so this past month...

I have been weighted down with so many thoughts/challenges/events. All wonderful. 

Everyday I think "I should blog about that," then another thought comes and I think "I should blog about that." So on and so on. Here I am a month later, no posts! That sounds about right:). I still have no idea where to start, again! 

Lets lay it out.

- My mantra as of late: "don't waste time!" 

- LOVE - broad, but pretty straight forward.

- My purpose has been revealed! (It is probably the same as yours:)!)

- Our Ellie:).

- I am starting a physical life change and definitely want to document it.

Where should I begin, any recommendations???

Living in His mercy,

Andrea Toney

To God be the Glory

I have been talking about my marriage and what God has done.

Continuing from my previous post... "I fell in love with my Husband".

Love and Respect by Dr. Eggerichs

There were three major points in the book. Three different cycles of a marriage. Crazy, energizing and rewarding. 

The Crazy Cycle - "He isn't loving me, well because she isn't respecting me." 

I guess you could say "I" was in this cycle. I do need to admit, being human and far from perfect!, "I" jump back in every once in a while because of a bad attitude or a bad day. Fortunately I don't stay there long because I want Kris to know I love him and... he feels unloved when disrespected. So "I" jump right off. 

I say "I" was in this cycle because, if you remember back when I said "I love him because he is patient with me", this is why and how. He has loved me through all of the nagging, and disrespect. I never could really say that "He isn't loving me." He is a pretty wonderful man!

The Energizing cycle - Being energized, motivated, uplifted and encouraged by giving each other what we need, Love and Respect.

When the light turned on for me, there was a brightness and joy in my heart and I know in Kris's as well, I could see it in his eyes. I was loving Kris they way he had needed for the past 8 years. He was being affirmed, not criticized. He was getting encouragement, not being discouraged. He was getting my support, not my opposition. So naturally, he was getting the respect he needed. Oh and let's just say there was not much to nag or bug about after that. Funny how that just happens, huh?!??

Rewarded Cycle - Ephesians 6:8, "knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from The Lord".

There is a reward for us from God if we do good, that includes to our husbands or wives! I want the reward. I want The Lord to be pleased with me. One of the things I learned in reading about the rewarded cycle and I am also learning in other areas of my life is, it's not about having the perfect marriage, or the perfect children, or the perfect whatever. It's about obeying and glorifying God in it all. He wants me to respect my husband. I will.

I write this, not to pat myself on the back, but because I know The Lord wants us to give Him praise and all the glory for what He does. I praise Him for giving me a wonderful, sacrificing and patient husband. I praise him for bringing this book in front of my eyes at this time in my life. I praise Him for loving me so much that He doesn't leave me in my sins. I praise him for forgiveness.

I also want to share with people this book and what it can do for your marriage. I know it might not be the right timing, but if what I have written about strikes your heart, I encourage you to get your hands on this book. Read it. The lights might turn on for you!

Love this man, beard and all!;)


Living in His Mercy,

Andrea Toney

I fell in love with my husband.

Let me say first, I have been in love with my husband from the moment I knew he was the one I wanted to marry over 10 years ago. 

We met in high school through a mutual friend and I have loved him since. I love him because he loves God and is so faithful to Him. I love him because he is THE funniest person I know. I love him because he is stinking hot (beard and all;)). I love him because he takes care of me and our children with all his being. I love him because he is one of the best fathers I know. I love him because he is so incredibly patient with me. So on and so on.

Alright,  I just listed all these reasons why I love my husband and that I have loved him since I knew he was going to be my husband. BUT!!! HERE IT COMES!!! I didn't realize I wasn't loving him the way he needed and when I learned the right way, WOW, LOVE ON STEROIDS!!

So what am I talking about? 

I read, Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Thank you Sara Chambers for the recommendation! Changed my life. OUR LIFE!

I had not been loving my husband for the 8 years we had been married because disrespect was very present. You see I didn't know that the way my husband knows and feels my "love" is by me completely "respecting" him at all times. When I read the words that explained that, I cried and cried and cried. How in the world could I have not shown my husband that I loved him as much as I do for the eight years we had been married. I was so sad for him. I apologized right then and there. He just hugged me so sweetly (but was probably thinking, FINALLY!)

