Lord, My Children...They are Yours

What better gift can I give my children but to bring them before the Lord in prayer lifting them up to Him? I have tried to make it a point to pray over every aspect of my children's lives; not
only do I pray for them, but I pray God's Word specifically over them.

"Lord, help me to instill in my children that You have a great plan for their lives. Help them to see that their time is in Your hands. May they delight in Your Word and meditate on it day and night so that they will be like a tree deeply rooted by the rivers of Living Water bearing much fruit that brings total honor and glory to Your name. (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 31:15; Psalm 1:2 &3)

Spiritual:
The Princess Momma- "Father, I pray that Hannah grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

The Mighty Warrior and the Wee Princess- "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (Isaiah 45:8; 2 Timothy 2:10)

Bible:
"May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." (Psalm 19:10)

Home:
"Father, grant that my children may learn responsibility, and that each one learn to carry his own load." (Galatians 6:5)

Community/Geography:
"Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among all people." (Psalm 96:3)

Reading/Phonics:
"I pray that my children would have a deep passion for Your Word. I pray that they would daily desire to read and meditate upon Your Word so that they will have victory over sin." (Psalm 119:10-12, 15 & 16)

Writing/Speech:
"May the words that are uttered from the mouths of my children be pleasing to You. May their words be a reflection of the purity of their hearts. I pray that their words would be kind and encourages to others." (Psalm 19:14; Matthew 12:34; Ephesians 4:29)

Math/Stewardship:
"I pray that my children will obey the voice of the Lord always so that His blessings upon them will be too numerous to count." (Deuteronomy 28:2)

History:
"I pray that my children would grasp and come to a deep appreciation of the sacrifices and the lives of faith lived by great men who came before them. I pray that they too would understand that we are called to live lives of faith and diligently seek our faithful Father. (Hebrews 11)

Science:
"Lord, help my children to know that the earth is Yours and that You created everything in it to glorify You." (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 24:1-2)

Physical Education/ Health:
"Father, may my children develop a strong self esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. Help them to take care of their bodies because it is the temple of God. (Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 6:19)

Field Trips:
"Teach my children, Lord, that wherever we may go and whatever we may do, that we are doing it as unto the Lord." (Colossians 3:23)

"Father help Mighty Warrior not to be influenced by others around him, but let him be alert and self-controlled in all does." (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

"Lord, teach Princess Momma perseverance in all she does and help her to especially run with perseverance the race marked out for her." (Hebrews 12:1)

"Grant, Lord, that my children's lives be marked as lives filled with prayer, and that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." (Ephesians 6:18)

Truth Christian Academy Mission Statement

Our Mission for Truth Christian Academy is:
~To instill in our children a genuine love for the Lord and for His Word.

~To develop within our children a Biblical worldview.

~To build loving, honest relationships with our children and lead them to pursue this type of relationship with their heavenly Father.

~To help them recognize and develop the gifts and talents the Lord has given them.

~To teach our children to honor and respect others, especially those is leadership positions.

~To live a life that reflects the very nature of who God is.

~To develop within them a true servant's heart, putting before themselves the needs of others.

~To teach them to engage the world for Christ

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays

Jesus is the only way to live!

Psalm Friday

Golden Nuggets of Truth

Psalm Friday

Psalm 16

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 16 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.


A Psalm of David often referred to by scholars as a “Golden Psalm”; a Psalm full of the richness of the treasures of God. Let’s jump right in to see what golden nuggets of truth God has awaiting us today.

1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to You for refuge.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You.”
3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.
5 Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.
6 The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
7 I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.
9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
10 For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your Holy One to rot in the grave.
11 You will show Me the way of life, granting Me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.
Psalm 16:1-11, NLT

This psalm has something of David in it, but much more of Christ. David begins by expressing his devotion to God and ends with great confidence in a future resurrection which must be applied to Christ, to Him only, and not to David, himself. Both Peter (Acts 2:22-28) and Paul (Acts 13:36) attribute David’s writing to be speaking of the coming Christ. David, because he was but a man died, and was buried, and saw corruption (a decaying of the physical body). Jesus Christ, because He was God, died, and was buried, but saw no corruption; instead He was raised from the grave.

