“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
 

 For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:8-13

Do You Believe?

I have a chance to finally slow down today. I want to slow down. I need to slow down. I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss all that God is doing. I am completely in awe.

I guess I will start with a question. "Do you believe in miracles?" Also, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word miracle? I am just guessing here but for most of us that may bring a miraculous healing to mind such as blind eyes being opened or someone walking after being in a wheelchair many years. Those miracles definitely happen! 

The Lord touched my right eye just before Shane and I were engaged. My eye was healed and the ability to see colors was restored. I knew the moment I was healed during a time of praise and worship. It was in December and the Neurologist even said that God had given me an early Christmas gift. 

So what about the everyday miracles? The Lord is opening my eyes to the amazing little and big miracles happening around us.  

This past week and a half have been life changing. 

When God shows up in a hospital cafeteria and pours out His love. When He melts an 80 year old mom's heart and removes a heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh. Many years of hurt and offense covered by the blood of Jesus. A breakthrough because of the love of God. A mother daughter relationship restored right before our eyes is nothing short of miraculous.  

Ezekiel 36:26

When a brother surrenders His life to the Lord after admittedly running from God for years.  Laying his life down and ready to learn more from the Word and ready to be used.  Such a beautiful life the Lord has planned for him. Many prayers have been prayed and the Lord has heard every single one. God's word does not return void.

When we pray God's word over our families and situations that we face He follows through on His Word. Isaiah 55:11 states " So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  When we pray over these situations we are speaking the very words of Jesus.  When you speak "Peace! Be Still!" in the midst of your storm you can be sure that Jesus will be right there with you. Mark 4:39

As my precious mother-in-law received a difficult diagnosis last week we were not shaken.  Not to say we were not emotional but our hearts cried out to God and He gave us such perfect peace. His perfect love has been so evident and has cast out fear. 1 John 4:18

Despite the words from the cancer specialist we choose to hold on to our faith and the hand of Jesus throughout this storm.  We are safe in the boat with him and he is not worried. He will accomplish His perfect will on the earth and we trust in him.  

The first night after coming home from the hospital I had a dream.  It was just a flash it seemed but I knew it was from the Lord.  I don't usually remember dreams but this was different.  A man was holding a scroll of paper and it said to speak to the mountain and that it would be moved. There were other words I could not understand written in Hebrew or Greek.  It was very simple.  When I shared this with my husband on the way to the hospital the next morning he began to cry as he had prayed that one of us would have a dream the night before and it confirmed what the Lord was speaking to his heart.  We were able to pray over her that morning and have had such precious prayer times with family and friends this past week.

It has already been nothing short of miraculous.

We are so thankful that she is surrounded by the prayers of so many across the nation.

 God is doing an amazing work and we are grateful. 

"Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." Mark 11:23 NIV

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."  Matthew 17:20-21 NIV 

Funny First day:-)

We were cleaning out the garage and needed to dispose of paint cans a few weeks ago. I told the kids to get dressed because we were going to drop them off at the toxic waste facility aka the dump lol. I was joking with them that we were going on a field trip to the dump. Anywho, when Ky's teacher was asking the class what they did this summer she raised her hand and said "I went to the dump!" Not the beach, sea turtles, swimming, etc. Bahahaha!!! ‪#‎funnygirl‬ ‪#‎thisgirlcracksmeup

Sunday nights

So tonight we had our question time with the kids at dinner😊 We missed last week so we started back tonight. Sometimes they are asking and other times we throw out a question. They really were so mature and seemed to enjoy it. All three kiddos talked about feeling confused about how to know the difference between thinking about something in your mind and being led by the Spirit. We had such a great discussion and they were all genuinely interested in learning and hearing more... from the word. So cool that the 5th graders read Bro. Hagin's book on this every year before they move up to youth group.
As we were discussing this with them the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. It was awesome to be able to share that with them. I felt led to pray for their future spouses and we started praying for each child starting with Lan. God really touched their hearts and it was such a special time. We turned around to pray for Ky and she was missing. It didn't take long to find her hiding under the blanket on the couch lol! Definitely not ready for this marriage talk. She wants to hang out with us a bit longer. So cute. We prayed with her about her friendships and she was cool with that. Love these children❤ ‪#‎thankyoulord‬#theyareablessing#specialtimes
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Cam turns 9:-)

