Happy Salvation day to me!

Happy Valentine's day to you all! I'm blessing the Lord for this day, I was saved on this day 10  years ago. I remember it very clearly searching and searching for love and was not finding it anywhere. Was very hurt and very unhappy. I grew up in a non Christian home didn't go to church, parents were divorced at a young age. Then fast forward I was about 21 I wasn't into drugs or alcohol was pretty much a "good girl" trying to please everyone but had been seeking for love, just really wounded and hurt and ended up in a bad relationship with a guy. He was a gambler and into drinking and drugs. I was a waitress and worked and worked to give him money. Took out loans for him etc. He would say he was going to pay me back and then didn't. Each time I believed that he would, I thought he was going to change. I really believed I was going to get love in return for doing this for him. I was super deceived at the time, not knowing who I was or what I deserved or that I was even loved. I just was super hurt by people and it was getting to the point where I couldn't trust anyone. It was getting pretty bad and I was really depressed. Then I thought most of my Christian friends are always happy oh I should go to church then. Searched for churches then found this church and went to it for a while. Just went by myself and sat in the back then left real fast because I was so afraid to talk to people and that I would get hurt. One day I filled out this connection card and I checked the box that said I have questions and would like someone to call me. So the pastor called me and we started meeting weekly and I had my list of questions for him about what was being taught and about the bible. Finally one day(Valentine's Day) when I met with my pastor I gave my heart to the Lord!(Bless you Pastor Chris!) At that time I was still in this bad relationship I would have weekly meetings with one of our pastors(Love ya Terre) and he would coach me through how to leave this guy. Finally left him and from there started a process of healing with the Lord. About a year later I started getting hungry for the Lord and for His word, the word was coming alive. I would stay up late at night and read the bible. They started having prayer meetings at our church where we were learning prophecy and learning about the Holy Spirit. During this same time is when I met Tom, he was the leader of my small group. Tom and I started meeting and going out for coffee and just reading the bible and going after John 15:1-5 all about abiding. Then I found out about IHOP and the One thing conference and raised money to go. I had never been around so many young people loving the Lord and had never experienced this kind of worship. At the conference I decided I needed to do an internship and I felt like if I didn't go right then, then I probably never would. So raised money and with in a week went to do the internship, moved and Tom and I were together at that time and did a long distance relationship for 8 months. There I grew so much, living in community, learned how to pray, first time learning about end times and stuff but the big thing was I learned that God really loves me actually He likes me. That it's not about petitions it's about a friendship a relationship. Found out who I am in Him, that I am beautiful in His sight, that I am lovely and His delight. All this was new to me, I always longed for an identity and finally found one in Him. My prayers were being answered one after another with provision and heart issues. He did all this because He loves me and that's it He love us guys! I mean it's not just some saying He really does. I finally came to that place of being able to receive His love and once I received His love I was able to pour out my love whole heartedly. And now this is the kind of life I am called to live is be a radical lover of God, my husband is and we are raising are kids to be radical lovers of God. 

Today I am thanking the Lord for His kindness towards me! What a journey it has been.  The Lord healed my heart in so many areas and continues to.  My dream was to be able to pray all day, I didn't think it ever would be possible. As all you know it is! The Lord is so good to me, he saved me and set me free, he's healed me in so many ways and even on my bad days He still loves me. Another dream of mine was to be married with kids. It is all I ever wanted. I was praying for "the one" and I would always say I wanted 10 children. Looks like God is answering prayer! I definitely met the love of my life, we are going on 5 yrs married this Friday, so exciting. Looks like God is giving me those children I asked for and He's doing it fast. So all this to say....He is good and I am blessed.  I pray He will show you He is love today just He did for me!
~Hilary

The wind of the Spirit, the breath of God will sustain you!

