can be confusing and we might find ourselves thinking, "Really, God, this is your best?" We forget that we are living in the midst of the storm. When the storm passes and we can finally see the rainbow maybe then we will have a better point of view.

I know it's hard! I'm there right now. There are things in my life that I would really like to see happen. It scares me that some of the things I dream may not be in God's best plan for me. Only time will tell. Until then I need to trust and to follow and to obey because God will give me His best.

He promises us that in Jeremiah 29:11-13, "'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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"

God wants us to have His best for us for two reasons:
1. When He gives us His best it brings Him glory
2. When He gives us His best it gives us a hope and a future

There are a lot of "what ifs" in life but if we dwell on them we miss the joy of "what is".

Thank God for what He has planned for you--even if you don't know what that is. Know that it IS His best.

Too Much Emotion

I admit it. I’m Emo sometimes. I like things to go my way and if they don’t I get pouty and annoying. I mope around and sigh and generally make everyone else miserable in the process. Sadly, this behavior isn’t only directed toward other people. I also find myself treating God this way.
How many times have I cried, “Not fair!” Then I proceeded to pout and complain about how God doesn’t love me and I can never catch a break. Isn’t that the same selfish behavior I am ashamed to see myself use on other people, and now I am using it on God. Not that it will get me very far.
God is just, loving, and unchanging. He doesn’t respond to pouting and foot stomping. He doesn’t fall for reverse psychology. However, He does listen to what I have to say—no matter what attitude I say it in. He does keep His promises. He does fulfill His will in my life. He even uses my mistakes and bad choices and bad attitudes to shape the person I am going to become. See He’s got it all together even if I don’t!
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19
STOP your pouting!
START trusting God.
LIVE a full life based on God’s promises.