Outreach

This my sister, Sarah Grace! I use to HATE when my sister, Sarah, would 'preach' to me. I would think,'She thinks she is better then me'.. I didn't recognize she was trying to express her love and concern, instead I thought she was being judgemental. What a great way to reach out to people?! Without saying anything, you minister by writing your testimony on cardboard. "I Was Blind" I can relate to this cardboard sign in SO many ways...

Many people have been where I was. When I was 20 years old, I lived in Greenville, NC, downtown of all areas. It was the first time I had ever gone clubbing. Which after the first time, I had to go every weekend and then it was every thursday, friday, and saturday nights. I remember one night getting so drunk in a club, I got sick in the bathroom. {{EMBARRASSING}} That is just the beginning! I threw up in a trashcan walking out of the club with a line of people trying to get in. Um.. {{SUPER EMBARRASSING}}Then I passed out in the arms of my roommate's boyfriend's arms and a Cop walks by and I have huge {{Xs}} on my hands. He tells them to get me home and kept walking. I got really lucky. :( I don't remember anything from that night. My roommate told me a lot of things I had done and I felt SO ashamed. I ended up throwing up the whole day. <-- Now I look back at this and ask myself 'Was all this worth it?'. Does it sound like it was worth it?!

I quit drinking at 21 years old.. I know {{WEIRD}}. My boyfriend, Michael, said he didn't like 'drunk girls'. So, I quit for him! We ended up living together and in March of 2007 I found myself pregnant. As someone who never thought much about abortion, it was the first thought I had. My thoughts were, I would rather have an abortion then tell my parents or even Michael. Michael was very supportive and comforting. The parents were upset but eventually came around. We debated on what we were going to name our baby. Michael would choose the boy's name and I the girl's. Our first ultrasound we found out we were having a girl and her name would be Lilly. We found out through an amniocentisis Lilly had Trisomy 18 and would not live. That is the moment I got down on my knees after years of avoiding God. And I prayed to Him like I have never prayed before.

When I started building my relationship with the Lord, I found comfort and strength and Love. He opened my eyes and my heart to so many things. Abortion was the biggest issue. I had no choice in my situation. As bad as I wanted my little Lilly to live the Lord had other plans for her. This I have to say was just the beginning. While holding my daughter, I prayed the Lord would take me instead of her. WOW! To give your life for someone else. I never would have imagined myself capable. I realized that is how much the Lord loves us that He gave His only son to die on the cross for ME. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about that LOVE! When I started living my life down the path God set for me, I have found a lot of ease through my walk. The path gets a little bumpy but its a test of my faith.. and He gives me the strength to continue walking with ease. The opportunities are endless through Him....

Happy Easter Lilly

Happy Easter, Lilly!
I know you had a wonderful Easter Day celebrating with Jesus.. Singing beautifully before the Lord. We had a wonderful Easter! Aunt Sarah and Uncle John came home from Michigan to visit for four days. They came in on Thursday and spent the whole day with us. Saturday, I volunteered for the church Easter egg hunt. Daddy and Dylan had so much fun. Dylan made two new friends that day. He is getting so big! Did I tell you he has two teeth now?

Sunday at church, Dylan was Dedicated. It was a wonderful ceremony! Daddy and I found a new church and we are very proud we had Dylan dedicated there.

We miss you very much and love you more than you know!

Love,
Mommy

Here are the pictures of your brother in his new Easter outfit..

Letter to Lilly

Dear Lilly,

I miss you so much! Daddy misses you also. I can't believe it has almost been three years since you were born. Today, your little brother Dylan and I went to Tassels and bought a beautiful stone planter to put behind your gravestone. I can't wait to fill it with a beautiful spring flower arrangement. When I think of you, I think of all things beautiful.

Kristen Etheridge, a friend of your Aunt Kristen, had to give a presentation about abortion in one of her classes. She could not help but speak about you. Here is the message she sent me..

"Elizabeth,
I hope you, Michael, and Dylan are doing good! I just wanted to let you know I had to do a group project about abortions in different religions in a class, and I told your story about Lilly. I wasn't planning on it but the subject of medical abortions came up during the discussion. I explained how a lot of the doctors at BSOM encouraged you to have an abortion but you didn't. Then told everyone how you and Michael spent 6 precious hours with Lilly that you wouldn't trade for anything. The professor asked me today if I would ask you if he could use your story in one of his other classes. I told him I would ask you.

