By His Grace

WE HAVE MOVED!!

2010-06-23T09:42:00.001-04:00

BY HIS GRACE AND IN HIS WORD MINISTRIES HAS MOVED!!!

PLEASE JOIN US HERE!!

Exemplify Online- May 2010

2010-05-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

"In those days, much like our day in age, there where lines…dividing lines that placed families, friends, and acquaintances on opposing sides. Religion divided. Race divided. Social status divided. Gender divided. Marital status divided. Differences of opinion divided. And on and on the list could grow. Very seldom would one find these differing parties conversing with one another, unless it was to debate an issue or try a man, as was the case with Jesus.

As children of the Most High God, saved by His grace alone, this same commission is given to us this very day. God is calling us to go into our neighbors, our communities, our workplaces, our schools, our churches, our homes for the sole purpose of making new disciples. He is calling us to cross over those racial lines, gender lines, socio-economic status lines, those lines of religion and differing of opinions and share His message of hope and healing. He is calling us to flesh out our faith in Him by stepping out of our comforts zones, opening up our mouths and letting His message of healing flow from our lips." (Crossing Over the Lines that Divide, by Jenifer Jernigan, Exemplify Online Magazine, May 2010, pages 48-50)

To read "Crossing Over the Lines that Divide" in it's entirety and many more wonderful articles, hop on over to Exemplify. This month's theme...faithfulness.

In His Word Bible Study

2010-04-27T10:15:00.004-04:00

For all of you local Raleigh, North Carolina ladies out there looking for something to do tonight, I'd like to invite you to In His Word Bible Study. Tonight we are wrapping up our study of "God...who are You & what can You do for me? Getting to Know the Almighty God".

For meeting times and location, please contact me at jenifer@byhisgraceministry.com

Hope to see you all there!!

Live in Freedom!

2010-04-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

"I have been entangled by the ropes of death. Not physically speaking, but there was a time in my life that the enemy had such a strong hold over me that my spiritual death was imminent. I had literally nowhere to go, no person to cry out to except God Almighty. It was either cry out to the only One who could breathe life back into my dying soul or close my eyes and give up. I was worn out and in no condition to continue fighting the enemy..."

Join me today as I serve it up at the Cafe!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 10

2010-04-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us today as we wrap up our study

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?" Session 10.

And now...

2010-04-14T09:28:00.003-04:00

back to our bloggin' break!!!!!!!!!!!! **smile**

She Speaks 2010...another scholarship opportunity

2010-04-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

"She Speaks is a life-changing conference for women of every generation seeking to explore the tug on her heart to reach out to the world for Jesus. Through She Speaks, Proverbs 31 Ministries encourages and equips women who are called by God to share our mission to bring God’s peace, perspective and purpose to today’s busy woman. Sharing God’s truth with love is not only a holy calling but a remarkable responsibility. We believe by equipping women to become more effective at sharing the Word of God, we multiply our efforts to reach a hurting world with the life-transforming hope of Jesus." (www.shespeaksconference.com)

Would you love to attend She Speaks 2010, but don't have the extra funds this year? Glynnis Whitwer is hosting an awesome scholarship giveaway over at her blog Welcome Home!! Be sure to hop on over and check it out!!!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 9

2010-04-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 9 download,
a video covering material for your ninth week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

We Interrupt this Bloggin' Break...

2010-04-10T15:23:00.006-04:00

We gladly interrupt this bloggin' break to announce the winner of "This Little Prayer of Mine" by Anthony DeStefano.

Drumroll please...and the winner of "This Little Prayer of Mine" by Anthony DeStefano is... Kerri from Mommy4Him.

Kerri email me your address and I'll get this wonderful treasure of a book out to you for your family to enjoy.

If you were not the winner, you can purchase a copy of "This Little Prayer of Mine" here.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

And now... back to our bloggin' break. See ya real soon!!!!!

Bloggin' Break

2010-04-08T06:00:00.002-04:00

But, in the meantime...

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a copy of "This Little Prayer of Mine" by Anthony DeStefano. You can get your name in the drawing HERE.

Your last chance to enter the giveaway will be Friday midnight (EST), April 16, 2010. One winner will be randomly selected and announced right here Saturday, April 17, 2010.

Some VERY Yummy Snacks!!

2010-04-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

So...I've been in the kitchen lately fixin' up some yummy snacks for the fam. Take a look...

Peanut Butter & Other Stuff Granola Bars
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1 stick butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. quick-cooking oats
1/4 c. sunflower kernels
1/4 c. raisins
3 tbsp. wheat germ
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, honey, butter, and vanilla.

Stir in the oats, wheat germ, sunflower kernels,

and all the other yummy stuff.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Line a 15 x 10 in. cookie sheet (that has sides) with parchment paper.

Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Press granola mixture firmly onto cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely and then cut into bars.

Now...let me tell you the REAL beauty of this fabulous granola bar...you can add anything to it that your little heart so desires. I've added almonds, peanuts, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried cherries, etc...add whatever you like and enjoy!

Almond Honey Granola

3 c. quick-cooking oats

1 c. silvered almonds

1/4 c. wheat germ

6 tbsp. honey

6 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. applesauce

2 tbsp. warm water

1/2 tsp. salt

a handful of golden raisins, or sunflower seeds,

or dried cranberries, or dried blueberries, or dried cherries,

or cashews, or ... get the picture...

you can add anything to this granola that you'd like

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet that has sides with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, almonds, wheat germ, and any other nuts you'd like.

In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, brown sugar, applesauce, water, and salt.

Pour the liquid over the oat and nut mixture, and stir until evenly coated. Spread out on the cookie sheet. If you want some chunks of granola, squeeze small handfuls into little clumps.

Bake for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes so that the granola does not burn. After the granola is done cooking, mix in raisins, or dried cranberries, etc. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

My kids LOVE this for breakfast!!

Beef Jerky

2-3 lbs. Veal cutlets

1 c. Dales Marinade

1/4 c. Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

couple of squirts of lime juice

couple of shakes of garlic salt

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

Place meat in a Ziploc bag. Mix all ingredients together. Pour over meat. Let marinade for about 2 hours. Place in dehydrator. Set dehydrator according to it's directions for beef jerky.

This one is a winner for my hubby!!!

What kinds of yummy snacks do you and your family chow down on?

This Little Prayer of Mine

2010-04-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

Anthony DeStefano does an excellent job of capturing child-like faith in his new book, “This Little Prayer of Mine.” The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and the content is particularly appealing to this momma who desires for her children to grasp the concept of talking with their heavenly Father. One thing that I greatly appreciate about this wonderful book is the fact that it is a great conversation starter with my children. Each page presents a real life event in which one is able to look to God and rely on Him for strength, protection, guidance, unconditional love, or forgiveness. If you have young children in your life who you desire to see grow in their relationship with their heavenly Father, “This Little Prayer of Mine” is a must have!

And speaking of a must have...would you like your very own copy of "This Little Prayer of Mine"? Yes? Well...I am giving away a copy to one of you, my lovely readers. Just leave a comment on this post sharing some of your favorite children's books that point little one's to God. I'm always looking for great books to add to our library. You can also purchase "This Little Prayer of Mine" over at Random House.

Your last chance to enter the giveaway will be Friday midnight (EST), April 16, 2010. One winner will be randomly selected and announced right here Saturday, April 17, 2010.

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.
Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs
to those who are like these children.”
Matthew 19:14, NLT

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Exemplify Magazine April 2010

2010-04-05T10:00:00.002-04:00

The April issue of Exemplify Magazine is hot off the presses. This month's topic...worship. Go grab yourself a yummy cup of coffee, find a nice comfy place and enjoy!!

"How can we come to know God in more real and intimate ways so that we are able to flesh out our trust in Him? The answer: by digging into His Word and unearthing the beautiful Truths He reveals about Himself." (Excerpt from "Preparing to do His Thang!", Exemplify Magazine, Apr. 2010, Jenifer Jernigan)

To find out how to dig into God's Word on a daily basis check out "Preparing to do His Thang!" on pages 52-55.

"1) The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2) For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3) Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4) Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5) They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob."

Psalm 24:1-6, NLT

BELIEVE!!

2010-04-04T06:00:00.002-04:00

"27) Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands.

Put your hand into the wound in my side.

Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28) “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed."

Gaze upon Him today. Reach out and touch His hand. Don't be without faith.

Believe, for Christ has RISEN!!!!

A New Day is about to Dawn

2010-04-03T16:00:00.003-04:00

"62) On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63) saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64) Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65) Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66) So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard." Matthew 27:62-66, NKJV

The tomb was sealed. The guards were in place. The chief priests and Pharisees thought they had won, BUT...a new day is about to dawn...

picture by James Tissot from Truthbook

Exhaustion

2010-04-02T17:00:00.003-04:00

By 9:00 last night I was completely exhausted. The kids and I had a very, VERY busy day. On our way home from being out and about all day we picked up some Chinese take-out for dinner, came home and munched down on it. Then it was off to bed for the kiddos. After I finished cleaning up the kitchen and tidying up a bit I sat down on the couch to relax. Wanting to get a tad bit more comfortable and relaxed, I stretched out horizontally and covered my feet with the quilt. "Ahhhh, much better," I thought to myself. Flipping through the channels I finally stopped on something that caught my eye. When the next commercial came on I decided to "rest" my eyes for a few minutes.

Well...those few minutes turned into 6 hours. YIKES!!! When I woke up it was 2:00 a.m. Guess I didn't realize just how exhausted I really was.

All day today my mind has been inundated with thoughts about being exhausted.

Webster's Dictionary defines exhaustion as the act or process of drawing off or letting out completely; the process of being emptied by drawing off the contents.

As I thought more and more about exhaustion, I couldn't help but think about the last Friday of Jesus' life here on earth. Talk about exhaustion!! The exhaustion I experienced pales in comparison to what Christ went through that day...

~an intense prayer time in the Garden of Gethsemane yielding to God's will for His life left Him sweating drops of blood

~betrayed by one of the twelve for a mere 30 pieces of silver followed by His being arrested

~trial number 1 under Annas, a former Jewish High Priest and the first physical beating

~trial number 2 under the current Jewish High Priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin and a second beating that leaves Him bloody and bruised

~trial number 3 where it is decided by the Jewish elders, High Priest, scribes, and Sanhedrin to pass Jesus off to the Roman government asking them to kill Him

~trial 4- the Roman Governor Pilate finds no fault in Him

~trial 5- hearing before Herod Antipas- Jesus is questioned but remains silent the entire time refusing to answer any of the questions that are posed to Him- Herod quickly returns Him to Pilate

~trial 6- Pilate tries to release Jesus but Jewish leaders object to His being released- in order to satisfy the Jewish leaders, Pilate has Jesus beaten beyond recognition- this beating is not enough for the Jewish leaders and they demand that He be crucified- Pilate eventually gives in to their requests

~the Roman soldiers take Jesus to the Praetorium where they mock Him, torture Him, and drive a crown of thorns into His head

~Jesus carries His own cross to Calvary where He will willingly allow the soldiers to nail His hands and feet to the tree that He created

~with compassion and love in His heart for His mother, He instructs the beloved John to take care of her

~still desiring to see the lost saved, He prays for those who persecute Him and grants salvation to the thief who hangs beside Him

~into God's hands He commits His spirit and breathes His last breath

Exhaustion. Completely emptied.

From the moment sin entered the world, the process of Christ's emptying out began. God had a plan from the very beginning that His One and Only Son who spill forth His life so that you and I could be brought back into right relationship with Him.

Exhaustion. Only the perfect Lamb who willingly walked down the road to be slaughtered could have withstood all that this day brought forth.

I'm having a hard time today grasping all that Christ went through that day. All that He felt. All that He saw. And the fact that it was all for me (and you). I moan and groan and even get a little grumpy when I don't get enough rest. But, Jesus...there was not a moan or groan within Him. Grumpiness? Nope...only love.

Exhaustion. The act or process of drawing off or letting out completely; the process of being emptied by drawing off the contents.

He was spent.

Completely.

Entirely.

Emptied of His very life so that we could have new life.

That's grace, my friend. That's grace.

That's love.

That's compassion.

That's humble obedience to the Father's plan.

That's our Savior!!

Rejoicing in the Face of Death

2010-04-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

Much occurred on the last Thursday of the Lord's life here on earth.

~The Last Meal Together
Jesus gave specific instructions to Peter and John as to how they were to prepare for the last supper He would have with the disciples. He greeted each of the disciples, including Judas His betrayer, with a kiss of peace as they entered the door of the upper room. Jesus sat around a table with the twelve men who had followed Him faithfully during His earthly ministry. I just imagine they laughed some, shared stories of all they had been through together, and tried their best to understand what was about to happen. Be it a strategic gesture or not, Jesus had Judas sit at His left side which was a place of honor. Was this one last chance for Judas to repent and pledge his undying allegiance to God's precious Son? I would like to think it was.

~Jesus Washed the Feet of the Disciples
At first the disciples wanted nothing to do with Jesus washing their feet. The washing of another's feet was normally done by the lowliest of servants. The disciples would probably have jumped at the opportunity to wash the feet of Jesus, but never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined Jesus washing their feet. This act on the part of Jesus displayed to them His humility and servant's heart. Not only was this a physical act, but it was also symbolic. Jesus washing the feet of His disciples symbolized to them that unless a person be washed and cleansed by the Living Water of life he can have no part in the kingdom of heaven.

~The Institution of the Lord's Supper
The broken bread would be a reminder to the disciples and all Christians of the broken body of Christ. The body of Christ was broken and given as payment for the sins of all mankind. The cup would be a reminder of the blood of Christ that was spilled out for the remission of your sins and mine. It was the blood of the new covenant. Covenants were ratified by the shedding of blood (Exodus 24:8) and the covenant of salvation that Christ was making with believers to come would be authenticated by the blood that would be poured out from His body.

~The Disciples Argue Over Who is the Greatest
Once again Jesus had to settle a dispute among His disciples as to who was the "greatest" among them. All those in the Kingdom of God are important and all have specific roles. These remaining eleven disciples who had walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry would later on be pivotal players in the growth of the church.

