Heaven is leaving

Well I worked on another blog entry today and published it but it isn't showing up on my page. I'm confused as to what exactly is going on with it. It isn't a draft, it specifically says its published but where it is I just don't know.

Heaven is leaving Monday. I know all the things I'm suppose to know but still yet I'm struggling with her leaving. She has grown up so fast and life it feels as though its just passing me by at times. I look into the mirror each day and I see this old body aging and yet inside I still feel like this little girl. Some days I'm screaming to get out and for time to just stop and stand still for a little while and give me some time to catch up with myself but it never happens. I'm highly emotional, tears just come whenever they choose whether I want them to or not. I feel quite silly at times since I know my Father, His comfort and His word and yet I feel as though I'm out here in the middle of no where with no control. And maybe that is what is wrong, no control. And yet I wouldn't even know what that was like because I've never had control, He has always had control. That should bring me peace though. Nothing is making sense to me. I sleep but I don't rest. I eat but I don't get full. I'm ok and yet I don't feel ok. So I look around and check, and sure enough I'm fine. How can I feel so many things at once? How can I be so happy and so proud of my daughter, so thankful that she is listening to God and fulfilling her purpose and yet feel so lost? This flesh is heavy at times.

I'll post more about her trip and link some information on it as it becomes available.

Fruit of the Spirit Friday

Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

I can't say that I have been intentionally focusing or working on any one fruit of the spirit. Reading through Galations chapter five has really enlightened me alot of things I often take for granted and don't work enough on.

With what I have been going through this year I would have to say that the Lord has had me exercising patience. Waiting on Him, trusting Him. I'm not always successful the first go round but I get it eventually! :) To read more on The Fruit of the Spirit visit Robin at Heart of Wisdom Blog!

Thankful Thursday

Col 3:15-17 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I am thankful for my husband, that He loves me as Christ loves the church. That he is faithful and that he is a wonderful provider.

I am thankful that my children are saved, healthy and that the Lord chose to bless me with them.

I am thankful that my oldest daughter Heaven has heard God's calling on her life and that she is going on a missions trip at the tender age of 16 being obedient to our Father. (Please pray for her as we leave to take her to the airport on Monday July the 2nd.)

I am thankful for the home the Lord has blessed us with.

I am thankful that I can stay home with my girls and homeschool them.

I am thankful for my new church, my pastors, counselors, and new friends and family that we have met there.

I am thankful for old friends. Christian friends.

I am thankful that our Lord Jesus Christ is always there never forsaking us, that He is faithful, that He protects and is always in control.

I am thankful for another day.

For more Thankful Thursdays visit Sting My Heart! Have a very blessed Thankful Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

 


Oh my he doesn't look happy any longer does he?? :) This is my cousin's son Drayden. He is a precious little boy and I love him so much! I couldn't resist using his pic for todays Wordless Wednesday after all what do you say to a face like this?


 And then this one. Look at those eyes! This is Drayden's little sister Landri. Precious little girl she is! These two gems keep their momma busy!

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes for Mom! Have a Blessed Wednesday everyone!

Time Travel Tuesday~Salvation

I was saved at a very young age. My family never went to church together but I was able to go alot with my best friend and was saved in the first grade. I lived in a lot of fear as a child and church and the security of our Father wasn't ever present for me then. The Lord was there of course I just didn't know it. I don't have memories of VBS or many moments of harmony. My mom and dad argued often and my dad drank quite a bit. I'll leave it at that so as not to bring remembrance of the pain to hurt any family who might read this. I was in and out of church through the years, when I was in I was IN but when I fell, I fell hard. I finally made the decision that no matter what or how I messed up I wasn't backing down on God any longer and I gave myself completely to God somewhere around 6 years ago, it was a very long, very hard and winding road. It sounds odd but through everything I had a relationship with Him, I talked with Him daily even though there were times I didn't think He was listening. Sometimes I was angry and mad, hurt and bitter but still He was there. I am so overjoyed that My Father persued me at every corner and never lifted His mighty hand from me.

Now not to down play my salvation at all because I know that is the most important thing in my spiritual walk, the first step, but I have to say that one of my most special times in my spiritual life was in February of 2006 when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. I had pretty much been a Baptist all my life and I suppose, to be honest there were parts of me that did not believe in the gifts for today. I was so excited to be speaking in tongues that I didn't want to quit. I was up all night long and then intercessing for days. I felt so close to the Lord and realized at that moment for the first time just how real God is. Somehow it confirmed Him for me in my spirit I suppose because I knew the Lord but sometimes battled doubt and this chased away the doubt! It brought a hunger in me to know the Lord in a more intimate way and left me starved for the Word of God. I delved into studies and hunted down services wherever I could find them. It was all I could do not to shout from the rooftops and grab all my friends and say, YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, YOU NEED THIS!! I would have scared them to death! Some of them I believe thought I had actually lost my mind! The Lord really had to slow me down and remind me that things come in His time and not my own. Maybe that is what I'm missing now?! ;) I know it began a new journey for me with my Lord. It opened up doors and how much I have learned and how much I have grown in this short time! But in trials such as the one I'm in the midst of now when I struggle so, I realize how far I have to go.

