Everything Falls

One of my favorite songs at the moment is Everything Falls by Fee.  It lifts my spirits every time I hear it because it reminds me that no matter what is going on in my life, how bad I'm feeling, or how bad life seems, God is always there right beside me and His arms will hold me together when I feel like I can no longer hold myself together. 

At the end of September, I was rear-ended and since my back has been tight continually and sore and in pain throughout the day.  Sometimes I feel like doing nothing because of the pain I feel, but I know I have to keep focused on what I need to accomplish at that moment and move forward.  But at those times when I feel like I cannot deal with the pain and the frustration of my back, I must remember that God's arms will hold me up, even when I feel my boday will not.

My pain also reminds me of my dad.  He has been in constant back pain for years and the doctors have no idea why.  I know his pain is a million times greater than my pain because of the amount of pain killers he takes every day.  Yet, I have never heard him complain about his pain.  Sam will tell you that I complain to him about my back probably daily.  I am amazed at my dad's strength to push the pain aside and stay focused on his day.  He doesn't complain about it, but pushes forward.  I am sure he is discouraged at the thought of never being pain-free (that is until he is with our eternal Father forever in Heaven), but he does not show that discouragement to the world.  He still finds joy and he allows God to hold his boday and spirit together.  He is my inspiration during the day to continue on in my own pain.

Below is the video for the song.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Sam's side of the family!!!  Sam's sister was gracious enough to have us all over for a wonderful meal!

Sam and us with our nephew and niece

We're Cute

Cheese!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I am thankful for....

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought I would share the top ten things I am thankful for:

1. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I would not exist, I would not have fulfillment, I would not have His saving grace, I would have no reason to keep living. He is my Rock and my Fortress and never leaves me, even when I feel I have no one else to turn to - He is ALWAYS there for me!
2. My wonderful husband, Samuel Neal. I love him dearly. He deals with all my worrisome ways and my rants about my days. He protects me and provides for me and loves me despite my faults.
3. My loving parents. They are the best examples of strength, faith, and endurance that I have. Despite what life has thrown at them and despite the consequences of some of their own actions, they have remained strong and steadfast and continually rely on God to provide and get them through the storms of life.
4. My best friend, Amanda. She can always make me smile and knows just how to cheer me up and get me away from the stresses of life. She is always there for me and never judges me.
5. My law school girls - Nicole, Ashley, and Elyse. Without them I would not make it through law school. We understand each others' stresses and are able to build and encourage each other up throughout this crazy world we call law school.
6. My youth girls. I love them all so much and they encourage me so throughout the week. They keep me young and immature when I need to be. They bring me joy and they allow me the great privilege to know what is going on in their lives and to hopefully encourage them and help them through life.
7. My puppies, Lucy and Bella. They just make me happy and are always there to cuddle and keep me company.
8. My in-laws. They accepted me into their family without hesitation and have loved on me as one of their own.
9. My country. I am so thankful to live in a country where I have freedoms to express my religion, my viewpoints, my thoughts, and will not be violently persecuted for doing so.
10. Kenneth and Amber - the youth pastor and his wife. I am very thankful for these two and the heart they have the youth. They put their all into everything they do for the youth and the youth, as well as the adult leaders, love them. They are an encouragement to me and I also love listening to Kenneth teach and preach.

So that's what I am thankful for today. What are you thankful for?

The Stand

For those of you who don't know where the title of my blog comes from...it is from the song "The Stand."  It is definitely one of my favorite worship songs and almost every time that it gets to the bridge that the title of my blog comes from I am almost in tears.  It convicts me every time we sing it in the youth group and it just breaks me down.  "And I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all."  Jesus truly gave it all for us.  He gave His life for us.  He came down to this wicked world and took the form of one of our wretched human bodies.  He was tempted just as we were, yet He never sinned.  He was killed by his enemies even though He did nothing wrong.  But the glorious part is that He rose again.  His perfect sacrifice, His perfect blood, was the only way that we, evil people that we are, are able to spend eternity in Heaven with Him if we accept this grace He bestowed upon us.  Yet, even after some of us have accepted this perfect grace, we do not continually change our hearts and our lives to live like we have been saved.  We return to our selfish desires.  We do not live with arms lifted high and our hearts abandoned to the ways of the world completely focused on the one who saved us by giving it all.  This song continually reminds me of this sacrifice and my continual lack of daily committment.  Let us all be reminded of this grace and let us all live with arms high and hearts abandoned each and every moment, remembering that the things of this world are temporary and what really matters is eternity.
Here are the lyrics to the song:

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

New to all this...

I'm new to the blogging world...so please be patient with me.  :)  I am also about 2.5 weeks from starting a stressful time of law school exams so life is quite busy right now. 

I started this blog as a way to express my thoughts and possibly encourage those reading them.  I am continually learning new things about myself, those around me, and about my relationship with God that hopefully those of you reading will find interesting and helpful in your own lives.

Come back soon and hopefully a new, longer and more interesting, blog will be posted!