Satan's Death Grip...

I realize by reading the name of my blog post you may be thinking..."Oh, this should be interesting." I am writing from my heart today. The Lord has brought so much to light in my own life the last few months, and it's time I share what He has reminded me of. When you hear the word "Satan" or maybe "The Devil," what do you think of? I must admit that although I am aware of the Devil's "realness," I often dismiss him as the little red guy with the pointy ears and tail. Sometimes, he is more like a mystical character in my head. Just a make believe character. In the last few months, I have been reminded of Satan's "realness." In my own little world, I forgot the power Satan can have over people's lives. I have seen him at work lately--and it troubles me. I have even seen him creeping into my own mind- filling me with fear and lies. I am writing this post in hopes that we will all be aware of Satan's deception in our lives. The Bible tells us in John 10:10 that the theif comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Notice that it doesn't just say that Satan is coming to mess with your life a bit or make you miserable for a couple of days. It says he is out to DESTROY our lives. Everyday we face spiritual warfare, and it is REAL. If we are in the Word, and living like Christ has called us to, our "deception" radars will help keep us from falling into the grip of Satan. We must remain on our guard every day. In Ephesians 4:27 it says, "Do not give the devil a foothold." Satan can weasel his way into our lives if we even let him in just a bit and before you know it, you will end up on a road you really don't want to be on. I will leave you with this verse: "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." --Ephesians 6: 11-13 Be Encouraged and Blessed! Jenn

I did it!

Well, friends, I realize I haven't posted in several months. Life has been a crazy whirlwind since I started teaching again, but I am ready to be more diligent about blogging! This year has started off with me accomplishing a goal that I honestly thought would never be possible... This past summer, my athletic husband somehow convinced me to train and run in the Disney Half Marathon. Yes, that is 13.1 miles. Now, I will say that I am pretty decent at most sports, but I have never been much of a runner. Really, the thought of running...ME running...was enough to make me laugh out loud. We had to register several months in advance , so I decided to go for it. We registered, and there was no turning back! The training started, and honestly most days it was a challenge for me to get motivated about going for a run. In the beginning, a mile was tough for me (yes, I know that is pitiful...). As time went on, I began to get into better shape, and my pace picked up. There were the rare days that I really enjoyed my run, but most days were a struggle. There were days when I was defeated and thought "I can never run 13.1 miles, I should just give up." If it weren't for the $140 entry fee I had already paid, I may have :) Prayer got me through many of my runs. The day finally came for the race- last Saturday. I was nervous, and anxious, and excited. When we got to Disney at 3:30 in the morning (yes, I said 3:30-that's not a typo), there were people EVERYWHERE! I was so pumped. There were over 27,000 people running that day. It was amazing to me. There were people of all shapes and sizes, some professional runners, some power walkers, and some people just like me. Fireworks went off, and our race was on its way. I was amazed at how much FUN I was having. I can honestly say I didn't start feeling tired until about the 9th or 10th mile. I couldn't believe my body was running like that. It could have been the adrenaline, or the loud music, or all of the people running beside me-but I was having a blast! The last few miles were rough. My good ole cheerleading knees were starting to ache and my feet were tired, but I kept pushing through. It was the most amazing feeling in the world when I saw the finish line, and crossed it! I was seriously about to bawl my eyes out because I had finished! I DID IT! This may sound crazy, but this race changed my life. This was a time in my life that I decided to do something that intimidated me, and challenged me, and I was successful! It just makes me wonder what else I am capable of! The Lord was so incredibly faithful to help me through the race. I give Him the glory! This year, do something that challenges you- I mean really challenges you- and go for it! You are capable of anything you set you mind to! Be blessed! Jenn

Blessings...

