My first Blog!

So I am excited to begin blogging! I am a stay at home mom and though people may think that my job is easy there are many challenges that come with the job. I am very blessed that I am able to stay at home and raise my sweet baby but by doing so I sacrifice a lot. One of the biggest things I sacrifice is myself, I do for Emily and Caleb all day long and tend to forget about me, this is why I am starting my 25 day challenge. I have decided to begin the bible study Becoming a Woman of Beauty and Strength by Elizabeth George, it is a study of the book of Esther. I am going to take time for myself daily to reconnect and strengthen my most important relationship that usually gets pushed to the back burner, my relationship with God. I have also challenged myself to lose the last ten pounds, keep a tidier home and do a project a day. I am hoping to finish my challenge successfully and the key ingredient to doing this is my bible study and spending my time worshiping the Father because I can only do it with Him. Today was the first day of the challenge and it was great, it was about being content. As humans we tend to want more no matter how much we have, and I am guilty of this trait also. One of the things I read today was; People tend to admire four qualities in others: human wisdom, power (strength), kindness and riches... But God puts a higher priority on knowing Him personally and living a life that reflects his justice and righteousness. What do you want people to admire most about you? When I read that it really made me think, how do I use the gifts and blessings He has given me? Do I give what He has blessed me with as often as I should? It was all given to me by Him and I am to use it to bring glory to His name and not my own, but do I? Honestly no. I tend to be selfish, to want more, after all I am human. Three of the verses that went along with today's study are

Proverbs 30:7-9

⁷ “Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. ⁹ Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Proverbs 31:20

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Philippians 4:11-13

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

All of these made me realize that even though I should be I am not content. I will never be content without Him. I want to be content so that is one more thing to add to my 25 day challenge. I am going to be content with the many blessings He has given me. With His help I will open my arms and extend my hands to the needy, I will be content in every situation and I will only ask for my daily bread. He will provide me with what I need and I will trust in Him and be content!