How do you make decisions?

Decisions. Life is full of them. It's only 9:30a.m. and already I have made over 10 decisions this morning. What running shorts I should wear, what strength do I want my coffee, what color headband should I choose, to floss or not to floss?, get gas before my run or after, Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks coffee?, call mom now or later, dinner with a friend tonight?..... Our choices matter but they don't define us. Our choices have consequences but if we are believers, we know that God "works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose". We can rest in that truth. But decisions are hard sometimes. With my husband's impending deployment this fall, I've had to decide whether to go down to Boynton Beach near my parents or stay in Columbus. Either choice seems positive. After making a t-chart (suggested by my type-A hubby) and laying out pros/cons, it seemed I wasn't any closer to making a decision. We also met with our pastor to get his advice. Which was, to make a decision, stick with it and if after a few months you decide it was the wrong choice, change locations. I think D.R. & I have approached decision-making in a "pray until you feel a peace about one way or the other" then move forward. Which has been a decent way to approach things. But after talking about this process with a few close friends, I got some great Biblical advice. Feeling "peace" isn't always a great indicator of what's right. Waiting on a feeling is dangerous and never an elusive way to go. While I do believe that God gives us peace about trusting in Him, I think waiting on the peace isn't a pre-requisite to proceeding forward. One friend shared that when he and his wife were praying about whether to go to seminary or medical school, he didn't ever "feel a peace" about either path. Rather, an older mentor told him, "look for a parade of providence". Meaning, God will open and close doors along the way and this is a great way to know where He's leading you. This was such helpful advice. After my friend made the decision to proceed towards medical school, he still didn't "feel" peace (shoot, he starts tomorrow and he's scared as crap!) but he took a step in that direction and is trusting that God has opened this door and will guide him from there. That's what faith is! I think I needed a reminder of what it means to step out and have faith. To relinquish control and say, "God, I'm walking down this path trusting that You have ordained it. Turn me around if I'm going the wrong way." So this is my new approach to making big life decisions. And awesomely enough, the Lord has opened a door here in Columbus, GA work-wise. I have the opportunity to work for/with a Christian fitness professional who is opening her own studio/gym in a few months! I will be part of her brand new staff! At first teaching Zumba, and eventually personal training. I feel so blessed to be able to work with a fellow believer (a few actually) and be involved in the fitness industry; something I've been passionate about for so long. So I feel this is an open door that God has put in front of me... so I'm walking through, trusting that He will guide me. "Faith: being SURE of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we cannot see. Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Hebrews 11:1,6

Faith is a funny thing. It's hard to sit still and ask yourself, "do I have faith?" because you don't realize you have faith until you exercise it. As A.W. Tozer says in "The Pursuit of God", "Faith is the least self-regarding of all the virtues. It is by its very nature scarcely conscious of its own existence. Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves- blessed riddance. The person who has struggled to purify him/herself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when she stops tinkering with her soul and looks away to the perfect One. While she looks to Christ, the very thing she has so long been trying to do, will be getting done within her. It will be God working in her to will and to do." What are you struggling to have faith about in your life?

It's been a while blog world :)

