Waiting Expectantly in 2014

This officially marks the longest I have gone without a new blog post... in 5 years.  How can this be??  Here's a peak as to what has been happening!

Remember that prayer "anything?" Well, that didn't stop in 2013.   The first week of January, I moved into Grow Group Director position at our church.  I moved from a position of happily following to a now leading.  God has moved my life faster in the last 4 months than I ever DREAMED possible.  When I was first approached about the position, I literally cried all night the first night. I was up all night.  Me?  Do they really know me?  Who I am to be moving into a leadership position.  Don't they know my inadequacies?  Well, apparently they do.  They are well aware.  But they also know the limitless power of God and what he does through ordinary, imperfect, totally messed up people.  After much prayer, I accepted the position.  

I hit the ground running on return from Christmas break and literally haven't slowed down.  There are so many things happening in the life of our church and our people.  I sometimes can't believe that I get to be a part of it.  It's been a tough adjustment for us.  I am definitely working more hours but more than that, I feel the weight of being in a decision making position.  These are things that keep me awake at night talking to God.  He probably he is thinking.. geez.. Go to sleep already!  Ha!  What's exciting?  The hundreds of new people he continues to bring in my life.  The trainings for new grow group leaders that are growing in their faith and on fire for God.  Amazing events like ReNew that we recently held for women.  Every day a testimony or a story or someone that grips my heart.  

And as always, the Riley's don't do things in moderation. Justin also accepted a new job!  After 6 years with JB Hunt, he accepted a new opportunity in a different industry.  Totally unexpected but completely God's timing as we can see His hand so evident in the entire process.  For the first time in 10 years he won't own a company car so what's the first thing a good Texan would do?  Get a truck of course!  The boys think it is awesome.  And Daddy's man card is feeling pretty full too :-)

Finding a balance has been difficult.  Getting a new rhythm, a challenge.  In the time that I would normally do "me things" like this blog, I have had to be very intentional about setting aside plenty of time for my boys and our family.  I realize it's a season right now and pretty soon work will slow down, Justin will be adjusted to his new job and I will be back to my normal blogging, reading, girl time self.    Friday's continue to be my special days with the boys.  We can't wait for it each week!  

Hands in!  1.2.3 MOMMY TIME!!

Chucky Cheese

Ninja training

Ninja breakfast

DIY Lava lamps!

On the days I get to pick them up from school, we squeeze in some fun time too.  We love that the playground for our neighborhood is within walking distance.  We spent a beautiful afternoons playing there before dinner.  And another bonus? Hot tub nights!  That usually leads to roasting our dinner and dessert on the fire pit.

And sometimes we just relax and play!  

Love this Disney game

Yep. Sometimes he rubs his mommy's tired feet

Gorgeous afternoon bike ride

Loves his horses he got for Christmas

And sometimes we play something that's not so relaxing.  MUSIC!

Justin and I are both being discipled this year.  That means we are spending a year walking through this book with our disciplers in a micro group of 2 to 3.  

Can I tell you how much God is growing us just in the couple of weeks that we have been doing this?  I am grateful that we are doing this at the same time (with different disciplers).  It is an intense commitment but one we are both joyfully willing to do.  If you read my first post of 2013 and my post about going back to work, they both include the same quote from Oswald Chambers.

"The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal and temperament are of no consideration.  As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God.... The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves.  And we cannot hear anything God says.  But to brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed."

As I wrote the post for the recap of 2013, I thought about this again.  Let me tell you how God spoke to me about this again. Clearly.  On my second meeting with my precious discipler, Tania, we both shared our testimony.  We both cried.  She almost lost her youngest at birth and God used that to do beautiful things in her life. I told her about my little ones in Heaven.  And as we closed she said to me.  Have you ever heard of Oswald Chambers "My Upmost for His Highest". I said sure of course.  A few years ago, I used it for a yearly devotional.  She said I want to read you something.  Here is the devotional for that day, January 16th.  

The Voice of the Nature of God

01

16

2014

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ —Isaiah 6:8

When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God’s nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the threading of God’s voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is useless to seek another person’s opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.

The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed.

DIRECT QUOTE.  I looked at her and said "have you read my blog or something?"  No.  She didn't even know I had one.  

That moment, when you know so clearly that you are in God' will for your life.  I had chills all over me.  

I do normally every year write a "first post" for the year.  With resolutions and goals for the year.   And this year, I have but one goal for me and for my family.  To live in total surrender to God's plans for our lives.  To hear his call, and to respond.  To love Jesus fearlessly and courageously.  To stop keeping score, to wash feet, to be passionate about loving God and His people.   

"Waiting expectantly" in 2014!!