Our family!

Hey, everyone!

What an awesome time we had Easter morning! We had a wonderful time worshiping God and remembering the sacrifice Jesus paid for our sins. It wasn't just that, though. I also thought about the relationship He wants to have with me now. The fellowship He longs for that reaches further than forgiveness of sin and healing all my infirmities. I also have a direct connection to God that allows me to be in His presence when I am hurting, or lonely and He's always there to cheer and celebrate right along with me! He didn't just die on a cross (which was awesome enough) and He didn't just arise after three days (which is marvelous enough) but He also seeks us out to save us, set us free, and give us life MORE ABUNDANTLY! What a mighty God we serve! He's much better to us than we deserve and I am so glad that I know Him...and even happier that He knows me!

I felt so blessed to be sitting in that sanctuary, praising God with my husband and our children that the LORD blessed us with, and to know that no one was going to arrest us for praising God, or kill us or persecute us. My heart ached for those in the other countries who just do not have that same liberty and I just wanted to say, "Forgive me LORD for the times I take for granted that I can serve you and love you openly. Forgive me for not going to church every single time the doors are open and doing more to further the Kingdom." There are those in other countries that do not have padded pews and heating/air conditioning to keep the temperature nice all year long. There are no fancy programs and special rooms for kids to learn about the Master. There are no elaborate stages full of decorations and instruments with everyone wearing fine-tailored clothes, and yet they will GO anyway and they will SEEK GOD anyway and they will FIND HIM IN SPITE OF ALL THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE! If only we could have a heart to love, seek and dedicate to the things that please God more than the things we choose to do instead, we would find a deeper level of spiritual growth that we never knew existed.

I want to share a picture of my family with you. My husband and children are so very precious to me. The honor to be Paul's wife and a mother to Kadesia and Javan is more than I deserve but yet God chose me to serve in this way. I mess up a lot and I have to pray a lot, trust God a lot and rely on Him to help me do all that He wants me to do and be who He wants me to be. It's hard not to compare myself to other wives and mothers who seem to have it together and always look amazing and their kids always look perfect! I often wonder how they do it! How can they always know what nutritious thing to cook for meals or prepare for snacks? How do they manage to look so good? Sometimes it's all I can do to find the hair brush to throw my hair into a pony tail and rush out the door driving from one appointment or event to the next. But then I just repeat my mantra that has become my VICTORY VERSE since breaking the bone in my hand. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST AS HE STRENGTHENS ME! Philippians 4:13 And then I stop sinking in the sea of doubt and fear and I am finally able to simply rest in Him and rely on His strength to see me through!

God bless you!
Bridgett