Being a Disciple

I said yes to Jesus a long time ago when I was a little girl and felt His Spirit drawing me to Him. I am learning daily to be sensitive and to hear and obey that very same Spirit that brought me out of the darkness into His kingdom of marvelous light. Here recently the Lord has been burning in me the call to discipleship and reiterating what it truly is to be a disciple.

Mat 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

I somehow have overlooked this all my life, I kinda of always categorized this verse as an evangelistical movement. That once we got people saved that they were on their own. False.

-2Co 3:17 says “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

We have the very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead because the Lord Is a Spirit and He is living in side us! WO! Amen! That ought to light a fire in your britches.=)   

So this is what’s going on, I am learning to be discipled and make disciples. I am having one on one intentional relationships with a few ladies that the Lord has called me too and being a mother in the faith. I am learning to be a wholehearted follower of Jesus who multiplies and giving it all for King Jesus and giving it all for the increase of HIS government and peace and Glory!! Amen. BTW, I suck it up sometimes but I am full aware that any good that comes from me is ONLY from HIM! Dying daily and saying ‘Yes’ to the call! Amen! The following letters are my 'Yes' to the call of being a disciple and being a mother in the faith in all my inadequacies He is capable.

- letter #1

Just wanted to throw my “Yes” in the pot. I knew I was going to say yes since I read the forwarded email from Ryan but I’ve been waiting before the Lord contemplating the greatness of it all.  My husband is gun ho about this discipleship stuff and I in my heart know it is right and well with my soul. Yet, I, in my flesh am terrified to death of messing things up, so to speak. I believe it is right and good and what the Father is doing with all my heart and I am ready to take the leap of faith and go “all in”. The poker term seems relevant to me. I am saying yes, yes to what may come and yes to the call of discipleship. The Lord spoke the word “intentional” to me a few months back and I feel His working in this was the preparation that my heart needed to answer the call to discipleship. I may not know all that there is to know but I desire to grow in this and I know that the Spirit inside me is more than adequate to supply me with all that I need. Ready to lay all that I have down and quit wasting time. The end.

letter #2

I in wholehearted agreement am saying Yes and Amen to the laying down of this fear and the going after CHRIST with our all. Fear in itself separates us from God, right?!?  I in my confession to you before confessed that I have been struggling with this fear as well: Fear of the unknown, fear of getting “It” wrong and just fear that I might literally have an accident speaking with such “authority” in someone’s life. You see, I am a super non-confrontational person and literally cry when someone honks their horn at me when I am driving, tells me no or gives me a mean look for any reason.  Yes, I am a sissy. But in my heart of hearts I want to be like Him and grow into everything He wants me to be. I love my Jesus, want to love Him more and I believe with all my heart in what He is doing and in the call of being a disciple.  So after replying with the last ‘Yes, I am all in!’ a greater peace filled my soul. This may get ‘hairy’ but it’s gonna be oh, so good!

Ok….rambling, this is what I wanted to email you about, the Lord led me to (purely by accident on my part but knowingly not His) 2 Corinthians 2:1-5. Which says, 1Co 2:1  And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

 

You see, my greatest fear has been that I in myself would not be good enough (know enough or say the right things)….but you know the thing is that I in myself wouldn’t be. But it is by the authority and power of Christ Spirit that is in me, that I CAN lay down this fear and follow after Him and His Will and His great commission. I want this, I want Him, I love Him.

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

I am so moved by this! Listen to it, I promise it will bless you!

It's a new season..

Where in the world have I been!! I have no idea.. ..Something about raising and shepherding the bodies, hearts and minds of 3 children has kept me busy! Elijah is such a good baby but I find that he loves his momma and is seemingly attached at my hip=) I love him so. I truly understand the mother, son bond like never before. I’ll cut all those crazy mom-in-laws out there some slack. Lol XOXOX We have been busy, the girls have my heart as well. They are such good girls and we are starting to see evidence of who they are going to be when they get older in character and giftings. Love the opportunity we have to watch them grow and be able to pray into and mold these strong character traits into something beautiful to be used for the Kingdom!

