3 Inspired

As the NICU has become my home away from home, the nurses have become some of my new best friends.  We talk about food, clothes, movies, and of course, the girls.  In their own way, they offer me advice, comfort, and a warm smile that helps me make it through the day.  They tell me stories of other babies that once occupied those beige walls with mint green nursery borders and how one day I will barely remember this experience because our girls will be healthy and strong. Forgetting this journey seems impossible to me now but I can see how the days can easily blur themselves into one long memory that parents don't want to replay in their minds.  But, for me, I don't want to forget this experience.  As painful as it may be; remembering the bad makes me appreciate the good.  On Sunday, Raleigh and I started looking through some of the first pictures that we took of the girls.  They were so small and had so many tubes inside of them.  Looking back made us realize how great is our God.  Today, our girls have grown and have both reached three pounds!!!  What a miracle!  They each got to wear clothes for the first time last week.  I was shocked to see them with clothes on their backs.  Of course, they are still huge on them but it is a step in the right direction.

Adeline lookin' like summertime in her yellow onesie

 

Maralee is pretty in pink :)

 

God continues to amaze me with his timing.  Last week was a time of healing and restoration of faith for me.  Each day, I continued to accept his peace and for the first time in a long time I felt light.  My burdens had been lifted to a shoulder much stronger than mine.  I was actually able to enjoy my hospital visits and not be anxious while I was away.  Raleigh was in a wedding this past Saturday for a dear childhood friend and the girls were doing so well that I decided to go with him.  I will admit that I was still a teeny tiny bit nervous to be away from the girls but the fact that I was able to leave town for the night shows how much I trusted the Lord.  Through the weekend, we ran into people that have been following our blog and it was so encouraging to us to receive their kind words.  When arriving back in Montgomery, our first stop was to the NICU and we were welcomed by these faces:

Maralee at six weeks

 

Adeline at six weeks

 

Absence sure does make the heart grow fonder!  Every day, the girls continue to grow and amaze me with their personalities.  Adeline has started to be so alert and she is actually enjoying her pacifier.  Maralee loves to be in K-care.  Raleigh and I have started to read books to them at night and it is so cute to see their eyes move at the sound of our voices. 

Even though the girls have made such progress, we still have a long way to go.  Yesterday, Maralee received another ugly infection. Basically, she got a hospital bacteria in her blood stream.  She is receiving antibiotics and the doctor assured me that it is treatable but we hate to see this setback.  This is round 3 but I must say that so far I am taking it much better than I did the first two times.  I am trying very hard to put my trust in God and to let him handle this infection.  Somebody gave me this verse and it fits perfectly: "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."  My times are in your hands" (Psalm 31:14-15).

This whole journey thus far has been about me trusting God with my children and Him refining my faith.  Mathew 10:8 states, "Freely you have received, freely give."  God has given us so much of His love and mercy and The Uncontainable Truth is my meek attempt at sharing His grace with all of you.  I want every person reading this blog to know how much God loves you.  He loves YOU.  He desires to have you as part of his kingdom.  Once you have accepted that Christ is your ultimate Savior; He desperately longs to have a deep relationship with you. 

Friends, the coolest thing about blogs and testimonies is that they inspire others.  I started this because someone inspired me.  If our story has inspired you, what are you going to do about it?  God has a great plan for your life and He is so ready for you to let Him show it to you.  The question is, will you let him?

...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act. - Proverbs 24:12

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers to his harvest field - Matthew 9:37

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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2 Genuine Faith

Beep. Beep. BEEEEEP!!!!!

Last night, those were the continuing sounds that I heard  from the machines keeping our girls alive as we visited with them in the NICU.  As we walked into the nursery, we noticed that Adeline had been moved into the same room as Maralee because she too had developed a staff infection.  We hate it that her little body has to fight yet another infection but I am beginning to realize that if one of our girls gets sick than the other is likely to follow.  We began to put on the lovely yellow robe and blue plastic gloves when all of a sudden her machine starts blinking red like our emergency car flashers.  Raleigh and I take a seat outside of her room as the nurses scramble around to fix her breathing tube.  Turns out that the ventilator was stuck in her throat so they ended up taking it out and putting her on the CPAP breathing tube through her nose.  The rest of the night she seemed to enjoy having the CPAP because she kept moving her tongue around.  It was like she was saying, "Yes! Freedom!"  It was so neat because for a minute I actually got to hear her breathe before they put the top back on the incubator. 