Another remembrance is when the Lord answered our prayers and brought my husband into the fold. And then my deliverance from fear and experiencing God's power, love and having a sound mind in Jesus Christ. The healing of my precious Meadow when she was but a babe. So many miracles and wonders, so many things to be thankful for. Our God is the great I am, the one true Living God. Hallelujah! How I praise You my Father! How great Thou Art! How thankful and grateful I am for my salvation!

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Matt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

John 14:25-26 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 20:22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For more Time Travel Tuesdays visit My Life As Annie

Monday

Just a quick note to let you all know that I am feeling some better. I appreciate everyone's prayers I feel them and know that God is at work through all of you. Church was wonderful yesterday. Honestly I don't even have words to describe what took place. We are trusting God to change things and standing on His word. I still don't feel alot like writing but as soon as I do I'll be back. Hugs to you all and May God Bless You Greatly!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful even though I don't feel thankful. I am thankful for my husband, my children and our health. I know this isn't fancy or in depth with alot of scriptures as usual..... I'm just struggling. My family and I are under a heavy spiritual attack. I appreciate your prayers. I'm thankful for your prayers and each of you! Have a very blessed Thankful Thursday.

For more TT click here: Sting My Heart

Wordless Wednesday

 

I almost forgot about WW! Click here to view more Wordless Wednesdays

A Devotion for Today : A Sacrifice of Praise

Hebrews 13:15 By Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

In the month that lies before you, you'll have countless opportunities for sacrifice. Think of that person that you struggle to love. What if you visualize putting that relationship on the alter as an offering of praise to God?

Your marriage needs to be offered up as a sacrifice every day. So does the way you spend your free time. If you begin to make a list of the things you could offer up in sacrifice, you might never stop writing. The truth, you see, is that when your life becomes a temple, a home for Jesus, you begin to see His face in the faces of all those who surround you. You begin to treat them as you would treat Him. You begin to realize that all ground is holy ground, because God is there. You begin to see every situation as a potential act of worship, a time to magnify the name of the Lord.

Solitude. Service. Struggles. And ultimately, the one that escapsulates them all: sacrifice. Worship in the midst of these. When that happens, be prepared to throw open the doors of your life. The world is waiting to see the person you will become when you live every moment in the wonder of worship.

Taken from the devotional book:
Sanctuary written by David Jeremiah

God is so good. I know I say that alot but it is so true. Today was a getting rocky as surprise bills come in the mail while the work for my husband is so slow for whatever new reason comes along each week. We have been struggling now for over three months. Seeing this trial through my physical eyes is very depressing. Savings have dwindled away and there is no cushion there to ease the worry that has been hanging around. We have been in prayer, we have petitioned the Lord. We have held our head up in faith knowing God is going to deliver us.

I sort of had a goal in mind. That always helps me deal with stress having a back up plan so to speak. Tony can't change jobs until after he has been with this particular company for a whole year. He left his past job for this one for more money and he needs one year of experience to be able to move on. This job was all that was promised until around February and it appears to be getting worse instead of better. We thought the tough spell would ease after a couple of weeks we could make it that long, no worries. Then a couple of weeks went by and we thought again, it'll get better after a couple of weeks and a couple of weeks have turned into months. Now we are hanging there suspended in mid air knowing we have GOT to make it until July. He had some options opening up and things would be looking brighter for us if he could get a better job then. So in my mind my goal is July. We can make it until July. I push the worries out of mind thinking 'just a little longer, have faith, trust for all things' just a little longer.

Well this morning Tony gets a call out of the blue from someone who had worked for the company he had an interview with IN JULY. The news wasn't good. Tony had been praying for a sign from God on whether to take this job or not and felt this was his answer. I thanked the Lord for answering my husband because in all honesty it saved us alot time and more loss. And yet my heart sank because now I had no goal. I had no back up plan. I went from thinking 'just a little longer' to thinking 'HOW much longer???'

