Sunday, July 27, 2014

Starting Fresh!

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry that it's been so long since my last blog post. It's been quite a busy time for me. I just wanted to let you all know that I have started a new blog. I will be writing on there from now on. If you want to check it out, you can find it here...  pb-fingers.blogspot.com

Thanks ;0)

Monday, May 12, 2014

Mother's Day

   Happy belated Mother's Day everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day. I think Mother's Day is such a good time to stop and reflect on all that our mothers have done for us, from cooking to cleaning to caring to loving and so much more. I am so thankful for my mom. She is my closest and dearest friend, role model, and someone who I know I can always go to. I just can't thank God enough for giving her to me.

    For Mother's Day, the day started off with the little kids from our church (including my sister) singing a special song for all the moms. It was so sweet to watch them on the platform light up with big smiles on their faces as they spotted their moms in the crowd. ;D After church, we invited my great aunt to come over to our house to celebrate Mother's Day with my grandparents and the rest of my family. We had such a wonderful time together. I can't think of anything I love more than to sit around a table with my family as we talk together and laugh about old memories. God blessed us with such beautiful weather, which only added to the beauty of the day. Yet another blessing from God! Overall, the whole day was beautiful and I wouldn't have traded anything for it.

~A mother's love cannot be measured. It is a brilliant gem to be treasured.~

Thank you Mom for all you do. Love you!!


Friday, May 9, 2014

Hannah: Fervent in Prayer



     Have you ever prayed for something, really hard? This could be something concerning a health need, salvation need for someone, or just a deep desire that you have had. Did you feel that if God didn't answer your prayer, you wouldn't know what you would do?

     Meet our sister Hannah. She demonstrates such a wonderful example to us concerning fervency in prayer, commitment, and faithfulness.

~1 Samuel 1:1-11

     Hannah's great desire was to have a son. Day after day, month after month, and year after year she continued to ask God for her heart's desire. She wept to God and even fasted. Why didn't God answer her request? After pondering this thought for a while, this is what God showed me. I feel that by allowing her to wait, God was building up her patience, faith, and trust in Him. If she could trust Him by answering her single request, she could trust Him with anything. This I believe is the same for us. If we can't trust God in the small areas of life, how can He expect us to trust Him with the big areas of our lives?

     Hannah got so desperate that she actually made a vow almost like a bargain with God. What great faith and boldness this woman had! Vows or promises as we consider them today were held very seriously back then. If you would break your promise you would suffer with serious consequences, especially if you made them with God. I think this is such a good reminder to all of us to watch what we say, because God weighs out every word, and we will be held accountable for it. A great truth that we can pull from this is that Hannah did not retaliate against others or give up hope, instead she honestly prayed before God! How hard it must have been for her to make that vow, and after the Lord
 had blessed her with her son how much harder it must have been for her to keep it. I mean after nursing and taking care of him for around 3 years how could she just give him up? Could you imagine the thoughts and feelings that must have been going through her head? It shows how much character this woman had, and because of her obedience, God blessed her far beyond what she could have imagined. Samuel was used as one of the greatest prophets in Israel and she was also blessed with many children. How great our God is!

     Lastly, we read in 1 Samuel 2:1-2 about Hannah's rejoicing. Finally God had answered the desire of her heart!! The theme of her rejoicing prayer was her confidence in God's sovereignty and her thankfulness for His blessings. Like Hannah, we need to be confident in God's ultimate control over the events and situations in our lives, and we need/should be thankful for the ways in which He has blessed us. By praising Him for all the gifts and blessings that He continually gives us, we acknowledge His ultimate control over all the affairs of our lives and through this we remain humble reminding ourselves that it's not because of us, but through God only. I read this and I thought it was
so true, "In our fast-paced world, friends come and go, and circumstances change. It's difficult to find a solid foundation that will not change. However, God is always present and ready to help, even when all else seems to be falling apart. Remember that it's His timing and not ours. Hope in Him, because He will NEVER fail us.