Ok, well thanksgiving has passed and so has Christmas! What, crazy sauce! It is almost 2012! Our lives have been insane but the revelation of the Lord comes like that sometimes. I never ever want to be comfortable in this world. It will burn someday but the Kingdom of God will live forever and I pray to learn to spend every waking moment going after His Kingdom! Whether I’m wiping butts for the glory of God or washing dishes or discipleing some dear to my heart sister. I want to go after Him, I love Him, I want Him to reign in my heart, soul and life. The Lord has been continually pruning our hearts of cares of this world and we are learning to a give ourselves to Him. It’s been amazing. We 'suck it up' sometimes but we are learning to live for the Kingdom and take His Grace as needed! In Christ name we live! Amen.

There has been a lot stirring in my heart but for now I am gonna just post a few pics and call it good for now.=) These are October-December pictures. Peace and Prayers, my loves!

This is our October/November!



we went to the pumpkin patch




and made silly faces



This face melts my heart..

 

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our little robot




Haunt the Zoo



we are in love with these two guys

Trick or treat down the street with our Robot, Elephant and Monkey=)



This is a little of our December photo shoot

I know they say that everyone thinks their kids are beautiful but come on now... who wouldn't fall in love with these faces.  xoxoxo 

My pouty Princesses


Ok, that is it for now.. I have no pictures of Thanksgiving and Christmas because i was a naughty kid this year and didn't take a bunch of pictures=/... i'm gonna try to scrounge up some but not promising anything.
Happy New Year my friends! xoxo

WE’RE IN!!!

 I haven’t updated in a while so wanted to throw in a quick blog update. We are in our house now. It is unfinished and kitchen-less at the moment but we LOVE it here. We absolutely know it was the Lord’s will and there is such a peace just being here. We are so blessed! Also just as a side note, Ryan has been grilling a lot which works great as we don’t have a kitchen. It is perfect though because as he is grilling outside the kids can play outside, which means break for momma. Can I get a holler?!! Whoot Whoot!

  The Lord has been teaching us so much. We are daily being taught His blessings and mercy. He has been and continually will be pruning our hearts of weeds that have no place in His kingdom. It’s been painful at times but so necessary and the peace from giving your all for the Lord is great. One of those “weeds” that He has shown me of late is that I let myself get such a horizontal view on things; and that I let the enemy detour me from keeping my eyes in the Kingdom of God. I can work myself/my mind into quite a little wreck and gain nothing but wasted hours or days of worrying or being anxious over things I CAN NOT change. Even with good intentions, this is still sin. I NEED to TRUST MY LORD and SAVIOR. I am so pitiful at this at times.

So pretty much I am learning to listen to His Voice and set my eyes on His Kingdom no matter what is going about me. I fail. I fail miserably at this at times but then He reminds me and I set my eyes on Him again. I’ve come to the notion that the most important part of repentance is the “turning away” of what it is that we had our eyes on. I don’t know why it is so hard for us as believers to learn to live and trust Him in everything. We need Him! We need Him not just as or Savior but also as the Lord of our lives! I need Him. I pray and hope to grow and love Him more and more with every step of this journey He has me on.

 I am so very thankful for all that He has given me! I am so blessed and this is Thanksgiving month so I thought I would write a few things that I am especially thankful for:

• I am thankful for the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do not know where I would be if it wasn’t for his mercy. He is Good. He is Great and if you don’t know Him you should try Him out. You won’t be disappointed!

• I am thankful for my family, all of them. Ryan and I have awesome support systems on both sides and I know we haven’t been easy on either one of them! Xoxoxo

• I am thankful for my babies. The Lord has blessed us with three beautiful crazy children and I am not perfect but I seek to shepherd their hearts and share the love of Christ with them. They are my first and foremost ministry and I consider it a great honor to be able to answer that call. We don’t have tons of riches but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I am called and I WILL answer.

• I am thankful for my Sweet Sexy man that I get to stand beside in this journey. Ryan Allen Vandenberg, you rock my world and I am so in love with you!

P.S.-pictures and current events to come soon

IT'S MOVING WEEK!!

Ok so, I know that I promised to get a new post up with our summer activities pictures and a sweet dialogue of it awesomeness….

But….the dog ate my post or

 My cat ate it or

   Emma flushed it down the toilet or

     It got swept away by a tornado after a lawn mower ran it over and tore it to shreds…..

