Helping The Body of Christ

32 weeks into my pregnancy!

     The past couple weeks have flown by very quickly for me. These last couple weeks, I've been babysitting, and helping out others in our church.
     It got me to thinking of how the Body of Christ works. Last week, one of the boys in our church broke his Femur, and had to have surgery. It was amazing to see how the church came together to help babysit the other kids, bring meals, and pray.
     Likewise, this week, our pastor had surgery... our entire church came together to babysit, help bring meals, and help out by taking kids to and from work for the week.
     Isn't this how the body of Christ should work?! Helping out one another in times of need. Being there for one another, and helping out each other is such a huge blessing!
     I often think about my pregnancy, and when I have our baby, I'll need help. My mom will be here helping out, cooking meals, cleaning, while I'm trying to figure out how to be a mom.

I officially have swollen feet!

                                     Here are some Bible verses that I was reminded of as I was thinking about how we serve the Body of Christ.
   "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that form the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;for you serve the Lord."
~Colossians 3:23-24
   "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." ~Hebrews 13:16
   "...Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." ~Philippians 2:4
     "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." ~John 15:12
   
     In what ways can you serve the Body of Christ more? Is there some couples in your church, or in your neighborhood that you can help out? You can be a missionary in your own neighborhood, by helping out others!

 

It's exciting to know that in just about 8 weeks,
we'll meet our little man.

Pregnancy Update: 32 weeks into my pregnancy, and I'm still feeling great! I officially have swollen feet now, so I've been trying to drink more water, and prop them up more.
     My husband and I went to sign up for our registry this last week, which was so much fun!
     Baby James moves a lot, but so far he hasn't woken me up at night with any kicking/punching, which I'm thankful for. ;) Occasionally I'll feel tightness in my stomach, and I feel my belly, and I can feel a little hand or foot pressing against me. It's so sweet to think I'll hold our bundle of Joy in a couple months!
     That's all the update I have for ya'll! Have a great week!

                                                                                              

Marriage: What I've Learned

     When I was in Colorado, a friend of mine had asked me a question. She said, "What do you think you've learned most in marriage?" I told her it was definitely a hard question for sure, and that I'd have to think about it.
     I think for the most part, it's doing exactly what the Bible says to do or not to do. Love keeps no record of wrongs. (1st Corinthians 13:5) I think when you go into marriage, and live every day life, you have to remember that you live with a sinner. You also have to remember that you're a sinner yourself. You both have faults, and you both sin constantly. No one is perfect. You shouldn't go into marriage assuming that they're going to be perfect in areas that you think they'd be. Yes, they may be great in those areas, but don't set an expectation that they or you can't meet.
     For me, I tend to set the expectation for myself too high. I want to make dinner the best for my husband. I want the house to be clean when my husband comes home, all the time. I want my life together, and I want to know what I want. However, because I'm a sinner, I fall short of those expectations for myself, every single day. I'm proud of myself if I can even get my husband's egg yolks to not crack while I cook them. ;)
     I'm not perfect. I struggle every day with being a wife, and soon-to-be mom. I have thoughts that are sinful, I do things I know I shouldn't do. I have temptations and struggles just like everybody else. I'm not pretending that I have it all together. Marriage does take work. It takes work to serve other people above yourself. It takes work to remember that the other person might be right, and that whether they're right or not, "Love does not insist on it's own way." (1st Corinthians 13:5)
     When Josh and I had premarital counseling, we promised each other, and wrote it down, not to leave the house when we're still upset with each other, or need to talk things out. We've been late for things a couple times, because things had to be worked through.
    So, yes, marriage does take work, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I'd rather work through things with Josh, then to work alone by myself.
     My parents, and so many others have been a wonderful example to me of what a good, Godly marriage looks like, and I'm so grateful that I have a husband who's a wonderful man, and who'll be a great dad soon!
     I think this woman said it best in her post: http://www.girldefined.com/my-selfishness-marriage-ruined-satisfaction

• I would now consider myself a happily married woman. Will marriage be smooth sailing in the future? Most definitely not. However, I have learned where my hope and trust needs to be. I know that my Heavenly Father will give me His truth, through His word.
• I will have to make the choice to step out in faith and remember that His way is perfect and His way will ultimately bring me amazing satisfaction.

I absolutely loved this article, so I thought I'd share it! http://joyforney.org/married-woman/

• In what Ways do you feel like you can be less-selfish every day?
• How can you prepare for marriage in the future, or if you're married, how can you make your marriage better?

Complaining

     Lately, I've been feeling very pregnant! I'm 29, almost 30 weeks along now, and my belly's getting bigger, it's getting harder to bend over and pick things up, harder to stand for a long time, and harder to do things without losing energy. It's gotten me frustrated many times. I feel bad that I don't have the strength I used to, and it got me to thinking, "I haven't even had my first child, and I know moms who've had their 8th, 9th, or 10th baby. How do they do it?" I'm a complainer. I often tell my husband, "I'm going to be a pathetic wife, because I'm already a complainer, and I haven't even had our baby yet."
     It got me to thinking about the Israelites, and how they often complained in the wilderness and the desert. In Exodus and in Numbers, we see how often they complained; yet God was still faithful, and merciful, and continued to give the Israelites things to sustain them. God will provide ALL our needs.  God brought the Israelites through the desert, for forty years, where there was no possibility of them caring for themselves.  God provided their water miraculously from a rock, their food - manna that fell miraculously from heaven, a cloud cover by day so they would not be scorched by the desert sun, and a pillar of fire that covered them by night to keep them warm.

     God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and He watches over His word to perform it.  (Ezekiel 12:25) He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

     So for now, I'm taking it one day at a time. I'm in awe that there's a baby growing inside of me, who's already wanted and loved far beyond words can express. I'm grateful to God for answering our prayers, and giving us a little baby inside my womb. Every time our baby James moves, and kicks, I'm reminded of a sweet blessing from God that was given to us, when we didn't deserve such a gift! So, yes, the back pain will continue, and the bending over and standing up will continue to get harder, but in the end, when I have our baby boy in my arms, I can said, "It was all worth it!" We love you baby James! <3

      Just for cuteness sake, here's a picture of my little niece on Resurrection Sunday. Isn't she a cutie?! She's already almost 8 months old! Time flies! This time time next year, she'll have a little 9 month old cousin to play with!<3