Food For Thought Friday

Food For Thought: Are you a Light or a Flicker?

August 28, 2015August 28, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Wanna know something funny?

This Facebook post:

…received 40 likes.

This one:

…received 35 likes and 5 comments.

But this one, on the other hand:

…received one ‘like’.

And this one…

…only got “one”, as well.

So why am I mentioning this? Do I really care about how many “likes”, comments, shares, or re-blogs we have?

Not in the least.

But I do find it ‘funny’ – and not in an “LOL” way – that we are so quick to “like” a ‘pretty’ picture, “share” bad news, or comment on a post about fashion or friendship…and yet, we stray away from sharing, posting, liking or remarking about our faith on social media.

Craig and I certainly don’t author this blog for the income it provides (read: zero). We don’t share our faith because we desire fame, or tons of “likes” or “followers”. This blog is up and running today not because I have a wealth of time to write it, but because Jesus calls us to stand up for him!

In a world where violence is rampant; evil is portrayed as ‘good’ and normal, and the name of Jesus is a dirty word… We are called by him to shine like a light on a hill:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16

How are you interpreting that scripture? Do you think being a LIGHT for all the world to see means fading into society so that no one out there knows your beliefs? Do you think it means hiding your faith? If that is how you’re living, you aren’t truly being a Christ-follower…

Now, listen. I am not here to judge, nor am I judging. But I love you people. I pour my heart and soul out to you weekly, and have (on and off) for almost three years. I write to you because Jesus has called me to do so, and because I love Him and long to follow Him more closely, I must obey.

Trust me. I am not perfect, nor am I claiming to be. I am a sinner. I mess up every single day, but that doesn’t stop me from striving to be the daughter of the Risen King I know I am.

Don’t shy away from sharing your faith – from letting others know what you believe and WHO you follow, and WHY. If you truly love Him, then don’t you want others to know the indescribable joy with which He fills you, in spite of all circumstances?

Be different. Shine like a light in the darkness. Do you know how many people have said to my face, behind my back, or behind the mask of a computer screen that I am a Jesus Freak? That I am “taking things too far”? That we take this “church thing too seriously”?

So. What.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, but Him.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23

So, therein lies your ‘food for thought’…Are you shining the light of Christ for all to see? I don’t care if you “like” my posts or share them or comment on them. But I do hope that you will never be ashamed of or afraid to reveal your faith.

My Choice Monday

My Choice Monday: Joy

August 24, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Let me be brutally honest.

Life is hard.

It’s hard to be alone every week. It’s hard to watch all my friends post pictures on Facebook and Instagram of their beautiful children. It’s hard to accept that some people don’t want to rekindle friendship with you and your husband. It’s not fun to wake up and be on the road before the sun in the morning, every morning, and arrive back home – to a husband-less household – after the sun has gone back to bed.

But in spite of all of that, and any other circumstances I may have glossed over, people continually remark at my cheerful demeanor, how happy and carefree I seem to be…and I can honestly say it isn’t my doing at all.

Job 13:15

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Have any of you recently read the book of Job? I’m currently reading and studying this book of the Bible, and if you haven’t read it closely, WOW, Job had it pretty bad. I feel almost embarrassed to complain about anything in my life because, well, there but for the grace of God go I!

Job was not only the wealthiest man around; he also was “…a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8 ESV) He was blessed with ten children, numerous servants, countless livestock…probably the nicest tent on the block! And not only these material possessions were taken away, but his health fell away too. Job 2:8 (ESV) says, “And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.”

Here is a man who was on top of the world, and now he sits on top of ashes, where his belongings had burned. His children are gone. His servants are gone. His livestock is gone. And he is covered from head to toe with itchy boils and sores covering his skin, and all he can do is scrape at himself with a shard of pottery, broken in the midst of everything.

Job’s wife, almost understandably so, says to him, “…Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job 2:9 (ESV)

But his response to her is a lesson for all of us:

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:10 (ESV)

Job trusted God. He praised God, and he accepted his circumstances.