I thought I would take this time to update you guys about all of the wonderful things that have been occurring in my life recently. I have been filled with such joy and excitement lately and cannot believe how the Lord has been blessing me and David's lives! My new job teaching starts in a couple of weeks! I am beyond thrilled. Because my job is in Jacksonville (an hour commute from where we live now) and David is still in school here in St. Augustine, we decided that we would move somewhere between here and there. Last weekend, we decided we would go look around. Things weren't looking so good as far as apartments went. There just wasn't much offered at the "halfway" mark. We finally decided to check out some apartments that are conveniently positioned right beside the outlet mall (a girl's dream right?) and two seconds from the interstate that takes me straight to work. We assumed that they would be too expensive for us, so I stayed in the car and made David go in and check. Turns out they were in our price range, they had 2 apartments available, AND the amenities were awesome. Huge pool, really nice workout room complete with free tanning (would be nice if I tanned), a pool table, a movie theater room, etc. etc. We were overjoyed to say the least! Then we found out we could move in two weeks later--which is perfect timing. Gives me a week to unpack before I start work! Another huge blessing is that if we would have gone a couple of days later, the price would have increased past what we could afford. So, next Saturday we are moving in!! God is so good. Because we are moving, we decided to have a garage sale. This was an adventure for sure. It takes a lot more work than I thought to put together a garage sale, and we managed to do it in one LONG day! We ended up getting rid of almost everything we wanted to see go (which means no packing it up for me!) and made some extra cash. Always a plus! There were a lot of older people who came by, and I so enjoyed my conversations with them. It was a success! With the money we made, David and I decided to buy some new running shoes. Why you ask? Well, he somehow talked me into running a half marathon. Only because you run it THROUGH DISNEY WORLD! I must say, I am by no means a "good runner." When I think about me actually running 13.1 miles, it kind of makes me laugh, but I think it will be good for me to do. Not only will I be training with my hubby, but it will be a great experience for us to have together. I am looking forward to learning some discipline as well. I know that I can do it and if I succeed, it will be a MAJOR accomplishment for me! So, those are the current happenings of the Raney's. We are so blessed beyond belief--I am so grateful to serve a God who always provides--and goes above and beyond our expectations! Be blessed! Jenn

An End. And a Beginning.

It has been forever since I last posted. Mainly because I have just gotten out of the swing of this blogging thing. I am going to try to be more diligent at writing. In the past few months, a lot has changed in my life. Many of you know that before I married the love of my life, I was a Kindergarten teacher. I loved teaching. It gave me such satisfaction to be able to work with children and to teach them what would be the foundational concepts of their whole entire educational career. I also loved the relationships I formed with the children I worked with. I know without a doubt that the Lord called me into teaching...it is one of the few things I am sure of in life :) Since I know what the Lord has called me to do, I was sure He would provide a teaching job for me when I got married and moved to Saint Augustine. I put my faith in the Lord, and counted on Him to provide the perfect teaching job for me. And almost a year later...He has once again proved Himself to be faithful. I went through many months wondering why the Lord didn't give me the job I knew I was created for right when I wanted/needed it...and honestly this whole year I have had this emptiness in my heart because I felt like I wasn't doing what the Lord intended for me to do. Little did I know that I was so wrong. The Lord placed me right where I was supposed to be...and it has taken me almost a year to understand why He did what He did. I was thankful that the Lord provided me with a job at a daycare this year. I mean, a job is a job. When I first started, I felt defeated from the get-go. I dealt with a lot of things that I had never faced before. I wanted to quit everyday, and pleaded that the Lord would just give me a job teaching in a school. After reflecting over the last several months, I have come to realize that I was in the place God wanted me to be for so many reasons. I have learned so much about humbleness. And putting others above my self. I have learned that keeping a positive attitude, even when I felt like screaming or crying or pulling out my hair, makes a huge difference. I have learned how to deal with situations that made me uncomfortable. I have learned to cling to the Lord and count on Him every single second of the day. I have learned so much about myself in the last several months--about what I am capable of and about keeping my focus on my purpose in life--and that is showing Christ to others. Teaching is a great calling, but first and foremost my job is to show others the love of Christ. I was so blessed to work with some amazing women who are doing great things with their lives and have the potential to do even GREATER things. I was blessed to work with some great kids who will always hold a place in my heart. Tomorrow is my last day working at the daycare, and it is truly bittersweet for me. I am sad to leave behind people I have grown to love, but so excited that God was so faithful in providing me a job doing what I LOVE to do (I get to teach KINDERGARTEN AGAIN!!!). Nothing is more beautiful than going through the storm, and seeing the sunshine on the other side. I am thankful for the struggles. "Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who has promised is faithful"- Hebrews 10:23 Be blessed, my friends. Jenn

Time to Set Some GOALS...