Let’s divide this Psalm into two sections.

Psalm 16:1-7
David speaks of himself as a one who belongs to God and who has placed his totally trust in Him. As a follower of God, David humbles himself under God’s authority and acknowledges that everything he has is a gift from the Lord (verse 2), he dearly loves the people of God (verse 3), he is devoted to the worship of the one and only true God (verse 4), and he is content with what God has chosen to bless him with (verses 5-7).

Psalm 16:8-11
The Lord here is speaking of His resurrection prophetically through David. David is speaking the language of Christ Himself. Scripture, Itself, gives us further evidence that the One spoken of in Psalm 16:8-11 is Christ.

25 King David said this about Him (Jesus): ‘I(Jesus) see that the Lord is always with Me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside Me. 26 No wonder My heart is glad, and My tongue shouts His praises! My body rests in hope. 27 For You will not leave My soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. 28 You have shown Me the way of life, and You will fill Me with the joy of your presence.’ Acts 2:25-28, NLT

Jesus Christ was called upon do something that my human mind can hardly fathom. God summoned Jesus to leave His throne in heaven, take on human flesh, walk among a sin-sick, hurting people, show love and kindness to a people who would rather spit on Him than look at Him, allow those He came to serve to beat Him beyond recognition, mock Him by placing on His head a crown of thorns, nail Him to a cross, and stab a spear in His side. Through all the pain that was inflicted on Him, His heart was glad; He rejoiced in the task that God had set before Him. Why? Because He knew that God would never leave His side. He knew that the pain He would suffer would only be temporary. Jesus knew His death would not be the end but only the beginning an abundant life. He knew that His death equaled life. Christ was rewarded for His obedience to God; He was granted the pleasure of being in the presence of God forever. Not only was He granted this reward, but because of His obedience we are also able to experience the joy of living in God’s presence for eternity.

Questions to Answer- Thoughts to Ponder
*Have you placed your total trust in God? Have you humbled yourself under His authority?
*Do you give Him all praise and glory for all that you have? Do you acknowledge that without Him you would be nothing and have nothing?
*Do you love ALL of God’s people? Do you encourage others along in their journeys with God?
*Are you worshipping God, corporately and personally, for who He is?
*Are you content with where God has you right now and what He has you doing?

God called Jesus to a huge task. Jesus never questioned God or complained. He totally, 100% obeyed. Even though the task He was called too was going to be extremely painful and require sacrifice, He walked down the road God set before Him because He knew His obedience would please His Father.
*What is God calling you to do? It may be as simple as setting aside more time in your day to spend with Him? Are you willing to sacrifice whatever needs to be given up in order to please your Father?
*Are you ready to live out the abundant life Jesus died for in order for you to have?

Oh Father, my desire is to walk the path that You have set before me with joy and gladness in my heart. I want to please You in all that I do. I know that there are going to be times when it will painful to obey and times when it will require me to give up my selfish wants. Give me the strength I need to be the woman You have called me to be. Help me to see that there is nothing more important than You and our time together. I love you and praise You today. Amen.

Givin' God some Glory!!!

Today I am givin' God some glory and praise. My man and I are celebrating 9 years of marriage. The Lord has always had His hand on our marriage, but we haven't always allowed Him to be our marriage. For years we struggled and we struggled hard. At one point in our marriage divorce papers had been filed and the end was inevitable. Praise God we had family and friends on their knees fighting for our marriage.

A few months ago I was leading a Bible Study on the fruit of the Spirit. The week we discussed what is means to possess agape love, God's love, the Lord promoted me to get out my wedding invitation. He and I went on a little journey back through my years of marriage. As I sat and read our invitation the verse we had included brought me to tears.

"Love knows no limit to its endurance,

no end to its trust.

Love still stands

when all else has fallen."

1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Yes, our marriage has been rocky. It's been hard. But, God's love for us as individuals and as a couple has never ceased to be. Nothing in and of ourselves was keeping the two of us together, but God had a plan for our lives. In His infinte wisdom He brought us together and what God brings together no thing nor person can tear apart. Today, God is our marriage. He is our Rock and He is our love for each other. Our desire is to share with others that there is absolutely nothing too big for God. If God can heal this marriage, He can do the same for yours. He so loves you and desires to shine through your life and marriage.