Through all the happenings of this day and the inevitable arrest of Jesus that was soon to come, Jesus closed this last supper with His disciples in song (Matthew 26:30). Scholars believe that most likely the hymn they raised their voices in unison to sing was Psalm 118. Today I leave you with those words; and as you read them imagine our Lord and His disciples singing praises to the God above as He faced rejection, great suffering, and death.

1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2) Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."

3) Let the house of Aaron say:

"His love endures forever."

4) Let those who fear the LORD say:

"His love endures forever."

5) In my anguish I cried to the LORD,

and he answered by setting me free.

6) The LORD is with me;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

7) The LORD is with me;

he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

8) It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

9) It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

10) All the nations surrounded me,

but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

11) They surrounded me on every side,

but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
12) They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

13) I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.

14) The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

15) Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

16) The LORD's right hand is lifted high;

the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

17) I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

18) The LORD has chastened me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

19) Open for me the gates of righteousness;

I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

20) This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.

21) I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

you have become my salvation.

22) The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;

23) the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24) This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25) O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.

26) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.

From the house of the LORD we bless you.

27) The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

28) You are my God, and I will give you thanks;

you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1-29, NIV

A Day of Preparation

2010-03-31T06:30:00.000-04:00

"1) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2) The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. 3) And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4) And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5) They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6) So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd."

Luke 22:1-6, NASB

14) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15) and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16) From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 26:14-16, NASB

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, is a very important feast on the Jewish calendar. During this feast (14 Nisan on the Jewish calendar- the corresponding month on our calendar would be March-April) all Jewish men were expected to travel to Jerusalem to celebrated and remember the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity (Exodus 11-12).

There were specific steps that were to be taken in preparing for the Passover Feast. For seven days the members of the home were to only eat unleavened bread. On the first day of the seven day period all leaven was to be completely removed from the home (Exodus 12:14-22). Leaven, known to us as yeast, changed the original form of the bread dough; it added additional ingredients making it impure. For the Passover Feast the bread was to be in it's purest form, that being without the leaven. This was to be a reminder to the people that their ancestors had fled Egypt in haste and were left to eat only unleavened bread.

Keeping in mind that leaven alters the original state of bread, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees...the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:11 & 12). Jesus didn't mean for them not to eat the physical, tangible bread of these religious leaders, but rather to be on guard against their teachings. The Pharisees and Sadducees had added their own set of rules and regulations, and thoughts and ideas to the Scriptures instead of teaching it exactly as it was; they had altered the true meaning of God's Word.

What was overflowing into the attitudes and actions of these religious leaders was a corrupted heart; a heart that had been tainted with evil. The Pharisees and Sadducees had done a good job preparing their homes for the Passover and getting things ready in the temple, but they had forgotten about the most important aspect, their hearts (Matthew 23:25-28). For a while now they had greatly desired to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the picture but had been unable to do so for fear of retaliation from the people. Judas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, would be their answer.

Judas, a man with a tainted heart himself, would betray Christ for a mere thirty pieces of silver. This small sum of money was mere change in comparison to the enormity of the actual price Jesus would later pay. Thirty pieces of silver was the price paid for a slave (Exodus 21:32). Seems rather ironic to me that Jesus, the one who would free us from the bondage of sin, was handed over for the price of a slave.

The plan of the religious leaders was in place. They would pay Judas to deliver Jesus to them and then take His life. But, their time of scheming and preparation would not prepare them for what was to come.

What is the condition of your heart today? Is it tainted with evil like the hearts of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Judas? Are you handing over your time with the Lord for mere change? Are you giving in to the "pleasures" of this world?

Examination of the Passover Lamb

2010-03-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

The last week of Jesus' life here on earth was not glamorous or easy by any stretch of the imagination. Each day brought with it a new challenge and greater pain. Yet each day brought Christ closer to the cross of freedom. Tuesday of this Passover week was no exception.

On this day the enemies of Jesus did their best to "trap" Him with a series of questions. Through the cleansing of the temple and the parables He used as object lessons, Jesus had exposed the evil intentions of the religious leaders and they were out to get Him; they were out for blood. They wanted so badly to trap Him into saying something that they could use to have Jesus arrested.

Beyond the scope of thinking on the part of the religious leaders, there was a much bigger plan for this time of questioning and examination of Christ; it was a God sized plan that their blinded eyes could not see. According to Exodus 12:3-6, each lamb that would be presented as a sacrificial lamb had to be carefully examined in order to make sure there were no blemishes of any kind on him before he was deemed an acceptable sacrifice.

3) "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying,

'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves,

according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household.

4) 'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he

and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according

to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat,

you are to divide the lamb. 5) 'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old;

you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

6) 'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month,

then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.

Exodus 12:3-6, NASB

From the tenth day to the fourteenth day of the month the people were to carefully examine the lamb making sure it would be an acceptable sacrifice. Little did the religious leaders know, Jesus was going to be sacrificed as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world; THE perfect, unblemished sacrifical Lamb.

"The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him and said,

'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' "

John 1:29, NASB

It was all according to God's plan that these religious leaders question Jesus in this public arena. If any fault had been found in Him, He would not have been the perfect sacrifice. They, themselves could find no fault in Him and as we will see, they pass Jesus on to Pilate. Pilate will also find no fault in Jesus and will pass Him on to Herod. Herod will find no fault in Him and send Jesus back to Pilate. And, once again Pilate will find no fault in Christ. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was without fault, without blemish. He was perfect in every way. He was sinless, righteous, holy, and just. He was the only perfect Lamb who could forever free His people from their sins.

The questioning of Christ that day wasn't so the religious leaders could trap Him, the questioning that day was part of God's plan so that all could see that this man, this King, this Lamb was the perfect sacrifice.

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 8

2010-03-29T07:05:00.001-04:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?

Getting to know the Almighty God" session 8 download,

a video covering material for your eighth week's homework,

and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is

and what He can do for us.

Fig Trees & Temple Cleansings

2010-03-29T07:00:00.003-04:00

12) The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13) He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14) Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 15) When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16) and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17) He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” 18) When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching. 19) That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

Mark 11:12-19, NLT

As they left Bethany Jesus was hungry. I always find it intriguing to witness the human side of the Son of God. Here Jesus is fully God, yet fully man at the same time, and His belly ached from hunger pains. Amazing! Notice Mark tells us that Jesus didn't just see the fig tree, observe that it didn't have any fruit hanging from it's branches and keep on walking. Mark tells us that Jesus went over to the fig tree to SEE if He could find any figs on those branches that were blooming forth with leaves. Where there are leaves on the branches of a fig tree, there should also be figs. Instead of finding plump, ripe figs, Jesus found nothing but the appearance of a fruit that should have been there.

This account is significant to us for a number of reasons. Numerous times in the Old Testament the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, are associated with the fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10; Nahum 3:12). Because they didn't get it then, some hundreds of years later, God sent His precious Son to earth the examine the what-should-be fruit of His chosen people, but Israel had failed the test yet again. They had nothing but the "appearance" of being about the business of God. From the root up (Mark 11:20) they were nothing but a rotten, dead people.

Not only were they rotten from the ground up, they were also rotten from the inside out. Upon Jesus' arrival to the temple, He found not a people busy about the work of His Father inside the temple gates, instead He found a people busy about the work of making themselves greater and richer at the expense of the poor and Gentiles. The court of the Gentiles, the only place within the temple gates available to the Gentile people, a perfect hub for the evangelization of the lost, had been made into a religious marketplace where Jews were exchanging monies and buying sacrifices. These market places were being run by, non-other, than the priests themselves who were benefiting largely from the buying and selling of these goods.

God's temple had become a "den of thieves" (Jeremiah 7:11). According to Campbell Morgan, a "den of thieves" is a place where thieves run to hide after they have committed their wicked deeds. The priests inside the temple were using the "religious services" of the temple to cover up their own personal sins.

Jesus would no longer stand to see His Father's house mocked and blasphemed. He over turned the money changers tables and the seats of those who were selling the doves (Matthew 21:12) and immediately went about His Father's business. Jesus began healing the lame and the blind and ministering to the poor and needy. He taught the Word of God to the people, offering to them the sustenance that would enable their roots to grow deep and strong.

The chief priests and elders of the temple questioned His authority. Jesus in turn questioned them about their authority to question Him; don't you just love it when He does that!?!. The priests and elders tried to trap Him, but He would not be trapped by man. His time had not yet come and so nothing they could say or do would hinder Jesus from being about His Father's business. When the time would come, they would still not be able to "trap" Him, instead He would give His life over to them willingly and without regret.

If Jesus were to examine your "fruit" today what would He find? Would He find fruit that's healthy and growing because it's roots are firmly plant in the Word of God? Or would He find a lot of "leaves" that appear to be bringing forth much fruit but instead, upon closer look, yield nothing but a few rotten pieces of shriveled up fruit?

What about your heart? Is it in need of a temple cleansing? Are there some "tables" in your life that need to be turned over so that you can be about your Father's business?

A Triumphal Entry & A Weeping Savior

2010-03-28T22:00:00.001-04:00

28) After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29) As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30) “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31) If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32) So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33) And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 34) And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35) So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. 36) As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37) When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. 38) “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” 39) But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” 40) He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” 41) But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42) “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43) Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44) They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”

Luke 19:28-44, NLT

I spent some time today reading through each of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' triumphal entry. Luke's record of this day stands out most to me. Why? Because Luke, I believe, captures the broken heart of the Savior for His people. Luke is the only one who tells us that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. The tears Jesus shed as He looked upon Jerusalem didn't slowly trickle down His face, rather the tears streamed from His eyes as He mourned over this city like one who would wail over the loss of a loved one.

It didn't matter which direction Jesus looked, He found reason for mourning. Looking back over His time with this people, He mourned because they missed the opportunity to know their Savior on earth. Looking within the hearts of the people, He saw that they were spiritually blinded. The way had been prepared for His coming through messengers and the message of the Word, but their hearts had failed to see.

There was religious activity all around Jesus. People everywhere were celebrating with feasts but had no idea why. The religious leaders of the day were out to kill Him. The temple, God's dwelling place, had become nothing more than a "den of thieves". And, looking ahead, Jesus saw the judgment that was to come upon this people whom He loved.

Jesus wept because the very people He came to save did not even recognize their Savior was among them. He walked down their streets and ate at their tables. He healed the blind and made the lame to walk. He raised the dead and the deaf He made to hear. Jesus performed miracle after miracle after miracle and yet they never really got it. They were looking for an earthly king who would come and rule the nations, not a Savior who wanted to rule in their hearts.

Even though they didn't get it, even though they expected more, even though they were about to nail Him to a tree, Jesus loved them. He loved them so much that He continued to walk in obedience to God's will for His life.

Matthew, Mark, and John record the people saying, "Hosanna!" as the Prince of Peace passed by them. "Hosanna" is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means "give salvation now." Little did this crowd know that in just a few short days this King, their King, would lay down His life for them and all those to come granting salvation to all through His precious blood; the precious blood of the perfect Lamb of God.

Picture used with permission from All You Have to Give.

He Speaks through She Speaks

2010-03-26T07:00:00.003-04:00

"She Speaks is a life-changing conference for women of every generation seeking to explore the tug on her heart to reach out to the world for Jesus. Through She Speaks, Proverbs 31 Ministries encourages and equips women who are called by God to share our mission to bring God’s peace, perspective and purpose to today’s busy woman. Sharing God’s truth with love is not only a holy calling but a remarkable responsibility. We believe by equipping women to become more effective at sharing the Word of God, we multiply our efforts to reach a hurting world with the life-transforming hope of Jesus."

(http://www.shespeaksconference.com/conferenceInfo.htm)

This week Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 is giving away 3 Cecil Murphy Scholarships which will allow 3 ladies the opportunity of a lifetime to attend She Speaks. The value of this scholarship is $575 which includes conference materials, conference registration, 2 nights at the conference hotel and meals associated with the conference. Isn't that amazing!?!?!

I've heard from several of my friends how wonderful the experience of attending She Speaks is and I look forward to being able to experience it for myself. I am trusting God to prepare the way ahead of me if He sees fit for me to attend this year.

Without further adieu, my entry for the Cecil Murphy Schloraship Giveaway...

Once upon a time in a far away land there lived a handsome young prince. The handsome young prince lived with his father and mother in a beautiful castle atop a wide open field of lush green grass. Over the way there lived a fair young maiden who spent the days filling her mind with lovely stories from the many books that lined her library shelves.

Then one day, as fate would have it, the handsome young prince and the fair young maiden met at the ball of a neighboring countryman. Soon they found themselves head-over-heels in love and not long after were married.

The handsome young prince and his now lovely princess-bride built a castle of their own, filled it with the finest of things, had a rather large family, and lived happily ever after.

Can you relate to this fairy tale of a story? Me either! Well, maybe just a little. My husband IS a very handsome man, my knight in shining armor, in fact. But, that’s about as far as my fairy tale goes.

Living “happily ever after” was not even a thought in our minds during the first years of our marriage. Our honeymoon was over before it even began. My husband and I both brought a lot of junk into our marriage. I had suitcases filled with shame and guilt, bitterness and hatred. I was lonely and depressed searching desperately for someone to fill the hole in my heart. My husband had his own set of baggage as well. He was carrying wounds from his parents’ divorce and had chosen to deal with those wounds by drowning himself in alcohol each night. He too, was lonely and looking for someone to fill those empty places in his heart. So here we were, two messed up people who had no business saying “I do”.

Fate would have nothing to do with the miracle that would later take place in our marriage and lives. That miracle can only be attributed to the mighty power of the hand of God moving and working in and through us. God Almighty took two extremely messed up people, filled their empty hearts with Himself and then filled them up with a love for each other that can only come from Him.

God has given me more opportunities than I could have ever imagined to serve Him and various women's groups through one-on-one mentoring, women's conferences and retreats, group Bible studies, and different writing venues sharing our story of redemption and restoration. I have cherished each and every one of these moments of service. My heart’s desire is to serve with excellence all those He places in my life, whether it be through writing or speaking, I want to glorify Him in ALL that I do. Attending She Speaks would present me with the opportunity to learn and grow more in the ministry God has called me to.