Sometimes you just need a break. It's been quite a while since I posted but I'm back. It seems I haven't sat down at a computer for more than 10 minutes in the last month and a half and I'm so thankful that God has filled my time during this season of unemployment. However, I am NOT unemployed anymore! As of two weeks ago I have a part time job nannying and cleaning a house for a family in a sister PCA church. I love their kids. There are 6 of them: Tyler (13), Jack (9), Tamanna (7), Sally (4), Nehal (4), & Baby Nancy (19+mo.). It's a full house and never dull! Jenni, the mom, and I have become such good friends. She is the sweetest thing ever! She gets to leave the house 8 hr/ a week and do whatever she wants to- alone! (while I watch the kiddos) It's a sweet deal for both of us. It never feels like work because someone is always making me laugh. Just on Monday, Nehal came out of his room wearing his-size ACU's- hat and all- and saluted me with a big smile! Tooooo cute! I'm so thankful to have some work to do. While it's very minimal it does give me such encouragement throughout my week! Thank you God for giving me JOY in working! In other news, I attended the SCW Fitness Mania conference in Atlanta this past weekend and became Zumba certified! I can now hold and teach my very own Zumba classes in Columbus. I hope to find a location very soon! The conference was so amazing, so inspiring! To be around 300+ fitness-minded people, wearing nike shorts, tank tops and sneakers all weekend long was awesome! Every where I looked, people dressed just like me!! I loved 85% of the classes/lectures I took. I loved ALL the lectures! One was about Fuel + Fitness- how to eat correctly for the type of exercise you are performing. Very good information. One piece of advice that sticks out in my mind, "Fat does not make you fat!" I needed to hear that. I am something of a fat-phobe, label checker. I had outlawed regular peanut butter and too many dry nuts but it was working against me. I was putting pounds back on. I was so confused what I was doing wrong. The nutritionist lady from Birmingham, Al who lead the discussion reminded me that we need a certain amount of good fat in every meal. Nuts on our oatmeal. A spread of avocado or hummus on our lunch sandwich and a scoop of peanut butter in our shakes. Fat helps you feel satisfied and keeps you feeling full. That's my new goal b/c I can be a major snacker. It seems I have a snack attack every day at 2pm and then again at 8pm-10pm. And all I want is sugary treats! No good. I will be eating a little more fat in my diet. I have re-enrolled in the Personal Training Certification for the fall. It begins in October and is a 6-week course after which I will be certified! I can't wait. This is what I'm really excited about. I can't wait to learn the exercise physiology of the body and how to work the muscle groups correctly- and help others do the same! I hope I will do well at it. For the first time, I feel EXCITED to jump into a career. After 2+ months of applying for administrative jobs with no open doors, it feels like the right time to pursue my passion of fitness and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm excited to see where God will take me with this new endeavor. I pray that, as with anything, it will be something I hold with open hands-- willing to give it up if God wants me to. A friend recently told me that when you're wondering which way to go, to look for "a parade of providence". I feel God has providentially opened doors so far to the fitness world and I will keep pushing forward until/unless he says "turn around, go this way." In other news, :) I went on a "missions trip" with our youth group two weeks ago. I use quote marks because we stayed right here in Columbus and partnered with a church in the urban part of town to do neighborhood cleanup and lead a kids club in the evening. (a VBS-type program) It was incredible. I instinctively lock my doors when I get off the exit which leads to this part of town, but now, I have friends in that neighborhood and feel loved by the people there. God did a huge work in my heart that week and reminded me that I am a broken person coming to love on other broken people. A great reminder of my own depravity and hopelessness without Christ. The church in the urban community is led by a white man who is married with two sweet little boys. God has already done some incredible things through that church and the community is so much better for it. It was great to come alongside the kingdom work already being done and serve with brothers and sisters in Christ. This church serves chicken and rice to the homeless each Saturday from 11-1; something that our youth intend to continue doing. Relationships were formed. Some of our youth girls are committed to babysit for some of the families in the community. It was great for our students to serve the poor in their own city and realize that there are tons of hurting, lost people right on the other side of town. Many times during the week, I had forgotten that we were still in Columbus. It seemed that we were out of town somewhere ministering to a "foreign community". Our theme was RENEW: Columbus and our theme verse was Lamentations 5:21 "Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old." God is at work and it was a powerful week of being reminded of His continued work all around us. My heart was so softened and encouraged. I pray I will be involved with the chicken and rice ministry in the months to come. Some things that I have going on that bless my heart: - I meet once a week with a few different young women and study different books. One day a week, Cary Kendrick-Holmes, a youth from my church, and I meet and read a chapter of "The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer. Great, deep theological book and always challenging to understand. On another day, Madison Montgomery, a graduate of Calvary, and I meet and read a chapter of Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. Convicting, challenging and a great look inside our hearts that deceive us daily. I enjoy my time with these girls so much. They challenge me. The books challenge me and I get to know and love them a little more each time. -I am running with a few different people these days. Running in numbers is safer. (yes, I know honey :)) and it's another opportunity to build friendships. I run with Katie Newton, an 8th grader at our church who plays soccer & runs track/CC, who I'm pretty sure is really from Kenya cause she has some fire in her legs and runs with joy no matter what the distance. It's cra-cra!!! I run on occasion with Madison- always a joy. We keep a slower, conversational pace and it's always an enjoyable run. I run on occasion with Jackie Fleenor- a beginner runner who is really motivated to become a better runner. We always end up walking a talking more than running but it's always so much fun! I'm hoping to start running with Kaci- a distance runner who is training for a marathon. I'd like to do one long run a week with her. She is a dedicated, young mom who run eeeeeeeearly in the morning. Hoping I can get my butt out of bed and join her on a weekly basis! I may need to put my alarm on the other side of the room on those mornings... So my running continues and I'm more joyful and motivated than ever. The next race I'm doing is on August 25 at 11:59p.m. The race will continue on August 26 till about...hopefully on 12:24 or 12:25. Madison and I want to race our fastest and test our body's ability with speed. We'll see how it goes! Something challenging to think about: this was said to us by the owner of Mercy Med- a local, new clinic here in town that is located in the urban community and provides care to mainly the poor and healthcare-less. He encouraged us to be men and women who live life radically- who do not strive for the American dream of 2.5 kids, a 2 story-house with white-picket fence and a spot on the PTA but those who love doing ministry and serving- who have crazy joy because of blessing others and obeying the call of following Christ. He shared a letter written by a young man to his future father-in-law who was called to life in the mission field of India. It goes like this, "I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall resound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?" I hope that I could be bold enough to pray for my future daughter to find a man who loves the Lord like that and hold her out with open hands to God- for Him to have His way in her life. But for now- I'm a coward and pray that my future children find and marry Christian men who will live close to me. :) Oh how selfish we are. Oh that I would value Christ's kingdom work more than my own desires!! And finally, D.R. and I are plowing through the summer. Our schedules both very full. The night time is sweet. We eat, we relax, (we currently watch the Olympics together and it's total bonding- we both love it). We go to bed early b/c our mornings come early. We are heading to the beach in two weeks for one last vacation. It's for D.R. to attend a Continuing Education Conference as a P.A. I will be attending the study of shells and ocean tides conference. :) I'll be a beach bum for a week. Yep, pretty excited about it! That's all for now. I hope the Lord gives you joy in whatever your day calls you to do. May you do it with gladness in your heart and thankfulness to the One who gave you the mercies of a new, bright day!!

