Reflecting.

I can hardly believe that 2012 starts tomorrow!

As I reflect on last year, I am asking myself if I lived life to the absolute fullest? Did I love well? Was I a good steward of my time? Did I do the things God wanted me to do? Only I know the answers in my heart but I can say that I would love to grow more in these areas in 2012.

Each year we are given a gift....a fresh start! What are we going to do with it? We only have one life to live....are we living it with purpose? Are we pursuing the dreams that God has placed in our hearts? I feel that 2012 will be a year of "doing" for me. What I mean by that is...there are SO many dreams and desires that God has placed in my heart and 2012 I just need to step out and well, DO THEM! Why do we complicate it? I am thinking of the NIKE slogan---JUST DO IT!

I find myself wasting so much time just thinking about all the things I want to do for God...how much could I have accomplished with the time I wasted thinking??! So, my New Years resolution is to step out and do it. Dive in and take a leap of faith....run hard after the desires and dreams God has given me for my life. I am filled with great joy and anticipation today as I reflect on 2011 and all that God did and as I look to the future.

2011 was an incredible year for Chris and I as enjoyed our first year of being married. I will always cherish this year when I think of all of the "firsts" we experienced together. We grew and learned SO much in our relationship and our love for each other has grown even more :)

Some of my highlights for 2011 would be:

-Going on our first missions trip together as husband and wife. As most of you know, we have a heart for the Nations and this trip was so strategic and special for us a couple. I will cherish the memories always. We went to Guatemala , btw :)

-God speaking to our hearts individually (then coming together and realizing it!) about adoption and a very specific thing regarding that. To be continued ;)

-Starting our own business! We are now the proud owners of "Unity Cleaning Services" here in Bradenton, Florida! God has given us a huge vision for this company and it is our desire to build this company to support our calling for missions. SO EXCITING!

-Learning to walk through the hard times together....we have walked through a few very difficult situations with our families this year and just learning to be each other's "rock" was a very beautiful thing!

-Going on spontaneous getaways together....we have been blessed to go to Orlando a few times, and also to Clearwater Beach & Jacksonville. Even though they were in state trips, we had a BLAST together and made some incredible memories.

-Starting my photography business, "Jessica Gunn Photography". This has always been a dream of mine and I FINALLY stepped out and started doing it! :) I have soooo much to learn but I have been doing many photo shoots and we have been so blessed financially through my business already! God is good!

-God giving us the name of our ministry. I can't release it yet but let's just say, God is good and his ideas are always the most creative and the best!!! :) This ministry name reflects our heart's perfectly and we are so humbled and excited!!! :)

That's just mentioning a few things but I am SO thankful for every moment God has given me in 2011. Through the good times and the bad, I have learned incredible lessons on faith, perseverance and love. I challenge you all to live 2012 to the absolute fullest!! :) NO regrets!

Love,

The Happy Little Housewife

Fill it in!

maybe I should: be cleaning the house.

I love: dates with my husband

people would say that I’m short. very short.

I don’t understand why: bad things happen to good people. and why anyone would want to abort their baby.

when I wake up in the morning: I want to go back to sleep. Or drink coffee. lots of it.

I lost: my passport once. yuck.

my life is full of : Babies and Love.

my past is full of : testimonies of God's grace!

parties are even better with: junk food and hot tubs.

I wish I had more time : to make crafts.

dogs are: nice when they're small and clean!

cats are : only cute when they're kittens.

tomorrow I’m : helping my mom with the babies.

I have low tolerance for : people who gossip or are just downright rude.

I’m totally terrified of: people I love the most dying too soon. and birds.

never in my life have I : done drugs or smoked.

high school was: a blur.

when I’m nervous I : sweat and shake.

take my advice: live each day to the fullest. do something out of your comfort zone. travel the world.

making my bed : is more fun now that I have my own house and cute bedding.

I’m almost always : spending time with my husband! :)

I’m addicted to : chocolate and facebook.

I want someone to : read this.

~The Happy.Little.Houswife.~

I sat here for 10 minutes trying to think of an appropriate title for this blog post.

There are so many different thoughts racing through my head and my heart tonight and I cannot really slap one title on it.

Let me be real and raw for a second. I have been struggling with wanting to continue to blog because I know that any one can read it. Now you're probably saying "duh...that's what a blog is for." Yes, I know that. But deep down, sometimes I wish that only my closest friends and family members could read it because I fear people that may be "uncomfortable" to me are reading it. God has really spoke to my heart regarding this though. What an opportunity I have to share my heart and be open and raw with those people. It's a scary thing to be 100% vulnerable with those you'd rather not go there with. But here I am, this is me--a glimpse into my heart--like it or not :)

My husband and I have been going through a huge battle the past year. Let me clarify--this has nothing to do with our marriage, we are madly in love and have an amazing and healthy marriage. I am going to try and be careful of how I word this battle because I want to keep a pure heart. This battle is with some very key relationships in our life. These are people that should be in our lives daily, but have chosen to let the trials and the circumstances of the past block reconciliation. It's so heart breaking and to be honest, this has been the hardest battle of my life (at least one of them). I literally wake up sometimes and feel physical pain in my heart because I ache for restoration so badly.