Then the mail ran and there were those unexpected bills. My minds goes berserk wondering how we are going to make it. Everything around me seems to reel. I feel so overwhelmed I can't even focus on my class I have to teach tonight and responsibilites. I begin to wonder how I am going to handle the kids tonight alone. The things I need to do seem so huge and I feel so burdened and all I want to do is crawl in bed. I fight the urge. I remember that I ate something last night that I wasn't suppose to have. I was disobedient. I had repented but not forgiven myself. I was feeling condemnation. I cave and go to my bedroom. It feels so good. Its the coolest room in the house and there are two fans running. If I can just crawl under the covers and fall asleep all these thoughts will leave my mind. Then I see my devotion book and remember that I haven't read it in days. I think to myself, "God, do you have a word for me today?" And I open the book to today and I read the devotion above.

When I first read the title I wondered to myself how anyone could think that praising our sweet Lord and Savior could be sacrifice. I love praising Him and raising my hands and telling Him how much I love Him. I have never considered it a sacrifice. I still don't. As I read through the devotion I realized that the sacrifice wasn't praising God, it was choosing to praise God in the worst of situations. The sacrifice was in essence crucifying the flesh, putting aside your physical eyes, your feelings of despair. Sometimes I forget that I have to make choices everyday. Somedays the same choices have to be chosen over and over again. Sometimes we fall into old habits.

God answered me. Not in the way that I wanted to hear because I really wanted to hear His audible voice say, "My child, I am opening this door two weeks from now on Wednesday July the 4th, at 2:15 p.m. you only have to make it until then." But He told me what He wanted me to do and that is to praise Him in this storm and to trust Him and only Him always, forever, not just 'until then'. So even though we are hanging suspended in mid air it is my Abba Daddy's hand holding us there!!!

Dealing with Gluttony

Gluttony
1. excess in eating or drinking
2. greedy or excessive indulgence

Glutton
1. a. one given habitually to greedy and voracious eating and drinking b. one that has a great capacity for accepting or enduring something (a glutton for punishment)

2. wolverine

So the second definition for a glutton is a wolverine. Definition for wolverine is:
1. a carnivorous usually solitary mammal (Gulo gulo) of the weasel family of northern forests and associated tundra that is dark brown with a light brown band on each side of the body and is noted for its strength.

And here is another tid bit about wolverines: Although they are small, no animal will fight with a wolverine. They will chase wolves away from their kills, and even huge grizzly bears will get out of their way. The wolverine eats anything it can find or kill.


Honestly sometimes this is how I am when it comes to my food. If I have been a long period of time without eating I become very agitated and often times act as though I would fight you for that food! My family recognizes that mom needs to be fed so that mom isn't snappy. As hysterical as this sounds and I do have to laugh, it is also very sad that the flesh has such control. The Lord has been dealing with me over this for sometime now.

My Pastor's sermon last Sunday was on crucifying the flesh. He taught that your body is a temple that the Holy Spirit dwells within and that we should keep our temples clean and we should take great care of our temples. Our flesh is also like a prison that we wear over our spirits. We are to bring our flesh into submission and NOT feed it everything it desires. We are to make our bodies do what we want them to do according to the word of God. Our flesh is our slave to take charge over we are NOT to be a slave to our flesh. This is evident with Paul in Romans which I have listed below. If we give into our flesh we give into temptation and we sin.

So this has been a battle of mine. For a long time I was under alot of condemnation over my weight and over me allowing my flesh to rule me when I knew I was to take charge over my flesh in the mighty name of Jesus. Not by my own power or strength but by that of my Savior Jesus Christ. When I failed I felt as if I wasn't close to God and more condemnation came. Over a period of years I pushed my problem with food (which wasn't really my weight but in how much I ate and the choices of food that I chose to feed my temple) in the very back of my mind and just ignored the thoughts I would have and the quickenings in my spirit from the Lord. I had accepted my body for the way it was and thought I had won the battle. In all reality giving up isn't winning is it? It is more like forfeiture so lets look at the definition of this.

Forfeiture
1 : the act of forfeiting : the loss of property or money because of a breach of a legal obligation
2 : something (as money or property) that is forfeited : PENALTY

The loss of property or money, what am I losing? Health, blessings from my Father. Breach of a legal obligation. Or should I say breaking my end of the covenant I have with my Lord? Am I walking in ignorance any longer? No, the Lord has convicted my heart and shown me what He wants me to do. Am I making any effort? No I have forfeited or in other words chosen to willingly sin against my Father. Lastly penalty let's look at it.

Penalty
1 : the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense
2 : the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations

You know this is pretty serious stuff. I am the person who is suffering and I am the one who is standing in the nonfulfillment of being obedient to my Lord. Now I know this sounds so harsh. And I fully know that we will never be perfect and that is not what I am saying. But what I am saying is that when God convicts you and then gives you revelation over a situation and you know what He wants you to do and you choose not to do it that it is disobedience and there are consequences.