Sister did not like Adeline getting all of the attention so Maralee began to pull one of Adeline's old tricks and stop breathing.  Earlier that day she had been switched to a CPAP as well but it didn't fit quite right in her nose.  Because it was a little snug, the air wasn't streaming in like it was supposed to.  The nurses ended up switching her to a larger CPAP but  her heart rate would drop occasionally.  When the babies do this, the nurses start to press on their feet and hands to get them to "wake up" from sleeping so soundly.  It happens a lot but I never get used to all of the sounds.  It scares me to see the numbers get so low but the Lord always relieves my fears and pushes those numbers back to normal mode. Needless to say, they kept their sweet nurse busy last night and my nerves were shot by the time I left! 

With each beeping sound, God is teaching me to put my trust in Him.  He is the ultimate physician and can breathe new life into anybody; anytime anywhere.  This morning, as I was sitting on my back porch I relished in the beauty of God's creations.  I thanked him for the birds, trees, and even the little squirrel that was scampering around our fence.  If God pays so much attention to these things, I know He is taking even greater care for my little girls.  He has allowed for Adeline's fluid to decrease around her lungs and heart and I know that he is continuing to heal both girls' staff infections.  I have hope that they will do well on their new breathing apparatus so they can eventually have enough strength to breathe on their own. 

Yesterday, one of my friends told me a sweet story that gave me so much joy.  She and her husband had shared our prayer concern at a local church and the pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to pray for our family.  My friend told me that an eleven year old boy raised his hand and asked if he could pray for Adeline and Maralee.  She told me that by the time he was done praying that there was not a dry eye in the building.  God is not only using our story to glorify his kingdom but he is using our story to influence others.  Children continue to amaze us with their simple faith in Christ.  That little boy was not scared to pray for our girls because he believes in the power of prayer.  It excites me to wonder what else God has in store for that boy as he gets older and more mature in his faith. 

Friends, I have realized that God always has his hand stretched out to reach me in times of suffering and joy.  He has openly asked for me to have a relationship with him and to trust him with my life.  When I say the word "relationship" that means that it is two-sided.  I have decided to partake in that relationship because I realize that I can't do this life on my own.  The reason this blog began in the first place was because I felt Jesus really tugging at my heart.  I had accepted Him as my savior years ago but I have always struggled with what my purpose in life was.  So, I began to pray for Him to use me and for me to be open to His will for my life.  For some crazy reason, he put writing on my heart and that was how this all began.  The blog is called "The Uncontainable Truth" because of this scripture,  

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16).

After discovering that his truth just can't be contained, I realized that my purpose in life is to be a disciple of Christ.  I believe that right now, he is using this blog and this situation to bring others to Him through prayer, worship, and fellowship.  1 Peter 1:3-9 says,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Our faith in Christ is 'of greater worth than gold' and the more we show him our faith the more "genuine" we become as Christians.  We start to live in love, hope, and peace and "are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."  When we get to this point in our relationship with him, we have fulfilled our purpose in life and have reached our goals. 

Even though our family is going through this trial, I still know that I have God's love because I believe in him.  I am starting to realize that this trial is bringing triumph to God's kingdom.  It is making my faith more genuine and I feel his love for me and my children even though I can't see him. I pray that each of you have this feeling in your hearts.  If you don't have it, just ask for it.  We all deserve it and He wants all of us to have his love.  We just have to have faith and believe, just like that little boy, that God loves us and wants us to live our lives for Him.  When we do that, we truly are the light of the world.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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5 We must protect this house

Today has been an interesting day.  It seems that the Price house is a little on edge right now.  Yesterday, our neighbor's house was broken into.  Robberies can happen in any city but it really makes you aware of your surroundings when it happens in your neighborhood.  What makes it scary is I was home alone when it happened yet had no clue until Raleigh's mom came home and she saw our neighbor.  Today, Mrs. Price and I decided to go out to eat for lunch and Raleigh calls me minutes after we left saying that our house alarm was going off.  We race back home and start blaring our horn outside of our house.  I guess we thought we would be scaring off the bad guys but it ended up just being a false alarm.  I am glad because if I had seen a bad guy run out of our house I do believe I would have had a heart attack and the horn would not do us any good!!!!!

After that scare, we ate some lunch and then headed to the hospital to see the girls.  Our amazing pastors met us at the NICU so they could pray over Adeline and Maralee.  After scrubbing our hands up and down, we walked into their shared room with 17 other little ones and started to receive the updated report from the nurse and doctor.  Turns out, the little infection that Maralee might have is actually a real staff infection.  The doctor told  us it could be caused by the ventilator tube that is down her throat right now or it could have been passed on to her from any of the doctors, nurses, etc. that have been checking her in the hospital.  She has started on antibiotics but since she has this infection she is now on quarantine.  There is a big red box around her incubator and this is to show that anybody that touches her needs to wear gloves and a sterile hospital gown.  This also means that she will probably be in isolation until she gets to go home. 

