My Choice Monday: Let An App Help Keep You On Track

January 18, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Well it’s Monday! It’s a short week for us with our trip to Minnesota and Maine on the horizon, so the day has actually flown by! What’s that saying? “So much to do, so little time!”? #StoryOfOurLives 🙂

Today, in the spirit of being crazy busy, ‘my choice’ is for the Best Apps to keep you on your Christian walk – BUSY OR NOT! No excuses!

Blue Letter Bible –

This app is hands down the best Bible app on the market and it’s now available for both iPhone and Android users! Numerous translations of the Bible plus commentaries and concordances right at your fingertips!
Our Daily Bread

There is no excuse to miss reading your daily devotional with this app – NONE! I have the app read my devotion & Scripture references to me via Bluetooth on my way to work each morning. (Helps calm road rage too! #Bonus)
Abide

Abide is an app that guides you in prayer. There are many different topics and some beautiful prayers available. If you ever have a hard time knowing what to say when you pray, this app with help!
Bible-Minded

David, in the Psalms, tells us to hide God’s Word in our hearts…Scripture can help re-center you back on the things of the Lord; It can be such a comfort when times are tough…This app helps with that! Use Bible Minded to begin to memorize Scripture!!
K-Love

Christian music -Anytime. Anywhere. This is another awesome app to keep on your phone or tablet. No matter what sort of stresses are going on in the world around you, you can always pop in your earbuds (or strap on your BEATS!) and tune out the world – and turn ON worship!
Skip Heitzig – The App

Skip Heitzig, one of our FAVORITE pastors and the head of Calvary Chapel in Albequerque. If you’ve read our blog for long, we have mentioned him (and this app) on multiple occasions. It’s that awesome! I have learned so much about the Bible and gained so much that has helped me strengthen my relationship with the Lord from the sermons available on this app. Another perfect companion for your drive to (or from) work, a flight, or your exercise routine. This app has followed me across about four phones…and I have NEVER even considered not having it! It’s FREE – You have nothing to lose!

So there you have it – Six apps YOU NEED on your phone or tablet to help strengthen and guide your walk with Christ. Colossians 3:1-3a says this:

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.…

When you’re alone in the car, don’t turn on the depressing/maddening/outrageous news or listen to the songs on the radio (not only played over and over and over again) full of lyrics of innuendo, cursing, violence…Listen to the Word of God or worship Him in song or pray…All of these apps help to ‘keep your mind on the things above’, just where it should be!

Have a wonderful evening! God Bless You All!

Food For Thought Friday

The Pantry Trade-Off

January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! Wahoooooo!!! It is raining dogs and ponies here in Atlanta, but in my heart it is SUNSHINE and rainbows!! I am so excited for the weekend!! (Can you tell?)

So, as many of you know, one of our favorite things to do is cook together. Affectionately, Craig and I refer to each other as chef and sous-chef in the kitchen and we just love watching The Food Network and any cooking show together – Our favorite is ‘America’s Test Kitchen’.

At this point, my dietary restrictions are no longer merely ‘preferences’. With my insulin resistance/PCOS/etc., I cannot and do not eat sugar – which includes all carbohydrates, including any grains. If you don’t practice this lifestyle, it may seem daunting at first…HOW do you love to cook and not use flour, sugar, rice, etc.???

Actually, once you know the trades for those items, you can pretty much make and eat anything. The possibilities are endless.

One thing that’s important to note is that if a product claims to be ‘low fat’, ‘low sugar’, etc., it’s because it is filled with something else in the place of that fat or sugar. This is pure danger, and it part of the reason America is in the obesity crisis we are!

Let’s take, for example, skim milk.

Did you know that skim milk has about twice the amount of sugar as full fat cream!?!? When the fat is removed to make the milk ‘skim’, sugar is added in its place… For more information about this, see this article… Once you really begin researching nutrition…it’s quite eye-opening…You can change your entire health outlook with just a few switches in your pantry!

So, anyway, I love to create recipes that are similar to foods I enjoyed when I still ate carbs, but you’ll notice, as explained above, that I use several items which are SURPRISINGLY low carb & sugar, such as heavy whipping cream! (Note: At your favorite coffee shop, order your lattes ‘breve’, which means to use cream vs milk. You’ll save a TON of carbs this way!)