So, today, to my man I honor you. You have been a beautiful picture to me of God's love for His church. I am so thankful that God brought us together and kept us together. You are a wonderful father and my best friend. I look forward walking hand-in-hand with you through this journey that God has set before us. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

Why "Good Friday"?

How could today, the day of Jesus' death, be called "Good Friday"? Why would such a title be given to a day filled with hatred, beatings, blood, pain, and lose of life? One reason...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever belives in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

It was all because He loved you!

Psalm Friday

A "Q & A" Gathering

Psalm Friday

Psalm 15

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 15 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

Grab yourselves a cup of coffee and let’s gather around for a time of “Q & A” on this Psalm Friday. Psalm 15 presents a summary of what God expects from His people. The question for our discussion today is “Who is good enough to meet with God?” (verse 1). The answer to this question is rather interesting; instead of giving a list of do’s and don’ts, this psalm describes godliness in terms of one’s character. The qualities of the person who is able to meet with God extend to issues of integrity and honesty, our relationships with others, and the way we handle our money.

This Psalm shows that we should approach worship not only in terms of our inward, personal needs, but also in light of our outward, public responsibilities. It also shows that religion is a matter of character as well as conduct.

I’d like for you to read this Psalm out of the New Living Translation today.

1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.

Many people would like to enjoy a close, personal relationship with God. But such intimacy begins with a lifestyle of integrity, of purity, of wholeness; found in a heart that has first been cleansed of the dirtiness of sin and now is being daily sanctified by the living Word of God. David lists several criteria for assessing one’s character. How does your life compare? Are you a person of integrity?

The person of integrity…
1. Obeys God.
2. Does right.
3. Speaks the truth.
4. Does not spread gossip.
5. Treats others fairly.
6. Does not say cruel things.
7. Honor those who worship the Lord, not the ungodly.
8. Keeps his word, even when is hurts.
9. Does not lend money charging unfair interest.
10. Does not take bribes.

How about you? How does your life compare to the person of integrity found in Psalm 15?
1. Who are you committed to? Are you out to honor the Lord or to serve yourself?
2. What is the end result of your work? Are you doing everything as unto the Lord?
3. Are you in the habit of telling “little white lies’ when it is beneficial to you?
4. Do you tear down others behind their back in order to “fit in” with the people you are with?
5. How do you treat others? Do you believe in doing unto others before they do unto you?
6. Where does your loyalty lie?
7. What is the character of those you hang around with? What is their attitude toward God and the things of God?
8. Are you trustworthy and reliable? Do you follow through with what you say you are going to do or is there always a question as to whether you will do what you say you will do?
9. Do you make it harder or easier for those less fortunate to gain the resources to provide for themselves? Are you greedy with what God has blessed you with?
10. What would it take to get you to compromise your integrity?

Something important to note about one’s character is that your character is what you do and who you are when no one is watching. Our character is different from our reputation. To have a character of integrity means that we are pure before the Lord; our hearts are right before Him. When our hearts are pure before God then our reputation is going to reflect that. As a child of the King, true character should be one of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This lifestyle should be evident to all those around us; it should be evident by the way we treat others in our lives.

Oh, God may we be found as a persons of integrity. May our hearts be pure before you so that Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control will shine forth from our lives.

Hosanna

"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!
Hosanna in the highest."
Matthew 21:9, NKJV

You are all invited...

You are all invited to join me as we open God's Word to find out how to become the virtuous women God has called us to be. Come be a part of "The Virtuous Woman: Shattering the Superwoman Myth" study written by author and conference speaker by Vicki Courtney.

Where: Faith Baptist Church, 249 Holden Rd, Youngsville, NC 27596- Room 3210

When: Wednesday, March 19, 2008- Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Time: 6:30 pm- 8:00 pm

Cost: $10.00

Childcare is available.

