Beautifully Broken

Beautifully Broken

Down but not defeated.
Ashes that are being turned into beauty.
Knowing that Jesus shines in my brokeness.
God taking the ordinary in my life and turning it into something extraordinary.
Hurting but still running the race.
Reaching for and waiting to hear the words someday of My good and faithful servant.
Looking forward not behind.
Being set free of the past and how my life should be.
Knowing that I have been made in the image of God.
Being changed from the inside out.
Knowing that true beauty starts on the inside.
I am radiant when my eyes are focused on my God.
Has an Audience of One.
Seeks to have a heart after God.
Knows in God's arms I am safe.
Emersed in tears but filled with hope.

This is actually a page I have written in my journal. Before I share about it I want to first update you on my dad. He is doing good. He actually did some yard work the other day and you can tell he is feeling better. The only that is hurting him is his side that he bruised the other day. So pray for that to heal and quit hurting. Pray for safe travel as we go to M.D. Anderson on Monday. My dad will be in the hosiptal on Monday. I will update you all on when he is having chemo and getting out of the hosiptal.

The Beautifully Broken words written above is something that has been written in my journal for a while now. One day I was thinking about what it meant to be broken but knowing that God brings beauty in it. And these are the words that God gave me. I am broken but I'm thankful that I am not just broken but beautifully broken because of the beauty God is creating in my brokeness and pain. I am down but not defeated because of the hope I have in God. The hope of knowing that every road and journey I'm on God is with me and will carry me through.

Even though I have days where it feels like I'm emersed in tears I will always be filled with hope even in the midst of my tears because I serve and love the ulimate Hope Giver. The God that brings and gives hope in what may seem like a hopeless circumstance.

Beautifully Broken with hope,
Bridget

Who God Is

First I want to start off by saying I'm so sorry I haven't updated you all as often as I have hoped I would. My life has been busy mostly with school, studying, and homework and I have also been doing some volleyball. When I do have free time all I want to do is relax and chill but I will start getting back into blogging. Just it may not always be as often as I would like.

This past week my mom and dad have been home and my dad is doing good. Before he left the hosiptal his white blood cells were low so they had to give him a shot to increase his white blood cells. They will be going back to M.D. Anderson in about a week. Keep praying that tumors will not grow as they have already stopped growing but also now that the tumors will start shrinking. I will let you all know when they head back over there so you all can pray for safe travel.

While this is a website where I blog about my dad and his process so you can all know how to pray for him and our family I want it to be more than just that. I want it to be a place where you can come and find encouragement for whatever is going on in your life. I hope and pray that you don't look at our family and say I can make it through anything because they are going through something really difficult and they are so strong. The truth is we are not strong but weak people who depend on the strength of God to get us through each and every day and most times every moment.I pray that you leave this blog/website having a better knowledge of who God is. Not because you have read words that have been typed by me but because it is God speaking through me.

So with that said I thought maybe I could start having a day where you ask questions they can be serious, funny, or just anything you want to know and then in a blog I will answer your questions. If you have a question you want to ask just leave a comment and I will try to answer whatever question you may have.

Also, just wanted to share something with you. I had to do a paper for my Bible class explaining who I thought God was. So I want to share that with you. It was a paper that got me thinking about what I really believed and hopefully it will leave thinking about what you believe about God.

Who God Is

I believe God is what He says He is in the Bible. God is personal and wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. He doesn't force Himself on us but gently pursues us toward a loving relationship with Him. I believe everybody has a hole in them that only God can fill and no one else. Also, I believe that when we let God fill that hole that we are made complete and whole.

I believe that God sent His only Son named Jesus to die on a cross. God sent His only Son not because we are perfect but because He wanted a relationship with us and wanted us to accept eternal life offered through His only Son named Jesus. God is loving and just. While God is just He is also a God that delights to show mercy. I know that His grace is sufficient for my every need.

