One nation under GOD

It is with a heavy heart I write this.

This week we THE PEOPLE took part in our democratic system and elected the 45th President of the United States of America. It was a battle of picking the lesser of two evils as many would say. On the left we had the first female ever running to lead the White House. And on the right we had one of hollywoods biggest and most richest names. This years election was one Americans have never truly experienced. The votes were cast and the people spoke and elected Donald Trump the next president of the United States of America.

It's in the days preceding this election though I stand with a heavy heart as I watch fellow Americans trash the greatest country. A country filled with promise and hope. A country that allows for the American dream of coming from nothing and making something of yourself. A country where our grandparents worked tireless hours so that on days like today we could be proud of the country we live in.

Instead we see countless Americans protesting not only the next president but this great nation. Many stand and watch as the American flag is burning. Others use their words to talk so disgracefully about a country that has given so much to them. The election is over, the choice has been made. As Americans it's time to grow up and put our grown up hats on and start acting like the adults we are. This blame can not be put on one party or the other. This is the fault of the AMERICAN PEOPLE. I read the other day from kid president,

"Grown ups.
Your presence is vital today in the lives of children.
Show them what love looks like."

There are no words written that could be any more true. The future of our country is watching as individuals who didn't get their way denounce their country. Those young women who we want to know have value and worth are watching as other women act with out tact and class, where there does a women deserve respect for behaving in a crude manner?  Respect is given when respect is earned. No candidate, no celebrity, nor activist is needed for a women to know her self worth. That's something taught in the home from a very young age.

A child is a product of their own environment. Raise them up in a home where they are taught to love others, encourage, be honest. Teach any child that, boy or girl and they will know their self worth. Teach a child that when things don't go the way that they want behave in a manner so disruptive and you get what's happening in America today. I was raised in a republican home. My parents never impressed their beliefs upon me. I was raised in an environment where I was loved, taught respect, and given the confidence to know that not because of my gender but because of my heart and more importantly my God I could be anything I wanted to be. I could do anything I wanted to do. Go anywhere I wanted to go. Parents it's time to stop taking to social media to berate the school system, the government, and your next door neighbor. Like I have been saying you live in a country where you have the freedom to raise your child however you choose. There is no reason to verbally degrade everyone who does not aline  with your belief system. As a Christian I have been taught to love God love people. I'm not always going to agree with everything happening but I know one thing I'm going to strive each and everyday to love others much like Jesus loved. 

I said it earlier this week and I will say it again the best thing we can do for our country right now is pray. Pray for peace for those that are filled with such hate to act in the ways that so many Americans are acting in. Pray for guidance for our next president as he enters into a very difficult time. Pray for our country that we will find the will to come together and unify as "One nation under God."  I pray Americans start hitting their knees and thanking their God for all his many blessings. 

America is not and will not be defeated. President Obama said it best the sun will rise again no matter the outcome of the election. In the days following the sun has risen every time. When do we wake up and realize how lucky we are to live in a country where freedom is given so free. When do we realize no mater who our leader is we the people have the opportunity to choose that leader and make our voices be heard. We abuse that privilege though when behave in such a way that our country is this week. 

Today we celebrate the men and women who have sacrificed time with their family and friends to defend our country and freedom. Today I pray our social media is flooded with love for all the men and women who make that sacrifice. I pray we stop seeing the political condemnation happening  in our country and start reaching a point of unity. 

With a lot of love 

XO,

   M.K.M

|John 13:34-35|

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

America the Great

Dear Country,

 Today we wake up with a new President, new future, but more importantly a God who owns it all. The last two years have been filled with smear campaigns and constant strife. We have seen candidates enter the race, seen candidates leave the race, and then we were left with just two. November 8 2016 will be a date that many will never forget. It was a time America faced seeing the first women President. A day were Hollywood would meet D.C. politics.

This isn't a post to promote my choice for President or brag about a victory or loss. This is one to encourage all of us as Americans to now come together and support our country. This isn't about party lines anymore. This is about uniting as one country under GOD.

"We the people tell the government what to do.." - Ronald Reagan

The people spoke and they have made their decision. As a country it's our time to stand together and support America now. Today it doesn't matter that we sport the elephant or donkey with pride today we should be honored to sport the red, white, and blue.

