Laughter Does The Heart Good

Problem or Opportunity?

2012-02-15T18:42:00.001-05:00

Are you facing a huge problem? Or is it anopportunity for God to show His power and glory?

What is the difference? It’s a fine line, and veryimportant which side you’re on, especially when “everything is on the line”.

Here’s what makes the difference . . .Perspective

How you view your circumstances makes all thedifference, because how you seethings determines how you react. You see things through the lens of faith orfear, God’s way, or the world’s way, from a “heavenly perspective or the earthyrealm”)

Remember these examples from the Bible:

· 2 Kings6:15-17 – “When the servant of the man of Godgot up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariotshad surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do’? the servant asked.‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more thanthose who are with them.’ And Elishaprayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, andhe looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all aroundElisha.”

I pray that Godwould open our eyes beyond the physical to see what’s really going on in thesupernatural realm.

· Numbers13:31 – Ten spies were sent out, eight had this report “We are not able to go up against thepeople, for they are stronger than we.” In contrast, Joshua and Caleb had thisreport: Numbers 13:30 – “Let us goup at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

They saw the same situation,but with very different perspectives – all based on their view of themselves,AND of God.

The Bible says that weare seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus – so spiritually speaking ourview should be looking down on our circumstances with clear direction. If we’relooking around, we’re only seeing earthly solutions. However Psalm 121:1-2 says...

“I will lift my eyes tothe hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker ofHeaven and earth.”

It’s our choice…wechoose what to focus on, and it will affect our outcome.

Let’s look at one last example – Peter and hisfamous “walking on water” moment. Firstof all, you have to give Peter a lot of credit for getting out of the boat. Ibelieve it pleased the Lord to for Peter to ask if he could come to Him on thewater. Jesus responded “come” and Peter was defying the natural laws of theearth by walking on water as long as he focused on going toward Jesus. It wasn’tuntil he heard the wind and waves and allowed a place for fear and unbeliefthat he began to sink. What started outas a great moment of faith, ended with Jesus asking Peter, “why did you doubt?”I don’t believe Jesus was being hard on him. I think He really wanted toencourage Peter that he was, and can do the impossible! It just takes keepingour eyes on Him so we give no place for the enemy to bring doubt and unbelief. Weknow that those are the weapons the enemy uses to keep us double minded andunstable in all our ways (James 1:8)– rendering us ineffective.

If we are looking at Jesus, but still don’t haveclear direction, the Bible promises that we can ask for wisdom, and He will giveit to us generously (James 1:5).

Lastly, I want you to imagine how you think Godviews your circumstances? Does it line up with what the Scripture says? Look atthe following verses and see it from God’s perspective.

· He warned us that in this world, wewould have trouble...but not to be afraid because He’s overcome the world.(John 16:33)

· He said nothing was impossible to thosewho believe (Luke 1:37, Matt. 17:20)

· He said we’d become mature and lacknothing if we allowed hardship to produce perseverance in us. (James 1:2-3)

· He said that He would work in everysituation for the good of those who are in Christ (Rom. 8:28)

· He promised blessing when we’repersecuted and treated badly because we follow Him (Matt. 5:11)

The list goes on and on…the point is that God caresabout us and everything we’re going through! He wants to carry our burdens, in exchange forthe life He ordained for us. He desires for His people to cast every care onHim, because He cares for us.

Our only responsibilities are:

Ø Seek - (Matt. 6:33; Matt. 7:7)

Ø Pray- (Phil 4:6)

Ø Trust - (Prov. 3:5-6)

Ø Obey - (Deut. 30:15-16; 1 Sam. 15:22)

Did You Know You Were A Queen?

2012-01-30T12:28:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the number 12 in the Bible representsgovernment? So some are calling 2012“The Year of God’s Government”. Before you think “politics”, let’s put it thisway – “The year of God’s Kingdom”. What does that mean? Let’s look at it inlight of this Scripture:

Mark1:14-15 - “…Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, ‘the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom ofgod is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’”

SeveralScriptures throughout the gospels say the “kingdom of God is at hand” – this istranslated as “near” or “has come”. Jesus brought the Kingdom with him – when hetaught His disciples to pray, he said pray like this “Thy Kingdom come…theywill be done, here on earth as it is in Heaven.” – he was telling us to pray for the Kingdom ofHeaven to be manifest in our circumstances here on earth, just like it is inHeaven.

The people in that day didn’t understand the Kingdom becausethey were waiting for a ruler to come and set up a physical kingdom and rule onthe throne here on earth.

Luke17:20-21 – “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘theKingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘see here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’”

So let’s talk kingdom… the notes in my NKJ “Spirit FilledLife” study Bible put it like this: “Theterminology of the kingdom holds more than poetic pictures. It is practicallyapplicable to all our living.”

Every kingdom has...

a king
usually a queen (the King’s bride)
Representatives (Ambassadors) for when they are in othercountries and speaking on behalf of the king, representing their Nation
Servants – completely loyal and obedient to the King andthe laws of the kingdom (or suffer the consequences)

There are good kings and bad kings, those who rule forthemselves, or those who put the people’s best interest at heart.

But there has NEVERbefore, nor will there ever be another king like King Jesus. Likewise,there is NO kingdom quite like the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is the King – the church is His Bride, therefore HisQueen…but we also have many other titles and responsibilities. Besides beingthe Queen/Bride, we’re His children, joint heirs to the kingdom, Hisambassadors, and His servants.

· Bride– Eph. 5:25-27 “…just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up forher to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle orany other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

· Children– John1:12-13 - “But to all who did receive him, who believed in hisname, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of bloodnor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

· Heirs – Rom. 8:17 – “Now if we are children, then we areheirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in hissufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

· Ambassador– 2 Cor. 5:20 – “We are thereforeChrist's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. Weimplore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” We represent Himhere on earth (since His Kingdom is not of this world), we act as Hisrepresentatives in this foreign land where we reside for now.

As with any kingdom, a king’s queen enjoys certain privileges;an heir comes with many promises; an ambassador to the King has a great deal ofauthority when coming in the name of the king; and the servants have greatresponsibilities to represent their kingdom in a way that is pleasing to theirking.

I encourage you to study the Scriptures regarding thiskingdom in which we as believers in Jesus Christ have become members. Weare called to “press into” this kingdom (Luke 16:16).

I am filled with excitement about 2012 as the people of thisHeavenly Kingdom take our rightful place.

Using Your Platform

2012-01-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

An example from Tim Tebow

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Broncos fan, a huge sports fan, orif you don’t even like football…if you live in this country (or breathing onthis planet at all), you’ve heard of Tim Tebow.

Tim is the son of Christianmissionaries, he was home-schooled by his mom, and accepted Jesus as his Saviorat age 7. He explained that character was taught first, before math or othersubjects. He honors his parents, and gives credit to his mother for beingcourageous when she was advised by the doctors to abort Tim due to what theythought were life threatening complications. He said it wasn’t really a choicefor her, she never even considered ending the life of her child. This samestory later became a controversial commercial that aired during the Superbowltwo years ago to honor life as opposed to abortion. While playing football forthe Univ. of Florida, Tim also took a stand for abstinence where he publiclyconfessed he was still a virgin. His beliefs have made him the subject of muchridicule by the world’s standards.

It’s been amazing to watch thecontroversy over this one man – who is using his God given gifts and abilities,to Exalt the name of Jesus. Tim told how early on how his father explained theamazing platform available to star athletes. This, according to Tim, outweighsthe satisfaction he gets from playing football. While with the Florida Gators,he had access to the local hospital. He would spend almost every weekendvisiting the children in the hospital, using his “platform” to share his faith.

Over the years, he’s been both a rolemodel to many, and a target of persecution from those who hate his conservativevalues. However, up until this season, most chose to write him off as a seriousplayer. It took going on a winning streak, with his unconventional Quarterbackskills, as well as his bold way of giving thanks to Jesus Christ his Saviorafter every win, that has gotten the attention of fans and critics alike.

So how is Tebow reacting to suchattention?

I haven’t heard him comment on theinappropriate and blasphemous skit making fun of his faith on Saturday NightLive. He’s been portrayed as a joke on several sports newspaper articles,ridiculed on late night television shows, and been the topic of manyconversations on the Internet. I’ve seen no quotes of Tim responding to DaveSilverman, the president of “American Atheists”, when he claimed that Tebow was“brainwashing” himself into believing God has something to do with hisvictories.”

I have, however, heard Tim quoted assaying that he hopes when people think of him, they’ll not only see a footballplayer. In fact, in an interview on CBN, Tim was quoted as saying:

“I hope they say, number one, that thisis a guy who loves the Lord, but that he loves people and wants to make adifference in their life. He wants to help everyone he comes in contactwith…he’s genuine, real and cares about people. It’s not all about scoringtouchdowns, or being famous or anything like that, but it’s about relationships,it’s about making a difference in people’s lives, and at the end of the day, it’s aboutglorifying God.”

It’s not that we want to put him on apedestal – he admittedly makes mistakes. He said that’s where the grace of Godcomes in. However, I do want to acknowledge, and thank him for standing upagainst the tough criticism, and standing strong for the Lord.

It’s truly refreshing to see a youngman in the spotlight, care more about glorifying God than promoting his ownego.

It’s a great reminder to all of usto:

* Use our God given gifts and talentsto glorify God
* To be a person of influence and use our “Platform” to give our testimony andshare our faith
* Not be afraid of the world’s perspective of who we are and what we’re doingfor Christ.
* At the end of the day, it’s not about us, it’s about Exalting His Name!

In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share some of his famous quotes that really spoke to me. The wisdom and example he shared is not just something to be admired, but a goal to be achieved.

"He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love."
"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend."

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."

"The church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society."
"The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be...The Nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."
"The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important."
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
"Yes, I see the Church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists"
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

I could go on and on...he had so many awesome, powerful quotes - any one of these could be a whole sermon in themselves. I'll share one more..
My favorite quote, that is so true in our walk with the Lord (and particularly applicable to my life right now):
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

2011-12-31T15:34:00.000-05:00

I wrote a post for New Year's on my other blog "Freedom NOW Ministries" - please stop by and check it out. While you're there, I'd love it if you'd join my blog.

Wishing you all a blessed 2012.

Holiday Humor by Anita Renfroe

2011-12-28T10:18:00.001-05:00

2011-12-25T16:44:00.000-05:00

I want to wish ALL my wonderful blogging friends a very Merry Christmas!

I hope you each have a chance to spend time with family and friends, eat a lot of delicious food, exchange gifts, and get some probably much needed rest.

If however, you are not able to have the "ideal" celebration here at Christmas...I pray you will STILL celebrate the greatest gift of all...God the Father sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

He humbled Himself and came as a baby, lying in a manager, so that you and I could experience true joy, and peace, and ultimately have everlasting life.

I am grateful for the many gifts the Lord has given me - my family, friends, church, good health, a hope and a future...but nothing compares to the gift of knowing that Jesus is Immanuel, God with me. He will never leave me or forsake me. He won't leave or forsake you either if you've accepted the gift of Salvation.

I pray you will experience His presence today and everyday throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas & a Blessed 2012!

The Holidays Expose the Heart

2011-12-17T18:23:00.001-05:00

Today my family and I were out running some errands after myson’s basketball game. As usual thistime of year, my patience is tested with the crowds and the traffic. I was givenevil stares as I made room for a man in his minivan to go by – even though HE wasgoing the wrong way down the lane inthe parking lot!

I told my boys thatthis time of year brings out the best in some people, and the worst in others,depending on what’s in their hearts.

True intentions of the heart are often exposed during theholidays (due to the focus on family, friends, celebrations, and giving – all thiscoupled with stress, social and financial obligations, and sometimes dysfunctionalrelationships)

For example:

· Generosityflows a little easier at Christmas, as people participate in a variety ofdifferent outreach programs. Whether it’s “Angel trees”, “Shoeboxes throughSamaritan’s Purse”, donating to the “Salvation Army”, or just baking somethingextra for your neighbor - a lot of people live out the message “it is better togive than to receive”.

· Selfishnessis brought to the forefront, as witnessed on Black Friday when shopperstrampled one another to get a good deal.

· Impatienceis easily recognized as drivers, and long lines make the busiest of people dosomething they don’t normally do…WAIT.

But onesecret of the heart that is often brought to light this time of year is depression. Whether it’s due to loneliness, the loss of aloved one, absence, distance or division from family & friends, orfinancial stress…depression comesknocking on the door a little louder & clearer during the holidays.

My errands later led us to Wal-Mart. By this time, myhusband and kids couldn’t take anymore – so they opted to stay in the car whileI did my shopping. When I returned, Bobbytold me what he and the boys witnessed.

A lady came out of the store, loaded up her groceries, gotin her car, and laid her head in her hands and began to cry. They have NO ideawhat was upsetting this dear women! Bythe time I came out of the store, she was gone. Bobby didn’t feel at liberty to approach her by himself, but he said hisheart really went out to her.

Thankfully we can pray to a God who knowsexactly why she was crying – AND knows exactly how to help her!

Interestingly enough, we just spent some time yesterday withtwo of our precious friends, discussing the topic of compassion versespity. As you see people hurting thisChristmas, for whatever reason, make sure you offer them true compassion (whichcomes from the Holy Spirit) and not just pity. Compassion is usually backed byaction – The Bible talks often about Jesus being “moved with compassion.” We don’t have the capacity in and of ourselves to have compassion,only pity. Believe me, people can tellthe difference! The only person who appreciatesyour pity, is someone who insists on staying a “victim” and craves attentionanyway they can get it. Otherwise, people want authentic/ genuine, from theheart, compassion!

So keep your eyes, ears, and hearts open for those who mayneed some extra encouragement, fellowship, or prayer. Ask God to fill you with His compassion and listen for how He might have you act it out.

A New Spin On An Old Classic

2011-12-08T22:51:00.001-05:00

My family was driving home from church last night and we were listening to Christmas music.

My oldest son, Jay, was singing in the back seat - the song was "Let it Snow".

We had just pulled in the driveway and as I turned off the ignition we were at this point in the song:

"in the meadow we can build a snowman..."

Instead of the original lyrics, this is what Jay sang "and pretend that he is Carson Brown"

Bobby (my husband) and I started laughing. Jay said "What? What's so funny?"

and we were like..."who is Carson Brown?"

We had to explain to him that it was "Parson Brown".

He laughed and answered, "Oh, I thought it said Carson. Wait, what's a Parson?"

These young kids just don't understand the old Christmas classics.

2011-12-07T07:57:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Christmas Treasure Train Blog Hop. For those of you who won, I hope you enjoy the great give-away prizes.

Please stop by often and see what's going on here at Laugther Does the Heart Good - as well as at my friend and co-host of the Blog Hop, Anitra at The Mama Zone.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Treasure Train

2011-12-05T09:13:00.001-05:00

Today is the LAST Day of the Christmas Treasure Train blog hop give-away.

I hope you've all enjoyed it and you win a lot of great prizes. Tomorrow we will announce the Grand Prize Winner.

If you haven't visited all the listed blogs, don't delay because time is running out. Sign up now to register for the prize drawings.

Thank you so much for participating in the Christmas Treasure Train. Please continue to stop by and see what's going on here at Laughter Does the Heart Good, as well as my good friend and co-host of this blog hop give-away, Anitra at The Mama Zone.

Have a great week.

#ChristmasTreasure Train Featured Stop & Bonus Prize 12/2

2011-12-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

Today's featured blog is Savings in Seconds where Dianna is giving away a 50 Holiday cards from CrinkledNose.com ($80+ value)!

While you're there, check out her online deals and printable coupons. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

How about another bonus prize? You can win a beautiful hand painted vase and a set of thank you cards by artist Eleatta Diver here.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

#ChristmasTreasure Featured Stop 12/1

2011-11-30T22:55:00.001-05:00

Today's featured blog is Dirt Cheap Diva where Tabitha is giving away a pink Vtech V. Reader ($59.99 value)!

While you're there, check out some of the great deals she's discovered and don't miss her "New? Start here" tab. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

Look for another bonus prize soon and find the others here.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

#ChristmasTreasure Train Featured Stop 11/30

2011-11-29T23:00:00.001-05:00

Today's featured blog is Eco-Crazy Mom where Terri is giving away a beautiful Bright Rainbow Star Mandala playsilk from DesertDyeWorks and a Conscious Box filled with wonderful earth friendly treats.

While you're there, read about her obsession with green living and don't miss her eco-reviews tab . Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

Look for another bonus prize soon and find the others here.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

#ChristmasTreasure Train Featured Stop 11/29

2011-11-28T23:23:00.001-05:00

Today's featured blog is J4C Home where Jan and Sarah are giving away 2 wonderful praise cds in time for Christmas.

While you're there, check out some of their recipes and visit their Etsy shop. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

Look for another bonus prize soon and find the others here.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

#ChristmasTreasure Train Featured Stop & Bonus Prize 11/28

2011-11-27T23:22:00.000-05:00

Today's featured blog is At The Maple Table where Terri is giving away a $25 Amazon.com giftcard!!

While you're there, enter her other giveaways and check out her "Quote of the Day section. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

Ready for another bonus giveaway? Find a great one from UncommonGoods here.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

Black Friday Madness

2011-11-26T07:57:00.001-05:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Many of you are probably sleeping in this morning because you were very brave yesterday...you actually faced the phenomonon that has become known as "Black Friday". I tried it a few years back (you can find a post on this blog about it somewhere) Needless to say, I've never done it since.

I was watching the news this morning and heard about all these people who got hurt at stores fighting for the "earlybird deals." I think one man was tackled by the police because someone yelled out that he was stealing an XBox. He was actually hiding it under his shirt to protect himself from the crowd.

Another report told of a women who was fighting for an XBox and peppered sprayed the people around her. There were riots as the stores opened, an uprising because a store actually didn't open right at midnight as promised. The people pushed their way through and overwhelmed the employees. The news channel showed footage of a mob of people fighting over a waffle maker. I think a man actually got shot in the parking lot of the local Walmart where I'm visiting.

On and on it goes, stories of people acting crazy for a bargain...all hyped up by the media and advertising world, to make them think that they won't get a good deal if they don't show up at ungodly hours on Friday morning.

What they don't understand is...the Monday after Thanksgiving has now become known as "Cyber Monday". If you were one of the ~~smart~~, I mean unfortunate ones who missed Black Friday, never fear - just go online on Monday and check out the probably even lower prices!

I marvel at the state of people's minds as they fight and claw their way through the store to get what they want. As much as I appreciate a good deal, I can't imagine trampling someone to get it. I couldn't take out some pepper spray and use it on another person unless I felt my life was being threatened...not to get an item on my child's Christmas list.