My prayer has been sustain me and refresh me oh God.  Honestly it has been a rough season for me lately.  It's freezing here and we've had snow for forever now.  Our car isn't always starting only some days depending on how cold it is.  We all got sick and then I just ran out of strength to keep it together.  I've been seeing my weaknesses, my heart struggles, and realizing I really can't live this life on my own, I can't do it without God.  I can't control everything and that life isn't always going to look the way I want it to look like.  So this week has been a real turning point for me as I have had to be honest with myself, with Tom and with the Lord that I've been trying  to do things my own way and not His way.  Yikes that is a scary reality. I realized I've pulled a little bit away from God.  I've been doing my normal bible reading each morning, praying through out the day and with the kids and Tom but still in my heart I just wasn't being honest with the Lord.  So yesterday as I was making breakfast I had the webstream on in the kitchen, which is my favorite thing to do in the mornings.  So I'm stirring the oatmeal and the worship leader starts singing " There's someone in here that has pulled back from the Lord just a little bit, something has caused you to doubt, to question His goodness.  There's a pain inside that He wants to touch this morning."  That is when I lost it and just wept and wept in the kitchen.  He was speaking right to me!  I had pulled back I had doubted His goodness and I had pain.  Then the worship leader sang "Do not loose heart, do not grow weary of doing good, don't pull back, don't abandon your goals you set before me to be a woman filled with the word of God.  Keep going, keep pressing, keep believing.  The wind of the Spirit, the breath of God will sustain you!"  Just what I wanted to hear, and I felt Him, I felt Him in my kitchen ministering to my heart.  I felt Him refreshing me and sustaining me!  I just love those God moments, I needed that refreshing!  Just felt like someone else needed to hear this and to be reminded that He sees you, He hears your cry and He will sustain you, He will come to you and He is good!  He loves you!
~Be blessed today, Hilary!

Catching ya up to speed!

So, yep is has been forever since I blogged.  Don't really have any excuses...so thought I'd catch ya up to speed!

December


-Enjoyed baking with the kids and doing lots of Christmas crafts
-Our friends blessed us with a Christmas tree, they brought it to our doorstep and everything!
-Read the story of baby Jesus to the kids and watched some Christmas movies with them, had fun making memories!
-The kids enjoyed acting out the story, Samuel would say that he was Joseph and Trinity was Mary and that they were going to Bethlehem to have baby Jesus.  Then he would say that we have to go to Bethlehem to have our baby and that there's not going to be any room for us. : )
-Our car had broken down right before Christmas.  Again our friends blessed us with their car to borrow for the weekend that turned into a week!
-We attended the Christmas Eve service at IHOP.  Christmas Eve services have always been my favorite!  It was a little hard to stay focused with our little ones squirming all over the place, but it was fun to be out and celebrate as a family and hear the word!
-We were really blessed this year by our family with money and gift cards and were able to get a lot off gifts for the kids.  It was so much fun to see there excitement and joy as they opened the gifts!
-Christmas day we had a big breakfast together, opened presents, talked about Jesus, the kids played with all there new stuff and we just enjoyed resting.  After nap time we went to our friends house for dinner.  They have a son around Esther's age and they have a lot of space for the kids to run around, we had an amazing time together!
-Missed my family lots this Christmas and hoping to make a visit to Seattle this year!
-We were able to get our car fixed!  Some friends and funders helped us out financially plus we had some saved up for the car.  We had to get a new water pump, timing belt and a new alternator.  A lot of work (Tom did most of it!) but super thankful we have our car back!
-The Onething conference was after Christmas and it went on into the New Year.  It was amazing and I'm thankful we were able to attend, watch online and have my Hubby work at the conference.  We are blessed!  We also had some dear friends visiting for the conference so they stayed with us and we had some sweet times together!  It was like have a bed and breakfast here, which I would love to have someday!

January
-Getting organized and planning to move soon (so there's no confusion, we are staying in KC just moving into a larger home) so the house hunting has started and boxing things up has started!
-Getting focused in the word again.  Enjoying my mornings reading the bible and spending quiet time with the Lord.  I notice if I don't start the day off this way it changes my whole mood and the atmosphere of my home.
-Feeling more pregnant!  Starting to show already but it is the awkward stage, hopefully soon it will be the cute stage!  I'm due July 22nd!
-Have lots more to say but the children are waking up!  Hoping to write again soon!  Be blessed today!