       Or maybe I have just been tooooo busy!!! 

All of these things are plausible and some of them highly probable besides the fact that we don’t have a kitty=( Soon soon though, daddy WILL allow an outside kitty! He promised!

Well, since we are moving in just a few short days and I highly doubt I will get it done or I mean re-done=*), here are a few pics to tie us over…k thanks!

We are all still in love with this guy.

and this guy...

Love this one with tiny Eli.=)

(thanks Aunt Sarah for capturing this memory!)

and this face melts my heart...

even when it looks like this face

and lets not forget about these faces

We are staying smooth as babies bottoms and smelling better too after our baths which are highly necessary after this

Emma deciding to take over Leila's bed for the night....=/
(she is dead asleep here=)

or

Abigail's snuggle time with Leila!

Ok so that is a little bit of whats been going on. Sorry my facebookers for all the repeats of pictures, i am just too lazy to upload some new pics or maybe my dog ate them all or my cat or... well, you get the drift. Muah!!

Wait!! I almost forgot that this guy......

now looks like this guy!!=)

Also I have to say because it's my blog and I am quite partial to him that he is just the sweetest cutest thing i've ever seen! Yes. That is all. XOXOX

Happy trails to you until we meet again!!

P.S.-Next post will be from our new house!!=)

You say potato, I say potata!

Ok, I know, It is cheesy. But I think that they are just the cutest!! Enjoy!

This is the newest Disney Junior show.=)

Summer days, Summer blues and Summer praise!

 I find myself being a little busy these days with my three young charges in tow wherever I go. That rhymes and was not even intentional.=) Ok, no, really we have had an amazingly hot but blessed summer, seems like we were traveling every other weekend and just keeping busy. I did go through a little bit of post pardon type thing. We had tons of family up after Elijah was born and I would get sad when they left. I missed my family so much but I would just reclaim God’s goodness and I know we are here for a reason! Though it is hard sometimes I wouldn’t change it for the world. He has proven Himself to us time after time and, oh man, He is good. He is good now, yesterday and tomorrow and forever! We are in such an exciting season and I can see the Lord moving and can feel him working in my heart and life. I love the weeding out that He is doing, it’s painful at times but I pray and desire for there to be less of me and more of Him!

  The kids are growing like weeds! Emma and Abigail are the same size and Elijah is much bigger than the girls were at the same age. Daddy is very proud. Elijah is just the sweetest thing ever! He is such a good baby and his temperament is amazing and we are all in love with him. Emma and Abby are amazing with him. They are also great entertainers and Binky hunters. I love my sweet little family. It is most definitely harder going places and dates are few and far between but we wouldn’t change a thing. We are blessed!

  Oh and did I mention that we bought a house! Long story short, we prayed about it and felt like the Lord was telling us that we were going to be in El dorado for while longer and that we had His blessing to go ahead and buy a house here in Kansas. We found a house that we liked. It was a “short” sale (like a last chance for owners to sale before it’s defaulted on) and we prayed and felt like the Lord gave us His blessing and we put a bid on it. We missed the deadline and the house went into foreclosure. We were a little bummed but trusted our maker and just waited and watched for the house to come back on the market. Well, it did and for almost 25,000 less than before. Put a new MUCH lower bid in the next day and we got it plus it came with a 2 year home warranty! =) It’s not huge but it was an awesome deal and good investment! Especially because of my handy dandy husband whose got some awesome carpentry skills! But most of all….IT HAS A BACK YARD!! We are super excited about this! My 2 and 3yr old need somewhere to play and my favorite memory and thing to do is to sit on the front porch with my parents and drink a cup of coffee. Yes, we did this even when it was a thousand degrees outside!

=) We should move in by the end of this month. I really need to start packing. =)

  Ok that’s about all I have right now. I’ll throw some pictures up soon to dialog our summer events. It’s been fun and excited season. Knowing that no matter where God takes us or what He shows us that we are blessed and His Kingdom will rein forever. This world and all that’s in it will burn someday but our King and His Kingdom will be forever. Learning and trying to remember this when we get caught up in the good things God gives us. I want to desire God above all things, even the good things that come from Him! May we all learn to do this in our lives, to set our hearts and desire on Him most of all!