I wonder if when these same people get up on Christmas morning and they're watching their precious little ones open all these fought after presents, if they'll feel at all guilty for the arms and legs they crushed on the way in to get it??? Just wondering...

There are 29 more shopping days until Christmas - please be safe out there! Word of advice - don't do anything that you'll regret as you wake up on the 25th and hopefully realize "it's not about the gifts!"

It's about someone who came to be the ultimate gift! His name is Jesus "Emmanuel - God with us"

James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Give Thanks No Matter What

2011-11-23T14:36:00.001-05:00

because Thankfulness is a choice...

This is a time of year to reflect on what we're thankful for - I thank God for Thanksgiving - A holiday who's very purpose is to cause people, who may not otherwise stop and take the time, to think about and count their many blessings.

But I understand that there those who are facing such terrible trials, that it's hard to find it in themselves to be thankful for anything. I've heard people say "there's always someone who has it worse than you" and somehow that's supposed to make you feel thankful? I've never understood why misery loves company, or how knowing others are suffering more can bring us any comfort in our own mess.

Let me please share with you something I've learned over the years as we've faced our share of challenges. God wants us to be thankful, even in the midst of our trouble! I'll prove it...

Phil. 4:6 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

1 Thess. 5:18 - "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

In both of these verses, it tells us to be thankful - in vs. 16 & 17 of 1 Thessalonians it says "rejoice always, and pray without ceasing". So to paraphrase, God is saying "pray, rejoice, and be thankful no matter what!"

Remember...thankfulness is a choice.

Choose to be thankful no matter what you're facing, knowing that as you pray and give it to God, He will give you His peace in exchange for your burdens.

#ChristmasTreasure Train Featured Stop & Bonus Prize 11/23

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Today's featured blog is Susan Heim on Parenting where Susan is giving away a Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure Starter Pack (for Nintendo Wii) -- a $69.99 Value!

While you're there, visit her authors' site and take a peek at her great work on the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train.

And, how about another bonus giveaway? Enter to win Teleflora's Harvest Stripes Bouquet.

If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

#ChristmasTreasure Featured Stop and Bonus Prize 11/22

2011-11-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

As you travel on the Christmas Treasure Train, keep your eyes peeled for these special posts featuring a stop you don't want to miss. Who knows, you just might find a hidden code that will bring you one step closer to winning $100 in CASH. If you haven't climbed aboard, get over to the list of train stops and enter to win some wonderful prizes in time for Christmas.

Today's featured blog is Random Thoughts where Tawna is giving away a $50 Health prize that includes 3 chocolate shake samples, 1 shaker cup, 2-workout videos, 1 Beakthrough DVD, & a book!

While you're there, read about how she made 68 pounds disappear and check out her great coupons and freebies. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train. Tomorrow’s stop? Susan Heim on Parenting

And, how about a bonus giveaway? Enter to win a $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Card from SpaWeek.com

Christmas Treasure Train Featured Blogger 11/21

2011-11-21T13:06:00.001-05:00

Today's featured blog is Energizer Bunnies' Mommy Reports where Marina is giving away this gorgeous pair of pearl and silver earrings from Lauren Nicole Gifts (a $65 value).

While you're there, enter a few of her other giveaways and don't miss her HUGE Giving Christmas Away event in partnership with World Vision. Leave a comment (or two) and remember to let her know you're riding the Christmas Treasure Train. Tomorrow’s stop? Random Thoughts.

Welcome to the Christmas Treasure Train!

2011-11-20T23:59:00.000-05:00

All aboard…The Christmas Treasure Train is leaving the station! I'm thrilled to be joining my friend, Anitra from The MamaZone as one of your conductors on this wild ride for gifts and cash!

This giveaway hop is a little different than most because it has the added element of a cash treasure hunt! As you hop through entering the giveaways on these fabulous blogs, keep your eyes open—you just might find some hidden cash! Here’s how it works:

Visit each blog listed below and enter to win.
After you enter on a blog, look for the image of the Christmas Treasure Train.
If the train contains a three digit code, make a note of it.
Once you collect all 10 randomly hidden codes, enter HERE to win the Grand Prize of $100 paid via PayPal.
As an added bonus, if you enter every giveaway involved you’ll earn 25 extra entries into the Grand Prize drawing (Sweet!).

The hop and hunt will run November 21st-December 5th and the Grand Prize winner will be announced on the 6th. Ready to win?

Here’s what I’m giving away:

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Southern Living at HOME products...so much so that I used to be a Consultant for over two years. I especially love what I chose as my give-away because of the many ways you can decorate it for every season and occasion. I'm giving away a Southern Living at HOME "Hemingway Hurricane" (a price orig. valued around $30).

Of course yours will be new and in the box! Use the Rafflecopter form to enter. The giveaway ends December 5th at 11:59 p.m.

Now, visit the other great blogs below!

Orderly Mess

2011-11-17T07:55:00.001-05:00

Well, it's time for what has become my annual yard sale. Only this year I was too busy to do it in October as in years past, so it's this coming Saturday. Starting each Fall, I begin to feel like my house is closing in on me and I need to purge all the junk. I'm cleaning out the toys the kids NEVER play with (to make room for Christmas presents), and my closet from the clothes I could only hope to fit into again (let's face it, if I lose that kind of weight, I'm going to celebrate by buying new clothes!)

This year I went a little overboard and decided to tackle the attic and my husband's shed (neither have been cleaned out in years). So it's out with the old and in with the new.

I had to store the stuff that I'm going to sell at the yard sale in my living room. Needless to say, my house is a mess right now! Coming from a person who likes everything in it's place, this has been a real struggle for me to walk past this mound of stuff. I feel like everything is out of order.

Just when I think it's all too much, I remind myself it's only temporary - this weekend it will all be out and hopefully sold. Then I can restore order in my home once again.

Honestly this experience has made me think about where I am in life right now. From the looks of things, it's a complete mess. The Lord is taking out all the junk and I know He's going to replace it with something new and beautiful. This mess that's all around me is just temporary and it's unto a purpose. It's a season where God is saying "don't look at the junk piling up, look at me, the one who can clean it out and trust that you'll come out profitable through it all." Life often looks the bleakest right before the "Son" comes out.

Thank God that He can and does make order out of my mess.

Bloggers Wanted for the Christmas Treasure Train Hop and Hunt

2011-10-26T12:32:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to be hosting my first giveaway blog hop. I’m joined by my friend Anitra from The MamaZone and we hope you’ll join us as we host the Christmas Treasure Train Giveaway Hop and Treasure Hunt.

This hop is a little different from most because it has the added element of a treasure hunt.

Readers will hop through each blog entering your great giveaways while hunting for 10 special codes that will allow them to enter to win a cash prize. The codes will be hidden randomly among all entered blogs guaranteeing traffic to every blog participating. Readers will enter the codes on a special entry page.

The amount of the prize will depend on the number of bloggers participating but will be no less than $100. The entry fee is just $2 plus whatever great prize you decide to give away on your blog.

Here are the details:

DATES:

The Hop & Hunt will run from November 21st midnight until December 5th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
Sign up for the hop will close November 15th at noon Eastern Time.
If possible, please have your prizes shipped within a week or two of the end date to ensure delivery by Christmas.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS:

Pay the non-refundable $2 entry fee—this allows us to offer the cash prize.
Sign up for the email updates in order to stay informed.
Provide a prize to be given away on your blog during the event ($25 is a good minimum value).
Your prize must be family-friendly. No Adult themed items.
Start and end your giveaway at the specified event date/time.
Display one of the event badges or banners on your blog throughout the hop.
Prepare to see an increase in your traffic and follower counts!

POSTING REQUIREMENTS

If you are chosen to be one of the random blogs that will be given a code, the code image must be included at the bottom of your giveaway post.
You will need one post for your giveaway and a second post that includes the list of participating blogs and the entry form for the cash prize.
Include a Disclosure Statement at the bottom of your giveaway post.
Keep your entries simple. I recommend only one mandatory entry if at all.
Follow Facebook contest rules—i.e., you cannot use posting on your wall or uploading to your page as an entry. (Click the link if you have questions about that).

EXTRAS:

For an additional $3, be a featured blogger on the hosts’ sites, facebook page and twitter accounts for one day of the hop. This will give you additional exposure and go towards adding to the prize amount and covering administrative fees. This benefit is limited to the first $15 bloggers who pay.
If possible, please use Rafflecopter for your giveaways. I have invitations available if you need them.

SIGN UP:

Signing up is a quick two step process

Send payment through PayPal using the form below.
Sign up for email updates

Leave a comment or email me with questions. Look for additional updates and explanations once you’ve signed up.

Christmas Treasure Train Grand Prize

2011-10-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

All aboard… by now, you should be cruising along on The Christmas Treasure Train. If you’re ready to enter the treasure hunt codes for the grand prize, this is the place to do it.

Before entering, be sure you’ve followed these instructions:

Visit each blog listed and enter to win.

After you enter on a blog, look for the image of the Christmas Treasure Train.

If the train contains a three digit code, make a note of it.

Once you collect all 10 codes, enter to win the Grand Prize of $100 paid via PayPal

If you enter every giveaway you’ll earn 26 extra entries into the Grand Prize drawing

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form. The codes do not need to be entered in any particular order as long as each individual code remains intact. Extra entries will be verified, so follow all of the instructions on each individual blog. For additional details, visit my original post.

Parenting Payback

2011-10-04T09:09:00.001-04:00

It's funny how things you did as a child come back to bite you when you're a parent.

I remember how my Mom finally gave up the battle for me to keep my room clean. When I was a teenager, she would keep the door to my room shut and whenever friends would come over she'd announce "you might need a "Tetna" shot before you go in there". She was smart enough to know that eventually even I would get disgusted with how bad it was, and clean it up of my own free will.

I'm still not the greatest housekeeper, but I am a stickler for the "appearance of clean". You may see dust bunnies floating out from under the furniture, and don't even THINK about looking in the closets, but I do like things in their place. Papers, toys, clothes, shoes, etc. left in the dining room, on the steps, or in the family room are not allowed! If the "catch all" basket on the kitchen counter gets overloaded, it's time to start throwing things away.

This brings me to my youngest son, Josh's room - it's small to begin with, so even the smallest amount of stuff left out makes it look really cluttered. Right now, however, it looks like a tornado blew through it. I've told him to clean it up, which he does, only to mess it up again fifteen minutes later. I bought storage containers for all his little action figures and tiny Lego pieces, so that everything has a proper "home". But do you think he puts things back where they belong?

I've tried hard to ignore it for the past few days, just closing the door. You know, out of sight, out of mind...every time I catch a glimpse of his room, seeing the huge pile of toys and clothes where the floor once was, I think to myself "this is what my Mom must have felt like".

I didn't say anything about him cleaning it up yesterday, even though it was hard. Instead I made comments like, "it looks like a bomb went off in here", or "did we have a tornado and it only hit your room?" He of course thought these comments were funny. I wasn't joking!!!

Last night when it was time to say prayers and tuck the boys in their bed, I refused to go in Josh's room. I told him I didn't want to risk injury by stepping on all the junk on the floor. I made him pray in his brothers room and I kissed him goodnight in the hallway. He wasn't too happy about it cause he's still young enough that he likes me to tuck him in at night.

Let's see how long this stand off will last...I'm not sure I have the same patience my Mom had with me, to wait on Josh to take the initiative...he might not crack as quickly as I used to.

Yes, sometimes parenting is life's payback to your childhood. But I still wouldn't trade it for anything in the world - messy room and all.

Sweet Smelling Fragrance

2011-09-21T10:48:00.000-04:00

As I'm sitting here at this moment writing this post...my entire house smells like cinnamon apples! It's almost an overwhelming aroma. No, I'm not baking, even though that's what it smells like. I was browsing through the store yesterday when I came across some of those scented bottles with the sticks coming out...you've seen them, I just don't know what you call them??? Anyway, there was a box of cinnamon apple scented two for $4.00 package, so I grabbed it up, brought it home, and strategically placed them at opposite ends of the house. Now, you can smell the sweet scent drifting up the stairs, filling almost every room of the house.

Don't you think a sense of smell is the most under appreciated of the five senses? Everyone wants to taste good things, I for one wouldn't enjoy life nearly as much if I didn't get to taste chocolate! I have to be able to hear, because after all, faith comes by hearing, the Word of God...seriously, I would never want to lose the ability to hear worship songs, or a sermon, or the sound of my family telling me they love me. It's a proven fact that we need touch...I was told that babies who were born in an orphanage in the Ukraine and never picked up or loved on were observed to have lost the ability to have any emotion, other than perhaps anger. I couldn't imagine losing my eyesight! Not only could you not watch your children as they grow and change, or see a beautiful sunset or the majesty of God's creation, be able to drive...but I'm certainly NOT going to trust my wardrobe & hair to my husband and boys! It was bad enough when I depended on them to help me get ready while my arm was broken!Did you know that we put off a smell as a Christian? No, it's not anything like holy body odor, LOL

2 Cor. 2:15-16 says "Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" (NLT)

I want my life to be a sweet smelling offering to the Lord, and nothing else matters. My husband and I recently tried to befriend a couple who's son is friends with our oldest. We knew they were unbelievers, and we didn't have a whole lot in common, but we enjoyed their company and were just beginning to build a friendship...or so I thought. Then it was cut off abruptly for no apparent reason. They won't talk to us, or even look our way when we pass by. I couldn't imagine what brought on this change, until I started thinking back over what all had taken place before this new attitude toward us. It all became very clear to both myself and Bobby....their son was spending the night one weekend. He's very into rap music, and rather than have him bringing some of those bad lyrics into my house, I suggested he listen to Toby Mac, a Christian rapper. My boys taught this friend of theirs a Christian rap song. I didn't explain any of the lyrics, hold a Bible Study, try to have an alter call in my house, or anything! All I did was introduce him to a song that had a good beat, and wasn't filled with filthy language, violence, or sex. It was shortly after that, the parents did an about face and we haven't seen them since.

I'm sad about this incident, but I make no apologies for the aroma I put off, as long as it's pleasing to the Lord. If it smells sweet to some, and they are drawn closer, praise God! If it's offensive to others, then I can not do anything but still praise God.

Psalm 20 - A Psalm of David

2011-09-19T09:12:00.006-04:00

(According to my NKJ Study Bible, this Psalm was thought to be a congregational prayer used with sacrifices offered just before going to war)

1 "May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;

(many of us are facing a 'day of trouble')

May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

(The God of Jacob refers to the fact that God delivered Jacob in times of distress - read Gen. 35:3)

2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion

(may we get help from others, especially the Church body in our time of need)

3 May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice.

(Our offering now is our time, talent, tithe, and of course, our worship, which is done in spirit and in truth.)

4 May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose.

(I LOVE this! He wants us to abide in Him and He in us so that we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be given to us. He knows that if we abide in Him, we want ask frivolously, but according to His will because our hearts will desire what pleases Him.)

5 We will rejoice in your salvation, and in then name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

(They are rejoicing over their victory before the battle is even fought! They are asking God to answer all their prayers)

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving strength of His right hand.

(This is showing confidence and trust in God's ability and willingness to save His children)

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember (some translations say "boast") in the name of the Lord our God.

(Because of confidence in vs. 6, they are able to trust in the Name of the Lord to save them. While their enemies have more advanced weaponry, and chariots & horses to advance against them, the people of God boast in their ultimate weapon, the Name of the Lord Most High!)

8 They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.

(People of God don't hang their head in defeat, or get lost in despair. They raise their heads up and claim victory of their enemy!)

9 Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call."

Thank you Lord that in our day to day battles, some big and some small, You are defending us. We thank You that while the world grasps for different "weapons" to fight their battles, we gain victory in no other weapon than trust in Your mighty Name. Thank You in advance for granting us according to our heart's desire (vs. 4) and that we WILL fulfill all our purpose, in Jesus name I pray.

You Can't Shake This Kingdom

2011-08-29T07:49:00.005-04:00

Here's a quote from a friend of ours that I loved, so I decided to steal it,

"We survived an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week here in North Carolina. There's something we can tell our grandchildren one day."

After Bobby and I were married in 1996, we came back from our honeymoon just in time to experience Hurricane Fran. It was a long night of wondering if our new home would hold up under the intense wind and rain. We watched our creek become a lake, getting uncomfortably close to the house, and we lost power for a week and a half. A giant tree fell in our backyard, but thankfully it landed sideways and not on the house. We had no cash, no food, not much gas, no water, and no ice. We ended up eating the top of our wedding cake (that I was going to freeze and save for our first anniversary).

So, when I heard Hurricane Irene might be headed our way, I decided I was going to be prepared. I shopped for food, water, flashlights, batteries, everything they tell you to get. Thank goodness we didn't end up needing any of these things here where I live. But I did stay glued to the t.v. to see what was happening just east of our town. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one, and/or had damage to their property.

There are many crisis going on today, whether it be natural disasters, or the economy, unemployment, divorce, etc. I can not stress enough the importance of praying for our Country (starting with our own homes, the "Church", your community, local government, on up to the Government...pray!!!) I'm not always in agreement with the direction of our Nation, but I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I can't always say I'm proud of our decisions, but I am very loyal and patriotic. However, when I saw this picture of the damage from Hurricane Irene, it reminded of something very important. . .

We are first and foremost, children of the Kingdom of God, and secondly, Americans.

No matter what happens in the present or future, it's good to know that I am a part of a Kingdom that can not be shaken! (Hebrews 12:28)

We Caught Each Other

2011-08-25T08:13:00.005-04:00

Fifteen years ago on this very day...I married my best friend! The man the Lord picked out for me, in good times and in bad (and we've had our share of both) to journey not only through life with, but more importantly through our walk with the Lord.

One of the best things about our marriage is that we think so much alike. I know people say "opposites attract", but for us, it's like we share a brain, LOL. Once again this was proven to me last night...

Bobby was working late - I knew our anniversary was the next day but I hadn't gotten him a card yet. My son needed a new lunch box because he'd lost his last year, so I used that as an excuse to run to the store at almost 8 p.m.

I'm standing in the card aisle marked "Anniversary" and had just started reading my first card, when I hear someone behind me laughing...I knew immediately that I was totally busted!

My husband, Bobby was coming to the store for the very same reason (so he'd been caught as well). He walked up while I had the card in my hand and all I could say was

"Here is the card I would have gotten you. Go ahead and read it now and we don't have to buy it".

We must of looked ridiculous standing in the card aisle laughing.

