Birthday Season

It is with great joy I enter into September! 

My husband and I joke that it's actually called 'Birthday Season'! Most of whom we know have birthdays packed into the front end of September.

First up we had an Aunt, whom I have only gotten to know over the past 2 years, but she is a supportive, hard working, sincere gal with definite spunk! Her humor and sincerity is my fav quality. I enjoy her quite a bit and am looking forward to deepening this relationship over the coming years!

Next we have my dearest mother in law. 

She has intensely blessed my life and has spoke wisdom and light into my life as well. I am incredibly blessed to have another example and mother figure like her. I loved her from the very moment we met (again) and I knew that this was a mother I wanted to be around and learn from. 

Squeezed in the center is my new sister in law whom I absolutely adore to the max. She is a brilliant mother, a genuine soul, and a joyful woman inside and out. She is stunning, from her heart to her eyes! Her energy and joyful heart is a true gift from God, and it definitely shows! I love watching her care for her children and the family around her and I am deeply blessed to be learning from her. I am excited that I am lucky enough to have her family be one I have inherited through marriage!

Before we even have a chance to catch our breath we throw in, yours truly and my twinsie's Birthday. I am über grateful to share this day with my bestest friend, my womb mate, and companion! There is a special bond we share that nothing, NOTHING, can separate. She is also a fantastic mother, a workout freak, motivating, inspiring, and strong willed. She was blessed with beautiful children, a wonderful hubby, and a life full of adventure and growth! She has always been my hero and that's still the truth to this day. I am also certain it will never change. 

Last, but certainly not least, is one whom I admire. My other new sister in law. This woman has greatly impacted my life and I am sure she doesn't even know it. Her strength, her dignity, and her hearts desires are all Jesus centered and God filled. Her courage to speak truth has inspired me and encouraged me. She is sturdy, and faithful, and thoughtful. Her words are not taken lightly, they are thoughtfully and prayerfully considered. Her honesty and transparency is something of which I hope to resemble someday. 

Truly, I am confident that God has carefully planted me in this family. I am honored and exceptionally blessed to be surrounded by so many courageous women! I love celebrating the lives of each individual one and know full well that the plans The Lord has for you are good. In fact, they are great. 

Psalm 139:13

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

However many years a man shall live, let him enjoy them all.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I especially like this woman.... She is one of my favorites, ever.

These people are some of my favorites ever too. I love them wholeheartedly, and love love love watching them surrender daily to Gods plans!

These guys, really know how to live out Gods love and compassion. Plus they are a HOOT to be around! Yup, I adore them too, a lot!

These two I love dearly, especially him. But, this momma, I definitely admire. A whole lot. 

My heart is sad I don't have a picture of the other wonderful woman who had a birthday, but I do know for certain in the coming years I will gladly gather many photos of this amazing family for my memory bank!

 

I know I have said it far too many times, but I can't help but over express how full of gratitude I am that I got invited into this family, and I can't express enough how greatful I am to have the family I got started with.

I cannot stress enough how deeply these women have impacted my life this far. I am excited to strengthen and deepen each of these God breathed relationships. I am also excited to see how God uses each of these individual ladies in their own personal lives. It is a huge blessing, and one that I do not take lightly, that I get an almost front row seat watching these transformations and redemption stories! 

Thank You Jesus for these wonderful blessings! Thank You Jesus for creating such wonderful, unique, beautiful women. My deepest prayer is that they are filled with more of you, and know full well of your deepest love for them. 

Xox

-Morgan 

Definition: You

Who are you? What defines you? When asked about who you are, how do you respond?

I am SO guilty of forgetting frequently who I am and what I am made of. I tend to define my value on insignificant circumstances or trials, or even worse, material things. I am not suggesting that enjoying those blessings The Lord gave to you or myself is bad, but for me, I have a heart that tends to wander and a prideful heart that thinks on occasion I could find my worth in such things. This flaw I must always bring to mind and allow Him to transform me daily. 

As year 25 comes to a close and year 26 starts (which I am most certainly thankful for each year passing) I like to reflect back and see how I have changed or what deepened my relationship with Jesus. This year I was refined a little more (okay, maybe A LOT), and I learned the importance of drilling in my head where my value comes from. With out that foundation I would have certainly crumbled this year. 

You see, I thought for certain my circumstances defined me (especially when fighting through some tough stuff). I thought my past defined me. I thought for sure, that this definition of me that I created in my mind would be what people see of me or think of me. My Father proved to me that what I once was I am free from. My father proved to me that what I face, He already fought. My Father proved to me that what I think of myself, certainly is not how He sees me. For that, I am so grateful and totally undeserving. 

I am a daughter of the Most High King. A Co-heir with Christ. 

Purchased with the blood of Jesus. Paid for in full because He loves me so much.

And guess what?.... You are too. And He loves you with that same love. 

Wow.

So, after battling out another year I have learned that not one mistake, not one terrible circumstance, not one loss and devastation defines who I am.

So, define You? 

Who are you? 

Who do you belong to?

Where do you find your value?

I am His.

Ephesians 1:4-5

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ in accordance to his pleasure and will.

Ephesians 1:7(a)

In him we have redemption through his blood...

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:21 

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 1:18-20

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God....... And he did this For You.

Matthew 6:30

If God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith.

I love His truth, because quite frankly, I cannot and will not survive without it. I refuse to be swallowed up by darkness of forgetting the beautiful creation I am. Oh, how carefully we were crafted. My desire is to cling to that truth so that I can love others with that same desperate love He has. 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.(psalms 139)

How precious are His thoughts about YOU.

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Side Note (because I love, love, love Tuesdays) : these beautiful women joined me for an early morning coffee date. My socks were blessed off with amount of amazingness that morning. God is good and he uses people so wonderfully.

This gorgeous woman has been the kind of friend a girl couldn't live without!

And this man, thank you Lord for this man. He's who reminded me where to find my worth in those dark moments when I couldn't remember. I love him.