Sunday, April 27, 2014

Rahab: Harlot to Heroine

Her neighbors called her a woman of the night.
The Lord God called her a heroine of the faith.
And a man named Salmon gladly called her his wife.

Meet our amazing sister Rahab, a former prostitute who was decidedly Bad for a Season, but Not Forever.

       ~Liz Curtis Higgs

     Rahab's story starts off on the awkward side. She is introduced to us as a harlot. Who knew that God could ever use someone like her... I'm sure she didn't. Her story I think reveals to us the virtues of faith and courage, God's merciful longsuffering, and His desire to use anyone who is willing.

     Rahab's story is such a great example of having simple faith. As the stories of how the Israelites defeated the Egyptians and news of their other miraculous defeats reached Jericho, for as much as we know, Rahab was one of the only citizens who believed that their God was the true God. So, when the two Israelite spies reached her home, she probably couldn't help but realize that this was a divine appointment. Rahab is one of the greatest role models of making the right decisions and standing firm even when it goes against your own peers. Her demonstration of faith in God resulted in safety for her and her family. No wonder God wanted to reward her faith and courage by placing her in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Faith helps us to do what is right regardless of our past and what others think. Rahab is mentioned again to us in Hebrews 11:30-31.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

What an amazing way to be remembered!

     Although Rahab's sins were many, we see a merciful God who had a purpose and a plan for her life. Though she may not have fully realized the sins of what she had done, she did realize that God was the true God and would forgive her of her past.

     She was a common harlot who was an uncommon saint of faith and courage and received the privilege of being in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Surely nothing is impossible with God. God's divine grace can transform even the worst of sinners. He can use anyone regardless of their past  Rahab's amazing story is a lesson for us all.

     We too, can leave our past behind and walk forward in God's glorious, divine  grace, proclaiming to all who will listen, "God is God!"

 1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Thursday, April 24, 2014

A Little Gesture to Brighten My Day :o)


How special! My first picked flower of the year from my sweet little sister Nolie. I just love my sisters! 







Monday, April 21, 2014

Now I Believe ~ Easter Drama 2014

   Well, the hype of this weekend is over! After all the practices and rehearsals that we had, it's sad to say that it has come to an end. Being apart of this year's easter drama has impacted me in many ways and has given me such sweet memories. I was casted as Rebecca who portrayed the woman that was caught in the act of adultery. Ever since I was little I have always liked hearing and watching the story of how Jesus saved this woman from being stoned. When I found out that she was part of the play, I knew that I had to try out for her part. It was such a blessing to get it! One main lesson that I learned through her story is that no matter what the sin, Jesus is ready to accept and forgive us with open arms. Here are some pictures from last night's performance. I hope you enjoy. :o)






Saturday, April 12, 2014

Ruth: A Loyal Friend

    Do you have that one friend who you know will always be there for you through thick and thin? Naomi did. Ruth was not only her daughter-in-law, but she was also her faithful friend and companion. For this week's bible study I used the story of Ruth to talk about the subject of being a loyal friend. First off, we defined what that was. A loyal friend will always be there to support you whenever you need support, they listen to you, and when you are sad they'll make you laugh and say something like this, "You know, no matter what happens, I'm by your side!"

    Like Ruth and Naomi, our relationships and conversations should be formed around our faith in a God. How often do we choose NOT to mention God in our conversations with our friends? For some of us, it's second nature to ask our friends about the latest movie or show that they've seen or the latest book that they've read, but how much more effort it takes for us to talk about something that we've gotten out of our devotions for that day or something that God spoke to us about in a church service. Through the things that Naomi said and the way she acted, Ruth realized that she was genuine and came to know Naomi's God as her God. Sharing openly about our relationship with God can bring depth and meaning in our relationships with others. By our speech and actions people can see what we are all about. We need to make sure what we say measures up to God's standards. Colossians 4:6~ "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." We can win someone to the Lord through our speech, but we can also discourage someone from coming to Him too. It's vital for us as Christians to control our speech and conduct.

