Romans 12:12 (NLT) Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

So the cat is out of the bag now... 

I'm a counselor clown nurse doctor police officer psychic decorator  teacher! Signed my paperwork yesterday & got my official "Henderson  County Public Schools" badge! (which my dad boastfully wore around his neck, reminding me that he paid a little a LOT of money for that badge) 

When I set out on my job hunt, I was looking for 3 specific things

1- A Buncombe County school

2- An upper middle grades spot (7th or 8th)

3- An English Language Arts position

what I scored...

1- A different County 

2- A 6th grade spot

3- A Science & Social Studies position 

but nonetheless, I am thankful for what God is doing and where He is leading me. I am glad for all God is planning for me (Romans 12:12a)

Love how we think we know what we want and what is best for us, but God really knows what is going on. 

The best part of God being in control & trusting Him with stuff, is the reassurance that He is working all things together for our good. Not a few things, not just one thing, all things. (Romans 8:28) 

all-/ôl/ adverb/noun

       used to refer to the whole quantity 

He works all things together for our good. How awesome is it that He wants nothing short of the best for us?!  He can see the whole picture. He is Omniscient. 

I am following His calling for me to serve and teach, and He promises in Romans 8:28 that because I love him & am following His purpose for me that it will all work out for good in the end. So this is going to be a good school year, and a good job for me even though it is the exact opposite of what I was looking for. Trusting He answered my prayer to lead me to the right school & students for me.

I am so stinkin excited to teach, and have my own rules, and my own kiddos, and my own class, and my own room! I have seen what could be my room, but I haven't had the chance to start working in it yet. BUT that doesn't stop me from praying, planning, and preparing!

I have been praying A LOT  A LOT A LOT.
for my classroom
for myself as a teacher
& for my future kiddos

just been asking God to prepare my heart for them, and prepare their hearts for me. Been praying about everything from colors to use, curriculum & lessons to use, to the way my desks are arranged in the room & my room is set up.

I found these prayers & they are awesome!

AND like any good teacher would, I have been using a little A LOT of pinterest; & like any good first year teacher, I am extremely nervous. There will be good days & there will be bad days, but I will strive to be patient in the troubles & when things don't go my way & keep praying through it all! (Romans 12:12b&c)

But Hey, a little encouragement along the way never hurts.

Needless to say, I am very excited about the adventure I am about to embark on with my 100 6th grade preteens. Can't wait to share pictures  and stories from the adventure! Can't wait to see what God does!

Whatever your situation may be, whatever or wherever you are right now

be glad for all God is planning for you

be patient in the trouble or when things aren't exactly like you want

& keep praying. 

He has it all figured out. 

-B

(& now officially Ms. Reed)

Psalms 61:2, 3 ESV from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

One year. I've had this blog for a whole year. 

35 posts and a year later a lot has changed. 

New friendships started, friendships ended, families growing, marriages, babies, a big move back home, a college graduation, a few different jobs and a million more things.

One thing that hasn't changed a whole lot though, is what I write in my blog posts. 

There is a common theme throughout them all. 

Even a year later, I am still patiently (at least that is what I would label it as) waiting for patience. 

I am in a constant battle with myself to see things in a positive way, and not always see the bad and only soak up the bad.

Obviously, change takes time. A year later and I am still trying, still working, and still waiting. 

Patiently waiting for patience. 

Patience to wait on God's time. Patience to wait on God's plan. 

Change takes time. 

When it seems like nothing is going right, & you're still drowning in your struggles.. Don't give up. Ive learned things take time. 

Don't wave that white flag just yet. 

Keep hanging on and waiting for God. 

A year later and I am still fighting the same spiritual battles, but I believe God is using this for something bigger than I can understand. 

When things get harder, I will work harder and pray even harder. 

Don't give up just yet because things aren't how you pictured, or thought they would be. 

1 Peter 3:10-11 “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it." (ESV)

I can remember the last time I wrote, but I cannot even remember the last time I wrote a blog post. 

With so much going on, I forget to slow down. I forget how to enjoy the good things in my life, and focus entirely too much on the bad. Too many times I have fallen into the negative trap. The trap many of us fall into daily. That trap where we feel like we are stuck. Stuck in the pattern of focusing only on the bad things around us. It is all about perspective and focus. 

The world can be all good with a some bad mixed in or the world can be all bad with some good mixed in. 

We are the ones who decide which one it is.

If you are anything like me, we get in that pattern of seeing the world as all bad with some good mixed in, because it is the easier thing to do. 

Easy is easy.
Hard is hard.

Obviously, right? 

What seems easier is being stuck in that view that the world is all bad with some good mixed in. We soak up all the bad. We are so quick to wish whatever situation we are in away and move on to the next. We never take time to just soak up the current once in a lifetime situation we are in. We have one life to love. We get this day, once. We get that experience, once. It is so hard to try and have a positive outlook on things. Be thankful for that "bad" situation that God is using to shape and mold us into everything He has created us to be. We forget that things just don't happen instantly. 

