Notes of Victory - Sunday, August 29

Sent out my email slideshow and was so excited to hear what my family thought of the pictures throughout the day.

Forced myself to go to church since I was so tired.  I had greeter duty and needed to fill the commitment, but I knew that God had provided me with this photography endeavor, so I needed to show him love and respect back.

Was late to class but go there in time to hear one of the most amazing testimonies I had ever heard.  I woman I know, look up to, and deeply love spoke of how she had been sexually abused as a child but never let that stop her from turning to God.  In fact she new as a young child (at least Aaris' age) that God was the only way she was going to survive this.  She spoke of how she turned to God over and over and over again even when it didn't make since for her to trust him so since she had never been shown his love by her family.  I could just see how God had a special calling for her from the beginning and the woman was suppose to be a leader for his earthly warriors. 

I do have to admit that I got a little depressed thinking about how I wish I had walked such a straight and clear and confident path with God.

Here are some notes I took from her class on being a leader:

1.  Only servant leadership is true leadership.  You must be willing to be last.

2.  You're always listening.  You're always questioning and testing what your hear to know and trust that what you are doing is God's will.

3.  Refuse to compete!!!  Stop being jealous.  Start thinking the best of each other.  You want everyone to look better than they are BECAUSE that is how God sees them.  (Speak to the RESURRECTED person, not the flawed person.)

4.  Dedicate yourself to sharing 'The Journey'

As a wife you need to reflect the resurrected man that your husband that he is, and he will grow into that resurrected person.

5.  Understand that you are going to be misunderstood.

Mark 10:45

Phil. 2:5

God is working through you WHERE you ARE..no matter what place that is (in pain, hurt, victorious, loneliness, failure, etc.)

Did get highly flattered by a lady I have admired and thought to be just lovely and beautiful inside and out by her asking to take pictures of my hair because she liked it so much she was debating on getting her hair cut the same way.

Aaron told me about the idea of "TAKING IT TO THE CROSS"  that he had heard about in class in how couples should speak to each other over disagreements.

Had lunch with another couple that we admire and have been there for us, but who also seem so above us in statue.  All I remember is that I walked away from that lunch still hungry, but a hunger that had nothing to do with food.

Had a sad afternoon because no one from my family (Aaron's side or mine) wrote me back about the pictures.  My primary love language is 'words of affirmation' so I definitely wasn't feeling loved or affirmed as a person of talent in photography.  When no one says anything, I just figure they are following the old rule of thumb, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."