Eight Years (part 2)

Eight years ago this week, God began to unravel His plan for our lives together with two unknowing 16 year olds flirting with each other....


He began with one nerdy, boy-crazy, red-head. One geeky, but suave italian. And a love for them both that ran deeper than I could have imagined.

Keep checking back to see our story unfold!

Eight Years....

8 years ago this week our lives changed.....

More details to come of our 8 year saga...

For Starters...

The first semester has started. My classes have been going great! It has been a little tricky getting back into the Greek language, mainly all the vocab. But it is coming back to me. I enjoy my New Testament class but my teacher is a little hard to follow. He is very random, but is knowledgeable, so it will be okay. I am also taking a pastoral class that teaches me all about the Biblical reasons we do everything from Lord's Supper, baptism, and more. I even get to practice "dunking" people for baptisms! Any takers?! And my student ministry class is all about the psychology and developmental issues of adolescence. My teacher is great but I wish we could use a book that did not cost me $160...I mean it's not even a hard back book!?

I have also recently been "promoted" in my role in Youth Ministry Lab. First, Youth Ministry Lab (YML) is the largest Youth Leader Conference in the US completely organized by students. It is April 9-10 here on campus and if you would like to go I can send you info. But, I was asked to be the chair, basically the one in charge of the exhibit hall. It is going to be a great experience and I feel God has a purpose for me being in the spot. It is more time but it is all worth it!

Apple has been going good as well. And before you ask, no, I do not know any more details on the iPad. It has been good and I've been able to have a positive influence on my co-workers and customers. Texas still surprises me with how many different people live within the area. Hard to believe that this is our home now, and it is finally starting to feel like it!

Please continue to pray for Diamend and I as we continue to work and serve in our church and community. God has blessed us with great friends and I'm sure Diamend will be posting pictures soon. Please pray for my classes and being able to balance class and work, since finances are always a need. Thank you for all your prayers thus far and we hope to share more and more with you here.

Please comment on how we can pray for you!

Love You Too...

Tony B

What Really Matters

My devotional today hit home with me... I pray it will you:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33

Far too often I seek God's blessings instead of seeking God. I seek His hand instead of His heart. Like a child with a long Christmas list, at times I run to my heavenly Father as if He's a celestial Wal-Mart purposed to satisfy my every want. Instead of leaning in to hear the whispered will of the Lord, I selfishly shout my will. My desires. My demands. I'd rather have relief from life-pressures than gain the strength to endure them and the lessons I'm intended to learn from them. When I'm desperate to fill my over-sized heart-cart with things that I think I need, I rob myself of what really matters: the pursuit of God and the blessings found in Him alone. Why do we desire God's intervention in our lives more than His presence? Why do we think that we know what we need? It's so arrogant of us to tell God how to be God. Isn't that what we do when we stomp our feet before His throne and whine about all of the things that need fixing instead of praising Him for the strength He graciously gives us to endure?

While we're certainly encouraged by Scripture to make our requests known to the Father (Philippians 4:6), the highest calling on our lives is to love God with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds (Matthew 22:37). What really matters is seeking God first.

God knew we would struggle with this truth. His Word promises that when we chase His heart, we can relax. Our needs will be met because He loves us. "And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'what will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'

These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:30-34, NLT). The Message version of the Bible says it like this: "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes" (Matthew 6:30-34, MSG).

Set your list of wants aside today and seek God. Go before Him with a heart of worship and adoration. Get lost in His presence. Remember His mercy. Relish His grace. Love Him. Seek Him. Put first things first. God loves us so much. His plan is perfect and His ways are mysterious. He knows our needs and He knows our desires. When we remember what really matters we can rest in the knowledge that He's working on our behalf, and in our best interest, to bring glory to Himself through our lives.

Father, You are all I need. Please forgive me for the times when I seek Your blessings before I seek Your heart. Help me to trust Your plan and rest in Your grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn - How has God met your needs in the past? Do you trust that He is able to meet them today? He's not just concerned with your needs - God also cares about your heart matters. Read, meditate on and memorize this verse: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4, ESV).

**Please know that today's devotion is not suggesting that we shouldn't go to God with our burdens. We must! But God wants your love before your list.**

New Year, New Semester.