God has carried us through this journey so sweetly and has taught us many valuable lessons in it. Even though good has come from it, wow--has it been painful!

Choosing to love when you really don't feel like it and pray daily for people who have hurt us tremendously, has been a battle. I am happy to say that for the most part, thanks to God's grace, I feel like I've succeeded. I am not saying that I succeeded every single day, I definitely have my moments (ask Chris! lol). But after my "moments", God picks me up and whispers so sweetly to my heart..."Love Wins."

That has been the theme for me during this battle. Love wins. If you look at hopeless situations where it looks like restoration is nearly impossible, you can see a pattern-----------------------Love wins....every.single. time. When I feel like I can't go on, I am so encouraged by God's unconditional love for us and reminded that we are all called to love unconditionally just as Christ loves us. That is easier said than done sometimes...okay, most times. It's easy to love people who haven't hurt us. I've got that down pretty well, but people who have "wronged" us? That's a challenge. a big one.

I encourage you, if you are walking through a battle where it's quite uncomfortable and hard to keep loving difficult people--remember, Jesus' unconditional love for us even when we don't deserve it. Are you being Jesus to those difficult people? Love Wins. A scripture that is carrying me right now is 1 Corinthians 13. A scripture we so often hear and usually end up tuning it out and saying yeah, yeah yeah I know--it's the "Love" scripture. But really take the time to dissect it and meditate on it.

If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Oh how I am so humbled when I really allow that scripture to soak into my spirit. I can be the perfect wife, wonderful mom, awesome daughter, good friend, missionary, etc--but if I do not have love...and not just love, but TRUE, GENUINE, Love for people and not just people, but difficult people--I am. nothing. You are nothing.

Are you truly loving people in your life? I encourage you---LOVE. WINS.

Love those difficult people to life! Love them just like Jesus loves us--unconditionally.

We are on this journey together. Let's encourage each other and do this thing!!! :)

~Happy.little.Housewife~

Fall time & missions

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's the first official day of fall and I couldn't be more excited! Fall time is my very favorite time of the year. I love the cooler weather (like 80 degrees here in Florida, lol) and all of the warm and cozy decoration. Bonfires, hoodies, pumpkin bread, fall scented candles, cool breezes, and a sense of a fresh start with kids going back to school! :) Love it all! I love Fall even more now that I have our Wedding Anniversary in November! Oh and did I mention my Birthday is in September?!

I want share something very exciting for me and near to my heart! I have officially signed up for a 2 week missions trip to......UKRAINE! My heart is absolutely bursting with such joy and anticipation! The trip will take place most likely in May (still waiting to check airline prices and coordinate with the missionaries there). I told God that I would go and that I feel extremely called to this trip but he would have to provide my deposit. The deposit was $200 and we simply did not have that extra cash right now. It was a leap of faith and a little scary but I was also filled with such anticipation and faith! Well, sure enough GOD CAME THROUGH!!! God provided my deposit and I was able to 100% commit to the trip!!!!!!! :) This time it will only be me going, as Chris feels he isn't supposed to go. Although I will miss him greatly, I am excited to see what God has in store for me on this trip!

When I was 18 years old I went on a missions trip to Romania and it forever changed my life. God broke my heart for Europe and although I know Chris and I will travel to many different nations, Europe is what my heart burns for.

Will you please join me in prayer for this trip? Pray for my team I'm going with....that our hearts will begin to be prepared for the ministry at hand and that we will see MANY come to know Jesus!!!! :) Also, please pray for the funds I need for this trip...God knows! I trust him so much and I'm extremely excited to see how he provides every penny!!!!!!!! :) If you are interested in supporting me, you can comment on here or contact me on my Facebook!

I AM SO EXCITED! This is what I am called to do and to be in God's perfect will for my life is such a Beautiful feeling! I stand humbled and amazed at all God has trusted me with...I just long to do MORE for his Kingdom.....USE ME JESUS!

"What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." ~Mother Teresa~

Love,

The happy little Housewife

An interview with my hubby.

~An interview with my hubby~

Me: Hi Honey, you’re so cute! Thanks for taking time to do this with me! Okay, so let’s get started.

Me: What is your favorite meal that I cook?

Chris: My favorite meal that you cook is Tacos because I know how much you love Mexican food and it reminds me of Mexico and that is where we met…and it’s really good!

