Hello! Anyone still out there? I know I hardly blog anymore and I'm ok with that. I use to stress out if I didn't blog fearing I would lose any readers I had, but it just doesn't bother me anymore. I came to the realization that this time I have with my kids I will never get back and so blogging took a back seat. I don't plan to give it up, but it's also not top priority. I know there are a few families in Crossett that still read our blog and like to keep up with us and I think that is special! Hi Richardson's and Outlaws! :) Those are the two that email and message us about our blog and we love it! We miss y'all! Come visit us!
Anyone else out there still reading? Leave us a message and say hello! We would love to hear from you.
I titled this blog post focused because that is my one word for 2012. FOCUSED. As we are nearing the end of 2011 I'm full of joy, but I'm thinking about several things that I want to see happen in 2012 and the word FOCUSED keeps coming to mind. I'm still trying to decide on a verse for 2012. I know the Lord will give me one and I can't wait to see what it is.
There is something so exciting about a new year. With it comes a fresh new start, a new calender/planner that is a blank canvas, new goals and dreams, the anticipation of what this year will hold. ALl of these things are exciting to me. I've got my new calendar/planner and I'm praying that I fill my days and year with things that matter. Things that bring me closer to God and things that are in line with His will for my life. I want to look back next year at this time and say that I was FOCUSED and did what God called me to do as a wife, mother,daughter, sister, aunt, friend and minister's wife.
My prayer as I close out this year and celebrate Christmas is that I stay FOCUSED and keep my children FOCUSED on the reason for Christmas. Brian preached a great message to the students last night at church. He nailed it....or so I thought....I may be a little biased. :) The main point he drove home is that while Christmas is about a baby in a manger it is also about serving a Lord that came to save, serve and die and now HE is in all His glory seated on the right hand of God waiting to bring his bride home. That is what we celebrate.... a Saviour that is waiting to come for us. What are we doing until that time comes?
There are some very creative people out there.....Enjoy this video! Merry CHristmas from The Brooks Family
Luke 1:31-33 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever: his kingdom will never end.
June 1st, Brian and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. It's crazy to think we have been together over 1/2 my life. I can't think of any one else I'd rather spend my life with.
I took this picture with my iphone.....look how young we look!! And get a load of my BIG hair! Ha!
In the last 15 years we have......
lived in 3 different states (Georgia, Arkansas & Texas)
lived in 6 different cities
lived in 7 different houses
served at 6 different churches
had 3 boys
There are many more things I could add to that list, but I don't want to bore you.
I will tell you I can't imagine life without Brian and I'm thankful he is the one God chose for me. He completes me in every way and loves me with all his heart. He can finish my sentences and always knows what I'm thinking. We can go to any restaurant and he knows exactly what I will order. He surprises me with the best gifts! (my love language is gifts) He pushes me to keep going when I'm ready to give in or I hit the wall at mile 10. He provides for our family so that I can stay home with our boys. He makes sure we never go without and all our needs are met. He knows how to pick the perfect Vera Bradley! :)I almost can't make him mad even if I try. He is calm where as I freak out. He's a planner and I'm spur of the moment. He keeps us balanced because goodness knows I can't.
More important he loves God first and serves him faithfully.
Thank you Brian for being a Godly and loving husband.
While attending Passion 2011, they introduced us to a new ministry "Do Something Now" and it's been on my heart ever since.
I don't know why I've waited this long to blog about it. I believe and have been convicted strongly that we are should be helping the poor and needy not only spiritually, but also physically and financially. If not us then who?
God tells us in His word "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' Mark 10:21 Jesus makes it boldly clear that if you follow him you abandon everything------your needs, your desires, even your family.
