Naughty things no. 2

Calais update 2010

Well we now hold the keys in our hands to a building for our soon to be meeting place for our church. Words could not describe the excitement we have. everywhere we go people are offering to help or sharing a story with us of how Gods is leading them to help in some way. It amazes me the way the Lord can conduct everything perfectly. Just the other night we had a man explain to us how he was about to move to Orrington/Bangor area just to have a calvary church to go to. (not that it is about calvary chapel) and then he heard about this movement of God. I know that the Lord has HUGE plans. Even as Josh Amy Greg and I were cleaning today we had a man stop in and stayed for 40 mins or so. He was an old friend of Josh's and who was asking all kinds of questions and said that we wanted to come to a Saturday night study some time Even though we did not leave that building and we had the doors shut just cleaning God is bringing people to this place! There is so much more to come. Hopefully I will be able to take a camera next time and post some pictures, but for now, I ask for your continued prayers for God to be softening the hearts of those to be reached there and that He would use us to share His unconditional love to a lost and dieing city.

Grace and Peace

Calais Update: November 2010

I know that I am so bad at keeping a blog but this is the only way to tell everyone about the things going on. That said, I want to let you all know the recent activity regarding this church plant.

ON October 23rd Greg and I went to look at a building in Calais.

Josh noise told us about it the previous day. It is an old restaurant and it is in an old house. We went kind of skeptical. The building would be prefect for us. We met with the owner and he filled us in on the building and the details. when you walk in there is a bar. which could be used as an information station or children's sign in area. they have 3 big rooms somewhat open to each other down stairs just past the bar. There are 2 bathrooms on that floor as well(a mens and a womens)

Upstairs there is a full bathroom, and 3 HUGE rooms they would be great for children's ministry.

there is also a kitchen as well down stairs which is great. I dont know if i told you all yet or not but Steve Brown and also our church want o support us.

We finally (trying not to get our hopes up knowing it is an industrial building, and not know how much this guy would ask for it) we asked. He said that if we wanted to rent it for Saturdays nights only, he would give it to us for only $200.00 a month!!! With that he said that if someone else came along and wanted to rent it for the full price than he would have to give us the boot but would give us a good deal of notice. He told us to rent the building monthly everyday he charges $1,400.00 Yikes! Then he told us that if WE wanted to do that he would give it to us for only $700.00 per month. I dont know why he would feel compelled to do that. Anyway we had a board meeting last night and Josh Noise was there as well, and they made a decision. Should we rent it for 200 or 700? Aaron has been praying alot so have we and he feels that right now we should just rent it for the Saturday nights to start. Then he said that if we show him we are clean and tidy and take good care of it, we may gain some favor from him and maybe even be able to knock down some walls. He said he is not calling himself a prophet but this is what he feels the Lord has told him.

We are SO excited to finally get this going. It feel like it has been so long. But the Lords timing is always best and we know that. He has brought us this building now and a great price! MCF and LCF will only have to fork out $100.00 each month which is amazing!

Greg and I plan to move there in the spring as well. Pleas keep this in your prayers? I know God is going to move in that place and we are so excited to be a part of it.

That all for now.

Necklaces

So Riley has taken to a new fancy. anything that can be put around her neck or on her neck...does. She LOVES necklaces.

Naughty things no.1

This is only one of Many I am sure I will be posting. Instead of getting mad, I have decided to just take pictures when she gets away with things behind my back. Don't get me wrong she still will be instructed and disciplined if needed but this way later when she is older I can show her how naughty she was. haha.

Do you need comfort?

This morning as I was sitting outside praying and seeking the Lord. I told God how I loved Him, but that I always have this thing inside that tries to make me believe that I am not really saved...or that I am not in the Lord's will. I feel like I am always in this place where I KNOW that God is real, I see Him working in my life and in people all around me. I see His joy. I see him create feelings and actions in people that would NEVER come naturally to us.

I can't seem to get passed this. Then as I was sharing what was in my heart to the Lord he spoke. OH HE SPOKE!!! I love how He always does. He always answers. Not matter how immature the question I have or how silly it may be, He always answers me! He loves me that much.

Do you ever really think about how staggering it is that God who made the world that we live in...FOR REAL speaks to us individually?!? Excuse me? Well that is the place I was in after I heard what He had to say. Side note: I get so frustrated that I am still thinking this way, because yes the Lord always gives me what I need to believe and to trust Him but its like "Man if I could get passed this...He could be showing me deeper things" Do you know what I mean? Do I sound like a complete immature fool??