That was hard news for us to hear.  All in all, this is something that is common around the hospital but it is just an added thing for Maralee's body to fight.  It is taking a lot of willpower to not be angry at this situation.  This almost seems like something that someone else gave her; not something that was caused by her premature birth.  It is so easy to place blame on this unknown person that accidentally gave her this infection but I am starting to figure out that I can't go down this road of pointing fingers.  Through their lives, many people are going to accidentally cause harm to my children.  As their mom, I need to just go ahead and forgive this person and pray that healing will come.  As always, this is easier said than done :)

Friends, it pains me to see my little girl going through so much.  I do realize that God is taking any discomfort from her little body right now and whispering sweet things to her, but it kills me to see that red line around her "house."  I know that the red line is keeping the bad guys out but it is also keeping me out.  I want to protect her, to hold her and tell her everything is going to be alright, but even I, her mom, can't get close to her.  The little privilege that we had of touching her has been taken away and now we have to fully trust in Jesus' love for Maralee right now. 

I don't think I have told this story yet, but Maralee's name was the first name that Raleigh and I thought of for the girls.  We loved the idea of combining family names into one new name.  Maralee's name originated from my Paw Paw, Marion Jackson  and Raleigh's Nan Nan, Okalee.  My Paw Paw has always been someone that I have admired.  He has such faith in Christ and has the lines on his hands to show his labor in life has been for the Lord.  My Paw Paw has always been on the smaller side but boy could he run back in his day!  His nickname was Jack "Rabbit" and he ran track and played football for Auburn.  Raleigh's grandmother is also someone to admire because she has shown such strength for so many years.  Her husband died of a heart attack when Raleigh was young but she continues on with her life.  She cooks, goes to work, and has even learned how to use the computer. :)  She is truly a woman of noble character that knows how to keep her family together. 

Since we chose Maralee's name first, we decided to give it to Baby B.  It was our way of making things fair for Baby A.  Looking at both of my girls, I know that their names already fit their personalities.  The name Adeline reminds me of "Sweet Caroline" and I think she looks so sweet and peaceful laying in her incubator.  She doesn't move much yet she loves to hold our hands when we touch her.  Inside my womb, I always felt Baby B kicking and squirming around and Maralee is obviously that baby now.  She is a little fighter and she isn't going to let this yucky mess get the best of her. 

I look down at Maralee and she reminds me that I need to be a fighter too.  I need to be strong and show courage when I get these kind of reports.  It is so hard because I feel like the devil is using her to get to me.  He knows that we thought of her name first so he is attacking her harder than Adeline right now.  It is symbolic to me that the line around her incubator is red.  The color red can easily be associated with satan and I just pray that God's angels are inside of that red tape blocking out the arsenal that he is throwing at our baby girl.  This is truly a war that we are caught in right now. 

This afternoon, riding home in the car, Mrs. Price reminded me of the battle of the good and bad angels over Moses' body.  Deuteronomy 34:6 tells us that the Lord buried Moses and to this day no one knows where his grave is.  God buried him so the devil couldn't use Moses' remains against God's chosen people.   Hebrews 3: 1-14 tells us,

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.  He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.  Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.  For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.  Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future.  But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house.  And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.  So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.  That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.  So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'  See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.  We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."

Friends, many of you have been so sweet and encouraging to me as I go through this situation.  I am no superwoman, I am just a girl that became a mom and is now trying her best to hold things together.  I have to be faithful...I am nowhere near Moses, but I have to be a faithful servant to God's house right now.  I can't have a hardened heart during this situation, I have to have courage and faith in Christ.  I thank you for your daily encouragement and am so thankful for Today because it is another day that I get to share with these beautiful little girls.

Below are two pictures that I wanted to share.  In the first picture, the tube that is going through Maralee's mouth is the ventilator.  Please pray that she will start to breathe on her own so she can go back on the CPAP that is going through her nose in the second picture.  This device allows her to breathe better.  We need to pray that both girls will get on the CPAP quickly so they can start to digest their food.  Praise God that all other reports are looking good right now. 

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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4 A Very Happy Mother's Day

So, I wasn't quite sure how I would be feeling for my very first Mother's Day.  Of course, I was extremely grateful to be celebrating this holiday for the first time, but I wasn't sure if emotionally I would be able to hold myself together.  I can officially say that I had a wonderful Mother's Day and that once again the Lord showed me his grace and love.