How can you repent for something that you are not willing to stop doing?

Repent
1 : to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
2 a : to feel regret or contrition b : to change one's mind

To turn from sin, to change one's mind. We cannot turn to God and ask for forgiveness if there isn't repentance in our hearts. God sees and knows our hearts. Once sin is recognized and true repentance has taken place then we seek God for strength to overcome. There should be effort being made. Our Father is always there to pick us up if we fall but we shouldn't be afraid of trying for fear of losing! We should remember God's mercy and grace. Giving up is not an option so we should keep on trying joyfully without condemnation.

In addition to sermons at my church Harvest Worship Center I have been reading daily devotions at Laced with Grace and at My Life As Annie and the Lord has spoken this lesson to me in all three places. I can't keep ignoring my Father. So I have finally taken a step. Yesterday I began a fast from sugar and made a commitment to eat smaller portions and pay close attention to eating only when I am hungry and stopping when I am full not stuffed. I am keeping a food journal each day and plan to incorporate daily exercise into my commitment soon. I ask for your prayers. That my focus be on being obedient to God and not on losing weight. Also I rejoice because I am not on this journey alone. My Father is with me, He is my strength and I know I can do all things through HIM!!!

Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Mt 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mr 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Romans 7:18-25 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

God Is Always Moving

God never ceases to amaze me. I know He is a faithful God and I know I am in His hands, I know He is in control and I KNOW I can trust Him. BUT still when He moves so grately I'm always left amazed. It shouldn't surprise me that He is faithful but oh how His faithfulness moves me!

First I want to interject here for those who read my blog below about the situation with my daughter Heaven and the boy who is stalking her. Heaven has told this boy she does not want anymore contact with him. She is not giving him any hope whatsoever. Let me share here a little about this daughter, my oldest Heaven.

Heaven has always been different. I can remember Heaven reading her Bible as early as the age of 7 or 8. I was kind of in and out of church so to speak for many years. So Heaven was able to go when I was in and when I was out she would find ways to get to church, church buses, rides with friends, however she could. She was faithful during many years on her own. As a result of Heaven's prayers several years later I finally got serious about the Lord and her daddy came around a couple of years after that. But through all of this time I knew that God must have a special plan for her because of her sweet strong spirit. Her thirst, love and dedication for God was unlike anything I had ever witnessed personally.

Some time ago at our old church we had a few missionaries come and share on powerpoint the trips that they had taken to Lima, Peru. They shared testimonies of miracles that the Lord had done for them and the Peruvians. Stories of the protection and the souls saved. Our whole church was on fire for missions after they had gone. Sometime after this one of Tony's friends came by and shared that he was going on a missions trip with these missionaries to Lima, Peru. He had come over to ask if Heaven would like to go. We called Heaven in the kitchen to ask her about the trip and when she heard that she was being asked to go to Peru she was speechless. She then shared with us that she had felt like God was calling her into missions. She had asked God if this was His will for her and that if so He open the door for her to take a trip and someone had just walked through her front door and asked her to go!

Well needless to say I was really taken aback at this. I was rejoicing but reserved at the same time. My daughter was only 15 at the time and to hear that the Lord was calling her into missions was shocking to me. I was proud that she knew her calling and that she would be living for the Lord so strongly but yet at the same time I wondered is this her youth speaking, her heart or is this really God??

Heaven wrote out her testimony and we sent it out to everyone. The Lord brought in over $2000 in about fourteen days. We were accepting that this was the Lord's will for our daughter and she was going over seas. Then abruptly the trip was cancelled. We were all left a little dazed.

Let me add that Heaven had been in dance since she was three years old. The fall before all of this was happening she was not only taking several hours of dance each week she was also teaching dance. She had been seeking the Lord about her dance because it took so much of her time. She asked Him if it was His will for her to continue in dance with this heavy load. Shortly after this she tore the miniscus cartilage in her knee and had to have surgery which did pull her from dance. The following spring she went back to dance and once again tore the miniscus cartilage and had to go in for a second surgery. The doctor recommended that she not go back into dance professionally. I don't believe that God did anything to harm my daughter but I do believe God lifts back His hand and allows things to happen for His reasons.

Then this January the Lord led Heaven to apply for a missions trip with Brio Magazine from Focus on the Family. She was accepted so her first missions trip to Lima, Peru is this July. I really believe that the Lord asked us to be obedient and give Him our daughter even though we completely understood she was His anyway. I believe He wanted us to trust Him, to make this sacrifice. Once we obeyed He gave us all another year to prepare. Satan on the other hand has tried to get to Heaven in every way speakable including the situation with this stalker.

