Master Bedroom - rated M for Married ;-)

at our old house, our bedroom always felt cluttered. we were majorly lacking in storage so there were always clothes (usually clean) in storage tubs awaiting a home. at the new house, we each have our own closet...yeah...OUR OWN!!! we are still looking for a dresser that mama can paint and purdify and of course, one can never have enough pillows so that is for sure on the list of wants...in addition to bedding...it's time we fluff it up in here. but otherwise, we are LOVING our new less cluttered room (please note...there's still clutter, but we're cute)

his & her closets...gotta love that!

i love waking up to this picture each morning...and my banner i made on a whim

my messy bedside table...a girl can NEVER have enough books to read

the sign above the bed roughly translated..."wanna make out"...but seeing as how my kiddos can read, i thought i'd spare them the "ewww mom gross!" moment and put it in another language. but seriously....who doesn't wanna make out with the love of their life!?! ;-)

master bath...it's small, but cute!!! 

a side note...if you're looking for an AMAZING devotional for you and your sweetie...our pastor, Craig Groeschel and his ADORABLE wife Amy just wrote "from this day forward - 5 commitments to a fail-proof marriage"...i HIGHLY recommend it and it looks great on the night stand in ANY master bedroom!!!

wasted testimonies

we tend to live in 2 worlds on social media...those that sugar coat EVERYTHING and act like they've got it all together and the grumpy mcgrumperson's that cannot say a good thing and complain about EVERYTHING...even the blessings. trying to find that happy medium sometimes can be difficult...i don't want to complain about the amazing blessings i've been given, but i also don't want to sugar coat what sometimes is difficult, despite the blessings surrounding it...does that even make sense!?! 

this morning my devotions were about wasting your pain...sounds wonky at first, but broken down, it not only made an amazing amount of sense, but spoke to my heart COMPLETELY.

our greatest ministry comes from our pain - not from how amazeballs we are, or how we look to others...but out of the painful experiences of our life. our weaknesses and trials we face, can truly help others in need to overcome the obstacles they're facing in life. 

who can be more sympathetic than somebody who has already been through what another person is going through right now!?! who can better help somebody who's been abused than someone who faced abuse in a previous relationship and came out a stronger person because of it? who can help the woman feeling helpless as she faces countless miscarriages than a woman who walked thru that dark and lonely valley for years. who can better help the parent of an adopted child, than a parent who endured the long and tumultuous journey already? who can help the hopeless mama that's parenting a special needs child, than the one who's raising one that isn't her's biologically? 

you're not saying...check out how i ROCKED this trial, but rather, bringing encouragement and often times, resources to those when they need it most. if i hide my pain, and the trials i've faced, it doesn't do me any good. i'm not dealing with it properly, and i'm not using it for GOD's intended purpose. GOD can use the thing i hated the most in my life, that brought me heartache, and disappointment and can speak to the heart of someone who's feeling lost and alone in the midst of what i've already been through. when you're willing to share your personal brokenness...you're allowing GOD to work HIS amazing plans out in the life of others. what was your trial that can now help someone triumph!?!