Baby Skinner!!

Well, you guessed it. We're having a baby! I'm about 20 weeks along (half way there!!!). We've waited a while to tell so that we could each tell our family and friends personally (which has taken a while and still hasn't completely happened- but we tried!).

We had a dr. appointment and ultrasound this week and found out that it's a girl. She was moving around all over the place during the ultrasound...I couldn't stop smiling! When I told my mom that it is a girl, she said "ha ha, you're going to get a pay back!" She says that because I was a HORRIBLE teenager. I made good grades and was active in school, but I was soooo unkind to my mother. I've apologized several times for this and have many regrets about that season of life. Praise the Lord, He saved me and has shown me grace I don't deserve. I'm praying our little girl won't have such regrets and will follow in God's paths of righteousness in her teenage years. She would be saved from so much heartache and regret!

I'm SOOOOOO excited, but also aware that this little girl's life is in God's hands. I'm praying His will be done. Hopefully, that means that Josh and I will get to hold this little girl in about 4.5 months!

Josh knew that we were going to have a little girl. He figured that God would give us girls to raise because Josh feels like he doesn't relate to girls at all. But, he relates to me so well, and really doesn't give himself enough credit. I am so excited to see him become a dad! I thought I would have all boys, so this will be a stretch for me...boys seem easier to raise than girls...but that's just my own thoughts.

That's all for now. I'm pretty sleepy, partially because I had a bit of an emotional breakdown today, and partially because I'm not a night person. Luckily, Josh helped me through the breakdown, and I'm feeling a lot better now. I was feeling totally overwhelmed by all the changes going on in our lives and I let one little thing send me overboard. Thank goodness I have the excuse of pregnancy :)

Here's a picture from a few weeks back...I was about 16 weeks pregnant. Both my shirt and pants are maternity items, and I'm loving how comfortable they are.

Challenged

Well, I feel like God is asking for surrender from me (us) this year. Last year, I look back and see that God worked in some awesome ways, but I also feel like I missed out on His awesomeness. I could have prayed for more miracles in the lives of the students we minister to. I could have invested more time. I could have prayed for patience in our marriage. etc. etc.

Now, I know that "works" are not what give us favor with God. I struggle with this for sure...which can send me into extremes. I can become extremely lazy and not do any works...which is disobedience. I can also become extremely busy and do a lot of good things that aren't necessarily God things. I'm still working on a balance here... ha, there I go again, trying to work. The truth is, I need to repent and ask for God's grace in my life to surrender to him and live a sacrificial life. Afterall, that is what He calls us to do. All of us...in some way or another.

Francis Chan's book Crazy Love has really challenged me for this new year. I love this next quote:

"A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort."

Ouch...that one hurts. This year, I'm asking Jesus to change my character...right down to my core. I'm selfish and tend to think this world revolves around little ole me. What heart ache that causes and what opportunities I miss with such thinking and living!

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks, it will be opened." Matt 7:7-8