To start the day off, Raleigh fixed me breakfast in bed.  We had yummy cinnamon rolls (these have become a habit for us on Sunday mornings) that were cooked perfect...a little gooey in the center but firm on the edges.  After we finished breakfast, he surprised me with my first Mother's Day gift.  I looked at him in disbelief because I had no idea how he had time to get me a gift with his test last week.  My sweet husband went to the hospital one morning while I was still asleep and took these beautiful pictures of our precious little girls.  He said that the nurses were all over this little project and they were so helpful to him in this little scheme.  Thank you Dawn and Pamela!

Adeline's hand

Maralee's hand

Adeline's toes

Maralee's toes

 

After I opened my present, we got ready to head to church.  I knew that this is where I was supposed to be yesterday morning but I will admit I feared that I would totally break down in front of everyone.  We got there a little late but still got to sit with our awesome friends and joined them in worshiping our amazing Savior.  During the service, they played a song that I haven't heard before but it really struck home to me.  It was all about how God hears our requests and how He answers them.  After our rough Wednesday night, I spent some serious time in prayer on Thursday and Friday.  As I was praying for the health of our babies, I began to plead with God for them to stay with us on earth.  Friends, I truly believe that God has a greater plan than what we can see in front of us and I know ultimately that His will for our lives is what is most important.  I am trying with all of my heart to see His will in this situation but at the same time I will admit that I selfishly want the chance to raise these girls into women.  I believe that He gave us this blessing because we chose to follow Him and He knows that this has been a desire on my heart.   

Psalm 20:1, 4-5 says, "May the Lord answer you when you are in distress, may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.  May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.  May the LORD grant all your requests."

Friends, I want these little girls to come home with us one day very soon. I want to celebrate Mother's Day for many years to come.  I want to see them grow up, go to college, and marry a great guy one day.  I still fear the worst, but I can't let that fear control my life and my thoughts.  Right now, our nursery is half-way completed.  The little clothes still have their tags on them and we have so much to organize and put in its place.  Normally, I would be in hog-heaven getting to do all of this (I am so type A when it comes to organization) but my fears are making me timid.  Part of me is scared to take the tags off.....but the other part of me knows that I have to have faith that He is hearing my requests.  I can't live in fear; I have to continue to seek the good in this situation. 

So, yesterday, on Mother's Day, I chose to be happy and to celebrate me being a mom.  When we arrived at the hospital, I received another present from each of the girls.  The nurses had stamped their little footprints on some cards saying that today they were 9 days old.  Praise God that they are 9 days old!!!!!  I also received some sweet flower bouquets with a poem from Footprints Ministry.  Both of these gifts brought a smile to my face and I really enjoyed getting to love on my Adeline and my Maralee.  Thank you nurses and Footprints Ministry for being so thoughtful to us new mommies!!!!

Sweet friends, I truly want to thank you for all of your prayers and gifts.  Thank you to everyone that sent me messages yesterday, it means so much to me that you thought of me.  We believe in the power of prayer and that faith as small as a mustard seed CAN move mountains.  We are still running this marathon so please continue to pray for our family.  Specifically pray for the girls to both work on their breathing so they can move on to digesting their feedings.  Pray for me to remain positive and not let fear consume me....let me have the peace of God wash over me.  Pray for Raleigh to continue to be the leader of our family and for Him to not get overwhelmed with work, tests, and our situation.  Thank you so much again for thinking of us and we will continue to keep you all updated!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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5 New Beginnings

"If we celebrate the years behind us, they become stepping-stones of strength and joy for the years ahead"

Hello, my favorite blogger community.  I have missed you.  I sure do have lots to catch you up on, but I will try to tell you everything in their own individual posts so they get their special time on the uncontainable truth.

Where to start?  I guess I should start by filling you all in on what has been going on in my life the last couple of weeks.  Actually, the last year but the change really started becoming a reality over the month of February.  Early last month I resigned from my job at the American Cancer Society.  This past Wednesday was my last day at work so now I have officially begun a new chapter of my life.  I'm excited, scared, and adjusting all at the same time but I know this change is a step in the right direction.

I think it is time to re-wind and fill you all in on what brought about this change.  Last summer, I really began to pray for the Lord to show me his purpose for my life.  I started to explore the spiritual gifts that he has given me and really define how I can use those gifts to better his kingdom here on earth.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am called to be his disciple.  For a long time, I really struggled with how I would go about doing that and what my "calling" truly is.  The Lord put on my heart to begin writing and sharing my thoughts with others so that is when the blog began.  When I attended the Beth Moore simulcast in late August, I prayed for God to answer the desires of my heart which were:
1. To put into action his purpose for my life
2. To become a mom
All fall, I searched for the answers to these prayers and really struggled emotionally with how these changes would affect our lives.  Raleigh, being the practical husband that he is, would constantly be running numbers and to be honest, it just didn't add up.  But, one Sunday, our preacher spoke about how Jesus' favorite word was "Go."  In Matthew 4:18-20 it says, "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men,"  At once they left their nets and followed him."

