February Fun

February is always fun with Trey's birthday and Valentine's Day.  This year, we celebrated with a Lego Indiana Jones theme.

 Maggie loves Trey and Trey loves Maggie!

We enjoyed going to the mountains for a few days.  It was beautiful!

 We celebrated Trey's 8th birthday there.

We also got to go to Lake Tahoe.

 Hanna and Maggie

 Heart Hanna

 Maggie

 Trey

Papa love his girls

 Lily

 Lake Tahoe at sunset

 We spent time in the snow at Donner Pass.

 Ted (my mini snowman)

Take heart

I was encouraged this week by Jesus' words in John 16:33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

I definitely have felt the need to "take heart" lately.  2 Cor. 4:16 talks about not losing heart as well, reading, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."  I feel my outer self being tired, lately very discouraged and drained.  But what hope--our inner self is renewed.  How? 

Here I looked at Hebrews 12:1-3, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted."  The NIV uses "lose heart" instead of fainthearted. 

My prayer request is definitely for not losing heart, and for living out my faith in Jesus with endurance. (Ha ha, I just realized that it's Valentine's this week...appropriate for chatting about hearts.)

Life through the Spirit

We were just reading Rom. 8 today as a family.  I really noticed such encouragement in Rom. 8:5-11:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

What sweet encouragement!