Souvenirs of God

A few weeks ago on a Saturday morning, we were rushing out the door, gathering stuff for the day and on our way we went… without *gasp* leaving time for devotions. We’re the only ones who do that, right??? So, since we all have the Jesus Calling app, I asked Joey to read to us as we drove away, give us some focus – and a quick word 😉 from the Lord.  He read along, filling our ears and hearts with something to ponder for the day when he came upon the word “sovereign”, which he pronounced “souvenir.”  I started to correct him when God spoke quickly and quietly to my heart, “No, listen.  I want you to hear souvenir.”  What?  Souvenir?  But it says sovereign?!? (Darn Type A personality!!!)

“Do not blindly follow your habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you.” – Sarah Young, Jesus Calling

Some days we get stuck in our routines.  Other days we may get so busy.  Or we get lost in our issues/attitudes/problems… and we miss the Souvenirs of God.  That was our challenge that day – look for God’s Souvenirs.

The funny thing is, when you stop… BREATH… and look – you will SEE Souvenirs of God all over the stinkin’ place.

For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. Rom 1: 20

Keep searching,and you will find. Matthew 7:7

I observe Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place… Psalm 8:3

Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10

Look for some Souvenirs of God today.  I’d love to hear what He shows you.

Restore OneWord 2012 Recap and 2013 OneWord

When asked on Facebook what is ONE special thing you remember from 2012, ONE thing didn’t pop into my head.  In fact, I had to make a list of “good things” that happened in 2012 hoping that ONE thing would pop out.   It didn’t.  Yet, I can say with confidence that my OneWord for 2012 has been fulfilled.  Restore.

Many good things did happen in 2012.  None of them really noteworthy in and of themselves.  I took a couple of cool trips (SLC for business and OKC for an awesome retreat).  Our (the family’s) health was good (especially compared to 2011).  Business grew.  Enjoyed a lot of time with family and with the kids’ activities.  Our garden did SO well.  The church survived a couple of bumps…

RESTORE.  That was the word I chose, or came to mind, for 2012.  After such a rough 2011 – the word restore was soothing, healing and full of hope.

So, here are some ways RESTORE came alive in 2012:

Hearts.    Vision.    Provision.    Joy.    Purpose.

In 2012, God restored.  I have only scratched the surface here, but suffice it to say, He is good. He restores.

Looking forward to 2013, I’ve been pondering what this year’s “WORD” may be… and here’s what I got: THRIVE.

It seems only fitting that after God has restored so much for us that we can transition nicely into this word – thrive.

Not gonna lie.  Every step since we’ve stepped, by faith, into this church planting journey (shoot… ministry period) has been a struggle.  Oh, God has definitely blessed – but nothing came easy.  Not that I’m expecting this year to be easy, but I feel like we’re beginning to see the fruits of perseverance and this year will be noted with the word, thrive.    I pray we’ll see this word come to fruition

in our marriage and family

in our church

in our finances

in our serving

in our giving

in our joy.

The LORD is good.

From Psalm 92 – a psalm of God’s Love and Faithfulness comes this verse:

The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon. Psa. 92:12 NLT

Why I Won’t Be Eating At Chick-Fil-A Anytime Soon…

Why I won’t be eating at Chick-Fil-A anytime soon…. ‘CAUSE WE DON’T HAVE ONE IN FINDLAY!!! And we don’t have Starbucks, Zaxby’s (yum!) or, hold on to your seats for this one… TARGET!!! Yes, feel sorry for us! It’s like a 3rd world country here!! (Totally kidding about the 3rd world country thing.) 🙂

But on a more serious note… I don’t know about you, but I don’t know the religious beliefs, political affiliation, sexual orientation, race, age, sex or opinions of any of the above listed categories of CEOs and owners of the majority of the places I give my business to. If I only ate or shopped at places that I agree 100% with in every aspect professionally, spiritually and personally then I would have to be 100% self sufficient. Now, if I hear credible information that people are mistreated (ie. slave labor, discrimination etc) I will consider not shopping or eating there. For example, if Dan Cathy refused to serve same-sex couples, Mexicans or people who wear red shirts I would definitely not go there.

That’s all I have to say about that. Oh, and this week I will be in the land of Starbucks, Zaxby’s, Chick-Fil-A and yes, even Target and hope to visit each of them :).

Workin’ Mama!

“Mom, I’m so glad you’re going to be home with us this summer!”  Wow. I cannot tell you how much that blessed me when one of my children told me that.  Ever since they’ve been born, I’ve been mostly a “stay-at-home-mom” but always have been “slightly workin'” as well.  When the kiddos were little, I worked with a company doing in-home parties etc.  I’ve done some online stuff, and even had a part-time job the past four years.  While that job offered a great deal of flexibility, it still wasn’t the same as working, at-home, for yourself.  I LOVE what I am doing now. I schedule all of my appointments around my hubby, kiddos and the ministry. My company is adamant about keeping “first things first” in your life.  While, for me that may mean that I build my business a little slower than some, I am still making a GREAT income with the little hours that I put in each week.  And I don’t miss ball practices, games, events, family time etc.  On top of that, I’m outta the RAT RACE. I don’t feel run down, because I’m not.  Sure, I have appointments throughout the week, but my schedule is what I make it. And at the Grubbie Home, first things are back to being first.

Have you ever considered working from home?

Would you like to add to your family’s income, or even replace income from a “job”?

Are you hungry for FINANCIAL freedom?

I’d love to share with you how you can work with us!  We are looking to expand. You can work as much or little as you’d like :).  (Not limited to the Findlay area!) Email me if you’d like some more information. (kgrub94[at]gmail[dot]com).

