power of prayer

i'm starting this week out with a heavier post.  i just want to make sure all your brains are operating at maximum capacity.

our church has been doing a series on prayer that past 5 weeks and it's been life changing for me.

between those messages and reading the chapter on prayer in the book "celebration of discipline" by richard foster {excellent book but definitely not a light read} i've been wrestling with a concept i wanted to get written down and put out there.

i'm sure you've heard people say {heck, we've all probably said it} "God has it all under control" and "God has a plan."  there are lots of other things people say along those lines but you get the idea.

what i've been pondering lately is this:  if that is our belief, that God has it all figured out and we're just along for the ride, why do we pray?

i mean truly think about it.  if we're convinced God already has his mind made up, what is our purpose in praying?  

if our primary purpose is just to be in communication with God, that's not all bad.  in fact, that is one of the main purposes of prayer and what a gift it is.  we GET to converse with God whenever and wherever we please.

but, if that's it, i think we're missing a giant and wonderful piece of prayer.

i truly believe our prayers can be mighty and powerful and life changing.

let's back up though.

i say "can be" because maybe God WON'T change his mind.  he is still God and he sees the whole big picture.  we don't.  the outcome of our prayers must always be for his glory.  which is why we may never see the outcome in our lifetime.  which makes praying faithfully all the more challenging and difficult.

if i'm not making myself clear, let me use what foster says in the chapter on prayer in his book:

"moses prayed boldly because he believed his prayers could change things, even God's mind."

in exodus 32 the israelites are getting impatient while moses is up on the mountain so they have a golden calf built to use as an idol.  the Lord gets pissed {understandable} and this is what he says in verse 10 "now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that i may destroy them.  then i will make you into a great nation."

he's not messing around.  but moses prayers and asks that God show mercy on the people.

verse 14 "then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened."

do you see what happened there?  moses PRAYED and God LISTENED and he CHANGED HIS MIND.

another passage to look at is in Jonah 3 when jonah is sent to ninevah to speak to the ninevites.  the ninevites repented, fasted and became followers so listen to what God does in verse 3:

"when God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened."

you guys, our prayers have the power to CHANGE things.  it doesn't guarantee they will, but shouldn't we be praying with a boldness and confidence that God can indeed change things in our world?  heck yes we should.

i'll leave you with one more quote from foster:

"we are working with God to determine the future!  certain things will happen in history if we pray rightly.  we are to change the world by prayer.  what more motivation do we need to learn this loftiest human exercise."

i don't know about you, but this certainly changes the way i pray.  let's get on our knees and pray bold, world changing prayers you guys!

valentine's day.

i'm not a big lovey-dovey person.
i prefer brent to not spend $100 on flowers today.
for me, it's more of a day to look back at our relationship and how far we've come.  where we started out.
we started dating almost 10 days after valentine's day in 2005 {he was a smart man}

i remember clearly everything about that year.
i was dating {"talking to" whatever you want to call it} a guy that i knew i shouldn't be.  our beliefs didn't match up and though we had a lot of other things in common and enjoyed laughing together, down in my gut i just knew he wasn't the one i was going to marry.
so on valentine's day in 2005, i resolved to end it with this guy.
i already knew brent {or "woody" as they all called him}.  we had mutual friends and had hung out several times.  back then we were all really into playing texas hold 'em.
i remember feeling sad, but also knowing it was right.  he didn't love Jesus the way i needed the future father of my children to love him.
and then, a short 10 days later, B and i went out on our first date.

to cracker barrel!
i can't imagine my life if i had continued to date the guy i was dating before brent.
actually i can and it makes me ill.  because it doesn't involve caden.  and it doesn't involve the incredible man of God brent has become.
we were young when we got married.  still in college.

i can't even begin to tell you how much we've grown since we got married in 2007.
i always wanted to marry my best friend and i feel like i did.
he never EVER complains when he walks in the door after work and i'm still wearing my pajamas.
he selflessly cleans up our dirty dishes after dinner and takes caden on countless airplane rides through the house.

i'm thankful that this day, valentine's day, doesn't have to be extravagant and over the top for us.
for us it's about remembering how wonderful this whole month is.
it's the month we started the journey together and the same month, 2 years later, that he proposed.
as much as i'm hating the cold and hating MORE snow, this month will always have a special place in my heart.