Me: aw what a cute answer, this is going good so far! Next question: What is your biggest pet peeve that I do? (I’m scared!)

Chris: When you do laundry and forget that you still have a load in the dryer and it sits there for 2 days. I especially hate it when you also leave a load in the washer. Now we get to re-wash mildew smelling clothes and de-wrinkle the stuff in the dryer. Thank you for our wonderfully low energy bill.

Me: Oh honey, why didn’t you pick something a little less revealing of my shortcomings? haha! Okay, moving on---question #3: What is the most fun aspect of being married?

Chris: I wouldn’t consider this necessarily to be “fun” or “funny,” but I love the fact that we are almost always on the same page because it makes our sense of humor funnier to us, and it helps with understanding each other’s hearts.

Me: In your opinion, what is the hardest part about marriage?

Chris: I think the hardest part about marriage is knowing that I fail at things that you need or want. It’s difficult when I can’t provide or emotionally supply the desires of your heart 100% of the time. As a man it brings up feelings such as, “Am I a good husband…” I want to be the best that I can be for you but my flaws and inabilities prevent me sometimes.

Me: What is your favorite memory of our first year of marriage so far?

Chris: The time when we were driving over the skyway bridge and we were going to Clearwater beach…we were blasting country music and it was just a good, good day.

Me: If you could give our marriage a song, what would it be?

Chris: “Whoop there it is”

Me: no comment.

Me: What’s your favorite thing about me?

Chris: I love the fact that there’s something that happens to me when you put your arms around me or just look at me that always makes me melt. It doesn’t matter if I hate you in that moment or love you to death.

Me: Aww shucks. Thanks sweetheart! Okay so, what is the best way a wife can encourage her husband?

Chris: well, there’s different ways that you can encourage your husband and that is usually specific to the man that you’re married to. But for me, it’s being noticed that I’m upset about something even when I’m not showing it. For instance, sometimes I just need a hug but I may not show it or even realize that I need one. It’s when I receive a hug or an encouraging comment or simply just being noticed that I’m upset at a time that is most critical for my heart.

Me: What motivates a husband to do romantic things for his wife?

Chris: Realistically being nagged to a certain degree helps but too much nagging will create ignorance. So there’s balance with that. A man has to repeatedly be reminded of what his wife’s heart wants. We forget. Communication is very important in this area because if the wife doesn’t get what she wants, insecurities and concerns about not being a good enough wife and needs that aren’t met start to arise and create a hindrance on the marriage. There is cyclical approach to romanticism. If the man is being romanced, he will desire to romance his wife and vice versa. So if you want to ask what motivates a husband to do romantic things for you, it’s YOU.

Me: What is one thing a wife should avoid saying to her husband?

Chris: Husbands don’t always have the right approach to things so it’s important to understand the motives behind everything they do before making an assumption of what they’re doing because the end result will most likely be different than what you are envisioning in your head. It’s important to not discourage your husband with negative words or hateful comments. Your husband will usually react in a negative way to specific words that he doesn’t take very well.

Me: Is leaving the cap off the toothpaste really a marriage issue like everyone talks about?

Chris: Of course it is! The reason is because God usually puts two people with extreme differences together so each individual can be pruned and balanced in certain areas. One person is usually not going to care about the toothpaste and the other will. It teaches patience for one person and how to be more organized and clean for the other. All in all, put your toothpaste up and you won’t have a problem!

Me: I am definitely the person that leaves the toothpaste cap off. Haha! What is your ideal relaxing evening with me?

Chris: My ideal relaxing evening is to make s’mores in front of a fire and swim in the pool until we’re pruny. Then you would give me a back massage.

Me: Lol way to sneak that one in there, honey ;) Here’s a fun one---if you could take us on vacation ANYWHERE in the world where would you take us and why?

Chris: I would probably take you to Hawaii because I know how badly you’ve always wanted to go there and we love tropical places.

Me: Where do you see us in 10 years?

Chris: Married (obviously), with 4 children and a successful business and we will have traveled the world together.

Me: One last question: What’s THE best marriage advice you can give for couples out there?

Chris: This is a two part answer. Number one, spend as much time together as possible because you learn absolutely everything you can about each other. Part two is to get past the “tit for tat,” “he said, she said,” “you did, I did” thinking and comments in a disagreement and to get to the bottom line. Feelings are hurt if you don’t get to the bottom of things as quickly as possible, so it is important to figure out what the root of the problem is, create a healthy solution with equal compromise if needed and forgive whatever needs to be forgiven.

Me: Yay! Thank you for your time, honey! This was fun and we should definitely do this again with me in the hot seat next time!!! ;)

Love,

The happy little housewife