RECLAIMING MY LIFE.

Starting in the next day or two, the name of my blog is changing.

It comes along with some new dreams and visions the Lord has put in my heart.

I'm excited.

Excited for what He has in store for my heart, my life, my dreams.

But mostly, is comes along with a new declaration over my life.

HOPE.

Please consider continuing to join me in my story, at a new spot and a new name.

(starting tomorrow the webpage will be up...

and I'll share more then about the reasons behind the name)

IT'S UP AND RUNNING!
**www.racingtowardsjoy.com no longer works and I'm having some issues redirecting it**
so come visit me at

www.ourhopereclaimed.com

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The name of my new space is called Our Hope Reclaimed.

Because that's exactly what He is leading me to do...

every day, for my whole life.

to RECLAIM what is MINE.

Because HE made it mine. 

Peace is mine, Hope is mine, Joy is mine, Rest is mine.

ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS and what He did for me and what He offers to me.

I was planning to just share quickly on here today about the new name change and site coming, 

but this morning, as I met with Him, I felt led to just write out my heart...

- - - - - - - - - - -

Heart struggles and battles against despair and anger have not been far from me this past year. 

2013 has had its' way-too-big share of hard hits. 

Lots that could and try to bring me down and make me stew in the fight of it. 

 But I am fighting back, and sometimes, like today, that feels like just fighting for air to breathe. 

Fighting to regain the peace I know is available for me and is helpful and valuable in my daily life. 

Fighting to walk every moment in a spirit of kindness and repentance and love towards others and myself. 

Fighting against the urge to isolate and pull back from life-giving things when days are hard. 

Fighting for a clear mind to think on life-giving things instead of dwelling on the traumas. 

 seems like fighting these battles would be tiring, but I'm here to tell you... 

NOT fighting for life is EXHAUSTING. 

 And I have been pretty tired this year. but not any longer. 

I am reclaiming WHO I AM in Jesus today! 

 I AM TAKING BACK MY MIND AND MY LIFE TODAY. 

Taking back the HOPE He has given and made as a sacrifice to fill my life. 

The Enemy is a very real and manipulative voice to us all, looking for ways he can lie to us, every day. 

you know what makes Satan the maddest? 

When we IGNORE Him. 

So I am starting over today, and day by day, in what I listen to, whose voice I choose to hear. 

This is a daily battle for us all as children of God...even if you don't fully realize it.

 but it IS possible to live in full peace, in full hope, in full joy. because those things ARE Jesus. 

HE IS the I AM. He is the Prince of Peace.

and I need peace today, y'all.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Just needed to declare publicly that I am HIS and want to no longer be a slave to the enemy who tempts me with despair and unrest.

I am reclaiming it all back!

GOD WILL RESTORE WHAT THE ENEMY HAS STOLEN.

HE HAS RECLAIMED YOUR LIFE AS NEW AND PRECIOUS.

HE HAS GIVEN YOU THE ABILITY TO LIVE IN PEACE AND FULL OF HOPE.

HE LOVES YOU.

LOVES YOU, LOVES YOU, LOVES YOU.

reclaim that over your life today, friends.

- - - - - - - - - -

Look for the new site and name to be up soon!

(this blog will redirect there at first)

Thanks for being part of my story here.

blessings!

 

why I'll be lighting a candle tonight...

Today, October 15th, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

This day is important.

Most of y'all know my story, and know that I am not shy about sharing it.

Actually, one of the main reasons I started this blog a few years ago was to share this part of my journey...

to share about my first miscarriage.

I had felt a need to "get it out" but didn't really know who to talk to. 

I hadn't really had any friends who had been through it, or if they had, I didn't know it.

Might sound crazy to you to share such a personal loss online,

but honestly it was like a healing tool for me.

And the support and love from the blogging community, as well as from "real life" friends,

 that followed has been irreplaceable.

I'm glad I shared it. It helped me heal.

/ thank you /

And I'm glad I had a place here to share about our second loss, in February, which happened just 4 weeks after my Dad died. 

It was a shock to my heart and took a while to even process.

Honestly, I still am.

(this is our second little peanut, before she went Home...)

And then again, just over 3 months ago as I suffered through

our third miscarriage, 

and some crazy health scares stemming from that...

I had the support of this community, and many family and friends.

/ thank you /

(here's our third little angel, we believe was a boy)

MANY, many women have been through this pain, ARE going through this pain right now.

And you may not even know about it.

It's not something that everyone feels like sharing and that's totally okay.

Here's my encouragement today, to all of us...

if you know a mama who has been or is going through the loss of a baby...

ask yourself and the Lord how you can be a blessing and support to them.

I think a lot of us consider grieving a miscarriage as kindof a "quiet" grief.

It's not talked about like other losses.

But it should be.

These Mamas (AND Daddies) need some extra love during this time.

If you or someone you know is going through this, or has been,

please let me know how I can encourage and pray for them.

While my heart still aches and misses the little ones I only knew in my belly,

and while my mind still hurts over the trauma of losing each one...

I feel God's goodness in it.

Because HE is good, even when I can't understand it.

It's His character, so I have to trust it.

His heart for me is big.

And His heart for you is big too, Mama.

Allow yourself some tears, some yelling, some me-time, and some rest.

He will be with you.

He is holding your sweet baby right now...and there's no better place to be than in the arms of Jesus.

praying for all you today who I know have been there.

- - - - - - - - - -

TONIGHT, at 7 PM (in each time zone), there will be a wave of candles lit,

to remember our little babies who will live always in our hearts.

Join me.

"get some punkins!"

Parker's cousin, Tim, owns a great pumpkin stand here in town...

It's been so fun since we have lived here, to go visit, get our pumpkins and mums, and welcome Fall!

We had a little fun there the other day, the girls love it!

Norman friends, go get you some Fall for your home...

It's Sooner Bloomers, in the parking lot of the mall!

Go get your punkins, y'all.

...for my HOPE is in HIM.

i could not agree more...

-i saw this on Pinterest (source unknown), and kindof fell in love with it.-

Happy October, Y'all.

Hope it is filled with pumpkin patches, cute pictures in the pumpkins, cool weather, long-sleeves, 

good football, pumpkin cakes, costume parties, caramel apples, trick-or-treating,

and lots of unnecessary candy just because it's on every aisle.