I believe that God has wonderful plans for me and He only wants what is best for me. Sometimes I question His plans and I don't understand them. An example of that is my dad having cancer yet at the same time I'm learning to trust anyway because God is making me into the person that He created me to be. God has told us that life is not problem free or pain free but that we all will have problems and experience pain in life but as a line in Natalie Grant's song Held says that the promise was when everything fell we would be held. God hurts when we hurt and longs to wrap His arms around us in those times.

I believe that God loves us just as we are. Nothing we could do could make God love us any more or any less. I believe that God loves us so much that He is willing to let us choose our way instead of His but I believe He is always waiting for our return with His arms open wide. God rejoices when His children come back home.

I believe that God calls us to be real. It's when we are weak, real, and transparent that we really let God shine. I know that life is hard and sometimes very painful. I have experienced it and I'm sure everybody has gone through something painful. It's when we let God shine through our shattered glass situations in life that God starts taking our ashes and tattered fabrics of our life and turns it into beauty and a perfect tapestry.

I believe that God understands exactly what we are going through, experiencing, and feeling. God understands that we question His plans in life. I believe that God doesn't get mad and point His finger at us but gently says it's okay and I understand. Then after God says those short but comforting words I believe He wraps His arms around us and gives us His peace that passes all understanding. The peace that God is in control and will carry us through whatever we are facing.

I believe that God answers prayer in different ways. Sometimes God says yes, other times no, not yet just wait, and probably the most difficult one for me I'm not going to take you out of it but carry you through it.

This is who I believe God is. Not because I grew up in church, read the Bible, or because my parents have taught me this but because I have experienced these things. Experiencing God is the most amazing and precious thing I have ever experienced. It's when I experience God that I get to know who He is, His love for me, and fall more in love with my Creator and Savior. For that I will always be thankful.

Goodnight and until next time,
Bridget

Update and Good News

The Latest:

Edward had the CT scan done yesterday. Today we met with the doctor. Finally, good news. The tumors have stopped growing. Praise the Lord. For the first time since this journey started, we have good news. The cancer markers have dropped significantly. Edward goes into the hospital tomorrow for his third round of treatments. In three weeks, we do this again, then he will have a repeat scan done. It is so apparent that God has gone before us and paved the way. We are so thankful for His steady hand keeping our family strong. We are also thankful for the prayers lifted. We have felt them... Please keep praying.

What a Mighty God We Serve,
Ed, Leigh, and Bridget

God's Goodness

Sorry it's been a while since I last have done an update. We have been so busy. As I sit here and type this blog I actually don't have a title for it. I am in awe right now of God's goodness even in the midst of my sorrow. The first picture you see is of Maggie and me. She is like a big sister to me and the way God crossed our paths again is neat and leaves me saying God is good. My mom actually taught Maggie in youth at the church I grew up going to when I was little. Then Maggie moved away and we didn't stay in touch. Long story short the person that would watch me during the summer still went to the church I grew up in and knew that Maggie moved back and was going there. One day I just asked about Maggie and she gave me the most recent number she had for her. Well, we called Maggie later that night and it was her. The neat thing was we got in touch with Maggie right before her wedding. We met up with Maggie before her wedding and as they say the rest is history. It's hard to believe that it has been over 3 years since our paths crossed again. Every time we hang out we have the best time and could laugh the whole time. Anyway, I was able to hang out with her while we were back in town and it was so much fun. Our time together left me in awe of God's goodness.

Then tonight we went and saw Greater Vision. We have been friends with these guys for years. I actually have known them since I was born and my mom and dad has known them longer than I have. We haven't seen them in a couple years so it was so good to actually see their faces tonight. I listen to KLOVE all the time but I love to pull out one of these guys CDs and I could listen to it all day. I have literally grown up listening to their music. Since the time I was born you could always find me in my room listening to Greater Vision. The neat part is that these guys have seen me grow up and has become very dear friends of ours. They have also been a great influence in my life and every time I hear the name or music of Greater Vision I remember being a little girl in church listening to them sing about God's faithfulness and love. Tonight they sang some of my favorite songs and I left there in awe of God's goodness in my sorrow and how blessed I truely am.