thanks, B, for knocking me up twice now.  i love our family of three and can't wait to experience our family of four with you.  there is truly no one as patient and loving as you.  thank you for praying for our family and our marriage daily.  thank you for wanting to hang out with me when i haven't showered in a couple {maybe 5} days.  thanks for working hard so i can stay home and wear pajamas all day and build forts with a toddler.  what an amazing father you are.
most of all, thank you Jesus for convicting me to break up with a guy 9 years ago and take a chance on woody.
happy lover's day, loves.

underwear+snow

today started out rough.  

caden was up before daddy had left for work.  that's early around these parts.

i knew with the pending snow storm it was going to be a long day and a long tomorrow.

so, i decided it was time for round 500 of potty training.

i've been dragging my feet with it.  sometimes {all times} it's easier to change a diaper and continue on our day than to constantly ask "are you dry?" "do you need to pee?" and deal with accidents all.day.long

so i put on MY big girl pants and decided to just do this.

so we're doing it.  we even made one last venture out to target {the red store} in big boy undies before we're snowed in and he had zero accidents.

oh this boy.  he certainly keeps me busy.  he's been moody+sassy lately.

he's incredibly opinionated and stubborn. 

i have to take the blame for most of these undesirable traits.

he was fake laughing for these pictures.  like i said, sassy pants.

he never stops talking.  mostly asking questions.

oh the questions.  he says things like "delicious milk" and "it's so bootiful" 

we're in full-blown procrastinating-before-bed mode.

he just can't seem to read enough books or drink enough milk/water right before bed.

there is also always "somethin' scary in here" 

he doesn't walk anywhere.  running only.  and he climbs like a monkey in the forest.

he still isn't excited to be a big brother, though i'm certain the excitement is just around the corner...

i'm not kidding you, he is THE most hilarious kid i've ever met.

one time, he said to me "goodnight, sweetheart."

seriously.  he's just the best.  

you guys, nothing about the falling snow outside makes me happy.  i want to see sunshine and feel the warmth on my face.

caden wants to SWIM.  i want to go on WALKS.  our house has never felt so SMALL.

my parents left yesterday for hawaii.  HAWAII.

and we are keeping their giant, horse-sized golden retriever while they're sitting on the beach drinking mai tai's.  

no really, i'm happy for them.

well that's it around here.

back to peeing and pooping in the potty.  

#livinthedream

adios, 1st trimester.

it's hard to believe 3 months have already gone by.
i've basically been completely useless during those months.
most nights dinner has consisted of cereal.  my usually productive nap time was used as a time to lay and watch parenthood on the iPad.  thank goodness this is my slow time with the photography biz.
but really this time around the dreaded, beastly first trimester was not as bad as when i was preggo with C.
more than anything, i had absolutely zero energy.  it seemed like a chore to even walk around target.  I KNOW.
i have yet to toss my cookies {and there have been many cookies consumed}.
i count myself among the blessed to have survived those first 3 months with a toddler in tow.
so now, i'm looking forward to re-gaining some much needed energy.  oh and if we could be done with this most miserable winter ever that would be great too.
caden and i are in desperate need of outside play time.  amen?

i started weekly bump pics at 11 weeks.  though i probably could have around 6 weeks.  holy cow you guys.  i've been in maternity pants far too long already.  this second time around is no joke.  people keep saying "oh look at that cute bump" and i'm all "yeah thanks except this is a cute bump for like 20 weeks and i'm only 13."  crap.

12 weeks my photographer {B} had a little focus issue that we corrected for week 13.  also, i think i'm pushing it out more than necessary here.  

slouch much?  goodness.  sorry for the darkness of my bump here.  but let's be honest, it was the only one where my face looks decent.  have i mentioned my face before?  i look like a straight-up 12 year old in the prime of her junior high years.  #holybreakouts i did not experience the zit action with caden.  yuck-fest.

also just for fun, this was my "bump" at 13 weeks the first time around.  whaaaaaat is happening.

so to recap, 

i haven't posted in awhile because i've been basically dead on the couch all day.

every day i find a new zit on the lower half of my face and i die a little more.

i'd like to drive to florida and stay there until april.  this snow is for the birds.  and even the birds are smart enough to figure out how dumb it is.

that's all for now.  

i'll update soon on the toddler in my life that is sucking out every ounce of energy from me.  no really, he's great.