I know you are probably thinking, well didn't you ever read Ephesians 5:33 "However, let each one of you love his wife as himseld and let the wife see that she respects her husband." Yes, of course I had read that verse a million times. Kris and I had talked about that verse a million times. I have always tried to strive to respect Kris, it just does not come naturally to me. I am a bugger, I nag, I like things a certain way, I don't sit down much, I don't like the TV on, I expected him to be just like me. WHAT, that is ridiculous. He is a man, I am a women. Dr Eggerichs talks about men seeing through blue sunglasses and hearing through blue hearing aids and women seeing through pink sunglasses and hearing through pink hearing aids. How can I ever expect him to be like me. That is a battle I could never win. What I can win, however  is respecting my husband to show him that I love him. He needs it. Just like I need love. He needs respect.

There were three major points in the Love and Respect book. Three cycles of a marriage. Crazy Cycle, Energizing Cycle and the Rewarding Cycle.

I'll talk about these and what they meant to me on my next post. Please stayed tuned, it's worth it!!

Living In His Mercy,

Andrea Toney

So it's been a while...

Tons of excuses, blah blah blah!

I've been wanting to get back to writing for several months now, but just had to take the plunge. So here I am, plunging!!

Of course some things have happened in like fifteen months!!! Like the birth of my SON!

Fabulous, maybe one day I will post my birth stories (incredibly joyful birth stories:)), but what I really want to post about is what GOD has done in my heart these past several months!!

#1 - I fell in love with my husband.

Stay tuned for that story!

Living in His Mercy,

Andrea Toney

Community

When you hear the word community you might think of your neighborhood or a small city. If you are like me when I hear that word I think of my church family. "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" Ephesians 4:16. Our pastor spoke on this topic just a few weeks ago. I am just now experiencing being apart of a church community, even though I have gone to church all my life and became a christian at an early age. Church community is a family. These are people you are serving the Lord with, worshiping and glorifying with, and growing deeper in Christ with. All these things are so important in being a Christian, it only makes since that you should be so close to your church family. We started our church about 2 1/2 years ago and even before then our community was established. I know because of these people, I can make it through this life. We share the most intimate things together, just as a real family does. We all have struggles, just as the bible said we will, and because we are doing life together we will come through those struggles. We encourage each other to call upon the name of the Lord, we guide each other through His word, we listen when we need to listen and we give advice when we need to give advice. As Bo, our pastor, said, "WE NEED the church and the church NEEDS US". Yes you church is at a building, but it goes way beyond that building.

~Andrea T.

God's Love

I read a book every night to my daughter about Christ sacrifice on the cross. Most recently we have been reading about Christ entrance into our world, with the story of His birth. And over the past several months I have been reading the New Testament in my own morning quiet times. Because I didn't go in order I am now reading the Gospels. And now with the Thanksgiving holiday coming to a close, needless to say God's Love has been very fresh on my mind. As I read the story about Christ Birth and Death to my little girl I reflect on His love for us. "For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16. As I pray everyday I begin with praises and thankfulness. Praising and thanking Him for His beautiful creation, His divine plan, sacrifice on the cross, the country He placed me in, the christian heritage he allowed me to have, the godly husband He gave me, the two children I have, the health of my family, the church family he placed me with, the means of financial support I am blessed with, a beautiful home, transportation, food and water and the list goes on. All these blessings because He loves me. Thank you Father for your love and reminding me everyday in so many ways.

~Andrea T.

Women need encouraging

Last Friday night we had our Ladies fellowship and bible study. What a wonderful time of chatting, laughing, food, God's word and prayer! I believe each one of us walked away encouraged. Encouraged in His word and with the words of each ladies hearts that was poured out. The topic at hand was thankfulness/peace. How they so undoubtedly go hand in hand.

       "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Peace is not had without thankfulness, and thankfulness is not had with out it accompanying peace. We discussed why it is so hard to have peace when thing are chaotic and life is not going the way you planned. We also talked about why it is so hard to be thankful when there are so many things going wrong. But what we must realize is Peace and Thankfulness is in CHRIST ALONE. Yes we can experience a sense of peace when life is "calm" and yes we can have a thankful heart when we have "all we need". But true peace and thankfulness is what we should have at all times (bad and good) because Christ saved us. We have a different end, the Kingdom! Be thankful for the peace of your salvation. And when things are not going perfect CALL UPON HIS NAME AND HE WILL GIVE YOU PEACE, THE PEACE WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.

Women need encouraging. These words have been on my heart alot. I go through seasons in my life where I need to hear uplifting words more than ever. I recently went through a season of this and through prayer and bible study the Lord laid something very clearly on my heart. I need to be more encouraging than ever, to others! That turned a season of feeling inadequate and down to a season of a heart full of joy. What I realized is there is A LOT OF WOMEN going through these seasons. So my encouraging words are uplifting them and what do you know, me!

      "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as your are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

~ Andrea T.