For today’s Food For Thought Friday, I thought I would share the recipe I ‘created’ last night for our dinner, Crusted Chicken in Dill Cream. It was delicious and so easy!

Try out our recipe and let us know what you think! Comment below or send us a message here!

Have a beautiful weekend, y’all! We’ll see you on Monday!

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Faithful Fear: Craig’s First Post of 2016

January 14, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

It’s our favorite day of the week here at The (Not-So) Newlywed Lefebvres… and I have such a treat for you today!! Craig graciously told me he would write today’s post!! He is such a wonderful man and an amazing spiritual leader for our little family. I loved his insight and I hope you will too!

Let’s just start this off quick and to the point. Being a Christian is not easy. If you think it is easy, then chances are you are not doing all of what Christ is asking of you to do.

The most faithful of followers even will admit that following in the footsteps of Christ and doing what we are called to do as Christians is not an easy road. BUT what they also will tell you is that it is a rewarding road – A road that leads to much more than just life for these 80, 90, 100 years we are on this earth. It leads to the most rewarding promise God has – eternal salvation.

While reading through the Bible, I have noticed that in the last few books I’ve read, (Isaiah and Jeremiah) God has asked His people to do some difficult things – things that would definitely make you fearful and that only trust in Jesus will overcome.

In one instance, He asked King Zedekiah to surrender to the Babylonians. By doing so, God promised to save him & his family and Jerusalem would not be burnt down. (Jeremiah 38:17-18) In the society in which we live, though, surrender seems like defeat. And since Bible times, not much has changed. As the events go on, out of fear and lack of trust in the Lord, King Zedekiah did not do as he was asked and surrender, and as a result, he and his family died and Jerusalem was burnt. (Jeremiah 39: 6-8)

Shortly before this, Jeremiah was placed into a cistern and left to die at the order of King Zedekiah. Again, the king acted in fear as he did not know what to do with this prophet (Jeremiah) who was foretelling of great destruction to Jerusalem. In retaliation, his officials lobbied to have Jeremiah thrown into the cistern.

Fear can be a bad thing when you are not following Jesus closely and not putting all trust in Him. HOWEVER, fear also can be a sign of going against the crowd and speaking what Jesus is telling you – A good fear! We see this demonstrated in a man named Ebed-Melch. He was one of King Zedekiah’s court officials. When he heard that Jeremiah had been placed in the cistern and left to starve to death, he spoke up to the king – demanding that Jeremiah be lifted out of the cistern. (Jeremiah 38:9)

To come against a king like this must have brought immeasurable fear into Ebed-Melch! It could cost him everything… Often, when doing what Christ wants, we find that it could cost us what seems like everything. But, we must remember that when we place our trust in Jesus and follow Him in all that we do, losing the so-called ‘everything’ here on earth, gains us the EVERYTHING of eternal life in Heaven! Later, in Jeremiah 39:15-18, Ebed-Melch gets to hear our Lord tell him he will be saved and rescued for his actions in standing up to King Zedekiah for Jeremiah.

For today, let us focus on standing up for what God says is right. And what the Lord sees as right, is not necessarily what the world dictates or the easiest path to follow. But by following Him, He will always make a way, even when it seems impossible, for His plan to be carried out.

In this story of Jeremiah, all it took for King Zedekiah to change his mind and let Jeremiah live, was for one person to come forward and speak his mind. When we are called to be that one person, I pray that we have courage to trust in Him, and be the Ebed-Melch of today – changing the tide of evil.

You can be assured, through Scripture, that “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” (Rom 10:11) Don’t let fear rise up in you. Trust in the Lord for you will not be disgraced!

What's Up Wednesday

A Revenant Review of A Quiet Weekend

January 13, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week! I woke up this morning hoping it was Saturday as I looked at my alarm clock, buzzing like a madman. I don’t think I will ever get used to waking up before the sun!