Our sweet Cameron is 9 today!! Thinking about the night he was born and all that dark black hair and those gorgeous eyes:-) He has always loved snuggling up to us and loved falling asleep on his Daddy's chest. When he was tiny he would try to keep me beside him by pinning me down with his little arm;-)

The other day we were riding along in the car and he said "I think I know where I'm going to go to college if I go to college." I think I'm going to go to Southeastern Univers...ity. When I asked him about it he said he thinks he will go there because they have vibrant worship services. We had just heard this on the joy fm. It was so cute. He hadn't even realized that we both went there but knows that he wants to be where others are seeking God. I love his heart.

The doctor who delivered him has since passed away. He was a very kind and gentle man. I remember him visiting me the day after Cameron was born. His words were short and sweet but he sat down with me and told me to "Have Fun!" He had witnessed the extent of my type A personality and was basically telling me to relax and enjoy my kiddos. Just. Have. Fun.

So today I will take time to be present. To go outside and enjoy nature with my kids. To hang out at a park or go for ice cream. I will roll down the windows on my mini van and open up the sunroof and enjoy every moment with my beautiful blessings.



 

My Hero

All a little girl wants is a Daddy who treasures her. Who shows her the love of her heavenly father. Your dad is the mirror through which you see yourself and everyone else. This one relationship affects everything about you. My dad always worked so hard for us.  I never doubted his love and faithfulness to my mom or our family. I always knew he loved being a Dad and he loved us with all his heart. 

He was there. He was present in our lives. He taught me how to ride a bike, play ping pong and shoot a basketball.  I still remember the time he took with me teaching how to put an arch in my shot and I think about it to this very day. My Dad had a ping pong table set up in our garage and a basketball goal on the driveway.  We had pogo sticks, hula hoops and a jungle gym and a merry go round in the backyard. He set up a bit of a mini Disneyworld for us as kids. He made stilts for us. My dad was always making something or fixing up something around our house. He had always worked so hard but I believe he wanted to give us the childhood he never had. Dad said that he worked six days a week when he was a young boy. He even worked on Saturdays when his dad would go into town. He stayed behind to do his chores. He is the hardest worker I have ever seen and he was and is like a superhero to many of our friends and neighbor kids. 

He is quite the storyteller.

My Dad definitely has the gift of storytelling. When he gets started there is not a dry eye. He tells stories about his childhood and growing up in Falkner, Mississippi and it is so hilarious. It's just the way he can weave a story. I love listening to him when he starts telling us about all the people he grew up around. He is such a comedian and I especially love when he and my Uncle Bub get together. There is no stopping those two.  I promise you will laugh until you cry. The best part is when his face turns bright red and he starts laughing too.

He always made a joyful noise.

My dad cannot carry a tune. My mom said that both times she was pregnant she prayed that we would not get our musical talent from my dad. He loves to sing and praise the Lord! I remember when we were little and our friends came over to the house he was singing in the shower a couple of times.  They would look at us all funny and ask us what the noise was. We replied "Oh, that's just our Dad singing in the shower." He would worship the Lord and pray in the spirit and I am thankful for that.

He is a man of his word.

He is the kind of man you can depend on. If he says he is going to do something, fix something or be somewhere you can believe he will follow through unless he has a very good reason. We knew where we would be every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. If there was a revival we knew that we would be there every night as well.  My Dad was a faithful man and a deacon in the church. He was called on many times to repair things around the church and did so quietly. My dad has the heart of a servant.

He is passionate about lots of things.

I only heard my Dad cuss once.  It's kind of a funny family story. Now that is. My brother and I were out walking on the beach when we were teens and meet up with some other kids on the beach.  I thought I was cool and started smoking a cigarette. About that time my dad came up walking behind us and saw it in my mouth. He took one look at me and said "Girl, I'm gonna kick your ass." My brother and I took off running. At least I know I did. He was right behind me and tried to kick me in the behind but slipped on the sand and missed me. Cigarettes were never cool again after that. I knew he did it out of love. Parents do crazy things sometimes to get through to their kids. Dad loved us so much and he was quite passionate in expressing his affection. He did not want me going down that path.

