High Five For Fridays - New Season, God, Rainy Day, Work, and Dating My Husband

High Five Number One

God is so good!  Life has been pretty up and down lately.  I have slowly felt myself becoming negative.  God turned a recent negative situation into something very positive.  He used it to open my eyes to some of things I was holding on to and not handing over to God.  I have been holding on to some of the pain from our miscarriage in January and I needed to set aside some time with God to really hand it over to Him.  When we hold on to things so tightly, we don't allow Him to come in and restore and make new again.  I had to make that step to hand it over to Him!

High Five Number Two

It's supposed to be a RAINY DAY TODAY!!!!! YAAAAY!

High Five Number Three

I'm prepping for a new life group semester and where it's busy and chaotic, I feel so much peace about this next semester.  Maybe it's because I'm much more comfortable in this position!  Thank You Jesus!

High Five Number Four

I feel a new season coming on and I'm so excited. I don't know exactly what it is or how or when but I know He's shifting me into a new season and that's exciting!

High Five Number Five

Hubby and I had a date night this week and hopefully a bowling date night this weekend!!!  Two dates in one week!  YAY! I love marriage!!!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ Friendship, Bicycle Riding In The Spring, and God

I'm loving meeting a new friend today!  God is so good at connecting people at the right times!  I'm excited to see what God does in our friendship!  I love sisterhood!

I'm loving the spring weather!  It's been windy but it's been warmer.  I actually favor cold and winter weather but I am welcoming in the nice warm weather right now!!!  Plus, I get to ride this beauty in this beautiful weather!  Meet Molly!!! Isn't she beautiful!

I'm loving growth and leaning!  God is good!  I can't get over how amazing He is!!!! Thank You Jesus!

Where Does Your Validation Come From?

"If you have an argument with your neighbor, don't tell other people what was said.  Whoever hears it might shame you, and you might not ever be respected again."  Proverbs 25:10

Wow, talk about conviction for me this morning.  Last night I had some girlfriends over and I innocently told them about an encouter I had with another woman.  It was one where I felt she had done something that was not very nice and I haven't been able to release it.  I was explaining to my friends that I was having a hard time with forgiveness.  Well, instead of just leaving it at that, I needed to get validation from them that it was ok for me to be upset and unforgiving.  Not only was I carrying bitterness towards this other lady but NOW I just added more to that sin.

I am learning more and more that asking for prayer is GREAT!  It shows that we trust our brothers and sisters in Christ.  However, we need to make sure we are speaking of only our sin and not going into the problem and stumble into gossiping.  We don't need validation from others that it's "ok" to be upset.  Our validation comes from the Lord and He will give us peace and He will make all things right and good.  When we seek that validation from others, sin follows.  But when we seek that validation from our Father, healing and grace follows.

Be Peace

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you made some wrong choices? What did you do in that moment or after the fact?  Did you repent?  If other people were involved, did you seek forgiveness?  Did you admit to God, yourself, and others your wrong doings? 

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17

It's hard to humble ourselves and admit our wrong doings and it is also hard to humble ourselves and ask others or even God for forgiveness.  Admitting we are wrong makes our pride wall go up and we do not want to put it down!  We are afraid that others will view us badly or look down at us.  We tend to get so concerned with the judgement of people that we forget who's judgement can destroy a land.  God's wrath is real and He still holds people accountable for actions.

Peace is connected to humbleness and when we can humble ourselves to others and to even ourselves, wow, the peace that follows that humbleness is amazing! God honors the moments in life when we can humble ourselves, admit our wrongs, and seek forgiveness. He shows us grace and allows a shift to happen in our lives.  He allows growth and change to happen in us and this growth empowers us to do life differently.  That one moment of humbleness and repentance can change our whole lives forever!!

Never underestimate the power small moments have in our lives.  A small moment of ego; whether it is trying to prove you are right and somebody else is wrong, or refusing to admit your wrongdoings, or putting blame on other people and not allowing yourself to grow in a situation are small moments that if not handled Godly, can keep us stagnant in life.  These moments and small events in our life are HUGE!  God doesn't care about our reputation as much as He cares about our character.  He will use these moments to evaluate where our heart really is and if we are ready for His movement in our lives.

A small incident or event in our life where we do not show humbleness and shadow our wrongs with ego and immaturity WILL have a lasting effect on our journey!  When we encounter grace and humbleness, we can't help but to change inside and to open the doors to God's goodness.  The grace of God empowers us to be radically changed but we have to step aside from ourselves. We have to be willing to release the ego and allow our hearts to be kind, honest, and pure.  

What is holding you back from that freedom?  Is it a small argument with a friend or a family member?  Somebody within your church family?  Is it a reaction to a spouse or a child? What decisions whether big or tiny are keeping you from God's complete goodness in your life? Ask Him, pray about it and follow His lead.  Do not let arrogance, fear, or ignorance keep you from doing what is right!  Obedience is not easy but it is worth it!

What is the soul of your existence?  If it's Jesus then be love today.  Be humble. Be graceful.  Be kind.  Be peace. 

