Best Husband Ever

Ya'll I have to tell you my husband, is the best one ever. I know I've talked about him on here before, but I just can't resist from posting again.

He is supportive of doing what I want to do, all the time. Not just with joining the Navy. We watch the shows I want to watch. We are eating healthy this month to ensure I am ready for basic training and even when I'm not there he chose to have a salad with his work buddies instead of something else. (I on the other had eat spoonfuls of peanut butter when I'm alone.) The past couple of weekends we went hiking and used our new off-brand camel-bak backpacks. Hopefully hiking can be a new healthy hobby for us.

He spoils me. He posted the other day about how I had never filled my car up with gas. It's true. We got it in December and until just after he posted that, I had never filled it up.

He makes me laugh. I know that sounds generic, but he is funny. For instance, he took my phone (when I wasn't around) and took a picture of himself making a funny face and put that as his picture when he calls me. Now every time he calls his funny face pops up and I answer the phone laughing. Genius, I tell you.

He loves our dogs. I know he is supposed to and I know it will make my heart melt 100+ more times when it's our (future) baby that he is loving, but I love that he loves animals.

He hugs me. It's that "everything will be alright" hug. Pulls my heartstrings and calms me down every time.

He always shares his candy with me. (That's love folks!) Yes we are eating healthy and still eating candy. We can do that right?

He loves me. I can feel it. I can see it. I can hear it.

I am so blessed to have him as my husband. This year has been the best one yet. I'm over the moon in love with him.

We are a team. We have each others back. I know that the rest of this year is going to be a bit crazy for us. I do ask that you keep us in your prayers as we will be apart. You can never have too much support and I am asking for yours.

I love you.
Audra

Trust

It's been awhile since I gave an update. I have been debating on what to say or if I should say anything, but here goes.
Tomorrow morning I am heading with one of the recruiters over to New Orleans. I will be going through the screening process and swearing into the Navy on Tuesday. I am so excited! I also have little moments where my heart beats really fast and I have no idea what I am about to do. Then I take a deep breath and think on what my pastor has been saying for the past month about trusting God. More importantly I think on who God says I am in Him.
You see, I can't do this on my own. I'm not one of those strong willed women who think I can do anything a man can do. That's not who I am. I do know though that I can do anything God says I can. He didn't say it would be easy, in fact he says the opposite. Isaiah 43:2 When you go through the deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through the rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 

I know I can't do this on my own. I don't want to think I can do this on my own either. I don't want to become prideful or take light of this by saying, "Oh, people join the military all the time. You grew up military, you married military. You are familiar with this." Those are comforting words to say to myself, but they make me believe in myself, not in God.

John 17:13-21 "And now I am coming to you. I have told them many things while I was with them so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not. I am not asking that you keep them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself entirely to you so they also might be entirely yours. I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father- that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

I believe God has set it up for me to do this, in this season of my life. I believe that with God, joining the military will be a catalyst. Setting into motion his work through me.

I am asking for you as a reader to be in my corner. I need to be reminded who I am in Christ. I need cheerleaders. Pray these versus over me. Philippians 1:2-6 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you I give thanks to my God. I always pray for you and I make my requests with a heart full of joy because you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. 

With Love,
Audra

Valentine

Valentines day is this week. Some love this holiday and some could care less. I am in the former group. I will shamelessly tell the world, I LOVE VALENTINES DAY!

I have heard several different stories of the origin of Valentines day. The one I like the best is this ruler guy who was in charge of some soldiers noticed that the single guys were better in battle than the married guys with families. He decided everyone would be a better fighter if no one could get married, so he made it illegal. That is where Saint Valentine comes in. He still preformed weddings in secret. Awe! Such a romantic that Valentine! Then he was killed for preforming those weddings...yikes.

I like what Valentines day represents (war and murder!). It's not the chocolate or the flowers. We have the freedom to love and get married in public. On Valentines day we celebrate that we get to love out loud!

Also, a reminder ladies, Valentines is not all about you. It's about expressing your love, appreciation, and respect. Send your man a sexy little text. Rent the movie that he wants to see. Write a note on his mirror or leave a sticky note on the steering wheel for him before he goes to work. Don't wait for him to call up someone to watch the kids, be proactive! Do something for him that lets him know you think he is really something great.

Yes, those things can and should be done all year! If you haven't been loving out loud then start now. You have that freedom, so celebrate it!

The God of Angel Armies is Always by My Side

I heard this song on the way to work today and I was so encouraged. I had to look up the story behind the song.
The video player is too small for the actual song but I hope you will go take a listen and be encouraged like I was. I just have it playing on repeat and am having my own praise session going on over here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOkImV2cJDg

Guard My Heart and Mind

I have had nightmares the last two nights. I don't often have nightmares and to have them two nights in a row has me thinking. I don't know if I am under a spiritual attack or if they are a sign or if I am just anxious.