Anyway. As I sat there The verse about faith comes to my head... Its like the Lord said to me... "Briana...what is faith?" And I pull out my "textbook" answer and say. "Well Lord, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen."

So i thought about it...it is the substance of things HOPED for. that was my revelation. To you it may sound simple. Its something we Hope for. Based off of evidence and substance. We trust and Hope. That is my faith. thats what I do everyday. I have hope and trust in Him. Hope and trust are not just things you acquire but they are based off of what you see and know. Its written in our hearts. Its written in my heart. I believe, and I hope and trust in God. period!

Then He blesses us with His still small voice. He answers our prayers. He fills our hearts with some much joy, in a joyless world. These to me are just more evidence that there is a God. One true God. He is real. AND THAT IS WHY I WORSHIP HIM.

BY the way I was reading Isaiah chapter 51. I think it is my new favorite. "The LORD comforts Zion"

Isaiah 51 :6 "Lift up your eyes to the heavens,And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But my salvation will be forever,And MY righteousness will not be abolished."

Visit to Calais September 2010

Two years and counting.

I just wanted to take the time to encourage any newly weds and also share how good the Lord really is. The first year of marriage is so full of joy but also has some very difficult times as well. I am sure you all agree...?

Greg and I recently celebrated our second anniversary!! I cant believe it has been that long. I was told by so many people that its hard when you first get married but i didn't think it would be like that for US. Ha ha! Thats funny. Here is why I thought it was challenging. You have to learn EVERYTHING about your spouse. Things that you cant learn until you are living together. I learned I can say something that is not disrespectful or hurtful or rude at all. BUT the tone that I say it in can change everything!!! I said EVERYTHING. You learn how to talk to them, what tone to say things in, how to ask certain questions with out making them feel stupid, pet peeves they may have. (ie banging your tooth brush on the side of the sink over and over and over because they dont want the water to stay in there) LOL. There are so many different things. They crack me up.

This blog is not to say all the things I learned but to let people who may be discouraged in their marriage or maybe even wanting out. First of all a marriage wont last if it is not centered on the Lord and both people are seeking Him first and filled with the Holy Spirit. With out that it will NEVER be what God intended marriage to be. It is a picture of the intimate relationship that we should all have or do have with the Lord. To know someone in every way possible. An intimate relationship no one else has to know someone body,soul, and spirit. It really is a beautiful thing.

We have been just blown away at how blessed our marriage is. We are growing so close to each other and the Lord. You begin to master each other in every way. Discovering what blesses them most and how to encourage them. The things they need to hear everyday...other than "I love you" You can read them. This all gets better over time. Why do you think all those couples who have been together for 50+ years know what they other is going to say or even what they are thinking. Oh to be devoted to your love for a life time. to be faithful and committed to them not only in your actions but in your mind. With the fear of God.

Marriage is AWESOME! I would never triad it for the world.

Thank the Lord for His grace and mercy to allow us to be blessed with such an amazing gift as men and women.

Calais Update September 2010

Our latest (for those of you who have been asking) Is that we are going to be moving to Calais in the Spring. The Lord spoke to Greg about the timing and, I asked the Lord to show me too. :) I trust Greg but I really wanted the Lord to confirm it to me too. May sound like I don't trust him but I really do. ha ha. God is always faithful to speak to us when we listen to him and humbly ask him to speak. I started going through Isaiah a while back and have kind of come and gone to it as i pleased ...sometimes i would just read a psalm or a proverb some days. Ever do that? But I asked Him to show me and then felt like He was directing me back to Isaiah( It had been a few weeks since I had read there) So I picked up where I left off. It was Isaiah 41:9-20 It starts off saying "But you Israel are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen... and all through out the rest it says, "do not fear, do not be afraid" And how God has chosen us. I didn't feel afraid when Greg told me but I have a feeling that these will comfort my heart in the future. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW CLEAR GOD SPEAKS I WOULD READ THE SECTION I TOLD YOU ABOUT. It is so amazing. At the end when I was sitting there baffled at where I "just so happened" to read,and where I "just so happened" to leave off. I was just praying things like "Lord this was written so long ago to a specific group of Your chosen people, do I apply this to my situation now?" I have The Word For Today Bible, on this specific section Chuck had a box basically saying how he wanted us to apply this to our lives today. "I want you to hear the promises of this verse as if God is speaking It to you personally right now" Thats EXACTLY what it said, and more too.