    Ruth's life was guided by her faithfulness toward God and it was shown through her loyalty towards others, even throughout the deep sorrow and great affliction she and Naomi endured together. Ruth showed her genuine commitment to Naomi, by leaving her country, her family, and everyone she had ever known to travel with Naomi to a country where everything was new and strange to her. Their commitment to each other reminds me of God's never ending, everlasting faithfulness to us.
Lamentations 3:22-23, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." 

 I think that Ruth and Naomi are one of the best illustrations of a pair of loyal friends. Here are 4 things that I think are key in being a loyal friend.

Trust-
     Here is a perfect description that I found online concerning trust in friendship. Trust is one of the main ingredients in a friendship. Without trust, a person could not be truthful about their feelings, goals, or desires. A healthy friendship needs trust so that there can be communication and honesty. Otherwise a person might be afraid they would be ridiculed or not supported. When a friendship has trust the people involved both feel respected and know the other person would not intentionally hurt them or abuse the trust given to them. Trust in a friendship is important to have a healthy relationship
that will last through bad and good times. Ruth trusted Naomi's leadership in two ways. She
trusted Naomi by following her to a foreign land and she also trusted her with how she asked Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer.

Respect-
     Another foundational element of a healthy friendship is respect. We need to respect our friends by taking their thoughts and feelings seriously. Respect is also shown by valuing, and not undermining, your friends' decisions. If your friend wants to do something and you don't quite agree with them, you can still respect their decision UNLESS it is going against the clear commands of God. Respect your friend enough to "agree to disagree" while still keeping your friendship intact.

Encouragement-
    Good friends support and encourage each other. A good friend is there to encourage you to pursue
a particular interest or help you find the confidence you need to start something new. When difficult
times arise, encouraging friends can give you the support you need to survive and thrive through your
troubles. Also, if you desire supportive friends, it's important to provide this quality to your friends as well.

Prayer-
     Lastly, I think prayer is the most important key that we could have in a friendship. We show our true love,support, and loyalty to our friends when we take the time to pray for them. I know how much I feel encouraged when a friend of mine tells me that they are praying for me. If it encourages us and makes us feel good, then let's start a chain reaction and start praying for our friends.

1 Timothy 2:1 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;



Friday, April 4, 2014

Choose to do What's Right

     This week for the Bible Study that I conduct I started a new series on the women of the Bible. For this first week I chose to write about Queen Esther. Personally, I think Queen Esther is one of the bravest women in the Bible. There are so many lessons that we could learn from her example. Esther was willing to do whatever she needed to do in order to protect her life and the lives of her people. One main truth that I think we all could apply to our lives is this..."We Should Never Be Afraid To Do What's Right."

     In Esther 4, we find the beginning of the problem. Imagine if you were Esther and you just found out that the man you were married to made a command to kill all the Jews, which would include yourself. What would you do? Keep your mouth shut and hope that he doesn't find out that you're Jewish or would you try to do something in order to change his mind. Esther had a choice to make. Just like Esther, we have a choice to make when we are faced with difficulties. Will we choose to keep our mouths shut or will we choose to say something and bravely face the problem?

     Have you ever known something about someone that could hurt them or someone else around them (for example- drug addiction, anorexia, suicidal thoughts, etc...)? What are you going to do about it? I know as Christians the easy thing to say to ourselves is, "I'll pray for them, God will show them their error." Sometimes praying for them is not enough, God wants us to do something about it. It may be to talk to them. I know it's not easy to do, but maybe through you God can show them their error. Sometimes the case is more severe than just talking to the person and you will need to get someone else involved. If you really care for that person and don't want to see them get hurt, you'll do whatever it takes to help them, even if it's not the way you want to or had planned.