Y'all, the Holy Spirit wrapped his loving arms around Raleigh and I that day.  It was like our preacher was speaking these words directly into our cotton-filled ears.  From that moment on, we were convinced that God was moving in big ways in our lives and we had better start following him before we got left behind.  That day, we made a decision that would radically change our lives.  We decided that it was time for me to run full-throttle in pursuit of Jesus so I could share his awesome love with others through means of bible study, mentoring, teaching, and serving others through my spiritual gifts. 

Over Thanksgiving, we shared for the first time His plans for our lives with our parents.  All four of them were in agreeance that if God had called me to do something, I better follow him.  It was so humbling to have their blessings on this decision.  When Raleigh and I returned to Montgomery after that weekend, we were given a reward from our loving Father.  We found out we were pregnant.  Friends, never in my life have I felt his face shine upon me like it did that evening.  We were awestruck by his wonderful ways.  It was truly a moment that I will return to again and again whenever I doubt if he is listening to my prayers. 

Now that a decision had finally been made, we were at the point of having to act upon it.  You would think that would be the easy part, but I was scared to death to jump off the cliff into the unknown waters below.  I started to analyze and question the decision.  I let fear and doubt come into my mind and Satan just had a field day with me.  The decision just seemed so not of this world and very unpractical.  I also had obligations.  I'm not a quitter and I loved my job so it really didn't make sense for me to just turn 180 degrees and drop everything I have worked so hard to accomplish.  So, like Moses, I started to ask God if he really wanted me to do this task.  I needed proof. Confirmation that this was real and not a crazy dream.

Well, if I needed proof, our Creator decided He would show me proof times two.  As I mentioned here, at our first ultrasound we found out we were having twins.  I just sat on the exam room table and let the tears go.  He knew I had always wanted twins but we didn't have them in our family.  Walking to the car that day, I received my strength from the spirit to let go of this world and to fully put my trust in the Lord that he would provide for our family.

Sweet brothers and sisters, I never dreamed that I would be where I am with my life today.  I couldn't imagine that this was what He had planned for me.  As the old saying goes, "Don't fix what ain't broken."  My job wasn't broken but God knew that there was no way I would leave it if I wasn't expecting twins.  He knew I didn't have a quitter heart and that I didn't want to let anyone down at that wonderful organization.  I loved what I did and I was good at it so why change it?  Because He loves me and knows that there is more work for me to do for his kingdom. Greater things are still to be done but with a willing heart I am taking my first baby steps in his direction for this new dawning of my life.

 If any of you are struggling with your "calling" in life, I urge you to fervently seek him for guidance.  At our winter retreat this January, our speaker had seven points that we should follow when answering our calling.
1. Define what God has called you to do (Nehemiah 2:17)
2. Question It (Luke 14:25)
3. Plan It (Nehemiah 2:5)
4. Deadline It (Proverbs 20:4, Luke 12:35)
5. GO FOR IT! (Proverbs 6:6, Luke 9:62)
6. Expect challenges to it (Exodus 4:29, Exodus 5, Nehemiah 2:17)
7. Be Found Doing It (Luke 12:35)
(Click here to view scripture from points 1-4 and here for points 5-7)

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him." - Luke 12:35

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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1 Two for the Price of one!

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:3-4

How many times in life have we wanted something? Wanted something but never thought it would become a reality? Never really believing in it...never allowing ourselves to fully trust that He can make that desire happen if He so chooses for that to be a part of our purpose in life?

Friends, what I am about to share with you is living proof to me that God is in control of my life. It shows me without a shadow of a doubt that He loves me and hears my prayers. Not only does He hear them but He answers them on His time; not mine.

After Thanksgiving, Raleigh and I found out that I was pregnant! We were beyond thrilled and decided to tell our families at Christmas. It was such a special moment to share this news with the soon-to-be grandparents. In the midst of their excitement, we made them promise not to tell anyone until we went to the doctor to confirm that everything was going smoothly. With it being my first time pregnant I really didn't want the whole world to know we were expecting until that point. Well, this past Friday we went to the doctor and everything checked out great. It was so neat to hear a heartbeat and to finally be able to tell our friends! Our doctor scheduled us to come back on Tuesday to get an ultrasound.