Alas, Craig and I have enjoyed the whole week together and when I haven’t been working or commuting, we have relished every second. This past weekend we saw the new movie, “The Revenant“…

Honestly…I don’t even know how to ‘review’ this ~~movie~~ experience…except to say two things:

I will, now, forever have an unhealthy fear of bears.
You may find yourself unconciously holding your breath for long stretches of time, but you will never become disinterested in this film.

Apparently, the movie is based on a true story…and when you see it…you’ll perhaps understand why that is so shocking…Goodness, I am getting shivery just thinking about it…

Please, let me be frank – this is NOT a horror film, nor is it scary…It is just…indescribable, and has an incredible message, I feel, woven within…

Other than our cinematic experience, our weekend was pretty tame. Craig and I ventured into some thrift shops (my fave!) and hardware stores (his fave!) and even made it to JoAnn Fabrics, in preparation for my new sewing and embroidery machine:

Eeeek! We haven’t had much time to experiment, yet!, but I have already delved into one project, and am next interested in converting a pair of huge jeans that I bought thinking they were men’s for Craig…only to discover they were a pair of plus size women’s jeans…which obviously neither of us can wear… LOL… So – On to reinventing into “skinny jeans” – which Pinterest claims is really simple… We shall see!! 🙂

Otherwise it’s been work work work around the Lefebvre home! We are preparing to take a little trip next week – beginning in Maine and ending in Minnesota! There are bound to be pictures to come!

Keep my precious Mama Dee (my mother’s mother) in your prayers, blog-family. In recent weeks, she has undergone a THIRD knee surgery since shattering her patella in November. Prayers for healing, peace, patience and comfort are so very appreciated.

download (22) — From Left: Mama, Mama Dee, Me ❤

And finally, I want to leave you on this ‘What’s Up Wednesday?’ with a beautiful article concerning God’s design for marriage.

“A Last Name Says Alot” by Jasmine Holmes

Take a moment and read and think on Jasmine’s words…We have a Father in Heaven who LOVES us!!

Well, back to work! Until tomorrow!

TTC Tuesday

Our Limitless Savior

January 12, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Early this morning, on the way in to work, I wasn’t sure what exactly today’s post would be about. Sometimes, though, the answer is all in my morning devotion – and this morning was no exception. ‘Jesus Today’ by Sarah Young (a ‘sequel’ to Jesus Calling) is one of the devotionals I’m currently reading and when I read this entry for January 12th…I could feel the Holy Spirit upon my heart.

What a beautiful feeling. There is absolutely nothing like it! And when it’s truly the Lord pressing on your heart, you cannot help but want to share His message! And so I knew that what impacted me this morning would be my gift to y’all today:

And before you argue that this is ‘just’ a devotional reading…all of these promises are backed up by the Word of God:

Faith in Christ is truly the answer. It leads to prayer, persistence…hope…joy. If you are merely living your life…going to church now and then – or even every week! – but don’t have a true living relationship with the Lord, you just cannot even fathom what the life God has in store for you really consists of!!

When you’re in a seemingly discouraging situation, life can look bleak and hopeless. But Christ tells us to write His Word on our hearts (Deuteronomy 11:18), and that isn’t so we can look impressive with the amount of scripture we have memorized, but so that, as believers, we have the comfort of His promises in our souls whenever any situation arises.

The Lord keeps all of His promises (Proverbs 30:5), so we can rest knowing that He hears His children. Although it isn’t easy, there is never a need to ‘help’ God along and trying to do so shows a lack of faith…In true worship of Our Savior, we must acknowledge that He alone is limitless in His ability and able to do anything – creating life out of barrenness, healing the incurable, saving the unsaveable, providing the impossible.

In this day and age, it seems as if nothing shocks or amazes us anymore. But GOD is above and beyond any place your imagination could take you, and His Love is infinitely beyond our comprehension. While we remain on our knees in faith, He has already answered our cries in the best way. Just as you would never give your child a gift that might cause him harm, He gives His children the very best.

In His Word and in the devotion for today, Jesus is assuring us of His love for us…As a Father to His Children, the Lord wants the very best for us. All we must do as Christ Followers is to pray faithfully, and live our lives in relationship with Him. It is surely not a simple undertaking, but it is a beautiful and rewarding life to live unhindered in His Promise.