Then just last week I was remembering reading all of this and calling Greg at work in tears so blessed that the God of the universe spoke to ME because I asked Him to. I started to doubt it all. Then at church on Sunday Aaron taught about the "putting out of the fleece" Testing God... and how we are so foolish sometimes that we doubt and ask for another sign...I hope this is not too discombobulated. Any way moral of the story is that it has been confirmed that we are supposed to move in the spring.

We would SO value your prayers. there are still things that need to be worked out. like for instance...

-Job for my husband

-A place to live

You all know what it takes to uproot a family and plant them some where else.

Please pray for us. We covet your prayers.

None other than God's grace.

My husband has been saved for about 4 years now. What a man of God he turned out to be. A man who, as soon as he got saved was radical. Gave up old friends, habits and life style. I fell in love with that man. He turned our school upside down. Convicted "Christians" and inspired dwindling relationships people had with the Lord. That is the man I love. Monday night both the men and the women at MCF had a staff meeting. Greg came home an ordained man. He would never tell anyone that. Aaron said that "ordination" is just recognizing what God has already done. I am so proud of him. He is such a good leader to his family. I could not ask for more of a blessing of a husband. Just wanted to tell you how proud I am of him. :)

Joyful life ministry

Last weekend I started reading/studying the book of Philippians. This is what we are going to be doing this year at MCF womens bible study. I am learning so much. I love a focused study that you can take your time on and really think about. I am excited to see what the Lord is going to do this year. I was not able to go last year because i spent most of my time sitting and nursing an infant. But this year I get to go. :) Yay! Riley and Gregory will have a father daughter morning and Mommy will go and learn more about Jesus. I am so blessed. Life is seasonal and there is a time for everything.

-- Oh and Kay Smith is a very wise women of God, this is her book. (what we will be working through this year.)

This is what she does.

Riley is almost 13 months. I just cant believe all that babies learn in such a short amount of time. Everyone tell us to really enjoy her while she is young. "Its is going to go by too fast" they say. I try to take in every moment, when she wake in the middle of the night and wants to just be cuddled until she falls asleep again I do it with a joyful hart and LOVE every moment of it. BUT i still feel like I am missing everything! It really does go by so fast. And I LOVE being a mom, I love being her mom. I hope someday she will know just how much we love her. I hope I can tell her all the stories about her daddy playing with her and doing things most men dont with a new born baby. And he did it for me and for her.

This is the day we brought her home.

This is what she does. She climbs on everything! she says: dada, mama, duck,store,up, down,all done,yeah, ball, no, star,light,yum, night night, I am sure she says more but I cant think of it right now. Riley started walking too. She took about 6 steps last night. I remember her waking many times at night, sometimes I would get so frustrated because I thought it would always be like that. I thought I would never be done nursing, now she hardly takes a bottle. She wants to do everything herself,eating, walking,drinking,standing,and sitting.

I guess what a lot of parents don't realize is that our job as a parent is to make them independent, I mean if I still had to wipe Riley's butt at 15, I would be very concerned. I don't really know why I am writing this. I don't know if this even makes sense.

Greg and I love our baby girl. She has taught us so much about how our Lord loves and views us. His timing for her was so perfect. I am so thankful and so blessed to have the family that I do.

This is Riley now, literally like 25 minuets ago. I am so in love with this child. I pray that God would give me the grace to raise her up in Him. Knowing how it is to be a a"pastors kid" I know I NEED His wisdom and guidance in raising her. That is my prayer over her every night as she take her bottle and I get those few moments she allows for me to snuggle her. That is what I do.

Hail thou long expected Jesus

Hail, thou long expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free: From our sins and fears release us; let us find our rest in Thee. Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the saints Thou art; Long desired of every nation, Joy of every waiting heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child, and yet a king, Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all-sufficient merit Raise us to Thy glorious throne. AMEN.

Worship:The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity

I have been thinking about what it really is to worship, the title is one of many definitions I found. I really liked this one. When I came to the realization that there is only one true god (God) it created in me a spontaneous worship. Then I started discovering just how much God loves me. So much that He sent His Son, Jesus THE Christ, to die. To become sin. To pay for me so I could... so you could have a relationship with Him. Then after He died, He overcome death and went to the Right hand of God. Now He has given His Spirit. To guide us and lead us. To convict and reveal His will to mankind. This inspires me to worship. This is deity.

Butterflies

When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies.
Could you find a love in me?
Would you carve me in a tree?
Don't fill my heart with lies.
I'll love you when you're blue
but tell me darlin' true
What am I to you?