I love what David Platt writes in his book Radical. "Let's put ourselves in the shoes of these eager followers of Jesus in the first century. What if I were the potential disciple being told to drop my nets? What if you were the man whom Jesus told to not even say good-bye to his family? What if we were told to hate our families and give up everything we had in order to follow Jesus? This is where we come face to face with the dangerous reality. We do have to give up everything we have to follow Jesus. We do have to love him in a way that makes our closet relationships in this world look like hate. And it is entirely possible that he will tell us to sell everything we have and give it to the poor. But we don't want to believe it. We are afraid of what it might mean for our lives. So we rationalize these passages away. "Jesus wouldn't really tell us not to bury our father or say good-bye to our family. Jesus didn't literally mean to sell all we have and give it to the poor. What Jesus really meant was..." And this is where we need to pause Because we are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle-class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that he receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because after all, he loves is just the way we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity as we live our out Christian spin on the American dream. But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point? We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. Did you catch what Jesus said when he told the rich man to abandon his possessions and give to the poor? Listen again, particularly to the second half of Jesus in the Gospels and begin to thing that he does not want the best for us. But he does. Jesus was not trying to strip this man of all his pleasure. Instead he was offering him the satisfaction of eternal treasure. Jesus was saying, "It will be better, not just for the poor, but for you too, when you abandon the stuff you are holding on to."
That last statement is key! Abandon the stuff I am holding on to. I don't want to be so attached to stuff that spreading the gospel is secondary. Following Jesus means radical implications on our life, but oh the joy and comfort of being in the center of His will.
As Christians it should peirce our heart to see those in need, hurting, suffering, or hear about the unreached people groups all across our world and even here in America. I know for me, it stirs up feelings that I can't explain. When Louie Giglio told us about the Do Something Now center at Passion and then, when I walked through it I was gripped by the reality that there is so much to be done for the Kingdom's sake. So much!! It takes each of us. For me, I have and still am taking a hard look at what it means to live a radical life giving up stuff! There are changes we have made as a family and many more we need to make. It's a daily surrender to self.
There are so many ministries and organizations that need our help not only financially, but physically. So my challenge to you is to join God where he is already at work. It may mean giving money to a ministry like Do Something Now or a ministry your church is passionate about. It may mean giving of your time and going on a mission trip serving others. What ever it is you will be blessed.
If you are looking for a place to give I encourage you to take a look at the DO Something Now website and pray over the needs. For some reason God keeps placing it on my heart and I knew today He wanted me to share.
Here is a video that was played at Passion. Though no longer in the media spotlight, our hearts are still overwhelmed for the people of Haiti as they attempt to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake in 2010. Many issues that plague Haiti's rebirth are complex, yet rubble removal is not. That is if the proper equipment and team are available! We are partnering with Samaritan's Purse to purchase much needed heavy equipment and fund a rubble removal team for a year. Join the movement at www.Haiti-Rising.com
I want to leave you with some food for thought...
Today more than 2,200 people groups around the world DO NOT HAVE SCRIPTURE in a language they can understand NOT EVEN one VERSE.
Millions of people are without the WORD of GOD.
Together, we can do something now to provide scripture for the unreached people groups.
Why? Because we long to be a generation of believer who love GOD by loving those in need in Jesus name.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness for before you. Psalm 89:14
There are some great pictures of the Do Something Now center at Passion on Facebook. Go take a look!
Outside my window... Sun is finally shining after a week of crazy weather.
I am thinking...How excited I am that Brian and I are registering for the St. Jude Marathon. We ran our first 1/2 Marathon at St. Jude in 2008. It will be so fun to return and run the full marathon this time.
I am thankful for...the opportunity to stay home.
I am creating...Graduation announcements for clients
From the kitchen...smelling the black-eye peas I'm cooking
I am going...to run club... Tonight we are doing the ladder run...1K, 2K, 3K, 2K, 1K, ladder with 5 min rest recovery between each. Yikes!
Two months! That's how long it's been since my last blog entry. Can you say my blog is dying a slow painful death? Ha! I'm going to try and do better....really I am. :)
Not only have I neglected my blog, but I haven't had time to read my daily dose of blogs. I use Google Reader and right now in the top left corner it says ALL ITEMS 1000+ for those that don't use google reader those are the amount of blog post that are unread. Yikes! I guess google stops counting after 1000.
