A No-Cheat Coffee Treat!

February 22, 2016February 22, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Almost daily I have the same phenomenon occurring – People ask me quite frequently how I manage to stay on the wacky diet I have…all the time. Well, there are several reasons:

I don’t have much of a choice, medically speaking. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome & Insulin Resistance pretty much dictate eating zero sugar (and hence, no carbohydrates) if I want to be healthy, not continually gain weight, and have the possibility of having a child with my husband one day.
Learning to cook healthy, carb-free meals at home that your whole family can enjoy makes for an easier lifestyle – There is no ‘I have to eat this…So I’ll order you a pizza.’
Once or twice a week, I allow myself a ‘mini-cheat’…Don’t get too excited! 🙂 Occasionally, I add quinoa or farro into a dish I am preparing for Craig and I to provide a little bit of healthy fiber and whole grain. After being without rice, potatoes, and bread for so long, this actually feels like a treat!!
I create my own versions of things I love but can no longer have – like fancy coffeehouse drinks!

Recently, Craig and I were looking at a home with a realtor and she mentioned that the last time she had met with the homeowner, they had had coffee together and the realtor couldn’t believe how delicious the coffee she made was. Well, I happened to notice the kitchen island housed the coffee maker and the coffee she used and took that into account for my own experiment..

The homeowner used regular coffee and blended that with a flavored coffee mix like this one, and then added coffee creamer to complete what I am sure was a delicious deviation from a regular cup of coffee at home. So I thought about it and then decided to create my own sugar free version:

Using about a teaspoon and a half of the Eight O’Clock Instant Coffee, mixed with about two tablespoons of the Hills Bros. Sugar-Free Cappuccino Mix, I add in boiling water and a splash of heavy whipping cream…Oh my goodness! What a treat!!! I have also used the french vanilla cappuccino and love that version, as well.

This little drink has helped ‘fill-in-the-gap’ for me on those days when I just need a Starbuck’s latte – – – aka most days. 🙂 As a side note, if you want a little bit of decadence and are planning a Starbuck’s trip, you can certainly order a breve latte with any sugar-free syrup. Breve just means they make the latte with cream rather than milk – which is much more carb/sugar friendly!!

You can check out more of our healthy and delicious recipes here or by searching ‘recipe’ in the search box on the top right of our homepage.

Have a wonderful day! We’ll be back tomorrow for another chat 😉

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!

My Choice Monday

My Choice Monday: Cleaning the Natural Way

January 4, 2016 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres3 Comments

Happy New Year Folks!!!

Can you believe it’s already 2016!?!?! It’s crazy how quickly time flies…It seems like the idea for this blog was just born…back in 2012…Goodness gracious!

Today, and this year in general, we are going to get this thing started right! Our UPS delivery man asked this morning if I had any resolutions for this year, and as a matter of fact I do – I’ll be blogging everyday, Monday thru Friday. Whether you like it or not…But we hope you’ll like it!

2016 is here and some big and exciting things are in store – We can’t wait to share all of those with you!

But first, let’s delve into ‘My Choice’ for this beautiful first Monday of the new year: cleaning with essential oils and less chemicals!

So, to start, let me share with you all that I always sort of rolled my eyes at all things homeopathic and natural…until Craig and I began dealing with infertility…and discovered that the abundance of chemicals and hormones we ingest on a daily basis, just from life in general, may have played a part in my PCOS. One of the first things we did to combat this was to STOP eating anything with added hormones. We have followed that choice, slowly, with others like taking herbal supplements and using essential oils for healing. For example, I use Thyme oil, daily, to help balance my progesterone levels…and the last time I had my bloodwork done by my endocrinologist, we were overjoyed to discover that all of my levels, save one, have become normal. My doctor even went as far as to say it appeared that things had reversed themselves…ALL DUE TO THESE SIMPLE CHANGES!!!

Well, when we heard that, not only were Craig and I elated, we decided to ‘clean up’ even more of our lives. I began selling essential oils by Young Living and I have begun the process of purging all harmful chemicals from our home – right down to the cleaning products we use everyday. Yep. I have made laundry detergent, ‘dryer sheets’, and a bathroom cleaner for starters – and there’s a lot more on the horizon!

Today, I wanted to share the latest creation with y’all:

…And that’s it…I took a sponge and scrubbed our bathroom floor! I didn’t have to worry about the furs wandering in and licking up chemicals. I didn’t have to hold my breath to avoid choking on the harsh bleach and/or ammonia aroma. And y’all – it worked!!! Not only are my floors clean, but they smell clean…and they still did when I woke up this morning!