Independence Day

The Huston family 2010 (Riley's first time seeing fire works)

One of my most favorite things

SO GOES LIFE

My family has always been very close...I think that is mostly obvious to other people around us. As life moves on...things change. I am finding this is not always an easy transition. We used to get together almost every Sunday at mom and dad's for lunch and we would laugh our guts out ,play games, eat... eat... and eat again. So if anything new happened or changed it was always easy to keep people "caught up?"

These days it is not so easy. The distance between us has widened, we only see each other during major events for the most part. We are spread all over the state of Maine and its hard to remember what it is you told who last...am I making any sense?

On top of it all my family is HUGE. Huge I may say. MY sister Kelsey just got married. that makes 6 out of 7 married. SEVEN. My twin brother (the last to be married) will be wed January 1st. that makes 7 children, seven children in-laws, and 12 grand children. Add Jess and Sam
(adopted daughter and husband) Mom and Dad and you Have a grand total of..............30 people.

30 people to try and share everything new that is going on in your life with. Its hard. I hate that I cant keep up. If I tried I would be on the phone for almost the entire day...if I kept in touch with everyone. I totally understand that I myself dont get calls from each of them.

I guess we have heaven to look forward to...sigh.

Mom and Dad are planning to move and we seem to be spreading farther and farther apart. Riley knows the kids at church better that her own cousins, Aunties and Uncles. Its sad to me...

Boo hoo. So goes life.

Heres to having baby girls

We Get to play dress up

Do fountain ponies

Read girly books

Make girly noises

Buy pink flats with bows on them

They are our little princess's

I absolutely love having a daughter... I wonder what it would be like to have a boy.

Quote:

"Too much of a good thing... Is wonderful"

:)

This is what we do

We eat Sand at the beach
Swing
We go to Canada
And celebrate graduations
And eat at A&W in Canada

The other day I went for a walk and spotted a run down old building and the front yard of it was chock full of lupines! I love them... Most people dont because they grow wild here. I picked a few for my kitchen table! Can you believe these grow wild in Maine?!

The Lord is working!

Well i guess i dont have the time or energy to make this sound well written or anything but i have to tell you all that I am so amazed at how the Lord is working in Greg and I's life as of right now.

it looks like He is leading us to Calias to start a church.

We are so young and feel so inadequate but He is greater than our weakness and past failures. I am so thankful that God does not need us to do His work but He desires to use us. What an amazing truth that is!!! If you think of us please pray. Pray for guidance and sensitivity to His leading. Pray for a building and possible another couple to join us in this work. We are going to need a GOOD brother and sister to support and uphold us. And we need accountability. I feel like it is all happening so fast and I am so excited to see how the Lord wants to work in us.

My brain as of now

I have a romping headache! I just want it to be bedtime. I am exhausted due to having a 9 month old (those of you who are moms can sympathize)

Today is mothers day and as I have recently become a mom I am still used to making some cheesy card for MY mom. and dont really think about the fact that I now am participating in the celebration of being a mom. Well its official now I am a mom. Gregory blessed my heart today so much! He surprised me with a dozen roses and the most beautiful card I have ever seen. Most of them are lame and so general but this one was wonderful. I am so thankful for him.

*I did not expect anything today at all.

Greg is at church tonight I wanted to go but cant because we were out all day and Riley did not take a good nap.

The team that went to Honduras are sharing tonight I so badly wanted to go!

Also now that my sweet daughter has gotten older and to the point where she is uncertain around people she is not used to I have not been able to do anything or go anywhere with out her! I love her and dont want to leave her but can a mom just sit through one service? LOL

I am not trying to complain at all just sharing some of my thoughts.

Happy mothers day.

Random thoughts going through my head

My good friend and sister Jessica is getting married tomorrow! I still can't even believe it.

I wish her mom was here to see her beautiful daughter finally in love.

I am spending the entire weekend in Bangor with my daughter and husband and I am psyched!

I am so amazed by the goodness and long suffering of the Lord.

I read Luke 24:13-53 this morning. Seeing how Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples and gave them His Holy Spirit to be witnesses to the lost and dieing world. I need to be filled!

I get to see Kelsey for the first time in 3 months tonight.

She is getting married next month! Still can't believe that one either...

I get to see my sisters also and I am very excited.

My poor baby girl decided to cut a tooth this weekend... UNFORTUNATELY!

Bad timing Riley.

We are staying at a hotel tonight...with a hot tub...in the room...YES!

last night was the first time Riley slept through the night and the first time i got to not get up every four hours with her.

The Lord is so good.