My heart’s desire and life’s passion is to first and foremost seek after Him in all things. This journey that He’s got me on is more than I ever dreamed possible. I want to share with all those He places in my path His unconditional love, never-ending patience, abundant mercy, overflowing grace, and magnificent healing. For it is only By His Grace that I am what I am today.

Hope Springs Eternal Giveaway

2010-03-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Spring has sprung in my neck of the woods and not a moment too soon!!! The birds are chripping, the trees of budding, the wind is blowing every so gently, and the rays of the sun are bursting forth through the clouds. I LoVe it; spring is one of my most favorite times of year.

Spring brings forth new life. It brings to us a hope refreshed, a hope renewed, a hope eternal. About a month and a half ago I was truly humbled to join the awesome team of ladies over at the Internet Cafe as a Word Barista and the Cafe manager. I have been blessed beyond measure to serve alongside these wonderful, Godly women. They encourage, challenge, inspire, and spur me on to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I urge you to visit with us over at the Cafe. I can assure you that you WILL NOT be disappointed.

Right now we are hosting a "Hope Springs Eternal Giveaway" at the Cafe. Hop on over there today and enter for your chance to win some AWESOME gifts. The giveaway ends tomorrow, so get goin'!!!

"Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves is heard in our land."
Song of Solomon 2:12, NIV

In His Word Bible Study

2010-03-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

For all of you local Raleigh, North Carolina ladies out there looking for something to do tonight, I'd like to invite you to In His Word Bible Study. We will continue on in our study of "God...who are You & what can You do for me? Getting to Know the Almighty God".

For meeting times and location, please contact me at jenifer@byhisgraceministry.com

Hope to see you all there!!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 7

2010-03-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 7 download,
a video covering material for your seventh week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 6

2010-03-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?

Getting to know the Almighty God" session 6 download,

a video covering material for your sixth week's homework,

and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is

and what He can do for us.

A Woman Inspired- Get Revived Conference

2010-03-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

Is your spirit tired? Your soul weary? Feel like you can't go on another day in your walk toward being what God would have you be? Join us next week for A Woman Inspired- Get Revived Online Conference. This conference is all about giving you a spiritual dose of adrenaline. Maybe you are concerned about your calling or perhaps you are afraid to begin walking toward what God has for you. Maybe your faith has taken a nose dive and you need to be pointed back in the direction of our Lord, Jesus. Or, it could be that you just need someone to tell you that it is okay that you failed but you need to get back up! It happens to all of us.

A Woman Inspired- Get Revived

March 15-19, 2010

This event’s speaker line-up is phenomenal. These women have a heart for the Lord and desire to see people grow in their relationships with Him. They are humble enough to serve, yet strong enough to stand up and proclaim His word to all who are in need of hearing it. This conference is for any woman in need of revival in her spirit.

I have the awesome privilege of helping host this conference alongside several other Godly women. Check out who the speakers will be...

Speakers include:
Deidra Hughes, Deidra Hughes.com
Mary Snyder, MaryRSnyder.com
Belinda Bullard, Blessed Heritage
Mandy Young, MandyYoung.com with special guest Candace Cameron Bure
Lisa McKay, The Preacher’s Wife
Kelly Minter, KellyMinter.com
Dena Dyer, DenaDyer.com
Shelly Ballestero, Beauty By God
Marsha Harwood, Marsha’s Musings
Kathy Butryn, The Heart Change Place
Lori MacMath, All You Have to Give
Tiffany Stuart, Tea with Tiffany
Kristen Schiffman, Exemplify Online
Sue Cramer, Praise and Coffee
Joy Trachsel, JoyTrachsel.com
Alisa Wagner, Faith Imagined
Lisa Shaw, Lisa Shaw Ministries
Andrea Mitchell, Under Grace and Over Coffee
Leigh Gray, LeighHargisGray.com
Angela Parsley, Refresh My Soul Ministries

Tickets are $12.95 and can be purchased here. With the purchase of your ticket you will be able to attend the live online event and then after the conference you will receive audio MP3s of each session.

Hope to seee you there!!!

WFW- Resting in Him

2010-03-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

Resting in the Lord God Almighty today!

Lori from All You have to Give is hosting WFW.

Be sure to visit her and all the other ladies who are sharing the Word through picture.

Happy WFW!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 5

2010-03-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.
I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 5 download,
a video covering material for your fifth week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

Choosing to Walk

2010-03-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

I do believe the Lord is trying to tell me something. This verse and verses like it seem to literally be appearing before my eyes; or, I hear them being whispered in my ear from that “still small voice"...“Walk before Me and be blameless.”

Because I continue to come across this verse - not by mistake mind you, but because the Lord is trying to teach me something - I had to dig into it a little more and see for myself exactly what it means.

I pulled out my handy dandy Strong’s Concordance to look up the original Hebrew definitions of the words “walk” and “blameless”. Here’s what I found:

Walk comes from the Hebrew word halak meaning to behave oneself, a continual action, to enter, to exercise (self), to grow, to move, to run.

The word blameless is the Hebrew word tamiym which means without blemish, truth, complete, full.

God has been speaking this lesson to me, but I believe it is also for all of us who have been called according to His purpose. You and I are to be conducting ourselves in a manner that is based on, and reflects, the Truth of God’s Word and His righteous character. We are to be continually exercising ourselves toward godliness until our journey through this life is complete.

But how? How do you and I daily exercise ourselves so that we are filled up to overflowing by the Almighty God? For me, it begins by getting into His Word at the beginning of every day. I know that when my feet hit the floor every morning, God has a fresh new Word awaiting me in the pages of Scriptures. The Word is already there, and just as the definition of walk tells us, I have to enter into that time with Him eagerly anticipating what it is that He is going to speak over me that day.

Another way for us to exercise ourselves toward godliness is through prayer. My prayer time is so utterly important to me. This is my time to sit before the Lord, pour out my heart to Him and then listen for Him to speak back to me. Yes, God speaks to us through His Word, but praise Him, He has also chosen to speak to us personally through conversation. When we talk to the Lord, He listens and answers.

I find it very interesting that the word walk is verb, an action word, something that has to be done; it’s not something that has to be done by God, but something that must be done by me in order for my walk to be blameless before Him. Walking before the Lord, entering into His presence on a continual basis, sitting before Him allowing Him to fill me up is my choice.

I can choose to obey Him and walk before Him daily which will lead to a life that reflects the Truth of who He is or I can choose not to. Today I choose to walk. What about you? Do you choose today to walk worthy of the calling God has placed on your life?

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of
the calling to which you have been called."
Ephesians 4:1, ESV

Exemplify Magazine March 2010

2010-03-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

"Fleshing out one’s faith is not always easy, so you and I are going to walk this path together…encouraging, sharing, and spurring one another until our Lord returns. Do we have to wear camel’s hair and eat locusts in order to flesh out our faith? Most likely not, but let’s embrace our callings with a passion and boldness that will turn the heads of the people to the Savior. And, while we’re at it, how about a little chocolate to give us an extra boast of energy!" (excerpt from "If I must Eat Locusts, Can They be Chocolate Covered?" Exemplify Magazine, March 2010, Jenifer Jernigan)

This month's issue of Exemplify Online Magazine is jam packed with goodness. Grab yourself a cup of yummy coffee, head on over to Exemplify, prop up your feet, and enjoy!

Oh...be sure to read the "new" Faith Applied Column on page 36, you might just know the author!! *wink*

WFW- Grace & Peace to You

2010-03-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

Penny is hosting WFW today.

Join her and others as they share God's Word in picture.

Precious Treasures

2010-03-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

"He who heeds the Word wisely will find good,
and whoever
trusts in the LORD, happy is he."
Proverbs 16:20

The condition of my heart affects what I say, do, and see. When my heart is heeding and giving attention to the wisdom of God found in His Word- that's what will come out of me- His wisdom. I'll teach His wisdom to my children and those around me; I'll make wise choices and behave wisely. Why? Because I've heeded to the instructions of His Word. Heeding oneself to the Word of God leds to one being joyful in the Lord no matter what may be going on in the circumstances around.

Joy in the Lord is not based on whether or not everything is fine and dandy in our lives. Joy is, rather, a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. True joy, for the believer, is knowing and resting in the fact (and it is a FACT!), sweet sister, that everything between her and her Lord is right (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Our joy in Christ is not temporal or based on our past, present, or future circumstances, but is founded on an unchanging, all-powerful God. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

In John 17 verses 13 and 14, Jesus says,"But now I (Jesus) come to You (God), and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in them. I (Jesus) have given them (you and me) Your word (God's Word)." He goes on to say in verse 17 of that same chapter, "Sanctify (set them apart) them by Your truth. Your Word is truth."When you and I heed to the instructions found in the Word of God we will be sanctified and our joy will be made full because it is based on an unchanging God, not on the ever-changing world around us.

Examine your heart right now. Are you paying careful attention to God's Word, gaining new insights and wisdom each day? Is your heart full of joy because it is focused on an unchanging God? Are you allowing God to sanctify you each day, setting you apart to serve Him? If you answered no to any of these questions, ask the Lord to do a mighty work in your heart right now; sanctifying you with His word, setting you apart for His service, filling you with His joy, and focusing your mind solely on Him.

Father, how I thank You that I can rejoice in Your Word because it is full of treasures just for me (Ps. 119:162). Your Word, O Lord, is more precious to me than gold and silver and I delight in it (Ps. 119:72). Open my eyes to new truths in Your Word and hide them in my heart so that I can fight against the enemy (Ps. 119:18 & 11). I love Your Word, Father, it is a joy to me (Ps. 119: 97).

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 4

2010-03-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2

are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God" session 4 download,
a video covering material for your fourth week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

He Sees My Heart

2010-02-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

“For the LORD does not see as man sees;

for man looks at the outward appearance,

but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7b

My outward appearance is not what impresses God the most. It’s the condition of my heart that He’s concerned with. God watches and examines my heart.

What are the motives of my heart? Is it pure, holy, and blameless? Because the heart is the center of wisdom and the sole source of what affects my speech,my sight, and my conduct, how am I living out my life? Is it pleasing to God? If not, what needs to change?

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Put away from your deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.

Let you eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

Do not turn to the right or to the left, remove your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:23-27, NKJV

What are my issues? What is springing forth from my heart? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control? Or anger, bitterness, hatred, impatience, selfishness?

When my heart is in tune with God’s, I will follow His path. My desires will be His desires. I will see absolutely nothing but Him and my life will reflect that. My behavior, my thoughts, speech, attitudes, actions, and my vision will be all about Him.

When God looks at your heart, what does He see? Is your heart in a condition to be chosen by God for greatness? Or, is there too much selfish pride and ambition filling your heart not allowing even a small glimmer of God’s glory to shine through? Does He need to open up your heart and do some repair work, clean it out, and fill it up with Himself?

Life is too short and God is too good for us to continue living with a diseased heart. Living our lives in the flesh does not please God (Romans 8:8). We must walk in the path that He has set before us, living life completely filled with the Spirit.

Confess any sin you might have in your heart right now that is rendering you ineffective for Kingdom work. God is faithful and just. He will forgive you and cleanse your heart (1 John 1:9).

Oh, Father I desire to live a life that is totally consumed with You. Right now, fill me up to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit so that I, myself, am not at all visible. Wash me; cleanse me. Forgive me for failing You. Mold me and make me into what You desire me to be. I want to be used for Your glory to make an impact on the lives of my husband, children, family, friends, and the world around me. I am Your servant. Amen.

picture used with permission from Lori at All You Have to Give

God's Strength

2010-02-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4:13

Paul, the writer of Philippians, was content with his life because he could see life from God's point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have. Paul was grateful for everything God had given him, the good, bad, and the ugly. He had detached himself from the nonessentials in his life so that he could concentrate on the eternal. Often the desire for more or better possessions is really a longing to fill an empty place in our lives. Paul had so allowed God to fill him up that he had strength to withstand anything he came up against, and boy howdy, did he come against some heavy duty stuff; prison, beatings, rejection, aloneness.

I wonder, are there any empty places in your life today? What are you trying to fill that emptiness with, a job, an unhealthy relationship, money, food, drugs or alcohol, the list could go on and on? In Psalm 81:10, the Lord tells us to open up wide and let Him fill us up. Sweet sister, detach yourself from those nonessential things in your life so that you can focus on the eternal, everlasting God and allow Him to fill you until your cup runneth over.

If you are struggling with feeling empty and weak today, I'd love to be able to pray with you and for you. You can contact me personally here.

Much love to you!!

WFW- For the Generation to Come

2010-02-24T10:00:00.002-05:00

Susan at Forever His is hosting Word Filled Wednesday today.

Be sure to head on over there and be inspired and encouraged

through the many WFW creations.

Have a wonderfully blessed day in Jesus!!!

In His Word Bible Study

2010-02-23T13:43:00.007-05:00

For all of you local ladies out there looking for something to do tonight, I'd like to invite you to In His Word Bible Study. We will continue on in our study of "God...who are You & what can You do for me? Getting to Know the Almighty God".

For meeting times and location (** for those of you who are currently involved in this study, our location has changed for tonight**), please contact me at jenifer@byhisgraceministry.com

Hope to see you all there!!

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 3

2010-02-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture
and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the

"God...who are You & what can You do for me?

Getting to know the Almighty God" session 3 download,

a video covering material for your third week's homework,

and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is

and what He can do for us.

Think Before You Speak

2010-02-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

"The heart of the righteous studies how to answer
but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil."
Proverbs 15:28

How often do you stop and think before you speak? Do you stop, collect your thoughts, and re-group in the midst of a not so pleasant situation? This is something the Lord has really been speaking to me about lately; how everything, both good and bad, affects all those around me.

I want you to do something right now. Get a pen and a piece of paper. Don't have one? Dig through your purse- find an old kleenex and some lipstick. It doesn't matter what it is, just find something to write with and on. **smile**

Now, I want us to think about the people in our lives that we influence. We're going to make three lists.

*First, write down all those, by name, who are closest to you; those you live with- your spouse, children, roomate, other family members- the people who REALLY know you.

*Second, write down those people you see, most likely, everyday- a co-worker, boss, students that you teach, maybe your child's teacher.