Not that my own circumstances come close to those of Job, but I have found in praying about and trying to find reason and comfort for many of the things going on in our life, if Jesus calls you to experience something, He gives you everything you need to get through it. And not only survive, but to do so with JOY and PEACE.

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give it to you. Let your heart not be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

It’s the very thing that allows persecuted Christians to get out of bed every morning: their worlds may be falling apart around them, but they are BLESSED with a RELATIONSHIP with the CREATOR – “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

It’s amazing what Jesus can do with circumstances in our lives that seem to be only painful at first glance. I am so blessed to be asked to share Jesus with so many people simply because they hear a part of our story and are amazed at the peace and calm and joy in our lives.

The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11 (NLT)

That peace, strength and JOY is Jesus and our relationship to Him, my friends. It’s nothing short of amazing, and He is all you need.

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

A Spirit-Filled Atmosphere

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Good Morning Friends & Welcome to Thirsty For Christ Thursday!

If you have been reading our blog for long, you know we love the devotionals written by Sarah Young – most especially “Jesus Calling” and “Jesus Today”. So this morning we want to bless you with a recent devotion from “Jesus Today”, in a format you can even print and hang by your desk as a reminder:

I just love the imagery that is derived from those last few sentences: ‘When Christlike goodness collides with worldly vileness, be on the lookout for miracles! The collision of spiritual opposites creates atmospheric conditions that are conducive to My powerful interventions.‘

Those words give me a visual of storm clouds erupting into miraculous lightening strikes.

You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. Psalm 77:14 NLT

One thing to take from Ms. Young’s devotion is this: “Be on the lookout for miracles.” If you are told to be ‘on the lookout’ for an approaching train, you would be expecting that train to come around the corner at any moment! So the same we should be in being on the ‘lookout’ for God’s Mighty Hand at work!

As the psalm above says, He is the God of great wonders, and our faith in Him should reflect our belief that nothing is impossible with Him.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT

Be expectant of the miraculous in your circumstances!

My Choice Monday

Turning Traffic Into Tranquility

August 10, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Happy Monday Y’all!

I don’t know where all of you live, but here in the Atlanta area, it is BACK TO SCHOOL MONDAY!! Traffic was just dandy and my fellow drivers seemed to be in such relaxed moods!!! 🙂

Obviously, I speak sarcastically, but it brings me to the My Choice Monday topic of the day:

Turning Traffic Into Tranquility

5 Tips For Making Your Drive To Work A Blessing

Audible: Download the app on your phone and discover the joy of listening to great books on the way to work. It’s inexpensive and if you’re busy like the rest of the world, it can make reading that book you’ve been meaning to read a possibility!
Podcasts: Learn about subjects and topics that interest you or delve further into the subject your pastor spoke about on Sunday!
- Podbean http://www.podbean.com/religion_and_spirituality
- Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/stitcher-list/
The Bible From 30,000 Feet: Skip Heitzig, pastor of Calvary Chapel Albequerque in New Mexico, did a series several years ago that is available on both Audible & as a podcast. It goes over every single book of the Bible, not verse by verse, but in detail with attention to historical background and Jewish custom. Craig and I typically read a book of the Bible and then follow-up by listening to Skip’s podcast/chapter on that book.
- http://www.biblefrom30k.com/subscribe.asp
  - Options for iTunes & Android users!
  - Via Audible
Prayer: Make your travel time your prayer time. I find some of my best conversations with God happen in the car. I can worship and belt out some of my favorite songs to Him. I can pray, cry, scream out loud to Him with abandon. Consider this your first meeting of the morning. You won’t have to worry about dialing-in or being late, because He is always right there. Waiting.
Two of my favorite devotional books are by the same author, Sarah Young, who wrote both “Jesus Calling” and it’s ‘sequel’ – “Jesus Today”. This past Friday’s “Jesus Today” reading had this to say:

“When world events are swirling around you and your personal world feels unsteady, don’t let your mind linger on those stressors. Tell yourself the truth: ‘Yes, this world is full of trouble, but Jesus is with me and He is in control.’