Many have prayed for the future of this country in the impending days of the election and it is my hope that those prayers don't stop just because the election is over. We need to seek in prayer that our new leader will do the things he set out to do. We need to continue to pray that he will be a strong, ethical, and compassionate leader. Pray for the candidate who won't be celebrating a victory today. Pray they take this loss humble and stand and support the chosen leader but more importantly their country.

In the words of my aunt, "THIS IS HAPPENING," President Elect Donald Trump set out over a year ago to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN and today as the 45th President elect he has the opportunity to do just that. So cheers to you sir. The next four years are yours to accomplish what you promised so many Americans you would.

 Here is to praying and having faith and loving my great country.

God bless,

 M.K.M

 | But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. | 2 Peter 3:18

| Pray |

Sweet friend pray. Pray real and raw. Pray with every being of your body. Pray in the valleys and at the top of the peaks.

Pray.

My entire life my prayer life has been my biggest struggle. I never seemed to make time. I found it uncomfortable so I skipped it. I was transparent in sharing that prayer was an area I struggled in but never took the steps to understanding prayer and what it could do for me.

As followers of Christ we always talk about God speaking to us and showing us His will. It wasn't until recent events that I truly had that type of a spiritual interaction with God.

My young adult bible study group has been working through the "Circle Maker," by Mark Batterson. The book had been challenging my prayer life but wasn't quite catching my attention and challenging me to apply as well as I should have. It wasn't until I had the opportunity to host and attend my churches women's ministry kick off event for this year. The whole theme was circled around prayer. The activities, devotionals, and personal testimonies of prayer really stopped me in my place. It was in that moment that I realized God had been tapping on my shoulder this whole time trying to talk to me through the Circle Maker and the people around me but I was too stuck in the flesh to realize. I was too stuck on the fact that prayer was not a comfortable thing for me. I was making EXCUSES.

Prayer was never designed to be easy. It is in moments of prayer that we face some of our biggest convictions. It is in prayer when we get raw with God. It is also in those moments though that we get to draw closer to Him. In those moments that we get to share in the joy and the sadness. In those moments that we get to thank Him for everything He has done.

Prayer is our direct hotline to God. I have started challenging myself daily to not only start and end my day with prayer but throughout the day find time to sit and just get with God. Whether we talk about the kids I work with, my dreams and goals, or just thanking Him for all His many blessings. I challenge you to do the same. Start small and work your way into it. You will be amazed how natural it starts to become. Journal your prayers, say them out loud, or just say them to yourself. Any way that you do it you are doing it with God for God.

I pray that your week started out strong and that as the week progresses you are filled with abundant love and happiness.

XO,
 M.K.M

Luke 1:45; Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her.

Defining You..

As Christians when we accept God into our hearts and our lives we die to self and are born again. The past is just that the PAST we are born again to walk in new life.

Today I'm talking about the struggle of feeling defined by your past.

My prior life before recommitting myself is something I work to no longer struggle with. I have worried in the past that it would be hard for a man to love me because of my choices, it would be hard for me to be taken seriously in my faith because of my past choices, and it would be hard for people to forgive me because of my past choices. I've spent months battling with the questions in my head until  one day.

My father is one of my favorite humans, men, and friend in the entire world. A few months back as him and I sat being transparent with one another me struggling with the inability to forgive my dad for some of the things going on in my life he simply said this, :" Morgan, my past is my past I will not let anyone define me because of my past. I let God slip away, I let my family down, and I wasn't the man I needed to be. I was in a place in my life I can't describe but I can't tell you this I won't let a moment in time define my entire life. I love you, your siblings, and mother with all my heart and I will fight everyday to prove that." In that moment my dad changed me for the rest of my life. I knew in that moment just like my father my past was my past. I couldn't let those actions define me. They could grow me but not define me.

1 John 1:19
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Someday there will be a man that walks in my life and loves me for every flaw I have maybe someday I will have the opportunity to share my past to help someone much like my dad helped me.

Life is not easy. Everyday is not rainbows and butterflies. There are days that the trenches seem deep and the peaks so far away. There are days you will lay it all down to God and days you can't find the strength to give it all to Him. I share this with you my friend,

He does not let your past DEFINE YOU.

Gods grace and mercy is greater than we can ever imagine. So feel encouraged as you start your week no matter where you stand right now. God loves you and I love you. Make this week one with intention and purpose.