Burn

Well, week one is complete.  I’m thankful that I have running companions in my friend, Kim, and my girlies, Julia & Emma.  The hubs, Kevin, even joined us for Day 3.  I am the slowest of the group and typically lagging behind… but that’s just keeping true to my Cross Country days.  Someone has to come in last :).

Thankfully I had no pain/discomfort after any of our runs, but I will tell you DURING… my calves were BURNing!  During the cool down I couldn’t wait to stretch them. OUCH!  Day 3 wasn’t as bad.  Am I getting stronger?

I created a playlist to listen to while running.  I can’t believe what a difference it makes to run to music, especially praise music.  I have several songs from the Passion White Flag album, Matt Redman, and even Lecrae, “Go hard or go HOME!”.  At one point, the music is blaring:

Oh, I’m running to Your arms

I’m running to Your arms…

During that I just look up at the sky and run to Jesus.  It almost feels like I may just end up running right to Him… the light, it’s getting brighter.  I think I’m DYING!  Well, maybe this race is preparing me for the day I do run into His arms.

But, I’m not dead yet so we’ll tackle week 2 this week.

74 days til the Color Run!

What’s on your running/exercise playlist?

Happy EASTER!

The tomb is empty.  Jesus defeated death.  He is RISEN.  He is ALIVE!!!

I pray this day that each person reading this knows Jesus personally as Lord and Savior, Redeemer, Friend.  I wrote a post a few years ago that may help you if you’re not sure.  Jesus REALLY loves you and all that is represented in this weekend (Jesus’ death, burial and RESURRECTION) was for YOU! Give Him your life today!

Raising Katniss

Hunger Games.   A story of teenagers killing other teenagers.  Well, if that’s the only story line you’ve heard about, I can understand that you’d think it’s a bit grotesque, absurd, and unnecessary in this day and age.  But that’s not it.  (BTW, exit stage left if you haven’t read the books or watched the movie and are going to, because there may be “spoilers” below…)

I don’t want to focus on the whole story, but on one character. Katniss Everdeen. I absolutely loved her (and the actress they got to play her in the movie did a phenomenal job!).  She is such an example of courage and bravery.  She’s an example of character that stood strong amidst adverse situations. But, even more so, she was an example of putting others before herself… even to the point of willing to die for another.

No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13  Hmmmmm, reminds me of Someone I know…

A friend noted this about Katniss, “She showed selfless love and was uncompromising in her convictions in the face of social pressure/survival.”

I want to raise a Katniss.  I want to raise two Katnisses.  I pray my daughters will grow up to have such courage and love for others (out of a love for Christ) that they would put others before themselves and live uncompromised.  Shoot. I want to be a Katniss.

Did you read/see Hunger Games?  What did you take away from it?

Jesus

I don’t want to be cynical, bossy, angry, frustrated, impatient, unkind, critical, doubtful, unfeeling, insincere, hateful, greedy, unthankful, disrespectful or undisciplined.

Bottom line.  I.Need.Jesus.

¹³ Therefore, did what is good cause my death? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin’s power.¹⁵ For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. ²¹ So I discover this principle: When I want to do what is good, evil is with me. ²² For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. ²³ But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body? ²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin. Romans 7:13-25

¹⁶ I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal. 5:16-18

³¹ Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32  Thank You, Jesus.

Help us, Lord.

Spring has SPRUNG!

Spring. My favorite season. It’s a time of rebirth, growth, newness, life. The birds chirp, the trees bud and up here in the north, we come out of hibernation. What? We still have neighbors??

This spring has been like no other that I remember in my lifetime. The last day of winter was 83 degrees and the first day of spring was 85!!! Don’t get me wrong, summer is a close 2nd as far as favorite seasons go, so I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the unseasonably summer-like weather.

Normally in March we are still sloshing around in new or leftover snow. We may get teased with a “warm day” of like 60*. But, for the most part, we’re still hunkered down, avoiding the cold at any cost. Bundled from head to toe in winter attire, wishing we could head south for spring break.

Ahhhhhhh, but this spring we busted out shorts, t-shirts and even flip flops! I had several requests for us to put up our little pool. In fact, one family member in Toledo DID open their in-ground pool… In March. In Ohio. We ate meals on our back deck and played basketball in the driveway until it was too dark. We did NOT turn our air conditioner on, but the next door neighbor did :). We’ve taken walk in the parks and made trips to the local ice-cream establishments. I even cut.the.grass. We didn’t have to travel 1000s of miles south for spring break. Spring Break came to us.

Oh. And did I mention I got a little sunburn on my nose? In March? In Ohio??

How about you? How’s the weather where you are? What’s your favorite season?

Failure is an Option

Inevitable.  Failure happens.  Some of our greatest successes come after failure.  Failure tills the ground preparing for what’s next.  God uses success in our lives.  He also uses failure.

Some areas I’ve experienced failure in my life:

Healthy living

In ministry

Marriage

Job

Financially

As a parent

Attitude

Friendship

… Just to name a few

Sometimes though, things may look bleak and we have a choice to make.  When failure is an option, the enemy of our soul SHOUTS loudly; reminding us of past failures, reminding us of the impossibility of a situation, reminding us of our personal short-comings.  However, there is another Voice.  When failure looms, there’s a Voice that reminds us that He is in control, a Voice that says, “Do not be afraid”.  It’s at that moment that we have a choice.  We can listen to the negativity and lies of the enemy, or we can listen to the Voice of Truth.

After failure, or on the brink of… which voice are you going to listen to?

From the words of Casting Crowns, “I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.”