Okay, so we're not the most thoughtful, or romantic couple. We're not big on planning ahead (obviously). We don't spend a lot of money on gifts to show how much we care. But after 15 years, we still manage to laugh...a lot, and that to me, is priceless.

P.S. We will go out to dinner tonight (thanks to my brother for babysitting!), and he did surprise me this year with a Day spa massage that I haven't redeemed yet, but I'm looking forward to.

Don't Settle For Good Enough

2011-08-19T13:30:00.004-04:00

It's been nine weeks since I fell and broke my arm and wrist. My stitches are out, I've done away with my sling, and I'm going to physical therapy once a week. I'm slowly but surely getting back to normal. For the most part, this is a good thing, although I must confess, I wasn't looking forward to having to cook again!

I am, however, very excited to be typing this post with BOTH hands. Last time I blogged, it was with one finger on my left hand...not fun! Which explains why it's been so long since my last post.

I've learned many lessons through this whole ordeal - I will share one with you today. I've learned to persevere.

One of my biggest obstacles is to fight the "it's good enough" attitude. I have a tendency to do things half way and say "it's good enough". So when I got most of the use of my hand/arm back, and was able to do some things for myself, I noticed that I started slacking off on my physical therapy exercises. But I absolutely can NOT go through life with a weak, partially working right hand! So, I will have to exercise self-discipline and keep at it. Maybe this lesson on perseverance will help me with so many other areas in life where I've settled for less than my best.

If that is the case, then it will ALMOST make braking my arm/wrist worth it. I said ALMOST!

Who Do You Say He Is?

2011-06-28T12:13:00.000-04:00

I'm writing/typing this post with one hand (my left hand), and I'm right handed...all because of a stupid accident that has changed our Summer and threatened to throw us temporarily off course from where God was leading us. I broke my arm and wrist on the last day of the kids school. Since then I've had surgery, but more importantly, I've had the Word of God, telling me I am healed. Not only am I healed, but I WILL have full mobility of my arm and wrist, and I will show the Doctors and Physical Therapist that it didn't take the year that they predicted. I will have a speedy recovery in Jesus Name!

How can I make these bold statements?

Because that is what I believe, and the Word backs me up.

I was spending time in worship this morning and I heard a song that was quoting this Scripture:

Matthew 16:15-17 - “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven."

As I thought about how Jesus asked the Disciples what they believed about who He was, I began to imagine Jesus asking me, "who do I say He is?

The answer is, like Peter, He is the Son of the most high God. He's obviously my Savior, but then I began to add a long list of attributes that I believe Jesus is to me. It included my Healer and Provider, two things that speak to my situation right now. One of my favorite Old Testament names that described God was "El Shaddai", which means "the all-sufficient One". Whatever you need, it's found in Him! Bring that over to the New Testament and it's the same...whatever you need, it was provided for on the cross!

I love how Jesus told Peter that he didn't come up with his correct answer based on any human intelligence. It was truth revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. I think the same has to be true for me today when it comes to really living what I believe. After all, I believe everything in the Bible because I know it is God's holy Word. But I may only walk in a certain percent of that belief, based on what I really have in my heart, and not just believe theologically. The Holy Spirit revealing that truth to Peter, is what is talked about in Ephesians as "revelation knowledge", or back in the day Christians called it a "Rhema" word. It's where the truth of the written (logos) word is revealed by the Holy Spirit and it becomes a personal word that you apply.

So, now I really must examine this question more carefully..."who do I say Jesus is?", and not just by my words. Does my life display evidence that back up my testimony of Jesus?

One thing is certain...no matter what religious people, society, false teachers and god haters have to say in answer to this question, it doesn't change the truth of who Jesus really is. Furthermore, it is only revealed by the Holy Spirit. The world can never understand the ways of God by trying to figure it out with their carnal mind.

What about you? Who do you say Jesus is?

Ouch!!!

2011-06-13T17:53:00.000-04:00

I fell off a ladder decorating for my son's 5th grade graduation party and broke my arm and wrist. Please join me in the prayer of agreement that I AM healed by Jesus stripes!

I hope to be back on here real soon.

God bless,
Angie

A Tale of Two Criminals

2011-06-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

We probably all know someone who's walking down the wrong path at the moment, and desperately needs to know Jesus as their Savior. Perhaps that person is in your own family, or one of your closest friends. For some, this unsaved loved one has taken such wrong turns, it may seem they're too far gone for redemption. Maybe you've prayed for years, and believed God for a miracle, and yet all you've seen is heartbreak.

I was reminded this week of the story of the two thieves who hung on the cross alongside of Jesus. "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:39-41

It's like a tale of two criminals. We don't know the details of their crime, but here's what we do know:

They're both guilty and deserving of punishment
They're both watching Jesus as He's going through His horrible ordeal

Their response is completely different:

One mocks Him and says if you're the Savior, save yourself AND us! (Still self-absorbed to the very end)
The other realizes that Jesus is not only innocent, but has the fear of the Lord come on him - no doubt he respects the way Jesus is taking punishment for a crime He didn't commit. (Remember, people are watching how we live as well.)

Then, something happened that opened the door to faith, as this thief realized Jesus was no ordinary man. He believed that He was who He claimed to be, and with his last moments on this earth, he spoke the words that would forever change his destiny...

"Remember ME when you come into Your kingdom" Luke 23:42

Jesus heard his plea (just like He hears our prayers for lost loved ones) and He answered "Today you will be with Me in paradise." Luke 23:43

So don't give up hope – pray for their eyes to be open, the fear of the Lord will be on them, and they will ask God to REMEMBER them so they can enter into His kingdom!

Power in Agreement

2011-06-02T09:04:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to write about my weekend retreat I took a few weeks ago. I had the privilege of going to the Women's Aglow meeting with special guest speaker

Dr. Sandra Kennedy, with Whole Life Ministries. If you're not familiar with her, she is a powerful teacher and she's especially anointed in the gift of healing. But the most amazing thing I found about her was her love for the Word of God. It was truly contagious! I came away wanting to read the Word, know the Word, and live the Word like I did when I first gave my heart to Jesus.

I know the Scriptures, or at least I thought I did, but she really ignited a hunger for them fresh & new, and made me realize that the blessings are really only promised to the "doers" of the Word, not just the "hearers". It's not enough to know and believe in the Bible verses, it has to be applied knowledge. You may think this sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many of us have acted as if believing that the Word was true, was our only responsibility, and that God was going to swoop down and take care of the rest! The truth is, Jesus already came down...and He did all He was going to do...on the cross! Did He not say "It is finished"? Now, it's up to us to take hold of all the promises and provisions that were made on the cross. All we have to do is line up in agreement with the Word of God on any particular issue, and it's an already done deal.

Sound too simple? It is the only time you'll hear something that "sounds too good to be true" but it really is.

This revelation will totally change the way most of us pray. Too often we're praying, asking, begging & pleading...sometimes we even put a "if it be your will" in there somewhere. The Bible is clear in James, if you ask and don't believe, you won't receive anything. The Bible says if WE speak to a mountain and tell it to move...not if we ask Jesus to move our mountain, it will be moved. What mountains do we speak to? The mountains that don't line up with the will of God.

I pray that you will be blessed today by a new love for the Word of God, and that we'll all be doers and not hearers only. Don't wait for God to move for you, speak His Word out of your mouth and prophesy to your situation. See what amazing thing God will do through your agreement with His Word.

Memories - Friend or Foe

2011-05-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

I'm writing over at Daily Fast Fuel this week on how your Memory can be your friend, and not your foe. (Please check it out)

I wanted to go in a little more detail about how we truly know we're free from past memories that haunt us.

God created our mind with the ability to remember for several reasons. One of which is to use as a teaching tool. We're to remember what God's done in the past, so we can trust Him in the future. Memories from our childhood can help us know what kind of parents we want to be (or not be). Good memories give us hope and joy when we're facing tough times. Bad memories teach us about spiritual warfare and how to combat the enemies lies with God's truth. All throughout the Bible God is telling us to "remember something"...

Remember the Sabbath & keep it holy"
Remember the Passover and teach it to your children, and your children's children
Remember the Covenant He's made with His people
Remember Communion - "Do this in Remembrance of Me"

Alters were built whenever someone had an encounter with the Lord so they would always remember what God had done. Jacob built an alter of rocks that was known as "Bethel" because he said God's presence was there. So, remembering the good things God has done, will help us trust Him with our future.

As usual, the devil tries to counterfit everything the Lord does, so he wants to remind us of some things as well. He wants us to remember our sins, past failures, negative words spoken to us and over us, hurt and pain inflicted on us by others either intentionally or unintentionally, and everytime we felt rejected, humiliated, insecure or inadequate. He constantly brings these memories before us in hopes that we'll meditate on them. He wants to gain a foothold by building up anger, resentment, unforgiveness and bitterness. The last thing he wants for us to do is take these situations, with every negative memory and leave it on the cross where Jesus paid the price for it.

So how do we throw out the bad and keep the good?

The key is replacing the lies of the enemy with God's truth.

Rom. 12:2 says "do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind".

When negative thoughts and memories bombard my mind, instead of taking them in and meditating on it, I will apply God's truth and reject the lie. As memories of past failures and bad experiences flood my mind threatening to bring condemnation, I'll confess and personalize the Scriptures that talk about who I am in Christ and how God views me.

One way you can test if you're truly free from past memories haunting you is when you can think about the situation without it stirring up any emotions or pain. If you remember something and it brings up the hurt, like peeling a scab that leaves a fresh wound all over again, that's a clue that you haven't truly laid that situation on the cross and left it there.

An important thing to understand is that being free from bad memories doesn't mean you don't remember the details anymore. The old saying "time heals all wounds" is not true. Time and distance may dim your memory some, but not always. I still remember my past in detail - it's just now I see it through the eyes of one who's been forgiven and sin has no hold on me!

So, let's sanctify our memories not by trying to forget, but by carrying our past to the cross and leaving it with Jesus.

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T08:30:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone is having a safe & happy Memorial Day. We definitely want to take some time to thank God for our military, and honor those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

It's my turn to write on our co-op blog at Daily Fast Fuel I'd love for you to stop by and see what else I had to say about "Remembering Their Sacrifice".

Have a great day!

How to Train a Child

2011-05-23T11:55:00.004-04:00

I'm certainly not an expert on parenting, although before I had kids, I really thought I would be, LOL! I had a wonderful Mother, who really made it look easy. Yet even she didn't keep her kids (my brother and I) from making some really bad decisions along the way. It certainly wasn't because we didn't know any better. My Mom was a wonderful teacher of the Word of God. She listened to us when we had problems, and prayed for us more than we'll ever know.

I know that I'm the woman of God I am today because as the Word says, she trained up a child in the way they should go...and now that I'm old, I will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6)

However, as a Mom of two boys, one of which is about to go to Middle School (YIKES!) I am looking closer than ever at the best approach to parenting a child so that their testimony will be "I never departed from God's will". I'm not saying they won't make mistakes, I'm saying that they don't have to walk away from the Lord, go into the world and then come back after they've discovered the pain the world has to offer.

Psalm 78:7 "He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands."

Teaching our children to follow God's Word is not a suggestion! Of all the things in life we want to teach and pass down to our children, the Word of God must be top priority!

Not only that, it shouldn't just be the "letter of the law" but the "spirit of the law" as well. In other words, we have to instill in them that obeying God's commandments goes far beyond a list of rules & regulations. It is a matter of the heart. I've told me kids, I don't want you to follow the rules just when you think I'm looking. I want you to believe in the rules so you'll make wise choices when your Dad and I aren't around. I've known kids who obeyed their parents purely out of fear of getting caught and having to face the consequences. While some of that is useful in keeping them from making huge mistakes, especially in the teenage years, it isn't the ideal way of getting the best results.

When that same kid goes off to college, where the parents can't enforce the rules quite as easily as when they were under their roof, you have to hope that some of what you taught them will come into play. However, if their only motivation for doing the right thing was fear of getting caught, it will not stop them from living as they please.

Ultimately we have no control because they are people with free will, the same as us. So parenting must switch from the need to control, to the desire to mold.

Our Pastor has said a few times, our kids don't have a "mini Holy Spirit" living inside of them. They have access to the same Holy Spirit as we do! I also believe that we shouldn't wait until our kids are older to experience the things of God that we ourselves want to experience. Why do we want to teach baby stuff to our children when the world is giving them a full dose of it's ugly reality at an alarmingly younger age? I say we hold nothing back.

Parents, don't always go into your "prayer closets" to pray in the Spirit - pray out loud for your kids to hear! Let your children feel God's presence come like a blanket of peace over your house when you fill it with praise & worship. Tell them what that feeling is and where it comes from. When you have to pray for healing for someone, tell your kids to come along with you and lay their hands on the person right along side you. When you read your Bible, read it out loud to them and then talk about it. Ask them what they think it means. Encourage them to be baptized, in water, in the Spirit, AND with Fire (boldness & zeal for the Lord)

Okay, you get the picture. I'm encouraging myself too - I'm not always faithful to do all these things on a regular basis. I'm asking God to help me be more disciplined and consistent. But starting today, starting with any of these things, as much as you can, is better than nothing at all. This is especially important for those of you like me, who are about to have their kids home with them for the entire Summer. What a great opportunity to mold & shape them before they are surrounded by voices contrary to yours.

May God bless us as we partake in the greatest challenge and privilege on earth - being a Parent.

A 6:33 a.m. Promise

2011-05-06T11:40:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had life just pile up on you until you felt like you couldn't breathe? Have you enjoyed prayer and praise & worship with the Lord, only to face circumstances that immediately stole any joy or peace you just received?

If your answer is yes, you are so NOT alone!

The Bible says in Matthew 13:22

"The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Anytime we have seeds of life sewn into our heart, the enemy comes to steal it from us. Often the tool he uses is piling up the cares of the world until we feel overwhelmed.

My family, as well as some close friends of ours, have all been dealing with certain "cares of this world" that are trying to "choke" our peace, joy & strength. Sometimes it's tempting when you get weary from fighting the battles, to just give in to the hopelessness of your circumstances. In these times, you may not even know how or what to pray.

I experienced one of these moments recently - the only prayer I could express was "Lord, I don't know what to do, I can't fix this...what do I do?" I went to bed with this prayer still hanging in the air and a very heavy heart.

Waking up the next morning, I glanced at the clock and it read 6:33 a.m. I was about to roll back over and get a few extra winks, when I felt strongly that I should read Matthew 6:33. I reached for my Bible.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Praise God! I've known and quoted this Scripture many times, but didn't know the chapter & verse.

The context of this passage is where Jesus is telling us not to worry about how our needs are going to be met. (Read Matthew 6:25-34). I love that in vs. 32 it says "...for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things".

I know God was answering my pitiful prayer from the night before. He was promising me that as I seek Him, He will take care of everything else.

Don't Fear...Your Master's Here!

2011-05-04T16:57:00.000-04:00

I took my dog, Abby (a Lhasa Apso) for a walk in my Dad's neighborhood this morning. Our route takes us just around the block from his house, but there are several BIG dogs along the way.

Abby is spoiled, and quite possibly doesn't know that she IS a dog...but I'm always amazed at how she acts when she encounters other dogs. She never barks and she's not afraid!

Today, for example, two yellow labs that are almost three times her size came charging toward the edge of their yard, barking as loud as their voices allowed. She stopped in the middle of the road and just starred at them. She looked at me, and then turned to go on with our walk. I happen to know that these dogs had an invisible fence that kept them from coming any further...but as human as she sometimes acts, I'm pretty sure Abby wasn't aware of this fact. What she does seem to understand is that she's completely safe with me. If somehow these dogs were able to come out of their yard, I would have immediately picked her up and done whatever was necessary to protect her.

(sorry the picture is hard to see the dogs - I took it from my phone camera)
(This is Abby standing on the road directly across from the other dogs)

This paints a perfect picture of how we are safe and secure in our Heavenly Father's arms. The enemy may charge and bark loudly, trying to scare us. However, I rest in the assurance that my God has put boundaries on him. There is a line that even he can not cross, without my Father's permission. If for some reason the devil is allowed to get too close for comfort, God holds me closer and keeps me safe.

When He is by my side, I too can face down my enemy without any fear. I don't have to react...I can just turn and continue on my journey with my Master.

Oops - I apologize!

2011-04-26T17:42:00.002-04:00

My good friend Beth informed me that the link I used to send everyone to my new co-op blog "Daily Fast Fuel", was taking people to "Go Daddy" (which I do NOT contribute to, or in anyway endorse, LOL)

I apologize to anyone who clicked on it and found themselves at the other site. Please give this link another try.

DailyFastFuel.com
Thanks again.

Where to Get Your Fuel

2011-04-25T08:51:00.006-04:00

I'm so excited! I have been waiting for this day so I could announce that I am a proud member of a new co-op blog called "Daily Fast Fuel"

I would be honored if you would visit the site and check out the five fabulous ladies who I am partnering with to write the blog. We'd love for you to join and visit as often as possible. It's designed to be short, daily devotionals that you can get on the go as you lead your busy life.

I thank you in advance for your support.
God bless

We All Make Mistakes

2011-04-20T12:12:00.004-04:00

My son Josh was throwing baseball with his Dad in the yard on Monday before his game. I was upstairs when I heard the loud crash. I knew exactly what had happened. Never mind that I've told BOTH of them not to throw toward the house. No one listened to me!

I went running down the stairs and saw the storm door glass cracked from top to bottom and found the baseball down the entry hall underneath a table. I heard Josh crying "I'm so sorry" over and over again. Bobby was busy trying to keep the glass from shattering out of the door frame. I went to work cleaning up the glass the came in through the hole where the ball entered.

Neither Bobby or I said one scolding word to Josh, but he couldn't stop crying. He said "I'm so sorry, it was an accident". He was afraid we'd be angry, but he also was legitimitely contrite. We both said "it's okay, that's what is called an accident". After a little more coaxing, he began to settle down. Bobby explained that he had certainly broken his fair share of things as a boy.

A funny thing happened as soon as Josh figured out he wasn't in trouble. He started talking about how fast he threw the ball. He explained that he'd thrown a "fast picth" that was too much for his Dad to handle. He was also pretty proud of the fact that it went straight through a "storm door" with extra sturdy glass.

I thought to myself, how does someone go from crying his eyes out, scared of punishment, to bragging about the same incident?

It's very important for our children to know that they WILL make mistakes in life. Not only that, they should understand that we love them in spite of these mistakes. After all, our Heavenly Father loves us even when we fall sometimes. And just like Bobby & I came down to help clean up the broken glass, God helps us pick up the pieces. While I won't go so far as to say that we should "brag" about our failures, the Bible says:

2 Cor. 12:9 - "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

So even though I'm not proud of my faults, I am glad that God can turn the negative things into something positive.