     Friends play a key role in our lives. They can influence us in a good way, but they can also influence us in a bad way. Sometimes you'll find yourself in an uncomfortable position where your friend(s) want you to join them in something that you know you shouldn't do. This is where peer
pressure comes into play. What are you going to do? The easy thing to do would be to join them,  because you wouldn't want them to think that you're not cool, right? What if you chose God's way, and said no? What would happen then? There are two obvious outcomes.... either they can see their error and follow you OR they'll get mad at you and continue in what they're doing, you could possibly even lose their friendship. This is where we need to decide who is more important to us... our friends or God? No matter how they respond just stand strong and know that you're doing what God wants you to do. Here are two verse that I find comforting in times like this... Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." We can't let fear interfere with our choices. Proverbs 18:21 - "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

     Lastly in Esther 7, we read about the solution of her problem. I could only imagine the amount of courage and strength this woman had. She literally risked her life for her people and herself. I like to
imagine the thoughts that must have been going on in her head during the time she accused Haman. If I were her, I would have been thinking, "Oh great, I'm going to die. Surely the king will believe his right-hand man over me." Like I said before, she is such a wonderful example of courage. In wrapping up this story, she shows us that no matter what the difficulty, no matter what the possible outcomes may be, we need to choose to do what's right. We need to remember that God has everything under control and knows what's best for us. I know personally when I had a difficulty to face and chose to do the right thing, God used it as a refining time in my life. I believe this is the case in many trials and difficulties that God allows us to face. Even though we may not fully understand why God allows us to go through something, God does, and through it He is trying to refine us and make us more like Him. Esther had full trust in God and that He would take care of the situation. Can that be said of us?

     In conclusion, I want to mention an interesting fact I learned about Queen Esther. Esther was originally named Hadassah, which came from the Hebrew language. In attempts to conceal that she
was Jewish, her uncle changed it to Esther, which was derived from the Persian language. When I looked up what the meaning of the name Esther was, I found that it meant star. What an appropriate name for her, because she certainly was the "star" of the show. :o)



       

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Show Some Compassion!

   Have you ever said to someone, "Show some compassion!" What exactly is compassion? When and why should it be shown? Well that's exactly what I want to talk about today. First of all, lets define the word compassion. Compassion is a feeling of kindness, concern, and love toward another person that results in action to help. The opposite of compassion is hard hearted. There are clear commands for us to show compassion to others in the Scriptures. Take for example 1 Peter 3:8, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:"

As I looked through the Scriptures I found some negative and positive examples of those who showed and didn't show compassion.

Some of the negative examples that I found were...

- Jonah (Jonah 1:1-2; 3:10; 4:1)
Instead of following God's example in giving the Ninevites another chance, he chose not to. Jonah was overcome with his prejudice toward the Ninevites. He couldn't let go of his feelings and didn't trust God's decision in how to deal with them.

- The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-30)
The rich man condemned himself to an eternal hell because of his hardened heart. He purposefully turned away from helping Lazarus even when he saw the pitiful state he was in.

- Disciples (Mark 10:13-16 & Matthew 14:15)
The disciples thought they were Jesus' personal bodyguards and tried to keep anyone from getting too close to Jesus. But Jesus didn't like it! He wants everyone to come to Him. Age, race, and nationality mean nothing to Him!


Some of the positive examples that I found were...

- Pharaoh's Daughter (Exodus 2:5-6)
At the risk of jeopardizing her favor with her father who had decreed all the first born male Hebrew babies be killed, she felt it too cruel to murder the precious bundle of humanity found in the bulrushes. She definitely had a tender heart!

- Jesus (Luke 7:11-17, Matthew 8:2-3, John 11:32-36)
Jesus demonstrated such a precious picture of how to feel for someone else's pain. Jesus didn't care if someone had a disease or was looked down upon by others. He touched the lepers, ate with the publicans, healed the sick and died for all sinners. What a wonderful example to follow!

- The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-34)
The Good Samaritan is like the model example of showing compassion in the Bible. Despite the way that the Jews had treated him he chose to help the Jewish man who lay on the side of the road. For as much as the Samaritan knew this man could have been someone who had mistreated him, but it didn't matter. This man went the extra mile in helping him.