I don’t know about you, but I need to write that on my hand with a Sharpie and make a sticky note to put in my car too:

“…but Jesus is with me, and He is in control!”

That should be our mantra for traffic, stressful work situations, family squabbles, disagreements, political issues, the disturbing news of the world. Let us be reminded that no matter what, He’s got the whole world in His hands. We are His children and as long as we follow Him closely, we will be just fine.

When the horns honk and my blood pressure begins to rise as a car cuts me off, I will take a deep breath and, instead of yelling, remind myself:

“…but Jesus is with me, and He is in control!”

If you didn’t grab our free printable on Friday, here’s another chance, because this also fits well into the theme of tranquility in the midst of stress. Isaiah 43 is one of many places in the Bible to be reminded of His great and wondrous, overwhelming love for us:

But now, O Jacob, listen to the lord who created you.

O Israel, the one who formed you says,

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are mine.

When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you.

For I am the lord, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;

I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Others were given in exchange for you.

I traded their lives for yours

because you are precious to me.

You are honored, and I love you.

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you.

I will gather you and your children from east and west.

I will say to the north and south,

‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel

from the distant corners of the earth.

Bring all who claim me as their God,

for I have made them for my glory.

It was I who created them.’”

Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind,

who have ears but are deaf.

Gather the nations together!

Assemble the peoples of the world!

Which of their idols has ever foretold such things?

Which can predict what will happen tomorrow?

Where are the witnesses of such predictions?

Who can verify that they spoke the truth?

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says thelord.

“You are my servant.

You have been chosen to know me, believe in me,

and understand that I alone am God.

There is no other God—

there never has been, and there never will be.

I, yes I, am the lord,

and there is no other Savior.

First I predicted your rescue,

then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.

No foreign god has ever done this.

You are witnesses that I am the only God,”

says the lord.

“From eternity to eternity I am God.

No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.

No one can undo what I have done.”

The lord’s Promise of Victory

This is what the lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon,

forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of.

I am the lord, your Holy One,

Israel’s Creator and King.

I am the lord, who opened a way through the waters,

making a dry path through the sea.

I called forth the mighty army of Egypt

with all its chariots and horses.

I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned,

their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.

“But forget all that—

it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

The wild animals in the fields will thank me,

the jackals and owls, too,

for giving them water in the desert.

Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland

so my chosen people can be refreshed.

I have made Israel for myself,

and they will someday honor me before the whole world.

“But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help.

You have grown tired of me, O Israel!

You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings.

You have not honored me with sacrifices,

though I have not burdened and wearied you

with requests for grain offerings and frankincense.

You have not brought me fragrant calamus

or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices.

Instead, you have burdened me with your sins

and wearied me with your faults.

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake

and will never think of them again.

Let us review the situation together,

and you can present your case to prove your innocence.

From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me;

all your leaders broke my laws.

That is why I have disgraced your priests;

I have decreed complete destruction for Jacob

and shame for Israel.

Have a blessed Monday, friends!

TTC Tuesday

I Am Weak, But He Is Strong

July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Dear Friends,

I confess – it’s been way too long since we poured our hearts, convictions and faith out to you via this blog. I have felt guilty –‘wake me up in the middle of the night’ guilty…because I know that the Lord wants to use me, my marriage, my hardships, my faith, as a vessel for leading others to Him. But…it’s hard, y’all. It’s really hard.

You all know we followed His call to Maine this past summer – almost a year ago! But you may not know that we are back in Georgia. After nine months of sharing His love with the precious youth of Southern Maine, God planted the desire for ‘home’…and with that, the desire to adopt a child…and with that, the necessary funds to make all of this happen with a promotion to Captain for Craig and a great job for me.