Dare To Be Bold

2011-04-11T10:10:00.004-04:00

I watched the show "It's Supernatural" with Sid Roth this morning. His guest was a man I'd never heard of before named Jim Hockaday.

Jim spoke about how he had learned to be bold when it comes to praying for healing. I was so moved by this because I have such a heart to pray for people. Yet it never fails, when I'm praying for healing, I battle with the voice in my head that says "what if it doesn't happen?"

How do we overcome this nagging voice of doubt?

First of all, recognize that it's obviously the voice of the enemy trying to discourage you from praying.

Secondly, I've come to realize something...I used to think it was just a matter of asking for more faith. But now I believe it is more about a deeper revelation of God's love for me. The opposite of faith is fear. Fear is what keeps us from being bold when we pray. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of looking stupid if what we pray doesn't happen. The Bible says that "perfect love casts out fear". Therefore, knowing God's perfect love for me, keeps me from being afraid of stepping out and taking Him at His Word.

A while back I asked the Lord why so many Christians, myself included, didn't see the radical tranformation like Peter had, after I was filled with the Spirit. I asked, what made the difference for the Disciples, and what am I lacking today?

I remember hearing, "They walked with the Word (Jesus) for 3 years, and then were filled with My Spirit. You have to marry the two together and stop treating them separately." Imagine my surprise this morning as I heard something very similar from Jim Hockaday. He talked about how there used to be a movement of intimacy with the Holy Spirit, and then it switched to an emphasis on the Word only. He went on to say how there needed to be a joining together of the two.

Jim pointed out that we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us, but we also have the capicity to "reveal" God. He said as we begin to pray in the Spirit, and develop our prayer life, we will begin to focus on His presence being in us, and around us at all times. Then he made this statement that really stood out to me:

"The greater you recognize Him in your life, the easier it will be to see the supernatural take place".

The only way to do that is to spend time with God and pray in the Holy Spirit, as well as letting the Word of God become your foundation for the miracles (joining together of the Word & the Spirit).

Jim prayed in such a bold way that he told a lady with a cancerous tumor to take someone else with her to the restroom and rub water on it, and the tumor would disappear. Sid Roth was amazed by this and asked if he had heard the Spirit tell him to pray this, or if it was his own words. Jim answered it was his own words, but that he had learned to think like God (we are called to have the mind of Christ). He felt comfortable enough in his relationship with the Lord, as well as in the power of the Holy Spirit who dwelled within him, that he could make such claims. That, matched with the faith and obedience of the women who went to the restroom and did as he had said, resulted in the women being instantly healed of the tumor.

Whether or not you or I ever have this kind of experience, one thing I know for sure - we need a deeper revelation of God's love for us (Eph.1:17-20 AND Eph. 3:16-19) as well as the experiential knowledge that the Holy Spirit abides in us!

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 1:27

My Bible (NKJ Spirit Filled Bible) has this statement following this verse: "Understand that all hope of real "glory" is in discovering Christ's very life in you."

Matthew 28:18-20 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make diciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obseve all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

He established His authority and then gave them a job to do. Knowing they would probably be afraid of the "commision" that had just been handed down, He encouraged them with the promise that He would always be with them. This is the same encouragement that we should draw from when we go to pray for people - He has all authority and He is with us (in us)

So, let us pray for others, free from doubt & fear, and most importantly, dare to be bold!

Hair Sprayed Hairdos & Bling bling- Southern Women Unite!

2011-04-08T18:07:00.010-04:00

I've always wanted to go to the Southern Women's Show but never had the opportunity...until TODAY!

My friend Anitra at "If Mama Aint", gave me and my other good friend, Dana, FREE tickets (thank you so much Anitra)

Now because my friend walks in noticeable favor, we by-passed the long lines waiting to get in (including the long line of ticket holders) and went straight to the booth that held our tickets. Not only did we NOT have to wait in line, we were the FIRST people allowed in one of the buildings.

We browsed the many booths, tasted some of the foods being offered, racked up on ALL the coupons, and several tote bags were added to my growing collection. Having seen all we could take in at the first building, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was another, bigger building with even more booths to explore.

For the most part, the Southern Women's show was what I expected. Food, jewelry, home gadgets, cookware, purses, clothes, give-aways, including a trip to a Spa in Pinehurst. When I confessed to Anitra I had never been to a spa OR had a massage, she was horrified. She has promised to take Dana and I to the spa for a massage when she no doubt wins the give-away contest! She will have to do it now that I've written it out here for all the blogging world to see.

However, there were a couple of surprises I did NOT expect to see at the Southern Women's Show...for example, I wasn't prepared for the man who was trying to show us a mannequin with a new & improved bra that promised heavy-duty support, without the uncomfortable under-wire.

Talk about uncomfortable!

The ladies & I were not about to listen to a MAN describe such things!

Anitra asked the guy "where is your wife?", to which he answered "She's in the restroom".

He quickly pointed out that his wife had made him try on a bra with a prosthetic to see how it would feel.

My response to that was "I don't think I would ever tell anyone that again if I were you".

The real kicker was when he pointed to the brochure with a women modeling the bra and informed us that was his wife (you know, the one who's supposed to be in the bathroom). Dana and I agreed that we doubted that women (the model) was this man's wife. At this point, we walked away before the situation became any more embarrassing.

Only right around the corner, we were faced with a sight I can not truly describe, but I will try. It was a dancer's pole with a very flexible young women hanging onto it and performing one impressive balancing act. Anitra went to take a picture. They mistakenly thought this signified her interest in taking classes, LOL! The lady at the booth informed us that they would start you off much slower than this particular women on the pole, because she is a "professional". Again, I would not have told anyone that...but to clarify, the women said she was a professional "aerialist".

Thank heavens that our next stop was to the YWCA booth, where we met a friend of Anitra's. I was very impressed with this organization and the work they are doing in the community. Please check out their website to find out more info: YWCA. They've launched a new campaign describing what it means to be a women. They had a board for everyone to write a message of a "life lesson" we'd like to pass on. It was very interesting to see all the different responses.

At the end of our time together, it was a great outing. We laughed, we talked & shared, and I came away being proud to be a women (southern or otherwise).

Know Your Enemy

2011-04-06T09:08:00.005-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm really tired of this "roller coaster" Christianity. You know what I mean, up one day and down the next...one step forward and two steps back - all based on your circumstances and how you FEEL. Thank goodness God is the same yesterday, today and forever, cause His people are all over the place...and unfortunately, I speak from experience.

We are called to be content in all our circumstances (Phil. 4:11), never be anxious about anything, pray about everything (Phil. 4:6), and trust God is working in all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).

How do we do that? How can we live in this world, full of evil, bad news at every turn, and not get depressed? How do we face life's challenges without being anxious?

The answers, as usual, are found in His Word. God prepared in advance, all that we needed to know to combat the devil. He knows his tactics, and they haven't changed in all these years. Perhaps we've just become too busy, and let our guard down.

Here is our wake up call: 1 Peter 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

From the moment the devil first appeared on the scene in Genesis, he began his all out attack on God's creation. The tools he used were not complicated, just disquised. If we learn to recognize them ahead of time, we will not be deceived. Remember how Jesus too was tempted by the devil, but He withstood using the power of God's Word. This was done as an example of how we also are to stand up against his assault.

In the Garden of Eden, when the serpent spoke to Eve, he questioned what God had said in order to bring confusion (Gen. 3:1), which then led to insecurity. The serpent, probably seeing Eve was waivering, accused God of lying, while he twisted the truth to make God look bad. By believing the lie, Eve began to feel inferior (even though God is greater, His love kept her from feeling small) but as she looked at it through the eyes of deception, she saw God differently and felt inferior. Inferiority leads to feelings of depression, and ultimately opens the door to fear.

We know the story of Adam & Eve's fall, how they hid from the Lord once they knew they'd sinned. They were both afraid and ashamed. Shame is a direct result of sin and brings condemnation. The devil uses shame & condemnation to keep the sinner in that place of defeat. It was also interesting to see that when the Lord questioned Adam, he began to blame Eve. Eve pointed the finger at the serpent. So we see that sin brings division, which is another by product that the devil uses greatly against God's people.

So to sum it up, this is a list of the devils tools:

He's a liar/deceiver and accuser

If you believe his lies & accusations, here are some of the by-products. One plays on another & it grows and grows.

Confusion
Doubt
Insecurity
Inferiority
Fear
Shame
Condemnation
Division

All of these attacks are in the soul area, which is made up of our intellect, will and emotions. When we "feel" a certain way, it affects our thinking pattern, and ultimately causes us to make decisions (exercise our will) based on this thought process. This is what comes natural to us, but is in fact what the Bible calls "walking according to the flesh". We are called to walk according to the Spirit. (Read Romans 8:1-14)

Which brings me back to my comment about the "roller coaster". We know the Bible says we will have difficulties in this life. We will all face challenges, and go through trials. That is a part of life this side of Heaven. Just be aware that when we are facing tough circumstances, that's when we're most vulnerable. We must be alert to not allow the devil to use the above tools to attack our minds and emotions.

He no longer comes as a serpent we see with our eyes. In fact, he often comes in our thoughts disquised in the first person. We actually think that it's our OWN thoughts, instead of recognizing where they truly come from.

It looks like this "I'm not as talented as that person", "I don't read the Bible enough", "I don't have any friends", "I'm always going to struggle with this problem", "You're never going to succeed". "Good things always happen to other people"...on & on it goes

In these moments, you have to practice 2 Cor. 10:5 "...take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Let me end by saying that just as the enemy has weapons against us, God has given us armor to protect us. Put on, everyday, the whole Armor of God found in Eph. 6:10-18. I especially love the "helmet of salvation" because it protects your head (which represents your mind) combined with "Sword of the Spirit" (which is the Word of God).

Then we can truly say:

"No weapon that is formed against (Me) will prosper; And every tongue that accuses (ME) in judgment (I) will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD." Isaiah 54:17

What Fuels You?

2011-04-04T16:15:00.002-04:00

I'm asking all my blogging friends to answer this (somewhat vague)question:

What fuels you?

I'll have more on this topic, and MY answer...coming SOON!!!

Yes, I'm teasing you to build the excitement...something new and exciting will be here soon and I promise I'll fill you in on ALL the details.

Until then, send me your answers as a comment. I can't wait to hear from you.

Don't Live "Close" to the Beach!

2011-03-29T09:39:00.010-04:00

My kids are on Spring break this week (yes, I think it's too early for Spring break too). We just spent a long weekend at the beach and drove home yesterday.

On the way out of town, about 15 miles from the beach house, my husband said to me, "this little stretch of road always seems so depressing". I said "I'd be depressed too if I had to live out here when I knew I was this close to the beach!"

Even though I was kidding (sort of), I started thinking from a spiritual perspective, how many of us are so close to our "promise land", and live just outside on the banks of the Jordan. We were supposed to camp there temporarily until we crossed over. For some, unfortunately, it has become our permanent home. It can be discouraging when you seem close, and yet feel stuck and can't go any further.

This reminds me of a word I don't like to use much because it means times are tough and I can't just relax, stop, give up, or pull back. That word is...Perseverance. No one really likes to hear that word, unless they are on the other side of it, and they can say "I persevered".

But that is what the Bible tells us produces character, which then produces hope. (Rom. 5:4-5) It's like someone who keeps getting knocked down, over & over & over again, but they KEEP getting back up. Have you ever felt that way? I know I have. Don't be discouraged...you keep getting back up! Everyone wants to focus on the knock down, they forget to congratulate you for getting back up.

I've heard some godly people who I greatly respect say that they've seen too many Christians give up or fall short of their purpose, like a runner who quit just before the finish line. Isn't that terrible?

If you're going to quit at all, at least do it near the beginning. Better yet, count the cost before you even start the race! I could even understand throwing in the towel mid-way cause you're just too exhausted. But right before the finish line? All that hard work for NOTHING!

Some may say "well, if I could just SEE the finish line and knew how close it was...then I would hang in there". Here's the good news...God sees the finish line, and He can give you the grace & strength to help you persevere if you'll let Him.

Disclaimer: This is simply an example to prove a spiritual point. I'm not discriminating against anyone who lives near, but not on the beach...that would make me a hypocrite seeing as how our family beach house is about 5 blocks from the beach...just saying...

How Did They Die?

2011-03-23T08:52:00.004-04:00

Have you ever thought about what happened to the Disciples after Jesus went back to Heaven?

Yes, they were filled with "power from on high" on the day of Pentecost. They went on to boldly preach the Gospel, and perform many miracles, probably only some of which are recorded in the Book of Acts.

However, most people may not be aware of how they died, or to what great lengths they were tested for their faith.

I received this email on "How the Disciples (and Paul) Died".

I just wanted to point out the incredible sacrifice of some of the "Great Cloud of Witnesses" that surround you and I in our faith. When we think we've had a hard time, been treated differently because of our beliefs, or God has called us to walk through a hard season, let's remember the ones who paved the way so that we would know about Jesus Christ, and His wonderful, saving grace. This same grace that enabled the disciples to endure, will also carry us through our deepest hurt, and toughest challenges.

Matthew - Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia. Killed by a sword wound.

Mark - Died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.

Luke - was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

John - Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

Peter - He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

James - Just The leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

James the Great, Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian

Bartholomew - Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

Andrew - Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras,Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

Thomas - was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent

Jude - was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

Matthias - The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

Paul - was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire . These letters, which taught many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large
portion of the New Testament.

"You will be hated by all because of My name. But he that endures to the end shall be saved". Matthew 10:22

Can Your House Hold Up?

2011-03-07T11:28:00.008-05:00

I was reminded of this Scripture this morning:

Matthew 7:24 - “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Anyone would tell you that it's better to build on a firm foundation like rock, rather than sand. We've probably all heard enough sermons on this passage to know that the rock is Jesus and His Word.

I find it interesting that it's the exact same scenario for the wise and the foolish man, only with a different outcome due to one thing - their foundation. What determined their foundation? The wise man heard the Word and put it into practice.

It says the rain came down. . .

Have you ever had a rainy, cloudy day in your spirit? Have you felt depression knocking at your door? Are there more bills than money to pay them? Maybe you or a loved one is facing health problems. Whatever the problem(s) may be, sometimes it feels like all rain and no sunshine.

Then it says the streams rose. . .

How many know that when it rains in your life long enough, the streams begin to rise and it seems as if the water is going to overflow the banks. Often this is how we feel when we focus on all our problems, until they become larger than life and we are overwhelmed.

As if fearing a flood isn’t enough, it says the winds blew and beat against the house . . .

Here is where the enemy has kicked it up a notch – this is no gentle breeze we’re talking about here. Satan is whipping the winds of lies, accusing and tormenting thoughts in an effort to bring your house down.

Why am I bringing this up?

Because too many Christians have been deceived into thinking that if they love God, and God obviously loves them, that they won’t have to face the rain, rising streams, and wind in their lives. They seem to think that is reserved for the foolish man only. Do not be deceived, the Bible says in Matthew 5 that He causes the sun to shine on both good and evil, and the rain on the righteous and unrighteous. If He didn’t spare His only Son from the cross, how do we think we’re to escape sharing the fellowship of His suffering? It is for a much bigger purpose than our minds can even comprehend, and we don’t have the whole picture.

At the end of the day, we have to trust in these fundamental principals about God:

God is good, all the time! (Psalm 73:1), God is fair & just (Hebrews 6:10), God is not like man, He never lies (Numbers 23:19) , God doesn’t want to harm us, but has a plan to give us hope and a future – (Jeremiah 29:11), God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)

The promises go on and on – we just need to HEAR them, and then put them into ACTION!

Then we’ll be like the wise man with a firm foundation…and we’ll be able to stand against the attacks of the enemy! (Isaiah 54:17)

Are You a "DIY" - Do It Yourself Person?

2011-03-04T15:48:00.010-05:00

Yesterday I walked into the kitchen to discover my youngest son Josh, standing on the counter, going through the cabinets. He was in search of a band aid. I then glanced down to see the trail of blood droplets he'd left on the floor.

Me: What are you doing? What happened?

Josh: Looking for a band aid, I accidentally cut my finger.

Me: How did you cut your finger? Here, let me do it. (I get a band aid & inspect his finger. It's not too bad, thank God!)

Josh: I was trying to make a spear out of that stick.

Me: You were using a knife?

Josh: No, I used that other thing.

Me: What other thing? (I went to the porch and saw the stick, and the object in question...a box cutter! Yes, I was horrified! The kid is 8 yrs. old and you still can't turn your back on him for a second.)

So I handled the situation, but after it was over, I realized how little Josh ever asks for help. I love his independent spirit at times when it's safe & convenient. But other times, it's frustrating that he wants to "do it himself" when all he has to do is ask, and I would be glad to help him.

Isn't that the way we are with our Heavenly Father? Sometimes we strive & strive, trying to be so independent. It's almost as if we think we'd be bothering Him if we asked for help. So we keep plugging away, and He's often our last resort when all else has failed.

In these cases it would behoove us to remind ourselves that God Himself told us to cast our cares on Him. He even went on to call Jesus our "Good Shepherd". What do shepherds do? They lead, guide, and care for the sheep's every need. Add to that that fact that the Holy Spirit's name means "Counselor" or "Helper".

How many different ways does God need to tell us that He WANTS to take care of us? He said pray about everything, don't be anxious for anything, don't worry about what you'll wear, or what you'll eat...wouldn't that also include where we live, what we do for a living, who we'll marry, IF we'll marry, how we'll raise our kids, if we're healthy, if we have enough money to pay our bills, how we interact with others, what church we attend...on & on it goes. It covers EVERYTHING. There is nothing that our Father in Heaven isn't concerned with, if it concerns us.

So, let's not wait until we've exhausted all our human effort before we go to God for help. If we will go to Him FIRST, I guarantee you we will NOT need a band aid.

What's that Smell?

2011-02-25T08:06:00.005-05:00

As I was driving down the road the other day, the car in front of me swerved a little to the right. I quickly saw the reason as I approached the same spot.

A dead skunk in the road!

I only had time to straddle it, hoping that my tires wouldn't make contact. I've heard that even a dead skunk can still do some serious damage to the smell in your car for quite a while. Since it's been kind of warm here, I had my thermostat on outside air. Even though I didn't hit the animal, the pungent odor began filling my car. I quickly turned the vent off to escape the horrible smell.

I realize that skunks are made to put out this odor as a defense mechanism against predators. But isn't it amazing how they are still so offensive after they are dead?

