Revive our Hearts 2012 International Conference "Aquí Llega el Novio"

As I was at work today I came across this video on the "Aviva Nuestros Corazones" website which is the Spanish version of Revive Our Hearts. I listen to Revive Our Hearts a lot at work, right now she is going over the Beauty of Meekness. I wanted to see what the Spanish site offered. I found this video and thought I would share. There are 4 videos from this conference, this is the last one. It is about an hour long so if you want you can cut it down a little by skipping to 16:08, but it really is worth it to watch the whole video to hear the complete message!
I really liked this message from her conference in the Dominican Republic because I think this gives a really clear idea of what it means when the Bible says we are the "Bride of Christ." Maybe I have heard messages similar to this one in the past but I guess I don't remember them being like this one (with the connection in the book Song of Songs). I like the way Nancy Leigh DeMoss teaches, so clear and easy to understand....I just started listening to one in Spanish today to see if I could catch everything. I hope you have the time to watch this video and enjoy it as I did. It does take a bit longer because the message was interpreted while she was speaking, but hang on :).

A job and a lesson to be learned

As a few of you may know, I have been blessed this week with a job offer. I signed my offer letter on Monday to be a Child Care Subsidies Caseworker at a Child Services Agency.  I am finishing up my tutoring position and moving on next week to my new position! To tell you the truth, in this time that I should be excited and thankful, I find myself feeling sad and disappointed. The way I see this job playing out is me behind a desk, at a computer most of the day, and sitting in my cubical. That is not really what I imagined God's plan being for me. I keep going over in my mind of all the things I would rather be doing, one in particular and a few plan B's that follow after. I think of how disappointing it is to not to be able to do what I want to do. I am confused by what God has provided but more on what God has not provided. The last few weeks before I got this job, or even the interview, I have been working on finding contentment in Christ alone, my attitude towards my husband, lack of job prospects, and not to be focused on things that I desire. I have struggled with contentment in the last few months. I was getting stuck on why I had to move to California, why I can't start a family yet, and if I can't start a family why I don't have a job yet.
       I am gradually trying to start to calm my heart about being in California. I need to serve God wherever I am and the way I have been is definitely not pleasing to God.  I need to make the best of where God puts me whether I like where I am or not. God has now provided me with a job but not only am I complaining about the actual job, which may turn out to be not so bad, we'll have to see as time goes on, the real reason I am not fully content is that I really had myself thinking the reason he hadn't provided a job was because he wanted me to be a stay home mom. I thought there was a reason why I never wanted to be that "big successful career woman" and why he has placed a deep desire to be a mom in my heart.  For as long as I can remember that is the only thing I thought I would be, a mother. I knew that I would have to work at some point, that is why I got a college degree. But, I really didn't think I would work for that long because I would have children and my job would be to take care of them until they went to school. I would say about the beginning of our second year of marriage I wanted to become a mother, but if you would ask my husband he would probably say since the day we got married haha!  I can't help it, I feel like it is what I am supposed to do. I also think that it is a natural feeling for a woman, especially a woman in her mid-late 20's to have the desire to be that nurturing mother.  I can barely wait to have that experience with my husband of starting a family of our own.  But, I know I have been sinful, selfish, and pushed as far as I could push my husband which actually made the opposite of what I wanted to happen.  I thought if I tried to convince him why it would be a good idea he would realize that babies really aren't that bad, they are a blessing! The opposite happened, it hardened his heart towards starting a family. I understand he may be scared of all what comes with having a baby, who isn't scared at least a little. I feel like there is no reason to fear, I could encourage him and God would prepare and guide us for what is to come. I think we are ready, there is lots of learning to be done but I think we could do it! No couple can be fully ready for what a first child brings to a family but, together you get stronger through issues that are hard and enjoy sharing the things that are joyful and beautiful.  Unfortunately, I discouraged my husband when I was angry.  It saddens me that I did that, but I am human and humans sin.  So, now is my chance to be the woman from Proverbs 31 and maybe by my obedience, God will make me a better wife, prepare me to be a better future mother, and melt my husband's heart by calming his heart about starting a family together.
    So in response to what I have been learning I wanted to share what I have been listening to. Lately on my way to work I listen to Nancy Leigh Demoss from Revive our hearts. The last couple days were about the woman from Proverbs 31 and her message really spoke to me. She focused on verses 21 and 25. She was talking about how it is a natural human instinct to fear the future but as Christian women we need to be proactive and not reactive. In verse 21 it talks about a woman who has no fear because she has prepared her family for any "storm" that may come. She thinks of God 1st, her family 2nd, and herself last because she trusts that God will make sure that her needs are met. She is not selfish. This woman is not caught off guard or in a panic when something doesn't go her way or worse, a crisis strikes. She is ready because she has fully prepared her family and herself not only physically but also spiritually.
     Then she went on to verse 25 and talked about how this woman is "clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." This encouraged me to want to be this woman full of strength and dignity. This woman did not fall to pieces, go into depression or despair at what God did or did not provide. She took care of her family, kept a clean house, fed her family, worked hard, taught her children about God, built up her husband, helped the needy, etc. So needless to say she was really an amazing woman!
     So, in this time of disappointment I am encouraged to gain strength and dignity like this amazing example God has given to us women by reading God's word and being in prayer to prepare my family for whatever is to come our way and to find contentment in Him alone! He has really provided so much for me and my husband, more than I really even realize! I am so thankful for this new job adventure He has provided, my supportive family and friends, and most of all my wonderful, supportive, loving husband!