*Lastly, write down those people you might see only once or twice a week- the mailman, cashier at the gas station, waitress at the resturant.

Now, look back over your list. How do your thoughts, actions, and reactions affect all those you have influence on? When your child interupts you while you're on the phone, what do you do? When your husband calls, after you've had a not-so-great day with the kids, and says he'll be home late, do you smile and say, "oh honey, that's ok, take all the time you need"? How about when the waitress brings out your meal and nothing is the way you ordered it, what's your reaction?

Solomon tells us in Proverbs that the righteous man (woman, in our case) studies how he is going to answer. He stops and thinks before he speaks. The opposite of that is the wicked, self-seeking man, who responds immediately with hurtful words. Ephesians 4:29 says not to let any harsh words come out of our mouths. Why? Because those words damage. As believers, we are to speak words that encourage and build up. Our words, like those of Jesus, should be full of grace and beauty (Luke 4:22).

How can we put into practice thinking before we speak? I believe it starts in the heart and through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ that is built on and in His Word. Several years ago, I learned a very practical help in a Bible Study class I was in. It comes from the writings of the apostle Paul to the Philippian church.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable-
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
-think about such things."
Philippians 4:8

Use this verse to PRE-PLANT in your mind only those things that will result in attitudes, actions, and words that will be pleasing to God.

Father, help me to pre-plant in my heart and mind Your Word so that the thoughts I think, the way I act, and the words I speak will pleasing in Your sight (Psalm 19:14).

PRE-PLANT model from Conversation Peace by Mary Kassian

WFW- Faith...gotta have it!

2010-02-17T08:30:00.002-05:00

Christy at Critty Joy is hosting Word Filled Wednesday today. Be sure to visit her and all the other beautiful ladies who are sharing their love for God's Word in picture.

God...who are You & what can You do for me? Session 2

2010-02-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study.

I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture

and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God"
session 2 download,
a video covering material for your second week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

Love & War

2010-02-11T16:01:00.006-05:00

When I opened this book and began reading it, my first thoughts were, “Wow! They are writing about my marriage.” Sometimes we feel so alone in our marriages. We look around wondering if we are the only ones who struggle with loving our spouse or even simply liking them. In their book “Love and War” John and Stasi Eldredge, disclose their own struggles in marriage helping their readers realize that marriage is hard, “fabulously hard”, but with God as the foundational center and sole focus, marriage can be done and done well.

Having been in a marriage that was headed for divorce, the thing I appreciate most about this book is the fact that the Elderedge’s reiterate time and time again that one’s happiness is not wrapped up in what their spouse can give them, but rather what God provides for them. God is the only one who can meet every need, fill every hole, and heal every wound. And, God is the only one who can fill our hearts with true love for our spouse.

“We live in a love story, set in the midst of war.” A war that requires us to fight for our marriages and fight hard. A war that requires you and I to step out of the picture and allow God to work; to work in our hearts, so that we are able to love hard.

If you are interested in purchasing Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge, you can do so HERE.

You can also read other reviews of Love & War HERE.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Can I Pour You a Cup?

2010-02-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

I stood in front of the mirror and smiled.

It was the first time in my life this had ever happened.

I turned to the left and then to the right. I even did a 360 degree turn just to see the whole picture for myself.

I smiled.

I couldn’t believe it.

For the first time in my life I was wearing “skinny girl” clothes. And, boy was I proud!

To read the rest of today's devotion head on over to the Internet Cafe.

It's Time...for an Online Bible Study!!!

2010-02-08T05:00:00.001-05:00

I stand in awe today of God's goodness and grace; truly humbled that He would bless me in the ways that He has. My God is great and greatly to be praised!!!!

By His Grace Ministry and At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 are partnering together to offer you an online Bible Study. I invite you to join us as we open up the pages of Scripture and unearth new Truths about who God is.

Over At the Well you'll find the
"God...who are You & what can You do for me?
Getting to know the Almighty God"
session 1 download,
a video covering material for your first week's homework,
and a few other instructions for Bible study this week.

I do hope you will join us as we dig into God's Word and discover who He is
and what He can do for us.

Blessing and Honour

2010-02-05T13:30:00.001-05:00

In great anticipation of our upcoming Bible Study,

"God...who are You and & what can You do for me? Getting to Know the Almighty God",

I leave you with this beautiful song to think over, sing again and again, hum the melody to, or listen to time and time again over the weekend.

See you Monday At the Well as we get to know Who God is and realize what amazing things He can do in our lives.

Have a wonderful weekend!!! All my love!!!

Exemplify Magazine- Feb. 2010 Issue

2010-02-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hot off the presses is the February issue of Exemplify Magazine. Grab yourself a cup of coffee or hot tea, if that's your preference, and read until your heart's content.

This month's topic...simplicity.

"Exemplify Online & Magazine focuses on bringing relevant, fun, Godly content to women. Whether through a family devotional written by one of our resident mom writers, a bible study for individual study or the newest fashion tips– it is our aim to do this thing called life for the glory of Christ."

And, when you've soaked it all in...come back by...I'd love to hear your thoughts.

You can find my article, "A Simple Marriage" on page 18. **wink** **wink**

Happy reading!!!

Childlike Faith

2010-02-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of the year I sat down with my new pink journal, pen in hand, coffee close by and began jotting down some goals for myself, my family, and my ministry. I also wrote down several statements that I was believing God to do during the year. One of those "believing God statements" was for the salvation of my 7 year old son.

Believing God would rain down His grace upon my son but not knowing when this day would come, I began fervently praying that He would bless me to be a small part of this very special day.

My kids and I begin our home school days with devotions. The Princess Momma gathers her Bible and devotional materials, heads to the dining room table and spends her time with the Lord there. Mighty Warrior and I sit down at my desk and read through his devotion, discuss what we've read, and then he usually has some type of craft to do that goes along with the devotion.

As God so sovereignly arranged it, Tuesday, January 26, 2010, my husband had taken off from work for the day and was entertaining the Princess Momma and Wee Princess while Mighty Warrior and I were doing his devotion. I had read through his devotion the night before and knew that the next morning we would be talking about salvation. All night long I prayed that God would draw my son until Himself and that Mighty Warrior's heart would be opened to the things of God.

"God wants me to trust in Him," I began reading to Mighty Warrior. "Our verse for the day is from Hebrews 11:1, 'Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,' " I read to him, pointing to each word on the page as they flowed from my mouth.

I continued reading, "When builders make a house, they use wood to create a frame. This frame goes up first, then everything else is added in around it. Without the frame, the house would fall down. The stronger the frame is, the longer the house will last. Just like that frame supports the house, your faith in God is the frame for your life as a Christian. When you have faith in God, you trust and believe that Jesus died for you. If your faith frame is strong, your Christian life will last and grow. But if your faith frame is weak, you could turn from God and your life will be like a house with a bad frame- it will fall down when bad things happen."

After we read we talked about the fort that he and the Princess Momma were building down in the woods. Because this adventure was fresh on his mind, he understood completely how important it was to have a strong frame. Now, tell me God didn't orchestrate the timing of that fort being built!?!? For about thirty minutes we talked. I would ask questions, he would answer. He would ask questions, I would answer. Back and forth our conversation went.

Finally those big brown eyes of his met mine and he said, "Mom can I just pray already and ask Jesus in my heart?" Tears filled my eyes as I responded, "Yes, son. Yes you can."

The two of us knelt beside my desk chair and he prayed on his own a beautiful faith-filled childlike prayer asking Jesus to forgive him of his sins and be the "builder" of his life.

Childlike faith...it's a beautiful thing. Hearing your own child acknowledge his sin and his need for a Redeemer...something I will NEVER forget and I will be forever grateful to God Almighty for allowing me to be a small part of it.

God is good. He is believable. He is faithful. He is Savior. He is Redeemer. And, I will praise Him all of my days. He is no respector of persons; young and old, rich and poor, red and yellow, black and white, He loves them all.

"Jesus said, 'Let the children come to Me.' "
Matthew 19:14, NKJV

Devotional reading from "Gotta Have God 2: Cool Devotions for Boys, Age 6-9" by Diane Cory

Happy Anniversary At the Well!!!!!

2010-02-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

I have been so blessed to be apart of an awesome team of godly women over At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 for the past year. Today, At the Well, is celebrating it's 1 year anniversary.

Happy Anniversary At the Well!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Well is a place you can come to when your cup is empty, and when it “runneth over”; a place you can come to when you hurt or you want to help the hurting; a place you can come to when you need practical advice or have some to give; a place you can come to when you need encouragement or when you can be the encourager; and a place you can come to listen and to talk.

Beginning next Monday, I have the awesome privilege of leading a 10 week Bible Study, "God...who are You & what can You do for me? Getting to know the Almighty God", over At the Well. I am wildly excited about this opportunity!!!! I pray you will join us as we study through some of the Hebrew names of God and discover what God can do for us. It's going to be great!!! You will find everything you need to take part in this study right here at By His Grace Ministry as well as At the Well next Monday, February 8th.

Head on over to The Well today, wish them a "Happy Anniversary" and check out all the new things that are coming your way. I'm sure the entire team would agree with me when I say, "It is our pleasure to serve each and everyone of you and we look forward to seeing God move in mighty ways this year!"

Blessed Aroma 2009!

2010-01-28T07:30:00.003-05:00

Internet Cafe Devotions introduces Blessed Aroma ~ 2009!

As a Christian Women Devotional site, the Internet Cafe passionately wants to encourage and inspire women all over the world. Over at the Cafe they know that an ounce of encouragement goes a long way and because of that they recently introduced Blessed Aroma ~ 2009. It's a way to showcase some of your favorite blogs who have encouraged you with their written words and examples of faith in 2009. This is a chance to showcase some of the most encouraging and inspiring blogs, and an opportunity to introduce readers to some new and exciting ladies.

Head on over to the Internet Cafe and nominate your favorite blogs.

Come to Me

2010-01-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

Jesus is the WAY,

the TRUTH,

& the LIFE!

Today is the day of salvation!

Susan is hosting WFW today.

Head on over and check out other beautifully created WORD art.

In His Word Bible Study

2010-01-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Have you ever thought to yourself, "how do I study the Bible?";

"how do I dig deeper into God's Word on my own?".

There are many different ways, plans, and/or methods that can be used as a guide as you begin studying God's Word on your own. Join us on-site tonight, January 26, 2010, as we explore and learn how to dig deeper into the Word. You will be shown how to use various Bible Study tools and methods that will aide you in studying God's Word effectively on your own.

For more information or directions, contact me here.

Hope to see you there!!!

A Woman Inspired Online Conference

2010-01-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

A Woman Inspired – Nurturing Creativity & Efficient Living

January 25-29 2010

"If only life was simpler: dinner ready on time; freshly laundered clothes in everyone closet; every item in its place; if only money saving were easy and effective; if only time management was second nature to us. Hmmm… if only, right?"

Well, we can ‘t change your home overnight but we can provide you with the tools to begin the process and motivate you to get started. We’ll have sessions on organization, money saving and management, easy meals, effective scheduling, how to overcome procrastination and more! This is one conference you can’t afford to miss!

In addition to that we hope to inspire your creative genius!

Have you been in touch with your inner creative diva? Do you want to learn to express yourself through paint mediums, culinary masterpieces, vibrant rooms or maybe through your own life as the canvas? Well, you can get inspired here.

Whether you feel stuck in a rut or just don’t know where to begin we can help. I’m confident that many of you have a pile of unfinished projects or maybe put off doing things simply because you feel you don’t have the time. We have all been there and can definitely relate. We would like to help you get some momentum going so that you can begin to create and design no matter what your canvas preference is.

Learn how to:
*develop your God given talents and gifts
*push past creative blocks
*further your education in the area of your choice (at no cost)
*be more productive
*be more focused
*let your light shine!"
(from A Woman Inspired)

Sound interesting? I'm positive this conference is something you will truly benefit from! Head on over there now and register. It's definitely not too late. The first session begins this morning at 9:30 EST. You can check out the schedule to find out what time things start in your own time zone.

Here, I'll even make registering easy for you. Just click here and follow the directions.

See you there!!!

Chicken & Potatoes...who knew?

2010-01-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

God very often teaches me lessons through my children.

For instance...

"Mom, what's that you're cookin'? It smells REALLY good," my seven year old son said as he peered over the counter trying to catch a glimpse at what was being prepared for dinner.

"It's garlic potatoes and mushroom chicken," I responded.

"It sure does smell good! I'm really hungry," he said as he darted back to his room.

A few minutes later he returned to the kitchen, "Is it ready yet? I'm really, REALLY hungry."

"It won't be long. You can go ahead and set the table and get ready," I instructed as I reached for the dishes in the cabinet.

"Yes ma'am! I'd be happy to."

Shocked by his eagerness to obey, I handed him the dishes, silverware, and napkins. He quickly set the table and then stood at the counter watching with excitement in his eyes as I took the chicken from the oven and put the potatoes in a bowl.

As I fixed his plate and placed it in front of him, I could almost see him begin to salivate. It wasn't like he hadn't eaten that day. In fact, he had eaten...quite a bit. He was just ready to dig into his meal.

"Mmmm! Mom this is so good!" he said as he shoveled the food into his mouth.

"I'm glad you like it," I replied.

"Man! This hits the spot!" he continued.

All throughout dinner he ranted and raved about how good his meal was.

"Mmmm!"

"Yum!"

"This is SOOOOO good!"

I sat there in utter amazement at his enthusiasm over a plate of mushroom chicken and garlic potatoes. Then, it hit me. A lesson. A GOD lesson.

For whatever reason, my son was very excited about dinner that night. He willingly, and immediately I might add, obeyed when instructed to set the table. He not only ate everything on his plate, he enjoyed every single bite he put in his mouth. He continuously praised and thanked me for his dinner. When his plate was clean, it was apparent his belly was satisfied to the full.

Every day is a new day to pull up a chair at God's table and feast on His Word. As I thought about this "feasting on God's Word", I asked myself these questions...

First of all, am I eager and excited to sit at His table? Does my heart long to dine with Him?

Am I even prepared to sit at His table and eat? God's table is set and ready, is my heart?

Do I enjoy the food He feeds me? Do I take it ALL in, even the parts that bring conviction to my soul?