X.O.,
  M.K.M

\Patience\

|| Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. ||

There are those days where the world just feels like it is falling to pieces. No matter how organized you tried to be nor how long you prepared for something everything seems to keep failing. Your patience is tried time and time again. For some of us we can handle the pressure for others of us we crumble.

I'm a happy balance of the two. Let me tell you though, when I crumble boy do I crumble.

This past week has been a busy one for sure. Every time I think I have a free moment it's filled with something new. This is also the last week of summer for the sweet kiddos I work with and man are they working on going out with a bang. Their energy is up and their listening skills..  well let's just say those have been turned down. Daily I remind myself though I was that crazy little minion at one time as well and try to remember the sweet patience I have had with them all summer. Yesterday though I think I forgot all about the art of patience and found myself defeated time and time again as I worked through different situations with kids. As nap time finally approached I was hoping I would get a little bit of down time to sit and maybe eat a bite of my lunch but those sweet little faces had a plan of their own. As the crazy antics and excitement of being in a different room carried on and my temper grew shorter and shorter my ability to be patient wore thin. Miss. Morgan had to raise her voice a tad and get snippy which for those of you that know me in Miss. Morgan mode that's a very hard role for me to play. Luckily though I was able to catch attentions and get some kiddos serious about nap time. As the crew settled in and started to fall asleep though one of the little munchkins came and crawled into my lap cause he just "NEEDED to get my attention before he fell asleep," and what that little 4 year old said stopped me in my tracks and really hit home for me. He said, "Miss. Morgan, you see God made all of us here in this room. He made some of us with BIG personalities and not all of or personalities work together. But you see Miss. Morgan I know you are sad right now because of how we are acting but God did all this. He made us like this so it's ok because God is good and that means this will all be ok. I love you Miss. Morgan."

That little dude could not be more right and he could not have touched my heart more in that moment if he wanted to. All the time we get caught in the moment and get upset with one another, with the current circumstance, or simply with God. If we only took the time to be patient and realize that everything comes from God and in time given our patience and obedience God will provide for us. Much like in the story of Job.

Probably one of the best known stories of patience in the Bible is the life of Job. To prove Job’s faithfulness to the Lord, God allowed  Satan to have his way and destroy Job's life. Job lost cattle, property, personal belongings, but most important of all he lost his family. However, Job did not blame God. Job accepted that God had a plan and that in time that plan would be revealed to him.

Job’s friends came to council him. They tried to find out what great sin Job had committed to deserve the punishment he received. Job would not admit to any sin. Job knew that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Everyday we are given the the opportunity to be patient. Some days that opportunity comes easier than others. There is a blessing in knowing that God does for His people when they are faithful to Him. Be faithful in the trials and much like Job the lord will bless you and in time bless you more than before.

|| Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ||

As I close out this week and enter into a new school year with new kiddos I'm challenging myself to lead a level of patience like Job. I pray that I am reminded of the trial Job faced and realize that mine don't even compare. I pray that I keep an open mind and an open heart to all those little faces when times get tough. I'm praying for an amazing school year with these new kids. I pray for the opportunity to make much of Jesus and share about the wonderful things He has done with these kids. I pray they know just how loved they are.

X.O.
    M.K.M

Hot Mess of a Martha

I am the definition of {Hot Mess Express}. I lose my keys about 10 times a day, I forget where I set my phone down, and my debit card.. well I have not seen that thing in days. My life is one big to do list filled with more to do list that are never getting done. When I tell you I'm on my way somewhere add about 20 minutes to the travel time cause I will get side tracked by something. I try and try again to have it all together yet I seem to keep failing. 

I'm constantly going. My social calendar never seems to have an open moment leaving me little time to clean my house or wash my truck. When I'm not at church I am working or hanging on the lake or having lunch dates with Grandma leaving me little time to breathe. (So maybe you have picked up by now too that I am a little melodramatic.)

Recently I picked up Andy Lee's Flawed Yet  Called: A Mary like Me. The book walks you through the three Mary's in the Bible. The one that called to my heart was the story of Mary and Martha. If you have never spent time in Luke I have linked it here. I think that this encounter with Jesus can be a teaching tool for men and women. 