If you’re interested in finding out more ways we are making the switch to ‘Blissful Living‘, stay tuned because we will be sharing every Monday! If you’d like to purchase any essential oils for yourself, you can do so right here or you can join my team and buy your oils at the wholesale price! In any event, make sure to follow our Instagram account and ‘like’ our Facebook page.

Until Tomorrow,

TTC Tuesday

Where Has Our Faith Gone?

September 30, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres3 Comments

Speaking of thanking Jesus, today we have a special ‘thank you’ to our Creator and Almighty God – my best friend, Ashley, and her husband John, welcomed their daughter into the world yesterday afternoon – Willa Drew! Congratulations Mommy & Daddy! Between Willa and our niece, Eden, who is only one month older, we have been seriously blessed in the past two months with precious new life!

Thank You, Jesus!

I spoke with a woman the other day who asked if when we, “gave up on God giving us children naturally” we thought we “might consider adoption”…

While Craig and I would love to adopt a child or preferably children, doing so wouldn’t be about our giving up on God or lacking faith in His timing. There are so very many children who need a good and loving home, and two parents who want nothing more than to care for them…why would we consider that ‘alternative’ as Plan B? Frankly, our only hold-up to adoption is cost!

But really, comments like these always make me think…Where has people’s faith gone? When did the God of the Miraculous become the God of limited power?

Psalm 113:9 says, “He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the LORD!”

Why do we limit our Lord? Miracles happen every single day, and all of them are God-given.

Remember the God we serve. Faith in Him is an incredible thing.

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Listen.

April 10, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres9 Comments

Oh, the amazing things God has in store for you when you simply LISTEN.

As many of you know, I was raised a Protestant, in the Southern Baptist Church – if you don’t know this, please read this to get better acquainted with our story. Craig was born and bred a Catholic. Luckily, when God asked me to convert, I did so. He asked me at a time in my life when I had pulled away from Him, but through a beautiful friend and co-worker was becoming more and more drawn to the Lord. And the Roman Catholic Church was perfect for me. The routine, the beauty, the ceremony of it all. I found peace in Christ, and while I was oh so far from perfect and the person God was molding me to become, I saw so many changes occurring in my life.

As a child, we went to church every Sunday. We went to Sunday School every Sunday before “big church”. We went to Family Night on Wednesdays. I sang in church. We were very very very involved in church. And then, slowly, the older I got, the more I pulled away – and for the wrong reasons. I pulled away because of PEOPLE, not because of BELIEF. Instead of finding a new church home in college, I just didn’t go to church. Sure, I went with my parents when I visited, but really, I was only “there” – I wasn’t paying much attention.

Fast forward to late 2008-2009, and there I was, in church every Sunday, albeit alone. I began to sing with the choir. I attended Mass during the week occasionally. I had this desire to learn and to grow. My life was changing.

In 2011, God asked me to make a bigger change. He wanted me to stop choosing my own dates. He wanted me to let Him choose for me. He led me to Catholic Match. He chose my husband – and what an amazing choice He made (believe it or not! 🙂 )!

When we first got married, Craig & I were attending a parish in Dallas, Georgia. We really enjoyed the homilies (sermons), but there were some changes being made we didn’t agree with. We felt God calling us. We left that parish and ended up at St. Francis of Assisi in Cartersville, Georgia, where we instantly were welcomed with open arms! We were both immediately received into the choir, and I began to Lector. It was WONDERFUL to be involved again! It was WONDERFUL to have a church family!

As a little more time passed and we discovered the ‘reason’ we hadn’t yet conceived a child, I felt constantly compelled to do more. Seek Him more. Serve Him more. Pray more earnestly. Spend more time with Him. I continued to listen, and I kept feeling that we should attend a Protestant/Non-Denominational church, in addition to Catholic Mass. I kept brushing that thought aside. We were comfortable in our routine, and besides, Craig wouldn’t go to both services with me – would he?

After repeatedly having this feeling, I audibly told God, “If this is what you want, then you are going to have to help me out. You are going to have to work on my husband’s heart.”

A week or so later, I was driving home from work and I felt the Holy Spirit pulling me, “You need to go to Wednesday night church. Don’t you miss that??”

Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I did ‘miss that’! Hmm…Our friend, Julia, goes to church on Wednesday nights… I should ask her if I can tag along.

Lo’ and behold, that very night, Julia texted me…that maybe I should join her for church on Wednesday nights.

Did you just get chills?

I went, and I loved it! In the next few weeks, I continued to go, and then, I mentioned to Craig I would love for him to join me…and that maybe we could go on a Sunday too – in addition to Mass.

And he not only agreed, but appeared delighted and looked as if I had read his mind… Isn’t it interesting how God works? 🙂

And as we continued going to church all over the place 🙂 I felt God pulling at a familiar heartstring…One I remembered feeling a loooong time ago…but had been kind of silent for a little while. I felt God telling me I needed to minister. And the more I discerned that call, the more I knew He was calling me to minister to singles – an demographic I feel is often very much overlooked by the church. And this time, instead of running away, fast and furious, I listened. I heeded His words, and I realized that no matter how inadequate I am, HE IS NOT! And, through Him, I can do all things.

This blog is another example of listening. What began as a way to keep family updated morphed into a daily message. We felt called to turn this into more than a mushy family update, and make it an expression of our faith. We were cautioned by MANY that much of this information was TOO PERSONAL to share, but we responded with our hearts – This is what God asked of us, and we have to take this leap of faith.

I don’t love airing our personal PCOS/infertility details. It isn’t always comfortable to share of beliefs with the world. But God asked us to make this blog about more than just us, so we have, at whatever expense that may bring.

So, as is usual now, last night I met Julia for dinner and had my favorite Salmon with Garlic & Herbs from Chili’s (I cannot get enough!), and then, we drove to Full Turn Church for our Wednesday evening Praise & Worship, and message from Pastor Alan. We sit on the second row, right in the middle. Julia always apologizes for wanting to sit way up there, but I love it. I love sitting in the front of church. It’s a challenge to be less distracted and more attentive to God. As usual, the message was an awesome one. I felt the Holy Spirit on my heart the whole time – mainly about praying over my infertility, and praying for faith and guidance. I prayed and prayed and prayed. And then Pastor Alan stepped off the dais and came to stand right in front of me. And my heart was beating FAST.

He said he was going to pray over someone, and asked for the anointing oil. Then he began to speak about faith and that with God and your faith in Him there is NOTHING that is impossible. He works in the SUPERnatural, not under the natural law. He mentioned Sarai, Abraham’s barren wife, in the Bible. Physical laws told her there was NO WAY she was going to have a child. She was in her 90’s! And still, Pastor Alan was standing right in front of me.

He sought me out, and asked about our infertility (which he would never have known about were it not for our blog!); he said he knew I had the kind of tenacious faith required for God to work miracles, and he said he knew the Holy Spirit had led us to Full Turn Church…and he anointed my forehead with oil, and the entire church prayed over me for my infertility, for our faith, for our future baby.

People, you should have seen me crying, and poor Julia’s hand probably still hurts today – I was squeezing it so hard, as I shook like a leaf.

God is awesome, y’all.

Look how He led us when we listened. From darkness to light, from light to pure joy, from joy to satisfaction and searching, from sadness and depression to HOPE and GRACE and PURPOSE.

And we haven’t even embarked on how I will minister to singles, yet!

Matthew 19:26

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Really, give your life to Him and LISTEN with BOTH EARS when He speaks – and He will speak! He can take you where no one would ever have thought possible, and accomplish through you the IMPOSSIBLE – by man’s standards. It may seem silly, and it may feel uncomfortable, but He has a reason for everything.

We are blessed with Catholic Mass to have a solemn commune with the Lord; We follow that with a fervent praising, worshipping, learning and growing in God experience at Full Turn; Wednesday nights are another opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in faith and praise. And ~~hopefully~~ soon, I will be helping singles in our community stop and listen for guidance from our Lord and Savior all week long.

Truly, where would either Craig or I be if we had turned a deaf ear when He spoke?

In Him,

TTC Tuesday

Follow The Leader

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

TTC Tuesday…While Craig’s most favorite “blogging day of the week” is Thirsty For Christ Thursday, it’s a toss-up for me between Tuesday and Thursday. Some people have asked why on earth we have chosen to share such an intimate facet of our marriage, and our answer is: we were led to. Believe me, I was not excited about sharing our pain with the world in the beginning…but I do feel God is using Craig & I to bring others to Him, and our pain of infertility is an invitation for many to get to know us.