We humans also put out an odor "spiritually" speaking. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 2:16 "To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume..."
This aroma of life or death can cause people to react to us without our having done anything at all to them personally. If we're not careful, we can become offended, or be defensive, and like the skunk, make a big stink!

Instead, we should be like Ephesians 5:2

"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."

Christ was a sweet aroma of life to the Father - and we should be the same.

I've heard there are many remedies for getting rid of the smell if you've been sprayed by a skunk. As I mentioned, even a dead skunk can be potent. Sometimes we have smelly areas in our lives where we've been hurt by others, and we think the offense is dead. Yet, if when think about, or re-tell the events it brings back the same feelings and emotions, it's like the skunk still putting out an odor. In this case, we need a remedy to completely remove the stench of offense.

Often times the remedy is simply remembering how you've been forgiven. Jesus washed away our sins, took our filthy garments and replaced them with His righteousness. We've been commanded to forgive others just as we have been forgiven. Therefore, we choose to forgive ourselves and others for all "dead" things in our past. Then we offer up a sweet smelling sacrifice of praise to God!

Change Your View

2011-02-18T12:15:00.005-05:00

My husband wanted me to go get us breakfast this morning while he was at home waiting on the plumber. As I approached our usual "go to" breakfast stop, it was so crowded I kept driving. In the back of my mind, I remembered that our town has a Bojangles. I've only eaten Bojangles take out maybe twice in my life, and have
never been to our local restaurant. It's kind of tucked away on a side street and I usually forget all about it. So I decided to give it a try.

It was crowded on the inside, and the drive through was packed as well, but the service was very fast. I kept thinking, "I had no idea all these people come here." Suddenly it felt like I'd been missing out on something. It was such a different experience going somewhere I'd never been before in a town that I know so well.

I came home & ate my breakfast (which was very good by the way). As my usual routine, I was going to check my emails from my laptop which I keep on the kitchen table. It's a warm, sunny day, so I had my side door open and I decided to sit in the chair across from where I normally do so I could see out the door. This allowed me a different view. I normally see the creek and the woods, but today I saw the bridge going over the creek.

This week has been filled with some difficult circumstances. Of course, the enemy is trying to use them to make me feel discouraged. As I began to sit down, I noticed the different view, and immediately the thought came to me, like a light bulb...

"You need to change your perspective."

Just like I changed my normal scenery at the table, or experienced something new in my old town, I need a different view of my circumstances!

I must look first and foremost at God - when I see how Big my Heavenly Father is, everything in life seems so small. My circumstances haven't changed - but just like this morning at the table, the only real difference was that I turned my position so I had a different perspective.

Second, I need to look at every situation through the eyes of the Holy Spirit - maybe it's a moment like in 2 Kings 6:17, where Elijah prayed for his servants eyes to be open to see what was going on beyond the natural.

Last, I need to be grateful that God knows where I'm at now, but He's also seen the full picture. I choose to trust His view over mine any day!

No matter what you're outlook on life is at the moment, make sure you have things in the proper perspective.

A Work of Art

2011-02-14T09:20:00.008-05:00

I just got back from an amazing "Art" weekend. Three of my girlfriends and I went to my Aunt & Uncle's home. My Aunt Linda is a wonderful interior decorator/artist. She was gracious enough to let us come and agreed to teach us several techniques on how to paint. I have to tell you that I have never painted anything before in my life, except a paint-by-number kit when I was a child (and I couldn't even do that well). In my mind, I was just allowing this opportunity for my friends who are much more creative and talented than I am. I was just going along for the ride...

We started painting after dinner on Friday night, and we stayed up until 2 a.m. - we got up Saturday morning, painted some more...went to lunch and browsed around the cutest little town filled with antiques, then home for more art lessons. We painted Saturday night until 2:00 a.m. again. I'm exhausted...but I had a blast!

We talked, we laughed, we ate, and we learned a lot about art. I was really touched by Linda's ability not only to teach us the techniques, but to make it so much fun. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and her generous heart to give her time, energy, supplies, and knowledge, was an inspiration.

Because she was such an excellent teacher, I was able to complete several art projects that were not half bad considering my lack of skill. I would dare to even be impressed if I wasn't comparing them to my friends work.

On one particular project we painted a landscape using pastels. I was standing next to Linda and whatever she did, I copied. If she used a certain color blue, so did I. If she took her finger and blended the colors, I did the same thing. It was my best piece of art from the whole weekend, yet strangely enough it was quite different from her piece. In fact, each one of us were doing the same landscape, hearing the exact same instructions, using the same tools, and yet all of our pictures came out with our own unique interpretation.

I think this is a perfect example of how Christians must look as we attempt to follow our Teacher(Jesus). We have the same tools (the Bible, the Church and their gifts, and of course, the Holy Spirit). Yet, each one of us represents a beautiful and unique picture of what Christ is like. We shouldn't be comparing ourselves, as we were not meant to all look the same. I am a masterpiece...and so are you!

I also learned to try new things. I would have missed out on a wonderful experience if I'd only observed and not taken part in the art projects. I didn't think I could do anything like that. It just goes to show you the importance of a good teacher. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is our "Counselor" and that He will lead and guide us in all things. Truly knowing that will allow us to step out of comfort zone and do things we never thought were possible.

Let's all listen closely to our Teacher this week and see what amazing things He will enable us to accomplish.

Trash to Treasure

2011-02-10T08:25:00.005-05:00

Last night I wanted a snack, so I popped some popcorn in the microwave. I had a different brand of popcorn, so I looked at the cook time on the back of the bag. It said 2 to 5 minutes. So I made an executive decision to cook it 2 minutes & 45 seconds.

Bad idea!

I went upstairs to grab something and came back down to the smell of burnt popcorn filling my kitchen. I opened the microwave to a puff of smoke and steam. Not wanting to have my whole house stinking, I carefully grabbed the bag and headed straight for the door to the deck. I opened the door and tossed it out onto the deck and thought, "I'll deal with it in the morning".

As I woke up this morning, there was a little dusting of snow on the ground. Not enough to keep the kids from going to school (yeah!) but enough to make the otherwise brown looking ground pretty.

Burnt popcorn bag forgotten, I was sitting at the kitchen table with my laptop, checking my emails. I glanced out the windows to the door on the deck and saw the popcorn lying on top of the fresh snow. Then I saw a tiny, round little brown bird come out of the bag.

He's having quite a feast on my burnt popcorn!

I watched him for about 10 minutes going in and out of the bag with popcorn in his beak.

I don't know why, but this made me feel such joy! I thought of the snow, and how hard it probably would have been for the bird to find food on the ground today. I was happy that my misfortune turned out to be his blessing - my trash became his treasure.

Then I thought, God does that all the time. He takes bad situations and turns it into something beautiful.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Isaiah 61:3 - "To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory."

2 Cor. 4:17 - "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

On & on I could go with Scriptures that talk about how God turns bad things into a blessing for His children. Sometimes the blessing will be for other people, just like my popcorn helped the bird. The hard lessons we learn can be used to help encourage others who are struggling with the same thing.

2 Cor. 1:4 - "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

If you're facing some tough situations today, be assured that if you surrender them to your Heavenly Father...He'll turn your trash into a treasure.

Do You Talk to Yourself?

2011-02-09T08:44:00.006-05:00

I'll admit when I was a kid, I had an imaginary friend...not in a creepy way where I saw someone, but in a "I have a wonderful imagination kind of way". If I'd had a bad day, I'd go in my room, shut the door, and my "friend" and I would work it out until I felt good about it. My Mom would often hear me in my room just talking away. My brother heard too, and teased me quite a bit.

As I got older, obviously I put away childish imaginary friends, and recognized my need to go to the Lord with all my cares.

But if you drop by my house unannounced, you may still hear me talking to myself. You'll hear me praising the Lord, you'll hear me proclaiming His Word out loud, and maybe even a shout or two of victory.

Even as I am out & about, you may see my lips moving, because under my breath, I'm decreeing God's promises over a situation.

AM I CRAZY? That's probably up for debate, depending on who you ask. But according to the Word of God, I'm in good company.

That's right, one of my favorite people in the Bible, someone after God's own heart, I believe talked to himself.

David said in Psalm 43:5 "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."

He talked to his own mind (soul) and told it to trust God!

Sometimes you need to remind yourself what the Word says. My husband has been given many prophetic words that confirm his future over and over again from different sources. All of these words of encouragement line up with the Word of God, and they bare witness in our hearts as God's will for our lives. However, without fail, the area where we have been promised victory, is the area where we are constantly attacked. If we were to look at our circumstances with natural eyes, it would look hopeless, and completely opposite from what the Lord has promised.

God has been faithful and patient to keep reminding us of His plans. But at some point, He really wants us to stand on what He's already said. I believe when we hear the lies of the enemy, it is our responsibility to say "no, that's contrary to what God has spoken over me, therefore it's a lie".

2 Cor. 10:5 talks about "...taking captive every thought to the obedience of Christ."

This is why the Lord said to meditate on His word, and fill your mind with good things. Cause He knows that one of our biggest problems is "stinkin thinkin".

So, if you're feeling down and need a pep talk...start declaring God's goodness and blessings in your life. Speak those things that aren't as though they are.

Who cares if some may think your crazy...go ahead and talk to yourself!

Go to "Plan B"

2011-02-07T08:45:00.005-05:00

Well, it's the day after "Man's Big Holiday"...that's right, the Superbowl!

I wasn't particularly interested in watching the Superbowl this year, because I didn't have a favorite team to root for. However, my son has a girl in his class who's Uncle is the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. She had almost her entire class cheering for the them, including all the guys in my house.

We borrowed a trailer from Bobby's brother-in-law that was set up like a home theater. It had theater seating, lighting, surround sound, and a big screen. We were telling everyone how lucky we were to be able to use it to watch the big game. We had the Direct t.v. guy come on Friday to hook up the satellite. Everything was set.

We had a couple coming over - the men were going to watch the game in the trailer, and the ladies were going to watch the commercials inside (and talk during the game). At the last minute, we also ended up inviting a new friend who had nowhere else to watch the game, along with his two sons who are friends with my boys.

Not long after the start of the game, the screen projector in the trailer just died. They could hear the sound, but couldn't see an image. When they were unable to fix it, the men came in the house and ended up in my living room. This pushed me and my friend upstairs (where unfortunately I hadn't bothered to clean up!) Yes...I was embarrassed...

On top of this unexpected change in plans, the father and his boys were very talkative and were grating a little on my husband's nerves (but he didn't show his frustration). He didn't get to enjoy the game as much as he would've liked. This family are not believers in Christ. In fact, from some of their conversations it was clearer than ever that they are quite lost. But God has put them in our path lately on several occasions, obviously for a reason. So we pray that we're a witness of God's grace, and He'll use us to draw them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

After thinking about the situation, it became clear to me that this is a perfect example of life...

Life doesn't always go the way we plan. The key is to adapt in every situation and remain flexible. Instead of getting upset over something we can't control, we go to "Plan B".

Even in relationships, we look past our differences, and find the common ground. We ignore the offenses and the frustrations, to see the potential of what God might be up to.

Proverbs 16:9 "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." (NIV)

Or to put it another way - "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade". While not a Scripture, it's still very much truth.

So no matter what comes your way...choose to make it a great week!

Don't Look Back

2011-02-04T14:06:00.005-05:00

Let me tell you how I spent my morning...I was a chaperone for my son Jay's 5th grade class to check out the Middle School. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jay informed me that he will be there in 6 months and 10 days! WOW, I was NOT ready for that...

All the kids were so excited - the "tour" of the school was being conducted by some very mature (and happy to be at the top of the "social chain") 8th graders. We saw the cafeteria, the classrooms, the gym, the library, the computer lab, etc. Do you want to know what the kids were most fascinated by?

The lockers...

I remember being totally stressed out about the lockers when I was in Middle School! I could never remember my combination. Even when I did remember it, I couldn't get it open. I eventually figured it out, but I don't have fond memories of the locker.

As I listened to the many electives and clubs that are offered in Middle School these days, I couldn't help but take a trip down memory lane. Which then led me to think how different my life in Middle School would have been if I could go back and do things over. Knowing the things I know now, I would have been a much better student. I would have participated in more clubs, met a wider variety of people, and I definitely would have joined the year book staff and the school newspaper.

Since none of us can go back, the temptation is to live vicariously through our kids. Hopefully I won't try to do that...but I have found myself TRYING to give him all the advice that I wish I would have followed when I was in school.

It's probably not a coincidence that my husband has been hearing this verse from the Lord all week

Phil. 3:13-14 - "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

It's one thing to remember those days in order to give counsel to my son. But it's really not a productive thing to look back with regret.

When I'm old & grey (but hopefully by the grace of God, not too wrinkled, LOL), I want to look back fondly over these years I'm living now. As I have learned from my mistakes, I will hopefully be able to say like Paul, 2 Tim. 4:7 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
So, I will let my past serve only as a reminder to live my life now in a way that glorifies God and produces much fruit.

As for lost opportunities, I will forget those things behind that I can't change, and press on toward my future - knowing that as I obey the Lord, it will help guarantee a future without regrets.

You Asked for What ? ? ?

2011-02-02T09:04:00.007-05:00

Guess what...I got a new phone yesterday! It's a Droid 2, with all the bells & whistles. I don't even know what I'm doing, but I already love it! My hubby & I went to the store because we had an upgrade credit, but we also found out we get a monthly discount through his company. This news changed our plans from me getting a regular phone, to getting the phone of my dreams. I love when something good and unexpected happens!

Also, my friend Beth at I'm Heading Towards My Destiny sent me a package in the mail - she had all my blogs from 2009 until January 2011 printed into a beautiful book. I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Another great surprise!

In the past, I've sometimes had a hard time accepting gifts without feeling guilty, or as though I "owe" someone something in return. Freely giving is much easier for me than freely receiving.

Bobby & I we praying together this morning and he asked God for something. It wasn't anything we needed, just a desire on our hearts that would bless our family. We have many things we NEED, so it was interesting that he would make this particular request.

Immediately my mind started thinking "would God really answer a prayer like that?"

Even as I was about to entertain that thought, I sensed the Lord was trying to teach me something. For years I struggled with the lie that good things happen for other people. Feelings of unworthiness, undeserving, lack of understanding God's love - whatever the root of it, it's a lie of the enemy to keep me from enjoying God's grace & favor. The Word says I am God's child, and a joint heir with Christ! I'm the "apple of His eye", and "He loves me with an everlasting love".

Often times God isn't the one putting stipulations on blessing us, we are. I was the one thinking only of what we NEEDED. This is NOT how I deal with my own children. I don't say "well, I know you want a birthday party, but you don't need one. All you really need is a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food on the table.

"If you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will my Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask".

So, I'm asking God to completely change my mindset once & for all. I want to proclaim God's goodness and show off His faithfulness! He's
leading me to believe that He wishes to make a distinction between His people and those who don't know Him (Malachi 3:18). That He would be glorified and others would notice and be drawn to us (and ultimately Him). The world will say "what is it that is different about you?", or "I want what you have". We (the Church) will be the answer for the rest of the world as they see our God at work in our lives, while they are struggling in many different areas. We'll be able to point to our Savior and say "He is the only answer".

So help me Lord, to believe and accept ALL things you have for me. Things I need, and even things I desire. Help me not to be afraid to ask You, as my Heavenly Father, just as a child trusts and asks their loving Father for good things.

My Gift from God

2011-01-31T07:45:00.013-05:00

***WARNING: This is a complete "Brag-fest" on my son. If you do not wish to hear all about how wonderful he is...stop reading now! (But please visit again soon)***

Eleven years ago today, our son Jay was born at 11:00 a.m. and our whole world changed. God gave us a wonderful gift in a very special boy. Even though we loved each other, my husband and I had never known such unconditional love, as the instant bond we had with this little life. We got a glimpse into how our Heavenly Father feels about us.

Psalm 127:3 - "Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward."

As he's grown, each new stage has been both challenging, and rewarding. I wouldn't try to "freeze" him or go backwards for anything in the world.

When his brother came along, he was so protective of him. Like all siblings, they have their battles, but for the most part, they love each other.

He loves his Mom & Dad too (although I'm always the one behind the camera!)

Our family on both sides are very close to the boys - Jay was the first boy grandchild on my husband's side, and the first grandchild on my side. Needless to say, he's been showered with love, gifts & attention ever since he was born.

He's a total sports fanatic! So, of course he wanted a "Superbowl" birthday party. I can't tell you how many places I went trying to find Superbowl balloons with the names of the NFL teams playing in the bowl. I finally did it - I got the balloons, plates, napkins & cake. He had his friends over and they played football. My husband spray painted boundary lines in the yard, and in the middle he painted "2011 Jay Bowl". It was great & the kids had a blast!

Here is the "pretty" Superbowl cake that I ordered

Here is the "ugly" Superbowl cake that I made (because he wanted a chocolate cake & all the pretty ones had to be vanilla so it would look good)

My son Josh informed me that pretty cakes don't taste as good as the ugly ones!

So, after all of this, I will leave you with the lesson for the day:

Just like pretty cakes that are dry on the inside, and ugly cakes that don't look appetizing but taste great - there is a Bible verse to back this up!

1st Sam. 16:7 - "For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Perfect example - Jay sits at the same desk everyday with the prettiest girl in the fifth grade. After only a few days in school, he could tell that she had a bad attitude and didn't treat him very well. He said "I still think she's pretty, but I don't like her anymore cause she's not very nice". I explained the above Bible verse and told him that "pretty on the outside doesn't always mean pretty on the inside" (just like my Superbowl cake, LOL!)

Thanks for letting me indulge a little and brag on my boy. Happy Birthday Jay! I love you very much.

Clean Closet - Clean Heart

2011-01-28T09:46:00.004-05:00

I can't even tell you how many times I've had to clean out the closets in my house! We just don't have room for anymore STUFF!!! I am running out of places to hide things, or tuck them away when guests come over.

My husband gets so frustrated sometimes, because he will put things on the kitchen counter, in the hallway, or dining room, and I will remove them immediately because I can't stand clutter. I've said before, my house is not clean, but it is uncluttered. The problem is, I don't always remember where I hide things.

My dilemma, as I said, is I don't have enough room for everything, and the closets get the brunt of the abuse. I always get so excited when I clean one out and it looks so nice and organized. Every time I tell myself

"THIS TIME, IT'S GOING STAY THIS WAY!"

What a dreamer I am!!! How many of you know it NEVER does?

I find this to be true of the "closets" in my heart as well. Every so often, we need to do a thorough cleaning out of the junk we've let pile up and go unnoticed.