All to often so many of us busy ourselves with so much more than we need to. I think Jesus is trying to teach Martha that she didn't have to physically sit at His feet but she needed to have a heart with Him above all the clutter and chaos that surrounds our daily lives. It is life there will always be laundry to be washed, dishes that need cleaning, and a bed that needs making. The moment we let these stresses take control of our lives is the moment we disobey God. 

Let's be honest though could you imagine Jesus walking up to your door unannounced? I think we all would like to think that we would be a Mary and sit at his feet not distracted by anything instead of a stressed out Martha who was rushing to clean and prepare a meal. I chuckle at the part in the story when Martha looks at Jesus and says “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” this is so one of those questions yet not a question more of a statement to let you know that we women are the sass masters and we want it our way or the highway. 

Martha was stressed and sassy. A women after my own heart. Like literally me 95% of the time 

Jesus comes back though so cool, calm, and collective Luke 10: 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 

Its inevitable that Martha and women like myself and many of you would stress about the many things not getting done in our lives. Proverbs 31 writes to us telling us the expectations of a wife. “She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.” I don't know about you ladies but I struggle to get up that early in the morning and then on top of that you want me to have breakfast for the whole house prepared? Yeah ok bye BOO.. 

The key is though that we don't let the stress of having the perfect home, outfit, or life become bigger than the love for our SAVIOR. 

Luke 10: 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We should have the hearts of Mary. Focused on one purpose. One thing. That thing is not schedules, to do list, and chores. That thing is 

JESUS 

Worldly stresses like the schedules, to do list, and chores will be apart of our lives as men and women of God. It is our job though to not let them consume our hearts more than He does. The chaos and stress of life should never overtake the love and peace Jesus gives us. We have a relationship with him because we have committed ourselves to Him and trust Him with all our heart that he will take care of and provide for us should we be obedient to Him. 

So this weekend I pray you don't let the stress of not having your laundry for the week ready to go, or the grocery shopping list lying on the kitchen counter unfinished, or that bathroom you need to scrub consume you. I pray you find the time Sunday as in everyday to go get plugged in at a church somewhere and start diving deeper into God's love for you. There is no better time than NOW! 

XO, 

 M.K.M

B I B L E// Real and Raw

Everyday I set aside time in the morning and the evening for quiet time. In this time I may listen to worship music, read my bible, journal, or spend time in prayer. I have found myself lately focused on trying to read more  of the bible working on knowing stories and being able to summarize books.

The other day though as I sat working through my daily read for a reading plan I am working through I found myself frustrated. I found myself frustrated trying to comprehend the words in front of me. I knew that tomorrow there would be a new reading that paired with what I had read today and I would need to understand for future readings. This is when I started to think:

Is God really worried about how well I can spit verses off?

Is He focused on me knowing the order of the books in the Bible?

Is he worried about me staying the course of my reading plan?

God's main concern is that we are in His word daily. He wants us to be moved and changed by his words, but am I really being moved and changed just because I can spit off verses if what those verses say have not moved me and changed my heart. What have I really gained if I do not take the time to really dive deeper into the word but just simply memorize for reciting.

We as believers study scripture to better know him. We study scripture to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Father. We Study scripture to show God, "God I wish to know more of you." We fail Him though if we read for pride.

Our bibles were made for a bigger purpose. Yes the bible journaling is cool and the Instagram photos are awesome but just like we were made with a bigger purpose so was the bible. The bible is the manual to life and should be opened everyday to study and better understand all the sacrifices God mad for you and me. Whether it takes you a year to read or you spend your whole life working through all the books in the bible the point is you do it for Him. You do it because you seek to OBEY.

So friends if you are feeling discouraged in your inability to recite scripture or maybe with the current reading you are working through know this; you have already been obedient today because you have opened your bible. You are further today than you were yesterday. It is not a race to read your bible the fastest or know more verses than your neighbor. The point is you opened the word today to foster a relationship worth far more than knowing a few verses will ever be worth. God believes in you, you need only believe in yourself.

| Isiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. |

XO,
 M.K.M

| L O V E |

Love is a verb. It is an action given out and taken in. For some they love themselves better than they love others and for others they love others better than themselves. I myself am the ladder of the two. First and foremost we are called to love our God with ALL of our heart. As the saying goes LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE.

