"Becoming a JOY-filled mother..."

That is the name of my new ladies bible study we started 2 weeks ago here at the West campus. And oh my word, let me just tell you that the Lord is doing a new thing in me....speaking to me on a whole new level about Himself and about parenting my 2 precious toddlers! I want to write more about some of the main points He showed me this week...but I'll have to do it at another time b/c I've got to get the kiddos down for their naps! :) This book hasn't even been released from the publisher yet, and I don't even know what incredible woman wrote this study, but it's great!!

If you are a mom or not, just being a woman, you should be in a fellowship of other women studying God's Word together! It will change your life! Just hearing what the Lord is doing in those around you is just an encouraging word and a great reminder of what an AMAZING God we serve - the God who is still in the life-changing business!
Have a blessed day!

Faith....

I have a plaque on my mantle in our house that says,

"Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation."

My life has forever been "marked" by my experience of watching Dusty & Kenzie walk through this journey of FAITH. Every time I am around them, or read Kenzie's blog, the Lord speaks to ME on a whole new level. It truly has challenged me so much in my FAITH as I've watched our new friends walk through this. The story of baby Maddox that began at the moment of his conception last June, is only just beginning as we were a part his memorial service this morning. It was a beautiful service which Brian had a small part in and was honored to be a part of! What a special time of celebrating the life of a special baby boy who is loved by SO many family, friends, and people all across this nation and even the world (just read the comments on Kenzie's blog!!!).

I know many of you reading this blog more than likely, don't even know Dusty & Kenzie...but as it was shared this morning, their prayer is that their story, 'God's Story', will continue to be shared and that the story of God's grace will continue to touch many lives in the days & months to come.

As I was sitting through the service this morning, I thought to myself..."What will my response be whenever my faith is tested? Will people watch me and look at me and see a journey and a story, that with every step that I take will point straight back to my Heavenly Father?"

We ALL will be tested as we walk through life, but the Lord promises in His word that He will never give us any more than we can handle. ("Trust without reservation"...) We must DEPEND on HIM & RELY on HIM DAILY as we walk through this journey called life. We must TRUST in Him. That He has a plan, and it is one to PROSPER and NOT to harm us! To give us a HOPE & a FUTURE! I only hope that I will handle any trial that comes my way with such grace, love & passion, hope, trust, & FAITH; giving God all the glory & honor He deserves and that He alone is worthy of!

So, to Dusty & Kenzie...

"Thank You! You have no idea just how much God has used you to strengthen my faith over the past 4 months of knowing you guys and seeing your passion & love for your God told through your story. What a blessing you guys are & we are BLESSED to call you friends! Thank you for your testimony of faith that you guys live out each & every day! We love you!"

Spurs vs Rockets game last Saturday

Brian and I had the opportunity to go to the Rockets game last Saturday night when they played the Spurs! It was a lot of fun and a great night out with my hubby! He's so amazing!!

Click on this link for more pics: http://obu.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30660006&l=e110d&id=82202106

Baby Maddox

Sweet little Maddox came into this world today but went home to be with the Lord soon after delivery. http://www.thestanfieldjourney.blogspot.com/

My faith has grown so much as I've watched Dusty and Kenzie walk through this journey with such amazing, strong faith! What a testimony they have been to SO many!

Please continue praying for my dear friends as they go through this difficult time in their life of losing their baby boy...
Memorial service to be held this Saturday here at the West Campus of Second Baptist.

What a great verse they have claimed for Maddox:

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, And He who formed you, 'Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine!'"

Isaiah 43:1

Pray Pray Pray!

As I sit down to type out this blog my heart is so heavy... Our dear friends, Dusty & Kenzie who I've written about previously are in the midst of a HUGE storm as we speak that began yesterday.
Kenzie is pregnant with Maddox, at 34 weeks and has been diagnosed with Trisomy18. Yesterday while at playgroup, Kenzie started experiencing some vision disturbances and went in to her OB to get checked out. While there they discovered she was having consistant contractions 4-5 minutes apart. Her doctor then decided that it was time to head to the hospital. We spent some precious time visit with them last night after we received a call from Dusty...he was out of town on business trying his best to make it back here to Houston. He DID make it back in town last night before any action really began. They spent the night last night and as I write this little Maddox still hasn't been born yet... SOOO..........

PLEASE pray for them!!
For peace, comfort, patience, strength, endurance, ALL of the above.
Joshua 1:9, "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD YOUR GOD is with you WHEREVER you go!"

A big obsticle they are currently facing is with the doctors not being as WILLING to do ALL they can to keep Maddox alive once he is born since he is at 34 week gestation (premature) on top of his health condition. Please pray that they would be convicted to do ALL they can to give this little boy a chance to spend some precious time with his family!
PRAY IN FAITH for a miracle!!! Mark 16:17-18 "These miraculous signs will accompany those who BELIEVE;.....(vs 18) They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they WILL be healed."

