By Faith & Not By Sight

Wow... Where do I begin... It's been a long time since I blogged, overwhelmed by our circumstances, it's been hard to find the strength to sit, meditate and write.

My husband and I have been "homeless" since June 17. We didn't see it coming and weren't prepared for it but God knew and He had us covered. We had to speak up in obedience to our Lord about some things taking place in the home where we were staying and as a result we were threatened and for my sake and the life of our unborn baby, my husband and I had to leave. We left all our things behind and headed to church that morning not knowing where we would sleep, not having enough funds or a car that we can sleep in until we figure things out.

We've been attending Capital Hill Baptist Church and hadn't been there for long and yet the believers there opened their arms to us and purposed to pray for us and help us in any way that they could. One couple with 4 beautiful children opened their homes to us.

One more thing I forgot to mention is that her and I are both expecting and our due dates are a day apart. She is due August 10th and I am due August 9th. It was perfectly orchestrated by God, there I learned how to cook a few meals and learned what contractions were! lol My stomach was as hard as a melon and it was hurting and I mentioned it to her just to see if she gets "those" and she explained to me that those were contractions lol. The Lord used them to continually remind us to trust Him in the midst of our storm. We daily broke bread together as a family and stayed up late hours talking about the attributes of God.

Can't forget my sister Jamika who gave us her room to sleep in while we stayed there!

Later another couple opened their homes to us.

They were heading out of town and so they left their house key with us along with the key to both of their cars and encouraged us to eat whatever is there and make ourselves at home as we sought the Lord on what to do.

Later Another young couple offered to drive all the way to Waldorf to pick up our baby's crib since the cars we had weren't big enough to pick them up. That same day, they fed us and drove the crib all the way to Takoma Park! The house where we would be staying.

As if that wasn't enough the Lord also used the mother of one of my students. She lives in the neighborhood Tyrell and I had hoped we would live one day. We took a stroll there the day before our wedding and just admired the beauty of that place. She offered us her basement! for a price we CAN afford in a neighborhood we CANNOT afford to live in. She along with a carpenter named Steve labored and fully renovated the basement! They painted, did stencil work, bought us a brand new fridge along with other things and fully furnished it!!! 

This is so amazing and I know that this could not have happened apart from the Lord moving. What a journey it has been!!! We've only been married 8 months and our Lord has been so faithful to teach us about His character. He has blessed us with the circumstances we've found ourselves in so that we could see Him in action.

There were nights of worry, tears, I saw no way out. I knew only the Lord could help us but spent hours doubting that He would pay us any mind. "why should He help us?" were my thoughts. Our Lord is faithful and He is Sovereign. I hope He continues to remind us of this truth as Tyrell and I continue on this narrow road together. We're suppose to move into our new place today and we are so thankful for the body of Christ coming along side of us to pray for us and serve us. Praise the Lord! God is indeed faithful!

Tears Of Joy!

As you all know, my past sin of fornication tore my husband's heart apart when we were courting. He felt defraud and helpless. The Lord had to strengthen him and help him love me in spite of it all. The gospel was his help, remembering what Christ had done for him along with confessing to the Lord his bitterness and how though he knew the Gospel, he still found it hard to love me.

On my wedding day, I walked down the isle in faith, hoping in the Lord to fully restore Tyrell so that he may love me as God loves the Church. Trusting in the faithfulness of the Lord, I said I do making a commitment to love him until death no matter what.

 I walked down the isle smiling yet filled with questions. Tyrell was smiling, I didn't understand why. I didn't feel beautiful, I didn't feel worthy but I knew that what I was getting ready to do was what I felt God desired of me. I hoped that Ty would heal and love me and my hope was my comfort. I was to shy to look at him and terrified to embrace him for the first time.

We married in obedience to the Lord, knowing that the road would be hard but trusting Him nevertheless. Saturday, June 9th 2012, months after our marriage, we somehow ended up talking about how he views me. His struggle in our courtship was elevating my sin above my redemption and having a hard time seeing me as something to be prized. I thought he still struggled with that. While talking, tears ran down my face and my heart was exposed and he saw the hurt and broken due to what I believed. He gently got up grabbed his journal and began to read to me. It was titled:

"October 29th 2011-The day my life changes forever-marriage"

 It was 1:49am when he wrote it. He wrote about how thankful he was to have me as a wife, he wrote about how much he treasured me and wanted no other. The entry is filled with praises to the Lord for all he had done. Most importantly MY HUSBAND WAS GLORYING IN THE CROSS!!!!!!! HE SAW ME AS A NEW CREATURE! I WAS PRIZED IN HIS SIGHT BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAD DONE! It answered my questions and showed me that the smile he had on his face was genuine, my prayer and hope had already been answered. My groom delighted in me and couldn't wait to love me with his life. I was in tears! God answered my prayer months ago and I had no idea! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness in redeeming. I cannot thank God enough. My husband's heart races at the thought of me, he delights in me! Praise God!

Single Men - Biblical Conduct Towards Women

SO TRUE!

 

Awesome TRUTH!

Conformity to Christ

This sermon is really good and sheds a much needed light on what a biblical marriage is. This is the call of marriage and God's purpose in it. Glory to God. Hope it blesses you all!

Some Outstanding Godly Counsel

As you guys know, I was not a virgin when I married my now husband Tyrell Samuels and that broke his heart. By the grace of God, the Lord led me throughout our friendship and I was able to tell him about my shameful past before we entered matrimony. Now that I look back, I wish that would have been the first thing I mentioned to him when we met but the church where I fellowshipped at the time told me that it was wrong and indiscreet to tell people about my past and dealt with me very harshly for doing so in the past.

we grew closer as the Lord was bringing us together and praise the Lord I got to share with him my terrible past but sadly this was after he had disclose his intentions towards me. It shattered him but the Lord held him and with the conviction he had to marry me though still wounded went ahead in faith trusting that the Lord would heal him and help him.

I share all of this to say that I STRONGLY encourage you to be transparent from the beginning. Do not hide past sins whatever it may be and allow people to glory in the cross and see God's redemptive work rather than giving them the opportunity to create something in their minds that is far from the truth. Let's not be deceptive but transparent and may God be glorified for His amazing work!

Let us decrease while He increases pointing to our maker who has reached down and saved us from our shameful ways and made us new creatures in Him. To Him be all the glory and praise forever. AMEN!

A Wonderful Surprise

We just received an awesome surprise in the mail!!! We are so thankful to the Lord for all the precious gifts we're receiving for our little boy ^_^ Praise the Lord.

Along with the gifts, this person included some words of encouragement and bible verses

Under neat the Breastflow BPA Free Starter Set
It says "Your blog has been a true blessing to me. Here is a verse I really like and trust you will too. It is revelation 22:17. Meditate on it."

Underneath the Microwave Steam Sterilizer, it says: "Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth. John 17:17. May GOD bless and keep you."

Praise the Lord. I had for hold back tears. This gift was so thoughtful and unexpected. May the Lord bless you tremendously in England for your act of kindness! We are so thankful!