My Choice Monday

My Choice Monday: Naturally Amazing Skin

January 11, 2016January 11, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Hello & Happy Monday!

I was so sad to see this past weekend end! Craig and I finally had a nice weekend together and we cherished every single moment – relaxing. It’s been awhile! 😉

I spoke with one of my best girls this weekend, who asked if there were any essential oils that would help with skincare… Well, yes ma’am, there sure are!

Whether you have dry skin or acne/problem prone skin, there is an essential oil remedy for you! Here are two I love:

Acne Prone Skincare

Let’s begin with tea tree oil. WebMD says, “The chemicals in tea tree oil may kill bacteria and fungus, and reduce allergic skin reactions.”

I, personally, use the following skincare regimen daily to tame my skin:

12 drops Tea Tree Oil

2 oz Pure Jojoba Oil

2 oz Isopropyl Alcohol

I mix these into a spray bottle and apply to my ‘problem areas’ everytime I wash my face.

Seriously, this works SO WELL for me – when nothing else has! I wash my face – using one of my favorite Christmas gifts, my Clarisonic (Thanks, Mama!) – and then spray this mixture on my clean skin – twice daily. Cystic acne caused by PCOS – gone.

2. Dry Skin/Psoriasis

Frankincense. You may be familiar with this essential oil – It was one of the gifts brought by the Magi to Jesus. This oil is known to actually repair cells, so it’s perfect for treating dry skin and specifically psoriasis.

Here’s my remedy:

10 drops Frankincense essential oil

10 drops Lavender essential oil

2 oz Pure Jojoba Oil

3 oz of your favorite unscented, moisturizing facial lotion:(I recommend this.)

Mix this lotion mixture into a clean small jar (like this one), and you can apply up to 3 times daily to affected areas.

And y’all, I am serious when I say that healing your skin naturally is the way to go. Hands down. And these oils, have tons more uses than simply skin care, too!

All found at Mercola:

Tea Tree Oil :

Toothbrush cleaner – A drop of tea tree oil can disinfect your toothbrush, which is a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
Mold treatment – Mix a drop with a cup of water, spray on moldy areas, and then wipe clean. For an all-natural disinfectant, you can also sprinkle a few drops of tea tree oil along with baking soda on your bathroom or kitchen surfaces.
Natural pest control – The strong smell of tea tree oil naturally repels ants and other insects. I recommend making a natural insect repellent by mixing a few drops of tea tree oil with coconut oil.
Laundry freshener – Adding a few drops of this oil during the wash cycle will make your laundry smell crisper and kill organisms lurking in your washer.

Frankincense:

“It’s known for its comforting properties, and is useful for visualizing, improving one’s spiritual connection, and helping overcome stress and despair.⁸

In aromatherapy, frankincense oil is either inhaled or diffused via a vaporizer – a very effective sedative that induces a feeling of mental peace, relaxation, and satisfaction, and helps relieve anxiety, anger, and stress.⁹ ”

Lavender:

Added to your bath or shower to relieve aching muscles and stress.
Inhaled or vaporized. You can use an oil burner or add a few drops to a bowl of hot water, and then breathe in the steam.
Used as a compress by soaking a towel in a bowl of water infused with a few drops of lavender oil. Apply this to sprains or muscle injuries.

And it’s easy, you can purchase any or all of these powerful essential oils right here. And if you’re interested in trying some of my recommendations from both this week and last week’s post, you might just want to purchase a Premium Starter Kit. You’ll get all of these oils:

- Lavender 5-ml
- Peppermint 5-ml
- Lemon 5-ml
- Copaiba 5-ml
- Frankincense 5-ml
- Thieves® 5-ml
- Purification® 5-ml
- R.C.™ 5-ml
- DiGize™ 5-ml
- PanAway® 5-ml
- Stress Away™ 5-ml

Plus a diffuser, and MORE. You can find it here. You don’t have to care a thing in the world about selling essential oils, but if you plan to use even just two different oils, buying the starter kit is the best deal – by far. Not to mention that if you sign up, you’ll receive wholesale pricing…That’s a 24% savings right off the bat.