So, here we are, back in Georgia – ‘home’, and totally neglecting this blog and this ‘ministry’ – after we have been so immensely blessed. And I feel so guilty.

And while you may think this is a shrug your shoulders, no big deal, get a grip lady! kinda thing…it really isn’t. You don’t know the e-mails we receive, telling us how something has touched one of our readers; the requests for prayer from some who follow this blog from prison…Yes, I feel guilty for letting these people down when I am so unimaginably blessed, and so many are broken.

But I confess something to you…I try to be strong. Full of faith. Hopeful. Prayerfully diligent. But I fall so hard.

There are at least two days every week when I sob and ugly cry alone because ‘it just isn’t fair’ that I can’t give my sweet husband a child.

It just ‘isn’t fair’ that instead of going out for lunch with my co-workers, I head downstairs to the building’s gym to work-out during my hour-long break. I don’t eat gluten, carbs, sugar, anything fun. I drink apple cider vinegar with baking soda, and take a regimen of coconut oil, but no matter what, my blood sugar refuses to cooperate, my hormones will not level out and I can’t shed a pound, let alone maintain my weight.

I’ve felt like Job.

I’ve felt like David in a mournful Psalm.

I try so hard to be strong, but I’m not.

Thankfully, He is.

Lamentations 3:19-24 (Contemporary English Version) says this:

‘Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
That’s all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.
Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
The Lord’s kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.
The Lord can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”’

Peter tells us this truth about our Savior:

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Because friends, we are all human. We all cry and feel helpless and worry. But that isn’t the life the Lord wants for us. We are blessed in that our Lord tells us to hand everything over to Him, and just keep moving forward.

When I start to worry that Jonah will never arrive, that the adoption process will never move along, that I will never be able to have a body that functions like “it should”… I remember that He’s got this.

I remind myself that:

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.” Philippians 3:8-9a (NLT)

And when I lay aside everything else, and focus in on Him and His AWESOMENESS, my troubles melt away and nothing else matters but basking in that love and sharing it with other people.

As my “Jesus Today” devotional reminded me this morning:

“The world applauds self-sufficiency…However, this is not the way of My kingdom. I want My children to recognize and rejoice in their utter dependence on Me…When the strain of living in the fallen world is getting you down, resist the temptation to feel sorry for yourself. Instead say to yourself, ‘I am blessed and thankful – and on my way to His Glory!’”

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Captivated Thoughts

February 1, 2015February 1, 2015 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres6 Comments

Yes, it has been eons since we have posted a thing. I cannot believe how quickly and easily time escapes from us. It seems like just the other day we were packing up our home in Georgia to relocate to Maine. Alas, we have now been living in Maine for more than 4 months, and have already moved to a NEW home! I can’t claim we haven’t been busy!

I began work on a second bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern Maine at the beginning of this January…I’m working towards a BS in Biochemistry…and we don’t even have our kitchen table set-up yet in the new house! Craig’s working, I’m studying, snow is falling and our Furs are restless, but we are pushing forward and getting settled into our new home – one box at a time.

In addition to all of this, I am still the youth minister for two parishes here in Southern Maine, and Craig & I have just joined a Bible Study group together with another church, near New Hampshire. We also both have some form of “the beginnings of pneumonia” right now, according to the nurse practitioner I made an appointment with Friday, and we have been keeping each other up late every night with our wheezing and coughing and nose-blowing. I am the cantor for Mass today, too, and I am praying God will sing through me – because I have absolutely no voice at all, right now.

Whew. My hands are tired from typing all of that, and my eyes are swimming with the jumble of words. If I stare at the lists upon to-do lists bogging my sweet husband and I down right now, my pulse quickens and I become anxious…

BIOCHEMISTRY?!?! What the heck was I thinking?!?! As the nurse told me yesterday, “…quite an age to start following such a dream!” Balancing chemical equations? Memorizing the electronegativity of endless elements, and studying the polyatomic ions from Table 2.24 in the text? Learning how to do math, all over again? Knowing the difference between an oxidation-reduction and a precipitation reaction? Which box do I unpack next? How am I going to shovel the driveway – I’ve never done that before! Walking to class in 14 degree weather??? What color should I paint this room? How are we going to survive another month without our former income? How can we really show the youth group Jesus LOVES them!?!?