If you would like more information or would like to sign up, email me at bhgm@embarqmail.com. Don't miss out on this opportunity to dig into God's Word with other sisters in Christ. Looking forward to seeing you there. Blessings!

Green Means Go!

I spent the better part of the day in the doctor’s office. I have one child who has a cold and pink eye and the baby has a cold, pink eye, and a double ear infection. We made a stop at the pharmacy on the way home, got everyone’s prescriptions filled, ran through the drive through at Chick-fil-a because chicken nuggets always make everything better, and headed home for an afternoon of rest. The two sick babies took very good naps while my oldest daughter and I studied for her state testing that’s just around the corner. I must admit that part of me likes it when my kiddos are sick; not the fact that they don’t feel well, but when they’re sick, this momma has the opportunity to sit and cuddle with them; other times I can’t even get them to stop and give me a kiss- they are just too busy.

Anyway…my man came home and I left to go meet the young girl I’m mentoring. I was so looking forward to it today. We meet at a local Starbucks; I can’t think of anything that goes better with a little Bible Study than a Grande White Chocolate Carmel Mocha extra hot- can I get an AMEN! As I waited in line for my coffee the barista (isn’t that what they’re called?) asked me if I’d had a good St. Patrick’s Day. “Today is St. Patrick’s Day. Huh. I didn’t even remember what number day it was, much less the fact that it’s St. Patrick’s Day,” I replied. So much has been going on in my life lately that I do good just to remember my name.

As I sat there with my fireball of a young girl who I do believe would tackle the gates of hell all by herself with a water gun- this girl is mighty warrior in God’s army, she loves her some Jesus!!- anyway, as I sat there I kept thinking about St. Patrick’s Day. The luck of the Irish. The four leaf clover. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Green. You know- all the signs and symbols of what the day represents. God kept saying to me, “Green means go!” “Green means go!” Well, now everywhere I looked, I saw green. I guess now that I was aware it was St. Patrick’s Day, the green just stood out to me or maybe it was the fact that God had previously blinded my eyes to it because He had a lesson to teach me. My world had suddenly turned green. As I drove home that night the radio station I was listening to was having listeners call in telling what they had worn in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. And, can you believe that every stop light I came to was, you guessed it, GREEN! “Ok, Lord. What are you trying to tell me? I get the fact that green means go. Is there somewhere You are wanting me to go?”

God then began to bring to my mind Godly men and women who had obeyed Him completely when He told them to go. I thought of Noah. God told him to go build an ark and he went, no questions asked. Abraham. God told him to leave his homeland; Abraham packed his belongings and left. God also told Abraham to go to the land of Moriah and offer his precious son, Isaac, as a burnt offering to the Lord; Abraham went. God told Moses to go lead His children out from under the bondage of the Egyptians; Moses went. God paved the way for Esther to become queen in order to save His people; when the time came, she walked down the road God had set before her. Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. She gladly and with open arms embraced the calling God had placed on her life. Jesus, called to go to earth to live among a sinful people. Jesus called to go take a message of hope to a people who had no hope. Jesus called to go to the cross in order to bring salvation to a people who were dying without a Savior. The disciples called to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. God said go and they all went.
God has called each of us to go into the world and do the thing He’s called us to do. Your go and my go probably don’t look the same, but all of our goes are vital to the growth of the body of Christ. All of our goes are of equal importance and God has chosen those goes especially for each of us.

Living out the Word
What is your go? What is it that God has called you to go and do for Him? Are you doing it? Are you living out the life God has called you to? If you aren’t living out your “go”, what is it that’s stopping you? In order for the body of Christ to function properly we all need to be living out our calling. It’s time we stop lolly-gagging around and get goin’. It’s go time, sisters!

“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part in honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-26, NLT

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays

My friend Amy over at Signs, Miracles, and Wonders is hosting "Then Sings My Soul Saturdays". You can read all about it by clicking on her link. I choose to share with you all a post that I originally posted a few weeks ago. This song has meant so much to me lately. The name of the song is "Vision of You" by Shane and Shane. You can read the post here.



I hope this song is a blessing to you all. See you next Saturday!

Psalm Friday

Dancing with Foolishness?