I'm a RUNNER

I never thought I would be able to say those words but there are so many reasons why running is my sport. I was never the co-ordinated one when it came to ball sports. I never got picked first, second or third during PE, and I was intimidated at youth group when we played volleyball or kickball b/c I feared embarrassment (insecure? absolutely) It wasn't until college that I started running. I attended Samford in Birmingham and everyone seemed to run before class or after class, so.... I figured I'd run. Right across the street from Samford is a beautiful trail (Jemison) which runs through one of the most gorgeous parts of Alabama, Mountain Brook. There's even a spot where you run (or walk if you're cautious) over the stepping stones in a low creek. It's one of my favorite spots to run. I love visiting B'ham during our Nat'l Guard drill weekends and lacing up for a run. (Thank you Betty for the always-generous use of your Focus :)) Running is so many things to me. And almost every run is a little different from the last. Most days it's a time to have some "me" time and think through what's going on in my life. Other days it's simply just telling myself to "keep going" and pushing through the nagging pain. But even in those times, I still enjoy the run.... because I know I'm accomplishing something. I'm strengthening my cardiovascular system, my muscles, my lungs and my mood. Running only promises a reward equal to what you put in. You earn every mile and there is nothing like the feeling of getting over that beast of a hill or doing that extra lap. I've run through every emotion: when I'm joyful, when I'm angry, when I'm sad, when I'm lonely, when I'm jealous, when I'm annoyed. And running is something you make time for even when your schedule is full. I used to plan my day and see if I could fit running in- now I schedule my quiet time, my husband time and my run first off- all other things are secondary. If you love something, you make time for it. Period. I don't run every day- I have to mentally give myself 1 or 2 days off but every day that I run is a good day. I love the habitualness of gearing up and going for a run. Here's my preparation. :I eat a small meal: a small bowl of cereal & almond milk or a granola bar and half a banana :I pick out my running shorts or capri's first- I don't know why. I think b/c it's my favorite part of my running ensemble. : I pick out my color sports bra (even if it's not going to show, it has to match) : I pick out a tank top or t-shirt depending on the weather temp. : I pick out my ankle socks & shoes (if it's a 3-4 miler I go with my Nike Free's. if it's longer than that, I go with my Nike Downshifter's) : I put my hair up in a high to mid-high pony with a skinny black elastic headband to hold the whispies back. : I put on plenty of deodorant and chap stick : I turn my phone off to reset my +MapMyRun app b/c it's usually in crazyville from the days prior and will not pick up the GPS. : I turn my phone back on and choose my Pandora station of preference - Right now it's Rihanna Pandora or Trip Lee Pandora. : I do a little Shakira/Beyonce dance to pump me up and get me excited. : I drive to a running trail OR run straight from my apt door. I went to a class at our local running store last night. It was called 'Good Form Running'. I have recently had some hip pain and wondered what I was doing wrong. This class taught what kind of posture we should have, how to strike with our midfoot instead of our heel or forefoot, what our cadence should be (how many steps/min), and how to lean into the run from our ankles w/o bending at the waist. If you're a runner, you probably don't do all of these things perfectly. For me, I needed to learn to increase my cadence. I run at a cadence of about 150. I also needed to learn to run more "natural"; leading with my midfoot instead of my heel which is a huge injury preventer. No matter where I am in life, running is something I can do for free. It requires no equipment other than proper shoes. It's as competitive as you want it to be (or not be). You set the pace. You set the mileage. You pick the scenery. It's a very "you-centered" sport. Which makes it oh so fun!