It is so weird to me that I have let both of these things go undone. I was addicted to blogs. My google reader was always cleaned out and ALL ITEMS would read a big fat 0. Then something happened. I believe the shifting point for me was India. I haven't been the same since that trip. The way I think is different. The way I view life is different. The way I feel about how my time is spent is different. The way I feel about spending money is different. The way I feel is just different all together. It is a hard process to explain. And as if India wasn't enough in March, God sent me on a weekend prison ministry with Bill Glass. Myself and 13 other ladies from church travelled to Houston and spent the weekend in jail. Yes, India and jail in less than 4 months. God is stretching me. That is the key to all of these feelings and emotions I have been processing for the last 4 months. GOD IS STRETCHING ME AND CALLING ME OUT OF MY COMFORTABLE LIFE. April 1-3, we spent the weekend with our seniors and college students at Passion. It was an amazing weekend! God really spoke to me in several areas and He confirmed with me several things He wants me to do and/or change. I won't share all of them now, but one of the things was big for our family....cancel our cable tv. Good bye Uverse hello antenna and free local channels. :) It's been two weeks and although I hardly watched tv anyway, it's been great! More time for other things....
All this to say God is doing a work in my heart and it's an exciting journey. I challenge those still left reading my blog to dig deep into his word and seek his will.
I still can't tell you for sure what my blogging will look like from here on out. I hope to do better. Is it me or does life just seem busier than ever? I'm not sure I really like that either. I like peaceful days with no agenda, but that doesn't look promising anytime soon. So until then I'll pop in when I can. Thank you to those who are still reading.
I can honestly say that this trip was one of the hardest things I have ever done but absolutely one of the most meaningful. My heart and mind are processing so many things at one time that I am having a hard time putting it all into words. One thing I know for sure.....I am forever changed!
Nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING could have prepared me for what I saw in India.
There are so many images that will remain in my mind..... People half naked bathing with filthy water on the trash-infested streets. Cows roaming the streets. Dogs laying everywhere. Goats wandering around. Children digging through the trash that the cows are eating out of. People sleeping along side the road. Children taking care of children. Babies asleep on the sidewalk. Driving that is completely out of control! People living in absolute filth.
India is poverty in it's rawest form.
It hit me hard! I immediately thought of the times that I’ve told my husband I don’t want to have a certain couple over to our house because it isn’t big enough. I thought of the times that I’ve been “ashamed” to invite friends into our home because it isn’t fancy enough or we don’t have enough chairs or our couch isn’t comfortable enough. The countless times I’ve complained about the paint color on the walls. The numerous times I've complained because we don't have the latest and greatest__________ (fill in the blank) WOW! Selfish! Here I am looking into the eyes of kids who would kill to have a roof over there head. It hit me hard!
I'm still processing and will probably be for awhile everything I saw. I'm still trying to figure out how one reenters back into life after an experience like this. I told my friend and roommate Jeanette, How am I suppose to go home and eat Thanksgiving dinner? I think about all the food we cook every year and the huge amount of leftovers we have and the guilt sets in.
There were 23 of us total. Some were apart of the medical team, children's team, woman's conference and pastors team. I had the privilege of speaking 3 different times at the woman's conference. I took over 2000 pictures and will share some of them with stories over the next few days.
For now I'm still trying to recoup from jet lag and a little sickness that occurred on the plane somewhere over Afghanistan. Lol! Being sick is no fun, but being sick on an airplane is REALLY NOT FUN! I was so careful with everything I ate all week, but something managed to attack my system. :(
I want to thank everyone for the emails, facebook messages, tweets and txts saying that you were praying for me! I felt the prayers and am forever grateful!
My bags are packed, goodbyes have been said and Brian is about to take me to the airport. I can't believe this day is here! I'm leaving for INDIA, people!!! This is so out of my comfort zone, but I know it's what God has called me to do for the next 10 days.
If you will please remember me and the team I'm going with this week in your prayers. :)
Some things to pray for
Our flight, it's the hardest part (so I hear) it's 16 plus hours.
I will be surviving on Peanut Butter and granola all week so you can pray for that too!
My health.
That God would use me and speak through me as I teach at the conference.
PEACE! To say I'm nervous would be an understatement.
My family. Brian is playing the role of Mr. Mom and homeschool dad this week. I know he will do great! He is awesome like that!
The people we will encounter while in India.
PROTECTION and Safety.
I'm praying that God stretches me and shows me new things this week. I know it's going to forever change me and I'm ready.