So as the time nears I have had to cast down thoughts of fear for my daughter. I had also wondered if maybe I had pushed her into this by being so strict in our beliefs? You know I suppose just plain ole doubt. I spoke with my Father and told Him my struggles and I asked for His forgiveness and for Him to comfort me in a bold way and to help me be strong. This morning at our church service the Lord gave our Pastor word for Heaven. I would like to share this with you.

TO HEAVEN 6.17.07 THE WORD OF THE LORD THROUGH PASTOR DAVID T. COLEMAN

AT TIMES YOU THINK YOU DO SOME OF THE THINGS YOU DO BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE, MAYBE MOM OR MAYBE DAD, OR MAYBE JUST THE WAY THAT YOU’VE BEEN RAISED, BUT GOD SAYS, ‘MY HAND IS ON YOU, MY DAUGHTER, AND I HAVE CHOSEN YOU. I’VE CHOSEN YOU FOR A WORK TO DO. DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY. DON’T MISUNDERSTAND IT. FOR I THE LORD, YOUR GOD, WERE THERE BEFORE YOU WERE EVER BORN. MY HAND WAS STRETCHED FORTH. I HAVE CHOSEN YOU AND ORDAINED YOU, THAT YOU SHOULD GO FORTH AND BRING FORTH FRUIT’, SAYS THE SPIRIT OF GOD. ‘FOR I SAY, EVEN AS YOU GO TO THE NATIONS, AND EVEN AS YOU COME BACK TO THIS NATION’, SAYS THE LORD, ‘I AM BEGINNING TO START A FIRE INSIDE OF YOU THAT WILL CARRY YOU TO PLACES IN THE SPIRIT THAT YOU’VE NEVER DREAMED OF. FOR, YEA’, SAYS THE LORD, ‘I’M OPENING UP ANOTHER DIMENSION TO YOU. I’M CHANGING YOU ON THE INSIDE. I’M REARRANGING THINGS ON THE INSIDE, AND YOU’RE GOING TO BEGIN TO HAVE AN IDENTITY OF YOUR OWN, AND YOU’RE GOING TO SAY, ‘I HAVE A NAME THAT WAS GIVEN ME BY GOD. MY NAME IS HEAVEN, FOR GOD SAID, ‘THERE’LL BE A TOUCH OF HEAVEN ON EARTH AS YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND AS YOU TELL THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. FOR THE LORD SAYS, ‘TODAY IS A MARKED DAY AND A DAY OF CHANGE. YOU WILL NOT BE THE SAME, BECAUSE AS YOU BEGIN TO GO FORTH IN THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT AND IN THE POWER OF HIS NAME, YOU’LL SEE THE AWESOMENESS OF YOUR GOD BEGIN TO OPERATE AND BEGIN TO MOVE.; SO THE LORD SAYS, ‘BE AWARE, AS MY PRESENCE IS UPON YOU NOW, AND AS MY PRESENCE WILL REMAIN WITH YOU AND GO BEFORE YOU, BE SENSITIVE AND HEAR MY VOICE’, SAYS THE SPIRIT OF GOD. ‘FOR THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR YOU, A GREAT DAY’, SAYS THE LORD, ‘FOR NOW YOU KNOW OF A SURETY THAT IT IS I AND NOT YOU AND NOT MAN THAT HAS CHOSEN YOU’, SAYS THE SPIRIT OF GOD. ‘SO SET YOURSELF APART FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. YOU’RE GONNA’ HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES THAT WILL CAUSE CHANGES, AND YOU’RE GONNA’ HAVE TO SAY, ‘I GIVE MYSELF TO YOU, JESUS. HERE I AM. USE ME LORD GOD, USE ME.’ AND THE LORD SAYS, ‘I WILL BREAK YOU OPEN LIKE AN OFFERING, AND I WILL POUR YOU FORTH’, SAYS THE LORD, ‘AND SO SHALL MANY COME INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE LIVING GOD.”

This word came right at the end of our praise and worship before the preaching ever began. I just want to Thank my Lord for answering prayer, for being faithful and for loving us so much. I know He has called my daughter and HE will protect her AND He is going to use her to further His kingdom. Which is really each one of our purposes to extend the kingdom of the living God. We are all here for HIM, not ourselves. Our lives are not our own. Seek out His will in your life. He answers prayer!

To say the least!

