"For I know the plans I have for," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. I will end your captivity and restore your fourtunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land." Jeremiah 29:11-14

God has been bringing this verse to my attention in several different ways over the past week. First through a friend sending me an email stating this as one of his favorite verses. Next, through a friends blog. Next, through my daily Bible reading today. I think God is trying to tell me that He has a plan for what I'm experiencing in my life right now. Being laid off from a job is difficult! Facing the possibility of permanetly moving away from home/family/friends to take a job is disheartening!

I am reading through the Bible this year...cover to cover. I finished reading Leviticus today. In the devotional book that I'm reading along with my daily Bible reading, it said the following...

Our day-to-day experiences and hardships can sometimes seem overwhelming. God allows these events to happen to help us grow, not to curse us. We need to see that God's purpose is to help us live as he designed and to bring about continual growth in us. Jeremiah 29:11 puts it this way: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" To retain hope while suffering shows that we understand God's merciful ways of relating to his people.

I am going through one of the most difficult times of my life. I am hurting...but I am also hopeful. And to have this verse brought to my attention several times in one week has been so encouraging!

I thought I'd pass this verse on...maybe it will be an encouragement to someone else who is experiencing a difficult time...

God has a plan!!!

SNOW!!! I love snow!!! :)

I miss having fun in the snow! Sledding...snow ball fights...sledding...snow angels...sledding...building snowmen...sledding. Oh, to be 12 years old and living in Germany again!

There was this awesome hill across the street from my apartment in Germany that all the kids loved. We'd grab our sleds and head to Suicide Hill every time it snowed. Suicide Hill was the site of some of the best sledding fun ever!

It'd be nice to have Suicide Hill in my backyard tomorrow if this prediction of 2 to 4 inches of snow holds true! We'd probably need a little more snow than 2 to 4 inches for some good sledding action, but I'd make a go of it anyways. Although I may not be 12 years old any more...my goodness, that was 22 years ago!!!...I think I still have it in me. The sled from those days is sitting in my parents shed right now. Maybe I'll go steal it and find me a nice hill to sled down tomorrow. If you see me with a cast on my leg or arm...or both...next week, I probably just ran in to a tree or something while playing in the snow.

It's fun to be a kid some times!! :)

Here's to hoping to see some of the white stuff...

Two friends of mine took me horseback riding today. This is only the second time I have been on a horse so I was a little intimidated at first. I haven't had much instruction on how to handle a horse and our guide kept saying "Show him who is dominant. Pull back on his reins if he tries to stop and eat. He's out here to work not to eat." Well, the horse can easily throw me off or bite me or kick me or whatever...and he is a little more muscular than I am...I didn't want to make him mad. Then I find out my horses name. His name was Bama. After that, I was determined to whip him in to shape and show him who was dominant. By the end of the ride, I had Bama running...well, galloping or trotting...I'm not sure what we were doing but I wasn't so intimidated by the end of the ride. I had a good time! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!

I am taking a break from job hunting! I am going to use a gift card tomorrow morning to get a pedicure. Then I'm going to use a gift card tomorrow afternoon to get a haircut and highlights. Then I'm going to use a gift card to go shopping for a new outfit or two. Them my parents are taking my twin sister and me out to dinner. I'm going to pamper myself on my birthday...and I'm going to use other peoples money to do the pampering! :)
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I am truly blessed!! Although I am thankful for the gift cards that will allow me to be pampered...I am truly blessed and so very thankful for the relationships that are behind those cards! As I go through my day tomorrow, I will be thinking of the many blessings God has blessed me with in my 34 years of life.

With my 34th birthday (Jan. 10th) fast approaching, I am ashamed to say that I have never read through the Bible. Hopefully by the time I am 35, I will be able to say I have read through the entire Bible and that I have walked in Jesus footsteps and that I learned more in this one year about God, Jesus and life than I have learned in my previous 33 years! My 34th year is going to be a turning point year!

I purchased the book "The One Year Through the Bible Devotional" this past weekend. There is a devotional and a daily Bible reading for every day of the year. By the time I finish the book, I will have read the Bible from beginning to end. I am filled with anticipation about what lesson each day holds! God is already speaking through His word! He has me hooked! When I go to Israel in November, I hope to feel Jesus' presence as I walk in his footsteps. I hope that by reading and learning all that I can about his life prior to the trip, that the walk will have more significance and meaning.

I believe that God is taking me on a journey this year...and I couldn't be more excited!!