Joyful Suffering

I walked a mile with pleasure; She chattered all the way, But left me none the wiser for all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow; And ne'er a word said she; But,oh, the things I learned from her when sorrows walked with me. Robert Browning Hamilton "Along the Road" ...my thoughts exactly in this season. :)

chapter closed

Last Thursday was one of the more emotional days of my week. The day started out with senior chapel where one of my "5" gals shared her life testimony. After hours of preparation with her in my apartment a few weeks back, I knew she was nervous to share her heart but God pulled her through it so flawlessly. She shared her story of God's grace and redemption with such confidence and joy. I was so proud and thankful to God. I laughed, rejoiced, sorrowed and cried- all at the same time! Go God! You are the great REDEEMER! Adam Ross & I

Around lunch time, Adam Ross showed up in the office with his mom, Jeannie. Adam has a fatal double condition of Crohn's Disease which inhibits him from absorbing the nutrients he puts in his body and Celiac's Disease which prevents him from eating gluten. It's a terrible combination and one that has threatening this sweet young man's life. He is quite a sad sight to behold as his weight continues to drop- his body his own enemy. It was a real treat to see him and hug him and tell him we are praying for his healing and ultimately for his faith to be strengthened daily. Gah...more tears Then the afternoon came... 2:30- I return from a late lunch and find a note on my desk from Mr. Kincaid reading, "Mr. Mac would like to see you and I at the end of the day." I figured this was probably about senior chapel testimony's- a debrief if you will, of how the girl's sharing time went. 3:45- I enter Mr. Mac's office, Mr. Kincaid follows after me. We sit down and Mr. Mac immediately grabs my hand and says, "Danelle, let's pray." We pray. Then he starts off the conversation with, "remember a few months back when we talked about your progress here?" And my heart dropped... "He's going to fire me"- I said inside. "really? Is this happening, Lord?" "Oh, hold my heart. Don't let the tears come so easily!!" But they did. I couldn't help it. Mr. Mac went on to say that they loved me. They loved the impact I have had on the students; my kind attitude with the staff & faculty and the Godly example. But the attention to the details was lacking. "It's just not working out, Danelle." I tried hard to humble myself and nod my head in agreement. I know this about myself. I'm not a detail-oriented person. Given the situation where a student is having a bad day and they stumble into my office to talk while I have 4 tasks waiting to be accomplished by the morning, I will almost always make time for the student and forgo the tasks. This is my heart. I admit that I struggled to balance the face time with the task time. My heart for the students always came first, but to my demise. This hit very hard in my heart. This year at Calvary Christian School has been a tremendous year of spiritual growth for me. I am so thankful that the Lord gave me the opportunity to mentor teenage girls: to get involved in their messy lives and laugh and cry with them. I'm thankful for a season of learning how to respect men who are so different from my husband. It's one task to respect the man D.R. is (and I'm still trying to figure that out at times) but to work for two very different men was no easy task. It was humbling, sobering, and matured me a great deal. I'm thankful for new friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ. I got to work with some of the classiest people I've ever met. Hard-working teachers and staff members who encouraged and convicted me daily to "work as unto the LORD, and not for men." It's been a precious year of my life. But now that door is closed. Back to the "wide-open" where I remember that God is truly the Guide and was all along. I don't know what's next, but I know the past. The past has been full of God's faithfulness and love. He has opened wonderful doors so far in my life and I expect the same for my future. I am hopeful for what's to come. A new place to serve Him. New friends to labor alongside. A new season of my marriage to grow in. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Joel Osteen or Fortune Cookies?