Do I praise Him and thank Him for the Words He has prepared for me?

Do His Words satisfy my hungry soul?

"Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it."
Psalm 81:10c, NKJV

Feasting at His table. Dining with the Almighty. Filling my hungry soul to the brim with the riches of His glorious Word. That's what I want. That's what I truly desire. That's what my heart longs for.

Who knew that a seven year old boy and a plate of mushroom chicken and garlic potatoes would result in a God lesson? He did!

WFW- Discipline the Body

2010-01-20T08:00:00.003-05:00

Discipline = Godliness

What are you waitin' for?

Get those gloves on, girl, and get to trainin'!

Christy at Critty Joy is hosting Word Filled Wednesday today.

Make sure to visit her and all the other beautiful WFW posts; you'll be inspired by the Word.

One Question. Five Words.

2010-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Templates + color + paper + scissors + lamination

HOURS of fun and delight for my inner crafty, OCD, organizational self.

I spent the better part of the morning redesigning the templates my friend sent me. I changed the colors so that each of my kiddos would have their own set of like colors, personalized the pictures to include our family, and then printed the templates out on good quality cardstock. Cutting it all out took nearly two hours, but I was determined to get it done so that I could take my project to the "make-my-heart-skip-a-beat-when-I -walk-in-the-door" store to be laminated.

Mission accomplished. Re-designing was done. Printing was done. Cutting was done. Time for lamination. Oh, the joys that flood my soul! I dropped said materials off at the "make-my-heart-skip-a-beat-when-I-walk-in-the-door" store to be laminated while I went to do some other shopping.

As I pulled back into the parking lot of said store to pick up said project my heart was all aflutter because I knew my night would be spent cutting out the project that was now LAMINATED!!!!!! Pure delight!!!!

Seeing the excitement in my eyes, hubby put the kiddos to bed so that I could resume my obsession with my crafty, organizational project that happened to be laminated. Ahhhh....

I began unrolling the 10 feet of lamination that lay on my dining room table. Heart palpitating. Hands sweating. Overwhelmed with anticipation of what my eyes were about to behold.

And then...

Horror. HORROR flooded my mind and filled my heart. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was I really seeing what I thought I was seeing? My beautiful crafty, organizational project RUINED by a poor lamination job. Oh, the searing pain of loss! Oh, the depths of sorrow my heart felt!

And then...

Horror turned to ANGER. "Have these people NO idea the hours I've spent making this baby beautiful? Do they not know those Ziploc bags held more than just strips of paper? They obviously have no idea what happens when a crafty, organizational, OCD teaching momma's heart is shattered into a million pieces because her project is RUINED! First thing Monday morning we will have a reckoning them and I! Oh, yes we will!!!" I thought to myself.

It's a good thing (really a GOD thing) I had a day or so to think through my madness. God began dealing heavily with me about how I was reacting to this situation.

Here's what He spoke to my heart...

"What in the world are you thinking? It's only stuff. You have NO idea what was or is going on in the heart of the person who works at the store. I sent you there for a reason! Be a light for Me! Love this person! See past this persons flaws, I saw past yours, and see their hurting heart!"

I did call the store on Monday. And, I did share my disappointment with the result of my product. But, I did it with love and compassion. The manager of the store asked me to drop by and allow them to take a look at what had been done. They assured me they would do everything they could to make it right.

So, once again I pulled into the parking lot of the "make-my-heart-skip-a-beat-when-I-walk-in-the-door" store, but this time my heart was focused not on my crafty, organizational project gone ever so wrong; instead, my heart was focused on the heart of the person who stood behind the counter.

We stood at the counter chit chatting while peeling bad laminate off strips of paper.

Then it happened. One question, five words. The reason I was there.

"Can I pray for you?" I asked. Five words that changed the course of our conversation. One question that would draw our hearts together. Five words that would open my eyes to the hand of God working in my every day happenings. One question that would give this individual opportunity to unload burdens and hurts and pains they had been carrying for years.

God taught me a huge lesson! A lesson that I will not soon forget. A lesson in seeing Him in the every day. A lesson in looking past my own selfish desires. A lesson in seeing down to the heart of a person. A lesson in obeying. A lesson is loving. A lesson in compassion. A lesson in being the hands and feet of Jesus.

"Finally, all of you be of one mind,
having compassion for one another;
love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;"
1 Peter 3:8, NKJV

One question? Five words? What would God have you ask the individuals He places in your life today? Will you obey?

Oh, and by the way. Guess what I'm getting? A laminating machine of my very own. Yes ma'am I am!! For FREE!!!!! Ain't God good!!!

Be Prepared!

2010-01-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

High beams on.

Hands gripped tightly to the wheel.

Feet firmly planted on the floor board.

Eyes shifting from left to right. Right to left.

Anticipating Bambi's daddy, or cousin, or aunt, or uncle, or grandma, or baby, or whom ever to leap into my path at any given moment.

Dead and alive.

I see them all the time.

Those hairy four legged beasts.

Some have horns. Some do not.

Some have spots. Some do not.

Some choose to be loners. While others come in herds.

As the driver of the vehicle, one can NEVER know what said
beast will do.

Will it jump?

Will it freeze with fear?

Will it continue to munch the yummy snack it has found?

One can never know.

So...one MUST be prepared.

Be prepared for ANYTHING.

Beloved, you and I live in a dark world.

A world that is ruled by a being who desires to jump into
our paths and wreck our lives.

At times he stands on the sidelines just watching and waiting.

Other times he creeps slowly to the edge, eager to see how we will react to his presence.

And, then there are those times when he stands smack-dab in the middle of our paths, daring us to move forward.

Do we move forward? Do we continue traveling on?

Or, do we freeze in fear?

Do we try to busy ourselves in hopes of ignoring the danger that lies ahead?

What do we do?

Precious ones, we MUST be prepared.

Hands tightly gripped to the Sword of the Spirit.

Feet firmly planted in His Truth.

Eyes open wide.

Looking.

Anticipating.

Prepared.

So, that when the enemy leaps into our paths will not freeze in fear, we will not busy ourselves hoping that if we ignore him he will go away, but rather we will continue moving forward on the path God has paved for us to travel with confidence because we are prepared, armed, and dangerous warriors in His army.

"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour."
1 Peter 5:8, NKJV

Has Your Day Come?

2010-01-14T09:30:00.001-05:00

"Ok guys, it's time to get your chores done," I say to my children every morning.

Everyone exits to their perspective chore zones and gets to work immediately. Or...so I think.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. 5. 10. 15... 30 minutes pass by and surely beds are made, toys are put away, desks are cleaned off; all children are dressed, with teeth and hair brushed, and are eager for the day to begin, right? WRONG?

"Why isn't your room clean? And, why aren't you dressed? Have you brushed your teeth? Or you hair? WHAT have you been doing for the past 30 minutes? Didn't I tell you to do your chores?" I ask, all the while wondering why they haven't been compliant and done what all well-behaved children do the first time they are told to do something by their parents.

"Didn't I tell you to do your chores?"

"Yes," my son replies.

"Then why haven't you done what I told you to do?"

Looking around his room, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "I don't know."

Oh. My. Word. Will we every get there? To the point of immediate obedience? To the place where when instructions are given, they are immediately listened to, taken to heart, and obeyed? Will that day ever come?

That day of immediate obedience did come for those first disciples who were called out by Jesus. Yes, that day came and that day changed their lives.

"18) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19) Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20) They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21) Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22) and immediately they left the boat and their father,

and followed Him."
Matthew 4:18-22, NKJV

As soon as the command to follow left Jesus' mouth, Peter, Andrew, James, and John dropped what they were doing and followed. No questions asked. No getting distracted by the goings on around them. No letting 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes pass by. No shrugging of the shoulders and wondering, "Hmmm. I don't know. Should I or shouldn't I do what I was just instructed to do?" There was none of that, but rather immediate obedience.

Immediate obedience that gave them face-to-face access to the One and Only.

Immediate obedience that allowed them to walk, literally, in the footprints of Jesus.

Immediate obedience that permitted them to be a part of Christ's inner circle.

Immediate obedience that enabled them to see down into the depths of the heart of the Man who came to change the world.

Immediate obedience that changed their lives for eternity.

I wonder, what would our lives be like if we immediately obeyed God's instruction? What would our lives be like if we were willing to drop everything, no questions asked, and obey?

Immediate obedience would give us face-to-face access to the One and Only.

Immediate obedience would allow us to walk down the path He has paved for us.

Immediate obedience would permit us to be used by God in ways we never dreamed possible.

Immediate obedience would give us a glimpse into the heart of the Savior who came to change the world.

Immediate obedience would change our lives for eternity.

As I ask myself this question, I ask you as well... Has your day come? Your day of obedience? Has it come? When God instructs, do you immediately obey?

May it be so, Lord. May it come quickly. May our hearts immediately obey when Your voice is heard.

Praying for Haiti

2010-01-13T15:16:00.003-05:00

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- "Port-au-Prince is flattened" after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Haitian capital, Haiti's consul general to the United Nations said Wednesday.

"More than 100,000 are dead," Felix Augustin told reporters.

The hospitals are gone, he added, and medical supplies and heavy equipment are desperately needed. (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.earthquake/index.html)

Destruction. Chaos. Devastation. Pain. I cannot even begin to imagine the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of all the peoples who have been affected by this recent earthquake in Haiti.

Where is God in the midst of this? Why would He allow something like this to happen? Why did so many have to lose their lives? Why God? Why?

I believe it's in times such as these when trying to answer the hard questions is not what's important. What's important, what's key, what's pivotal is that we turn our eyes to God. That we focus our hearts and minds on Him and pray.

Pray that through this destruction, God is seen.

Pray that through this destruction, hearts are turned to the Almighty.

Pray that those still lost will be found.

Pray that those who are wounded will receive the treatment they need.

Pray that those who are hungry, those who are without homes, those who are without loved ones, will be fed, and will have shelter, and will be reunited with their families.

Pray. Pray. Pray. PRAY!!!!!

Father God, You are in control of all things. Although our human minds cannot grasp why horrific events like this earthquake happen, we trust today that You are in control. We trust that Your name is going to be glorified. And, we believe that hearts are going to be drawn to You. For those who are lost, we pray they are found. For those who are wounded, we pray their medical needs are tended to. For those who are wondering about their loved ones, we pray that Your peace fills their hearts. For all those involved both in Haiti and in countries who are sending aid, we pray your protection. Oh Father, make Yourself known. Amen.

"In the LORD I (we will) put my (our) trust."
Psalm 11:1a, NKJV

For an updated, firsthand glimpse into the happenings of Haiti right now visit The Livesay's blog here.

What will YOU be doin' Tonight?

2010-01-12T08:00:00.004-05:00

What will YOU be doin' tonight at 6:30? No plans? In the area? Then why don't you come on over and join us for In His Word Bible Study!?!

Tonight is the night. We're gearing up for a new semester of digging into the Word, getting to know God more, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

IHW meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday night of every month from 6:30-8:30.

Here's what we've got goin' this semester for Bible Study:

January 12, 2010-
How to Have a Quiet Time

We've all heard the term "quiet time" and been told that we need to be having one. But, what exactly is a quiet time, why do we need to be having one, and how in the world do we do it? Join us as I share a few things the Lord has shown me about the importance of having a daily quiet time and learn how to develop a "plan" of your own.

January 26, 2010-
How to Study God's Word Effectively

Have you ever thought to yourself, "how do I study the Bible?"; "how do I dig deeper into God's Word on my own?". There are many different ways, plans, and/or methods that can be used as a guide as you begin studying God's Word on your own. Join us as I share what I've found through the years to work best for me in digging deeper into the Word. You will be shown how to use various Bible Study tools and methods that will help you to study and learn God's Word effectively on your own.

February 2010-May 2010-
"God...who are You & what can You do for Me? Getting to Know the Almighty God"

When you think about God, what thoughts come to mind? Do you picture Him as caring, kind, and compassionate? Is He always forgiving, always faithful, always a friend to you? Does He love you unconditionally, meet you where you are, heal your every wound? Can you go to Him with anything, at anytime? Or, do you view God as judgmental, full of wrath, not caring about your life struggles? Do you see Him as unapproachable and unloving? Do you view God as only loving you when you do something right or something you feel is worthy to be loved? Is God untouchable to you- someone who is way up there in Heaven sitting on a throne that cares nothing about you?

One of the most significant ways in which God has revealed Himself to us is through the revelation of His name. God’s names reveal His very nature and character. To know God’s name is to enjoy a kind of personal access to Him. By revealing His names to us, God made Himself, literally an open book- open to be worshipped properly and open to the possibility of being dishonored through the misuse of His name. Over the next 10 weeks, we are going to explore some of the Hebrew names of God and the attributes those names will reveal to us. Join us as we get to know the Almighty God.

This study will be offered on site as well as online through At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2. Both studies will begin in February.

And, here's what we've got goin' for service projects:

January- "Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself"
Grocery shopping and meal preparing for one of our ladies who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

February- "Love in Action"
Being purposeful about sharing small blessings with those we come in contact with every day- the attendant at the gas station, the waitress who serves our lunch, our trusty mailman, the clerk at the bank, etc...

March- "Feeding Your Family on a Dime"
Learn how to make coupons work for you. Turn a $190.00 grocery bill into only $5.00! Once you've got your cabinets stocked and your freezers full, learn how to plan and prepare meals for months at a time.

These are just a few of the projects we've got in the works. Many more exciting things are coming!!!

So... what was it you said you were doing tonight at 6:30? Joining us? GREAT!!!! I can't wait to meet ya and hug your neck!!!

See ya tonight!!!!

For more information or directions, contact me here.

The Vinedresser

2010-01-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

"I, the LORD, keep it,
I water it every moment;
lest any hurt it,
I keep it night and day."
Isaiah 27:3, NKJV

In this passage God is specifically talking about the restoration of His chosen Israel, but these beautiful words penned by the prophet Isaiah can be applied to you and me today.

God is the Vinedresser of this vineyard and we are the fragile vine that is being cared for. Being the great, skillful Vinedresser that He is, we can rest assured that we are safe and well taken care of.

