Be still my soul

I am horrible at waiting and have been in every season of my life.  The truth is that I often try to run away from waiting by escaping mentally somewhere else. This is sin because I am not trusting in the Lord's kind hand in my life and wanting to be else where then where He has placed me. Yet, the Lord calls His children to wait upon Him and that actually is part of His good for us to wait.  

 

 

God is the only One worth waiting on because He alone holds all Power to bring about change.  He is my Father and controls all things.  If I know these truths, why do I have such difficulty waiting on the Lord?  My mind is reminded with wonderful verses that tell the believer to wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:13-14, Isaiah 64:4).  I know that it's for my good and I am always encouraged when I remember Lazarus story in John 11 in how Jesus waited an extra 2 days before He went to Lazarus because He loved them.  Yet, I still question the Lord in unbelief and let's be honest, even despair when the Lord ask me to wait.  I long to have this heart of this hymn writer below.  This hymn always reminds me to be silent and still before the Lord.  My Father knows all things and it's up to Him to order and provide all of His providence's in my life. I want to bless the Lord no matter my circumstances.  I long to challenge my self or any others out there who are in the season of 'waiting' before the Lord.  Don't waste this season in anger, self-pity (which is pride), despair or even trying to escape because all of that is sin and breaks our fellowship with the Lord. 

 

 

Repent again of unbelief and Trust and Behold Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18).  Remember the Gospel of Christ!  Jesus is my righteousness and paid for all my sin on the cross!   Consider Jesus in Isaiah 53.  He is the perfect example of humility and submission to the Father.  And actually His perfect works count for me through faith! What grace! Oh how I need to remember this constantly!

 

 

It's comforting to know that even back in 1752, Katharena (the writer) was learning the lessons of waiting on the Lord.  May the Lord grant grace upon grace to His children who are waiting in faith and grant true worshipful prayer to God through Christ our King in every season of waiting. This season is meant for my good.  To make me more like Jesus (Romans 8:28).   May we count it all joy when we meet various trials...knowing that it the testing of our faith that produces steadfastness in Christ, that we maybe perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).  All for the praise of His glorious name!

 

 

"Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine."

-Katharina Von Schlege

1752

nap time thankfulness

It's nap time for Molly and the little boy I babysit, so thought I could make a little post! It is only 1:38pm and I have so much to be thankful for:

• Early morning run with a friend
• Encouraging time in the Word and in prayer for family & friend's needs
• Crock-pot meal cooking for dinner  
• Little boy to babysit who really loves to smile and laugh and play with my little girl
• Story time at the Library with the kids, then lunch at a dear friends home
• Got to chat with my neighbor and was invited to visit with her and her new baby after naptime!
• Nap time-which leads me to where I am right now! Peace and Quite and a chance to do laundry and clean up our home and I might have time to start my sewing projects...

There is so much to be thankful for...must call my mind to remember the Lord's faithfulness. The Lord has been good to me, better then what I deserve!

Lamentations 3:21-27

²¹But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;
²³they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
    "therefore I will hope in him."

²⁵The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
²⁷It is good for a man that he bear
the yoke in his youth.

time for change and updates...

Here I am.  Trying once again to do the blog thing.  I am excited to share all the Lord has been doing and just simply about His faithfulness.  I hope this blog will enable me to recall of the Lord's graces and kindness to me each day.  As I am learning to be a homemaker, a wife to my kind husband and a mother to my precious 19 month year old girl! Lots of things I am learning in the place the Lord has called me. How I long to grow faster, but trusting that He is growing me in His perfect timing and way.

Excited to announce that we are in the foster to adopt program!  All the paper work is completed on our side, now we are just waiting to hear from the other side that we are officially approved! The Lord has give us favor with our case worker and said she will approve us and in about 4 months we can receive a foster baby into our home!  As of yesterday, we are praying for twins or a sibling group to invite into our home!!  I know it sounds crazy, but really would love this and be excited to see the Lord provide in His perfect way to grow our family!  Just thinking through how we have had 2 miscarriages in the past 9 months and perhaps I will never be able to get pregnant again (not that I know the mind of God about this matter, but learning to trust Him in how He wants to grow our family).  If we were to foster to adopt a sibling group or twins it would be a forever memory of the 2 little babies that we lost and are now with the Lord.  Not that I want to replace one of those babies, but it would be a constant reminder that the Lord knows exactly who He wants to place in our family.  It would only remind me of His compassionate love towards me, to my unborn babies, and to the potential adoptive foster babies.  May He do this for His glory!  May His kingdom advance through our little family!  All to Jesus I owe!  All to Jesus I trust!

SBTS Graduation = Praise the LORD!

Graduation

May 20th, 2011

I have so many pictures that were taken that day for me, but my computer is not letting me download them quickly, it maybe b/c we have slow internet? anyways, can't get another picture up tonight and must go to bed! it was a very special day and so thankful for the Lord's grace to carry me to this point! He is gracious and I have my Masters! :) Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow!

Hope has come!

