::this week::

praising:  an answer to prayer over the last few weeks... Noah's behavior is improving.  opportunities for J to minister over the last week, including people being healed.

praying:  for the requests and needs of others.  for J's upcoming trip to India... that God would be preparing the way, and the hearts of those he will encounter... for lives to be changed, people saved, set free, and healed.  for additional provision for our ministry, and an office for J to work out of.

thankful for:  a thoughtful gift from some sweet friends to provide financially for us to have a date night this weekend.  the fact that we get to have a date night this weekend and I get to have lots of alone time with my handsome hubby. a zoo pass.  other moms and kids to play with during the day.  having family in town and getting to see them often... family who loves the Lord, and is so good with our little boy, watching him whenever we request.  a sweet husband who was super thoughtful and selfless with me last weekend.  an abundance of great friends and co-laborers in the Gospel that we have here. 

reading:  2 Chronicles, Lamentations, Psalms, Letters from a Skeptic

cooking:  Zuppa Toscana, Thai BBQ and buffalo chicken pizzas, migas casserole, tex mex egg rolls

doing:  ladies Bible study in the Psalms. community group.  having a few friends over for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday.  double date in with one of our favorite couples.  a 2 day date (to celebrate my birthday, Valentine's day, and to connect before J goes to India for 10 days) while Noah stays overnight at Jeremy's parents house.  a zoo trip with some sweet mamas and kiddos.  spending lots of time this week resting in the Lord, listening to Him, being quiet and still with Him.

pondering:  worship.  challenged by a sermon I heard recently in which the speaker said that if he has 1 hour with God he spends 45 minutes of it in worship... this initially shocked me (and my duty driven, rule following, checklist checking fleshly struggles)... I wondered if this was even ok, and counts as "spending time with God".  and then He showed me just how silly I was being.  I've been reading through the Psalms and He helped me to understand David as "a man after His own heart" because he was a man of worship and praise... that He does not delight in duty... in my obligatory prayers or reading of Scripture, but that He delights in my pure worship of Him, whether that be by giving financially, serving others, reading His Word, communicating with Him through prayer, and/ or resting in Him, singing to Him, and enjoying His presence.  such an elementary truth that you'd think I would have grasped by now.  I intend to spend a lot more time during the day getting lost in worship as the Holy Spirit quiets and ministers to my soul.

setting the atmosphere of my home... seeking the Holy Spirit's presence here.  am I spending as much time on the spiritual atmosphere (praying, worshiping...) as I am on the physical atmosphere (cooking, cleaning...).  wanting a home known for, and characterized by the presence of the Spirit, and an overwhelming sense of Him, His joy, His peace, His power.

challenged by:  Psalm 27:14 Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the Lord... been learning a lot lately about waiting patiently for the Lord... about surrendering all expectations and agendas that I have of Him, and in waiting patiently on Him.  also challenged that Abraham had to wait 25 years from when God promised him a son, before that son was given... hoping I can be graceful in patient in my waiting on promises, and not loose sight of said promises.

 encouraged by:  Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning... His favor lasts a lifetime!  This was written by David, who had fallen into great sin, but had received God's forgiveness and continued to walk in favor for the rest of his life... even extending to his family because of his inheritance.  love how I serve a God who doesn't cast me aside when I "mess up", but that His {unmerited} favor lasts a lifetime!

meditating on: God as the Light.  He has given me a few visions recently involving light and darkness... one of which involved His light being so bright in people that you couldn't even see them anymore... loving that picture that when others look at me they are not seeing Shannon or my flesh, but are seeing Him revealed.  that He is the light for my path, and that I see all things through Him... looking at all of my circumstances through Christ (by His Light) rather than through the natural eye.

Psalm 27:8  My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me."  And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”...grateful to serve such a personal and relational God  who asks me to "come and talk with Him"... being aware of how much I am talking WITH Him, instead of just talking at Him.  

claiming the truth of:  Psalm 27:5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary.  He will place me out of reach on a high rock.... holding on to the fact that He can conceal us and place us out of reach from the enemy, that we are untouchable to the enemy and victorious through Christ!