This is Jenileighs husband. I am not a "BLOGGER" by far but I just wanted to take the opportunity to say that I enjoy her blog page as much as I'm sure many of you do. As you may know I am a OTR (over the road) truck driver, so much of my relationship with my family is spent on the phone with them. Reading her blog page allows me to experience some of the things that I miss out on. I am truly impressed with her writings TO SAY THE LEAST. I have known for years that she is a reader but never really realized that she was also a writter. I can see her passion for this in her page. To see her page is to know her, it is her personality and her life all in one. All beautiful and such attention to detail. I thank God for her and my family but I also thank God for her network of friends that she has made through blogging.

My prayer is: Father God, I pray oh Lord for my wife and all those who she may come in contact with through this blog page. I pray Lord that You continue to use each and every one of these women to reach one another, to encourage one another to grow closer to You Father. I pray that You equip each and every one of them for the ministry that You have called them for. I thank You Lord for friendship and fellowship. I ask many blessings to all who visit this site Father and it is in the sweet name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I pray these things. Amen

I'm so mad!

I guess mad is the word. Mad, angry, frustrated. UGH!!!! How many out there have been there and done this with a teenager?? OK, here goes. My 16yo daughter had this guy fall for her. I mean obsessively fall for her. Yes she liked him to for a while in the beginning. We all actually knew him for several years from our old church before the so called crush happened. He got her attention by getting her to feel sorry for him. He had had a horrible childhood and I can agree with him there, he had been through alot. But this kid is disrespectful, rude, controlling and has some serious mental issues. In the beginning we tried so hard to help him and as a mom I tried not to judge but I really seen my daughter going down the wrong road with this kid. I seen warning signs everywhere and these situations aren't easy. I heard this boy talk so disrespectfully to my daughter, everything was all about him and he fed her such lies. Finally, we had to step in and say, sorry but this isn't happening. No more phone, no more meetings, nothing, no more contact. This was getting dangerous.

Well did the boy quit? Nope, he found a way to contact my daughter, he threatened suicide if she didn't talk to him. She wound up lying to us for weeks about talking with him and I was simply disgusted. Not only was the boy not giving up but neither was his mother. She called me, my husband, my mother, my mother-in-law. She even contacted the secretary at my new church!!! All the while pleading her case of how we were ruining her son because he was in love with our daughter and we forbid them to see one another and if anything happened to him it would be our fault. These kids are 16! 16! She began sending my daughter letters in the mail addressed to Heaven but with no return address. We have changed Heaven's cell phone # twice now.

Praise God that Heaven finally woke up. She & my husband met with this boy and his parents to have a final say that we don't want to have anymore contact. The boy put his hand through a wall and was bleeding pretty bad, he is very unstable. The father had the nerve to look at my husband and say, "You might me able to keep them apart now, but when they are 18 they'll be together." Heaven told the boy it was over, that she wanted it to be over. That was several months ago and I thought it may be over for us even though I knew the calls were still coming in to my mil from the boys mom and I would catch a letter here and there.

Well tonight I have 4 calls from his home. Finally answering the phone I find its him...honestly I was expecting his mother and I would NOT have been nice. He asked to speak to my husband. I gave him husband's cell because he was on the road. He called my husband and said he wanted to meet with us again because he had some things he wanted to say and that he felt like he didn't have any control. Control? Control!!!! Someone please tell me what kind of control he should have over MY family!!!! Husband tells the boy, look, if you and your family do not stop and leave us completely alone we are going to have to take some kind of action. Heaven has told you its over, we are telling you its over, leave her alone. The boy threatens to hurt himself again and tells my husband that he won't be able to control Heaven forever. How my husband held his tongue I'll never know.

When is this going to end? What do I do? I mean really legally what do I have to stand on? Please pray that this kid get some help and that he leaves my daughter alone. If you have any advice on how to deal with the anger I'm feeling please share it with me. Maybe the anger I feel is trying mask the fear that is trying to creep in? Please stand in agreeance with me that my daughter is protected and is covered by the blood. I'm going to pray Psalms 91. It always chases away my fear. Then I'm going to apply my armor from Ephesians 6:10-18.

Psalms 91~I pray out loud
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.

Ephesians 6:10-20~I apply God's word
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Side note in the Bible:
The battle for your heart is fierce. God is taking ground in your life and the cost was Christ' blood. Don't retreat. Put on your armor and stand your ground soldier!!

I take a stand against this attack from satan in the mighty name of Jesus!! I pray dear Lord that You send someone to help this boy. Someone who can reach this family and offer them what they need to hear from God to show them there is hope, there is a way. I plead the blood of Jesus over my family and I ask You MY Father to send out mighty warrior angels to fight this battle that is going on in the spiritual realm. Father forgive me where I have failed and fallen to the flesh. Strengthen me that I only hear Your voice and do Your will and that I set myself aside. Give me wisdom in this situation. Lead, guide and direct each one of us here and now. Father may You have all the glory, we praise and honor only You for You are worthy to be praised. Hallelujah!!! Thank-You Father, my Abba Daddy, for taking such good care of me and chasing away my fears!! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Thanks for joining me in prayer. I feel much better!!

