Welcome to my blog! To get an idea of what this blog is about you might want to read the "About Me and My Family" page as a starting point. You can browse through the archives or head over to the "Articles" page to read on specific topics I've written on over the years. Keep checking back because I'll be posting new articals from time to time.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Thankful Challenge Week 4

As this challenge comes to an end I've realized it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I have lots to be thankful for, but I don't always remember to write them down before the day is over and the next day I have to make up for the lost day making my list jump from 7 to 14.

The past few days I've been pondering over what I have learned from this month of being thankful. It has definitely shown me how unthankful I have been, but most beneficial of all I have learned that there are some things I don't know how to be thankful for. I see this is beneficial because I want to be thankful for them, and until now I didn't recognize those things which I despise so much. Now that my eyes have been opened I can work towards being thankful for the hurtful things in life.

Here's my final (blog) list. (I'm still working on finishing up my total of 210 things I am thankful for.)
I'm thankful for . . .

God's Beautiful Creation
1. Those who set a high example
2. The cold winter temperatures
3. Color
4. Godly testimonies
5. The intricate details of God's creation
6. The Gospel which saves
7. A voice that can sing praises unto my God




Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thankful Challenge Week 3


I am thankful . . .

1. For religious freedom
2. That I wasn't raised in a "mess"
3. For God's testing
4. For 4 days off of work!
5. For fond memories
6. That God is always there
7. That God doesn't judge me as I deserve

Happy Thanksgiving!


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Thankful Challenge Week 2

As I thought about what to post this week I reflected on the heart of thankfulness. I have come to believe (about myself) that I can't learn to be thankful by writing down everything I am thankful for. Furthermore, I can't cultivate a thankful heart by reading the scriptures on thankfulness. Being truly thankful comes by drawing closer to God, the ultimate reason for giving thanks. I have learned that there is nothing like the thankfulness I experience as a result of a close relationship with God when there is no sin between us. It's those days when my heart rejoices in God and longs to please Him above all else that I can pour out my loving gratitude for his great works and thoughts towards me.

The Country Life
Here are a few things I've written down this past week:

1. God's rich love
2. The beauty of music
3. The country life
4. Fun siblings
5. God's grace
6. The veil that was rent, giving us full access to the throne of God
7. The comforter
8. A God that can do the impossible
9. Weekends
10. My church family

"Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

*Picture taken by Bethany

Thursday, November 8, 2012

What is Your Life Speaking?

When I was in school mama bought me a wonderful text book called "Write Shop". It is a blue binder that helps it's readers to develop good writing skills that can be used in any setting. One of the many things it taught me was how to convey a message without actually saying it. It goes something like this"

Treading down the long dusty road, the young woman paused to catch her breath. As she wiped the perspiration from her brow she longed for a drink of the crisp well water that had refreshed her only an hour before. How thankful she would have been for even the smallest shade tree, but there was none in sight. Knowing it was still a long journey to the village where the missionary family awaited her, she pulled her bonnet back over her face and walked on.

There is one thing that I didn't tell you in that piece of a story. It was hot. But I didn't have to tell you because you knew what the weather was like by the remarks I made about the perspiration, the longing for the crisp well water, and the shade tree that she desperately wanted. A good writer can express what is in their imagination without spelling it out in obvious form.

I have witnessed the same happening in others lives. There are two young women who I barely know and have never spoken too, yet both Christians conveyed a message to me without speaking a single word about the subject. They both showed me by their actions and their demeanor that the greatest joy doesn't come from being married to a Godly husband, but from a close relationship with God. The joy in their face and the excitement in their voice was undoutably from God alone. Never once did they tell me that I could experience joy unspeakable by pursuing a relationship with God. Not a single time did I hear them say that Christ is far greater than the largest home filled with the pitter patter of children's feet. Their lives spoke it. And that was more powerful than any sermon or book I've ever encountered in all my life.

What does your life speak?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Thankful Challenge Week 1

Before this week I didn't realize how many days I let go by without truely being thankful. Doing this challenge has showed me that too many times I thank God for the same things, but I don't find new ways to be thankful. It has been a great way to push myself to be thankful in all things like Ephs 5: 20 instructs. Here are some of the things I've written down so far. I am thankful for . . .

1. The Word of God
2. Liberty from sin
3.Conversations with mama
4. The comfort in knowing that no matter how the elections turn out today, I can still say "He hath done all things well"! (Mark 7:37)
5. Conviction
6. Daily Success Devotions
7. The joy in talk to my siblings about God.

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" Ephs. 5:20

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Give Thanks Challenge

Amanda at A Joyful Noise has invited her blog readers to join her in in a "Give Thanks Challenge" by KBR Ministries. The idea is that you write down 7 things every day in the month of November that you are thankful for. At the end of November you can write a letter to KBR to let them know you completed the challenge and they will send you a set of handmade note cards. I think that is very generous of them, but I would encourage you to do this to strengthen your walk with God primarily, and if you want the note cards, that's fine. I am excited about doing this because I know I can always be more thankful than I am and I know that there is power in being thankful. I wont be posting something everyday, but most likely once a week as time permits. I am also adding my own little challenge to it and will purposefully try to find things that aggravate me and add them to my list of thanks. Things such as physical aspects I don't like about myself (example: my poor eye sight. I'm the only one in my family who has to wear glasses before the age of 40), or people and circumstances throughout the month that I may not be happy with, but can somehow find it within my heart to be thankful for. I challenge you to join in as well. We may be a day or two late, but it's never too late to be thankful!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Take Heed

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12


Have you ever thought, "I could never commit such a sin!"  There are some sins, such as adultery and fornication, that I use to think I could never see myself committing and still hope that I never do. It wasn't a prideful attitude that made me feel this way, rather it was because I've seen this sin cause pain, ruin trust, and break hearts of all those involved including family and church members. I've heard of couples that were heavilly envolved in the ministry, but no longer felt capable of continuing in them because of fornication. No matter what angle you look at it, surely nothing but bad things can come from such sinful actions.

But then God showed me a verse out of Galations 6. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness' considering thyself lest thou also be tempted." Notice that this verse is directed to the spiritual, the ones who are capable of helping others back into fellowship with God. This verse showed me that temptation is something we should all take very seriously, not just by preference, but by command.

Another interesting revelation came durring a study on Spiritual Warfare by Tom Harmon. While he was listing all the names of the devil along with scripture references, he pointed out "No matter what spiritual plain we may think we are on, remember that Eve was in a state of perfection when Satan deceived her." I wonder if Eve ever thought to herself, "I could never eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. There's just no way I would ever do that!" Yet she was tempted, deceived, and then sinned.

The Bible is full of wisdom and instruction that will help us live a successful life that is pleasing to God. Taking heed that we be not tempted is not just for the weak and feeble in faith. It is a safe guard for all Christians to use no matter how strong we may think we are.

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:12- 13