It's been too long. First, I want to thank everyone for putting up with my lazy-blogging butt. I care about you all so much and I apologize for not writing here sooner. Diamend is much more disciplined than I and it shows since it has been a month since I last posted. So let me catch you up to what's been going on.

Break has been awesome! Visiting home with friends and family was great. We love relaxing with you all so much that we didn't want to leave. But Christmas and New Years was fun, if you would like to see pics just scroll down, Diamend has posted a bunch of great photos!

Speaking of break, it is over, school starts tomorrow. My classes this semester should be similar to last semester. I'm taking Greek II, New Testament II, Intro to Christian Ministry, and Student Development/Psychology and Life Issues. Gonna have papers, readings, and research I know...but it is all from God and for God. Please pray that I can focus and stay on top of the course work.

As well as class I also will continue working part-time at the Apple Store. I really enjoy my job and it is a great and practical way for me to minister to people. The job itself is great and my company is cool too! It's nice to be around some of the "world" a couple of days a week. If I were working in a church now, I would have zero connection to the lost and that is definitely not God's will.

Some other things that has been going on is that since money has been so tight that Diamend has started a "side-job" as a Scrap-booker for Hire. She already has two clients and is working hard on their memories. We know God is going to provide for us, but please pray that we remember that and be patient for His timing. Also, Diamend and I have both been trying to workout on a more regular basis. Since marriage we have both "added" to ourselves and we know that we need to be good stewards of the body that God has given us to use while we are here. So Diamend has been doing water aerobics with some ladies and running at the gym at her work. I have started going to the gym on campus here three days a week with two great guys, Dustin and Josh. Pray for Diamend and I as we discipline ourselves in this way, as well as, Josh and Dustin for putting up with me and my weak arms.

And finally, I just wanted to thank you for visiting and praying for us/with us. God has been doing some amazing things and we know that we could not be doing any of this without Him controlling everything. Please post prayer concerns in the comments below so that we know how to pray for you. Thanks again for all the encouragement, gifts, and prayers. It is our prayer that through this time of refining God reveals to us the plan He has in store for us and that we may draw closer to Him through our daily walks with Him.

In Christ,

Tony B.

New Year's Resolutions/Goals

I am usually not one for new year's resolutions....

However, this year is different. It is 2010 - and being a ten seems significant in a different way (I know... I'm weird); it is our first year in TX, at seminary and following Tony's calling to be a pastor; and I will be 25 this year, which seems like a good milestone bday to be making some changes/resolutions/goals! :)

With that said....

Here are my 2010 Resolutions/Goals for 25:

1. Lose weight! (I know everyone says that, but b/c of all my surgeries and not being able to do much - I need to be able to get to my pre-surgery weight)

2. Become more disciplined with my schedule: fitting in time for quiet time, a work out, hubby and extracurricular reading/knitting.

3. Learn to become a more patient and loving godly woman and wife.

4. Not allow myself to "sweat the small stuff" - I want to be a less-stressed more easy going person.

5. Continue striving to get out of debt and stay on top of bills and tuition while living on 1 income :-/

6. Continue with and improve our blog - making sure that I strive to stay connected with all our friends/family!

7. Go on a vacation! Though we have little money, we really want to be able to take a vacation before we have any kids and reward ourselves from his schoolwork.

8. Pray more diligently about our future and beginning a family!


~ I know that 10 would be a more rounded number and it would be cute to have 10 resolutions/goals for 2010; but that is all I have :)

Praying for a great 2010 for you all!
Diamend

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy 2010!! I cannot believe this is our first blog post of 2010! 2009 was a truly great year! Answering the call for Tony to come here to seminary was a big step and God is providing! He provides for us daily, both financially and emotionally and our marriage has grown stronger as we grow together in Christ! Our God is Good!

We are back in Texas after a wonderful holiday break back home in Illinois! We had a great time with our family and got to catch up with friends, it was truly wonderful!

The week before we went home though, we had our "Manor" Christmas Party:

Here are a few pics of Christmas in Illinois!!

I got the best presents for Christmas! TIRES!

The Annual Bianco Christmas Eve Party:

Tony with Santa Clause

Koen with Santa Clause

Alicia with Santa Clause

Diamend and Santa Clause

Stephanie with Santa Clause

I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe new years eve!! Celebrate today all that God is doing in your life and is going to do in 2010!!

New year's resolutions to come!!

Blessings,

Diamend