When I was (finally) diagnosed with PCOS, it was a shocker…I didn’t know much about the disease and I was scared…but I was also glad to know what was behind our infertility. God took this rotten time and discovery in our lives to introduce us to some wonderful people who inspired us with their stories of infertility and both successful and unsuccessful outcomes, and He led us to where we needed to be – not to another doctor (although we found an awesome one – finally!) but to Him.

Winter Jam 2014 was out of this world amazing, and one of the awesome tidbits we gleaned from it is this: Many times, while singing a powerful song to the Lord, people lift up their arms in praise. As very conservative Catholic Christians, every time Craig and I have been in an event where this happens, I think we feel nervous…and like, maybe if we “participate” we’ll be doing it just to “fit in”… The preacher/speaker at Winter Jam told us this: Lifting up your arms to the Lord is not, and SHOULD not be about show. It is not about fitting in.

When children want to be picked up, what do they do?

How beautiful…It brought me to tears and to a realization of Christ as my true Heavenly Father. I was awestruck at the thought and lifted one arm up to the Lord, praying, “Please help us. We NEED you.” I didn’t feel embarrassed or out of place or nervous. I felt at home.

Psalm 107:19-21

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.

Listen to that still, small voice of God. He will lead you to do incredible things you never imagined. He will lead you into situations that teach you and bless you. Reach out to the Lord, your FATHER, and allow Him to heal you and save you.

TTC Tuesday

With A Learning Spirit Or A Broken Heart?

February 4, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

Yesterday at Pure Barre, at 6AM, there was a young lady in the front of the class…drinking a Starbucks Frappuccino…Yes, in the middle of class…While the rest of us were lifting, tucking and burning…She was half-heartedly going through the movements, rolling her eyes, as if saying, “I have better things to do!”.

Again, this morning…again, at 6AM, there was a different young lady at the front of the class…While she wasn’t drinking a Starbucks coffee, she was half-heartedly going through the movements, looking at her watch, rolling her eyes…

Now, it isn’t any of my business how you participate in your workout class. I’m not paying for your enrollment. But, my goodness, as my husband will attest, Pure Barre ain’t cheap! Why wake up in the morning early enough to make a 6AM class, and pay a premium to participate, if you aren’t going to give it your all and get something out of it?

We should be considering the trials and struggles and hardships we face in our lives in the same way. If you’re currently (or have ever been) trying to conceive, you know it is absolutely the definition of a trial, a struggle, a hardship. It is a disciplined routine of waiting, worry, panic, sadness, hope, and despair. It is hard not to get mucked down with depression after months and months and months (or even years) of placing all your hope in finally becoming parents, and having that hope dashed, repeatedly.

Here is what the Bible has to say about the heartaches and troubles we face here on Earth:

JAMES 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds

So, we should be happy about struggle in our lives? Why?

JAMES 1:3-4 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Difficulties in our lives are times for learning, growth – a reawakening, if you will. As we face something challenging, we should look to see what God could be teaching us as we navigate through the rough waters. One of the greatest men the world has ever known, the apostle, Paul, says (regarding the perpetual ‘thorn in his side’):

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

What life lessons could we learn through the struggle of infertility? Here are some benefits and lessons Craig & I have gained as we have faced this storm in our life head on:

Spiritual Benefits/Lessons/Changes
We have used the past 17 months of marriage, without children, to truly build a solid foundation in our relationship firmly (gaining more and more everyday) rooted in the Lord.
Our prayer life has greatly deepened. We went from praying separately to (nervously) praying together to holding hands and baring our souls out loud as we have a conversation with God – together.
Our relationship with God has deepened. Neither Craig nor I has ever had to go without much. We both come from wonderful, supportive, Christian families, and grew up with equally great siblings. We had everything in the world to be thankful for – but were we, then? I mean, truly, deeply, thankful? Fully appreciative of all the many blessing we had been graced with? No. This difficult time in our life has increased our devotion to the Lord so many times over, I cannot even describe it. If it were appropriate to say the change has been ‘like magic’, I would certainly describe it that way…but it isn’t magic. It’s something so much more amazing. It’s grace.
Worldly Benefits/Lessons/Changes
Craig & I are truly a team. Dealing with infertility, together, in our marriage has created this strong partnership. We know we can go to each other with any.single.thing, and speak openly and honestly about it.
We have a savings account – just for the future Baby Lefebvre – whether by adoption or natural birth.
I was able to gain almost a year’s experience as a nanny to (very) young children. This was real world, invaluable, experience I would never have otherwise had. I am now intensely familiar with potty training a two-year old, changing a tiny baby’s diaper while holding his twin sister on your hip, preparing formula, and getting (twin) infants on a sleep/eat/play schedule-all while entertaining a two-year old. Invaluable experience.