   After preparing for this study, it made me question if I'm a compassionate person and what causes a person to show compassion? There can be many reasons why we don't react with compassion towards others. I think the main reason is because too often we put ourselves as no. 1 and don't really think about anyone else. Compassion is love in action, it's when you express genuine concern for others as our Father in Heaven does towards us. When you feel other's pain and react to it, having compassion on that person without any thought or reservation. It is a heart issue! What a better way to express God's love for another human being but through compassion. A good thing to remember is... Jesus-
Others-Yourself (J.O.Y.). Here is a good Bible verse to help us express and have true genuine Christ-like compassion flow through us.

Luke 10:27- "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."




Friday, March 21, 2014

To God be the Glory

~ Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see. ~

Ps 115:1 ~ Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

The word glory is such a strong word. In definition it means high renown or honor won or achieved by notable achievements. It should be evident to us that all glory belongs to God and not man. Everything around us displays God's glory.

Psalm 19:1~ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Not only does His creation exemplify His glory to us, but His glory is way above it and will last forever.


Psalm104:3~ "Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind"

As the angels in Heaven give God the glory He well deserves, so should we.

Psalm 29:2~"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."


Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord 
which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, 
saith the Lord.

After pondering God's glory, I think it is totally inappropriate and shameful for us as Christians to seek glory and praise for ourselves. First of all because God tells us not to. Secondly because anything that we are able to do or accomplish is only through Him, because He allows us the ability. We have to remember that we can't do anything of ourselves. In everything we do, we should do it unto the Lord, even the things that we don't enjoy doing. He expects the best from us, and He knows when we aren't doing it. When we give God the glory, it keeps the attention off of us and is put on Him, ultimately enabling us to have a humble spirit.


Lastly, I want to talk about the ways that we can praise God and give Him the glory He so deserves.

Here are some things that I thought of...
- Seeking His guidance daily
- Using your talents as a ministry...this could be through (playing an instrument, singing, drawing,    

cooking, etc...)
- Acknowledging when God makes His presence known to you through His Word, answered prayer, or life's circumstances.

A very dear friend told me this and oh how true it is... it's easy to thank God for the good things that He allows in our life, but we should also give God the glory with the bad things or trials that He allows in our lives as well. So often we can't see how the circumstances and trials we go through are 

working together for good or how they will glorify God, but we do know that He is good and desires the best for us. He sees far beyond our human eyes. Some day He will reveal to us why we had to go 
through the things we did.

Romans 8:28 ~ "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them 

who are the called according to his purpose."

Ps 115:1~ "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."

















Sent from my iPad

Friday, March 7, 2014

Be Thou My Vision

On Wednesday evening at church we sang the song "Be Thou My Vision." While singing this song a verse really stood out to me and spoke to my heart.

Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and thou only first in my heart
High King of heaven my treasure Thou are

It reminded me that we don't have to worry about anything or anyone here on earth. Man's praise shouldn't matter to us.  Sadly it does seem to and we can get caught up in it. The only thing that we should be concerned about is if we are being pleasing to Jesus. We should want to make sure He gets the praise in everything we do, because it is only due to Him that we are able to do anything.  We need to constantly make sure that He alone is first in our hearts, because He is our treasure. Too often the busyness of this world gets us side tracked and we forget about who and what should be most important to us. We need to remember who we should be living for. It doesn't matter if we get recognition, popularity, prestige, or wealth because we as Christian have the best thing that we could ever hope to have, a place waiting for us in God's kingdom. I'm so thankful that even through a song God can speak to us.


Friday, February 28, 2014

Patiently Enduring...


   Have you ever thought during some type of trial either physical or spiritual, "Lord, how much longer are you going to make me go through this? I'm tired and I can't handle it anymore?" It can be through health, provocation, people trying to cause you problems, or you fill in the blank. I think one thing that the Lord is definitely trying to teach us through these different trials is patience and to learn to trust Him that He knows what He is doing and is in control. A Fruit of the Spirit that describes this is long suffering. Long suffering is having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people or things that we necessarily can't control. Some synonyms are patience, forbearing, forgiving, tolerance, and uncomplaining. 

   I know the trials we go through may seem unbearably long, but God does have a purpose and plan for us. The first step in doing this is total surrender to Him. At first I was a little confused at the statement "total surrender" what does it mean? I looked it up and it means this: I will let God do in me whatever is necessary to get Himself glory, and whatever is necessary to make me into the person He is after. Though we may not understand what God is doing, He does, and whatever He does is always perfect and exactly what He wants. Knowing this, we just simply need to trust Him.