So I sit here typing this thankful for the moments God gives us just to let us know that He cares for us. Loves us. Never leaves our side and remains faithful. God doesn't have to give me these moments just because what I am going through but He does it because He cares and shows me there is hope, peace, and joy even in the midst of the valley in our lives.

One of Greater Vision's songs in the chorus it says You'll carry me through Lord like You always do Lord You'll hold me and guide me like good Shepards do this valley is no different then all those valleys that came and went I know You'll be true like You promised You do You'll carry me through. Sometimes we forget that whatever valley we are facing is no different than the other valleys we have faced. Maybe this valley you are facing is the hardest, scariest, most uncertain valley out of all the other valleys you have faced. May I encourage you by telling you God is in that valley with you. He hasn't left your side or turned His back on. God is not pointing His finger at you telling you to have more faith. I believe more than anything that God's arms are wide open for you to go running into. I believe He is saying to you to come My child come My arms are open. Come let Me take away every fear, doubt, and what if you carry and let Me replace it with My love. Come accept My grace that is sufficient for your every need. Let Me give you My peace that passes all understanding and let Me give you My hope that endures in the worst of circumstances. Come to Me My love and let Me wrap My arms around you and love on you.

Maybe you have awesome people in your life that remind you of God's goodness, faithfulness, and love or maybe you don't. Even if you don't have those people in your life that doesn't make God's goodness, faithfulness, and love in your life any less true. May you read the words on this screen and leave this site knowing these words to be true. God sees you. God loves you just as you are. God's arms are open wide. God's grace is sufficient for you.

Since I am so in awe of God's goodness in my life in the midst of my sorrow I will simply call this blog God's goodness.

In another blog I will update you all about my dad. Please understand that I post on here as often as I can. If my posts start coming not as often I will be starting school and so I will be busy with that but I will certainly post as often as I can and hopefully that can be daily.

In awe of God's goodness,

Bridget

Good Quotes & Something to Apply

In the happy moments, PRAISE GOD. In the difficult moments, SEEK GOD. In the quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. In the painful moments, TRUST GOD. And, in every moment, THANK GOD.
God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better.
God is more interested in what I am than what I do.
God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.
~ Rick Warren

I was just looking on the K-LOVE blog and found these quotes on there. They were really good quotes and I wanted to share them with you all. May we apply these to our life and trust God even in the moments that are painful and we don't understand. Even if we are in the middle of something there is something we can always thank God for. Even if that is just thanking God for giving you another day to live life to its fullest for Him. By doing that we can make our lives matter.

Goodnight,
Bridget

August Already? Summer Flying By

Just wanted to tell you all the my dad is doing good. So far he hasn't felt really bad. He has been in a little pain but not much. My dad also tries to rest when he can. Also, just wanted to remind you all that my dad's next appointment is August 10th. He will have a CT scan and another round of chemo done then. Thank you for all the prayers. They have been felt and we hope one day we can show kindness the way you have all shown it to us.

Today we were able to go to our home church. I can't tell you how good it felt to be back in that place and to see the precious and sweet church family I have. We walked through those doors and we certainly felt the love for our family and the fact that they were so glad to see us. We have been truely blessed by our church family. Why do I love my church so much? Because they are the hands and feet of Jesus in action. So thank you church family for the warm welcome and the love that was shown for our family today. We love you all.

It's hard to believe we are already into August. Where has this summer gone? It has seemed to fly by. Going into August we know what that means. Summer is almost over and school is about to start. I just want to encourage you to pray for this upcoming school year. For the students, teachers, and administration. I believe that praying for those things is one of the most important things we can do. I hope you all have had a wonderful summer and hopefully you enjoy the last days you have left of summer.

Check this site as I will try my best to keep you all updated.

In Christ alone,
Bridget