"Psalm of the Day"

Psalm 14

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 14 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

Mankind, by himself, cannot seek after God because man is corrupt, evil, and full of sin. This Psalm is a picture of a people who have turned their backs on their Creator and are running as hard as they can away from Him. The joy of Psalm 14 is that God loves all peoples, desires to know them personally, and has provided a way to be re-united with His people.

As I read this Psalm, I couldn’t help but remember the many times in my life that I ran in the opposite direction of my Creator. Times when I was foolish and chose to do things my way. There have been times when I have lived like there was no God. And the sad thing is, these times didn’t just affect me, they affected all those around me. The Lord brought one particular occasion to mind as I’ve studied through this Psalm.

I was somewhere I should not have been doing something I should not have been doing. There was a girl there I had never in my life met before; I knew nothing about her; didn’t even know her name. But, she knew me. She knew my name and she knew that I claimed to be a child of God. She had an expectation in her mind as to how I was supposed to be acting or not acting. Sadly, I must admit to you that I was not at all representing a Holy God that night. I was dancing with foolishness. I remember her coming up to me and saying something to me that for as long as I live I will never forget- this is what she said, “You’re that preacher’s daughter, aren’t you? You believe in God and go to church, right? You’re gonna have to go to church on Sunday and repent of what you’re doing tonight, huh!?!” To this day I couldn’t tell you who she was, but I will never forget what she said to me; her words will be with me forever and I will always regret the impression I made on her. I might have been the only Jesus this girl ever saw. My foolishness could have cost her her eternity with God. The fact that I had chosen to turn my back on God and do what was right in my own eyes brought great shame to God that night. This girl was a precious child of God with whom He desired to have a personal relationship. Instead of being used by God to help bring this precious one closer to Him, my actions probably pushed her farther away. Total foolishness. Absolute selfishness. Complete arrogance.

Praise the Lord, God delivered me from my foolishness and has allowed me to serve Him. There is nowhere else in this world I would rather be than where I am right now. God has rescued me from a deep pit of sin and shame and has set my feet upon a rock and I will praise Him for the rest of my days. He has broken the chains of the enemy and I am no longer held captive to sin.

God desires with all His heart to have a personal relationship with you. He so wants to free you from the grip the enemy has on you. The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ provided the way for you and I to have a relationship with God. Because of the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross, God enables sinners to turn back to Him. Let me lay it out for you this way:

You and I were created for a meaningful, personal relationship with God; a relationship of peace. "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:36-38

But there was and still is a problem...sin.

*All of us are sinners and our sin separates us from God. Sin is anything that is contrary to God’s Word. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

*The punishment for sin is death. This death is not a physical death but a spiritual one that separates us from God. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

*God's solution is Jesus...God sent Jesus to earth to be the atonement for our sins. "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1, 14

*Jesus died in our place to pay the penalty for our sins & He rose again. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." 1 Peter 3:18

Because of what Jesus did...

*God offers eternal life as a free gift—it is not earned or deserved. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

*You can receive eternal life by believing in Jesus alone. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

*How can you have life as God intended? Understanding that Jesus is God and deserves control of your life and recognizing that He died in your place so that you could be forgiven, you must trust in Jesus Christ as your only hope of heaven. "Most assuredly I say to you, whoever believes in Me has everlasting life." John 6:47

Questions to Answer- Thoughts to Ponder
Are you dancing with foolishness? Are you living your life as if there is no God? Does the enemy still have a tight grip on you?

Christ paved the way for you to have a personal relationship with a Holy God. Will you accept His gift for you today or are you going to continue to live according to your own plan? Take it from me, your plan is nothing compared to what He has waiting for you. God has blessings beyond measure awaiting His precious children.

Is the way you are living your life drawing others to God or pushing them away from Him?
How you live your life today affects all those around you; even the people you don’t know who know you!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7

**If you accepted the free gift God has for you today, I would love to hear about it and rejoice with you. I’m praying for all of you. Much love!

Update on my friend

Let me start out by saying thank you all so much for praying for my friends who were in the motorcycle accident. You will never know how much it means to me knowing that I have sisters out there praying for these precious people. We are so very blessed to be a part of the family of God! I can't begin to imagine going through this life without sisters (and brothers, if you're out there) like you all.