Romans 8:28, "And we know in ALL things God works together for the good of those who love him and who are called according to his purpose."

PRAY BELIEVING!! I know that God is so much bigger than I can ever comprehend! I know He has a perfect plan for my friends and this precious Life that has been given to them. But still it is so hard to sit back and watch someone I've grown close to in such a short amount of time walk through such a dark journey!

"Lord, may our FAITH and HOPE be found in YOU and YOU alone!"

I'll update as soon as I hear more... there are also some updates on her blog. http://thestanfieldjourney.blogspot.com/

Blessings!!
Jennifer
1 Thess 5:16-17, "Always be joyful. Never stop praying."

A canvas for Haley's Art Gallery

I just completed this 20x24 canvas for a 8-year-old girl, Haley. Apparently she loves art and her parents designed a hall in their house for all of her work and they wanted a sign for it for a "late Christmas" gift for her. Her favorite colors are different shades of blue & red, the NY Giants colors! Too cute! So here are some pictures of her canvas.

210 Student Ministries & the Katy Tigers '07 State Champs!

Habakkuk 1:5 says, "look at the nations and watch and be UTTERLY AMAZED for I am going to do a new thing, that even if you were told, you would not believe!"
That is our verse for 210 student ministries here at the West Campus. God is moving and doing lots of amazing things in the lives of students, on school campuses, and football teams. Brian has been so busy lately at work - which is great!! He and his staff have been working together to honor our Katy Tiger football team tomorrow. The Katy Tigers won the State Championship this year and we are honoring them and their families tomorrow at our 11:00am service and doing a luncheon for them!

Here is a video that Brian had done that will be shown tomorrow to highlight what God is doing in 210 as well as a football highlight video for Katy!
Enjoy!

Beautiful day...is it really January?!?!

Today was such gorgeous weather!! It was in the upper 60's and felt like a warm spring day! The kids wanted to ride their bikes so we snapped a few pictures of the kids outside today.

Brian and I used some Christmas money to purchase a new camera since ours seems like it's about to "bite the dust". So here are some pictures from today.

My little boy!

Parker is growing so much and getting SOO big... Brian and I weighed him on our scale tonight and he is 28.0 lbs!!! We called McKenna in the room to weigh her and she weighed 28.0 lbs. They weigh the same & they are 20 months apart!!
Crazy!
Here are a few random shots of my ParkerMan!

Reading...he loves books!

Bathtime fun!

McKenna's first gymnastics class!

McKenna's first gymnastics class was today at Westwood. She LOVED every minute of it once she warmed up. She is so shy and introverted at first in environments like that. But she loved her coach and was SOOO excited about her new leotard we got when we registered her for the year. She is SO funny! I left my camera at home so here are a few we took when we got home and she was showing Daddy what she learned.

Front roll

Stretching...

Two of my new favorite stores!

The "Pumpkin Patch" store is one of my new fav's for my kids clothes at the Galleria!!

I love it! They have the CUTEST things for both McKenna & Parker.

Check them out!!

http://www.pumpkinpatchusa.com/

Also, "Crazy8" by, Gymboree...too cute!

www.crazy8.com

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

Jeremiah & Michael preparing their firework show

All the girls watching the guys shoot fireworks from Lauren's car

Lauren & Jessica

Tessa & I

I can't believe it's now 2008! How crazy is that! Next year will be 10 years since I graduated from high school...wow, now I'm feeling old! I hope this year is just as great as this last year. Lots of memories were made, it's been a growing year for me as a wife, a mom, spiritually, emotionally and physically, in moving here to Katy.

As I take the time to sit back and reflect about 2007, God has blessed my life so much...that is the only way to sum it up! I truly am blessed...

Last night we had some friends over to celebrate the new year...we ate a TON of food, laughed, played a game, and watched the guys shoot off fireworks at 11:30! It was a lot of fun and McKenna loved it too because she got to stay up until 10:00!!

Today we spent most of the day at Keith & Jana's house eating & watching the Hogs lose!! :(

Keith is our Campus Pastor here at the West Campus of Second and he and his family are absolutely precious!! We love them!

Pretty Princess...

The other night before McKenna was going to go bed, I walk out of our room to find her watching TV like this...

TOO CUTE!!

The kids on Christmas Morning...

Here are just a few pictures of the kiddos on Christmas morning. We all had a blast this year...well we do every year, but this year McKenna actually understood what was going on...she was really into Santa, as well as celebrating our Saviors birth. She about cried the other day when we were taking down our Christmas decor and boxing up the Nativity scene.

Her and Parker are both getting so big so I tried to take in every moment with them... it's really hitting me how fast time flies by and how quickly they are growing up.

The kids on their new bikes.

McKenna in her Sleeping Beauty dress

Parker on his new tricycle

Parker making his "grand exit" from McKenna's new princess tent.