Home IS where the heart is

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 

Eric and I have been longing to be home owners. We love the idea of making such a huge purchase, that we have worked for, together. Of starting to plant roots for our family and just make a house our own. It has been a long and frustrating road. One minute I feel peace about the situation and the next, I'm crying into a pillow because of where we are living now.

But the more I pray over this verse, the more I look at the big picture, the more I talk to The Lord about this situation and the more that I TRUST His timing...the more I am

CONTENT.

I was thinking about our housing situation last night (again!) while giving my daughter a bath. I watched her play, laugh and splash in her little bath tub, chewing on her rubby duckie. I thought to myself how blessed I am to have a safe, warm and happy place for my daughter to do something as simple as take a bath. She has a small but BEAUTIFUL nursery that was painted and decorated with love and by family. My little family was able to take a walk with each other, in the sunshine, and feed ducks at a near by pond. Eric and I have a comfy and safe place to lay our head down at night when we go to sleep.

For the past two years, since we started trying to buy a home, I have pouted and have been so bitter over not having a home without even thinking of what home REALLY is. 

A home is a place filled with the most sweetest God-given love. A place where my daughter can learn and develop, as well as, Eric and I! A place where we can make memories and share laughs, tears and prayer. I've lost sight of what a home is supposed to be and got caught up in the material aspect of it.

I know that Jesus has our future in the palm of His hands and who better right?! It's so hard to loosen the grips of control on some situations but keeping the simple fact in my head that He ONLY wants good things for our life, makes trusting Him easier.

A house is coming; our plans of landscaping, decorating and hosting holidays is coming. But in the mean time we have a HOME and that is way more important.

Learning to be content with what I have is learning not to look at the lives of others with envy. To look at others, who may have what you dream of , and be pleased that God is fulfilling His plan for them as well! Plus, why would God trust ME with whats's next if I can't be content with all that He's blessed me with already?

I strive to use my "waiting time" to grow closer to God and lean on Him, which at the end of the day, is what He really wants.

I am proud of how Eric and I, with much help, have made our situation be the best it can be!

Are you waiting for something? A new season in life? A new job? Maybe a relationship? I can promise you that you are no where near waiting alone. Share your thoughts, hopes and dreams with me any time you'd like! gfmamaj@gmail.com

Remember His plan > ours. Always! 

Much love!

-Check out my recipes page that has two new yummy and gluten free recipes that I added! :)

Here are some pictures from our little family walk. I'm always thankful for the time we have together as a family because there are some weeks it's far and few :)

Makenna loves being outside!

I love this open view of the sun setting that I am so blessed to see almost every evening :)

Makenna and her daddy feeding the ducks! 

Inhale love, exhale gratitude

I absolutely adore this time of year. The chill in the air starts to set in for winter, everyone is busy holiday shopping, and families are getting together for one very special dinner of thanks! It's crazy to think that this time last year, I was already pregnant with Makenna and didn't even know it. Now she's here and I'm able to hold my sweet babe while stuffing my face with turkey this year.
I am so thankful for all that has happened in our lives this past year. I shamefully realize how much I take for granted every single day. Yes my roof may leak when it rains, but it's still shelter from the cold. My car may be in the shop every other month, but I am still able to get around. I may get my yearly sinus infection but for the most part, my family and I have our health. We may not be rich but my husband has an amazing job that's able to take care of us and provide us with an amazing, stable life. When times get hard, I don't always remember how great I really have it. God has blessed my little family with so much and I should recognize and be thankful for all of it every single day of the year.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 

Psalm 95:2-3

With all the hate that has spread all over the news the past few days, this leads me to want to jump into my community even more. To take this relationship I have with Jesus by the hand and bring it everywhere I possibly can. I have been feeling even more appreciative of where I am at emotionally and spiritually today. This country needs love. This world needs love. Why not pour that sweet love we have inside of us to those who so desperately need it most this upcoming holiday season? And when the holidays are over, lets carry that with us wherever we go. There are so many places and opportunities where we can extend a loving and lending hand. I challenge all of you to take time this holiday season to reach out to anyone you may feel needs it.
Life can be made beautiful no matter what hand we are dealt. Focus on what you DO have tomorrow and what others would do anything for.
I pray all of you have a warm and happy Thanksgiving with whoever you may be spending it with. May your belly be full and your heart even fuller.
Much love to you all!

