Ecclesiastes 12

Today, I was able to see one of my closest friends! She is such an encourager in my life, who I so dearly miss. Tonight, she was telling me about her great uncle who's life is truly lead by the Spirit. Below I have summed up a little bit of what she told me. It's so encouraging to know that the elderly are still on fire for the Lord.

Read Ecclesiastes 12.

Did you understand it? Because I didn't the first time at all...here it goes.

Brantley and her uncle were talking about this chapter, and neither of them understood. So he went out to his garage and talked with the Lord for 8 hours about this scripture. YES 8 hours! That's so encouraging to know that he asked the Lord to show him what that chapter was talking about.

"(3) when the keepers of the house tremble"----This is talking about old people getting old and trembling.

"(3..) when the grinders cease because they are few"----talking about teeth and how elders lose them.

"(3...) and those looking through the window grow dim"----eyes growing weak

This is the coolest..."(5) when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along" ---in Israel the almond tree blossoms bloom only at the top of the tree, like an old mans hair turning gray and few. Grasshoppers can hop all day long, but if you look at one they drag themselves on their two front feet when walking, like old people dragging slowly.

I hope I gave this information correctly. It's so encouraging to see someone so in tune with the Spirit and determined to understand God's word. Thank you Brantley for sharing this with me:)

Christmas Time :)

I can't wait to see all of my favorite people over the holiday! Time to relax, eat a lot, and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!!

JR and Kelley

Megan (sister)

MawMaw

The Fam Jam

Brayden

Sissy

Precious Sara Grace

Kylie Ruth

The girls

Tingle Clan

My favorite nephews! 

These pictures are in random order...haha it wouldn't let me organize them! Have a Merry Christmas!

Are you being sifted?

In life, we encounter many trials and hardships, and say "Life isn't always easy,"  or "Life just isn't fair."  These sayings comfort our flesh, and tell us that everyone is struggling. For some reason, this thought of everyone suffering or going through something gives us a sense of ease.  Why?  Because this world has come to find comfort and life from objects and people.  

"If I just had a boyfriend, life would be so much better."

"If dad would have just bought me that car, I would be happier."

"If my best friend wouldn't have turned her back on me, then I wouldn't have talked about her."

"If I could just get married, have two kids, live in a nice house on the lake, and save money to send them to college, I could relax and not worry about life."

Our flesh allows us to feed ourselves these lies that we soon come to believe.  Life though is perfect.  It is perfect if you are living in the will of the Lord.  Each moment, each breath, and each thought is given by Him.  So why do we continue to search for wisdom, happiness, trust, confidence, etc. in this world?  The Lord provides it all.  We have to have faith and know Him. You don't know the Father fully by just going to church.  Its so much more than that.  He wants to have an intimate relationship with you.  He wants you to rely on Him for every step you make, and give Him the glory.  

Now to what I learned today.....For all of us who have gone through some trial or hardship, let's ask ourselves a few questions.

~Do I remember this season of life vividly?

~Do I remember where I found my strength?

~Did God show me sin that I was facing through this time?

~Did I learn and grow from the trial?

~Was I relying on the Lord or simply on flesh?

These questions guide me to think about a lot of things that I learned through one of the toughest seasons of my life.  Read Luke 22:31-32

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith many not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Sifted....For those of us who do not know what a sifter is here is the definition by Webster:  to separate or separate out by or as if by putting through a sieve, like flour into a mixing bowl.

God allows Satan to sift us. "Satan has asked to sift you" (Luke 22:31). Satan does this because he does not know who we are like Christ does.  Beth Moore used this analogy.  We are a book, and Satan can only read the outside of it, the cover, where as the Lord can read the inside and its entirety.    Through sifting us, the things we dislike most about ourselves is brought to the surface.  We see the detestable things in life, and the enemy begins to "destroy you and cause you to want to quit."  But don't forget Satan first had to ask the Lord.