As I close I'm reminded of a quote from David Platt, author of the book Radical, "Can I believe in the gospel and turn a deaf ear to the unreached and starving in the world?" If I know for sure that I can do something then I must do it, I am compelled to do it.
I am looking forward to seeing this movie. It brought tears to my eyes hearing these students talk. I am sure the movie brings awareness to the many, many problems in our school systems, but I wonder if they present a solution.
I am not against public school. At this time we are confident that homeschool is where our kids need to be. Will we always homechool? I don't know. It's a year by year process that we pray through and seek the Lord for guidance. Back to public school..... I know there are many good and a lot of GREAT teachers. I do think the system is failing in many areas and as a result many kids are being overlooked and have no voice. I hope this movie brings about a change especially for those kids who have no where to turn and otherwise would have no voice.
My trip to India has been clearly spelled out to me in more than one way. I know it's where God wants me to be November 5-15th. I'm not going to lie it was hard for me to realize that God is calling me out of my comfort zone to serve him half way across the world. I have always been pretty hard headed and this time was no different.
When my pastor, Johnny approached me about going to India with his wife my first thoughts were, No! I can't fly half way across the world and leave my family. I'm a home body. Selfish reasons, I know. I told him I would pray about it and instantly God began revealing to me that I am going India. This was hard for me at first.......honestly, I thought there was no way God would send me.... for many reasons.... again, selfish ones.
Here is where I begin to get chill bumps as I tell you the many ways God spoke to me over the last few months about a country I had never really thought about, but now is on the forefront of my heart and mind....The country INDIA.
Honestly, I'm tearing up writing this because there has only been one other time in my life where God had to really show me through many different people and circumstances what I was to do. At that time I had just finished the Experiencing God Bible study by Henry Blackaby and in that study my eyes were opened to the many ways God speaks to us. It made me fully aware of the fact that God does not only speak to us through His word, but also through circumstance, people, and any other avenue He wishes. After that study I have been more aware of listening and looking for ways God could be speaking to me. Blackaby stresses throughout his study that God is at work all around us. If we would simply open our eyes and look with spiritual eyes we could see that God has always been and will always be at work. Our task is to find that location and join Him. God throughout the Bible has asked His creation to "SEEK"... I know when I truly seek out and pursue God I have a peace and assurance of knowing that I am in the center of God's will. However, INDIA! Come on God ... people in Hawaii (most places with a beautiful sandy white beach) need the Lord. I fought God a lot on this, but God never gave up...he continually made it clear to me His will.
Here is my story of how God told meI am going to India. I have a very easy (even with three homeschool boys and one big child - husband) and comfortable life and I try my hardest to put my time with the Lord first and seek his will. Throughout my life things have just come easy. I have my quiet time, pray, go to church and all the other things that go along with living the life God has called me to live. I am not perfect, but I am forgiven. I seek God with all my heart and love serving him with Brian through our church. The problem is I have become to comfortable. God first revealed this to me while reading Radical by David Platt. In this book God made it clear to me that I am to do more and become uncomfortable for Him. Platt writes. "In Matthew 4 Jesus calls his disciples to "Follow me" - in that call is contained radical implications for their lives. Jesus was calling them to abandon their comforts, all that was familiar to them and natural for them. We are called to do the same thing! But we don't want to believe it. We are afraid of what it might mean for our lives. So we rationalize these passages away. (This is just one of the many paragraphs I highlighted in the book. You really must read it!) After reading and rereading Radical I knew God was calling me to do more. I felt like he was telling me it's time to step it up. I didn't know exactly what He was wanting me to do. I began to pray asking God to show me how I was to live a Radical life. Can I just tell you this book changed the way I think in so many ways!! :)
I started reading Radical in June. In July my pastor asked me to go to India. Hmmmm? God is this what you want me to do? Is this my "Radical thing"? I started to pray. I honestly didn't want to go at first. Just being honest here. I began to pray and then a few days past.....I kept telling myself I'm just going to have to say no. I can't leave for 10 days who will homeschool the boys? Brian said, I'll homeschool the boys. I said I can't go because just the thought of flying makes me sick.....literally I get motion sickness......my mom tells me her Dr. gave her a patch to put behind her ear when she flew to Mexico to prevent motion sickness....sounds good to me. I can't go because it's to expensive........when God calls He also provides... you cannot outgive God. I can't go because????? I was out of excuses.This is when God started to speak to me through people, circumstances, the internet, twitter you name it. If I still have anyone left reading this I'd like to share a few of these instances with you. They are just to cool not to tell. God is so BIG and his ways are not ours!