Check it out – I promise you’ll be glad you did – and so will your skin! 😉

Until Tomorrow,

Food For Thought Friday

Flashback Friday: 2015 Highlights

January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Happy Friday, Folks!!

Since we have just crossed the border into 2016 – and I am still writing 2015 at the end of every date…I thought we would do a Flashback Friday…into the past year, and ~~all~~ ~~most~~ some of what has happened with our little family.

10881517_1516003481994376_1873992134642088896_n — We started off the year by buying our first home together – in Westbrook, ME!

10906316_1521776598083731_2539422657029917272_n — Pier went back to school at USM for a 2nd Bachelor’s.

10427333_1527236527537738_9079225556512519762_n — It was cold in Maine…

1780767_1533067586954632_6010003646530381505_n — Really…

11058414_1545216359073088_6778065015963940341_n — My sweet Grandma came to visit in Maine and met her Great-Grand-Furs…

download (15) — Of course they loved her – and she loved them!

download (21) — Despite the freezing cold weather and feet upon feet of snow…Maine was/is gorgeous…

download (13) — We began fixing up our Maine home…Built in 1901, beginning with this little Harry Potter Closet – under the stairs…

download (3) — We began transforming it into…

download (14) — …it came together to form this…

download (5) — …Here’s the other side of the wall where we placed the plug-ins for our entertainment system…

download (6) — …And here is the TV and the first speaker in place…

download (9).jpg — …And the finished product. Sweet and very hand Craig installed surround sound in the ceiling, as well, and with my ‘midnight blue’ walls and ceiling, they were completely hidden. (Confession – We miss this little house.)

download (2) — I also did ALOT of painting and wallpaper removal…This spot was my favorite to work in…I almost broke my neck on multiple occasions.

11050157_1541216306139760_8085883604238419449_n — Of course it was also a wonderful spot, as well… It’s where Lucy came to sit and tell me she loved me. ❤

1613867_1533663226895068_8554474228119479813_n — We spent Valentine’s Day at Home Depot…More work on “Our Old House”

10906353_1531692743758783_5620654434800148889_n — We visited Minnesota in the early part of 2015.

download (16) — And flew back through Boston – Logan…the last flight in before the blizzard hit.

download (20) — Craig and I shared about 2 weeks at home – sick as could be. But between the coughing, we really enjoyed the quality time together….#pilotswifeslife

20419_1553594271568630_6963024333438367390_n — I began running…thanks to a great area to explore and some asthma running/breathing techniques.

download (17) — Craig was really impressed with the green beer I ‘made’ him for St. Patrick’s Day!

10998822_1550069675254423_8604933378722426340_n — We journeyed to Georgia for Ralph’s 60th Birthday Extravaganza and had an absolute BLAST! Wish we had more pictures, but I LOVE this one of me and my grandma!

11056450_1552943678300356_2974304415792177129_n — We celebrated Easter…The COLDEST Easter I have ever known – Hence my fur coat!

10801756_1552941771633880_5508982091212381777_n — Easter (What was UNDER the heavy coats!)

download (1) — We spent a lot of time with our Youth Group.

11046334_1552109395050451_8953616872006400723_n — YM – An amazing group of teens seeking after Christ.

download — What a great experience! We have missed them!

11146591_1557078007886923_4430595000625920475_n — We celebrated Craig’s 33rd with a visit to the beach – Old Orchard in Maine…

10897955_1536665606594830_6105311935830903244_n — …a trip to our favorite restaurant in Maine – Mulligan’s!

11182275_1563460463915344_6761055573450039116_n — And the absolute COLDEST baseball game on record – Literally our teeth were chattering! Go Seadogs!

11905804_1610104012584322_6575452633453358024_n — We came back to Georgia and have enjoyed some great times with family – and getting to know my brother’s sweet girlfriend even better! ❤

11229281_10207452016287333_6299549124554749415_n — I celebrated my dear friend Lauren’s precious Baby E with a shower and enjoyed time with my fave girls!

2016-01-08 (3) — Craig was promoted to Captain – and we couldn’t have been more excited. It was SO well deserved for such an incredible man & pilot.