Playskool

Another give away at 5 Minutes For Mom for some Playskool Items Pop over to 5 Minutes For Mom and check it out!

Thankful Thursday~Thankful for My Rock

When the River Bursts ..........Elisabeth Elliot

Author: Elisabeth Elliot
Source: A Lamp For My Feet
Scripture: Luke 6:49

When the River Bursts

Psychologists chart "stress factors" related to various kinds of emotional trauma and the response of different people to those factors--death, divorce, job loss, illness, and such which threaten the very foundations of people's lives. What can hold us at such times?

In a simple story Jesus showed the secret of stability. One man comes to Jesus, hears Him, and acts on what he hears. He is like the man who builds a house on solid rock. Another man hears (is exposed to the same truth, given equal opportunity) but does not act (does not choose to act) on the word he hears. Jesus said he is building a house on sand. When floods come, the river bursts upon it (Lk 6:49 NEB), the house collapses and falls with a great crash.

What sort of floods was He talking about? What rivers might be likely to burst over a man's house? Surely He meant the stresses of life, not terribly different from the stresses we experience, anything that shakes the foundations. It is at such times that we become aware of what those foundations are. Have we laid them on the Rock that never moves, or have we, merely by not obeying the word we have heard, been laying them on sand? That sand is the self--shifty, unstable, carried back and forth by conflicting currents (popular opinions, for example?), utterly undependable and incapable of holding up under pressure.

Lead me, Lord, to the Rock that is higher than I. Let me hear your word, give me grace to obey, to build steadily, stone upon stone, day by day, to do what You say. Establish my heart where floods have no power to overwhelm, for Christ's sake. Amen.

For more Thankful Thursdays go here Sting My Heart

Wordless Wednesday

 

A day of fishing at her Meemaw & Poppa's
....notice her sleeping on the way home.

More Wordless Wednesdays

Time Travel Tuesday

This meme is from Annie over at My Life As Annie So I'll do my best to reach back into my memory and recall the vacations of my childhood.

For the most part my dad liked to take us to the beach each year. When I was really young the whole family would get together and go. Talk about a crew. My grandparents, us-which consisted of mom, dad, me and sissy, auntie sue and her two daughters, uncle Dee and his wife Vickie and their two kids, AND dad's cousin Ronnie his wife Joyce and their 3 sons, grandma's sister Lena. There were years that we had so much and there were years that us kids had a ball but the adults couldn't get along! One year most went deep sea fishing (not me) and I was so thankful later when everyone came in and I found out so many of them had gotten sea sick!

There were a few years we went camping at Goosepoint instead of going to the beach. These vacations consisted of those above and grandma's brother his wife and their 3 kids.My fondest memories are the smell of coffee and bacon frying because my grandpa always woke up earlier than the rest of us and had breakfast ready when we arose. One year I remember someone broke into our camp and stold all of our food!

Also during my early teen years my auntie sue use to date a man who had a house boat up on Smith Mt Lake. There use to be Pepsi Water Slides and there was a celebration the 4th of July. My cousin Joanna and I snuck off the boat one year and snuck out to meet some fellas. We had a great time but did get busted. We never snuck off the boat again!!

When I was 16 I went with the youth group from my Christian school to Disney World. I had a ball. I have always wanted to take my family back there.

Later years of beach trips consist of my family and my mom and dad with my sister coming in a few days from her place in Myrtle Beach. I am hoping that my brother will be able to come next year but we shall see. My family has always been close and sometimes I tend to forget that until I began remembering those times together.:)

The 7 things I love about Me

Well Suzanne at Living to tell the Story has tagged me for this meme and I have to agree with her it is a hard one. Why do we women have such a hard time finding things about ourselves that we love? Well...here it goes..

1. The number one thing that I love about myself is that I am saved by grace through faith as the gift of God. This allows me to love other things about myself because without Christ there is NO good thing in me no not one!

"For by grace are ye saved, through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

2. I love that I LOVE children. I always have. My doors are always open and my home is always full of them. I have always been willing to have the Lord bless my womb and always thought I would have a quiver full. The Lord has seen fit to bless me with 3 beautiful girls and they are each 5 1/2 years apart. I'm still petitioning the Lord for more if it is in His will!

3. I love that I snort when I laugh really hard. (This is one I have grown to love and use to hate! :))

4. I love that I am passionate about other people. When listening, learning or reading about them I feel their pain, their joy. I am able to put myself into the shoes of others and experience to the best of my capabilites what they are going through.