That’s my mind before coffee and Jesus, every morning.

My brain can be overtaken by fear and anxiety so easily with everything going on…and I haven’t even mentioned the worry of never being a mother…

This is why a personal “quiet time” is so immensely important. Time alone with God everyday – every MORNING – is paramount. Why, you ask? Because you then have the ability to place all of your worries, fears, thoughts, lists and crises on the back-burner, and put Jesus first.

I have a peaceful time, before anything else, in the day when I drink my coffee and read God’s love letters to me. I have learned in this time to captivate my thoughts:

I never truly understood what this meant until very recently. Taking your thoughts captive means to consciously recognize them, and dismiss them. I no longer allow myself to be bogged down with worry and overwhelming thoughts of everything that has to be accomplished. In my quiet time, I sit with God and allow Him to speak to me through His Word. Every verse I read, something new pops out to me from the page, and each time a worrisome notion begins to creep into my mind, I cast it out – with ease – in the presence of our Lord.

Life is overwhelmingly overwhelming – if you allow it to be. But Jesus didn’t call you to be anxious and stressed. You were created to be joyful and full of His Spirit! Take a few moments alone, first thing every morning, and spend those precious minutes in prayer and Bible reading. You won’t wish those moments had been spent any differently.

Food For Thought Friday

All That Matters

November 14, 2014November 11, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Whoop whoop! We’ve made it to Friday!!! For me, this means that after tonight, I get my husband back at home for the rest of the month, and I can’t wait!!

Now, before I get ready to head to either Boston, Manchester (NH), or just up the road to Portland to pick him up, I wanted to share a little food for thought with you:

Click this Picture For Your Food For Thought!

Now, I don’t know about your political views or stances, and those are your business – not mine, but while the gentleman pictured above, Glenn Beck, can be a controversial political figure, he is also a human, created by God – just like the rest of us.

When I read the above article (You can get there by clicking on the photo!) a few days ago, I wasn’t struck by anything political, I was struck by the awesome power of God. His healing and His guidance is available to each and everyone of us – if we open our hearts and allow Him inside! It’s that simple.

Doctors may tell us it’s all over. Family & friends may say quietly to themselves we are looney tunes. But the fact of the matter is, it’s all irrelevant. What really matters – The Only Thing That Matters At All – is what our Lord says.

And have you ever stopped and thought, where we would all be if the only one we listened to or followed was Him?

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Let’s Be Honest…

November 13, 2014November 13, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

Let’s be honest here.

Living a Christ-centered life isn’t easy.

I promise you that if I had my way things would look a lot different in my life. I probably would have said “FORGET THIS!” whole thing about waiting on God and His timing for a child a long while ago, and taken matters into my own hands. I probably would have chosen the big, fancy house we were looking at in Georgia, instead of the teensy, third-floor apartment 1,200+ miles away from either of our families. I probably would have chosen to continue working in a WELL-PAYING job so we could buy our groceries at Whole Foods and our clothes from Nordstrom, instead of at Wal-Mart and GoodWill.

But…God tells us to live otherwise. He calls us to live in Faith.

Get out your Bible this instant and read with me Hebrews 11. {God, specifically, just said to me-just now, “Look at verse 11:11.” If your know our Jonah story, you know that 11:11 is significant for Craig and I. If you don’t know our story, watch and listen here. Read verse 11:11 – Oh my goodness, right??? Goosebumps. Make that Godbumps. }

Thank you, Jesus.

But back to Hebrews 11. This entire chapter is subtitled “Faith In Action”, and that is how we, as Christians, are called to live our lives. “Faith In Action” should be your subtitle!

