Music is a huge part of our lives. There's a song for every holiday and every occasion. The words for certain songs inspire us to run faster, work harder, or wallow in our heartbreak.  There are several songs by BeBe & CeCe Winans that trigger memories of my childhood and riding home from church on a Sunday afternoon in my parent's Ford Tempo. The music actually stimulates my senses and I remember what it felt like, the aroma of the car, and the thoughts that were going through my brain.

Small confession - I believe this is true of all of us or at least I hope I'm not the only one. We each have a song(s) that we secretly love that no one knows about. It's the type of music that we sing loudly with our hair brush when no one is looking. As much as I am not a fan of rap artist 50 Cent, when I happen to hear the song "In Da Club" an energy fills me and I am ready to take on the day. I even memorized part of the song and sang it while picking up my kids toys.  Yes, I admitted it. I actually said that out loud and memorialized it in this post for all to see. Those that know me understand that was quite an admission. For the sake of fun, what is that one song that you secretly love that no one knows about? Say it out loud or proudly text a friend. There is freedom in confession. One, two, three... go!

Now that we have that out of our system, there is a principle we should consider. We each create the lyrics to theme song of our lives with our speech. What we say has a heavy impact on how we live and what we attract to our lives. My first blog post on this new site encourages us to Dream Again. As we seek God and fight to open our minds to be courageous and take that dream off the shelf, I challenge you to find your theme music - Find the words that will propel you forward. What is your new song? So often we wonder why positive things aren't happening in our lives but we don't take much care in the music our words create. If you have engaged in She Talk, you would know that I have a goal of losing all of the weight I have gained since having my babies. For a long while I wanted so badly to get back to wearing clothes that I have not fit for ages. While this was my desire, my words did not create a sound that would propel me forward. Internally I murmured to myself and complained about how I wasn't where I needed to be but verbally I state that I don't feel like working out or I would confirm that I was just to tired. Once I changed my attitude and my language I lost an additional 20 lbs. My quest to lose more continues but I've come such a long way.

I needed a new song in my heart and you may need one to. This post speaks to the third element of Witness: Live Out Loud.  A huge part of Living Out Loud is matching your language to the size of your dream. There is a supernatural song that pushes me to thrive in my day. It's a song that pushes me to praise God despite what I feel or see going on around me. My new song is anchored in my prayer life and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Whether you are facing a mountain or trying to move past a molehill, God can give you a new perspective and way of speaking over your life. Take time to think about what your new mantra will be. It is also really important to be careful about the type of music we are actually listening to. I placed one of my favorite songs below that I use to jumpstart my day. Not only should you take time to be thoughtful about the language you speak about yourself but take a moment to find some new music that will uplift your spirit and honor God. 

May you be blessed to Live for God, Live with Purpose and live your life Out Loud.
- Christine

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Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. When I first laid eyes on our son Ezra, I stared in disbelief at this beautiful baby boy. He is such an amazing gift. Close to two years later, along came our baby girl Zuri. Again, an amazing feeling of love came over me as I held her in my arms for the first time. In our hearts there was nothing that would prevent us from giving them the best of everything that we could, no matter the sacrifice - no matter the cost. It's a feeling that I still can't quite capture into words. A whole new world opened up and I am joyfully being engulfed by its nuances and learning curves. 

Let's take a step back into an earlier time in our lives. I affectionately call it "BC" also known as "Before Children". During our first Christmas season as a married couple, my husband Roscoe and I decided to take part in one of San Diego's biggest Christmas events, December Nights at the historic Balboa Park. It's a two-night event where food vendors, music performances, and all around Christmas merriment fills the air. Beautiful displays and the largest Christmas tree I've ever seen are in full view. We had such a wonderful time. Like usual, we prayed and did not have a hard time finding parking among the thousands of people in attendance. The air was crisp, the birds were singing (literally) as we walked hand in hand stopping at each booth we desired. 

Fast-forward five years. Our oldest, Ezra is now at an age where he is more aware of the holiday season. As for our sweet baby girl Zuri, she likes to look at the lights and the Christmas tree but is not quite sure what it's all about.  We decided to attempt December Nights with our little ones with hopes that Ezra and Zuri would enjoy it. If you have children you can appreciate the time and preparation it takes to get out of the house, let alone go to a large event surrounded by thousands of people. We began preparations for our 6pm departure at 9am that morning. We factored in naptime, so to attempt to catch both children in a good mood by the time we got to Balboa Park. We packed a specific amount of snacks that we knew each child would like as well as cups of juice and water. This was planned just in case either of them were displeased with food we purchased at the event. Being that we live in San Diego, we don't get the chance to wear winter hats and mittens often. Because it was going to be a blistering 58 degrees (semi bragging to the rest of the nation that actually has cold weather) we went out and bought hats and gloves for the kids to make sure they stay warm. Before we left the house we felt confident that we had planned appropriately and left at a good time. I even googled the address to map out the traffic and how long it would take us to get there. The event started at 3pm but ended by 11pm so we should catch a parking space in due time right? Um...WRONG.