Today Maria and I went to the beach! I t was soooo BEAUTIFUL!!! Here are some pics to share so you too can be amazed by the sky today!

Riley Jane Huston

8 Months Old

No love like this

Jasper Beach

This is what we did today. It was Riley's first time at the beach and many more to come.

Saturday Morning

Well this morning did not seem like it was going to be a very good day of rest But I was able to look forward to a drive down to Lubec with my husband and daughter to get some scaffolding what would allow for him to paint way up high. The rest of the day would be Greg doing a work day with about 4-5 guys painting the church. I was a little bummed that I was not going to be able to hang out with my family but it was not too much of a surprise. Our life is very very busy. I have almost completely forgotten what a weekend was.

This is not to complain however: the weather is apparently going to be kinda nasty and so ...he called it off!!! I was even able to have a hot bath. I am a happy girl, so blessed by my family that I love so much. There is nothing better than a hot bath with the sounds of My amazing husband playing with our baby girl. NOTHING better than that.

I am so very blessed!!!

Sweet Sweet baby

Yesterday My Baby Riley turned 8 months. I have been so blessed by God from this child.

A Broken Heart and On my Knees

1 Timothy 2:1 "EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men..."

2:8 "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

There is so much stuff going on right now in America that is so grieving to me. It seems a though our morals are declining faster and faster. It seems as though we are on a greased poll to hell. First I am mad when I hear news such as this. Then I am sad... Then I am ripping mad! Christians! This nation needs prayer. They need Jesus. The act as heathens because they are heathens. We need to have a broken heart for the lost despite the circumstances. We need to be on our knees praying for our president...for right morals...for a right fear of God. Time is short... it is dwindling as you read this blog.

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time because the days are EVIL.

Just a quote form Ken

"Conviction is there so that we know what to change in order to grow closer to Christ."

Topless Equality?? WHAT?!?!

Okay I am just needing to vent my disgust for all this crap going on right now. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?! Why do woman want to be viewed the same AS MEN!? We clearly are NOT the same and now that is made even more clear my endless marching parades through Portland and soon to be Farmington and other places! WOMEN ARE NOT NOT NOT THE SAME AS MEN, AND SHOULD NOT WANT TO BE VIEWED THE SAME AS MEN! SERIOUSLY!!!!!

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Then she had Savannah

Last week my best friend had her baby girl. It is so amazing to me how as soon as you become a mom your friendships change. Brittany and I have had so many funny memories together. We were there for each other no matter what through-out high school... Then... I had Riley. We no longer could relate on the same level. I had this amazing feeling of accomplishment from bringing life into this world and she was still home alone during the day... Then... she had Savannah. The crazy, irresponsible girls from high school turned into wives, who turned into moms. I am so blessed and thankful for such a friend as this. She will never know just how much I love her. Not living as close to each other as we once did has made my heart ache. I miss my friend. I miss having someone who knows what I would say and do in every situation that might come about. It takes YEARS to find someone like that. To build a relationship like that. We have been friends for almost a decade! I can't believe it! I love you Brit.

True Love

It is true love because
I put on eyeliner and a concerto and make pungent
observations about the great
issues of the day
Even when there's no one here but him,
And because
I do not resent watching the Green Bay Packer
Even though I am philosophically opposed to football,
And because
When he is late for dinner I know he must be either
having an affair or
lying dead in the middle of the street,
I always hope he's dead.
It's true love because
If he said quit drinking martinis but I kept drinking them
and the next morning I couldn't get out of bed,
He wouldn't tell me he told me,
And because
He is willing to wear unironed undershorts
Out of respect for the fact that I am philosophically
opposed to ironing,
And because
If his mother was drowning and I was drowning and he
had to choose one of
us to save,
He says he'd save me.
When he went to San Francisco on business while I
had to stay home with the painters and the
exterminator and the baby who was getting the chicken pox,
He understood why I hated him,
And because
When I said that playing the stock market was
juvenile and irresponsible and then the stock I
wouldn't let him buy went up twenty-six points,
I understood why he hated me,
And because
Despite cigarette cough, tooth decay, acid
indigestion, dandruff, and other features of
married life that tend to dampen the fires of passion
We still feel something
We can call
True love.

-Judith Viorst

Today for the first time I heard the voice of A little person that I created say my name. It may sound unimportant, But words can not describe the feeling of accomplishment to see such a person, who in short was inside of me only 8 months ago, say "Ma ma"

It is astounding to me that God has allowed and trusted me to a life. I am honored. I am broken. I am blessed.