The Bible says in Psalm 51:10 - "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

When the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, we need to repent right away, but there are always those things that slip through. Wrong attitudes, emotions, even sometimes wrong theology, are why we need to be evaluating our hearts.

Psalm 139:23-24 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting"

And just like my closets at home, they will be clean for a little while, but they're not likely to stay that way unless you make a commitment to keep it.

As much as I don't like all the junk in my closet, I've learned to live with it. I can NOT, however, live with junk in my heart.

Ask yourself today if you need to do some cleaning - if so, pray like David in Psalm 139 and ask God to reveal any clutter in your heart & mind. Then let the Holy Spirit get you straight again.

Seasons

2011-01-26T13:41:00.007-05:00

It's a rainy, cold day here where I live. I was sitting at my breakfast table, looking out the window at the trees and the creek that runs through my backyard, thinking about how different this same view will be in just a few months.

I love that I live in an area that has seasons. I don't think I would enjoy living in a place where it stayed the same temperature all year round. It's nice to visit, but I would miss the changes.

I love the winter's cold weather, bundling up in warm clothes, snowball fights, snuggling in my cozy house, and reading a good book. I even love the warm, hearty food that you crave during the winter months. However, I don't really think it's the prettiest of seasons, with the leaves off the trees and the skies mostly cloudy and grey. Even the snow, which is beautiful when it falls, or when undisturbed looks like a fairytale, is soon filled with footprints, and turns into a dirty, soggy mess.

Fall is crisp, fresh air that comes to blow away the summer's heat. The leaves turn the trees into a beautiful backdrop that shows off my Heavenly Father's creativity. But I don't enjoy the mess the leaves make once they turn brown, and fall off the trees. Plus, the privacy that the leaves once offered, are now gone, exposing my house to the road.

Summer is tons of fun. I look forward to having my children home with me. We stay up late at night, sleep in come morning, no agenda, no stress. The kids enjoy the beach, the summer camps, and have many of their friends over regularly. Having said that, I absolutely can NOT take the severe summer heat! I hate when the temperature and the humidity make life miserable to be outside. I pretty much hibernate during most of the summer.

Ah Spring, that wonderful season of new beginnings. The flowers budding, the grass turning green again, and the temperature is not too hot or cold, but just right. There's Easter Egg hunts, and the celebration of the greatest thing that's every happened on earth before or since, the resurrection of Jesus Christ! As wonderful as that is, there is still one HUGE downfall to Spring - allergies!

I guess you can tell that with every season I've mentioned, there's been both good and bad things that come with it. I was thinking it's the same way in our "spiritual seasons". Every new level in my walk with the Lord, every new path He leads me down, has both positive and negative aspects that come with it.

I believe that while the Lord has a vision and plan for our lives, we must remember the enemy wants to destroy it at every turn. So while God may have a season of blessing waiting for me, that doesn't mean I won't face any opposition. Remember, even the Israelites who were to enter the "promised land", still had to fight their enemies to occupy it. The key was that they had already been told they would be victorious. So the way I see it, the promise wasn't just the land, it was also the promised victory.

The lesson is to look at every season through the eyes of faith and see what God is up to. If you're in a hard season, look for some good in it. If you're in a good season, but there is somewhat of a battle, remember God's promise of victory!

1st Thessalonians 5:18 - "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (NLT)

Jesus Doesn't Beg

2011-01-24T09:16:00.007-05:00

As I was reading John 16 this morning, I was thinking about prayer. I wanted to share some thoughts with you...

Jesus is talking to His disciples about how he'll be leaving them. He said they would have sorrow for awhile, but it would turn to joy. He was of course referring to His death and resurrection. But the disciples didn't understand what He was talking about...

How many times do we not understand what Jesus is trying to tell us?

However, they didn't just ask Jesus what He was trying to say. Instead, they discussed it among themselves.

How often do we talk to our friends, family, pastors, etc., before and instead of going straight to the Lord for answers?

Then in John 16:19, Jesus asked them a question that showed His ability to discern their thoughts. We know that He didn't just overhear their conversation, because in vs. 30, His disciples said "Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we now believe that You came forth from God." Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, was given a "word of knowledge". This same gift from the Holy Spirit, that caused the disciples to believe in Jesus, is available to us today.

But the part that stuck out to me this morning was in the following verses:

John 16:23-24 - "In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Very truly I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (NIV)

John 16:26-27 - "In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God." (NIV)

Because of the cross, Jesus now has "all AUTHORITY in Heaven and on earth". But then He shared His authority with us when He told us to pray in His name.

Rom. 8:34 says Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us...but don't get the impression that Jesus has beg God to answer our prayers. John 26-27 clearly shows that isn't the case! Jesus blood is our access to the Father - it's as if He's saying "Father, listen to this one, they're one of mine". And because we love His Son, God the Father loves us and is more than willing to answer our prayers.

This encourages me because I'm reminded that God is for me, and He's not having to be persuaded to hear my prayers. I ask in the name of His Son, but I can come boldly to the throne.

So let's be bold in our requests to the Father this week, praying with the authority that He has given us in Jesus name and see what great things God will do. I keep hearing people say that 2011 is the year to believe BIG.

Fountain Lady

2011-01-20T15:44:00.006-05:00

I would like to thank the women now known as "Fountain Lady" for giving me a good laugh as I watched the video of her mistakenly falling into the fountain at the mall. I'm not being mean, she wasn't hurt, just embarrassed. But then she went and ruined it by making me angry because she appeared on Good Morning America with her lawyer who says she may be suing the mall.

I don't know if you heard the story, but it goes a little something like this...a lady, who is a mall employee by the way (so she was obviously familiar with the mall layout) was texting on her cell phone while walking, not paying attention to where she was going, and fell head over heels into the water fountain. She was obviously embarrassed, so she grabbed her things and quickly got out of there.

The problem came when she found out that someone posted a video from mall security of her falling into the fountain on Youtube. Granted, this was not a good thing to happen, and no one would want millions of people seeing your embarrassing blunder. Not many people would have even known who it was, but now they do, because she went on National television to own up to it.

Why did she go on GMA? So she could complain that...

"no one helped her out of the fountain."

"The mall didn't apologize for her mishap."

"She didn't even have hand rails to hold onto as she climbed out of the fountain" (maybe because they don't expect people to be in the fountain, that's why there aren't any handrails!)

Now she's managed to find a lawyer who is willing to "represent" her in this terrible injustice.

Come on people ??? I am ALWAYS doing embarrassing things. What do I do about it? I share it with all my friends and I laugh at myself. But even if I didn't do that...I certainly wouldn't dream of suing someone for MY mistake!

Why does this bother me so much?

Because I think this is a clear sign of a major problem in our society today. No one is being taught to take responsibility for their own actions anymore.

If we're fat, it's because fast food restaurants serve fattening food (it's not like we are fooled into thinking it's healthy!)

If we're addicted to cigarettes, it's because the evil Tobacco companies put addictive stuff in them (they have a warning on the carton saying they could kill you).

Everywhere I look these days, people are pointing fingers, becoming offended, and yes, even "sue happy" because it's easier to blame someone else for your problems than it is to take responsibility.

My son hates to be wrong! He has a real problem saying he's sorry, so he always wants to pass the blame. When it's absolutely impossible for him to say it wasn't his fault, he does this "divert the attention to someone else's faults" thing.

I explained the major problem with this is that God's Word says that we all fall short of the glory of God - we all mess up, make mistakes, and SIN. God has promised that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. If we never admit we've done something wrong, we aren't confessing, and therefore, we aren't receiving His forgiveness. I told him that his mistakes in no way affect or change how much I love him.

I wish the "Fountain Lady", and everyone else who needs a "do over" would understand that the best thing to do when you make a mistake, is own it, and move on.

She mentioned church in her GMA interview. I pray that she'll go to church and hear a message on repentance & God's grace...and by the way, I forgive her too.

Competition (Friendly, or Not) ???

2011-01-19T15:33:00.007-05:00

Have you heard the phrase "friendly competition"? It's used when people compete, either in sports, or a contest, etc., to see who will come out the winner. It's not meant to get ugly, or to make the other person feel like a loser.

So what is it meant for?

I think competition in and of itself isn't a bad thing. Sometimes it can make individuals push themselves to do their best. If there was no winning or losing teams, sports would be very boring. How would anyone know if they were really good at something, unless they have a comparison? My boys played basketball for a Christian league that didn't keep score the first few years, while the kids were young & learning the fundamentals of the game. Inevitably the first thing they would ask after the game was "who won?" Even as little kids, they wanted to keep score.

I was a very athletic, tomboy as a child. I grew up with my brother and all boy cousins. I played on a softball team for years, I enjoyed volleyball, and I was fast, so I won a lot of ribbons for track on Field Day at school. Growing up, I noticed that I only involved myself in activities where I knew from the beginning I would excel. I had to be the best at something, or I didn't want any part of it. Later in life, I realized that this behavior was a unhealthy competitive spirit. My need for approval and fear of rejection compelled me to never take risks outside of what I knew I could win.

Who wants to try something and fail at it? Not me!

Who wants to be made fun of, or ridiculed? No one!

Who wants to shine and receive pats on the back? I DID!

When it comes to your walk with God, competition is NEVER friendly! When we fall for the trap of comparing our lives with others in the Body of Christ, we end up in a "heap of deceit!" That's right, the enemy would have us believe that we are either better than others, or not measuring up, depending on who we are comparing ourselves to. Have you ever felt threatened by other's gifts being noticed over yours? What about receiving credit for things? Do you need to get the accolades to feel worthy? The Bible talks about when you give, do not let your right hand know what your left hand is up to (Matt. 6:3). This is because we want to store up our rewards in Heaven (Matt. 6:19), not here on earth.

Why do
we feel the need to compete with others in the Church? The Bible clearly says that God loves the world (John 3:16) and that He does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34). Still, it can be hard to grasp the fact that just because God loves everyone the same, it doesn't diminish how much He loves YOU! One of my favorite Scriptures is found in Psalm 139 where it talks about how I was made, how I can't run away from God's presence, and how His thoughts toward me are more than the grains of sand. Such wonderful words expressing how valuable we are to God.

As a parent, I should understand somewhat how you can love your children the same, yet they are still individuals. My boys are complete opposites. I interact with them differently, but I love them the same. I don't want them competing for my love or affection, or my attention.

Let's remind ourselves that we are one big "happy" family and stop trying to out do each other. Put behind all the childish ways, overcome all the insecurities and inferiority, rebuke the spirit of rejection, competition, self-promotion, and pride.

Let's get back to being "friendly" without the so-called "friendly competition".

Quick...Someone Call A Plumber

2011-01-11T08:53:00.004-05:00

My husband and I built our house the year we got married and we've lived here for fourteen years now. As you can imagine, it's starting to need certain repairs. The plumber who originally put our shower in did such a bad job, he actually flooded our master bathroom twice while we were on our honeymoon. My father-in-law was overseeing the workers while we were gone and he told us what happened. So it was no surprise when we started noticing some water issues with the shower upstairs.

Last week, while sitting at the kitchen table, I noticed some spots on the ceiling above the refrigerator. I went to stand underneath the spots and immediately determined that something upstairs was leaking, I just didn't know what. Was it the washing machine? The toilet in the kids bathroom? Or had my worst fears come true and the shower was finally leaking through? Was my whole house going to have to be renovated? (you can tell I get dramatic about these things & automatically go to the worse case scenario).

I called my husband and told him our ceiling was going to cave in because something was leaking (drama queen, right?) He didn't sound happy, but he wasn't nearly as alarmed as I thought he should be...I expected him to rush home IMMEDIATELY!

My hubby has a friend who is a plumber, who lives down the road from us. He came over the next day to look at our leak. I wasn't home when he first arrived. By the time I got to the house, they had already inspected the damage. They came down from upstairs, and walked into my kitchen...I patiently awaited the news. The Plumber and my hubby stood directly under the wet spots on the ceiling, looked at them once again, looked at me - finally my husband said

"he (meaning the Plumber) doesn't think it's a leak...he thinks it's food."

WHAT?

Now the Plumber pipes in and says "it looks like applesauce to me".

THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!

Now let's back up...I remember sometime last week, opening my refrigerator and seeing some dry, crusty substance stuck to the side of the door and all up & down the side of the fridge. I had no idea what it was or how it had gotten there, but I did what Mom's do...I cleaned up the mess that everyone else was obviously ignoring.

That brings us back to the present day of the Plumber's assessment of my leak spots. It's all becoming clear. My husband recalls my youngest son dropping some applesauce when he was getting it out of the fridge. Apparently it hit the floor hard enough to bounce up & splatter on my 9 ft. ceiling, as well as spill in the refrigerator door. No one bothered to tell me.

Can you imagine how embarrassed I was to know I needed a Plumber to come and tell me I had food stuck to my ceiling? Do you remember that I said he was a friend of my husbands and he lives down the road? So that means, he's not just some random plumber who we'll never have to see or hear from again. I just know he'll be telling this story to his friends & family for quite some time.

I guess I will too. I now have a permanent reminder of my blunder. The applesauce caused a stain on the ceiling and instead of a plumber, I now need a painter!

Can You Speak Up A Little God?

2011-01-09T09:27:00.003-05:00

Have you ever wished that God would speak to you in an audible voice?

The Bible says that God spoke to the Israelites from Mt. Sinai and His voice was so scary they begged Moses to go on their behalf because they didn't want God talking to them that way (Ex.20:18-21).

REALLY? Maybe it's just me, but I would actually appreciate being able to hear Him where there's no mistaking what He says.

I've tried asking for "fleeces" - you know, the Gideon thing where you put God to the test by asking Him to confirm things because you're just not sure you've heard Him right. I've joked saying "God, could you just write it in the sky, that's not too much to ask, is it?"

The thing is, I DO hear from God all the time. For other people... and for myself when it comes to matters of the heart (correction, discipline, how much He loves me, what He'd like to do in and through me, etc.)

But when it comes to practical instruction and guidance in some very specific areas where I need direction, I can't seem to hear His voice! I believe the problem lies in my inability in these situations to separate my desires from His will. I'm asking God for clarity.

So here's the big question - and I'm seriously asking for your thoughts.

When you can't decipher God's will in a matter, and you need to make some decisions...do you wait and do nothing unless you hear clearly?

Or do you move ahead and pray that God will shut the door if it isn't His will?

By the way, these are NOT life or death decisions I'm talking about here. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if I were to do any of these things, I would not be in sin, or have ruined my destiny with God, etc. I know that His will for my life is not that narrow, or that He would say "oh, you stepped off the path of my perfect plans for you, so now you've blown it!" I understand His grace to bring me to the place where He wants me to be, both spiritually speaking, and in the natural as well. I would just really love to get it right in the first place, and not come by that way through hind sight.

I don't know if any of this is making sense, but I appreciate having a place to "vent" as I work through this.

Anyway, I pray God gives us ALL clarity throughout this coming year as we obey His voice, however He chooses to speak. Whether it be through a sermon, a revelation from God's Word, a book, a teaching tape, a Bible Study or class, a friend, a prophet, an audible voice, a dream, a vision, through a Heavenly messenger, or...that ever present, still small voice.

I'm just glad my Heavenly Father does communicate with me!

My 2011 Makeover

2011-01-07T10:01:00.004-05:00

So far 2011 has started off as the year of improvements for me. Usually I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, but this year, I'm not only making one resolution, I'm doing a complete makeover!

I'm BIG in home improvement right now. We were blessed with new furniture as a Christmas gift this year. That started the ball rolling for me...then I painted my dining room & entry hall. I've re-arranged the boys rooms, cleaned out our attic to get rid of a bunch of junk...I'm in operation "de-clutter mode". The problem is, the more I change things, the more I want to do. I'll have to remember to pace myself.

One of my other resolutions is like most people - I want to lose weight! But not just to be skinny, for me, it's more of an obedience thing. I've started off by taking baby steps so I won't be overwhelmed & quit. I also started exercising.
We got the Kinnect for the XBox 360 for Christmas, so I bought the "Zumba Dance Party". I've been shaking my hips (and everything else shakes too) trying to get in shape. Last night, I wanted my husband to see Zumba. He was laughing at me (in a joking way, not in a mean way). I told him that it wasn't as easy as it looked and for him to try it. Much to my surprise, he took the bait. He started trying to keep up with the lady on the screen, swaying & shaking, and breathing hard...breathing very hard...wait a minute, take a break there fella, don't hurt yourself (haha) He DID admit that it was harder than it looked. I wish I had a camera, I probably could have won some money on Funniest Home Videos. That's not to say that I think I looked good doing it. I'm very grateful for HOME exercise equipment!

I mentioned obedience as my reason for wanting to shed the pounds. That's part of my "extreme make over" this year. A call to obey God's leading through His Spirit in ALL areas of my life. That means exhibiting self control in the areas of eating, finances, teaching the kids about the Lord, spending quality time with Him, and hopefully writing in a journal.

I felt a little "stuck" last year, but I'm believing that God has some new things for me and I'm pressing on toward my destiny. However, I know I need more self control working in my life. God's plans for me are somewhat on hold (not out of punishment), but until I can develop this fruit (self-control). Otherwise, the very things God wants to bless me with, could end up hurting me if I'm not mature enough to handle it.

This is my "2011 Makeover" wish. So, 2011...bring it on! I pray that next year this time, I'll be reporting on the amazing, fruitful year I've had. I also pray that you will allow God to "makeover" any area in your life that needs a special touch. It doesn't have to be "extreme", maybe just a change in your heart, a tweak here & there. Whatever the case may be, I hope that you'll be every changing as we behold more of His glory.

2nd Cor. 3:18 "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Looking for Security in 2011

2011-01-01T10:29:00.006-05:00

I'm back to wish all my family & friends a Happy New Year! I took a break from blogging during the Thanksgiving & Christmas Holiday because life was just too busy. I've missed blogging and keeping up with what everyone else is up too as well. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and wish you a blessed 2011.

My family was invited to do some things to celebrate on New Year's Eve, but I declined. I was very content to stay home with my family and watch the ball drop on t.v. We all made it until midnight except for my oldest son, he wimped out about 10 p.m., but that's okay, he's an early bird, not a late owl like me.

Earlier in the day I spent some time by myself worshiping & praying. I started thinking about 2011 and I must confess I started feeling a sense of dread about the upcoming year. So many things have happened in my life and in the world, both good & bad, that I'm overwhelmed with the feeling of "what's going to happen this year?" I've also heard many prophetic words from well known people in the "Church" who are painting a not so pretty picture of things to come, and yet, I've had personal words from the Lord about great things He wants to do in our lives??? I found myself a little anxious, so I began to pray.