First, you may wonder why do you need Google maps when you are a San Diego native and have been to Balboa Park many times? While that is true, often Google maps does provide alternate routes and with the high probability of intense traffic. I thought it wise to have it on. Sounds halfway sensible right? We got lost. We got lost in my own hometown. I couldn't blame Roscoe, who is a New Jersey native; oh no it was all on me. By my directions from Google maps we ended up by some bluff, which was Balboa Park, but not the part of the park the event was being held. Roscoe began the task of helping us find our way to the event that we could see from a distance. Once we made our way in the right direction, we found ourselves circling the park for over an hour looking for a space to park our car.  My amazing husband drove, as I can't stand driving downtown. Each of us, at one point or another, vowed to quit and not try this again until the kids get older. Roscoe was busy fighting through traffic, rolling down his window asking stragglers if they are leaving while I was delving out snacks to hungry impatient children. We circled and circled and circled until finally we found it, a space several hundred feet away from the entrance of Balboa Park. It was close to around 7:50pm when we finally parked. 

We got out of our car proud and jubilant over our resilience and perseverance. We fought hard but our battle had just begun. We looked out over the clearing and it didn't seem to bad though at this point the path to the park was pitch black. We got out the double stroller, made sure the kids were bundled up and started our trek toward December Nights. We were parked on a slope and to get to the sidewalk we had to tag team slide the stroller down the small slope and lift it down to the sidewalk below. We made it, a semi small feat. Then the pathway of the sidewalk was too dark so we decided to walk along the street where cars were parked. Unfortunately that was filled with loose dirt. If you can image it, a double stroller that was not built for off-roading was not the easiest to push. Once again, Roscoe pushed the stroller and saved the day while I followed on the side to assist with any potential sliding along the way. It was a steep slope. One false move and none of us would have would have made it through December or that night. Struggling with the pace of our double stroller, and the loose dirt, I did not say much on our journey. Roscoe on the other hand, moved briskly as he comically pushed the stoller on the bumpy road.  In the Spirit of Christmas, he maintained a smile on his face as we made our way past those who were moving slowly.  While he had loads of fun, I was struggling to hold onto my Christmas jublience. I began to have internal conversations with myself to keep going. Together we were making it. Since it was so dark, I turned on the flash light on my cell phone and allowed its dim light to help lead the way. 

We went as fast as we could for as long as we could until finally we approached what looked like the entrance of the park. Alas, it was not. As we recovered from our brief disappointment we noticed just how far away we parked. Despite being a cold night in San Diego, I began to sweat. More off-roading ensued and I have to be honest, I wondered if it was worth it. I almost moved to the realm of regret and questioning what we were doing in the first place. I also seen just how out of shape I am. After much labor and another brief internal pep talk to myself, we made it to the bridge. All of sudden, we stepped into what seemed to resemble Time Square in New York. There were people everywhere. Tall, short, big, little, old and young all gathered to experience this annual event. I almost smelled the subway while we walked past event promoters and street performers. I grabbed onto my Roscoe's shoulders so I would not get lost in the crowd. Then it happened. The reason we fought so hard to come to December Nights and sacrifice our time, bodies, and patience. As we weaved through the massive crowd, Ezra looked up and said, "Oh look! Look at the lights! What color is it?" He began to rattle off all the colors he seen. Zuri watched all the people walk by and caught glimpses of the lights all around her. Our mission was complete. The smile on his face, the excitement in his expression and the wonder in Zuri's eyes brought it all full circle. If we had to, I would do it all again in a heart stroke. We began to talk to Ezra and Zuri about the Christmas lights and different displays. Fighting through the crowd didn't matter anymore. It was about our children. It was always about them.
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This night got me to thinking about the way God thinks about us. I know my little story is trivial compared to the thoughts of God but I can't help but wonder about its principle on a bigger scale. Based on Matthew 7:11, God does not just think of himself as our savior but as our Father. With that in mind, as imperfect beings, we are willing to try to give our children the world to see the joy on their faces. Can you imagine what a perfect God would do for his children when they ask of him? Ezra and Zuri did not ask to go to December Nights. It was so far outside of their limited experience they would not know to ask for such a thing but as parents we knew they would enjoy it. God knows us full well. His word says He knows what we need before we ask. His word also says that if we knock and keep on knocking the door will be opened. 

You, no matter your current situation or background, are precious to God. According to Psalms 139, God has so many precious thoughts about you it can't be numbered. If you are wondering how far God will go for you or if he will fulfill the promises in His word, wonder no more. There is an amazing answer to your prayers on the other side of your diligence and obedience. Don't give up but rather press into God. Get to know Him by building a relationship with Him. He has a place for you in His will if you open your heart and your mind to a new perspective and a new attitude. In doing so you will find that God will bless you to experience things that you didn't  ask for but He knew that you wanted. 

As for the Houston family adventure, we made memories that will last a lifetime. I am so blessed by our family and excited for what is to come for us as we put God first. 

May you be blessed to Live for God, Live with Purpose and live your life Out Loud.
- Christine