   The Lord is the perfect example of how to show long suffering. The many times that He reached out to us in salvation, when all we did was reject Him. After His first offer, He could have left us, but He didn't. Now that we may be saved He shows it in how He constantly will forgive us of our sins that we commit against Him. We must NOT take this for granted, but thank Him for His longsuffering and never ending love towards us.

   I heard a Pastor mention this a long time ago and and it really stuck with me....

   To have FAITH is a choice of the will and toTrust is a surrender of the heart!





Friday, February 21, 2014

A Time for Every Season

   With the unseemingly long winter that we've experienced this year, it got me to thinking about how blessed we are here in Pennsylvania to be able to experience all four seasons. What does God say about the different seasons? The seasons offer a lot to be thankful for. Let's start naming them...

Winter
Job 37:6 ~ "For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the Earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of His strength."

   For me personally, winter is not my favorite season mainly because I don't care for the cold. Yet, there are still some things that I'm thankful for. First of all, I love the first snowfall. The snow makes everything so beautiful and pure as it glistens.  Also, can't forget all the fun things that you can do in it! :D (sledding, snowball fights and building snowmen) Then there is the crisp winter air, and just being near a cozy fire.


Spring
Zechariah 10:1~ "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make      bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field."

   You know the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers." One of my favorite things about
spring would have to be the flowers.  Just the thought of all the different flowers the Lord made is simply amazing!  Bluebells, tulips, and hyacinths would have to be my favorites!  In winter everything is asleep and quiet but in the spring everything is awakened and comes alive.  There are many things I look forward to at this time of year. The blossoms on the fruit trees, the warmer weather, the baby animals, and as a bird lover I enjoy seeing the robins come back.



Summer
Luke 21:30~ "When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is nigh at hand.

   One of the best things about summer for me is NO SCHOOL! :-) I have such great memories of
summer especially celebrating the Fourth of July. My great-grandpop's  birthday was on the Fourth of July and my Grammy Joanie would always have a big family picnic to celebrate his birthday.  Fireworks are always a thrill to watch too. Some of my other favorite things are swimming, catching fireflies, family vacations, and having my bedroom windows open at night while listening to the symphony of the chirping crickets and waking up to the serenading of the birds in the morning.



Fall
1 Chronicles 16:34~ "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endure for ever."

   Now for fall....my ultimate favorite season!  There are so many wonderful things I can list about this time of year!  The beauty of the colored leaves would have to rank the highest on my list!  Then would come the pumpkins, cider, hikes and beautiful night skies! The ladies in my family also have a yearly tradition of going to Gettysburg for the annual Apple Harvest Festival!  We have been going since I was was a little girl.  What wonderful memories I have treasured in my heart!



Wow! It was really exciting to stop and think about all of the beauty of each season that God has created. Our world is a beautiful masterpiece made by a perfect Creator. It baffles me how someone can say that this world just happened by chance, when everything we see has the touch of Him and shows His handiwork. Our God is simply amazing! He makes everything perfect in His time.


To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:




Friday, February 14, 2014

A Reminder for Valentines Day



   Since Valentines Day is today and February is considered as the month of love, I figured it was about time that I talked about this love business. :o) What exactly is love and what does God say about it?

   First, let's define what love is. Love is a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person; a warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion to someone or something; or an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another. Some synonyms of love are appreciation, affection, devotion, friendship, and respect.

   Secondly, it's so important for us to show love to each other. First among many reasons is that God commands us to. (John 13:34) Secondly, because why shouldn't we want to show love. I know I like to feel loved, so why wouldn't you want to make someone else feel it too. There are so many ways that we can show that we love and care about each other. For example, praying for them, writing a note of encouragement, giving a little gift, a smile, saying hello and taking the time to talk to them...the list can go on and on!

