Lord for Your Glory

             Ever since we opened our office in 2009 we have had the same UPS delivery driver. He comes in almost everyday at about 1pm to make a delivery. At first it was a simple "Hi/Bye" conversation between the two of us but since then we have talked more about his kids, about my pregnancy, where he goes to church, where I go to church, etc. Yesterday he came in and I asked him if he was tired from Tuesday night's storms and he shared a story with me...A few years ago when the tornado hit Union University he was in Union's parking lot fixing to make a delivery. He looked up saw how bad it was and started to get out of his truck to run into married housing. Before he could make it out of his truck the tornado picked up his truck slamming it down on its nose then picked it up a second time and spun it around and slammed it on its nose again. His elbows and back went through the windshield. He said then everything was quiet and dark. The next noise he would hear were the ambulance, police and firetruck sirens approaching Union's campus. He walked away completely ok. He told me he didn't know why God chose to save Him but from that moment he knew that he would share this story to give God the glory in hopes of growing His Kingdom.

         I was touched by his story, amazed that he walked away ok, and astonished that he still drives a UPS truck ( I think I would be traumatized to ever get in one again) ha! The words he said made me think...do I use the blessings that God so generously pours out on me for His Glory? The success of our business, the happy marriage that I am apart of, this baby that is coming so soon, the healing of my dad, as you can see this list is endless. My blessings or stories may not be as intriguing and exciting as the UPS drivers but they are real and they have been poured out on me even though I don't deserve them.

         My prayer this morning has been to use it all, to use the exciting stories, to use the ever so small, to use the astonishing, to use all the blessings that have been given to me for God's Glory.

13

                13 years ago alot happened. I started highschool, my brothers 4-wheeler got stolen (they were devestated), the movie THE TITANIC came out, I knew then that I would be going to college at Pepperdine in Malibu, CA (didn't happen), I got a phone call that changed my life, and I kissed a boy that turned my world upside down. 13 years ago...1998 it seems like a world away and then it seems as if it were only yesterday.



              On March 27, 1998 my parents yelled upstairs "Brooke you have a phone call." On the other end of that phone was a boy, Brian Pearson. We had talked a couple of times at school but really not a whole lot. As I talked to him that night my stomach was doing dances and to think today that we have a baby inside my stomach doing dances...who would have thought? This past Sunday was March 27 and as I wrote my check out at church and dated it I realized it has been 13 years. Wow!


            On April 4, 1998 we went to see THE TITANIC it was our first date the movie lasted 3 hours and everyone talked about how long it was but me I was wishing it would've lasted a little longer. He was the highschool quarterback, played basketball, baseball everyone in highschool knew him. I couldn't believe that he was interested in me.

          I remember our 1st kiss was at Ashley Warren's parents house in the playroom. It was my first kiss and it was wet and sloppy and nothing like I thought. Since then our kisses have vastly improved but to this day I remember that kiss as if it happened last night.

     I can remember praying to God asking Him to please let me marry Brian Pearson. We had some bumps along the way but in the end we did marry and I can't say thank you to God enough. Thank you for the blessing of a husband that is a true spiritual leader, thank  you for letting me marry my best friend and thank you for now expanding our family.

     13...thankful for 13 years with my best friend and love of my life!

Blessings, Gifts and Talents!

      She has been blessed with many talents but most would argue that cooking is the best of these. She doesn't reserve her talents for herself instead she shares with everyone and anyone who is hurting or anyone that she loves.  When my dad was hospitalized for a month she brought multiple wonderful meals to my parents and get this...every single day she brought fresh coffee to the hospital. She doesn't do this because she has more free time than you or me, she doesn't do this to receive something in return. She does this because she is thankful for the gifts that God has blessed her with and the way she says thank you, the way that Jesus lives through her is by the sharing of her talents.

     A couple of weeks ago I was at home sick with a viral infection I got an inbox message on facebook saying "I am bringing miracle soup to your house I will leave it on the front porch."  The soup tasted awesome (especially to my sore throat) but the miracle wasn't in the soup itself. The miracle was in the hands that prepared it, the serving heart that brought it by out of the blue.


      Her name is Margaret Morrison and if you know her you have probably tasted some wonderful delicacy that she has made. Either a cake ball, soup, her salmon...truly this list is endless. I have loved everything she has made but even more than the taste I have loved the reminder that she gives to me and to so many others. The reminder to be thankful for the gifts and talents that we have been blessed with and to use them to the Glory of God and to bless others. Thank you Margaret for the willingness to bless others with your talents!

The Depth's of His Love

      For anyone that knows Brian at all one thing that can be said without argument is that he Hates to go shopping. If given a choice he would choose almost anything over shopping. That is why this weekend was so surprising and sweet to me. This past weekend we went to Chicago for the mid-winter dental meeting. Brian had classes to take on Friday and Saturday so Thursday was just a fun day for the two of us. After we ate lunch we went for a little shopping. We went into a department store and as soon as we walked in we were greeted with a very large shoe department. This of course stopped me in my tracks and I stayed occupied in this department for the next 30 or so minutes. When I got done in shoes I noticed that Brian had wandered off so I went to look for him. I figured I would find him sitting in a chair playing on his phone but I was wrong. I found him in the baby girls department with several outfits that he had found for our little girl. I almost started crying on spot...partly out of shock, partly out of messed up hormones, and partly b/c I thought maybe someone had stolen my husband and switched bodies with him. When he looked up at me he grinned and said "Come here I want your opinion on these" I am telling you now it wouldn't have mattered if it were the ugliest outfit in the world at this point because the gesture was so genuine and so sweet.