This verse teaches us the following truths:
1. He keeps us safe. You and I can rest securely in the fact that once we belong to the Vinedresser, nothing and no one can take us away from Him.

2. The Vinedresser feeds us with His everlasting, completely satisfying Word. God's Word is our food for daily living. His food, full of rich nutrients, gives us the strength to do what He has called us to do.

3. By remaining in the vineyard, more specifically the vine, we are safe. If you and I stay close to Him and daily feed on His Word, when the enemy comes, we will be able to stand, fight, and be victorious.

4. Our God never sleeps. He is always watching out for us and giving us the best care possible.

Oh, my friends, isn't it wonderful to know that our God, the Almighty God of the universe, is ALIVE, AWAKE, and very ACTIVE in our lives!?!

Keep us Lord, safely in Your grip. Water us. Feed us with Your Word. Grow us into the women and men You have created us to be. May we bear much fruit that is pleasing to You. Amen.

Have YOU Seen It?

2010-01-08T07:20:00.005-05:00

Well... have YOU seen it?

Yes YOU...

Have YOU seen it?

Exemplify Online's new page...have YOU seen it?

No?

Well what in the world are ya doin' here!?!

Go.

Check it out.

Right now.

YOU will LOOOVVVEEE it!!!

GO!!!!!

Resolutions vs. Goals

2010-01-07T09:20:00.007-05:00

Some people make New Year's resolutions; others set goals for the year. I've often wondered...what's the difference and which should I make if any?

Of course I did what any (or maybe it's just mine) wondering mind(s) would do, I
typed in Webster's Online Dictionary in my Google search bar and proceed to read the definitions of resolution and goal.

resolution-
1 : the act or process of resolving: as a : the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b : the act of answering : solving c : the act of determining d : the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance e : the separating of a chemical compound or mixture into its constituents f (1) : the division of a prosodic element into its component parts (2) : the substitution in Greek or Latin prosody of two short syllables for a long syllable g : the analysis of a vector into two or more vectors of which it is the sum 2 : the subsidence of a pathological state (as inflammation) (3)a : something that is resolved b : firmness of resolve (4) : a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group (5) : the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out6 a : the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object, closely adjacent optical images, or sources of light b : a measure of the sharpness of an image or of the fineness with which a device (as a video display, printer, or scanner) can produce or record such an image usually expressed as the total number or density of pixels in the image

Huh? What in the world!?! Ok, I admit, I didn't read the whole thing, just skimmed it, but what I did read, I didn't understand. Geesh! Moving on...

goal- 1 a : the terminal point of a race b : an area to be reached safely in children's games2 : the end toward which effort is directed : aim 3 a : an area or object toward which players in various games attempt to advance a ball or puck and usually through or into which it must go to score points b : the act or action of causing a ball or puck to go through or into such a goal c : the score resulting from such an act

Better. I understand this one, I think. In a race, a goal is the finish line. In a game, a goal is where you want to aim the ball. In life, a goal is the result of what you've exerted all your efforts toward.

So, in this new year, this new decade, do I make resolutions or set goals? I'm going with goals. I'm gonna set some goals. Yes...yes, I am. Goals. Not many, just a few. I want to be able to focus my efforts and attention toward a handful of things so that I am able to do them with excellence. Goals. I want to cross the finish line of 2010 triumphant. I want my life to be more purposeful this year; I want it to be aimed at a specific target- a target that glorifies the Father.

As I sat at my desk this past January 1, 2010 with the pages of my new pink leather journal blankly staring back at me I eagerly grabbed my pen and began jotting down my goals for the year.

1. Consistency in my Quiet Time. Some mornings when the alarm announces a new day has dawned, it is SO hard to crawl out of bed. But, alas, my time with God in the mornings sets the tone of my day and gets my thoughts focused on Him. I need that. My goal is to get up EVERY day when the alarm clock beeps or dings or plays music or whatever it does and meet with the Father. What will I be doing in my quiet time? I'm going to be reading through the New Testament. God has already shown me so much in the few chapters we've read together. It's been great!!!

2. Memorize at least 2 verses every month. Care to join me in this? Hiding God's Word in our hearts is so important. When the enemy comes against us or times get tough, with God's Word hidden in our hearts we can walk forward confident and sure that He is with us.

3. Journal every day about Bible reading and what has gone on during the day, especially with the kids. I want my kids to have a written record of their lives and mine. I want them to see, for themselves, how God has worked in them and me over time.

4. Exercise more. 'nough said!

5. Be very purposeful about my time with my kids, putting them, their schooling, and their lives before everything else. God has given them on loan to me to raise for His glory. Raising kids takes lots of time and energy of which I must be purposeful. I am fervently praying for the salvation of my son this year. Do it Lord!!!

6. Be more of an encourager to my husband. My husband works his tushy off for us providing everything we need. He is committed to us and loves us with a passion. I want to encourage him more this year and be more purposeful in letting him know how much I love him and appreciate all he does for us.

7. Complete the Bible Study on 1 John. A few years ago I began writing a Bible Study on 1 John. God is calling me to complete this work. With His leading and wisdom, this will be the year of its completion.

8. Write for God's glory. Not only will I continue to write here, but I, again with His leading, will continue to write for At the Well and Exemplify Online. I also plan to submit some articles for publication and pray that at least 1 of them gets published.

9. Live out the calling God has placed on my life with a passion. I want to be bold and fearless in all that I do for Him. By His Grace Ministry and In His Word Bible Study are ministries that God has called me. These are avenues His has paved for me to live out my story and bring Him glory. Already, He is leading me to step it up and I'm so excited to see what this year holds for these ministries.

10. Seek God's face in everything. My theme verse for this year is Psalm 27:8: "When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face LORD, I will seek." I want to do NOTHING without His leading. NOTHING. In all things, Lord, I will seek Your face!

My goals. Attainable? Yes. Easy to attain? No. Rewarding when I cross that finish line and look back over the year? Absolutely!!!!

Ready? Set? Let's go girl!!!

12) Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected;

but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which

Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

13) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended;

but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind

and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

14) I press toward the goal for the prize

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14, NKJV

What about you...what are your goals for 2010?

Seeking Him in 2010

2010-01-06T06:00:00.003-05:00

"Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it."

A new day, with no mistakes in it... hmmm...

2010...

a new tomorrow...

a new day...

a new year...

new beginnings...

new opportunities...

new people...

new...

To read the rest of today's post, join me over At the Well as we seek Him in this new year.

"When You said, 'Seek My face,'
my heart said to You,
'Your face LORD, I will seek."
Psalm 27:8, NKJV

In His Word Happenin's

2010-01-05T18:24:00.009-05:00

It's that time again... time for a new semester of In His Word Bible Study. Oh how I've missed my sweet ladies!! I am beyond ready to hug their necks and dig into God's Word with them.

Here's what we've got going for the next few months.

Beginning in February the "God... who are You & what can You do for me?" study will be offered onsite as well as online through At the Well... In Pursuit of Titus 2. I am super pumped about this!!!! Keep your eyes open for more details about the online study.

But...in the meantime, if you are in the area, we'd LOVE to have you join us every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. For more details regarding where and when, send me an email and I'll get back to you asap.

I'm curious... are you gearing up for a new semester of Bible Study yourself? What will you be studying through?

Looking forward to seeing you all real soon. Until then, be blessed!!!!

Let's Chat

2010-01-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Oh my goodness gracious!!! It seems like forever since we've chatted. Pull up a chair, grab yourself a cup of coffee and let's talk, shall we?

How in the world are you?

Did you have a most wonderful Christmas? Enjoy lots of yummy food? Receive any cool gadgets for Christmas?

What about New Years? Did you ring in the new year with friends?

Me? To be honest with you... I for one am glad the business of the season is behind us. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas, but it does make me SO tired... ya know, going here, there, and yonder. Tired, I tell ya. Tired.

Life is beginning to settle down for us, or should I say... life, as we know it every day, is getting back to normal. All the Christmas decor has been taken down and put away until next year. Old toys have been replaced with new ones. Company has returned home. And, the house is back in order from all the hubbub of the season. We are ready to embark on the journey God has before us for this 2010 year.

Here's a little peek inside what we've been up to the past few weeks:

The kiddos and I spent 2 1/2 weeks at my parent's house while hubs worked in Houston.

My grandmother, who was visiting from Florida, taught my daughter and I how to crochet. I crocheted my first scarf. Hooray for me!!!!

Our oldest daughter turned 10. I can't believe it!!!! Soon she'll catch up with me, cause I'm only 21, ya know!?! *smile*

My son can now speak 5 languages. Well... not really. But, he is convinced he can, so why burst his bubble, right?

The wee princess is now completely potty trained. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!!!!

I dyed my hair. It turned black. I dyed it again. It stayed black. I washed it with dish washing liquid. It still remained black. I cut my hair. Now, it is short and a faded blackish brown color. Sigh.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve service at my parent's church. Joined with other brothers and sisters in Christ in taking the Lord's Supper and focusing our minds on the true meaning of Christmas.

Feasted on fried turkey and all the fixin's for Christmas day dinner. It was DELICIOUS!!! Way to go dad!!!

Hubs and I enjoyed a day to ourselves thanks to the grandparents. Did a little shopping, ate lunch at Olive Garden, and saw "The Blind Side". It was heavenly!!!

I got a really cool new pink leather journal that I can't wait to fill the pages of this year.

Set some goals for the year. I'll be sharing some of them with you later this week.

Oh... and, I made THE most scrumptious pot of shrimp and sausage gumbo ever!!!! Yum-o!!!

Well...that about sums it up for our fam. What about you and yours? What have you guys been up to lately?

A Baby Changes Everything

2009-12-25T06:00:00.003-05:00

Worshipping the Baby who changed the world today!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

A Stone Cave

2009-12-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve. The wonder and splendor of the season comes to its grand finale tonight. All around the world Christians are coming together to celebrate the birth of Christ. Thinking back to that first Christmas, what comes to your mind? The announcement of the angels, the glory of God filling up the night sky, a young Mary experiencing the pains of birthing her first child, Joseph, trying to do all he could to comfort his hurting wife, a cold dark stable filled with smelly animals and moldy hay?

Our pretty manger scenes don’t begin to do justice to what exactly went on that night. The conditions in the stable where Jesus was born were definitely not the norm for welcoming in a King. The manger where the newborn King slept was in a stable. A stable not made of wood, but of stone. A stone cave, borrowed from an inn keeper, welcomed our Savior.

As you picture that stone cave, fast forward some thirty-three years to another cave, another place where Jesus was laid inside a stone cave, this time not by Joseph, His father, but by Joseph of Arimathea: “Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away” (Matthew 27:59-60). Here is our King, again laid to rest in a borrowed cave; this time not to welcome His birth, but to mourn His death. Once again we see that He was born to die, for my sins and yours.

Can anyone shout HALLELUJAH!!! with me? Okay let me tell you why we’re shouting. Because just three days later, He was ALIVE!!!!! That stone had been rolled away and He was alive. Once again angels heralded the news: “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who had been crucified. HE IS NOT HERE, for He has risen, just as He said” (Matthew 28:5-6, emphasis added).

I praise You, Lord for You were born to die for me so that I could have life eternal. Praise His name!

Gifts Fit for a King

2009-12-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

“We have seen His star in
the East and have come to worship Him.
And when they (the Magi) had come into the house,
they saw the young Child with Mary His mother
and fell down and worshipped Him.
And when they had opened their treasures,
they presented gifts to Him:
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:2b & 11

The Magi came from afar to do two things: worship the King of Kings and present to Him gifts chosen and brought especially for Him; gifts that were fit for a King. These men searched for quite some time looking for Jesus. Scripture tells us when they found Him, a couple of years after His birth, they fell down prostrate before Him, worshipped Him, and presented gifts Him with gifts. The gold they offered represented Jesus’ deity or purity; the incense, the sweet fragrance of His life; and the myrrh, His sacrifice and death (myrrh was used for embalming).

Very soon my family will celebrate Christmas at my parent’s house with my sister, her husband, and grandmother. The living room will be filled with gifts for everyone to enjoy. There will be big gifts, little gifts, long skinny gifts, heavy gifts; gifts wrapped in pretty paper tied neatly with a bow; gifts in big, bright colored bags; all kinds of gifts. With all these gifts waiting to be opened, my thoughts can't help but think about Jesus and the gifts the Magi brought to Him.

The gifts they brought the Christ-child were

gifts fit for a King.

Hmmm....

Gifts fit for a King?

Will there be any gifts in our living room that are gifts fit for a King?

We have no gold.

No aroma of frankincense will fill the room.

Myrrh? Highly unlikely.

So, what do we have that could be offered to the King? What could be given to Him this year? Does He want gold and frankincense and myrrh? No, not really. What He really wants is YOU and ME. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wants us. He wants our hearts. He wants us to have a real relationship with Him. That’s why He came.

So, yes- there will be gifts in that living room fit for a King; not the ones with the bows on them, but the ones with hearts longing for their King.

Beloved, fall down on your knees, worship the King, and give Him yourself today.

Do YOU have room?

2009-12-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (emphasis added)

Luke 2:1, 3-7

A decree, or census, had been ordered by Caesar Augustus for each nation to be counted by family and tribe. Joseph and Mary were descendants of David so they had to travel to their tribal home of Bethlehem in Judea. From Nazareth, where they currently lived, to Bethlehem was about a 70 mile journey. Not too bad, huh? Just hop in the car and it would only take a little over a hour. WRONG! They had a few things against them:

...first, Mary was pregnant, most likely in the latter stages of pregnancy, making any trip uncomfortable

...second, they didn’t have a comfy little car with an AC and CD player to hop in and enjoy a quick ride over to the next town, all they had was a stubborn little donkey

...third, there were no Chick-fil-a’s or Starbucks' along the way to stop and eat, they had to take food and water with them

...fourth, there were no exits for hotels, so they had to sleep under the stars with the bugs and other creepy crawlies

...fifth, the D.O.T. hadn’t made it to their area yet to pave the roads, so they trekked through treacherous mountain terrain- Joseph walking and Mary, pregnant, riding on a donkey that was also carrying food, water, blankets, and anything else they might have needed.