Had to share this as I'm listening to one of my favorite Christmas Albums by Sovereign Grace Music. I know it's April, but we listen to Christmas music-year round!  All these songs point to Christ and his finished work on the Cross & Resurrection.  Very encouraging with Good Friday coming tomorrow and Easter Sunday!  Also, one of the songs is describing how Hope has come!  And this is the reason why we gave Hope as Molly's middle name!  It serves to remind us to pray and continue praying that she would run to Christ for her only hope and salvation!
Here's the lryics of that song....really consider the words because truly is the greatest thing that has ever come in history! Christ has come....and our only hope!  May whoever reads this know the true meaning behind this Easter Season...Christ has come!  He is Risen, indeed! Let us praise His Name!

Hope Has Come

by Sovererign Grace Music



"Let us join with the angel voices
Let us join their happy song
All of heaven and earth rejoices
For the Lamb of God has come
He has come to rescue sinners
Come to meet our desperate need
He was born to bring forgiveness
Born for Calvary

Alleluia, Hope has come
Alleluia, Christ has come
We once were slaves in misery
Till You appeared and set us free
Alleluia, Hope has come

Let us lay our gifts before Him
Let us magnify His Name
With our thankful hearts adore Him
For the Lord has come to save
He has come to break sin’s power
He has come to set us free
Hope was born that glorious hour
Christ the mighty King "

Once again, it's been a long time!

Okay, so I'm not so good at keeping up with this blog!

But here's to another attempt to start blogging again! :)

An update on the Gronotte Family:

• Our little Molly is going to turn 1 at the end of the month (March 30th)! How is this possible? I can't believe that I have had her in my arms for a year! What a gracious God! She is just a delight and a ball of energy!  She is crawling so well and fast!  She recently won us 472 Huggie diapers because she won a little babies crawling race at Babies-r-us! It was so funny, never thought she would win! But a surprise blessing of tons of diapers ($150 value!)   She is starting to pull up on everything! And is gaining strength in her legs each day!  I can't believe that she will be walking in the coming months...so hard to believe that she growing this fast!  Lord willing, I will have weaned her by her birthday!  12 months of nursing has served her well and she is transitioning great to people food! LOVES to eat! Her favorite is baby yogurt and fruit! She has my sweet tooth! We are in the works planning her 1st birthday party! :) Spring flowers are going to be the theme, perfect for a Spring baby!
• Mark's job is going well.  We are getting use to the traveling (not my favorite, but thankful he has a good job!)  The Lord is blessing his work and he has continued to gain favor with his boss!  And recently was able to share the Gospel of Christ to him!  The Lord gave him boldness to share with him his hope in Christ!  His boss listen and  hopefully there will only be more conversations to come.  Right now we are  praying for the Lord to direct Mark's work for the future...desiring to stay in Louisville as long as we can!  We just love our church family and see the bennifit of staying and growing/serving under the leadership of our church.   
• For me, I'm taking my last class for my masters in Biblical Counseling at SBTS!  It's been a long time coming and very excited to graduate and be finished with school ( forever)! :)  I'm enjoying my class, it's just a lot of work.  (another reason blogging has not been happening!)  Learning a lot about counseling and practically able to start serving my church in this way! Such a blessing to learn from our counseling Elder and one of my dear mentor/friends, Patti!  The Lord's timing is always perfect.  He has made a way for this to be possible!  Not to mention my sweet In Laws are willing to watch Molly for me anytime!  Such a blessing to have grandparents just 30 minutes away! Molly loves her play dates with them too! She is such a people person already! :)
• Also, Mark and I have been training for the mini-marthon (13.1 miles) coming up at the end of April!  We are up to 6 miles.  We are running in a 10K this coming Saturday (my 1st ever) and really excited!  It's been a fun way to excerise and just release some stress!  I love running for the feeling I get after I finish! :) A couple of sweet friends have been training with me and so it's been a fun relational activity too!  Really running is similar to our spiritual lives, and is teaching me a lot through it! Such a mental game! 
• Our couple friends has moved out a couple weeks ago because they decided to stay in Louisville longer (we were just going to be a transition place for them until they move back to Boston!) They only stayed with us for 4 months!  It was a good season and really taught me a lot through it! Thankful they are staying in Louisville longer! :)
• We get to go to Florida for our 2nd year anniversary at the end of May! :)  Pretty much everything is paid for through Mark's travel points he has saved up from his traveling for work!  We are excited to leave for 4 nights and enjoy the beach and sun! Molly is staying with her grandparents too! I just love my sweet husband and excited to get away with him! We are going to the same beach we went to on our honeymoon, so very romantic!  :)
• Well, I guess that is about it for our family.  The Lord is so faithful!  I can not even recount all the ways He has been faithful to me.  Praise Him for His kindness and faithfulness! Praise Him for his mercy and truth!  All the earth is to praise His name!  He is my life, my salvation! He is my boast!

I can't get my computer to upload any more pictures! I think because our internet is the slower kind....hopefully soon I can get more pictures up! We have so many! :) Enjoy at least this one for now! :)