Greater things are yet to come...

Pat made it back in town just to find his wife curled up in the bed sick as a dog this weekend. I felt so bad that he was finally coming home for a little while and here I was, sick! Like the awesome man that he is, he took care of me hand and foot. He just kept asking me, what can I do for you? I wanted to say, well you could start puking all day and let me stop but I knew that wasn't going to happen. lol

I have been so blessed to have an amazing husband who supports this family with everything he has. He works his butt off for us and for that I am forever thankful. I know he doesn't like to go out of town every other week, but he does it because he knows how it helps this family. While some think that being a deer hunter for a living may be a dream job, to Pat he just thanks God everyday for it and knows how truly blessed he is to have it.

Sunday we got up and I still wasn't feeling great, but then I remembered it was Youth Sunday at church and I didn't want to miss it. I sat through Sunday school gripping Pat's hand the whole time as I could feel my water wanting to come back up. We made it through Sunday School and it was off to church we went to listen to our Youth Group do the sermon.

I sat in church amazed by what a wonderful group this was and how I can't wait to share their experiences through Christ with them. A young girl gave her testimony and I felt like she touched my life more than any pastor I have ever listened to. She made my problems feel so small in comparison to her own. She made me see that my faith could be stronger if I would just let God take the lead. I sat in church and cried the whole time, again gripping Pat's hand because I couldn't stop crying. Poor guy!

After church Pat hugged me and didn't even bother to ask why I was crying, he just said he loved me and that he knew great things were about to come. I am so thankful to have this man in my life! Can't wait to see what this year brings.

Something that this young girl at church left us with on Sunday.

Ask God "Why have you done this for me" not "Why are you doing this to me"

Oh he is listening, alright!

What an amazing week this has been, other than missing my hubby like crazy!

I have never felt so blessed as I do right now in my life. God is moving in such a powerful way in my life right now, I have to share it with all of you.

I have been sponsored by an AMAZING woman at my church to go on our women's retreat in February and I feel so blessed. To her and her generosity I give so many praises!

Tonight at church I was introduced to another mission trip that our church takes to Honduras. If any of you really know me, than you know this is right up my alley. It has always been a dream of mine to go to other countries and help children. I have always wanted to go to Africa and fulfill this dream, but maybe God is pulling me in another direction first. And guess what? This mission trip will be traveling to Honduras to help at a children's orphanage!

Pat and I had just talked about this not long ago, how we would love to go some place and help out and share our testimony. We cried one night together as we prayed for God to lead us where we are needed. Well I am guessing the big guy upstairs was definitely listening and he was saying "you guys have no idea what I have in store for you"! lol

So please continue to pray for us as we figure out what it is that God is leading us to. Pray that he will open our hearts for this wild adventure that we are about to embark on.

PRAY AND PRAY HARD

Our weekend has been filled with the good, the bad and the ugly. I attended a funeral service this weekend to pay my respects to my step-mom who recently lost her father. The service was like no other that I had ever attended. It was uplifting and very personal at the same time. My step-brother and sister were grieving with the loss of the only grandfather they had ever met and for me this really hit home. My own grandfather is so special to me and I can't imagine what it will be like when he goes home to heaven to be with our Lord. And today was Women's Sunday at church and the emotional testimonies from the women of our church really got to me. The service made me think about my own testimony and legacy that I want to leave behind. Like these women, I am not perfect and I have my flaws. But with the help of Jesus, I persevere, and I am becoming a strong and more faithful woman to God. I am proud to say that I am a Christian, I am proud to hold my head up high when I walk out of church and I am proud to be married to a man who devotes the same amount of time and energy to our Lord that I do.

As many of you know, I lost my job back in July and I am still searching for a new one. By the grace of God, we have been able to maintain our personal finances and for this I am forever thankful. We have made a commitment to each other this year not to spend money on unnecessary items (material things that we really don't need). Pat and I are planning a mission trip with our Youth Group at church (no cost for chaperones, yay!). We have prayed very hard for God to open a door for us to share our own testimonies and our own struggles. I feel he is moving in our lives more now than he ever has, partly because we are letting him. We have given all of our faith and trust to him. I came across a women's retreat sign up today at church and I really want to go. Bad news is it's $50! I know this doesn't seem like much, but it is an unnecessary expense. I could wait and go on the next one, but I really feel like God is pulling on my heart to go. What's one to do, PRAY AND PRAY HARD!!!

So that is what I am going to do, I am going to PRAY AND PRAY HARD for God to bless me in some way financially so I can go on this trip, I hope that all of you will keep me in your prayers too!!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Another Year Has Gone By...

I am sitting here updating my blog, while I listen to Celine Dion's "Another Year Has Gone By". I always get to hear this song when we go home to Kentucky for the holidays and it always makes me so sad. But this year, I am sitting here with a smile on my face as I listen and thank God for all of his blessings that he has given me this past year. Pat and I are growing so strong together and I thank God everyday for his amazing presence in our marriage and our lives. Together we are working on some goals for the new year and I can't wait to see what God puts in front of us this year. We celebrated the New Year in Kentucky and we both said, it was the best New Years Eve we have ever had. It was so nice to celebrate with family and friends. I recently read on a blog that I have started to follow a resolution for the new year is to be her husbands girlfriend again, I loved it and think it is a great idea. So here is my list...

1. Keep God in the center of my life and my marriage
2. Live a healthier lifestyle, workout and eat healthier
3. Be my husbands girlfriend again (thanks to my sweet and simple life)
4. Organize the house
5. Follow financial goals
6. Cook more dinners at home
7. Continue to pray and have faith that God will bless us with a healthy baby
8. Be a better friend to those who need me the most
9. GO CAMPING!!!!

I could go on and on, as I am sure many people could. But let's just start there for now. Below are some pics of our recent visit to Kentucky. Enjoy - Happy New Year!


Finally I got to meet Mary Quinn


Finley and Hogan putting on a show with Uncle P-Pat



Just a little fun with the Hogans!


Happy New Year, Love The Hogans