So, yesterday we headed back to the OB office expecting to see this itty bitty peanut shape on the screen. As the ultrasound technician squirts the goo on my belly, Raleigh and I look at each other just so thrilled at what we were about to see. Well, she starts moving the wand over my belly and up on the screen is more than a peanut. It is an actual shape of an itty bitty baby. And, as we look closer, we realize that we aren't seeing just one shape on the screen. The technician looks at me and says, "Do you see what I see?" I look at her and say, "Is that what I think that is?" She says, You're having TWINS!!!!! Raleigh and I just can't contain ourselves at this point and we just burst into laughter saying over and over again, "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. This is crazy. Wow. I love you. Wow. This is crazy."

It was truly one of the best moments of my life. It was so cool to see their little features. Below are some of the ultrasound pictures. Both babies have great heartbeats and their due date is July 24th.



Not only has God blessed us with a child but He has given us two! And the best part of it is I have always wanted twins. That has been a desire of my heart since I was a little girl and I would read Sweet Valley High books about Jessica and Elizabeth being identical twins. I know that sounds silly, but it is true. I am not kidding y'all when I say this but I know without a shadow of a doubt that God hears even the little whispers and the dreamy fairy tales of our hearts. Not only have I always wanted twins, but I used to say that I would love to marry an architect. Yesterday, as I was laying on the exam room table all of these thoughts came rushing through my head. It was all I could do to make it to the car before I burst into tears of His outstanding grace and mercy over my life. He has heard everything. Not only has He heard but He has listened and answered my prayers! It overwhelms me to think about how much He truly cares about me.

He is going to watch over these two bundles of joy over these next six months. Please keep our growing family in our prayers. Pray for us not to worry and to just continue to trust in His guiding hand. Pray for our families and for all of us to be a team as we prepare for these new beginnings. Pray for our doctor and for my health.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:13-16

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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0 I Am Second

I'm sure you all are aware of a little football game played last Thursday night. As Texas took on Alabama, the number one team going into the BCS National Championship we all watched in shock as Colt McCoy, the Texas quarterback, was removed from the game when he was hit during a play by an Alabama defensive player.

We all know how the game ended. Alabama walked away as the number one team for this season in football. I know my dad, one of the biggest Alabama fans in this state, was a very happy camper that night.

But, that's not what this post is about tonight. It's not about who won and who lost. It's not about which team we were cheering for or what we thought the game was going to be like. It's about the Christian character that was shown by Colt McCoy that night as he watched from the sidelines his last football game in his college career.

Anybody that has ever played any sport can totally relate to the emotions he was feeling that night. Athletes have so much heart for their sport. It is more than a game. The game tests the athlete and develops inner character. Below is the post-game interview that was given to Colt. Check out what he had to say:



We all face unexpected trials in life. Are we going to let that curve ball control us or are we going to let someone far greater be in control of our lives?

*I am second is a movement where significance in life is a shared value among people of all kinds. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Your next door neighbor. People just like you. Their authentic stories here on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. You'll meet people who overcame destructive lifestyles. Plus you'll discover those who've tried to go at it alone and have failed, yet still found a life full of hope, peace, and fulfillment.

Take a look at Colt's I am Second video:



Do you see yourself as second? I think we should all take some time to think about where we rate ourselves in life. To see more I Am Second videos, click here.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

*iamsecond.com. What is I Am Second?.

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0 Bubble Wrap

Goodness gracious, have I got so much to share with all of you! First off, what did y'all think about Raleigh's post on the Love Dare? I am so excited that he is going to start doing reviews and other posts on this blog. If it wasn't for Raleigh Price, I would have never been brave enough to start doing this in the first place. I truly believe that he adds an element of creativity and style to this site. We have more things in store for you all in the upcoming weeks so be on the look out for some new upgrades to The Uncontainable Truth!

Secondly, I just want to apologize for not posting sooner. Last week was a little crazy for me and I was out of town and then my mom came to Montgomery to help me decorate for an engagement party we had at our house on Saturday night. My mom is a crazy worker bee and she was cleaning all over the place. She had a fit with my oven and my bathtub. I told her that people wouldn't be looking at my oven and bathtub but she said, "Christen Michelle Ridley...Price....I just can't let you live like this!" Mom loves our house but she isn't used to it being so...old. Older homes just have that certain "character" that you love but at the same time have to ignore. Like, I love my hardwood floors but I don't love how they warp in some areas. Or, I love the transoms above my doors but I don't love how air comes through the window even when it is painted shut. Oh, the joys and the charm.

Finally, tonight after dinner I sat back and watched Carrie Underwood's Holiday Special. I do have to say, I am a BIG Carrie Underwood fan. No haters out there I hope. I just love, love, love her music. Last year, she came to Birmingham and we went to her concert and I remember my spirit felt uplifted when I left. Now, I know she has songs that aren't very nice like "Before He Cheats" but all in all she is someone that holds herself with grace and character. Tonight she sang a song from her new c.d. called "Temporary Home" and it was truly inspirational. I love Christian music but I truly admire her because she sings songs like that in our pop culture where she can influence so many non-believers.

