"I will be found by you..."

"I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 29: 10b-14a

Over the last several Sundays, our sermons has been focused on the verse above which is a letter from Jeremiah for the exiles who were taken out of Jerusalem and into Babylon. Babylon was a place they didn't want to be, but God had called them there. I am sure they were asking the same questions that many of us ask when we go through trials and hardships...."Why am I here?" Mind you--- this was the same very question I asked in this post.

"How can I glorify God here?"
"How can I be used by Him where I am at?"

Well, isn't God awesome?! He spoke right to me and answered these questions. God has an absolute purpose and plan for our lives. Sometimes it seems that it is not "perfect" because, of course, we feel like we would have "the perfect plan".

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
-Proverbs 19:21

God wants to prosper ('shalom') us. This prosperity doesn't always play out the way that WE think is should. Prospering doesn't mean lots of money (darnit...), lots of things (drats), or an easy life (doggonit!)... BUT it means feeling completely and wholly fulfilled.

Getting to this place isn't easy (dag'nabbit) and it's very often marked with pain, disappointment, and hardships........HOWEVER-- the benefits of reaping what these hardships have brought forth will be a closer, deeper, stronger relationship with God. A dependency, admiration, and love for Him and everything that He has given us who are so undeserving of His blessings and a forever life with Him!

So, can I just say that the sermon on Sunday directly spoke to me bittersweet words from the Lord. They are bitter, because no one looks forward or enjoys times of disappointments, discomfort, and pain- BUT His sweet, gracious promise is that he will give us hope and a future and be found by us when we seek him wholeheartedly! He tells us to "seek the peace and prosperity of the place where he has brought us".. Jer. 29:7 and asks us to grow where we are at.

All that to say-- I am incredibly grateful that the Lord has brought me to this place. He is teaching me to joyfully learn to live with less as we are making ends meet on one salary. I am a work in progress, but he promised to complete what He has started. (Philippians 1:6). I can't imagine anything truly better than spending my days with this little cutiepie.... Seriously... my heart swells with joy when I get to kiss this chubby cheeks every day and hear her giggles! These little sweet cheeks have now learned to say, "Hey baby!" and give the best kisses in the world... Look out boys!!!

ps. Have I mentioned I have THE BEST husband EVER~~ ... sorry to break it to ya ladies ;) He watched Sienna on Saturday night so that I could have a Girls Night out. It was so great and I feel like a new Momma!! I am refreshed and ready to take on the week:) He is watching her tonight while I go to a Bachelor Finale party. Yep, I said it :) This is just too much fun for one week!