Five more things I am thankful for:

*A place to call home

*Our health

*How much progress Eric and I have made in our marriage

*Date nights

*Grace

The Happy Challenge

Hey y'all!
I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Ours was great. We were able to hang out with family quite a bit this weekend, which always makes me happy. Church was fantastic yesterday and the message, as always, left such an impression on my heart that I hope to carry throughout my week. For anyone that is ever looking for a great church, please check out Newspring Church online and I promise you won't regret it.
So I was challenged by a follower, on instagram, to write the 10 things that make me the happiest! This is in no specific order and I challenge all of you to do the same!
1) My faith:
I love my growing relationship with God. I am honored to be the child of a King! I'm constantly looking for my next step with Him and love how far we've come.
2) My family:
I LOVE family. I'd spend and see them all every day if I could. There is nothing like getting together with those that we love most and seeing them with Makenna.
3) DIY:
I am no an artistic person whatsoever but I love finding things to make on Pintrest. My daughters whole nursery is one giant Pintrest project.
4) Food:
I love to eat. I love to cook; especially the better I get at it. I try out new and healthy recipes all the time and love it.
5) My animals:
I am not a cat person and living with an 85 lb weimaner in a fifth wheel is not easy but I love animals; especially my own! They were our first "babies" after all.
6) Music:
Even if it's just in the car, acting goofy, I LOVE to sing and play piano. Music has and always will be such a huge part of my life. In fact, my new serving position at Newspring Church will be to sing and act with the kids in Kidspring. I am SO excited to teach them Jesus on their level especially through the best way I know how.
7) Driving:
I know that sounds silly but to me there is nothing like rolling the windows down on a beautiful day, putting on some country music and go cruising down some back roads. I did this way more before Makenna was born and even before I was pregnant. Eric and I would drive anywhere to see where we'd end up and just talk. Those days are so sweet to me.
8) Friendship:
I've learned a lot about myself through friendships I've either had in the past or have now. There are some friends that are so close to my heart, no matter how often we talk. I believe God brings people into your life for a reason; (We all know I'm about His reasons!) whether it's for a lifetime or just for a season. I am so thankful for all friends that I have, both past and present.
9) My marriage:
I love doing life with my sweet husband. I love how he makes me feel and I love the amazing guy he is and always continues to become. As you can tell, he's one of my favorite subjects to write about. He's definitely a huge reason for my happiness.
10) Motherhood:

This little girl right here is the light of my life. Makenna has taught me so much about myself more then anything or anyone.To think Eric and I created something so beautiful just overwhelms me. I am so blessed and thankful that God chose me to be her mommy. Motherhood is beautiful, stressful, amazing, fun, tiring and demanding of my patience but to watch her grow up and know that we are shaping her life just completes me!!

God gives us so much to be happy and grateful for everyday. Church yesterday reminded me of how beautiful my life is because of Jesus and how much joy He wants for me in my life. I could have listed 50 more things as to what makes me happy but these are the 10 that matter the most.

I would LOVE to hear from you all the 10 things that make you the happiest! Send an email (aljanson819@gmail.com) or write a comment.

I hope you all have an amazing day and hey! If you have a Facebook, make sure you find my new blog page and like it by clicking this link:

GFMama

Your support is much appreciated and gives me a reason to keep writing. Have a great start to the week!

Much love!!

The story of our miracle baby

Our little pastry chef, haha!

