The God of All Comfort

Five more Sundays. That's how many we have left at our church before my husband steps down from his job there. I have to be honest. I am a little sad. In the 16 years of our marriage there have only been three times that my husband has not served on a worship team, whether he was on staff, or not. I am going to miss that voice of his leading me and the rest of the congregation into worship every Sunday.

Don't get me wrong. I am excited to begin our new adventure. And I trust that God will help us find the right church for our family to attend together. I am looking forward to worshiping by my husband's side for a season. I can't help but wonder if it's going to be difficult for him to allow someone else to lead him in worship. I'm sure that will be very different for him, to say the least.

Yes, things are going to be very different. We will be living in a smaller town, with family nearby, and a brand new business to build. We are official part owners of a building, that we will fill with merchandise and open doors sometime in April. I can't wait to see what God has planned for this new chapter in our lives.

Still, today, here and now, I am a little sad to think about leaving our old lives and our church behind. I don't think God minds. He knows my heart and I look to Him for comfort in the middle of change and uncertainty.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." -2 Corinthians 1:3-4

How has He comforted you recently? I'd love to hear.

Blessings,

~Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse 2

It's time to choose my second memory verse of 2011! The first verse was so clear in my mind, I just knew it was the one I needed to store up in my heart. It clearly speaks to me about my future and the fact that God is planning something beyond my wildest imagination.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness,
and streams in the wasteland.
-Isaiah 43:19

Funny thing, I was actually a week into memorizing before I realized that the reference to this verse is Isaiah 43:19, not Isaiah 43:9...a little typo on my part when I first copied it! Remembering the reference is actually the hardest part for me, so this year I am memorizing that part first, before I even start in on the words.

Anyway, when I was praying about what verse to choose this time, nothing special came to mind. That is, until I brought up the LPM blog and read Beth Moore's suggested verse.

"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count."
-Psalm 40:5 (NASB)

Perfect! As I pray about our future and place it in God's hands, I can recall the past and the many wondrous things He has already done for us! What a great way to start off the year. Two verses...one that focuses on the future, and one that praises God for what He has done in the past.

God's Word is so amazing to me. I pray that it comes alive and practically jumps off the pages for me in 2011. I am following a Bible Reading Plan with my oldest daughter (9) this year. She has so many wonderful questions and it is a great way to keep me accountable to my reading. The joy that she finds in the Word as she is reading a lot of it for the first time warms my heart and gives me a new found joy of my own.

What plans do you have to be in the Word this year? If you need a little encouragement, I would suggest reading this post, over at Priscilla Shirer's blog. You will find a lot of good suggestions and tips there.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a great weekend and may God bless you as you pursue Him in His Word.

~Melissa

Sanctuary in the Middle of Change

I've been thinking a lot this week about my Homekeeping Mission Statement for 2011. The first time I wrote one, was back in 2008, when I joined the Company Girl fun and dove into Small Things.

Back then, I had a one year old, a three year old, a four year old, a five year old, and a six year old! Needless to say, I needed that mission statement to keep me sane! Today, my children are a little older, and four out of five of them are in school. Though the wording has changed some, the main statement (in bold) has stuck with me.

HOMEKEEPING MISSION 2011
I want my home to be, peaceful, simple, and cozy. I will value my relationships with my husband and children by showing them unconditional love and acceptance. I will maintain a reasonable housekeeping schedule and designate chores to keep clutter at bay. I will decorate tastefully and affordably, creating a relaxing environment for my family and all who enter my home.

Do you recognize the three elements in the beginning? They may be different words, but they are still the same three legs of an old reliable stool. Peace, Order, and Beauty. You can find the origin of this story on Rachel Anne's Blog.

And now for my big announcement:
My family will be moving to a new location in June of 2011! We have the opportunity to begin a new business adventure in my husband's home town, where his parents still live. I will be blogging more about it in the future, but today I simply wanted to share the good news with you over coffee.

Over the next several months, I will be living out my Homekeeping Mission Statement while I pack, organize, and slim down our belongings. I'll be honest with you. Maintaining sanctuary in our home while preparing for the big move will be a challenge. Hopefully, with a little patience and a lot of prayer, this Company Girl will be able to keep peace, order, and beauty alive in the middle of it all. :)

May all of your homes be blessed in 2011!
~Melissa

Happy New Year and SSMT Verse 1

Happy New Year!

I am so excited to see what God will bring in the year 2011 for this family. We have some change coming around the bend...BIG change. It's wonderful and scary all at the same time but I know that God is in control. I will be sharing more here as the details of the plan unfold in the coming months.

I am also very happy to be participating once again in the Siesta Scripture Memory Team (SSMT) at the Living Proof Live Blog. Twice a month I will be checking in to share my memory verse. That's 24 memory verses in 2011! There will be a special conference with Beth Moore in 2012 for those who participated. (See above link for details.)

Hebrews 4:12 says "For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

May the evidence of this truth shine through in my life in 2011 to my family and those surrounding me!

And with that thought, here's my first memory verse for 2011. It really ties in with a new year, and the new thing that God is doing with our family.

Isaiah 43:19
See I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
And streams in the wasteland.

May you be blessed in 2011!
~Melissa

Merry Christmas!

I won't be blogging this week because I'm having too much fun with my family! Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Company Girl Coffee...Savor the Smile

Good morning girls! I was going to post something clever this morning but after reading Rachel Anne's post, I thought I'd just have you scroll down so I could pass on a smile during this busy season! Blessings to everyone who reads this...may you find a little something to enjoy, appreciate, and savor today! :)

Enjoy your weekend!

~Melissa

The Blessing of a Smile

This morning when I woke up and came out into the living room, I was greeted with this beautiful smile!All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth...

In every smile there is a blessing. I am incredibly blessed.

Why not pass on the blessing of a smile to someone you meet today?

~Melissa