And those are just some of the things we have learned or gained from this angry storm cloud called infertility. I am not, in any way, shape, form or fashion, saying this is fun, ‘not a big deal’, or easy; however, we should absolutely take our trials and grow, learn, and prosper from them.

Just as those two girls in Pure Barre this week were not taking advantage of the workout going on right under their noses, we cannot let the lessons and significant opportunities of our pain and difficulty pass us by. What a waste it would be to sit around and mope (although, the easiest way to pass the time…)… We should be using our time in the tunnel wisely.

My Choice Monday · TTC Tuesday

Devil, I’m Ignoring You!

January 21, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres7 Comments

Good Morning Everyone!

First, let me apologize we didn’t blog yesterday – I know ALL of you were just devastated not to have our “choices” for the week! Ha ha! Craig and I left the house earrrrly in the morning and were not home until laaaaate last night, so there wasn’t a chance for a good blog. But, have no fear – we did make two choices yesterday for you, so this will be a double post! 🙂

Yesterday, I took the day off work for Craig and I to make our first appointment at ACRM. We were so blessed with a knowledgeable, understanding, thorough care team, who highlighted a few issues with our current treatment program to begin with, and took steps to solve some problems from the get-go! What a breath of fresh air!!!

When we spoke with our new doctor about wanting to pursue options other than IUI and IVF, and about a new option, embryo adoption, we are exploring, she was ready with alternative ideas for us! And what began as a refreshing experience, turned into something absolutely praiseworthy!

You may remember we attended a Joan Hunter healing service in North Georgia on Friday evening. Ms. Hunter is a Christian woman with a healing ministry, traveling around the whole world, asking for people to have faith and understand WHO God is – how loving and powerful! (We are going to speak a little more about this on Thursday!) Craig and I prayed prior to going into the service that God would truly use Joan to bless us, and to show us why He had led us to this conference – which was completely out of our Catholic comfort zone. 🙂

At the end of the service, we asked that Ms. Hunter’s daughter, Melody, pray with us. She asked, in Jesus’ name, to heal me of PCOS, to give me a new ovary (she knew it was my right ovary, and we did not tell her this information…), and a new pancreas to handle my body’s insulin correctly. She asked God to please bless us with a child. As she placed her hands on me, and prayed for healing, I felt a warmth through my abdomen. I felt a peace. Craig and I truly felt the power of God that night. We both left feeling thankful and blessed beyond measure.

Yesterday, at our doctor’s appointment, they performed both an ultrasound and blood-work to check my estrogen levels – which are typically very elevated. There was no strand of cysts (as there usually is) on my right ovary – or my left, for that matter – and my bloodwork came back “perfectly normal” – and not normal PCOS, normal for normal women. Compare this to the previous ultrasounds and blood-work levels of this past 16 months, and the difference is marked. It truly does appear I have a new ovary and a new pancreas, regulating my insulin and thereby, my hormones.

This news was such a blessing yesterday, an affirmation of faith. I am not saying we will finally be blessed with a child tomorrow, or even this year, but God is healing me, and He will bless us with children in His time. We have faith.

To wrap up TTC Tuesday, I would like to share with you this post from “waiting for baby bird”: Devil, I’m Ignoring You!. It’s powerful, and beautiful, and if you are struggling with God’s timing and maintaining faith, it is a message straight from the Lord to you.

And now, let’s back up to My Choice Monday! 🙂

First, something fun – beer ice cream! While this is for “adults-only”, it is so delicious, and a perfectly sized dessert! Click here to see where you can find this yummy treat in your area!

And finally, while I have heard so many raves about White Barn Candle Company’s Marshmallow Fireside, when it came down to decision time, Craig & I fell in love with this scent over the other:

We don’t have a true fireplace – something that makes me a little sad during these ‘harsh Georgia winters’… 🙂 This candle provides a pleasant, homey, evening by the fireplace with a great book scent. Click on the candle for a GREAT price on this candle at Amazon!

Well, folks, that’s all for today! Enjoy your Tuesday, and we look forward to chatting tomorrow for What’s Up Wednesday!

