You never said it would be easy...

If You Want Me To
Artist - Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

No I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
Then I will go through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When You lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the darkness
If You want me to

When I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, gonna shout
Gonna look into your eyes and see you never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to you
And I will walk through the valley if you want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley if you want me to


God has used these lyrics to minister to me so many times in the past, but more now than ever!
He is teaching me to trust Him and that these trials are working for a greater good!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5

Through the most difficult times in my life, I only learn more about God's promises! He is faithful and just! He will never leave or forsake me! His plan is better than mine! He will repay those who have wronged me. He has my best interest in mind!

Thank you Jesus for being the constant in my life!

bump

here is the most recent picture of my ever growing belly-- so strange...my sister's wedding was fabulous! i will post pics and details soon!















check out my sister's wedding slideshow! photos by the fabulous brooke turner

http://www.brooketurnerphotography.com/slideshows/KristinPhillip

family fun

wes and i spent the weekend in spartanburg, hanging out with family and celebrating our nephew, Ryder's 2nd bday!

it was a beautiful day! thank the Lord! many of wes' extended family were able to join in the festivities and they are always a blast! wes' dad is one of 10 and so he has a lot of 1st cousins! (see the photo)

this is a very busy week for my family because my sister gets married THIS SATURDAY! please be praying for her and phillip as they start their new life together!

also, wes will be flying to moscow for a week with 12 college students...i ask that you pray for their safety and health!

the biz....

many have asked me "how is your jewelry business going"...and my answer typically is "really good"

i would like to elaborate a little more on all that the Lord has done in my business since i took the leap of faith to quit my full time job aug 1, 2007. when i quit my job, i had about 12 girls in my downline. these women all have their own jewelry business and are such an inspiration to me! i was personally doing about 5 + shows a month. Then for the 2nd half of 2007, i did about 8-12 shows a month and in the past 7 months, my downline has almost tripled in size!! there are now 35 women who are selling with me! wow! i am amazed and know that this growth is totally from the Lord! he has placed each of these special women in my life and not only do we get to work our business together, but we do life together! i have gotten to know the hearts of these beautiful women and learn about their families, dreams and goals! it is truly a blessing beyond description.

when i started selling jewelry about 4 years ago, i never could have imagined what an amazing company i would get to work for or the amazing women i would meet!

i am so incredibly grateful to all the support my friends, family, customers and hostesses have given me! you have no idea when you buy a ring or necklace, what kind of impact you are making on the community and the entire world! the founders of my company are so generous in their giving!

really, jewelry is just the vehicle to allow us to touch lives and bring hope into the homes across america! thank YOU for being a part of it!

so to answer your question...business is going great!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

wisdom

it never ceases to amaze me how the Lord gets my attention in "themes"...you know you read a verse one morning, then the pastor preaches on it and then a friend talks about it, etc...

finally you get it-- oh Lord you are talking to ME?!

so lately He has been teaching me what it means to have wisdom and how important it is to ask for it. a great place to start is by learning from solomon, the wisest man to ever live. he wrote an entire book that is filled with wisdom for life and godliness, proverbs.

someone once taught me to read a proverb a day (based on the date-- since there are 31)... i am excited to start that habit again, because it really impacts my daily life!

we have some tough things going on with my family right now and as i pray i just keep coming back to...wisdom...ask for wisdom...

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 1 Kings 4:29-30

"Let's tidy up the nursery" mary poppins

well we have painted our nursery! i know many of you are surprised that i actually did something 5 months in advance, i am trying! my new challenge is TNT (today not tomorrow). it is not my lifestyle yet, but it is making my try a little harder!

anyway...with the help of my wonderful hubby, sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law, we painted the room in about 2 hours! i went really crazy with the color..."Totally Tan" ha!
it is amazing how paint can make your house look a million times better (most of our walls are still white white). the nursery is a jungle theme inspired by our love for elephants! we also liked this pattern b/c it looks more little boy-ish, so he can get more use out of it as he gets a little older! we do not actually have any of this yet, but i ordered the swatches and registered for the pattern. now it is on to things like a crib, changing table, etc...all the things i know nothing about!

as for the world of baby church, he is moving a lot (surprise, wes and rachel will have an active child). it is a really crazy feeling of this thumping and rolling...not really sure what he is doing in there! but it does make me more excited about meeting him in less than 4 months! ahhhh!

as for a name, no news there. i took a name quiz on babycenter.com last night and it said that my baby-naming personality is Classic, Tried and true

You tend to take a sensible, drama-free approach to life. You're dependable, reliable, compatible with all kinds of people. While you may not be the biggest risk-taker in the world, this certainly doesn't mean you aren't adventurous. It just means that you do your research. You like planning, structure, and predictability. You dislike showiness and wild impulsivity.

Classic baby names that have stood the test of time will spark your interest. These elegant names have enjoyed long-term popularity since at least the 1800's— and for good reason. They go well with a variety of middle and last names, they're easy to spell and pronounce (no errant apostrophes or fancy spellings!), and they're simply beautiful without seeming to "try too hard." You basically can't go wrong with a classic name.

Suggested names:
Girls: Anna, Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary, Victoria, Rebecca, Sarah
Boys: Andrew, Charles, Daniel, David, James, John, Matthew, Michael, Robert, Samuel, Thomas, William

I agree! I was even considering 3 or 4 of the names above ha!!

I am open to suggestions! So send some good names my way!

the Lord is near

one thing that i have been learning lately is that God is so near to me...the thought of carrying a child or being a mom is overwhelming and if i let it, i can get so anxious...but the Lord reminds me of all His promises...

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7-11

I love that! I love that no matter what I am going through, He is right there with me. I am never alone. He always understands, even when no one else can!

What an amazing, loving and intimate Lord we have! Praise His Holy Name!!