He Was Adopted By Him

I'm so thankful for the people in my life.  I'm thankful for the women who pour into me and help me to be the woman of God He created me to be!!  The past month has been such an awesome month of growth!  What started out to be a season of pain, anger, confusion, and grief..... has turned out to be a season of so much beauty in my life.  The things of God that I have experienced in this season is breathtaking!  Losing my baby boy was tragic and painful but I KNOW he is being raised by the truly number one Daddy, our Heavenly Father!  What a blessing for him, right!?  He is going to be playing catch with Him and be raised by Him.  He will also be able to see loved ones who have passed on before us.  I imagine my grandmother making him tortillas and eggs right now and telling him, "this is how your mother liked her eggs when she was a child."  I imagine my cousins, Raul and Rachel, sharing fun stories of our growing up.  Oh what a ball they will have in heaven and one day, I will get to join them!  Until then, I will hold on to the blessing and honor of being his mommy!  

"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."  Ephesians 1:5

Ephesians 1:5 tells us that He took great pleasure in adopting us.  Wow!  If He takes great pleasure in adopting us when we are sinful here on earth, I can't even imagine the pleasure He has in adopting unborn babies who do not have one drop of sin in them!  

"But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

Do I still hurt and yearn to hold that baby of mine?  Absolutely!  But I am comforted with knowing that he is being held by the ultimate Father! 

Saturday 6 - Valentine's, Marriage, Girlfriends, Golf, And The City

Saturday Six Number One:

It's LOOOOOOOVE BUG WEEKEND!

Saturday Six Number Two:

I get to see my girl's tonight for our third annual GirlfriendsValentine's.

Saturday Six Number Three:

Hubby and I are GOLFING tomorrow for Valentine's Day.....YES, he knows the way to my heart, a club and a golf ball!

Saturday Six Number Four:

I haven't picked up my camera in a while and today I get to take cheer pictures of my little cousin! So super excited to take pictures of this precious season in her life! 

Saturday Six Number Five:

I miss New York City. 

If I could relive the whole week of our wedding week and wedding day in New York City, I would!  I love the city more than anybody will ever understand!

Saturday Six Number Six:

Speaking of.......hubby and I are about to celebrate our first wedding anniversary!!!!!! AAAAHHHHHH!

Breakfast Criminals - Ebook Review

http://5dayslimdown.reflink.com/a116651

Wow!  This ebook is a game changer!!!  If you are looking for vegan-friendly breakfast recipes, you have got to check this ebook out NOW!  

Just Be

This week was an up and down one but I had some major breakthroughs.  The only good day I really had was Wednesday until that evening.  That was when I realized that I need to embrace the season I am in and just BE.  I have been trying to force myself back into my old life but it's impossible because I'm not that Cryssie any more.  Things are different, I am different.  I need to be ok with being hurt and unsure.  I need to be ok with it because that is when I am able to give it to the Lord and fully release it.  I need to accept it and be ok with not understanding it.  Not because I want to be broken but because of the One who can restore me.

We can only receive freedom when we can take that deep breath in and release it and then say, "ok Jesus, it's all Yours. All of the broken pieces, all of the hurt, all of the uncertainty, and all of my hopes and dreams are Yours."  It is only when we can surrender that He can take our broken pieces and make us whole again.

I don't have the answers to why we miscarried and that's ok.  I don't feel completely whole right now and that's ok.  I don't understand half of the emotions I go through on a day to day basis but that's ok too.  It's ok because where I might not know, He does and He wants me to just BE.  Even in my prayer time, He just wants me to BE.  He wants me to just be with Him in the silence.  He doesn't need me to grow or feel whole again right this second, He just needs me to be with Him in this season.  He placed me here and I have to trust Him.  

I'm so thankful that His beauty radiates more when we can see His face in the painful moments.

A Week Of Beauty

This week has been a stepping stone for me.  Where I still felt a pain in my heart, I was able to function better.  Monday was my hardest day.  I was in the office by myself most of the day and kept feeling pain overwhelm me throughout the day.  On the drive home, I felt so much sadness that I didn't think I could bear it any longer.  I got home and ran into my husband's arms and he comforted me.  His embrace reminded me that God has us and all is well in His plan.  We decided to go on a date to the movies.  I was able to experience joy again in our marriage.  We laughed and talked and I had fun with my husband again for the first time in weeks.  Thank You Jesus!

My sister came into town Tuesday and what a blessing her visit was.  We talked and spent good quality time together.  We laughed, cried, and shared private feelings that we have only shared with God and our husbands.  The time together was beautiful and I'm so thankful for her obedience.  God nudged her to come visit us and she obeyed.  He knew I needed the love of my big sister.  Thursday afternoon her and my Mom came over with pink and blue balloons.  I wrote messages on them and released them to the heavens.  I am confident that those messages made it to their rightful home.  

The days are getting easier and my moments of sorrow are getting fewer.  I'm not yet ready to try for baby #2 but I am prayerfully expecting God will tell me when it's time.  I'm thankful for His love and support.  I'm thankful for His grace and mercy with each passing day.  He makes all things beautiful and I will rest in that fact!  I am able to see so much of His beauty through this loss and I cannot thank Him enough for that.  

Thought Of The Day

If the enemy can't stop your blessing, he will try and steal your joy from it.  Some criticism comes as a distraction to rob what God has already given you.