Are you getting the idea here? This trip wasn’t FUN. It was hard; very hard. When they finally got the Bethlehem they were ready to be in a nice warm inn, enjoy a yummy meal, and sleep in a cozy bed.

Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how many inn doors they knocked on trying to find a room for the night. My guess would be that it was more than one. Because there were so many people who had traveled to Bethlehem for the census, every room in the entire city was booked. There was no nice warm room, no yummy food to eat, no cozy bed to sleep in. Nothing. Nowhere. Noda. There was no room for them.

As I mediated on this passage the past few days, the Lord asked me this question, “do YOU have room for Me? In the midst of the business of your life right now, the Christmas parties, the shopping, the traveling, the kids, everything you think you have to do, do you have room for Me?” My first response was, of course I do, Lord. Don’t You remember the 5 minutes I spent with You a few days ago, and didn’t You see me reading the story to my children about baby Jesus in the manger, and….?" Then I had to stop. "You know what, Lord, You are right. I haven’t had room for You. I’ve been too caught up in the season to remember its reason. I am so sorry!"

Beloved, do YOU have room God? If not, stop right now and seek His forgiveness for not giving Him His rightful place in your life. Let Him, today and everyday, fill up every room in your life.

Joseph, a Righteous Man

2009-12-11T06:00:00.002-05:00

My husband and I have had many conversations over the years about who we would entrust to care for our children if something were to ever happened to us. There are certain things, character traits if you will, we would look for in those persons. For instance, we would want our children to be raised by persons who loved God and sought to live according to His will for their lives, persons who would offer stability, discipline,and protection; we would want our children to be in a home where they would be taught God's Word and how important He is in their lives.

These types of conversations always get me to thinking, I mean REALLY thinking; thinking beyond common every day life occurrences into the deep depths of the why's of why God set the world into motion and wills for life to play out the way it does.

For instance...why did God choose Joseph and Mary to be the earthly parents of His one and only Son? What was it about these two adolescent individuals that caused the Father to hand pick them from the masses to raise Jesus from baby to man; to teach Him how to walk, how to talk, how to carve a piece of wood into a beautiful piece of art, how to simply, make His bed? A teenage boy and a pre-teen girl preparing for a "normal" life together, now chosen to be the parents of the King of Kings...Why?

Scripture doesn't tell us much about Jesus' earthly father Joseph. What it does tells us, though, I believe is of utmost importance and a great example for all of us.

First, Joseph was a just man.
Matthew 1:19, tells us that Joseph was "a just man", a righteous man. This terminology is a Hebrew phrase suggesting he was a true believer in God who had been declared righteous by God, and who carefully obeyed the law. Joseph was a Jew and came from a rich heritage of men and women who loved God and were devoted to Him; men and women like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Salmon, Rahab, Boaz, and Ruth; Jesse, David, and Solomon (Matthew 1:1-17 gives the genealogy of Joseph and Jesus). Coming from a devout Jewish heritage like this, it is very likely that the "Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9- the Jewish confession of faith, which was recited twice daily along with Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41) was read aloud and practiced faithfully in his home aiding in him becoming the righteous, just man God declared him to be.

In Matthew 1:24 and Matthew 2:13-15, we see Joseph's devotion to God by his unquestioning obedience to God's instruction of him accepting Mary as his wife and taking Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them from Herod. When God gave Joseph instructions to follow, Joseph obeyed immediately and completely. A man with this type of integrity would be of utmost importance in the raising of His Son who would be called upon to obey His Father's instruction without question.

Secondly, I believe Joseph was a man who had a compassionate heart for all mankind.
As I said before, Joseph had a rich heritage full of Godly men and women; not perfect men and women, but individuals who loved God and sought to please Him with their lives. Having come from this rich heritage of Godly men, I believe, was also a great example to Joseph in his acceptance of and unconditional love for Mary.

Why do I say this? Look at Salmon who married the Gentile prostitute, Rahab. The two of them later had a son, Boaz, who married a Moabite widow. When God looked upon Joseph, I think He knew Joseph would have a tender heart toward this young Mary who had become pregnant before they married with a child that was not biologically his own. If I had my guess, I would say Joseph showed Jesus, in the flesh, how to respect and love all peoples in spite of the label placed on them by society.

Lastly, Joseph was a hard worker.
Matthew 13:55 tells us that Joseph was a carpenter. Carpentry work is not easy. When I was young my granddaddy and dad did a lot of carpentry work. My granddaddy had been taught by his dad and in turn taught my dad the trade of wood working. I remember going into the shop and watching them measure, cut, nail, sand, and piece together, what looked like to me just a bunch a boards, and making it into something beautiful and of value. I'm sure Joseph's job was a lot like that. Spending countless hours in his wood working shop with his son teaching him the skills of the trade; the importance of paying careful attention to the details, the art of taking a few pieces of wood, some nails, and a hammer and the end result being something of beauty. I'm sure Jesus learned perseverance through the many hours spent carving and sanding and carving and sanding. God knew Joseph would instill in His Son a work ethic of perseverance until the job was complete.

God didn't choose just anybody to care for and raise His Son. He chose a man who, first and foremost loved Him and sought to please Him with his life; a man who would teach Jesus the importance of obedience without question; a man who would instill in Him the love and respect of all peoples; and a man who would show Him the importance of persevering through to the end in spite of the difficulty of the situation. Even though Jesus was God in the flesh, I have to believe that His earthly father, Joseph, had a great impact on His life.

God chose Joseph to be the earthly father of His heavenly Son. Definitely no small task, but one Joseph took on with great pride. God has chosen each of us for a special purpose here on this earth. Live out that purpose for Him today, be salt and light to those around you; be the hands and feet of Jesus; love the lost; care for the wounded; point the sinner to the Savior.

First, the Shepherds!?!

2009-12-10T06:00:00.003-05:00

One December night in Palestine, an American preacher looked down on a group of shepherds watching their flocks by night just before he entered the town of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve Services. This experience so touched Phillips Brooks that he wrote about it in a poem and asked the children of his Sunday school to perform it. This poem would become the song "O Little Town of Bethlehem". Dr. Brooks asked his friend Lewis Redner (who was the choir director and organist for the church) to compose a simple melody for the children to sing. The week before Christmas came, and still Redner had not found the right tune. It is said that the Saturday night before the performance he awoke and heard angelic music, which he quickly jotted down. He insisted even afterward that the melody to one of our favorite carols was "a gift from Heaven." (taken from A Season of Joy by Susan Card)

I find it interesting that a group of shepherds tending to their flocks by night inspired one of the most beautiful Christmas carols we sing today. I also find it interesting that the angels announced to the shepherds first that a Savior had been born (Luke 2:8-14). After 400 years of silence from the Lord because of the sin of His people (Ezekiel 10-11), He chose to announce to shepherds, first, the Messiah had been born!

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense because shepherds weren't regarded as being the grandest of people. They were considered to be nasty, dirty people who smelled of sheep because they spent so much time holding and comforting those frantic, furry, four-legged beasts. This band of nomad wanderers would risk their lives to save a dumb sheep because they cared so deeply for it. Shepherds didn't even have a place to call home, because their roamings took them from place to place as they sought out better pastures for their flocks to feed on.

So, why the shepherds first? Why was it so important for them to know a Savior had come? I'm not exactly sure, but I do have a few thoughts.

Could it be because the shepherds represented all mankind in his current state; nasty and dirty because of the effects sin?

Maybe it was because they were wandering all over the place, trying to find something better to satisfy an empty soul?

Could it be because this Savior would relate on a personal level with the shepherds? After all, He, Himself, would become a Shepherd. He would begin to smell of sheep because He would spend so much time with them. He would become nasty and dirty going to great lengths to save them from a roaring lion or an angry bear; and He would eventually loose His life to save theirs. Being in His presence would bring about such a peace that it would cause the sheep to lay down and rest instead of wandering all over everywhere trying to find something better; He would fulfill that deep longing they had inside them.

I think the shepherds had to know this Savior who had been born, was born for them. Even though society deemed them nasty scum of the earth, this Savior, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, had esteemed them as precious in His sight. So precious, in fact, that He was willing to leave all He had to save just one of them.

Do you realize, Beloved, YOU are so precious to God that He sent the Good Shepherd just to save YOU? He loved YOU so deeply it hurt!

"Jesus said, 'What man of you, having a
hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the
wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he
has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. I say to you that likewise
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.' "
Luke 15:4, 5, & 7, NKJV

Finding the Messiah, part 2

2009-12-09T09:31:00.006-05:00

Good morning dear ones! Are you ready to push up your shirt sleeves and do a little more digging today in order to unearth those golden nuggets that lie beneath the surface of Isaiah 7:14?

Yesterday we read from the book of Ezekiel where God's glory left the temple and His people because of their sins. We saw in chapter eleven of Ezekiel that yes, God's glory was gone but His covenant love and promise still remained. Because He is a covenant keeping, always loving God, He will never go back on His word. God fully intended to return and restore His relationship with His people; today we will see that He did just that.

God illustrates His coming back for His people in the book of Hosea. Grab your shovels and let's start digging.

Hosea is a book full of symbolism. The names in this book, especially in the first few chapters, are very significant to the picture God is painting for us.

In chapter 1 of Hosea we are introduced to the main characters of the book. Hosea, whose name means "salvation"; Gomer, his wife, whose name means "complete vanishing"; Jezreel, their first child, whose name means "God scatters"; Lo-ruhamah, the second child, whose name means "not pitied"; and Lo-Ammi, the third child, whose name means "not my people".

God told Hosea, who was a righteous man, to take for himself Gomer as his wife. Gomer would come to be known as a woman of adultery who would cheat on her husband time and time again. Even though God told Hosea the kind of woman his wife would become, Hosea didn’t waiver in his obedience to the Lord. He took her as his bride and loved her unconditionally.

In Hosea chapter 2, the characters of the book take on a whole new meaning. Hosea represents God’s salvation. Gomer represents the adulterer God’s people had become. And, their children represent God’s wrath on His people because of their sin.

Let's read Hosea 4:4-12.

"4) Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest.

5) You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother.

6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

7) The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.

8) They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity.

9) And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

10) They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply,because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish

11) whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.

12) My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore."
Hosea 4:1-12, ESV

To borrow the language of God, are we not a whore for the things of this world? Don’t we choose material things the world offers over the things of God? This was the very reason God’s glory left the temple. He could no longer stand to see the downward spiral of His people. But, in spite of all that the people were involved in and had become, God still promised that He would one day come back for His people to redeem them just like God tells Hosea to go and redeem his adulteress wife, why?

God is coming back because of His love for us. He is coming back because He made a covenant with His people (Genesis 3:15); He is coming back because that was the plan from the beginning; He is coming back because He is the rightful heir to the Davidic throne; He is coming back because He is our Kinsman Redeemer. God will return for His bride in Christ even if she is unfaithful to Him. Beloved, HE WILL RETURN!

"1) 'When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

2) As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images.

3) I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.

4) I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.

5) He shall not return to the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to repent.

6) And the sword shall slash in his cities, devour his districts, and consume them, because of their own counsels.

7) My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him.

8) How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.

9) I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror.

10) They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west;

11) They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria.

And I will let them dwell in their houses,' says the LORD."

Hosea 11:1-11, NKJV

When God’s presence left the temple that day, no one heard from Him for four hundred years. Can you even imagine? Four hundred years and nothing. No prophetic word from God was spoken or written. The entire nation of Israel had been cut off from God. There was no peace in the hearts of men, only turmoil. There was a constant struggle with sin taking them further and further from where they were supposed to be. I can just imagine the earth groaning in pain and heartache for its Creator. For four hundred years, God was unheard. Even though the voice of God was silent, the hand of God was actively directing the course of events during this time.

Now for the golden nugget that lead us to do all this digging. God made a promise to His people and He was about to come through for them.

"14) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14, NKJV

Did God's sign appear? Oh, yes...it absolutely did!!

"1) And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2) This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

3) So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4) Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

5) to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

6) So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

7) And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
Luke 2:1-7, NKJV

"22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

23) 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.' "
Matthew 1:22-23, NKJV

God came through on the promise He made to His people, because He is a covenant keeping God. God will always do what He says He will do. This, Beloved, is the very essence of the Christmas season; God fulfilling His promise to us through the birth of His Son.

All throughout the Old Testament, we’ve seen God protecting and preparing the way for His covenant to be fulfilled. He has shouted out to us, “Christmas is coming! My Promised One is coming to you! The One who will fill that void of something you are looking for. He is coming!”

Beloved, God came back. He took on flesh in order to dwell among His people. He came this time, not only to be God with us, but to be God in us. Immanuel, God with us, came to make a New Covenant with His people. Not a covenant that was bound by the law or the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, but a covenant that would be written on the hearts and minds of His people.

The day came and the promise God made in Jeremiah 31:31-34 was kept. And, because of Rahab, a Gentile prostitute, and Ruth, a Moabite woman redeemed by her kinsman redeemer, were grafted into the royal bloodline of the Davidic dynasty, we can enjoy the benefits of the New Covenant. God can be God in us.

Throughout all of time, God has been with His people, whether actively working or silently preparing a way, God has been there. When Adam sinned, God was with him promising him a Seed. When Satan tried to thwart God’s plan by killing Abel, God provided Seth from whom His Seed would come. When the flood waters overcame the earth, God was with Noah in the ark protecting the righteous.

God was with Moses and His chosen people through the wilderness wanderings providing for them every step of the way. God was with Rahab and Ruth, grafting them into the Davidic line from which an eternal Davidic King would come and rule. God’s presence left His people, but returned to fulfill a promise He made long ago. God returned in the body of an infant, but He had the heart of a warrior. A warrior who had come to redeem His people from the bondage of sin.

He is Immanuel; God with us, God in us, God for us. HE IS!!

Finding the Messiah- week 1

2009-12-08T15:22:00.006-05:00

Whew! What a day!!! I'm finally sitting down at my desk to finish putting together today's post. My mind has been racing for days now as to how to piece this baby together. It's one of those posts where there is SO much to say but so little space to do it in. I'm gonna give it a whirl though, cause it's good, good stuff.

