Family Life Marriage Conference

Kenny and I have been promoting the Family Life marriage conference, “A Weekend to Remember,” in our church for months now. Well after long planning and promoting, it finally came. It was hosted at the La Jolla Hyatt Regency. We stayed at California Inn and Suites while we were there.

Kenny and I had such a good time. We learned on both what it meant to be more of a Godly wife and a Godly husband. We grew closer not only towards each-other but also closer to God. What a good conference. I know we weren’t the only ones that grew during the weekend. It was so encouraging to see other couples in our church learning and growing too. I think one of my favorite parts was Saturday, date night. Ken and I had a very romantic evening; we had a delicious meal at Benihana’s. We will head up another Family Life Marriage Conference next year for sure!

What Does It Take?

Kenny reminded me of a dream that God sent to me a few weeks ago the other night.My dream felt so real to me, every color was so vivid. I remembered everything so clearly when I woke up that I was very convinced that it  had happened.  It wasn’t a very pleasant dream, but one that God knew I needed………….

I dreamt that my sister Amy was terribly ill and dying. She was so sick and in so much pain. In my dream I was with her constantly. I would go to work in the morning and then drive all the way down to her house and be with her until I had to go to work the next day. Not knowing when the time would come for her to leave us, I did this all the time. I remember on a day I was down there she was only getting worse and worse. Her husband, Isaac and I took her to the hospital. They told us that it looked like the end was here, and that we should say our goodbyes. Amy begged Isaac that she didn’t want to have to pass away at the hospital, she wanted to swim by herself and talk to Jesus. We took her to a club house with a pool to fulfill her last wish, and as she swam I sat down at the side of the pool and watched her. She looked so peaceful. I was crying out to God. “Please God no don’t take my one and only sister away from me! Please I’ll do anything! Absolutely anything!” I cried and cried and cried, I also prayed and prayed and prayed. Amy was getting very tired swimming in the pool, she swam over to me. For some reason in this dream she wasn’t able to talk, she had no voice. She had to write me little notes on a paper. She wrote she was tired and ready. I wrote back, Amy you beat me. She looked at me in confusion. I said “you beat me to Jesus.” She smile put her head down on the pool side and past away.

 I was absolutely DESPERATE for Christ in my dream, a desperation and longing that I had never ever felt before. I was in heavy need of Jesus, everything in me wanted him my soul quenched for him. I needed Him, I needed Jesus. I woke up crying.

I believe that God gave me this dream.  He wanted to show me what it looked and felt like to be desperate, absolutely soul quenching desperate for him. All I could think the next day was God prodding on my heart asking me,What does it take for you to be desperate for me Amber? This dream wasn’t at all a threat in anyway, it wasn’t like God was saying see what’ll happen if you don’t become desperate for me? It was God showing me, I need to get desperate for him. It shouldn’t take a tragedy in our lives for us to become desperate for the love of Jesus. My prayer is that we would become true God chasers, in absolute DESPERATION of Him everyday.

Just a thought!

Crazy Cat

I am convinced that we have the strangest cat ever!

Missing Out On A Blessing

Last week I went to subway on my lunch break to splurge on buying my lunch. As usual the parking lot was packed full. I had to park at the other end of the parking lot and walk up the side walk to get to to the door. As I was approaching the doors there was a boy turned facing the advertised sandwich of the day that was posted on the window. He was just standing there on the outside looking in.

This boy looked young I’d say no more then maybe 17, 18 maybe. His clothes looked dirty, and he looked sad. He startled me when he turned around as I was passing by and asked me for some change. My first response without thinking was no. He continued to tell me he was very hungry. And you know what I told him? I’m sorry I don’t have cash or any other money on me. I walked by, without hesitation.

As I was standing there in line waiting to order my sandwich all I can feel was my heart beating so hard. God was trying to tell me something. As I thought about what I had said to the boy, my heart broke. All I could keep hearing in my head was, I came to you hungry, and you never fed me.” As I stood there I was so confused I did’nt know what to do. I was still torn, even as I looked out the window and watched him sitting there on the sidewalk, his legs crossed, and his head in his hands. Even then, I did’nt know what to do. I  was debating whether or not to buy him a sandwich, I was wondering where his family was, and if I had bought him food would I be hindering him from going home to his family? As I stepped up to order, I just ordered my own food, and none for him. 

Just as I turned around to leave I looked up and saw this man approaching the hungry boy.  He reached out and handed him a bag of food, and a drink. The smile on the giving man’s face was undoubtedly a joyous one. The man was so excited to give, you could see it all over his face. The boy accepted with open arms, and a look of relief came over him, as he said, “thank-you so much.”

I went to my car and cried. I felt so overwhelmed with regret, and sadness. I felt so selfish. How could I not give food to a person who was so hungry and in need? I know I missed out on a blessing that day, and I am sad about it still. I have learned that I need to look around me, to truley see where I could be a blessing, and also recieve one. Because when we reach out to bless someone, we most often are blessed the most out of it.

Don’t miss out on a blessing today like I did. Instead find out where God is calling you to be a blessing.

New Dress Code

The management at my work just instated a new dress code policy. Previously we did’nt have one. We were able to basically wear what we wanted. Now we have to wear “office clothes.” So long to sweats, t-shirts, tank tops, and sandals (the worst is sandals the others I can do without but no sandals! Oye!) My initial response was ugh! But I was able to go clothes shopping over the weekend. I got some really nice clothes at New York & Company….

Sneezing Panda

Lol…

Too cute……….need I say more!