I feel like it is so easy to get wrapped up into a bubble and just communicate with people that are just like me. We aren't afraid to share our testimony at church but we won't tell our co-worker about Christ and how He is the only way we can make it through our day. I know I have some friends that I openly discuss Jesus with and then I have others where I don't even bring up the subject. Something that I am constantly seeking is that balance of sharing Christ with non-believers or luke-warm Christians without freaking them out. In Philemon v. 6, Paul says, "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."

From this verse, I believe that the more we share our faith the more we will have faith. So, not only will we be helping others learn how to have a relationship with Jesus, we will also be strengthening our own relationship with him. Many believe in God but they don't know God. They don't let themselves give in to his undeniable love. When we fully commit ourselves to wanting a relationship with Jesus, we become living disciples for him and it becomes more natural to share him with others because we can't deny where our joy is coming from.

It sounds so simple doesn't it? Well, guess what...it is! Fear is from Satan and that is what is holding me back. But, if I let go of fearing what others will think, I will be basking in his love for me and that will be a light to others.

How have you overcome your fears of what others will think of you? Do you have an example of how you have shared Christ with others? Help us shy girls out :)

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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1 Unknown Caller

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD; The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." The Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" The Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." - 1 Samuel 3:2-10

Have you ever had a moment like Samuel in this story? You hear God calling your name but you don't know who it is? Or, do you hear God calling your name and you aren't ready to listen to what he has to say? Today we are going to talk about God revealing himself to us and how we can learn to listen and be able to distinguish his voice.

Y'all, I'm going to let you in on one of my secrets. Talking on the phone is just not something I enjoy doing. Awful, I know! I am horrible at catching my phone on the first ring. My mom will call me and I usually have to call her back because I can hear my phone ringing in my purse but I just can't find the dang thing! If I don't recognize the number, you better know that it is going straight to voicemail. Or, if I do recognize the number but know that I don't have time/don't feel like talking at the moment, I just let it ring and call them back later.

What if, instead of my mom being on the other line, God chooses to dial my digits? And, when he dials I keep missing the phone every time it rings?!? When I finally do pick up the phone and hear the voice at the other end, my reply is, "Sorry, I believe you have the wrong number."

When I meet someone for the first time, I usually keep the conversation pretty casual. I am sincere but it is rare for me to open up my insides and reveal all of my struggles. It takes me trusting people to finally let them in on my fears, concerns, and thoughts for my life. When we started the blog, I was very nervous about being so open with people that I have never talked to, let alone never even met! But, God put this on my heart to share with others so that is what I am doing.

Friends, I am really struggling with a situation right now. I feel as though God has revealed part of his plan for my life and I am so scared to take the next step. I believe in him and trust in him but it is so far from anything I ever thought I would do. Lately, I feel like God has been saying Christen! Christen! but I continue to go to my modern day Eli. Now, knowing that he has called my name I have to make a decision as to whether or not I will be his humble servant.

Needless to say, I am very overwhelmed. I have gotten advice from family and friends but it is still hard for me to take that leap of faith. Does anybody else struggle with this like I am? I would love to know.

Today, I read some scripture about God revealing himself to women. This one verse is so beautiful and it shows me that he does make himself known to man. It is from Amos 4:13, "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth - the LORD God Almighty is his name."

While that verse gives me comfort, I am still fearful of what lies ahead. But, I am even more fearful of not listening to God and totally missing the boat. This next verse reminds me of something a granddad would say while rocking on the front porch swing chewing sunflower seeds:

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" - Romans 8:18

From reading scripture, the word reveal has different Hebrew-Greek terminologies, but mainly they all mean to share, to declare something, to bring to light. We all know I am a fan of light and letting our lights shine so it gives me peace to know that God sheds light on a situation so we know which way to go in the dark. The Greek word apokalupto talks about how things are revealed from God through Christ. What does this mean, exactly? My thoughts are that once we have Christ in our hearts we have a sense of knowing that we have to follow him in every decision that we make.

"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus." - Galatians 1:15-17

I want to be more like Peter. When Christ was revealed to him, he stopped everything he was doing to take up his cross and follow him. He didn't get any one's approval or even check with the other apostles to make sure he was cool in the gang, he just went - right then and there - and started to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Friends, aren't we modern day Samuel's in some crazy way? We just don't recognize the voice that is calling our name? God calls us multiple times and we either finally pick up the phone or we block that number so we never have to listen to what he has to say.