As of now, the doctors are planning on starting to slowly wean her off the meds either tomorrow or Saturday and begin waking her up. Please, please pray that all goes well with this and that she wakes up without any trouble. Please continue to pray for her healing and complete recovery. Also, please keep her husband, two girls, and baby boy in your prayers.

Thanks again for lifting this family up in your prayers.

Make sure to come by tomorrow for Psalm Friday.

Love and blessings to all of you.

A God-filled Monday

When my alarm clock went off yesterday at its normal time, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of my nice comfy, warm, soft bed. Loosing that hour of sleep the night before really messed me up. Who came up with the crazy idea in the first place?- changing the time and all- for the love of sleep, give us a break! Anyway… After hitting snooze for, uh…say…30 minutes or so, I finally rolled out of bed only to find that the coffee pot had decided to sleep in as well- ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

While the coffee brewed I grabbed my Bible and my journal and began my prayer time with the Lord. What an awesome time of praise and worship to my Father it was. I ended my prayer time asking the Lord to give me opportunities to serve Him that day and to recognize those opportunities when He presented them to me. I was able to spend a lot of time in the Word and drink a whole cup of coffee before it got cold, because the kiddos didn’t wake up until 8:30- well, I guess for their internal time clocks it was really 7:30, but since the time change it was now 8:30- AHHHHHH! I can’t stand time change! However, the Lord knew I would need some extra time with Him to prepare me for the day that was to come.

As I heard everyone begin squirming in their beds, I closed up my Bible and journal and began preparing for the day. Breakfast was cooking, laundry was in the wash, the kids were up doing their chores, and then the phone rang. It was the husband of a couple in our Sunday School class.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hey. This is ___________,” he said.

“Well, good morning. How are you this morning?”

All he could say was, “We need ya’ll to pray.”

“Absolutely,” I replied, “what’s going on?”

He begins weeping. I can’t understand a word he’s saying. He gives the phone to his sister. She explains to me that he and his wife were in a motorcycle accident the night before and the wife is still in the hospital unconscious and not doing well at all. My thoughts immediately go back to my prayer time with the Lord earlier in the morning- “Lord give me opportunities to serve You today and recognize them when they come.” Here was my opportunity to serve the Lord and my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“I’ll be right there,” I said. I hung up the phone, gathered my children together and told them that God had just given us a chance to serve Him today and to serve some people who had been hurt very badly. I explained to them that mommy needed to go to the hospital today and they were going to stay with a friend. Thanks so much to my friend who graciously opened her home up to my three kids for the day! You totally rock!

While I was getting ready to go to the hospital and as I drove there, the only thing I could pray was “God work.” “God work.” “God work.” I had taken a class in college that required us to do a brief internship at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola Florida where we were to serve as on-call chaplains. My mind was racing through all the things you are suppose to say and all the things you are not suppose to say. Mentally I was prepared for this visit; I was ready for God to work through me, or so I thought. I guess it’s different when you actually know the person who is the patient. I went into her room, walked up to her bed, and softly spoke to her while rubbing her arm. I don’t know if she heard me, but I told her I loved her very much and began praying over her. The thoughts in my head were spinning around so fast. Again, the only thing I could pray was “God work.” I spoke with her husband for a few moments and then left to run some errands for them and fix a snack basket for them to have at the hospital.

I sat in my van for a long time in the hospital parking lot just numb. I was very tempted to get angry and question God. When something like this happens I don’t think we are ever fully prepared. But, all day long God kept saying to me, “Remember where we’ve been lately- all the things I’ve shown you about clinging to Me and praising Me in the storms?” “Yes, Lord, I remember.” “This is the reason why, precious child. I’ve been preparing you for this moment. It’s time for you to cling to Me, serve your brothers and sisters, and most of all to praise Me. Praise Me in this storm, because I am in control. I know what’s best.”

I must admit to you, I don’t understand it. I don’t know what the future holds for this precious couple, but I know the One who holds the future. My God, your God, their God- Jehovah Rapha, the God who Heals is holding all of us right now in the palm of His mighty hand working all things for His glory.