August 13th While shopping in Frisco, Texas at TJMAX a lady strikes up a conversation with me in the check out line. After talking for a few minutes she shares with me she is from India. ( I sort of had and idea due to her clothing) Hmmm? I began to think...God??
August 13th after leaving TJMAX I went to Target the man checking me out is making small talk while ringing my items up. He shares with me he is from India. Weird? Two in one day???? Hmmmm?
August 17th the Groupon for the day was Threading services at Styles of India. Didn't need it, but it was clearly another India sign.
August 18th A pastor I follow on Twitter tweets he is heading to India to lead a conference for pastors.
August 19th I listened to a live web-cast featuring David Platt. David told about his trip to North India and he talked about the unreached people groups of India. hmmmm?? This is getting CRAZY At this time we were still living with my sister so I began telling her about all my India signs.....that leads me to the next one
August 24 Robin sends me a txt saying Another sign: Kelly just blogged...Her mom is spending the night with her because her Dad is in India. Now God is sending signs to my sister because I'm SO hard headed! Ha!
September 1st I was catching up on blogs and remembered I had not gone to Janet @ The Well Rounded Momma's Blog in a while. I clicked over to her blog to catch up and found these post from their trip they had just taken to......... you guessed it INDIA!
By Sept 1st I had all ready decided that it was CLEAR God wanted me to go to India. But God hasn't stopped showing me signs. I opened my Google Reader yesterday and clicked on Money Saving Mom's blog and this is what came up..........
I’m so excited about this! Sonlight (a homeschool curriculum) is offering a completely free five-week Passport to India online adventure, beginning October 5, 2010. This is going to make an incredible addition to our homeschool geography lessons!
Sign up for Passport to India
and you’ll receive a Welcome Kit in the mail as well as five weeks of
videos taking you on a journey into fascinating places in India. Your
host is Chris, a “regular guy” with a burning curiosity about India
that will lead you into remote villages, a typical Indian home,
bustling temple cities and more!
Your adventure in India will be
enhanced by educational activities relating to each episode, from maps
and photos to devotionals and recipes.
During this 5-week program, you will:
See and experience the real India — without ever leaving your neighborhood!
Explore India’s incredible, diverse culture, people and places
Enhance your homeschooling with unique educational resources
Meet the people God is using to bring the Gospel to India’s 400+ million unreached
Discover how you can reach boys and girls in India with the love of Jesus by supporting Children’s Bible Clubs!
ABOVE IS THE BLOG POST COPIED FROM MONEY SAVING MOM I copied and pasted it to show you what I saw when I clicked on her blog.
I screamed when I read her blog post! I ran to get Brian and told him I KNOW where I am supposed to be! Isn't this so cool??? Mason (my 11 yo) thinks all my India signs from God are so neat. This has been a great way to teach him how God speaks to us. All three boys are very excited we signed up for the 5 week passport to India through Sonlight. Even better it's FREE!! I'm excited I get to teach the boys about India. I think it will help them understand where I am going for 10 days and what I will be doing.
So even yesterday God was still confirming to me India is where I will be in November. How cool is that?
Will you please pray for me as I step out of my comfort zone and embark on this journey?
I've blogged about The Bloom Book Club before, but wanted to mention it again. If you love to read or want to start reading more and would love a place to discuss books with other christian women then THE BLOOM BOOK CLUB is for you! In addition to the bloom blog there is also a Bloom Book Club Community and that is where you sign up to join. After you join you can post/chat in the forum.
The Bloom girls just announced the next book yesterday! We won't start our first discussion until Oct 17th so you have time to order your book and join in! Through the Bloom Book Club I have read some great books and I can't wait to start reading Sabbath. Thanks to my Amazon Prime membership I ordered my book today and it will be here WED!! I may have to start reading it early. :)
Let me know if you join and if you plan on reading Sabbath.