Samuel's 4th Birthday!

My sweet, joyful boy turned 4 yesterday!  We had a fishy party for him and is was so much fun!  One day I asked him what kind of party he wanted, he looked over at the box of gold fish crackers and said "A fishy party".  I said are you sure and he kept insisting on a fishy party so I looked online and found some ideas and copied them!
Here's the ocean scape card board cut out Tom made!  The kids loved it!

we had the kids color a fish and then played pin the fish on the fish tank

And here's the fishy cake!  The sand is grahm cracker crumbs, the seaweed is a fruit roll up and I used sweedish fish candies and fruit snacks for the fish.

Here's the birthday boy!  

It was a great day, we made him pancakes and eggs and gave him breakfast in bed, opened presents and then did this party for him.  He was soooo blessed and still has a cheesy grin on his face.  I so enjoy blessing my children!  So thankful for this little guy, he has brought so much joy and laughter into my life.  Thought some of you out of staters might enjoy this post, love you!

~Hilary

For Today!

I saw this outline from my friend Jenn's blog www.makmineblue.blogspot.com
I thought is was creative so I copied and added my stuff in!


FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...   It is a beautiful day, cold but the sun is shining!  Leaves are falling and the wind is blowing...We have a friends car I can see outside my window, so thankful for friends that let us borrow a car while ours is broken.  

I am thinking...  About what else I need to finish cooking before dinner.

I am thankful for... My Hubby who walks in joy and humility.  Who serves and loves his family and others so well!  I am thankful to have Him and my little ones to celebrate with today!  I'm thankful for friends who call and check on us and pray with us when we are having a rough time.  I'm thankful for our families in Seattle and that they care enough about us to send packages with love.  I'm thankful to be saved and to be walking with the Lord.  I'm thankful to be living the dream I always hoped for, being a wife and Mom!  (of course it looks different but it is a blessing)

From the learning rooms... Samuel is learning his letters and tracing them a lot better now.  He loves to count too.  He is hungry to learn.  Trinity is learning how to be a Mommy, she walks around with her babies and her purse-so cute!  She is learning her ABC's too.  Esther is talking more and asks "read a boot" which means read a book.  She use to not be interested in books so this makes me happy that she likes them now.  And of course she snuggles with me when I read to her.


From the kitchen... I'm making my first Turkey breast in the crock pot, making home made stuffing, home made rolls, my first apple pie(I had some already!), garlic mash potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.  Missing my favorite green bean casserole because I forgot to buy green beans and now the store is closed, oops.


I am wearing...  Blouse and jeans.  My usual is T-shirt and jeans thought I would dress a little nicer for my Hubby since it is a holiday.


In Pregnancy news...  I'm probably only 3 weeks a long but so excited!  That is the talk around the house.  Samuel says I need to eat for the baby and that we are going to have the baby in Bethlehem.  Trinity prays for the baby her prayer is "Jesus help the baby Amen", Esther pats my belly and say "be be".  Thinking it might be a long 9 months for them to have to wait, but it is sweet to see them so excited!


I am creating... Lots of goodies for Samuel's fishy party on Saturday, super excited!

I am going... to have a second cup of coffee soon, exhausted these days!
I am reading... "Raising kids who hunger for God" by Benny and Sheree Phillips.  I need all the wisdom I can get!

I am hoping... it snows soon, I figure if it is going to be this cold it might as well snow.

I am hearing... kids squealing in there beds.
Around the house... It is clean for now only because it is nap time!
One of my favorite things...Date nights, I love one on one time with my Hubby!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  Turkey dinner tonight, Samuel's party Saturday, dear friends are in town for a visit this weekend, towing the car on Monday and hopefully it will be fixed on Tuesday.


Ending with a Picture...

Thankful for you all, have a blessed Thanksgiving!