He is a man who stands on the word of God.

There are things that should never be said to a child. When you download false information into a child it takes years to erase the damage. For my Dad the words played over and over in his mind. Negative messages from adults and coaches that he looked up to. My Dad is an overcomer. He has studied and meditated on the Word and he knows who he is in Christ. Others opinions fall away when you know you are truly loved by your creator and spending time in his presence changes your very mindset or outlook on life. 

He is not afraid to share his struggles.

He is full of wonderful stories and he knows exactly the right time to share them for encouragement and sometimes for comic relief. When I was at a very low point my dad shared a story from his childhood with me.  We have had some of the same struggles and have so much in common. He gives me a window to look through into his world. He looked fear right in the face for most of his life. He is the most courageous man I know. He won many battles because he knows who he is in Christ and what had been done for him on the cross. My Dad carried a pocket size book of bible verses with him to work each day. I remember it sticking out of his pocket. It was worn and marked in and underlined. I know that the scriptures were his lifeline.

My favorite memories with my dad were not our trips to Disneyworld or the beach growing up although I loved our family vacations.  One of my favorite memories with my Dad was when he was driving a rig truck and came by the house one day.  My mom lifted me up in his truck and I felt so special. I think this was my very first memory. As I got older I loved just being with him in his old F-150 truck as a young girl. I always felt special to ride with him whether we were going to our property or checking on the garden.  It didn't matter to me so long as I was with him.  My Dad was my hero and he knew the answer to every question. I asked him so many questions he lovingly started calling me "Question mark." I know I got on his nerves after a while but he tried to answer me the best he could. 

He put up a tire swing on our property so while they worked in the garden my brother and I got to swing so high.  We worked a little in the garden and sold vegetables at a little stand there on our property. Another favorite was when my dad would load up our four wheeler and take us to the Sand Pits on Sunday afternoons. We had so much fun riding around on all the trails and doing different stunts. I was a bit of a tomboy and loved every minute of it.

At the age of 18 when it was time to leave for college 14 hours away from home my Dad drove me from Tennessee to Florida with every inch of my red Camaro packed to the gills. We had the best talks on those car rides.  He prayed with me and helped me get set up in my dorm room and made sure I knew where all the main roads were. When I dropped him off at the Orlando airport he made sure I knew my way back to the college. He thought of everything.

I am so thankful for my Dad and the time we get to spend with him. He was in a terrible accident in 2001 and he miraculously survived. We almost lost him but it was not to be. The Lord had praying people stationed around my dad that day. On the side of the road they prayed over him as he lost consciousness after being ejected from the van. God had other plans. He got to meet five grandchildren he never would have met on this earth had he left us that day. He is so good with them and they all adore their Poppa so much! I get to call him and tell him when one of our babies loses a tooth or asks Jesus to come and live inside their heart. He gets so excited whens he hears that they want to be baptized and that they are following Jesus. Our family is so blessed for generations and generations to come because of my Dad and the choices and sacrifices he has made.

I love you Daddy!

Happy 69th Birthday to you!

Sweetness

The other night Cameron and Kyleigh had a bit of a coughing fight.  Yeah. She coughed on him and he coughed back on her and he accidentally hit her so the story goes.

At bedtime Cameron sheets were on the floor so we questioned what had happened. It was a little weird and I don't really think the cats could have pulled that off.  Anyway, Kyleigh acted as if she knew nothing about it and went on to bed. 

When tucking her in I told her that she can tell me anything. That she needed to be honest and that she was not in trouble. She broke down crying covering her face with the blanket and said "I was mad and I only do that when I'm angry." We talked about her expressing her feelings to Cameron next time or coming to us for help.

Cameron came in while we were talking to ask me something and she was able to tell him everything and how she was feeling. And told him she was sorry about his bed.  This was real progress.  I could tell he was touched but didn't know just how much. Then they met up in the hallway and hugged each other two times.  It was so cute to witness.