Are you ready to listen? Am I ready to listen?

I would love to hear of how you have heard God and have listened to his plans for your life. Also, before we end the post today, I want to give you a spoiler that cool things are cookin' in the Price house for this blog so stay tuned!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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0 Our lifesaver

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
-John 14: 15-17

Today, I want to talk about love. We all love different things in life. We love our mates, we love our parents, and we love our new pair of shoes. I have been reading a lot about love lately in the Love Dare book. Love is patient, love is kind, love is a choice that people make to stay together forever. On the human scale of loving someone, I can't imagine ever loving anyone more than I love Raleigh. And my family. I would do practically anything for them out of love. That doesn't mean I always agree with them or like them, but I do love them and I make a choice to love them every single day.

Another thing I love is being outdoors. This morning, as I am typing, I am looking at a crystal blue sky and autumn leaves. What a glorious day! The sound of leaves crunching under my feet, the deep breaths of fresh air I inhale; all of these things are a gift given to me from my wonderful Creator.

The verse that we opened with was spoken by Jesus and how he promises for us to have the Holy Spirit when we accept him into our hearts. *Faith is believing that Jesus is one with the Father and the Spirit and that the Spirit will always stand by Christ's people.

I don't know about you, but I desperately need the Spirit to be in my life every day. This verse calls the Spirit to be our Counselor - someone we can go to with our problems and our needs. He is our confidant, someone we can trust with our problems every single second of every single day.

Do you want to know why we can trust our Savior? Because he is righteous and just. See for yourself in this passage from Psalm 85: 8-13:

I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints - but let them not return to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

Some of the key words that stand out to me in this verse are peace, love and faithfulness. All of these things are promised to us because of our righteous Lord. I love the imagery of 'righteousness looks down from heaven.' It makes me think about how throughout the day, usually in the early morning or just before the sun begins to set, we see these beautiful beams shining down from the sky. Next time you see this ray of sunshine, think about it as God smiling down on us from Heaven because he knows that we are choosing what is right.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.
Psalm 106: 1-3

So, if we as Christians are promised to have peace, love, and justice for what is right, why are so many things wrong in our life? Why do we feel so desperate sometimes and like we keep taking all left turns instead of right? I think it is two main things:
1. Satan
2. Not completely trusting God to take care of us

Hear me out on this one. I feel like this earth is a constant battle ground. Somebody or something is always going to be an obstacle that Satan throws at us to make us not trust that God is going to fix it. A lot of times, we rely on our own decision making skills or the thoughts from our mates and family members to get us through the tough stuff. Or, we do take time to give our worries to God but we are still anxious and don't trust that He is actually going to take care of them.

When we desperately seek God, our Counselor, we will realize that all we need is him. It is okay to tell your problems to your loved ones but honestly there is only so much that they can do or say to make it better. God, our Wonderful Creator, Beautiful Savior, the Name ABOVE All Names is reaching out his hand as we are hanging from the ledge saying "Grab my hand, Trust me, follow me!" When we have faith in Him alone, we will be living in his righteousness.

Friends, I think a lot of us are swimming in the middle of the pool. We can't really touch the bottom but we can still swim back to the shallow end if needed. God is waiting for us in the deep end, asking us to take that leap of faith off the diving board to completely and utterly trust him that we won't sink.

I will tell you one thing: Satan is not going to like this and he is going to try really hard to drown you in the deep end. When you feel like he is getting a hold of you, just tell him to go away and hold on to Jesus, our lifesaver.

Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. -Psalm 91: 14-16

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

*Zondervan NIV Study Bible

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0 Dear God

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me and for forgiving me of my sins. This weekend was great. Thank you for keeping Ashley and I safe as we traveled to Memphis to see Beth Moore. You have blessed me with her friendship and I am forever grateful to have had a companion like her over all these years.

Jesus, I want to apologize for not fully focusing on you Friday night. Forgive me for paying more attention to Beth than you. I was awestruck and excited beyond myself and I am sincerely sorry that I had a false idolatry when YOU alone are the one that I should be awestruck by. Thank you for giving us women a mentor and teacher like Beth Moore. She is not putting on a show...she is the real deal...the living proof.

Thank you for your love. By your love, grace and mercy I know that you are my Savior. I can't live my life without you. Thank you for your encouragement and for taking all of my fears. Thank you for wrapping your loving arms around me on day 2. I was fully into you on Saturday and my life has been enriched from that message.

Lord, take me as you find me. I can't live my life without you. I love you and I desperately need you.

In Jesus name,

Amen




Till next time, let your light shine

blessings, christen

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