5. I love that I cry. I cry about everything. I cry when I am happy and when I laugh. I cry when I'm sad. I cry when I don't know what I'm crying about.

6. I love that I homeschool. I am so glad that God called me into this journey and that I was obedient to His call. I love too that I was determined and didn't quit or give up during times of doubt, times of comparing them, and times of listening to others around me. I love that I didn't allow education to become our god but that we stayed focused on the one true Living God and are allowing His plan to come forth in our journey.

7. I love that I have learned to be content with myself the way I am. Would I like to lose some weight or do this and do that? Yes. But it doesn't control me or who I am. I am not defined by my weight or my looks. I'm not afraid to sing, or to speak, or to play volleyball!

Well I suppose I'm suppose to tag some others and again I am going to tag You, You and Tammy over at Tammy's Moments

Those Eyes

 


This picture is almost a year old. Since getting a digital camera I have found that I end up with tons of gorgeous pictures on chip or cd but that very few of them make it to the printers. This was one of my all time favorites of Meadow so I pulled it up to blog. Those eyes. Need I say more?

Children

Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

How Can I Keep From Singing Your Praise

One thing I noticed on vacation this year was that when you have an amount of time that you aren't being fed you can weaken spiritually. Usually on vacation I spend alot of time with my Lord, in prayer and in the word. Often we visit new churches which is a fun and exciting way to worship our Savior Jesus Christ. This year however we were too tired and stayed at the beach house and I didn't spend my time with my Father as I should have. My family are wonderful and I love them dearly they are precious to my heart and I cherish my time with them but their beliefs are somewhat different to say the least. I am not condemning them in any way but being surrounded by a different realm can really wear on you after a week. I must admit it shouldn't have affected me as strongly as it did had I filled myself with my Lord and sought His face daily as I most often do I would have been stronger. I just know that as I returned home on Saturday I felt a heaviness that I hadn't experienced in a long time with no-one to blame but myself. Sunday morning the Lord awoke me early, I knew it was Him because I generally like to sleep in a little more than the 8 o'clock hour He awoke me.

Good morning my dear Abba Daddy. How I have missed You and longed for You. Forgive Me dear Father for slacking away. Bring me back fresh and anew, stronger and revive me. Allow me to simply worship You as You so richly deserve.Amen

When I arrived at church that morning I still felt that heaviness but as our praise and worship opened up and I began to sing praises to my Lord the blackness began to lift. I sang louder and opened up my soul and poured it out in praise to my King, my hands lifted to the skies worshipping Him and I felt the weight lift, the glow and joy return. And here it is Wednesday and the song I was singing is still playing in my heart and I hear it in my head. So I wanted to share it with you.

How Can I Keep From Singing Your Praise by Chris Tomlin

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

Glad to be Home

Well we have the house in order and are beginning to get back on schedule with life here back at home. Vacation was wonderful although sometimes I feel it wears you out more than rests you. There were many lazy days that we spent on the beach and in the water. One day that we went to Fort Fisher by Ferry and visited the North Carolina Aquarium. Heaven and I drove to Wilmington and went shopping at the mall and ate sushi..yummy!! Mom and I took a day went into South Port to shop and I was amazed. I just loved that little place and all of those southern plantation style homes with shops in them doing business from the front porch. Talk about hospitality! All that and being water front too what more could you ask for? Vacations like this one reminds me of reading those great romance novels. It brings to life dreams you never knew you had. My sister and her new beau came in for two nights. Sissy had mom and Sky out on the body board riding waves. We laughed so much especially at my mom. Who would have ever thought she would have had the nerve to get out there and body board!!! They also bought fireworks and we set those off one night after we had gone out to eat fresh seafood. The biggest joy was watching the girls play, laugh, swim, build sand castles, make friends and just enjoy themselves.

This was our first year at Oak Island, NC. We usually try to go to the beach once a year and usually we go somewhere different every year. We have stayed many a time in Myrtle Beach, Ocean Isles & Emerald Isle, we have went once to the Outer Banks and stayed in Corolla and we loved that place but the drive was l-o-n-g for us. Oak Island was only about 5 hours from us and that was not a bad drive. Oak Island was peaceful and not alot of traffic and people. Plus it was close to everything so it didn't take long to get to the restaurants and local shops and there was so much to do. I believe everyone was so satisfied with Oak Island that they want to return again next year. We shall see!

Here is a link to read about Oak Island.

Oak Island

And Here is a link to the Realtor that we rented our house from. Click vacation rentals and then vacation rentals search open the pull down bar that says select house by name and pull up Sea King.

Margaret Rudd & Associates Realtors