      While walking to dinner that night I still had a grin on my face. I was smiling because I couldn't help but think how lucky this little girl is to have a father that loves her so much he would do the thing he hates the most to show his love for her. Then I was struck with an even more powerful thought...the love Brian has for this girl it can be described by stories like this or by sweet things that he says but the love that our Heavenly Father has for this little girl and for you and for me...well that love is so Big, it is so Deep that the smartest of minds cannot begin to comprehend the depths. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father that's love runs so deep I cannot see where it begins or where it ends. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father that loves me just as I am. His love is Big, it is Merciful, it is Deep and I pray that I will appreciate the love that my Heavenly Father has for me a little more everyday.

A Lesson From Cookie

     Her name is Cookie. She stands tall at 4ft11inches. She wears a cap on her unkept head of hair and she always wears the same pink Tinkerbell sweatshirt. Her pants are too long and they are rolled up 4 or 5 times. When she smiles her teeth are far from perfect. Some teeth are missing and most are crooked. But when she smiles it is the most contagious smile. You can't help but smile back at her. She can be found at the Rifa Soup Kitchen on any given day eating lunch and talking to the others that frequent there. Everyday they have a devotional before lunch and it is optional for anyone interested in attending. She never misses a devotional. After she eats her meal she always sticks around to help sweep the floors or wipe down tables. This is her way of saying "thanks" for the meal. 

   A few weeks ago I was working at the soup kitchen and I got there early enough to attend the devotional. I was so touched to hear a testimony from a man who eats there often. I got to hear  others tell of things they were struggling with and ask for prayers. We were all able to pray together and this was truly such an uplifting boost to my day. At the end of the devotional Cookie walked up to the podium (which was as tall as her) and she began to sing the most beautiful song. The voice that came from this petite woman was truly incredible. I had chills and I was convicted. Before this day I had always viewed Cookie as a woman small in stature, unemployed, unkept. I let my human eyes take over and on this day I was able to see a glimpse of Cookie the way God sees her. Beautiful, Radiant, and she has a HUGE job...a job to minister and witness to the people that she encounters everyday.

   I left the soup kitchen that day feeling guilty for the judgement I had passed on this lady. I am reminded once again today that God uses all people and he doesn't view beauty or importance the way that I do. I am humbled by this lesson and I pray that everyday I will open my eyes more to see like Jesus sees and to love like Jesus loves.

Prayerful Marriage

      When Brian and I were engaged we took a class called His Needs, Her Needs. We walked away from this class with tons of lessons and ideas that we wanted to implement in our own marriage. One of the biggest things that this class reiterates over and over is prayer time together as a couple. Several times while dating we prayed together but it was sporadic at best. During this class we committed to each other to do this together as often as we could.

       Praying together brought on a new level of intimacy, it allowed me to know Brian and Brian to know me in a way that we hadn't in the 7 years we dated. It gave me a confidence in our relationship that I really cannot describe. As life went on we got married, lived in Memphis, I worked 60 hours a week and Brian was studying when he wasn't in school. The time that we made for each other was less about prayer and more about date nights, time with friends and so on. We prayed on occasion with each other especially if we had a big decision but for the most part my prayers were mine and Brian's prayers were his. We moved to Jackson almost 2 years ago and shortly after my dad got sick. This definitely brought us to our knees. We found each other praying together, crying out together for healing for understanding and at this time I felt that we as a unit were closer to God.

       Since then we have kept the routine of praying together as a couple. Prayers of rejoicing, concerns and just to proclaim the love that we share for our heavenly Father. During our time of prayer we have prayed concerns that we might not otherwise talk about, we thank God for things that we thought the other didn't even notice. I have gotten to hear my husband pray the most precious prayers for this unborn little girl and I can promise you that prayer never gets old.

      I say all this to say that date nights, quality time, communication they are all so important in a marriage but I am here saying that our marriage is at its best when we are praying to our heavenly Father together. It is a definite positive and I am so thankful that we were taught at a young age how wonderful it is.

In the Blink of an Eye

        It was one year ago today. Our good friends, Nick and Kristin, got a phone call that forever changed their lives. It was a phone call that has burned February 3rd in their hearts for the rest of their days. One minute it was their usual Wednesday, Nick at work and Kristin at school and in the blink of an eye their world was rocked and the days to follow would be the hardest of their entire life.

      I was here at work when Kristin called to tell me the horrific news. Nick's brother, Matthew, was stationed in Germany and while doing a practice run in a helicopter he and 2 other soldiers were killed. The helicopter had crashed and just a few hours later those that loved Matthew the most experienced a crash of their own. True devastation, true heartbreak  and true confusion.

   There is a facebook page dedicated to Matthew's memory and yesterday his mother wrote this "Thursday, Feb.3, Matt will be gone a year. How can that be, it seems like it just happened today. I can still see those two soldiers, at my door. Matt will ever be a treasure, I hold so dear. Some memories bring laughter and some bring a tear. He will forever be in my heart."


   It was a normal day. A boring Wednesday full of all the routine things we do on Wednesdays. Hitting snooze, hitting snooze again, getting up, getting dressed, driving to work. Only this Wednesday went from a normal Wednesday to a day full of awful news, devestating emotions and a sense of "how can this be?" It can happen in the blink of an eye. Life. It is not promised and it changes faster than we can imagine.

  Today I ask that you pray for the Clark's. Pray for peace, comfort and understanding. I also ask that we all open our eyes to see the blessings that surround us. Hug those that we love tighter, say I love you more and take none of the gifts we have been given for granted. It can all change in the blink of an eye.