How good is instant coffee... How good is a lesson that was never planned... How tough are your abs you worked one day on... How good is a sculpture that was never sculpted? 

God is sculpting me now in every situation He walks me through. God is sculpting you in every situation He is walking you through. 

We can't rush Him. The most precious, and perfect artwork takes time. 

I challenge myself to soak up the situation. Be thankful for whatever it may be. Enjoy whatever it may be. God is using the whatever to make me into everything He has created me to be. 

Life is a beautiful mess, but we only have one life to love. Love the beautiful mess God allows you to partake in because sometimes, it takes a mess to make the best things. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through

Two blog posts, this close together.. Woahhh now. Doing work so far in 2013.


Since I am doing this from my phone I cannot post a YouTube video so if you are reading this and want some jams, I suggest you listen to "Need You Now" by Plumb (here is the mobile link http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zzikLM0NrfM)

But honestly, I love to write. I used to hate to write and it used to be one of my huge weaknesses. The cool part about it is that I don't decide when I write. I truly believe God place the words in my heart and my hands just go to work. I talk a lot, but I used to never be a writer. I was nervous to write and I just hated doing it. I love how God has been strengthening me and using, what was truly my biggest weakness, as an outlet for me.

Now that I like to write I do, but if I try to write or try to decide for myself I want to write... Nothing comes.
But when God tells me "write" the words flow to this computer screen (or this super fancy iPhone blogger app.. Thank you Google!)

Right now, some of my other weakness are being tried, challenged, and strengthened... Patience. Worry. Trust. Three things that I would love to say I don't struggle with but I don't like lyin.

I am in a place right now where I truly have to lean on God for His strength and guidance. I am thankful when I have a smile on my face and thankful when I have a heavy heart because I have seen God take a weakness of mine and make it stronger. I have seen what He has done with just one thing, my writing... And now I get the opportunity to see how He strengthens and works with three things. I cannot wait to see how I grow closer to Him as He works in my life.

I have a feeling my mind is about to be blown.

Is there something you're struggling with... A weakness you have that you think can never be used... That you'll never get over or it's just really knocking you down?

Maybe just maybe God is bringing it to your attention for a reason. Maybe He is working as you struggle. Are you going to open up and let Him work or keep struggling with a weakness that He tells us He can use to work trough you...?

As scary as it is, let go and let Him work.


-B

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

It's the 4th day of the 2013 New Year...
Gosh! I haven't written all year! ha! 
Big changes means a lot of road blocks, traffic jams, flat tires, car trouble, and red lights going on in my head. Things are finally starting to slow down and clear up.

So far these past couple days of the New Year, and the last few weeks wrapping up 2012, I have a lot of time to think and reflect over all of the things that happened in 2012 and all the things that are happening now and all of the things that will be happening. 

"Look back and thank God.

Look forward and trust God.

Look around and serve God.

Look within and find God." 

That is the quote on the lock screen of my lovely little iPhone. 
Sometimes we get caught up in everything going around that we lose sight of the one thing that never changes, never leaves us, never gives up on us no matter who we are or what we have become where we have been or what we have done. 
I fall victim of it all of the time. 

the other day I tweeted (@brookenicole91 if you're a tweeter too)
"It's so easy to forget to thank God when things are bad, and see His guidance when things are good."

& it is true. We get so caught up in the why...
why are things bad?
why am I going through this?
why do I feel this way?
why is this happening?
why...
and we lose our trust. 
we get so caught up in our own thoughts and our own wants that we sometimes think God is being silent because "we are doing what He wants us to" because things are good or are falling into place for us, when really... we just aren't seeking Him. We aren't asking for His guidance or His strength or His will to be done because we manipulate who God is. If we are happy and things are what we want, we tend to think that is what God wants for us too.

Regardless of our situation, we try to close the door on God. We forget the door to God is always revolving and can't ever be shut. 

Since it's the new year, there are resolutions... what are you going to try to do different this year.. how can you be a better you this year... or how can you make this year the best yet...

that's why I have the quote I do on my lock screen. 
Sometimes I want to be, and need to be, constantly reminded to "Look back and thank God. Look forward and trust God. Look around and serve God. Look within and find God." 

I don't want to tune God out when I'm happy, or shut him out when I am in a struggle.
He knows what He is doing and all things work together for my good. 

He is the only thing that will never leave us. He always wants what is best for us. He is the only light in the middle of the darkness. He is the strength when we are weak. He is the breath of air when we feel like we are drowning. He is the only thing that stays the same while all others are constantly changing...

So what are you choosing to do with you 2013 year... I know what I struggle with and what I need to do to stop trying and struggling to close that revolving door.. 

look back, look forward, look around, look within; thank, trust, serve, and find God, He is always there. 

-B