As I wrote in my last blog post we were getting ready to embark on another adventure or should I say continue on this adventure we call life. And I mentioned our plans are made like Jello. They can change in an instant or take time to evolve. Our most recent adventure has been filled with both, multiple changes, making plans, watching doors open and close. If you are a Facebook friend I’m sure you have read all or part of our journey as well as some pretty graphic pictures of part of our adventure. If not, feel free to friend me on Facebook and check it out or stay tuned as I get back into the swing of writing and sharing our life but most importantly how the Lord has continued and continues to guide my life, our marriage and our life together.

But today I’m jumping forward to share how God is speaking to me today! I saw a post on Facebook late last week about a ladies Bible study that was starting up and I thought “what better way to meet other Christian women then through a Bible study.” I sent a text to B telling her I was interested, she shared the name of the book

Living a Chocolate Life by Deb Burma

I quickly ordered the book from Amazon with an expected delivery of Monday, April 10th. I got an email from Amazon, along with a picture, stating the book had been delivered…I have no clue where as no one here at the RV/MH Park know where this porch is! David, the manager of Little Bambi MH/RV Park walked the whole park and never found a porch that looked like this 😖

After a couple of chat messages, my money was refunded…even four days later, no one has found this package!

I was bummed as I really wanted to look through the book before our first session this past Wednesday evening…but such is life, being flexible is the name of the game and trusting God in all situations.

Wednesday evening I headed out to B’s home. Thank goodness for GPS especially for this gal who gets nervous driving places she has no clue where she is going. When I first arrived I felt a bit out of place. First impressions were telling me “I wouldn’t fit in, I will have nothing in common with this group of ladies” and Satan was filling my head with thoughts of “you can’t compete with these ladies, you are poor and these people are rich, look at the fancy car sitting in the driveway, who do you think you can associate with these women?”

I uttered a quick prayer “Lord help me to walk up and knock on the door” and just then the door opened and A welcomed me in! There were already three women there and they seemed quite involved in a conversation. I put my Bible and wallet down and stood in the kitchen, feeling like a fourth wheel out of place. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but heck I was there and it would have been weird to walk out!!! And I’m so glad I stayed. Two more gals arrived and after a quick introduction we shared a light supper of homemade lentil soup with rolls & butter. The soup was delicious!

We spent the next ninety minutes or so doing introductions and sharing a little of our stories. As I said to a friend yesterday, by the end of the evening I felt like I was with a group of women I had known for awhile and I’m excited to build these new relationships and friendships!

Remember my book that never arrived from Amazon…well I was gifted a book by one of the gals in the group! A blessing from a new friend!!! And God knew I didn’t need the book I had ordered!!!

Yesterday was a busy day for us as we worked a bit outside, setting up our shade room, picking up Treyson from school and then enjoying a taco dinner with Brandon, Danalyn and the boys while doing a much needed load of laundry thus I never even opened my study book.

One of my struggles has always been finding time to spend in God’s word, doing a Bible study and that struggle continues. I seem to get easily distracted so much of the time and find “other things” to do. I have been reminded in many different ways lately that it is my responsibility to “do the things I want to do” making them a priority. As I went to bed last night I uttered “Lord help me to focus on the things that are important when I get up in the morning.”

After a crazy night ~ I woke up at 3:35a, thinking it was 6:30a and said to Ron, “honey can you take Charlie out please?” Ron got up, got dressed and I looked at the clock and realized it wasn’t 6:30! It was 3:30 and Ron said, “doesn’t matter, he’s going out now, I’m dressed.” After Ron returned to bed, we laid there and laughed and laughed, reminiscing about our wedding night and how Ron had gotten up at 2:15a and went to the 7-11 and bought me a Diet Dr Pepper and a bag of Oreo’s! I asked him “want to go to Circle K?” LOL 🤣 and then we rolled over and went back to sleep!!!

We slept till about 8:30 and then started our day. Once I was up, had taken my morning meds, made me a big glass of water (trying to drink more water instead of coffee or diet soda pop) and gathered up my Bible, notebook, my study book “Living a Chocolate Life” and and settled into my new to me rocker!

The memory verse for this week is Ephesians 1:7-8. What first caught my attention was the word “redemption” ~ because it was one of the three words that Pastor CJ shared on Sunday at Father, Son and Love Worship Center where we attended services Easter morning. I saw this as a confirmation from the Lord, we were at the right church, I was in the right Bible study and as Danalyn shared multiple times with me the last few weeks, I was in the place I needed to be! Thank you Jesus for the confirmation and affirmation!

I’m reminded that it’s nothing I can do or have done that I am given redemption by God…it is by his grace that I am saved and loved!!! But God, but for God’s love for me I am lavishly loved on by his extended grace! I am loved for me, just the way I am! Doesn’t mean I stay where I am but that God loves me just for me. And to grow in his love I seek him!

Loving myself has not been an easy thing for me…I have struggled for many years to believe that I am loveable…it is only because of God I have learned to love myself. And with God’s love he has blessed me with a wonderful husband who has loved me in ways I could never imagine. I can remember asking Ron many times, why do you love me? I wanted a concrete answer, I couldn’t believe that I was worthy of Ron’s love. When we were first married he would say “I love you because God tells me to love you.” I would tell him that wasn’t good enough, again wanting a specific reason why he would love me. Ron has been my tangible example of God’s love…Ron has loved me through the good times, the hard times, fun and scary times. He has never given up on me and that is how God loves me! Unconditionally and just as I am!!

I like to connect the dots. While Ron and I were driving from NJ to Florida, one of the things we talked about was finding a church like Love Springs Baptist Church, in Cowpens, SC where we attended while working in Gaffney. From the first time we walked in the doors of LSBC we felt loved and welcomed, accepted for us just the way we are and we wondered if we would find such a church family/home here in Land O Lakes.

When we arrived here at Lake Bambi Mobile Home Park on Sunday, April 2nd, we were welcomed by neighbors on three sides! One of them, Alana invited us to attend church on Easter Sunday. As I mentioned above, we did just that on Easter Sunday and God answered our prayers and our desire to find a church that welcomed us with open arms. We are thankful for our neighbor, Alana and her invitation to FSLWC. And we are so thankful to the Lord for bringing us here to this little park to park our Little Home on Wheels, to be near our son and his family, just where we need to be!

I have heard that phrase from so many in the last couple of weeks “you are just where you need to be.” Each time I have heard those words, I get a warm fuzzy feeling flowing through my heart. I take that as confirmation from the Lord that our move to Florida was meant to be.

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Do you get warm fuzzy’s when things are confirmed for you about something you are doing, want to do or are thinking of doing? Who or what do you attribute it to?