So when I went to tuck him in and scratch his back he had tears in his eyes. He said "I'm thankful for my little sister. It would have been way different" and started choking up. I asked "What would have been way different?" He said " It would have been way different in our family without a little sister.  She's a lot of fun and she brings a lot of fun to our family."  By this time I am bawling too. I love his heart.

She walked in and we were both crying and hugging and she took one look and went into her comedy routine.  Whenever I am starting to cry she goes into her Duck Dynasty dance and says "Chicken Fry" over and over. A bit of an inside joke. I guess you just have to see it for yourself.  This started around the time Jase Robertson came to our church and I laugh out loud every single time. She knows that.  Then she said there are two reasons why I don't like to see you cry Mom. "Number one, it's annoying and number two, it makes all your make up go off your face and looks yucky." Cam was right. Our girl adds a little spunk to the Johnson crew and we love her to pieces.

best.day.ever

"Mommy, this was the best day ever! I want to come again and again and again. Can we please come back again?"

A friend invited us to go roller skating and we took on the challenge as Shane was off work and hanging out with the boys.  We love having a little girl time. She usually says "This is Rockin' Baby" in the car to wherever we may be going. This is a tradition which started when she was four years old on the way to see The Nutcracker Ballet. I could not stop laughing when she came up with it on her own.

Kyleigh and I met some of her buddies from school and got all laced up and ready for a good time.  When we got there she said it did not look how she imagined it would look.  This was her first time ever stepping in a skating rink.  I guess it's kinda weird stepping into the past like that for a kid. The carpet was still on the walls although they had made a few updates since my college days. 

When I was in elementary school skating was my favorite thing.  My friends and I would skate for hours on driveways in our neighborhood. The kids in our neighborhood hung around our house and most of our time was spent outdoors.  We had a basketball goal and our ping pong table sat in our garage. Kids and teens flocked to our house to play. How I love thee ping pong.

So it being her first time on skates she felt a bit unsure and it took a while for her to warm up.  First, she hung out at the little blue carpeted wall for maybe the first hour.  I just let her get comfortable except for the time I rented a skate mate for 5 bucks and pushed her around on that. Yeah.  She fell and then we both fell when her skate ran into mine. We were ok so it was all good. Next time I will save my money though.  Every second you are not in possession of your pvc pipe skate mate contraption kids are trying to swipe it from right under you. Plus, as my friend said it is probably best to learn to skate the old fashioned way we all learned without being dependent on the skate mate thingy. Good times. 

Anyway, she worked up to skating on the carpet by herself.  Big smile. And then crawling beside the skaters and inching down a wooden bench on the side. Whatever it takes, right? It took a while but eventually she was suddenly ready to hold my hand and skate. Well let me back up. It helped that her friend's big sixth grade brother held her other hand at first.  It was a good idea and helped build her confidence plus she thinks he's pretty cool and all.  Then she was ready to hold my hand while skating after she pointed to stop off points.  We stopped at them all.  She was loving it. Then the beloved "Let It Go" began to play and she couldn't get on the wood floor fast enough.  She was absolutely beaming and laughing and giggling in those fluorescent orange skates knowing that she had conquered her fear.

She worked hard and she was able to reach her goal which was to get out there with her friends and wave and yell and enjoy the moment.  When the session was over she was not ready to go which is usually true for the kids that start out slow and are just beginning to enjoy thelselves when time is up.  Next time she will be ready. I'm so glad I stuck it out with her and that she learned there was nothing to be afraid of.  It felt as if we were gliding and soaring together.  Her little hand in mine so unafraid and so proud of herself. 

A few nights after this she said she had a dream and we were skating hand in hand. Then her eyes were so big.  She said "Mama, you went to the snack bar or to get me a bracelet (also sold at snack bar) and I was skating all by myself on the wood floor." Words cannot express the smile on her face. So proud of herself skating alone on that shiny wood floor.  I have no doubt that her dream will come true very soon.  So happy that we found something we both enjoy. Girl time rocks!