Last night my nightmare started off with me and my parents going to take the ASVAB together. They felt the need to take it to compare themselves to me. I just remember feeling inadequate in comparison to them. Somehow I end up on a train in Japan trying to call my mom to tell her I wouldn't be able to take the test. I couldn't call her though, my phone was out of minutes. I was desperate to get in touch with her and couldn't. I wasn't even able to use a credit card to pay to talk to her. The train was moving fast and I had to make a decision to get off or stay on. I get off. I get out and everyone is looking at this cloud approaching. It turns into a tornado and everyone runs in panic to find shelter. I am left all alone. All of a sudden this American girl drives up and spins her car in front of me and the passenger side opens to me and she yells at me to get in. I do. We drive off in this storm with hail and debris all around us, she has a phone and yells for me to call my mom. Then I wake up. 

Tonight I dreamt I was working at a secure military facility. There is a guy that walks in and I recognize him. I don't know him personally but I see he is evil and nervous. Then a team of these terrorist walk in and I try to alert everyone we are under attack. It is too late. They have this other girl and dismember her and sew aircraft wings onto her back. I am being held down and watching this then I pass in and out of consciousness and they are doing the same thing to me. When I wake up I have these large B2 stealth bomber wings on my back. Then I wake up, sweating. 

I have looked up certain key pieces from these dreams. Tornado is expressing chaos or being overwhelmed.  Being in a foreign country means something unfamiliar like a change in routine or a job.  To dream of being attacked indicates that my character is being questioned, I feel the need to defend myself, or that I may be facing difficult changes in real life. Being dismembered means removing parts of your life that you have trouble with, or are struggling with new changes. 

All of these make sense to me, but they seem so violent. That is what makes me think it could be a spiritual attack. I have heard that once you start an action moving towards what God wants you to do, forces of evil will try and stop you. 

I know that I truly am scared for these changes that are about to happen. It's the fear of the unknown. The fear of serving during this time with everything going on in our country. The fear that our nation is turing evil and I will be forced obey orders that go against what God says. The fear of being separated from my husband. 

I truly feel this is something I am supposed to do. I have this picture that I will be able to help people in third world countries through military volunteer opportunities. I ideally want to be a dental assistant, it all depends on my ASVAB score and the needs of the Navy. I have this vision where I get to assist with cleft palate operations and other dental facial surgeries. I bring joy and love and hope with me to a hopeless people. 

Once I woke up from my nightmare I began to pray for peace of mind. I sent my mom a text message about the dreams and she replied with a prayer. I turned on my praise music and looked up Bible verses on peace. 

Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 55:12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees will clap their hands.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give peace as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

I serve a BIG God. Bigger than my fears, bigger than any evil spirits, bigger than doubt.

Lord I pray to be lost in You. Let me pray continually. Bring peace of mind to me. May Your peace guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Thank You for the work You are doing in me. Thank You for the work that You will allow to be done through me. Let me be invisible so that all that is visible is You. 

Prayers Answered and Prayers Needed

Hey Guys! Guess What!? I have a positive answer to prayer about joining the military. I get to go ahead and sign up here and go through DEP (delayed entry program, that is 6 months) here, AND I get to move when scheduled WITH James and then leave for boot camp from our new place. I was pretty worried that I might have to stay behind or go right before and then not know our new address and not have anyway to send or receive letters from James and that made me scared and sad and have a slight panic attack.
Another cool thing, when I swear in, James should be able to do that. That means so much to me and is so cool that my husband can do that with/for me.

Here is where I would still appreciate any prayers, encouragement, and positive feedback. I am going to take the ASVAB on February 1st. I'm pretty stressed, not gonna lie. It has been nearly 10 years since I had an algebra class. The most important parts of the exam are English and Math. The highest a person can score for the Navy is a 99, and a minimum of 50. I got a 57 on the practice test ya'll. I'm pretty embarrassed about that. They said that the practice test scores lower than the actual test, but I think they were just trying to make me feel good and join ASAP so they get their numbers or whatever.

After I take the  ASVAB I will be going to New Orleans to have a full day of paperwork and swearing in and anything else they need. I have already done the background check online and let me tell you, that was a JOB. There is a reason you join after high school. You have no history yet. In the past ten years I have moved 9 times! I have had so many jobs, they go all the way back to high school for that too. They also needed info on my husband, my parents, my brothers, and my in-laws. It just seems a bit excessive.

The other thing I need prayers and encouragement is my weight. I technically need to lose 11 pounds. I feel like she measured me tall though, so I may need to lose more. I want to lose 15 pounds to allow that leeway in case I'm actually shorter. I feel great right now. I'm a size 12. I'm more confident than the last time I was a 12. I don't feel fat, I feel normal. Therefore, I have lost my drive. The fact is I still NEED to lose weight. I just need some motivation.

That is what is going on. I'm excited, scared, nervous, happy, sooooo many emotions.
I love you.
Audra

Quotes I Love

A women is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. -Eleanor Roosevelt

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou

Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. -Abraham Lincoln

Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is. -Mark Twain

Not all of us can do great things. But we can all do small things with great love. -Mother Teresa

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go.  -Dr. Seuss

You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. -Walt Disney

If you can dream it, you can do it. -Walt Disney

Believe you can and you're halfway there. -Theodore Roosevelt

When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an adventure is going to happen. -Winnie the Pooh

An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties,  it means that it is going to launch you into something great. - Unknown Author

I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. -Michael Jordan

I'm not funny. What I am is brave. -Lucille Ball