So today Lord, we will praise You with our whole heart. We will tell of Your marvelous works. In the midst of this storm we will be glad and rejoice for You are Almighty God. We will sing praises to You, El Elyon, the Most High God. We will bless Your name, O Lord. (Psalm 9:1 &2)

Psalm Friday

Sorrow is but for a Moment!

"Psalm of the Day"

Psalm 13

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 13 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

Psalm 13 is written by David during an occasion unknown to his readers. It is a Psalm with references to the re-occurring trials a believer will face. We must remember that sorrows and trials are only for a moment, for joy will come in the morning. I found this song recently and I’d like to share it with you.

Psalm 13
How long O Lord will you forget me forever
How long must You hide Your face from me
How long shall my enemies triumph over me?

Chorus:
But I will trust in Your unfailing love
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation
I will sing praise to my Lord
for He has been good to me!

How long must I wrestle my thoughts
And everyday have sorrow in my heart
How long shall my enemies triumph over me?

Chorus:
But I will trust in Your unfailing love
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation
I will sing praise to my Lord
for He has been good to me!

Look on me and answer O Lord my God
Give light to my eyes
Or I shall sleep in death
How long shall my enemies triumph over me?

Chorus:
But I will trust in Your unfailing love
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation
I will sing praise to my Lord
for He has been good to me!

My enemies will say "I have overcome him"
And my foes shall rejoice when I fall
How long shall my enemies triumph over me?

Chorus:
But I will trust in Your unfailing love
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation
I will sing praise to my Lord
for He has been good to me

Chorus:
But I will trust in Your unfailing love
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation
I will sing praise to my Lord
for He has been good to me!

by Misty Melody

Questions to Answer- Thoughts to Ponder
Do you have sorrow in your heart daily? What is the cause of it? Feelings of being defeated by the enemy? Unbelief? Sin? Trials? Feelings that the presence of the Lord has left you?

What can cure our sorrow?
*Pull up a chair to God’s table and feast on His Word.
*Cling to His promises.
*Walk with Jesus hand-in-hand.
*Exercise yourself in the good works of God; pray.
*Avoid all that is unhealthy for your soul.



Precious one, remember that God does not forget His people. Help will come to us in His time and in His way- in the meantime, know that He is working all things for our good.

Train up a Child

1 Samuel 1:19b-28

In time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy whom she named Samuel. Samuel is a Hebrew name meaning “heard by God”. How fitting that his name was called Samuel; his mother had poured out her soul to the LORD, He heard her cries and blessed her with a son. Ladies, here is absolute proof that God does hear our prayers. When Hannah prayed to the LORD for this child, she promised that if He would grant her a male son, she would give this son back to Him and that the child would be a Nazirite. In Hannah’s giving her son back to the Lord, she didn’t just mean for a specified time frame or when he turned 18 and was ready to go out on his own. Hannah meant to give her child to the LORD when he was weaned from her, around age 2 or 3 years of age, and her gift to the LORD would be for a lifetime. Whoa! Can you imagine promising God to give Him your precious child at age 2 or 3?

I can just picture Hannah rocking this baby, the one whom she had prayed fervently for, whispering in his little ears that he was going to do mighty things for the LORD. I can see her at night leaning over his cradle praying God’s protection over his life. As they took walks, I can hear her telling little Samuel about the God who created the beautiful world around them and telling him that he was going to have the privilege to serve God all the days of his life. During playtime, I just imagine she told him that God was going to make him very, very strong; a mighty warrior in the King’s army. I can see her teaching those little knees to kneel in reverence and honor of the One who granted him life.

Two to three years. Not a long time, but long enough for God to work in the heart of Hannah, preparing her for the day she would present her son to Eli the priest and to the LORD. When the time came Hannah, with the strength found only in the Lord, made her way to Shiloh to the house of the LORD. She brought with her three bulls, and ephah of flour, and a skin of wine to offer to the LORD. According to Numbers 15:8-10, these items were to be sacrificed in fulfillment of a vow. Hannah brought all three in a larger measure than what was required of her. She brought little Samuel with her and together they presented this offering to the LORD. Not only did Hannah offer her sacrifice to the LORD, but she presented her son, Samuel, as an offering to Eli and ultimately to God. Hannah had prayed for so long for God to give her a son and now she is willing giving him back to the Giver of all blessings.

