How Are You Strong & Giveaway is Coming!!!

Did you hear about my first giveaway? Check back on Valentines Day for a sweet treat and a chance to win! Here is an awesome post from Heart to Heart with Holley!

"The Rest of Your Story 22: What are your strengths?

Strength: a personal characteristic that can be used on behalf of God in service to others.

Then put them through the S.T.R.E.N.G.T.H. Test...

Service - Does it help me serve God and others?

Time - Has it been present throughout much of my life?

Relationships - Do others see this?

Energy - Do I feel energized when I'm living this way?

Natural - Does this come naturally to me most of the time? OR do I know God has intentionally developed this in me even though it doesn't?

Glory - Does God ultimately get the glory from it?

Trials - Even in hard times, does it usually come through somehow?

Heart - Does this really feel like a core part of who I am?

Question: What are some of your strengths?

My Answer: I spent the better part of last year discovering how God has made me. Strength Finder 2.0 listed my top themes as: Relator, Belief, Communication,Responsibility and Empathy . This translates most in my life through teaching and encouraging. I know I am called and fashioned to lead a small group of women. Also, I sing and love to worship Him through music. For the first time in my life I understand how God has made me. The STRENGTH test above is very helpful. I can honestly say that even in difficult times these strengths come through and they really speak to the core of who I am!"


So, does this post get you thinking? How has God made you? What energizes you and speaks to the very core of who you are?

Have a great weekend,
Stacey

I'm So Excited!!

I set a goal that when I had 25 followers I would host a giveaway. I hit that number right around the time my baby was born and have not had the time to put that plan into motion! Well, today I contacted a friend of mine who is going to donate the prize for the giveaway! So here is what I can tell you:

1. You will love the sweet prize!
2. You will want to check back here on Valentines Day!
3. It will be the first of many giveaways at 29lincolnavenue!

Looking forward,
Stacey

Chair Time

Psalm 90: 12, 14

So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom...O satisfy us in the morning with your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Last year for Christmas my husband bought me an amazing chair and a half with a matching ottoman. I have always wanted one. This is the place I meet with the Lord in the early morning hours when the house is silent and my little ones have not yet discovered that I am awake. I love to sneak downstairs (do you do that too?) and curl up with my cup of Komodo Dragon Starbucks Coffee,my Bible, a journal, and some Kari Jobe on my Ipod.

He is always there, waiting for me. Many times lately, I have not made our appointment. But patiently He waits for me. He has so much He wants to teach me and pour into my heart. I was most struck this week by Psalm 90: 12 & 14 and I know that I need it to be written on my heart! My cry to the Lord is that each morning I would find my satisfaction in Him.. and sing for joy and be glad all day long...not looking for a person to satisfy me, not looking for circumstances, but just satisfied by Him. Every single morning.

Most mornings I am discovered by a 3 foot tall messy haired girl who is dragging a blanket and a large stuffed bumble bee. She snuggles up close to me and I am reminded why I am in the chair in the first place.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

I am linking up to Chatting at the Sky for "Tuesday Unwrapped". This is truly a lovely blog that has encouraged my heart!

Multitude Monday

Counting 1,000 gifts...
#37 Words of value from my daughter shared during a show and tell at school. Her teacher posted this in our weekly update:

E. shared what she learned about birds, following the drama lesson on the Nightingale of Wittenburg. As she discovered various qualities of birds, she was able to see members of her family who possessed some of those same qualities. For instance, in her Mom she saw the protecting, self-sacrificing qualities of a partridge, who is willing to lay down its life for its young. And these were HER words. WOW! What mom wouldn't be blessed by that!

I am.

Thankful,
Stacey

Loving Your Family

I am looking forward to this coming week as we count down the days to Valentine's Day! Here are a couple of ideas I have used in the past that were big hits with our family.

1. I purchased heart shaped post it notes and gave everyone permission to leave love notes all around the house! The fun part was finding them in the most unexpected places!

2. I found small metal mailboxes at the $1 spot at Target last year. I put them on the breakfast table and each morning there was a treat, sticker, or small present for my girls to receive. This was super easy and they were giddy with excitement to get their mail each morning! This year I am going to start on February 7th for 7 days of You've Got Mail.

3. I researched each name in our family and the meaning of it. For our Valentine's Day dinner I made heart shaped place mats for each person with their name and the meaning of it. I laminated them so we can use them year after year!

4. We had desert as our dinner on February 14. Last year it was strawberry shortcake, but this year I think we are going to some type of fondue dinner!


How about you? Do you have any great Valentine traditions to pass on? Join the Link Party and let us know! Remember to copy the url to your actual post not just your blog!

Love,
Stacey

How Do You Compare?

It is party day over at Heart to Heart With Holley! This was a great week of thought provoking questions. I chose my favorite entry and my comment to share with you today! I hope you have super weekend!

It's a junior high lunch table. We eavesdrop on giggly girls...
"My boyfriend is captain of the football team."
"I found THE COOLEST JEANS last weekend!"
"I got an A on the Science test."
Is anyone else's heart racing just thinking about being back there. Good grief.
Okay, I've regained my composure. The point is that as women we compare. A lot...
(To read the rest of the entry click here).

Question: What is God doing in your story right now?

My Answer:
Henry Blackaby says, "God is always at work around you. It is your job to find out where He is at work and join Him in it!" So, clearly God is at work, and right now He is working on my heart. He is saying, "Follow me one step at a time. Do not anxiously look around and wish you could be doing other things. Just do the next thing I tell you to do." Seriously, yesterday I followed this plan throughout the day and my heart was more at ease. I was not sitting and wishing I was off doing something else. And I was not overwhelmed as much by all I had to yet to finish. Doing the next thing - like feeding the kids or praying with my husband is really okay. The next thing is God's thing for me right now.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

Multitude Monday

#28 All I need to take is one step at a time....He reminded me of this three times in the past 24 hours.

First, here, "If only the next step is clear, then the one thing to do is take it! Don't pledge your Lord or yourself to any steps beyond what you know. You don't see them yet." (Amy Carmichael)

Next here, "Follow me one step at a time. That is all I require of you." (Sarah Young).

And finally, here:



Thankfully listening Lord,
Stacey