I had a wonderful peace come over me as I heard in my spirit,

"Stay close to Me and you have nothing to fear. Remember, perfect love casts out fear."

Wow...so true! If I know how much God loves me, then I can trust that He has everything under control. I can rest in the palm of His hands! I had such of revelation of God's sovereignty! I have NO idea what's coming up this year, but He knows everything that's going to happen!
It's like going through a mine field with a powerful metal detector, or pushing through a crowd with a HUGE bodyguard...I am safe with Him.

It's funny, I don't expect my life to be without trouble. I'm not unrealistic about the fairytale, happily ever after existence (and no, I'm not a skeptic either). But I do find myself constantly looking for security. Something deep inside of me, and I think this is true of a lot of women, longs for someone bigger & stronger to "take care of things" so we can feel safe. This is usually a quality we looked for when we're looking for a husband. It's the same characteristic we wanted in our father, a feeling of "dad will take care of anything scary or whatever I can't handle". We may not, no, we will not always find that in another person...ultimately, what we're looking for is the security that only God can give. We have to trust Him with our lives.

I was reminded of an old Gaither song "Because He Lives" that I used to sing with Mom as a kid. The words express exactly what I'm talking about
."Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives."
After midnight, my husband & I began to pray about the new year - because I had already given up my sense of dread, and exchanged it for God's peace, I was able to pray with confidence and decree good things for 2011. Things like, more of God's presence, more fruit in our lives, more self control & discipline, blessings over my children, over our finances, over our health, clarity in areas where we need to make decisions, guidance, protection, open doors to minister, and more opportunities for God's miraculous power!

So, even though I don't know what the future holds, or what 2011 will look like this time next year...I have decided to rest in the One who knows everything and who wants the best for me and my family. I pray that you & your family will do the same. Our Heavenly Father truly is a firm foundation...all else is sinking sand.

Cast Your Cares

2010-11-16T15:51:00.010-05:00

I went to my bi-weekly Mom's Group meeting this morning where our Pastor's wife was speaking. She was sharing about not being easily offended by things other people say and do. She explained how she would sometimes get offended about things that didn't even happen to her, but to her daughters. When the girls would come home upset about an offense, they would cry & unload it on her, and then they would go about their business and be fine, while she would remain bothered.

Although her point was on not being offended, I was hearing the Lord speak to my spirit about something altogether different. As I listened, I was getting a picture in my mind of how we are to lay our burdens on the Lord.

Just like her daughter's who would feel better after they'd expressed their feelings & discussed their problems with their mother and then felt released, this is what Jesus wants us to do with Him - talk to Him about the things that are bothering us, and then leave our cares & burdens at His feet. After spending time in prayer with our Savior, we should walk away feeling lighter & free. If we pray and still feel anxious, it's usually a pretty good sign that we have just spent time "venting" to the Lord, but not really praying & believing that He is willing and able to hear and answer our prayer...we haven't left our request at His feet, but instead, we've carried it with us.

Next, I was thinking how this same scenario doesn't work as well when we as adults share with one another, like it does when a child talks to their parent. I think one reason why is because we come across as complaining to one another, not really believing that the person we're sharing with has any authority or ability to help us in our circumstances. It's merely a "misery loves company" type encounter. Whereas the child trusts that the parent can help, by either giving advice, comfort, or handling the situation outright, depending on what the case might be.

I am learning that I should go straight to my Heavenly Father, the only one with the power to do something about my problem. If I go to my friends & family first, all I'm able to gain is sympathy as I focus on the circumstance, and not keeping my eyes on Jesus.

The Bible says in Psalm 121:1-2 "I will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth".

Our help comes from the same one who made us, and the only one who can handle anything we give Him!

Don't get me wrong - I'm thankful for my friends & family who I often share my burdens with, but usually so they can pray for me. I know that many times God will use someone in your life to speak into your circumstances and give you wisdom, or will be used to bring healing to an area of brokenness. But such times are ordained by God Himself, not orchestrated by us trying to lay our burdens on people in and of ourselves.

The next time you have a burden, don't automatically pick up the phone, or go to your email, or to that next "church meeting" with the purpose of laying it down with your friends & family...take it to the Lord in prayer, and leave it with Him.

Here are a couple of (well known or "reminder") Bible verses to reflect on:

1 Peter 5:7 "cast all your cares upon him, for He cares for you."

Matt. 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Who's Telling the Truth?

2010-10-26T20:23:00.003-04:00

Hello Blogging friends,

I have been a busy bee lately, Spring cleaning my house in the Fall. While going through my desk drawer, I ran across this poem I wrote in June 1999 and wanted to it share it with you.

Who's Telling the Truth?

The world says, "Get ahead, no matter what the cost"
Jesus says "become a servant, as an example to the lost"

The world says "any religion is basically okay"
Jesus says "beware of false teachers, for I am the only way"

The world says, "live life to the full, it's all about having fun"
Jesus says "we're just passing through, meanwhile, there's work to be done"

The world says "no matter what you do wrong, surely you're not to blame"

Jesus says "confess that sin and I'll forgive and take away your shame"

I say "weigh the truth for yourself before anymore time goes by,
for eternity is way to long to take a chance on a lie."

Remove The Stone by Tony Evans

2010-10-20T13:15:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine sent this to me this morning & it blessed me so much, I thought I'd share it with you all.

Have you ever been in a situation where things fell apart after you went to Jesus? Have you ever experienced a death? Not just a physical death, because death is essentially a loss. Have you ever experienced a deep loss of any kind? Stuff started to get sick, and then it just died. You have this plan for your life. You had a hope. You thought that things were going to fall right into place. But not only did they not fall into place, they died.

If you have ever been in a situation like that, then you know exactly what Martha and Mary were experiencing when they got caught between a rock and a hard place in John 11. Lazarus was sick. Martha and Mary reach out to Jesus for help. Jesus sends back hope. Lazarus dies.

Martha had told Jesus that she believed He was the resurrection and the life (v. 27). She had then run to tell Mary that Jesus had come.

Now Mary, seeing Jesus, falls at His feet and says, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32). John reports that when Jesus “saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see’” (vv. 33-34).

Then, John writes, “Jesus wept” (11:35).

The next part of the passage contains potentially the most revolutionary spiritual truth you could ever learn for your daily living. It can sustain you when you’re caught between a rock and a hard place. We read: “So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Remove the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days’” (vv. 38-39).

Jesus makes a simple request, “Remove the stone.” Martha interrupts to let Jesus know that what He is asking isn’t practical. She lets Jesus know that what He is asking isn’t logical. It makes no biological sense.

When God puts you or me between a rock and a hard place, He will often make a request that makes absolutely no sense. His request to the mourners is not logical. Lazarus is literally between a rock and a hard place. Lazarus is literally behind a stone. Jesus asks the mourners to remove the stone without giving them any more information.

Here’s the spiritual truth you can apply to your daily life: When God is getting ready to do something significant in your life that involves a deliverance from a situation gone bad, or a resurrection of a situation that has died, it will often include an illogical request. And I want to encourage you, when that happens, don’t go logical on God. What we often do with God in situations like that is debate the instruction. Just like Martha did. Jesus’ instruction to her was pretty simple, “Remove the stone.”

With God it’s not about logic. It’s about doing what He says to do in faith. Once you add human logic to the Word of God, you ignore the power of the Word of God in your situation.

Jesus doesn’t want to have a discussion about the stone He has told us to remove. He doesn’t want to know how big the stone is. He doesn’t want to know how long the stone has been there. He doesn’t even want to know how dead the dead is behind the stone. All Jesus wants you to do is remove the stone.

To experience the living Christ in your dead situation, belief must precede sight, because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith precedes sight. One of the great verses in the Bible describes this situation. It says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). In other words, belief requires no empirical evidence to validate what you are doing. There is nothing to taste, smell, touch, hear, or see in order for you to believe. There is nothing that the five senses can grab because if there is, then that is no longer faith. You don’t have to see something to know that it’s real. But what you do have to do is act in faith.

God says the righteous “shall live by faith” (10:38). So how do you know when you have faith? You only know that you have faith when you remove the stone – when you do the thing that God has asked you to do. If you’re not doing the thing that He told you to do, then you’re not having faith. If you’re discussing it, you’re not at the point of faith yet; you’re at the point of discussion. If you’re thinking about it, you’re not at the point of faith yet; you’re at the point of thought.

You’re not at the point of faith until God sees that stone move.

What can you expect to happen when you remove the stone? Jesus told Martha that if she will believe, she will see the “glory of God.” The glory of God is seeing God manifest Himself in your situation.

God wants to make some dead scenarios come forth. He wants to make dead careers come alive once more. He wants to resurrect dead marriages.

Martha and Mary didn’t make life come forth. All they did was remove the stone at His word. Then He created a miracle.

Someone reading this needs a miracle. Something in your life has died, and you need God to call it back to life. Someone is trapped in an addiction. You’ve tried everything that you know to get out of it but it doesn’t seem to work. What you need is a resurrection.

God can take your dead and dying scenario and call forth a resurrection. He can take what looks like a rotting situation and give it new life. He’s just waiting for you to remove the stone. When we do what God says to do in faith, God is free to bring forth life.

(Adapted from Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Tony Evans. © 2010 by Anthony Evans, Moody Publishers.)

It's Not About You!!!

2010-10-13T16:30:00.011-04:00

This is a sentence I repeat quite often in my house when speaking to my children..."It's NOT about YOU!" I find it necessary to let them know, much to their surprise, that the world does NOT revolve around them, LOL!

However, when it comes to stepping out in faith and being used by God, it is of the utmost importance that you remember the very same thing. In fact, you should keep these 3 things in mind:

1) It's not about YOU

2) It's not because of YOU

3) It's not for YOU

What do I mean?

It's not about you - If you expect to move in the power of God, praying, prophesying, laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, all the stuff that Jesus said to go and do (Mark 16:15-20), you have to get over yourself! No more hang ups, no more worrying about your past, or beating yourself up about your failures & weaknesses. Allow healing to come to your spirit & soul that will set you free from the fear of man, and a people pleasing attitude.

It's not because of you - When you do see God move through you, either in word or in deed, remember that YOU didn't do it! It's not a time to get puffed up and think you've done something special, when all God really needs is a willing vessel who will believe in Him.

1 Cor. 4:7 "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"

Remember after the disciples came back from ministering in Jesus name and they were excited about how even the demons had to obey them? Jesus rejoiced with them for what they'd done, but He also warned them in Luke 10:20, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

It's not for you - Too many times when people reach a place in the Lord where they see visible fruit, they start to get the attitude that they've "arrived". They're getting attention from others, and it's very tempting to exalt themselves in their own minds, or to allow people to place them on a pedestal. In these cases, the person has an elitist attitude that says "I need to be served, not serve others". This thinking is so far from the mind of Christ!

Mark 10:42-45 - "But Jesus called them (the disciples) to Himself and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

The best way to escape the above traps of the enemy is to keep your eyes off yourself and on Jesus at all times! If we remember the following Scripture, we'll have no problem doing mighty exploits for the Lord, and never have to struggle with the above.

Gal. 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

I read a book by Loren Cunningham called "Making Jesus Lord" where he talked about laying down your so called rights as Christians. He said that dead people don't worry about their rights. He was of course talking about us, who are supposed to have been crucified with Christ. When we're dead to our rights, we live for Him, only wanting to glorify God in all we do and say. This is the place I long to be, where I can say like Paul "to live is Christ, to die is gain...or like in Phil. 3:7-10

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death..."

The Power of God's Presence

2010-09-29T12:12:00.002-04:00

When we face trials in our lives, which we all do because the Bible tells us we will, it is imperative to remember this one very important fact...God is with us! All throughout the Old & New Testament, God tells people "do not be afraid, I am with you". He doesn't say "don't be afraid, I'm going to fix this", or "don't be scared, I will take all your troubles away". No, instead, He promises to be with us.

Example, when Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego were in the fiery furnace, Jesus (or the Angel of the Lord) was right there in the fire with them. When God commissioned Joshua, Gideon and Moses to do His work, he said "don't worry, My presence is going with you". Moses became so dependent on God's presence, he wouldn't even go where God told him to unless He promised to come with him. He didn't want God's blessing, he wanted His presence!

In the NT, when Jesus was preparing the disciples for his departure, He comforted them by saying "I will not leave you like orphans, but I'll send someone (the Comforter/Holy Spirit) to help you."

Why is the promise of His presence sufficient in all situations? I think we can look at Jesus' life as the key. Jesus went through more pain, suffering, shame, disgrace, rejection and betrayal than anyone can imagine. He not only suffered physically, but the emotional and mental pain was enough to cause Him to sweat drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. Still, the Bible says He was led like a "sheep to the slaughter" without opening His mouth. Some may think he endured this kind of pain because He was God, but I can assure you, He was also fully man! He had humbled himself to become man, subjected himself to all the same weaknesses, limitations, and possible emotions that we all face, only without sin. I believe the only thing that allowed Him to endure this level of torture, was the presence of His Father with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was the same with Stephen when he was being stoned to death...he saw Heaven open and he had God's presence with him. This is the same relationship that is available to us today.

Jesus got His commission from the Father, submitted Himself completely to His will, then He stayed connected with Him through it all. When people spit on Him, with clenched fists of anger and hatred called out "crucify Him!", when the disciples rejected, denied and abandoned Him, when the guards pierced His side, placed the crown of thorns on His head, striped Him of His clothes and beat Him beyond recognition, then ultimately hung Him to die on the cross...His Father in Heaven was with Him. I know this because He didn't protest at all until one moment...the only time Jesus cried out...

The moment when God the Father turned away from Jesus because of the sin that had been placed upon Him (my sin, your sin, the entire world's sin). That was the only time Jesus didn't call God "His Father" - instead, He cried "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The first and only time Jesus was ever separated from His Father's presence - that was the only thing he couldn't bare. Of course God had to turn from Hm for a moment, but not only restored Jesus to His presence, but crowned Him with all honor and authority both in Heaven and on earth.

This tells me that I can endure anything in life, as long as I have God's presence with me. I heard a teaching by Beth Moore one time where she said when it comes to trials and tribulations, there are typically 3 ways God deals with them.

1) He will take them away,
2) He will walk through it with you, or
3) He will deliver you from them by taking you on to Heaven.

Obviously we all pray for the first scenario, but when that doesn't always happen, we shouldn't think that God has abandoned us. We must trust that He is working in our situation for our good, just as He didn't spare His own Son, but instead had a greater purpose.

May we all come to say in the good times AND the bad, His presence is "better than life" and "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength."

How He Loves Us

2010-09-27T09:28:00.003-04:00

I was involved all weekend with our women's conference "PureLife" at our church. It was a wonderful mixture of fun, fellowship, and faith. The messages were moving, I laughed a lot with my friends, and I was even given an opportunity to pray for a few people and saw God do some miraculous things.

As I sit here this morning thinking over everything that happened, there are many things I've taken away from the conference, but particularly moving to me was a song we sang called "How He Loves Us". You've probably heard it, either by Kari Jobe, or perhaps the "David Crowder Band". I've heard it on Christian radio, but never really paid attention to the words like I did this weekend.

Listen to the words of this song

We as Christians, all know and somewhat understand that God loves us.

Eph. 3:17-19 says "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width, length, depth & height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God"

This tells me that we all need to pray that the Holy Spirit will continually show us how much God loves us!

There were two very strong lines that really stuck out in my mind, and make this song so special to me.

One was where it said something about our afflictions being eclipsed by His glory . I can't tell you how many times I've been going through something and I know that prayer won't even help until I first go spend some time in God's presence, worshipping Him. It doesn't take any time at all before all my problems seem to fade away in light of His presence. Nothing may have changed right away in my circumstances, but now I have a Heavenly perspective and the joy of the Lord, which is my strength. After all, the Bible says that in His presence is fullness of joy!

The other great line in the song was when it talked about not having time for regrets when I realize how much He loves me. Again, if we focus more on God's love, we let go of our past, we open ourselves up to forgiveness, we forgive others who've offended us...the Bible says "perfect love casts out fear" - we don't have to be afraid of anything! This can mean fear of man, fear of God's judgement, fear of mistakes & past failures, fear of the future & the unknown, whatever the fear, it's not always that you need more faith...sometimes you just need a greater measure of understanding God's love for you!

I pray that prayer in Ephesians (Eph. 3:17-19) over myself and hope you'll do the same.

Lord, let ME know and experience Christ dwelling in my heart by faith; let me be rooted & grounded in love today; may I be able to comprehend (today) how much You love me, how high, wide, long & deep You love me! Even though this love You talk about is "beyond comprehension", I know that only means that I can't understand it in my natural mind and without the help of Your Holy Spirit, but through Your Spirit, You can begin to help me understand Your love. Thank you that I am being filled with all the fullness of God!

A Prayer for Fruitfulness

2010-09-17T10:21:00.006-04:00

Stepping out, moving up
to a higher level I must go
maturity and fruitfulness are calling
to put into practice the things I know

Insecurity and fears be gone
you're not welcome here anymore
I'm breaking free from my past
with greater revelation than ever before

Walking in repentance
shaking off all that would hinder
forgiving every offense
to You, Jesus, I completely surrender

I'll trust You with my future
and listen for Your voice
if I obey as You lead me
I'll always make the right choice

I pray you'll teach me to number my days
and not to squander the gifts You gave
I also want my life to impact
the ones You came to save.

by Angie Mauer

"Hump Day" Humor

2010-09-15T08:31:00.004-04:00

1. How do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On It.

2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way.

3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest ?
They Take The Psychopath.

4. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroids.

5. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't Work?
A Stick.

6. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese.

7. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quatro Cinco.

8. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.

9. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.

10. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.

11. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka.

12. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckles On Their Hats.

Now, admit it . . . at least one of these made you smile.

Favorite Things About Fall

2010-09-13T09:44:00.003-04:00

I LOVE the Fall season more than any other! I know it's fun to take Summer vacations, the Spring brings new life as everything is blossoming, and the holidays are always a wonderful time of family, friends & FOOD, but I still think Fall is my favorite.

I love the cooler weather after suffering the long, hot & humid days of Summer. I enjoy the leaves changing color in the trees, and the pumpkins people put out on their porches to mark the beginning of the Fall season.

While I'm not a huge football fan, my husband and kids are so excited about all the games, it's hard not to be happy for them, it's too cute. They enjoy watching their favorite team play, going to the games, tailgating with friends. What do I get out of it? Often I get a weekend to myself, with food I like, no cooking, and chick flics on t.v.!