What strength, what faith, what love, we see in the heart of this mother for her child. Samuel was a precious gift God had blessed her with, but not only that, in Hannah’s eyes, he was a precious gift she could offer to her God. For the two or three years Hannah had the privilege to care for her son one on one, she made a huge impact on him. Hannah taught little Samuel about faith in God, about sacrifice, and unconditional love. Hannah used the time she had with him to begin preparing him for service to the Lord. God, most likely, isn’t going to ask us to take our children to the church and leave them there to be raised by the pastors (although there have been times when the thought has crossed my mind J), but we must give them to God in other, equally important ways. God has big plans for our children and it’s our job to begin now preparing them for what He has in store for them. Hannah made a vow to the LORD and when the time came she fulfilled her vow with a mother’s sacrifice.

Questions to Answer- Thoughts to Ponder
What are you doing to prepare your children for service to God? Are you teaching them to turn to God with everything? Are you teaching them to respect and honor God in all things? Are you praying God’s will for their lives? Are you teaching them to see God’s hand in all things?

We have a huge responsibility to God, who gave us these precious treasures, to lead them to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6, NKJV

How do You Start Your Day?

"Then they rose early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD,

and returned and came to their house at Ramah."

1 Samuel 1:19a, NKJV

Elkanah and Hannah are at the House of the Lord. They have risen early in order to worship the Lord before they begin their journey home. It was important for them to rise early and spend time with the Lord before starting their day.

*How do you start your day?
*Do you refuse to do anything before you spend time with the Lord?

Elkanah and Hannah had a busy, hard day ahead of them. They had to travel around twenty miles by foot or with a donkey, from Shiloh, where they had come to offer sacrifices and worship the Lord, back to their home in Ephraim. Who knows how early they needed to get started on this journey- yet they still chose to rise earlier to worship the Lord.

Hmmmmm…..
When are schedules are jammed packed with meetings starting at 8 am sharp, home schooling the kids, dance class, soccer practice, laundry that needs to be done, dinner that has to be made, etc…- do we rise before the dawning of the sun, eager and with joy in our hearts ready to praise the very One who gave us the day? Or, do we say, “Yes, Lord, I do want to spend time with You, but right now, I’ve got to get all this other stuff done. Tonight, we’ll spend more time together.” There have been times in my relationship with the Lord that I’ve put off spending time with Him, only to find myself completely out of His perfect will for my life. Christ was beaten, spat upon, speared in His said, and nailed to a cross so that you and I could spend time with the Father. When we choose to watch TV, surf the net, hand out with friends, veg out on the couch instead of spending time with God, we might as well slap Christ in the face and tell Him that His work on the cross means nothing to us. I don’t mean to sound harsh- then again, maybe I do- it’s time we stop tiptoeing around trying not to offend someone and speak the truth of God’s Word (in love, of course). So, in love I say to you (God already worked this over on my own heart)- you and I can make all the excuses in the world we want to for not spending time with the Lord. And you know what? They are exactly that- excuses. I’ve come to realize that we will make time for those things in our lives that are important to us. “But, you just don’t understand how busy my life is”, you may be saying. Yea, I may not understand, but this is what I do understand- just like Elkanah and Hannah faced a long, hard journey that day to travel back home- you and I, my friend, face a long, hard journey back home and without God by our side we will never make it. We’ve got to be in His Word and in conversation with Him to know how we are to walk through this life on our way home.

Living out the Word
*Make time with the Lord a priority in your life.
*Set aside a specific time every day when you can get to know your Father a little more.
*Follow a simple plan. Spend time reading the Word and talking to the Lord.

For a more detailed plan on how to spend time with the Lord, check out howtohaveadailyquiettime.blogspot.com.

Don’t allow anything to take God’s place in your life. Rise and worship Him.