2016-01-08 (1) — I was hired by an awesome company with a lot of FUN people!!

Hawaii2015_1037 — We celebrated out anniversary in Hawaii!

12043169_1616496438611746_5427254840641438155_n — And thoroughly enjoyed…

12079080_1621770118084378_6325962748554158584_n — We cheered on my Georgia Bulldogs!

12274763_1628684404059616_5926264847144615650_n — It was Craig’s first SEC Football Experience – and I think he really enjoyed himself!

12144708_1618481501746573_8809716815977540272_n — We went to MN again – And thoroughly enjoyed some much needed snuggles with our precious niece, Eden.

12109188_10207793224128494_4050862664559149979_n — We also ventured to the top of the Foshay Tower…

2016-01-08 (4) — …it was a great view with amazing company. ❤

12086951_10207451609069663_251510620_n — We were blessed to celebrate the baptism of our Goddaughter, Charleigh Mae.

12071585_10207451610069688_864966308_n — Miss Charleigh is quite the little angel!

12109247_1624468881147835_7850000958779299089_n — At work, we had a costume contest of sorts for Halloween. I may have won. 😉

2016-01-08 — We enjoyed a lot of time at one of our favorite Georgia spots, Kennesaw Mountain.

12193431_1626340124294044_42197344371247143_n — I can’t BELIEVE it, but we celebrated my baby brother’s 30th birthday…Oh my goodness…

download (54) — We made Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time ever – on Jonah Day.

20151212_153256 — We celebrated Christmas with a trip to see The Nutcracker in Atlanta…

20151225_174722 — …and also with my precious family. Obviously, we need to take more pictures when we are with my parents!! 😉

What a wonderful year we’ve had!! Farewell 2015! Welcome 2016!! Here’s to our following the Lord wherever He is leading us and standing strong in our faith, no matter what!

Have a beautiful weekend! We’ll see you on Monday!

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Waiting On Him: What To Do?

January 7, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Waiting. Not one of my favorite things. And really, is it anyone’s?

But, as we mentioned in yesterday’s post, currently, we are in a season of waiting on the Lord…So, I thought I’d talk a little bit today about what exactly that means…

Joyce Meyer explains waiting on God well when she tells us:

Once we’ve asked God to answer a question or solve a problem, we need to be eagerly awaiting His answer. We need to be serving actively, aggressively and expectantly. When our hearts are eager to hear from God, He loves to rush in suddenly with His solution. In many cases this waiting period actually serves as a time of preparation for the answer. If God answered right away, many of us would be ill-prepared to handle His solution.

Sometimes we find ourselves in such horrible messes that it’s hard to imagine waiting one more second. But we need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a sweet and simple faith. Then, in a way we never could’ve figured out—God moves suddenly!

When waiting on the answer to a prayer or for a promise to be fulfilled, I feel that so much of the ‘waiting room’ is about how you use your time. Waiting expectantly rather than passively is key.

Many examples in the Bible show expectant waiting, and the subsequent reward of answered prayer from the Lord: Hannah’s continuous prayer for a child; Paul & Silas praying and praising God in the midst being held in a jail cell; and Noah building the ark in expectation of the promised floodwaters – just to name a few.

In our time(s) of waiting, Craig and I have certainly fostered stronger relationships with the Lord – both individually and together. We have tried to serve Him by serving others. We have spread His Word, and continue to focus on putting Him first in everything we do. We have delved into reading and studying the Word. And above all, we have prayed.

Is it, perhaps, the case that our waiting on Him – yours and ours – is often more about developing our relationship with God than our answered prayer or promise being delayed?

Caroline MacInnes wrote an article several years ago for Boundless.Org, with this to say about how beautiful the Lord’s waiting room can be:

Somewhere in The Meantime, God changed my theme verse from “How long, oh, Lord?” to “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19, ESV). And I literally went to the desert of West Texas to find that “new thing.” I attended graduate school to study what I loved, mentored kids, traveled overseas, and overall, developed a fresh vision of God’s plan for my life…

…Each of us can choose how we spend our days, but God’s wish for us is clear: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

satan loves to discourage us in our time of waiting…but as the first part of John 10:10 reads, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” Jesus is the one who came to bring us LIFE. And He doesn’t call us to live it out in front of the tv or with a box of tissues. He calls us to live BOLDLY for His glory – both in the waiting, and out. Don’t let the enemy bog you down by stealing your joy, killing your faith and destroying your opportunity! Use your waiting time wisely!

