Monday, April 22, 2013

On God's Perfect Timing

Happy Monday lovelies! This post was supposed to go up Friday but I forgot to publish before I headed out of town! Ha! Sparkle Friday will be happening each Friday from now on, but I decided to work on this post, since we just celebrated our five year wedding anniversary, and I wanted to talk about God's perfect timing. So much happened last week that has caused me to reflect on this even more than I have been lately. The tragic events in Boston and now, the tragic event in West Texas. It's so hard to comprehend the bad things that happen, but at the same time, I try to remember that everything happens for a reason. Jesus Calling has been spot on, as always, this week. I feel so blessed to have this daily devotion in my life. Honestly, I feel like so much was missing before I was told about it. The devotion from April 16th has really had an impact on me. I have read and reread it numerous times. I posted it on Insta and it seems to have made an impact on so many others' as well which I love.


This is the devotion from Jesus Calling, April 16th: 

I am calling you to a life of thankfulness. I want all your moments to be punctuated with thanksgiving. The basis for gratitude is My sovereignty. I am the Creator and Controller of the universe. Heaven and earth are filled with My glorified presence. 

When you criticize or complain, you are acting as if you think you could run the world better than I do. From your limited human perspective, it may look as if I am mismanaging things. But you don't know what I know or see what I see. If I pulled back the curtain to allow you to view the heavenly realms, you would understand much more. However, I have designed you to live by faith, not by sight. I lovingly shield you from knowing the future or seeing into the spirit world. Acknowledge my sovereignty by giving thanks in all circumstances. 

Pretty darn powerful, right? It has totally made me think of so much, this week. Because of our anniversary, I have been thinking a lot about my life and the past ten years. If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be married with two children (and finished having children at that) before I was 30, I would have been shocked. I can still remember graduating from college and thinking "okay...what now? Where do I go from here?" That's the part that no one tells you about. You graduate and then you have to figure it all out! I decided I was burnt out from my major (television production and broadcast journalism) and wanted to do something else. I had no idea what... I took a huge leap one day and decided I was moving back to Houston and left a week later. No job and I found an apartment online.  So random, yet so neat at the same time. I moved a lot as a kid and honestly I have no fear of moving. I enjoy it and like going somewhere new. I struggle to stay someplace longer than a few years! Ha! Always ready for a new adventure! Anywho, I got a job selling advertising after I moved there. I loved it and saw myself going so far with that company. I thought I was meant to be career driven for awhile and was not looking to be in a relationship. Then, I was set up with my now hubs. Life happens when you are busy making plans, right?! We ended up falling in love (duh!) and getting engaged and then married...all within about a year and a half's time. We had kinda gone back and forth about when we would/should start having babes. My hubs is a tad older, so we figured, a couple years, max was the plan, but obviously if it happened sooner, we were totally ready! Well, low and behold, one month after getting married, I found out I was prego with Teddy. Such a blessing. I couldn't imagine our life any different. We knew we wanted babes pretty close together, so Reagan came 2.5 years later. We had planned that after two, we would be finished and that was pretty much set...but, I always thought we could possibly have another down the line, somehow. Then I had a yearly ob visit which changed everything. This made me think of God's timing so much. Through all my worry and stress up until my surgery, I couldn't help but think "I have TWO healthy, beautiful and perfect children." Everything happened for a reason. Teddy, Reagan. They both came exactly when they were supposed to. I couldn't be more thankful and blessed with God's timing when thinking about them. I always say they are the best thing I have ever done and it couldn't be more true. I guess where I am going with this is, I feel like God's timing is always perfect. In time it all seems to make sense. I thought I would never find a husband...I mean, I know some single ladies can relate! Then, he just kind of dropped into my life and just like that, everything changed. We have been through a lot together. I could not imagine spending my life with anyone else. It is true that we were meant for each other. Five years of marriage has flown by! So much has happened, good, bad, amazing, tragic. We've weathered it together. I couldn't be more blessed with who God chose for me and even more so, who God chose to be Teddy and Reagan's father. We are all very blessed and lucky that he is ours. This devotion has made me think though of how much I complain on a regular basis. Lets face it, with two toddlers, some weeks are better than others. Ha! It's always a nice reminder to know that HE is looking out for us and has our lives all planned out. I look back on so may parts of my life where I have questioned and wondered why things were happening or weren't happening and reading this devotional from April 16 (and really most days) reminds me to have hope in His timing because it's always perfect. I'm so thankful and so blessed. 


Feeling very blessed to have had a great weekend reconnecting with my hubs. It's so nice and necessary to be able to have these weekends every once in awhile. Hope you have a very happy Monday!

xoxo,
Ashley

12 comments:

  1. beautiful. i loved reading this and learning more about your story... your images are truly a source of happiness, energy, and positivity throughout my busy days.

    happy, happy anniversary!! xoxo

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  2. love love love and found myself asking why I have not been following your blog?!?
    I love learning more about your story!

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  3. I saw one of your pictures on Instagram and clicked on the link to your blog...and I'm so glad I did!

    I'm graduating from college in two weeks and have no idea what to do next, and after several failed relationships, I feel like I will never find a husband...your post was spot on. Thank you, for being honest and for speaking truth through your blog. God has such a sweet way of showing encouragement, and today He used your blog post to majorly encourage me. Thank you for posting--and for the hope and encouragement that your blog offers.

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    1. Wow! Your comment brought tears to my eyes! I am so glad that you ended up here! I am so happy and honored that I encouraged you!!! Graduating from college is such a life changer and feeling like you will never find a husband! I think we have all been there! I will pray for you!! Can you email me at ash@littlepresidentsdesign.com ? I would really like to get your address so I can send you a little happy gift! :) xoxoxo

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  4. Your story is so meaningful to me. I experienced kind of the same story. I was not looking for Mr. Right and, and there he appeared on a "Blind Date." We married a year later, and our next job was to have a baby. I had my little girl a year later. So blessed!!! We also wanted our kids close together, but we tried for several years with repeated miscarriages. The doctors told me that I was putting my life at risk if I tried again. I felt so devastated!! I turned to God to please help me with this situation. It is still hard at times especially when all my friends are still having babies, but I feel blessed at the same time b/c so many women cannot have any children. Thank you for your beautiful post!! I feel like I am not alone. I am glad we met on IG and that I found your blog.

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    1. Rachel-I love to hear your story as well! So similar to mine!!! I'm so glad that mine touched you too. Will definitely be praying for you! So glad we met on Insta as well!!! xoxoxo

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  5. Ashley I am so glad I finally came over and checked out your blog via Instagram. I've been dealing with some personal turmoil over my life "plan" as of late. We have a fabulous 5 year old girl and we've wanted more, but after a horrible ectopic pregnancy that almost took my life in 09 we've struggled with having another baby. But that 09 incident is also what made me start my design biz, so in many ways I'm thankful for what happened. However, I'm again feeling depressed about not having a second child and sad for our kiddo who now really, really wants a sibling. It's a hard thing to deal with. Your post reminded me that it's really out my hands and that there is another plan for me. Thank you for sharing your story. It helped.

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  6. Hi Ashley, it is Kim from the nurtured home on Instagram:) This is such a beautiful post. I am a little older than you but it rings so true. I look back on so much in my life that did not make sense and now it all does. You might not know our story but God had a huge plan in my life for us to adopt our daughter after two sons. HE knew along what HE was doing. Your family is beautiful and I love your ever present joyous smile. You are blessed.

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  7. Awww.. What a sweet story! Those kids of yours are so adorable- definitely part of Gods plan :)

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