I CANNOT take credit for this post. It is from www.challies.com. Check it out. Your life will be complete. Now for a little chuckle. Man, this was good... "The other day I ate some rather extraordinary Thai food for lunch and, on my way out, grabbed a fortune cookie. I cracked it open and read a silly little proverb meant to inspire, I suppose. I wish it had said “Brisk uphill walk after all-you-can-eat Thai is a bad idea.” Never mind. As I waddled my way home, regretting that last bowl of curry (so delicious…), I thought “This fortune sounds like something Joel Osteen would say.” And then it struck me—there is very little difference between Joel and those fortune cookies (except that the cookies are delicious, of course). And now, to prove it, I will give you these twelve quotes. You tell me which are from the fortune cookies and which are from Joel Osteen. Note: Many, many fortune cookies were harmed in the preparation of this quiz. ***** To see the answer, look for the gray underline beneath each question. Simply double-click or click and drag over the line to see the response. If you are reading via RSS, you may need to click through to the site in order to have the answers hidden from view. Question One “Happiness is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.” Fortune Cookie Question Two “Do all you can to make your dreams come true.” Joel Osteen Question Three “Take time to make a difference. Think about how you can make somebody else’s life better.” Joel Osteen Question Four “Avoid focusing on the negative aspects of the past.” Fortune Cookie Question Five “You have something to offer that nobody else can give!” Joel Osteen Question Six “When you can’t naturally feel upbeat, it can sometimes help to act as if you did.” Fortune Cookie Question Seven “To affirm is to make firm.” Fortune Cookie Question Eight “Relationships are more important than our accomplishments.” Joel Osteen Question Nine “Somebody needs your encouragement. Somebody needs to know that you believe in them.” Joel Osteen Question Ten “The best things in life aren’t things.” Fortune Cookie Question Eleven “You will produce what you’re continually seeing in your mind.” Joel Osteen Question Twelve “Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” Fortune Cookie ***** So how did you do? I would have loved to be able to package this as a slick little quiz, but unfortunately I couldn’t find software that would do that without either attaching unsuitable ads or otherwise polluting your computer."

one-anothering

or in other words, small group/community group/cell group/Wednesday night fellowship. Whatever you call it at your church, it's a crucial part of a believer's life. Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching. I never knew how much I needed other men & women believers in my life until I had them. Back when we lived in Mobile, AL we got involved in our first small group (then called community group). We met on Sunday evenings at Jody & Jim Ruble's home- discussed a book of the Bible, or the sermon and ate dinner together. Here in Columbus, the Lord has been good to put us in another small group. We meet on Wednesday nights at Zach & Chelsey Smith's house. Because it's the middle of the work week, we meet a little later, at 7- eat some snacks, drink some coffee, sing some hymns and discuss a lesson. Right now we're in I & II Timothy. These people are my Columbus family. They know me. Over the past year, I've "let them in" on my struggles and my victories. They have laughed, cried, rejoiced and been sorrowful with me. They have pet-sitted Champ, celebrated birthdays, and eaten meals at our apartment. They have encouraged me in my marriage and convicted me of my persistent idols. They are true friends. Even more special, the majority of the people in my small group also volunteer with our youth at church. So we get to "labor" and minister to the students together on Sunday mornings & evenings. Being far from my family since taking off for college back in 2004, I've had to find new, spiritual families to be adopted into. And God is always faithful to do so in each place we live. I don't fear moving, although I would be heart-broken if God called us to do so. I know God is everywhere and so are His people. We said goodbye to one of our "own" a few weeks ago. Caleb came to Columbus a little over a year ago with the Army. He knew his time here would be short but that didn't stop him from jumping right in to ministry. He got involved serving with the youth and joined our small group. He's been a huge influence on our students to "not sit around but have faith WITH good works". He is missed but I know he will continue Kingdom work where God has called him.

We also recently joined our church. We went through the Inquirer's Class back in October but have finally met with the elders and are now official members of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. What a joy! I love my church body! For so many reasons. I feel very blessed to be a part of this group of saints.