Not only through this time of "sifting," do you realize the ugliness in your life, but the Lord is praying for you.  "But I have prayed for you (your name), that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32). God granted this, but we know as believers in faith that He did so because He would receive glory.  Through our trial, granted by the Lord, He will receive glory and it will be for our good-"if we let it."  

Through this trial you may be going through, or have gone through, don't seek confidence in yourself or in the things of this world.  Seek confidence from the Lord. Know he is praying for you and providing this trial for you to work through and to gain from.  Turning to the world, and gaining comfort from it won't help.  The Lord is the ultimate comforter. Gain from it and share with others what you learned.  You never know who you can effect through your testimony.  I know that my season of trial, and time of being "sifted" has been used to give God glory and continues you to do so.  So, thanks Satan for trying to sift me, but THANKS Lord for allowing my faith not be shaken.  

"Commitments can be shaken, but Christ cannot." -Beth Moore

Never would have thought....

Starting a blog is something I said I would never do because I can't write to save my life.  Or at least that is what some say....no names.  But here I am creating a blog that I hope will be beneficial to the few of you who will follow me, or whatever you call it when blogging.  


To start off I figured I would start with my story, and how I came to know my loving Father, Jesus Christ.  


I guess to do this I need to go really far back, like to birth...haha


I was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where my whole family now resides.  I have five whole, step, half sisters (or whatever you want to call them, they are all my sisters to me). My poor dad......the only man :( but he loves us! I grew up in a small house in Northport, Alabama with my mom and dad, L.E. and Annette Tingle.  It wasn't until I was five that they decided to have another little girl, Megan who is now 15...AHH I am getting old..back to the point.


We lived there until Megan was born and then moved to McCalla, AL to be closer to my dad's job.  If you have never heard of that, its okay really, its in the middle of Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.  Dad traveled to Birmingham to work, and the girls traveled to Tuscaloosa for dance.  I started dancing when I was six and danced until the age of 18 at Troy University.  That's a long time for anyone who doesn't already see that, but I love it! I did it everyday up until the day the Lord prepared another way for me.  SORRY I am getting ahead of myself.  Let me back up....


I went to Brookwood High School, and was never involved really because of dance.  I danced every day of the week at The Dance Centre preparing for competitions, shows, and just training.  My senior year I decided to cheer (was kind of a big deal in the dance world...whoops) and I loved it.  Becoming involved in school and supporting the teams was a great way to finish out my senior year.  Still here though, the Lord was not a part of my life. Yes, I went to church, went to disciple now, and participated in all the "good" things, but that was just out of guilt. 


Graduating I had planned on going to Walt Disney World and being a dancer for them, and taking a semester off school.  But little did I know the Lord had other plans.  I was suppose to attend Troy in January and become a part of the Troy Dance Repertory Ensemble.  In July of the year I graduated, I came and visited Troy and fell in love with it.  The girls were so sweet, and the program was perfect. I could get a minor and perform like I wanted to, and at the same time pursue a major.  I was pumped! So I luckily got a dorm room on campus, and have been here since! 


I rushed Alpha Gamma Delta, and met my best friends who will stand beside me at my wedding.....I know so cliche'. Also, during the first week of Troy I meet a guy, Rene, who I am still dating and who has had a large spiritual impact on my life.  Coming to Troy and meeting all the people I did has been one of the largest blessings.  These people are here for me daily to encourage me to have stronger relationship with the Lord.  But thats a long conversation that can lead into another post...


God had so much in store for me coming to Troy, and meeting the people I did.  I know it is all apart of his BIG plan. I hope me blogging and sharing with you what I have learned will impact your life the way the Lord has it willed.  I will post a few pictures, if I can figure out how to on this thing, showing a few memories of my life.   

Baptism

the girls

Rene and I

The family with Mawmaw

Fun trip

Senior Nutcracker

cheerleading

Beginning of the semester

TDRE

Not normal...ever :)