"For this child I have prayed." -1 Samuel 1:27
Happy two months to my sweet baby girl, Makenna! I cannot believe it has been two months already but at the same time it feels like she has always been in our lives. It amazes me how I cannot even imagine what life was before this little girl took over our hearts. I was thinking, to celebrate her being two months today, I'll tell you the background story of how Makenna is our miracle baby :) It's officially one of my favorite stories to tell.
I had always wanted to be a mom. I love children and my first job was working at a place called Party Playhouse-we threw birthday parties for kids and I had a blast working there!
When I met and married Eric, I couldn't wait for us to have a baby. About 5 months after we were married, we started to try for our first. We were both pretty nervous and excited at the same time.
Fast forward to a year later and we still weren't having any luck. I went to the doctors and had a check over to make sure I was healthy and everything checked out ok. I was getting nervous because I knew what the year mark meant. Problems.
After rattling my brain and much research, I decided it was best I faithfully followed the Gluten Free diet that I needed to follow, due to Celiac Disease. All the arrows were pointing to that being the problem so I disciplined myself and eliminated all gluten from my diet.
The next 10 months after that was truly a test of my faith. And for a majority of it, I failed. I watched friends get pregnant and others have their babies with envy. I would cry myself to sleep wondering what was wrong with me while Eric kept insisting it was him, even though we both knew it wasn't.
I knew in my heart it was because of the Celiac Disease and me not following my diet for so long. I was trying all I could to make it right and I felt like a failure for not being able to give my husband the gift we longed for.
During this time Eric tried so hard to keep my faith up; telling me it just wasn't our time yet and it will happen in Gods time, not ours. I just grew more bitter. At the end of November 2013, I watched a few more friends post their happy pregnancy announcements and lost all hope for us. I once again went to my husband for comfort and instead of telling me it'll be ok, he grabbed my hand and prayed for us. Something we SHOULD have been doing all along.
Two weeks later I felt compelled to make an appointment with an OBGYN and see what fertility options would be available for us. I was able to get in that Tuesday with the physicians assistant and went with my mom and Eric. The doctor checked me over, took some blood work to check my thyroid and said she would call me with the results. She wanted to do an ultrasound the following week to see if all was ok there. We left on happy terms knowing that we were finally doing something to help ourselves have a baby.
The next morning I was leaving for work and literally just locked my front door when my phone started ringing with the doctor on the other end. When I asked if everything was ok she had told me we didn't need to go ahead and look into any fertility treatments. I was so confused and the first thing that ran through my head was that it was over; there was no chance for us. After asking her why, she told me the news.
I was already pregnant!
Happy wasn't the word for it and I couldn't stop crying! At the ultrasound that next week, we discovered that I became pregnant around the second week of November. Finally! It was our turn to become parents. Eric couldn't believe it when I told him the news. We were both just so happy!
God had a plan all along to bless us with a child. He just wanted me to be healthy and to fully rely on His timing and plan, which we did when Eric finally prayed over the situation that November night; when I was already pregnant!
After 9 months, 22 hours of labor, 20 minutes of pushing and Makenna ending up in the special care nursery, we had her. She is the result of a miracle. I grow more in love with her everyday and I am so blessed to be her mommy. It was the wait and every tear. I couldn't thank The Lord more for making us parents.
While it may not be a baby, I know there are a lot of you waiting for something. Do not give up hoping and praying. God hears you, I promise and is waiting till He knows you're ready for whatever
blessing He wants to throw your way. He wants good gifts for His children and all you have to do is have faith. I pray for you each of you that has something in your heart that you're waiting for.
I'm here to pray with you over anything! If you have something to share please send an email to aljanson819@gmail.com!
Miracles happen everyday. I am so thankful for mine and I know you will be for yours.
Much love!

His plans>my plans

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares The Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

Wow! Before I start let me just say that this is one of my favorite bible verses. I have a horrible time memorizing scripture but for some reason this one has no problem sticking in my mind permantely. And for good reason!
My whole life has been nothing but following a plan (whether I knew it or not) that God has had designed for me long before I even came to this earth. Plans that, at the time, I didn't always agree with and it wasn't till years later I saw how important every step was that I took to get me to the place I'm in now.
 For example:
Anyone that knows me well knows how passionate I am about music. I spent my entire school career preparing for the big world to make it as a broadway star. I trained, practiced and worked my way into a very prestigious musical theatre school called the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (a.k.a. AMDA) in Manhattan. I remember receiving my acceptance letter and feeling on top of the world and so excited to finally be starting my journey to my dream. Nothing could have possibly stopped me right?!
Wrong.
When it was time for me to go to AMDA in October 2008, I went with baggage. At this point it doesn't matter what that baggage consisted of, but I spent my first semester at my dream school missing what I left behind in my hometown instead of taking advantage of all the city and AMDA had to offer me. This led to me dropping out after my first semester and then eventually leaving NYC altogether and moving back home.
I abandoned my school, my life in the city but most importantly, I abandoned my dream over something so silly. Does this make me sad to think about what I threw away? Absolutely. Regrets? No way.
His plan overruled the one that I had for my life.
It's all lead me to where I am now. It has all been part of Gods plan for me. He knew everything was going to happen exactly the way it did. He knew the trials and heartache I would soon face that year and summer of 2009 would bring me to North Carolina where I met and married the love of my life. The pain of not being able to conceive for two years was all part of His plan when we finally were able to get pregnant and had our beautiful daughter. He has always come through and why wouldn't He?! My God is an amazing God.
Trials and seasons are a way to build us up; make us stronger.
It's not easy but I am learning to trust my life into Gods hands more and more. That He wants ONLY good things for my life. And that I need to let go and let His plan for me continuously fall into place.
I am so thankful for where I am now and as for my passion? He will bring me back to it when the time is right. Lately I've been feeling that He is about to bring me into a new season and I've been wanting to get back into my music more and more. So I decided to try out for my church's worship band! Whether it happens or not, it felt great just to have that sensation of auditioning for something again. It lit a spark in my heart again, just like He knew it would.
I'll give y'all an opportunity to hear it yourself in today's post!
If you're struggling with confusion, fear or even anger as to where you are in your life now, remember to trust! Trust that the God who gave you life, wants nothing more then to see you happy and successful. Put your faith in His plan.
As always my email is always available and so am I at aljanson819@gmail.com. I'll always pray with or for you and would love to hear of how God is working in your life! Hope you are all having a great start to the week.
Much love!


Here is the link to my audition video. Thank you much for reading watching!
Audition Song