Fall brings my friends' Corn Maze, Harvest Festival at churches (which means Brunswick stew, yum!), the NC State Fair (which my kids love), and our Fall Fiesta at my church (which replaces Halloween for us).

It's a great time of year! Hope you enjoy it. Be sure to tell me your favorite things about Fall.

Remembing 9/11

2010-09-11T10:14:00.002-04:00

Since 2001, America will never face this day on the calendar without remembering & reflecting on what happened. 9/11 forever changed our Nation, and many individual's lives. But these many years later, I've been asking God how we're supposed to remember, and what is our response supposed to be?

It's not to dredge up bad feelings of bitterness, that only lead to hatred. It's not to feel fear and insecurity as we realize that if something like this happened once, it could happen again. It's not to just pity the victims' families, although we should offer them our prayers and support. It's certainly not to forget about it and add it to so many other "historical" events that happened in America.

What is the proper response as we remember 9/11?

I think that Anne Graham Lotz (Rev. Billy Graham's daughter), and Joel Rosenburg have the right idea. Next year, on 9/11/11, the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center attack, they are holding a live simulcast all across the Country to call people to pray. You can go to Anne's website for more information. I'm excited about this event, but I say, we don't have to wait until then - take time today to pray and ask God to heal America. (2nd Chronicles 7:14)

I also think we should remember how we all came together right after the attack. People put aside their political and theological differences and came together for one united cause. Why must it take a tragedy for us to focus on the common ground as opposed to what divides us? Just look at the spotlight that has been placed on a small congregation in Florida who wanted to take action, but is going about things, in my opinion, the wrong way. Let's remember 9/11, but do so in a productive, healing way - not in doing more harm than good.

I end with this prayer:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with the families of the victims of 9/11. May He grant them peace and strength today, and all their days. I pray that they have no bitterness or unforgiveness in their hearts, but they let Your joy & peace reign in their lives. I pray that all their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs be met.

I pray that America will turn to You, repent of our sins, and once again be a Christian Nation, unashamed to lift up Your name! I pray that we would not hate anyone of a different faith, but neither will we stop praying for their eyes to be open to the truth, knowing that Your Word says You are the only way! Let us not be silenced under the guise of political correctness or the worry of offending someone. After all, these are not our words or our ways, it came from You, spoken by Your Son. I pray that Your Church would rise up, not in a political way, or a self-righteous way, but boldly speaking the truth in love, show Your heart in our words and in deed. I pray that Your hand of protection would be on us, even as we pray for the peace of Israel. I agree with Joel Rosenburg, and pray that You would visit in a miraculous way, the muslim people, opening their spiritual eyes and ears to see You, even as Saul beheld You and became Paul. Finally, let the knowledge of the glory of the Lord cover the earth, even as the waters cover the sea!

God bless America

What I've Been Up To

2010-09-09T09:34:00.011-04:00

Hello my long lost blogging friends! Well, I guess you haven't been lost, I have been M.I.A. Just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten you, and I hope you haven't forgotten me. I've been soooooo busy lately.

Here is what I've been up to these past several weeks:

School started again - I've already had to do, I mean "help" with a school project with my 5th grader.

I'm organizing the Mom's Group I lead at my church and trying to get it ready to begin in October. Meanwhile, I've become the Volunteer Director for our upcoming Women's Conference "PureLife" - any of you local NC ladies, please join us! Go to www.purelifeconference.org to register

My youngest just turned 8 on 9/5 and we had a "camp out" birthday party for him.

His grandpa gave him a trampoline for his birthday.

Yes, it came in this box! It took some patience to put it together, but my Dad, with a little help from the birthday boy, did a great job. Thanks Papa!

I thought I'd save $$$ this year and make his cake myself. It was hideous looking, but it tasted okay. It caved in and the #8 candle kept falling over in the cake.

The boys ended up playing in the creek behind our house. Can you tell we need rain?

I've helped two of my friends move, one not too far away, and the other sadly about an hour or so away.

We enjoyed some time at the beach this summer, not as much as we would have liked. We've had a lot of friends over to grill out, including on Labor Day. Everyone's enjoying the trampoline. The weather is starting to get a little cooler.

I am going to help my friend Beth at "I'm Heading Toward My Destiny" with her corn maze this fall. Here are some pictures of me & my crazy hubby at the farm.

The boys are headed this weekend to the mountains to watch their favorite college football team. I will stay here and go to a friend's birthday party at the pool.

Life is busy, but very good. Hope you're all doing well. I promise I will take some time to catch up on what YOU are all up to as soon as the PureLife Conference is over!

God bless

Just a little "Friday Funny" to make you smile

2010-08-27T10:46:00.001-04:00

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Praying the Word

2010-08-23T10:39:00.003-04:00

There's such power in praying, confessing & decreeing the promises from God's Word. Not only speaking them out loud, but personalizing them. I wanted to share some of my favorite Scriptures out of Ephesians to pray:

Ephesians 1:17-19

I pray "that the God of MY Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give ME the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, I pray that the eyes of MY understanding will be enlightened; that I will know what is the hope of His calling (for ME), what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance (for ME), and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward ME, who believes, according to the working of His mighty power."

Ephesians 3:16-19

I pray "that He will grant ME, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in MY inner man, and that Christ may dwell in MY heart through faith; that I, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, length, depth & height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; and that I may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 6:10-17

"I will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. I will put on the whole armor of God, that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For I do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, I will take up the whole armor of God, that I may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, I will stand therefore, having girded My waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod My feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, I will take up the shield of faith with which I will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And I take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God..."

Let's pray these prayers & confess this over our lives this week and see what awesome things God does & reveals to us.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite Scriptures to pray & confess as well.

Good Stuff outweighs the Bad

2010-08-13T09:36:00.008-04:00

In the powerful and insightful words of Stan Lee, the author of the comic book series "Spiderman",
"With great power, comes great responsibility"
Deep thoughts...

So why am I thinking about power & responsibility? I'm actually reflecting on God's power, and MY responsibility to reveal it here on earth. We've each been given gifts and a measure of faith. We are to sow seeds of faith so it can grow, and we're supposed to use our gifts to glorify God.

Often as we are on our journey with the Lord, even if we're in His perfect will, we will face conflict with others who either don't know God, or who don't like that we are pressing on to a deeper level of intimacy with Him. Jesus warned us this would happen in John 16:33,

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

I was reading in Jeremiah this morning where it says he was lamenting to God about how people were treating him. Then God answered him in Jer. 12:5

"If you have run with footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?"

I thought this was so interesting - instead of answering Jeremiah by assuring him that it was all going to be alright, cheer up, it's almost over; God basically says, "if you thought that was bad, just wait until you see what else you're going to have to go through. This has just been a warm up". How many would like to hear that?

I was thinking about how most people want more of God, more of His presence, more blessing, more anointing, to see more of His glory...more, more, more (of the good stuff).

We don't however, want ANY more battles, complications, problems, obstacles, friction, whatever or however you would describe tough times. I can't tell you how many prayers I've prayed asking God to give me more...and when more problems often accompany that prayer, I spend the rest of my days & energy begging God to get me out of it!

I've learned three important lessons over the past several years of real struggle in my life.
1) God uses obstacles to show you His faithfulness & power,
2) God uses our circumstances to tear out the worldly things in us, and renew our minds & hearts. To become "partakers of His Divine Nature" (2nd Pet. 1:4)
3) Just like God has a plan for you, so does the enemy, and he will ALWAYS try to discourage you from God's plan.

This unwelcome accompaniment to God's blessings, these "problems" were so severe at one point in our lives, that my husband & I were almost afraid to pray for any more of God. Yet, that's not the answer, it only leaves us empty & unfulfilled. I have come to understand that I would rather have more of the Holy Spirit working in my life, even with all the junk the enemy will try to throw my way, even with all the junk the Holy Spirit Himself will bring up in my life so I can deal with it, I still wouldn't trade hearing His voice and having His Spirit lead & guide me for anything in this world!

If we are going to ask God for more of His great power, then our responsibility is to also trust Him to handle things when great trials arise, and not to grow weary in well doing.

"I Don't Need No Ed-u-K-shun"

2010-08-11T14:50:00.006-04:00

It's exactly two weeks from today that my boys go back to school. They are NOT very happy about it.

I've done my best over the summer to refresh their memory about school work. I made them read books, write reports, do spelling tests, review their math, take a "historical field trip" to Ft. Fisher. As you can imagine, they've complained and cried, "why should we have homework over the summer?"

Today, I found proof in the form of a picture of exactly why I put them through all of this torture...I will tell my kids, "this is why you need to stay in school, work hard & do your best!

Every kid should at least learn how to spell SCHOOL, LOL! The sad thing is, this happened in NC, my home State.

Hope you all enjoy what's left of the Summer.

Trust & Obey

2010-08-09T09:45:00.003-04:00

Do you remember that old hymn "Trust and Obey"? I grew up singing that song, but never really grasped the great significance of those simple little words.

Trust and obey
for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus
but to trust and obey

Could it really be that simple? Yes!

Is it easy to do? No!

No matter how many times I face challenges in life, and I struggle, and I worry, and I pray...then I FINALLY give them over to the Lord

and He takes care of me again, and again, and again...always faithful

the next time I face another obstacle, I go through the same process all over again.

When will I learn?

TODAY! I will learn today!

I was praying this morning about some things that have been heavy on my mind - then I started thinking about what it is that makes us fear and fret over our circumstances. It's not just a matter of needing more faith - I KNOW that God can do the impossible. I never doubt His power to handle anything that comes my way. What it really boils down to is, do I trust that He will do it for ME?

Whether we want to believe it or not, we all to some degree, suffer from the feeling that God is going to reject us. Every time we pray pleading prayers, hoping that God will somehow intervene, we're really feeling that God might not listen to us, might not come through for us.

I lived for years believing God was "testing" me. But now, as a parent, I can't really expect that God is testing us that much. I mean, I love my kids and I want to teach them valuable life lessons, but that's not all I do with them.

Sometimes I bless them just because I love them.
Sometimes I do stuff for them, even though they probably should do it themselves.
I always take care of them, and want what's best in their lives.
They trust me everyday to love and look after them.
They never say "I hope Mom feeds me today"
or "I wish she would listen me when I call out for help".
I couldn't imagine ignoring them if they asked for my advice,
and if they genuinely wanted to please me, I wouldn't hide my will from them.

"If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matt. 7:11

I know that I don't always trust God because I don't like being out of control. I feel like I NEED to know every detail and see the full picture. How many know that God doesn't work that way? It doesn't require any faith if we always knew what He was going to do.

I realized that I have to trust the character of God, when I don't know the plans of God. So I started confessing over & over again, "Lord, You are a good God. You have good plans for my life" (Jer. 29:11).

Joy & peace flooded my heart immediately.

My only responsibility is to cast my cares on the Lord, and then leave it with Him. After that, whatever happens is up to Him. He has promised to give me wisdom when I ask, direct my steps, equip me for everything that pertains to life & godliness, to never leave me or forsake me, to provide for all my needs according to His riches in glory...on and on the list of promises go.

I just need to trust & obey!

2010-08-07T10:39:00.005-04:00

Wow - it feels like FOREVER since I've posted anything...did anyone miss me? I missed you all. I am trying to catch up on everyone's wonderful posts, but I would literally have to sit at my computer ALL day. Stop writing so much interesting stuff so I can get a life!

I've been at the beach - but before you think I've become a total beach bum, you must know that I am still keeping it "educational". While we were at the beach, we took a "field trip" to Ft. Fisher.

We drove to Southport, NC, which is the cutest little town (I really must find some time to go back in the fall, when it's cooler, and explore this little antique infested, cafe on every corner, town!) We took the 30 minute ferry ride across to Ft. Fisher, NC, known for it's battle during the Civil War.

We spent time in the Civil War Museum, bought hats from the gift shop. My husband was very bothered by the "house divided", because one of our sons wanted a Union hat, while the other wanted a confederate. I guess we got a little taste of what it must have been like back in those days to have "brother against brother" in some cases.

I would have taken more pictures outside of the actual fort, but my camera battery ran out. I forgot to charge it.

They will at least have something to write about when they go back to school and the teacher makes them give a report on what they did this summer. I have to admit, I learned some things as well.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!

Moving from Revelation to Experience

2010-07-22T17:22:00.007-04:00

I was recently reading a book by Pastor Bill Johnson called "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind". It put into words something I've been feeling, and trying to express for years now.

I've actually had moments where I said "I don't want any more sermons or teaching without an opportunity to serve or my head is going to explode". I've also confessed that I feel as if there is a huge gap between what I know & believe theologically, and what I actually walk out in my Christian life. This has been a very frustrating realization, but I've not known what to do about it.

Then, I found this book...let me share some excerpts from this eye opening Chapter entitled "Understanding Is An Experience":

We must require an experience from what we believe. Renewing the mind is not merely reading words on a page and having a moment of revelation about a particular verse...renewal comes as revelation leads you into a new experience with God...You may have a moment of inspiration while reading the Bible or listening to someone preach from the Scriptures, but without taking the next step into experience, the process stalls and there is no renewal. If revelation doesn't bring us into an encounter with God, it only makes us religious. Revelation is never given to increase head knowledge, that's a by-product, at best.

When God reveals things to us, we must put those things to work. If we don't, we lose the power & opportunity that revelation offers us (Matthew 13:19)

Example: Let's say I (Pastor Bill Johnson) speak to my church about caring for the poor, something we love to do. People all across the room may be moved in their emotions. But if they don't do something practical within the next two or three weeks - perhaps finding a poor family to help out, or volunteering at a soup kitchen, then that word is open to be taken from the heart, where it has the place to transform their lives. Revelation takes us only half way there; experience leads us all the way.

The great tragedy is that if you don't move into experience, that revelation remains locked in your mind so you think it's active in your life. the next time you hear a message about helping the poor you might say "Amen. The other people in this room need to hear that," even though you have done nothing to help the poor. Hearing without doing has locked you into a form without power.

There are great audiences, great crowds of people, great denominations and movements that would fight to the death to defend divine healing, or prophecy, or many other practices, but they never see those things happen. They think, "I understand the concept. I agree that it happens. If it's God's will, He knows my address and He can give me that grace." They have the revelation but can't point to any proof of its validity in their personal experience. They can't show anyone how to do it. They are robbed of experience and can only recite back principles. It is pure religion, form without power.

I totally recommend this book - it's good stuff. Such a timely message, as just the other day I cried out to God saying "Lord, please make me a doer of the word, and not just a hearer!"

Read James 1:21-27 where it talks about faith without deeds is not really faith. In vs. 22 it says if we are hearers only, we are deceiving ourselves! In comparison, in vs. 25 it says if we'll be doers & not just hearers, we'll be blessed in whatever we do!

In Hebrews 5:14 says "But solid food belongs to those who are mature, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good & evil." The phrase "by reason of use" is better translated, "by practicing" - meaning that people who are mature in Christ are those who have experienced & practice the things they believe.

After having read all of the above, the Scriptures & Bill Johnson's book, and after having felt frustrated by my own powerless walk with God - feeling like I'm all talk and no walk, even though my heart is in the right place...I've come to this conclusion...

I am going to put myself out there and take risks...my own "walk on water" experience like Peter. It's time to get out of the boat. Whatever I believe theologically, I won't stop until I know it experientially.

Summer Fun

2010-07-19T18:18:00.009-04:00

I must be fair...my last post dealt with the prize that my youngest son received after completing some of his summer reading project. It was pointed out to me that I MUST give equal time to my oldest son's prize for finishing his chapter book.

Thank goodness for Target & their summer clearance shelf! Still, it's a small price to pay for getting my kids to read. Really, it is a small price to pay...this was on sale at Target for $12.98, woo hoo!!! AND, unlike my other son's toy, it's the gift that keeps on giving. As long as my boys don't bust it (which is very possible), we will have this for the rest of this summer, and then pull it out again next summer too.

Look how skinny he is...he really needs to eat!

Hope everyone is having a great Summer!

Wrestling Against Flesh & Blood

2010-07-15T10:42:00.007-04:00

I've been trying to get my kids to read all summer so they won't forget everything they learned in school. I took the boys to the library & checked out several chapter books. I did what any desperate, well meaning parent would do, I bribed them. I promised to buy a prize (not expensive) if they finished the chapter books. I thought it would take them a long time, but sure enough, the prize motivated my youngest one to read several chapters a day, and he completed the book.

He knew immediately what he wanted, so it was off to my 2nd home (Wal-Mart), haha. Of all things, he had his eye on a "UFC Championship belt" ???

I believe many things led to this particular selection:

1) He went to wrestling camp a few weeks ago at the High School (a fund raiser for the Wrestling team)

2) He watched the new Karate Kid movie

3) His Dad sometimes watches the UFC fights (mixed martial arts) at night and then shows the boys some of the moves.

He couldn't wait until his Dad got home from work that night so they could "fight". He had sleeping bags laid out in the family room, with pillows around the edge to make a boxing ring.

My last comment before the big event was "go easy on your Dad, you know he's getting old", LOL. I was upstairs reading a book and didn't watch the fight, but since I didn't hear crying or screaming, I figured all was well.

At bedtime, the boys came up to brush their teeth. In walks my hubby and I see him holding some ice to his lip. I asked what happened? His answer: "Our son delivered an "upper cut" punch and nailed me right in the mouth." His lip was getting bigger by the minute!

The next day, he went off to work, embarrassed, and sporting a swollen, purple lip. Of course his co-workers gave him a little bit of a hard time teasing him.

I too, had to exploit the situation on Facebook and to my friend Beth at I'm Heading Toward My Destiny. She was the one who suggested I blog about it, saying "the Bible says we don't wrestle against flesh & blood, but I guess no one told that to my husband & son". Too funny!

I wish I had taken a picture to show you, but at the time, I didn't think my hubby would see the humor in it. I decided to take the picture when he got home from work, but by that time, the swelling had gone down, and all that was left was a blister.

For those of you who think I'm being mean...I should let you know about the time that I was leaving for work one morning (before the kids were born). My dear, sweet hubby followed me to the door and was saying goodbye. I had a cup of Dr. Pepper in my hand, and as I started down the steps toward my car, my foot slipped on some ice and I started falling backwards. I was able to catch myself, but my drink shot up in the air and came back down, landing directly on my head! My hubby started laughing hysterically - I had to take another shower, while he called work and told them I'd be late. When I arrived at the office, the receptionist took one look at me and starting giggling. She said my hubby finally told her what happened, once he gained control of his laughter.

I wish I could say that embarrassing moments were few & far between in my house, but that would be a lie. On the bright side, I will always have lots of material to blog about.

Have a great Day!