   Lastly, on this Valentines Day we should take the time to remember God's love for us. A good word used to describe God's love is agape love. Agape love is unconditional love. It is love by "choice" even if you are not pleased. A good example is "God loves us even with all of our faults." To know that God loves us unconditionally is so special and comforting to remind ourselves.

   On this Valentines Day, I give you the challenge to remember those you love and hold most dear, but also to take the time to remember the greatest love we will ever have, God's love.


Friday, February 7, 2014

Did You Smile Today? :o)

      I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart
                                     Where?
                             Down in my heart!
                                     Where?
                             Down in my heart                                   

       I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart
                         Down in my heart to stay

                               And I'm so happy
                                  So very happy
                  I've got the love of Jesus in my heart
                                Down in my heart
                                 And I'm so happy
                                    So very happy 

                  I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

  Can this be said of you? I think one of our most powerful tools that God has given us is our smile. God loves when His children smile. Smile! Seriously, just do it! You’ll enjoy this post more if you do. :o)

Proverbs 15:13 says...
"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."

  I think what this verse is trying to tell us is that happiness comes from within. In other words, if you choose to be happy within, choose to show it on the outside! When you are walking with God it should be so easy to have a cheerful countenance. Even though we may go 
through trials and storms, 
we should go through them with a smile on our face, because we have God's promise that He will be with us and get us through them. Psalm 23:4~ "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for though art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

  So put a smile on your face (trust me it will not hurt you). It will not only make you feel better, but it could also make someone else's day. If you really think about it, there are so many reasons for us to smile! Some of my reasons are that I'm saved by grace, on my way to Heaven, I have a wonderful family and church family, Starbucks coffee, and frozen yogurt. ;-) What are some of yours?  


Philippians 4:4~ "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." 





Saturday, February 1, 2014

What is a friend?

Hi everyone!

   Sorry it's been awhile since my last post, not too much is going on. (Lol) On Friday, I did the second bible study of the series and it was on the topic of kindness and being a friend.

   During the Bible study we discussed many examples of Biblical friendships (Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, and Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Jesus) An exciting thought for me about Jesus' friendship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus was that they had such an intimate and personal friendship to the point where they could speak plainly to Him. True friends are able to speak their minds honestly to one another, whether for good or bad. Meanwhile, true friends do what they can to
tell each other the truth and help one another in any way possible. This study was meant to be a nice refresher to remember to have Christ as the center of our friendships and to be kind to everyone.

    In closing, I just want to say how much I appreciate and feel so blessed to have the opportunity to 
be able to share my Bible study with the other teen girls. One thing that really spoke to me personally while writing this Bible study was the subject of being a friend of God's. In James 2:23 it says, "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." I believe that it is possible to be a child of God and not be a friend of His. Friendship is built through having an intimate or very close relationship with someone. It's more than just a casual acquaintance. If we want to be known as a friend of God's, 
then we need to do our part and learn to know Him better in a personal way.

Begin first of all by ...


- Accepting Him as your Savior.
- Trusting Christ in every aspect of life. 
- Be willing to follow His direction.
- Totally surrender to His will.
 

Friday, January 24, 2014

I Spy...

       Do you want to play I spy? Can you spot Nolie and Annailese? ;-)


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Adventures from Winter Camp

Hello again,

Well I just got back from a 2 day Winter Camp with my youth group called, "Break up my fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord..." Everyday last week, I along with a couple other girls met together to pray for a revival to happen among our youth group. God heard our prayers and did a work far above our expectations.

Unfortunately, with some health problems that I presently am dealing with, I couldn't fully enjoy and participate in camp. I am just happy that I was able to be present to hear the sermons, because it's just not the same hearing them online. :-)

It was nice to get together with friends, have fun, and make memories, but my favorite part would have had to be the late night chat around the fireplace. After the Monday night service, we all met to share with each other what we had learned from the 3 sermons that we had heard. Wow! What a blessing, we had such a great  time of sweet fellowship. A few said that they got saved and many others talked about commitments that they had made.