2 Timothy 1:6-7 ESV

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Hebrews 13:6 ESV

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

What's Up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday – A Post-Christmas Edition

January 6, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

It’s been a little while since we shared a ‘What’s Up Wednesday’ with y’all…

Partially, that’s because much of our current season of life has been about waiting in prayer. Waiting for Jonah. Waiting to proceed with the adoption process. Waiting on the Lord’s leading. Waiting…

Part of me feels as if at least a portion of our wait is over. We are ready to take on the next journey at our feet! But in the meantime…

My precious husband took me to see The Nutcracker performed by the Atlanta Ballet at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. It was wonderful! I have wanted to see this ballet in person since childhood, so this truly was a dream come true – Craig’s pretty good about making that happen for me! 😉

Right after this, we also had the pleasure of ‘baby’sitting for our fur-nephew, Copper. He’s my brother and his girlfriend’s precious pup, and made fast friends with his fur-cousins, Lucy & Caroline – Especially Lucy. Those two were peas in a pod, for sure!!! Aunt Pier sure was excited that Lucy had someone to play with non-stop, so that she and Caroline could relax and enjoy some good ol’ tv in peace! 🙂

Christmas 2015 was a glorious one, as well. It’s always wonderful to spend time with our families – and our celebration is only halfway over! We enjoyed Christmas Day with our Georgia Family, and travel to Minnesota to see our family there this month!!

Of course the furs enjoyed Christmas, as well! Pardon the blurry picture…but this is an action shot of Lucy Goose playing her favorite game of tug-of-war with one of her favorite Christmas gifts – The Red Snake. When she isn’t tugging her precious little heart out, she is dragging the fluffy rope-snake around in her mouth like a toddler with a ‘blankie’. She is TRULY adorable.

Her sisters, Caroline & Miss Daisy, are not to be outdone, though! They merely consider themselves to be older and wiser than little Lucy, and thoroughly relished in the opportunity the holidays allowed them to spend more time snuggling with Mommy & Daddy.

I can’t say we minded any of it one little bit.

Well, you can cross this off of your list for today. You’re all caught up on our lives. 😉 How were your holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s?

TTC Tuesday

This Isn’t Part Of The Plan!

January 5, 2016January 5, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Have you ever felt God asking you to follow Him…and not wanted to go where He was leading? Have you ever silently prayed, “Lord, really?! This is not part of my plan!!”?

Sometimes we spend so much of our time focused on what we want and what we plan to do in the future that we dream up the most ‘perfect’ scenario…and then are disappointed when God ‘gets in the way’ of our plans and suddenly, things don’t ‘look like’ we assumed they would.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (AMP)

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Lucky for us, as Christians, God is the one in charge and He sees the big picture. ~~Sometimes~~ ~~Most of the time~~ The plans He has for us are always better than anything we could imagine.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

It’s such a comfort to know that when He interferes our plans, He always has something even better in mind.

If you’re feeling the Lord calling you to do something that wasn’t part of your game plan, maybe that’s all the more reason to be assured it is God leading you. As humans, we have a pretty strong and determined will. When we want something – from the time we are infants – we want it and we want it now. If God is tugging at your heartstrings to go in a direction that you may not have chosen for yourself, a completely unselfish direction, it certainly isn’t a worldly pull.

If you only follow Him, He will take care of you…and He may even have a few surprises in store along the way! As the book of Jeremiah tells us in the passage above, God has not only plans for us, He has GOOD plans. And when we pray to Him, He listens. His rules are there for a reason – to keep His children from harm. And when He guides you, it is to green pastures. He listens to His children. He hears our prayers and gives us a ‘future and a hope’.

Perhaps it isn’t exactly the future you imagined for yourself…but you can rest assured that if you are following the Will of God, it will be better than any plans you had for yourself!