Hebrews 11

Faith In Action

11 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

This is just the first verse, but already we can see how to live the life to which Christ calls us: by faith. You see, it is faith that tells me God is in control and that Craig and I will be parents. That God doesn’t need our help for that to happen. It is faith that reminds me, as I sometimes sit and think wistfully of our family and friends so far away, that we were called here for a purpose. It is faith that assures me that even though we aren’t able to live a lifestyle rich in things of this world, we DO have a life RICH in Jesus.

Let’s be honest. This Christian life isn’t easy. Sometimes it isn’t pleasant. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way we want. But remembering our life is not our own, helps to put things in perspective. Remind yourself each day – Not my own will, Father, but YOURS, be done.

Uncategorized

Busy With A Capital Zzzzzzzzz…

November 12, 2014November 12, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

As you all know, Craig and I have a very limited number of relaxing weeks and weekends, and in that regard, nothing has been remotely out of the ordinary!

In the midst of getting to know our new stomping grounds, we have also kept busy with my Youth Ministry. A few weeks ago, we sang “Revelation Song” at Mass, and rounded out the day by volunteering at a local assisted living facility, and various other acts of service.

I am blessed with a great group of teens! Last week, we meet for a Pizza & Devotion Night at a local restaurant, and it was so cool to have a discussion about faith right in the midst of a busy and crowded restaurant.

As a matter of fact, this weekend, we will be hosting an overnight teen lock-in with another church…We better start resting NOW! 🙂

We also recently made a trek down to Georgia for what seemed like the flash off an eye! I drove down with the pups and was able to meet my best friend’s sweet and beautiful daughter, Willa:

I spent a relaxing afternoon of catching up and manicures with a dear friend in Atlanta:

And Craig and I both were able to spend some meaningful time with family…so meaningful we didn’t even stop and think of taking any pictures! :-\

After taking Craig back to the airport in Atlanta for work, the furs and I made the JOURNEY back to Maine…in ONE stretch! Thanks to our awesomely fuel efficient car, I only stopped once for diesel!

And since our return and my opportunity to speak at the Maine Catholic Women’s Conference last weekend, we have resumed our usual frenetic pace!

Well, back to that busy schedule we go! I have some crafts to make for this weekend’s lock-in, and presumably, a nap to take!

So, what keeps YOU busy? We’d love to hear! 🙂 Can’t wait to talk to you again tomorrow!

XoXo,
Pier & Craig

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TTC Tuesday

A Speech I Was Speechless About

November 11, 2014November 11, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

For those of you who know us well, you know that after this past weekend, we have such a praise to the Lord, such a ‘Thank You Jesus’ kind of Tuesday! As I continually remind the teens in my youth group, the story God gives you – His miraculous work in your life, is meant to be shared for His glory. Having a blog that reaches over 400 people with every post is an awesome platform for sharing, to be sure, but being able to reach an additional 240 women who may never have otherwise come across our humble blog, is quite another reason for praise!

Several weeks ago – weeks that I was absent from blogging – yes, I know – I was approached, completely out-of-the-blue (to my mind), and asked to give my testimony at the Maine Catholic Women’s Conference. What?!? Wow!

Craig & I have complete faith that God called us to Maine for a reason – but He really works FAST! We’ve only been here since the end of August, and already He has placed the opportunity, the sheer blessing in front of me to share His Mysterious Ways in my life through a large public forum! Really and truly, from the moment I was asked to speak, I was speechless.

So, without further ado, Craig and I have prepared a video of my testimony to share with you! There is about a minute of the talk missing, due to some technical difficulties, but if you’re really interested in the missing piece, send me a message and I’ll forward the full audio clip to you.

Psalm 115

¹Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

I encourage all of you to write your story. When you hear from God, make a note of it, and discover His miraculous ways at work in your own life!People often stop me and say, “I wish God spoke to me in the way He speaks to you…”

My reply:

Matthew 7:7-12 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?

Have a beautiful day! Check back in tomorrow for What’s Up Wednesday!