XOXO,

TTC Tuesday

Standing On His Promises

January 14, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres3 Comments

God has been really using the middle of the book of Isaiah this month as I have read His Word. It seems Isaiah is everywhere I turn – Mass, Jesus Calling, One Year Book of Hymns Devotional, blogs we read, and just this morning on the Mentoring Moments For Christian Women Facebook page: What a beautiful thought.

And as it turns out, God may (just maybe!) have a reasoning for pushing me to look at Isaiah more closely. Just take a look at chapter 54:

Isaiah 54:1-17

The Fertility of Zion

54 “Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;
For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous
Than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent;
[a]Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;
Lengthen your cords
And strengthen your pegs.
3 “For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left.
And your [b]descendants will possess nations
And will resettle the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, for you will not be put to shame;
And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;
But you will forget the shame of your youth,
And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 “For your husband is your Maker,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the God of all the earth.
6 “For the Lord has called you,
Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”
Says your God.
7 “[c]For a brief moment I forsook you,
But with great compassion I will gather you.
8 “In an [d]outburst of anger
I hid My face from you for a moment,
But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,”
Says the Lord your Redeemer.

9 “For [e]this is like the days of Noah to Me,
When I swore that the waters of Noah
Would not [f]flood the earth again;
So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
Nor will I rebuke you.
10 “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the Lord who has compassion on you.

11 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
And your foundations I will lay in [g]sapphires.
12 “Moreover, I will make your battlements of [h]rubies,
And your gates of [i]crystal,
And your entire [j]wall of precious stones.
13 “All your sons will be [k]taught of the Lord;
And the well-being of your sons will be great.
14 “In righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;
And from terror, for it will not come near you.
15 “If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.
Whoever assails you will fall because of you.
16 “Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals
And brings out a weapon for its work;
And I have created the destroyer to ruin.
17 “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
And every tongue that [l]accuses you in judgment you will condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.

Isn’t that something? “Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child“, because God says, “For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman,”.

We are called to ‘enlarge our tents’, and to me, this is our call to put our full trust in the Lord. It’s like saying, “Lord, I trust you. You have promised in your Word we will be blessed with children, so I will lay that ‘concern’ in your Hands. I will prepare my heart, my soul, my marriage for this blessing, and in the meantime, I know that YOUR timing is perfect.”

Craig & I have started praying for His timing, and His Will to be done in our waiting for our child. It has given me a sense of peace, of an almost relaxation. Craig & I are putting our full trust in God, and devoting our energy – instead of to worrying & frustration – to our relationship with the Lord and with each other.

As my blogger friend & fellow PCOS girl, Elisha said, ” If He can cause a virgin teenager to get pregnant and give birth, then He can cause you to get pregnant and give birth, even with all of your short, long, non-existent cycles, and crazy up and down hormones. Just believe.”

Well friends, I have a ton of e-mails to respond to and a new guest post to begin writing (Stay tuned!)… If you didn’t have a chance to read yesterday’s guest post at The Veil of Chastity, you can here.

We will see y’all tomorrow for What’s Up Wednesday! In the meantime, follow our blog and “like” us on Facebook (see the Follow widgets in our left sidebar)!

Love Love Love,

My Choice Monday

A Bundle of Blogs

January 13, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres10 Comments

Oh we are struggling this Monday! Poor Craig is home sick – my flu/cold finally zapped him – and I have never been this exhausted in my entire life. Yesterday, I took a little nap after church while Craig washed the car, and then we took a nap together when he got done. We went out to dinner with my parents and brother (at a delicious restaurant, Opulent), and got home right around 9 PM – when we both promptly fell asleep on the sofa.

Monday mornings are my sleep “late” mornings, when I get to stay in bed until (gasp!) 5:00 AM, and I barely dragged myself out of bed. Craig felt so bad he had actually taken NyQuil – and if you know him, that means he is sick – so he was like a zombie when I left the house at 5:45. It was everything I could do to keep my eyes open on the way to the office, and by the time I pulled into the parking lot at work, I took a nap in the car before I came inside the office. Neither of us are ‘nappers’… so we must not feel well. Yick.

The Lefebvre house is not a happening place this week, apparently.

{Yawn.}

My sister-in-law sent me this picture this morning, and I must say, it is quite fitting:

For today’s My Choice Monday, we are featuring 4 blogs we love – all are different, but wonderful reads for various reasons. We know you’ll have to bookmark them, too!