Kristen"

This is God encouraging me through friends. Lilly, you are such a wonderful inspiration. And of course my answer to her teacher was 'yes'. I want everyone to know all about how wonderful you are! After I thanked Kristen for telling her class about you, she sent me this message which is such a great encouragment..

"You are welcome! I think it's amazing that you gave her the gift of life! You are an amazing woman!" - Kristen Etheridge

God has put so many great people in my life! I wish you could have met your brother, Dylan. He is such a sweet baby. He has two teeth now and he does this fake smile that makes me laugh so hard I cry. :) Because of you, I cherish every moment I have with the ones I love. Baby girl, I love and I miss you so much. I can't wait to tell Dylan all about his older sister.

Love,
Mommy

A Women of Character! <-- I want to be!

I have devoted my time between 6am and 8am to bible study. My bible study consists of...
1. watching a sermon at www.newspring.org {{Which by the way the sermons are AWESOME}}
2. Taking my notes and writing the bible verses down.
3. Studying the bible verses

Today I watched week 2 of the series 'Beautiful'. WONDERFUL sermon! I never realized that the way I talk to my husband and about my husband has really effected our relationship. Pastor Perry spoke about 'The words we speak are a reflection of our hearts.' It's so true. I am constantly using my words to tear Michael down instead of bring him up.

WORDS!!!

Proverbs 12:4
"Agood wife is like a crown for her husband but a disgraceful wife is like a disease in his bones."

Proverbs 26:20
"Without wood, a fire will go out, and without gossip, quarreling with stop." <-- This verse really made me realize that everytime I speak negatively about Michael, it keeps my negative feeling alive. That is why forgiveness is the only way to settle disputes.

INTENTIONS!!!

"It doesn't always have to be about you!" Very hard quote for me to grasp. :(

Proverbs 5:18-19
"Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain give you water. She is lovely and graceful as a deer. Let her love always and make you happy; let her love always hold you captive."

FORGIVENESS!!

Forgive and forget! Satan brings up old bad memories to make you hate or to harm your relationship with you husband or wife. I know, Satan hates marriage and he will do everything in his power to kill, steal, and destroy.

Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other, and forgive eah other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because God forgave you."

EXPECTATIONS!!!

How can you pray over all your husband's faults and sins when you haven't and wont even pray for your own?!

Proverbs 19:13
"A foolish child brings disaster to a father, and a quarreling wife is like dripping water."

Proverbs 21:9
"It is better tolive in a corner on the roof than inside the house with a quarreling wife."

Proverbs 21:19
"It is better to live alone in the desert than with a quarreling and complaining wife."

WOW! I never realized how bad it really is to live with someone like that! All I know is I don't want to be that kind of wife. I want to be a Wife of Character. I want my beauty to show not only from the outside but inside as well.

*{{Snow Day}}*

Living in Washington, you get excited when the weather calls for snow. Michael and I desided to go grocery shopping friday morning. Lets just say Wal-Mart was PACKED with people getting ready for the snow. It makes me laugh! Michael was getting frustrated with all the people around but I just smiled at everyone.. I was quite amused. The snow started falling around 9 o'clock and didn't stop until 8ish this morning. Michael had to work last night and thank God he made it home safely. Usually when I worry I tend to clean or cook. So needless to say, Michael got a hot breakfast this morning. :)

I took Dylan outside and we took a picture of the house and walked around a bit before going back inside, to stay the rest of the day. Here are a few pictures we took...






This is Dylan, bundled up and ready to go outside!






This is our home!

My Big Surprise

I still can't believe this is the 3rd Christmas without my little Lilly. Michael and I were going to lunch a few days before Christmas and afterwards he wanted to show me something. He drove me to the cemetary and there above her grave stone sat a cute candycane decoration. He had gone out earlier that morning and bought it for Lilly and to surprise me. It made me so happy! This was the first time we were really able ($)to put something at her gravesite. Under my sunglass I couldn't help by cry. This really meant so much to me.