Alayna's Adventures

Do you feel like you should be conquering the world for Jesus, and instead you are cowering in a hole feeling defeated by life?  I do sometimes.   I know a few things as a Christ follower.  I know that the battle is already won.  I know that Jesus did for me what I could not do for myself - He defeated my sin, bought me back from the grave, and has a spot for me in heaven.  I know that I'm an ambassador for Christ to bring His message to a lost and waiting world.  I am more than a conquerer.   So why then would I be hiding from life and feeling defeated?   I think many things are a matter of our focus in life.   Do you ever stop to think where your focus is? I can tell you where my focus is, where my mind and thoughts are.  My mind is on the day to day, the little problems, the messy rooms and the misbehaving kids.  It's focused on the fact that I'm not consistent with my quiet times, I don't pray as much as I'd like, and ...

A child smoking marijuana by age 8.  By age 12, she is a high school drop out doing hard drugs who becomes a prostitute by age 14, trained and ushered in by her own mother.  By age 24, she was convicted of killing two people - with a pickax.  A young woman sentenced to live on death row and die of lethal injection administered by the state of Texas. A young woman swallowed up by the pain of dysfunction and infidelity at home.  Lost in a world of disordered eating, obsessive exercise, and self harm.   A teenage girl who lost her virginity to her boyfriend at 14 years old.  Scarred by the heartache of broken intimate relationships and misplaced self worth, she is thrown into a world of eating disorders, heavy drinking and egregious sexual choices into her early 20s. These are real life stories.  A true story from a book I recently read.  A friend's story.  Stories of destruction and loss.  Stories of unhealthy rela...

It’s almost Easter.   One of my favorite parts of the Easter narrative is the story about Lazarus.   He is one interesting character.   His claim to fame may just be that he died – twice.   Crazy, I know!   There is of course a back story here, and it can be found in the Bible, in John 11.   Go ahead and read it – it’s an amazing story with quite possibly one of the most amazing miracles that Jesus performed.   I always love this miracle for what it evokes in my own life and mind.   First, let me retell the story… Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, who lives with his sisters Mary and Martha, is sick.  His sisters send word to Jesus that Lazarus is sick and at death's door.  While the message is still in transit to reach Jesus who is staying a day’s travel away, (remember no email, cell phones, or carrier pigeons) Lazarus dies.  His family is in mourning.   They readied his body for burial by wrapping him in graveclothes, and they ...

As a blogger, I struggle sometimes wondering why anyone would ever want to read what I write.  There are so many bloggers out in the blogosphere and I don't feel as though I am as (insert adjective here) as most of them. Not as deep and poignant as this blogger, not as funny and witty as that one, not as holy and wise as that chick, and not as heartfelt and raw as that other blogger.  I'm not fishing for compliments, but, instead, letting you in on one of my biggest insecurities.  I am intimidated by other bloggers.  I'm insecure about what I have to say.  Sometimes, I'm scared to write.  Scared that it won't be received well, or won't be received at all.  That no one will see what I write, no one will care, and no one will be moved and changed.  Even blogging for Deliberate Women, talk about intimidating, right?!?  I'm not Beth Moore or Elizabeth George or Joni Eareckson Tada.  What do I know about God?  How can I s...

Swanky, classy, and... shocking. Three descriptive words that summed up my night at the South Hills Pregnancy Resource Center Dinner on Thursday, November 8, 2012.  My friend, Amanda, and I and over 800 other people attended the banquet at the East Club at Heinz Field.  With a spectacular view of the city and a spectacular view of an empty Heinz football field, it was a gorgeous setting and a night to remember.   Completely empty Heinz Field The Sparks While The Sparks , a local Christian band, played, people milled about before the night's program started.  As far as I was concerned, this night would be pretty memorable, as the guest speaker was none other than Abby Johnson, the Texas Planned Parenthood clinic manager turned pro-life advocate.  She also happened to be sitting at our table(!!), which was right next to the stage, two huge bonuses!  Dinner was great and dessert was even better, but that may be because dessert is al...

Christians and voting.  Voting Christians.  Christians who vote.  Jesus followers who vote.  Jesus lovers who love their country and vote for their elected officials.  Is it crazy?  It shouldn't be.  We have a citizenship that is not of this world (Phil 3:20), but does that mean we abdicate our current responsibilities as citizens of a country of this world?  The answer is no.  God tells us to honor our leaders as He has placed them in power over us.  In fact, God is very very specific on how we should act toward the authorities over us in Romans 13:1-7. Romans 13:1-7  Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers...

Confession time.  I'm not going to hold back, so here it it.  I have used the f-word many times in my head lately, especially in the last week.  Many.  And I used it in a text message to my husband.  Eeek.  If you know me, you know that I do not swear with any regularity.  If you knew me a long time ago, you may wonder what the big deal is.  But that's another story for another day.         In reality, it's been more than that.  I have been angry with my son.  Like, wanted to smack him across the face, angry.  I didn't, because I don't think it's right to do, but there were a few times that I really, really wanted to, and had to stop and breathe to avoid doing something stupid.  I have screamed at my children.  Like, I wonder if the neighbors have concerns about what is going on, screamed.    I almost always apologize, but that's hardly the best way to conduct myself when they dr...

Passion.  It's one of those things that not everyone has, and the ones who have it may drive you crazy with it...  Especially when they are passionate about things that you are not passionate about.   I'm passionate about marriage, babies, Jesus, young children, cloth diapers, and Mint.com.  I know, a weird list.  I'll talk your ear off about any of them, if you express the least bit of interest.  I am more reserved and shy about Jesus and marriage than I should be, but I've probably already talked your ear off about cloth diapers.  But that's not where this one is heading.  I'm passionate about babies and young children.  Like I can't watch the news without crying when it contains stories about abused or abandoned babies and babies who die at the hands of those that should have loved them.  I love the little ones who can't help themselves, and sometimes I wish I could steal away all the little ones who have been hurt and taken advantage...

There is a song lately that has been at the top of my playlist because the lyrics are just so powerful to me.  Before I reveal the song, I'll just admit that I am a Hillsong United addict.  Any song, any CD, anything that comes from them, I'm a fan.  Their worship is so energetic and yet so deep, I can't help but listen to it over and over and over again.  It feeds my soul, which is so necessary at this time in my life when I feel like my soul gets so easily neglected due to other "priorities".  The song that is heavy rotation is "Take Heart" from their Aftermath album.  I think that Hillsong United finds it to be a heartfelt song as well, as they have closed the two concerts that I attended this summer with "Take Heart".  And I certainly agree with them!  The lyrics are based on the bible of course, the title and overall theme coming from John 16:33, where Jesus says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In th...