Becoming Analise

In comparison with the other “Becoming” blogs, this one will be short and sweet!   The heart of the “Becoming” blog entries was to look at the three key elements of how we become who we are: God, outside circumstances, and personal choices.   When I started writing this blog, I wanted to write entries about being a woman devoted to the Lord, and more specifically being a woman devoted to the Lord in her different roles, such as a wife and mother. The afterthought of parts 1-4 is this: Who we become affects a lot of other people. God did not create us for selfish purposes. He created us for Himself, and part of our purpose on the earth is to serve Him by loving and serving others. When I think about the personal choices I make to either pursue or neglect my relationship with God, my thoughts are weighed down by the fact that I do not live in an isolated bubble. I am a wife to Patrick. I am a mom to Riley Grace. I am a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter, teacher, employee, memb

Psalm 40:8 – “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” Oh, that every choice we made showed evidence of this verse within our hearts!   If you are anything like me, this verse may not be indicator of every personal choice we make from day to day.   Some days, my heart is completely (or almost completely) in tune with the Lord, and I really do delight to do His will. Those are the days that I am not angry when the alarm clock sounds because I desire to be in the Word in the early morning hours. Those are the days that my heart is inclined to pray for my husband if my feelings are hurt rather than “give him what he deserves” … .(as if that is my place or my judgment call anyways!) Then, there are other days where the last thing I want to do is His will. I want to do my “own thing”. I want to be lazy and sleep a few extra minutes instead of spend time in God’s Word. I want to say that cutting, critical remark to my husband instead of holding my tongue and