If you have ever met my mother you would know I'm a product of most all that makes her the special women I love. There was not a day my mom didn't tell me she loved me, not a competition she wasn't at screaming like the crazy women she was, nor a school event that she wasn't front and center to snap a pic for the many photo albums I now hold dear to my heart. What my mother taught me though was to believe in those I love and believe in them with all my heart. Coming to know and love Jesus wasn't hard it was basically written in my DNA. Loving and building relationships with others wasn't hard either it's one of my favorite things to do. The hard part for me was loving me and allowing myself to be loved by others.

I wrote before how I struggled with being obedient to God and his plan for my life. For me I see those around me getting into relationships, settling down, and starting the next chapter of their story. I desire to have all these things yet I'm not obedient to God and allowing him to open my heart to such experiences. I find myself shutting doors before I ever fully give them the opportunity to open and develop because of past experiences in my life.

"We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it." - Pastor Rick Warren

Allowing my past to dictate me puts a barrier between me and God and me and my future. It hinders my ability to open my heart to the love of others and be fully immersed in the relationships I build. Learning to let go has been one of the biggest struggles for me personally. I love being in control and taking lead of many of life's challenges. Coming to know God though is knowing that you are no longer in control that He has it now. He shows me daily that I am loved for so many more reasons than I knew, he shows me that he cares, and he shows me that good things are coming.

I am challenged
I am inspired
I am motivated

By the words God wrote for us. I know that today I may feel I failed. Tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity to be  obedient, passionate in my pursuit, and intentional with my actions because I am LOVED.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

XO,
  M.K.M

Defeated, Depleted, and Discouraged.

"God you pursue me with power and glory. Unstoppable love that never ends"


I struggle daily with the urge to compare myself with those around me. I believe many can relate to such a struggle and pain to feel that you are not worthy or comparable enough.  For months I have been diving into the word, getting more connected with my church, and learning to create time for myself and with God. These past few weeks though was a test to all my work.
There is part of me that wants to say I have failed the past few months then there is the other part of me that says if I was going through this same type of a situation months of go I would have cried woe is me and sought out the pity of others.

I believe our relationship with God is like a garden we have to tend and put work into our garden to be able to see the fruit of our work. We most sow seeds to see growth in our own garden and realize someone will always "have it better than we do," but if we can learn to look at our own gardens for the beauty they hold we will find contentment and peace more abundantly where we grow.
The past couple of weeks I have found myself stumbling in my obedience to God. I allowed the enemy to walk in and have a hand at my attitude and out look towards others when I should have been focused on other things. I allowed him to make me doubt my path and future all because I was focusing on the things happening in others lives at the moment instead of focused on the things God was doing right in my own garden.

I have found myself feeling defeated because I look at the girls around me and see they have found a man that pursues them daily and loves them unconditionally. They take the most beautiful trips. They seem to have their lives figured out. CONT.  BELOW:

//This week in particular I share the joy in the fact that my little sister, best friend, and one of my biggest inspirations got engaged to the love of her life. She has found the one she wishes to spend the rest of her life with. With the engagement comes the monotonous small talk of congratulations from others and what I would consider the most tacky of questions, "Is it weird that your little sister is getting married before you are?" If you all must know until this moment I had never thought twice about it. There was always a part of me that knew my younger sister would get married before me she has always had a more family focused future where mine had been geared more towards school and career. As I sat and had more and more people start to ask me that question I started to question myself and where I was in life. And for what purpose? I was allowing others and the enemy to affect me in a way that I feel took away from some of the excitement for my sister and her next great chapter. I allowed myself to put the blame of others on my upset when I had brought it upon myself by not staying focused and being reminded that God has a plan for me I need only be still and He shall reveal to me.//

CONT.:
When in reality I gave my life to someone who continues to pursue me daily no matter how I look, no matter how bad I mess up, or no matter how defeated I feel. I allowed myself to be consumed by issues that are momentary and superficial. I forgot what the bigger purpose was here and that's to serve a God who's graces are more than we can ever understand. To serve a God who sent his only son so that you and I could sit here today and write a post like this and talk about a man like that. This season of life is just that, a season and as we know seasons are constantly changing and different than the last. Moving forward I hold on to the fact that I put my joy and faith into the love God has for me. I find myself realizing I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be according to Gods plan and that through prayer, worship, and His word it will only be revealed more and more to me I need only be obedient.

Psalm 63:1 “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water"
XO,
   M.K.M