I have to start out by saying that I have never been too great at sticking with things. Sad, I know. There are goals I have reached like getting through college, living on my own, teaching little kids--and I am very proud of myself for reaching those goals. But there are so many more goals I have for myself that I haven't even come close to reaching, or in some cases, haven't even attempted to reach them. For a while now, I have been feeling pretty unhappy with myself. I feel like I have lost who I am in a sense. There are several things that need to change in my life that will be for my own good (and for the good of my sweet hubby who somehow puts up with me). There are a lot of things that are hindering me from "living my best life" so to say, and I am pretty tired of living that way. I know at this point in my life, I am not living up to the life that I know Christ has planned for me. My very wise and Godly sister-in-law, Christy, did something she called "A New Me in 60," where she set goals and really sought after what God wanted for her. This has inspired me to set some goals of my own--on the road to a new, refreshed, joyous ME! So, because I am not so good at sticking to things, I need my sweet friends to keep me accountable, and that is why I am sharing my goals with you. I need your encouragement and prayers! Here is my list (which I am sure will grow...)... **Spend at least 30 minutes a day with Jesus in prayer, meditation, and Bible study** Sadly, this is challenging for me. I pray everyday. I read my Bible everyday. BUT half the time my mind is in a million different places. I need to learn the art of meditating and focusing what the Lord is trying to show me. Learning how to "Be still..." will be hard for me. **Worry Less...** This will be the hardest goal of all. I have always struggled with worry. I have decided that I am going to create a "Worry Box" where I write down what I am worrying about, pray about it, stick it in the box, and don't look at it until long after I wrote it. Sort of a visual to what the Lord wants us to do with our worries and our burdens. I think it will be cool to look back through my box in, say, a year, and see how God has been faithful. **Work out 3 times a week** I am the absolute worst at working out. David and me have talked about how important it is that we work out to keep our bodies healthy. It is important for us to begin taking care of ourselves now so that years down the road, our bodies will be healthier. Also, working out is good for our mental health...aka stress...which I need less of! **Be a more LOVING wife** Sometimes I feel like I am slacking big time when it comes to being a Godly wife. I love my husband more than anything on this planet, but I am not always so good at showing him that in my actions and words. I often let the stresses of my life rule me and my emotions, and that ends up negatively affecting my husband. I am a LONG way from the woman described in Proverbs 31. That's all for now. Thank you ahead of time for your prayers and encouragement. I will keep you posted on how this journey goes! Be blessed! Jenn

Mother's Day...

I know it has been an eternity since I last posted. I honestly haven't been too inspired to write lately--until today! Thank goodness...I needed some inspiration! Today is Mother's Day. I will start out by saying that I have been TRULY BLESSED to have such an amazing person to be my mom! My mom is such an awesome example of what a great, Godly mother looks like. I have always had a pretty unique relationship with my mother. She is my mom, yes, but she is also one of my best friends. I have the best of both worlds. The thing I have always admired about my mom is that she has always been my "mother" first and foremost. Sometimes growing up, this may not have made me the happiest--especially at times when I didn't get what I wanted. But now I admire her so much for sticking to what she believed was best for my well being, even when I couldn't see it! As the years have passed, my mom has still been my "mother" but has also become so much more than that! She is the person who has listened to me cry when my heart was breaking, and she is the person who was there for the most exciting, joyous times of my life. She has taught me SO much about life. I owe so much to her. I couldn't have asked God for a more amazing woman to be my mom! Today, at church, a girl sang a song dedicated to her mother. I was surged by emotion and thought I was going to sob my eyes out. I couldn't keep my tears in. They were tears of gratitude for what my mom has done for me...they were tears of sadness because I couldn't be with her on Mother's day...but they were also tears of excitement. Tears of excitement...may seem weird. But as I sat there listening to the song, I thought about how amazing it will be to be a mother! Anyone who knows me well will probably know that I could honestly care less about a career or bringing in lots of money. I want to be a wife and a mom. I have always dreamed about it. Half of my dream has come true. I am blessed to be the wife of my favorite person on the planet. I look so forward to the day when I can become a mom! Before that day comes, I still have a lot of growing I need to do. I have a lot of learning I need to do. What a huge responsibility mother's have-but what a blessing! I am so blessed to know so many Godly women who are amazing Godly mothers and wives who I can learn from and seek advice from. To all you mothers out there-- Happy Mother's Day! May God bless you as you raise your family! Be blessed! Jenn

Love Challenge...

So...I know I mentioned in an earlier post that my New Year's "goal" was to become more like Christ. More like Him in action, thought, and heart. This is not always an easy task...which is why I daily ask for guidance in this journey. All this being said, the Lord has been revealing one thing me over and over lately. It's hit me like a ton of bricks. Love. Such a small word--but it's a huge action (and an action that does not always come so naturally)! God has really been "tweaking" my heart lately about what it means to love. I could say that I am a loving person--but a lot of the times I love when it's easy. It is easy to love my husband. It is easy to love my family. But what about that person who thrives on negativity? What about that person who is dirty and poor? What about that person who hurts me over and over? It's not so easy to love in those circumstances. What I have come to realize is that I am all of those people I mentioned above. I am hard to love. How many times have I been negative and didn't fully trust in the Lord's provision? How many times have I been filthy with sin? How many times have I made my Savior cry because I have strayed away? The simple fact is this: God loves me. Period. He loves me always...unconditionally...wholly...faithfully... If it is my goal to be like Christ...I must love always...unconditionally...wholly...faithfully...Even when it seems impossible! After all, it is my job to share Christ with others and further His kingdom. If God is love, and I show others love, then in the end they get a glimpse of God. My prayer and challenge is that I will learn how to love like Christ. I have a long way to go...but the Lord is changing my heart and it's exciting! Be blessed... Jenn