Personally, one thing that really stuck out to me was this thought. Brother Knutson said, "Right now you are becoming the person who you will be in 10 years from now." It got me to think of my present life and also about the future. What things would I have to work on NOW to become that ideal person that God wants me to be? God gave us the teen years to be a construction sight to build a solid foundation for the finished product in the adult stage. Once you graduate high school, go to college, and get a job you won't have the time that you have now to work on those areas. It was just an encouragement  to me to keep pressing forward with God's help and keep my eyes on the goal. If God's involved, I know I won't fail.

Here are some pics from camp, hope you enjoy! Till next time...


My friend Brittany and me
    
      Head bands... must be a new trend :-)

Our full house of girls
                               

Friday, January 17, 2014

The Pilot

   The pilot you ask? Yes, the pilot of a new series in my Bible Study. :-) Over Christmas break, the Lord laid it on my heart to write a Bible Study series. I am calling it, "A Teen Girl Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus." How easy it is for us as Christians to get caught up in the things of the world, but we need to strive and ask God to help us be a light to those around us, so that they can see a difference in us. 
   Today I spoke about, "Our Father and Knowing Who He is." It's important to know who He truly is and His characteristics. For the times that we feel alone, misunderstood, dissatisfied, etc..it's good to know and remind ourselves of our Father's care and true concern for us. I did some research and this is what I came up with...

My Father...
1. loves me (John 3:16)
2. cares for me (Matthew 6:26)
3. forgives me (Psalm 103:12)
4. is compassionate (Psalm 103:4-5)
5. is giving (Romans 8:32)
6. is accepting (Psalm 139:1-6)
7. satisfies (Psalm 107:9)
8. persistently pursues me (Luke 19:10)
9. is reason (Isaiah 1:18)
10. pardons (Psalm 103:3)
11. heals (Isaiah 53:5)
12. redeems (Job 19:25)
13. is loving-kindness (Psalm 86:15)
14. renews (Isaiah 43:31)
15. is righteous (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
16. is gracious (Ephesians 1:7-8)
17. is sovereign (Psalm 103:19)

Here are some pictures from today's Bible Study, I hope you enjoy! Till next time...





 
 





Friday, January 10, 2014

Strolls in the Dark with my Mom

   As a "New Year Resolution" my mom and I have been going outside nightly to walk. We look so funny going outside the way we do (bundled in coats, scarfs, gloves, hats, etc.) good reason to walk at night. lol ;-) We have been having so much fun talking with each other and as an added plus exercising while doing it! With the busyness of two babies in the house, it's hard to spend quality time together. I am so thankful we have this opportunity. My mom is an incredible person! She is someone you can talk to, give a big hug, and just act silly with. I'm so thankful and extremely blessed that God gave me her. I don't know what I'd do without her.

   We truly couldn't  ask for anything better than to enjoy the quietness of the night together. We are able  to reflect on God's goodness in our lives. Everything seems so peaceful and clear. The night is the best time I think to hear God's still small voice and appreciate and admire His beautiful handiwork in creating the stars and the moon. Till next time...

                                                      Psalms 46:10~
                                       "Be still and know that I am God."




Monday, January 6, 2014

Monday Morning Meditations

I love coffee!  Sitting in my favorite room in our house with my cup of coffee, my open Bible on my lap, while looking through the window as the sun slowly rises to a new day is probably the best way I could start my day.  That coffee time is so much needed to start my day, but if I miss out on having my cup of coffee it won't be as bad as if I miss out on having my time with God.  Spending time with the LORD needs to take top priority in my life!  Yet how often can I count the times when I neglect that time.  So dear Christian, if you are like me and love your coffee time, don't forget to have your time with God.

Here's something from my devotions.

~ Psalm 5:11-12

11. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy! because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12.  For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

This is actually from yesterday's reading, but the Lord really used this to comfort and give me assurance. I felt compelled and excited to share it with you all. It also for me, ties in with my Pastor's Sunday morning message. That I/we need to just trust and believe God's promises and know that He has EVEYTHING under control.

I hope you all have a great Monday, I know I will ... I have a 2 hour delay. ;-)

Till next time...