1. Veil Of Chastity

As we shared last week, this is an invaluable blog and resource for all of you single girls (and guys!) out there! And of course, today, I had the pleasure of guest blogging at The Veil of Chastity, so you simply MUST visit! 🙂

Cindy, the author of The Veil, is an amazing Catholic woman who you will all, no doubt, find inspiring! Here is an excerpt from the blog’s “About” page:

“The United States alone has 27 million single Catholics. This site is dedicated to those singles and those around the world who are looking for wisdom and hope. This is a place to share and learn about the virtue of chastity, the truth behind the virtue and why it leads to our happiness and peace.

Do you want to be married? Do you want to follow God’s plan for your life? This site promotes the beautiful and wise teaching of the virtue of Chastity, which is the key to remaining in God’s plan.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1658 says:

“…We must also remember the great number of single persons who, because of the particular circumstances in which they have to live – often not of their choosing – are especially close to Jesus’ heart and therefore deserve the special affection and active solicitude (concern/care) of the Church, especially of pastors…”

I agree with the CCC! But, I want to do more than offer special affection and solicitude. I want to offer the ‘why’ behind the teaching of the virtue of Chastity!

The teaching is universal and does not depend upon your age. It is a life-long virtue whose benefits are tremendous.”

You won’t want to miss today’s post – or any others by Cindy and The Veil of Chastity. Check out her blog and my guest post here. (If today’s post isn’t up yet, remember to check back later!!)

2. waiting for baby bird.

If you or anyone you love is dealing with infertility, specifically PCOS, this blog will bless you with inspiration and encouragement. Elisha has a heart for God and serves as a shining example to all of us. Here’s a quote from her “About Me” section:

“My husband and I have been married for 7 amazing years and we yearn for our own children; however due to PCOS, we are “challenged” in the fertility department

The doctors have given me a 3% chance of conceiving on my own but I know that God is bigger than PCOS or any doctor’s report, and through Jesus, I have a 100% chance of having my own biological children.”

Elisha & her blog are reminders that Jesus heals and is more powerful than anything.

Isaiah 53:5

5 But because of our sins he was wounded,
beaten because of the evil we did.
We are healed by the punishment he suffered,
made whole by the blows he received.

Wow. A dose of that kind of faith and healing is worth more than any cup of coffee could be to get you through the day – and through your pain!

3. Catholic Foodie

I happened upon this fabulous blog when doing a little bit of research about a chef Craig and I saw on PBS the other day – John Besh, only to find out he is a fellow Catholic and was featured on Catholic Foodie…

As its tagline reads, “…Where Food & Faith Meet”, and what a great, food-filled and faith-filled blog this is! Not only will you find amazing recipes like this one:

Just Click The Image For The Whole Post & Recipe

But also beautiful articles like this one:

Click The Image To Go Directly To This Article About The Table & The Altar!

4. Passionate Penny Pincher

Folks, let me tell you. PPP’s recipes, coupons, and money-saving ideas have been absolutely priceless (no pun intended – HA!) to Craig & me!

Laurie taught me how to make Honey Bun Cake, which was the biggest hit at my Office Thanksgiving Party this year:

And she has some wonderful DIY fixes that don’t cost a lot!

5. Hope-Filled Focus

Evangeline has not only provided the world with an uplifting blog for those of us hoping against all hope in the face of infertility, but for everyone! Her Focus Friday posts are a blessing and a reminder to us all that God is bigger, and stronger, and faithful. Today, she wrote this:

“Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

“So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:10″

Hope Filled Focus is a blog you’ll want to turn to for encouragement, and you can find her hopeful inspiration in the two books she has authored, and in her speaking engagements – as shown below.

I know Evangeline has offered confidence & light to Craig & me, and I believe she will offer the same to you.

We hope each and every one of these recommendations blesses you or someone you know! If you enjoy one of these blogs (or OURS?!?!), share it with your friends and family! Don’t forget to “LIKE” our page on Facebook! Things are a little bit different with a “page” versus a “profile”, so while we can’t accept your friend request at this time, like our page and send us a comment while we figure things out! We can’t wait to hear from you!

Y’all enjoy this beautiful day, and Craig & I are going to go back to getting some rest – Looks like I may be reserving the Meditation Room today at the office for a 30-minute nap during lunch! 🙂 Zzzzzzz…..

Love Y’all,