My sweet friend, Victoria of Let the Son Shine, is hosting a Bible Study every Tuesday during the month of December to help us focus our thoughts and activities on Christ this Christmas season.

Our study this past week involved us reading through several Scripture passages for the purpose of getting to know Jesus more through the circumstances that lead Him to earth. I spent some time reading through the list of passages Victoria shared. As I read them and then re-read them, there was one golden nugget of truth that out shone all the others.

It is a familiar "Christmas" passage; a passage that could easily be skimmed right over if one wasn't willing to pull up their shirt sleeves and do a little digging. Not being one who settles for the familiar, I push up my shirt sleeves and began digging and oh, the treasures I did find! I love it when the Lord takes those familiar passages and makes them come alive in my spirit; so alive that I can hardly contain my joy.

The golden nugget I am speaking of can be found in Isaiah 7:14.

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call Him name Immanuel."

Pretty self explanatory, huh? God's going to give a sign. A virgin will conceive a child. The child will be born. The child will be a Son. The Son is to be called Immanuel. The end. Period. Wrap that bad boy up and stick it under the tree.

Um...not so fast. How about let's, you and I, pull up our shirt sleeves and dig a little deeper into the significance of this beautiful promise. Sound like a winner? Good!

Let’s begin in the book of Ezekiel. The purpose of the book of Ezekiel is to announce God’s judgment on Israel and other nations and to foretell the eventual salvation of His people.

In Ezekiel chapter 8, we see that God has given Ezekiel a vision of what is going on in His temple. God's people have begun worshipping false gods and even bringing them into the Holy place. They were defiling His holy inhabitance by painting graffiti on the walls which pictured creatures who were associated with Egyptian animal cults. The leaders of the temple who should have been worshipping God and setting that example for others, were instead offering incense to these pagan idols in secret, thinking God could not see what they were doing.

Israel began worshipping Tammuz, the Babylonian god of spring vegetation. Women sat at the gate weeping over his demise and longing for his return. Men literally turned their backs to the temple of God while standing on the temple porch and began worshipping the sun in the east. Nothing of the temple, God’s dwelling place, was scared anymore. His people had completely defiled it.

In Ezekiel 8:18 God says...

"Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity;

and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."
Ezekiel 8:18, NKJV

God had absolutely had enough. He would no longer hear the cries of His people nor pity them. He was tired of their disobedience and was about to unleash His wrath upon them. Can you even imagine? What would it be like to have God pour out His wrath on you? What would it be like to cry out to God and He not hear you? Not only that, what would it be like for God's presence to leave His dwelling place on earth; for His radiant glory to be gone?

Wow! The thought of it gives me chills. As harsh as it may seem to us, God did what He said He was going to do. Let's read on and as you read note the stages of God's glory leaving His dwelling place.

“9:3a) Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub,

where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.
10:4) Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub,

and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud,

and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.
10:18) Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple

and stood over the cherubim.
11:23) And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city

and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.
Ezekiel 9:3a; 10:4; 10:18; 11:23, NKJV

In the blink of an eye, God’s glory left the temple. The saddest part of it is, God’s people didn’t even notice He was gone. They were so consumed with themselves and their false gods, they had no idea the God of the universe had just depart from them. He slays the sinful and protects the few that remained faithful to Him. God rains fire over the city of Jerusalem as a sign of His wrath.

If God’s presence left His people, what about the promise of the Seed to come that would crush the head of Satan found in Genesis 3:15? What about the Kinsman Redeemer we find in the book of Ruth? What about the covenant He made with them? If He was gone, if His glory left the presence of His people, what would happen?

Read Ezekiel 11:14-21.

14) Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15) “Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ 16) Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.”’ 17) Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18) And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19) Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20) that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21) But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

Yes, God’s presence was leaving His people, but His covenant love and promise for them still remained. Why? Because He is a covenant keeping, always loving God. He will never go back on His word. He fully intended to return and restore His relationship with His people. And, He did exactly that!

God beautifully illustrates His coming back for His people in the book of Hosea. Tomorrow we will push up our shirt sleeves and dig in there. For now, though, I encourage you to take some time and think back through today's verses from the book of Ezekiel. What are your thoughts?

And, I invite you to visit with my sweet friend Victoria and join us as we "Find the Messiah" this Christmas.

See you tomorrow! Bring your shovels, we've got a lot of digging to do!

I Prefer Both, what about YOU?

2009-12-07T08:38:00.008-05:00

Brrr.... it's cold! I don't know about you, but I awoke to a very frigid 25 degrees on this lovely Monday morning. After baking a dozen cranberry orange muffins for the kiddos, I took a swig of Diet Mt. Dew, popped a Nantucket K-cup in the trusty ole' Keurig then sat down at my desk to enjoy the Christmas issue of Exemplify Online Magazine.

I know what you're thinking...Diet Mt. Dew AND coffee!?! Yeah, well... it's kind of like the sweet and salty thing. Ya know how when you eat something salty you follow it up with something sweet or vice versa...don't say you don't do it, cause you know you do (smile). Well...Diet Mt. Dew and coffee in the mornings in my sweet and salty- yes, the Dew is sweet but the coffee is not salty, it's sweet too, but I'm shooting for the cold and hot. Am I making ANY sense at all? No! Ok...so moving on...where were we...ah, yes... Exemplify Online. (smile)

This month's issue, Prince of Peace, is packed to the brim (get it..."brim"...coffee? Lame, huh?Ok, moving on again!) with great Christmas ideas, recipes, and the like. It's so full in fact, there is a special Christmas addition ontop of our normal monthly issue! How cool is that!!!

I just know you are going to LOVE it!!!! So, go...now or later...and check it out.

Exemplify Magazine, Prince of Peace Issue.

And, as if that one treat weren't enough, you can find me today over At the Well for a gathering where we are discussing 'the holiness of God'.

So, whether you prefer ice cold Diet Mt. Dew or steaming hot Nantucket Coffee or both (smile) to start your day, I do hope you will pour yourself a cup of the beverage of your choice and settle in for some awesome reading this morning. And, I pray your heart will be filled to the brim with love and joy and peace and Christmas this day. All my love!!!

A Promise of Healing

2009-12-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

What IS the purpose of Christmas? Is it the beautiful evergreens that light up our family rooms or the snowmen decorations that sit on our mantels? Maybe the purpose of Christmas is to see just how many lights we can hang from our rooftops and blowup Santa's we can adorn our yards with before we blow a breaker? Could it be that the true purpose of Christmas goes much, much deeper than the beautifully wrapped presents that sit underneath our trees and the stockings that hang by the chimney? Yes, indeed...I do believe it could be...in fact, it IS.

For us to grasp the purpose of what Christmas truly is, let's take a trip back to the very beginning of time as we know it. On the sixth day of creation God made mankind. Man was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). He was the crowning point of God's creation; a living human, created in God's image to rule over all creation.

It is necessary for us to note here what the word image means. Image is the transliteration of the Hebrew word tselem which means to shade or to shadow. You and I were created to live in the shadow of God; we were created to shadow Him. Think about it this way. You've started a new job and you are being trained by someone who knows the job well. They are telling you everything you need to know about how to do that particular job. You are shadowing them, working right beside them, mimicking all they do.

God created us in His image, not to look like Him physically, but He created us with the capabilities to feel emotions, to have our own will and to be intellectual; and also to be morally good and sinless like He was. In the beginning man was able to shadow God perfectly and experience intimate fellowship with Him. Adam and Eve were able to walk hand-in-hand with God. They experienced the joys of fellowshipping with Him anytime they desired to do so because they were sinless, perfect, without blame. They had done and were doing all God had commanded them to do.

But, something happened.

Sin happened and literally broke apart man's relationship with God. Because man was created with his own will and intellect, having the ability to make choices, he chose to disobey God resulting in him being cast out from God's shadow. Man became sick with the disease of sin. There was now a dividing line between God and man; a line in which man was not allowed to cross. (see Genesis 3:1-24 to read the account of the fall of man from the shadow of God)

If God created us to have intimate fellowship with Him and to live in His shadow, what was man to do now that He was no longer allowed to freely enter into that shadow? How would man get back into right relationship with His God? How would man be healed from the disease of sin?

In the midst of God's heart being broken over man's sin and in the midst of having to punish man as a result of this sin, God promised man that there would come a Seed from woman who would crush the head of Satan, the father of all sin, and restore their fellowship with one another (Genesis 3:15). This Seed was the promise of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would heal mankind of the disease of sin.

"And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,
so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds we are healed."
1 Peter 2:24

So, what IS the purpose of Christmas? Christmas IS God fulfilling a promise He made long ago that a Seed would come from woman to heal man of his sin disease and erase the line of separation between God and man. Christmas IS the promise of healing for all those who believe.

Precious sister, do you need to be healed today from the disease of sin and be brought back into fellowship with God? God sent an Savior for you who will erase the dividing line between you and God and allow for you to live in His shadow. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Call out to Him right now for that healing.

WFW- Taste & See

2009-12-02T10:33:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but during this time of year I tend to taste way too many yummy sweet treats, feast on far too many turkey legs, and devour those delicious appetizers that we only seem to make in the month of December. Too often I allow the busyness of my December calendar to pull me away from my time with the Lord.

But, just this morning, in the tender, loving way of my heavenly Father, He reminded me that my time with Him is a must...

a treat...

a delicious delight...

a meal, in and of itself...

So, today...

instead of yummy cookies or turkey and dressing or those scrumptious Jimmy Dean sausage balls...

I will be tasting the goodness of the LORD. What about you?

Penny is hosting Word Filled Wednesday today. Come on over and be inspired.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

From our home to yours...Happy Thanksgiving!!!

"Praise the LORD!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

His faithful love endures forever."

Psalm 106:1, NLT

WFW- Praise, Honor, & Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T13:47:00.004-05:00

For more beautiful WFW pictures, visit Susan at Forever His.

It was Brought to Our Attention...

2009-11-24T10:36:00.006-05:00

For those of you who subscribe to BHG through Feedblitz and receive our posts in your inbox...

It was brought to our attention that in today's email there was an ad supporting abortion. I want you to know that in NO way, shape or form does By His Grace Ministry support, approve of, or encourage abortion. BHG is pro-life believing that EVERY baby is precious in the eyes of God and created for a purpose.

In the days to come, we will be changing our email subscription to a subscription that will not contain ads of any kind. Keep your eyes open for this change because each of you will have to re-subscribe.

Thank you so much to the reader who pointed this out to me and thank you all for following and supporting By His Grace Ministry. Our goal to to serve you and accurately represent the Truths contained within God's Word in all that we do.

One Brief Moment in Time

2009-11-24T08:05:00.001-05:00

I stood at her bedroom door and called out for my two and a half year old daughter to come to me so that I could get her dressed for church.

"Just a minute!" was her reply.

Standing there waiting, my husband encouraged me to go finish getting ready myself and he would take over with her.

"No," I said, "it's the principle of the matter now. I called her and she needs to come to me."

Again, I called her name and this time she did come running. But, instead of running straight to me, she decided to take a detour through the living room. Not a good choice. As she rounded the corner of the hope chest, she hit the floor. Hard. And the tears began to fall.

Oh. My. Word. God immediately began speaking to my heart. Numerous, invaluable lessons were learned from this one moment in time.

I called my daughter's name, not once, but twice for her to come to me. Immediate obedience was what I was after, but immediate obedience I did not get. My little one was busy doing what she wanted to do and would come to me in her own time.

Not only would she come in her own time, but she was determined to come to me in her own way. The path from the kitchen to her bedroom is a straight shot; a clear path. But, did she take the easy route? Nope. It wasn't "her way" and her heart desired to go her own way; a way that seemed right in her mind. Her journey would take her through the living room, around the hope chest and end up leading her to fall flat on her face. Tears streaming, breath knocked out of her, she lay on the floor waiting for me to come rescue her. Did I? Yes... I did... but not immediately. I let her lay there for a minute suffering the consequences of the wrong choice she had just made.

Sound familiar?

Ever heard God calling your name, instructing you to come to Him so that He could get you "dressed" for a job He had prepared for you to do, but found yourself responding, "just a minute" because you were too busy doing your own thing?

Or, maybe you've responded to His voice but decided to go your own way to get to Him? Did you find your own way to be dangerous, full of dead ends and detours? Maybe your way led you into a deep pit you were unable to get out of on your own; a pit that would leave you with scrapes and bruises and horrific wounds because of the impact such a long, hard fall would have on your body.

Oh, my friends, I have been there. I've been too busy doing my own thing to respond to God's voice the first time He called my name. And, I've come to Him many times by way of the "Jenifer Route" only to find myself laying in the bottom of a pit barely able to breathe with nowhere to look but up... to Him. God has rescued me from the pit, but He has also allowed me to suffer the consequences of my sin- He allowed me to suffer in order to teach me and mold me into the woman He created me to be before the foundations of the earth.

In this one very brief moment in time, God used my daughter to once again remind me of lessons He has walked me through many times before.

He said to me...

"When I call your name, sweet daughter, drop what you are doing and come to me. Immediate obedience is what I am after."

And...

"The straight and narrow way brings many blessings upon your life; the wide and, often seemingly easy way, only leads to pain and wounds that I do not wish for you to bare."

So, I ask you today...
~When God calls your name, do you immediately drop what you are doing and run to Him?

"So Samuel said: 'Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."
1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV

~Are you walking the straight and narrow that God has laid out before you to walk down or have you constructed your own path and now find yourself in a pit?

"But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter
unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know
what makes them stumble."
Proverbs 4:18-19, NKJV

If you find yourself in a pit today, call out to Him and He will answer. In fact... He stands ready.

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He
also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet
upon a rock, and established my steps."
Psalm 40: 1-2, NKJV

Precious, Lord, may we obey You immediately. May our hearts be inclined to hear Your voice and heed Your instructions. Empower us with the strength to stay on the path You have set before us. Guide our footsteps to follow after Your own. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Bless the LORD

2009-11-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Psalm 103

A psalm of David.

1) Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart,

I will praise his holy name.

2) Let all that I am praise the Lord;

may I never forget the good things he does for me.

3) He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

4) He redeems me from death and crowns me

with love and tender mercies.

5) He fills my life with good things.

My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6) The Lord gives righteousness and justice

to all who are treated unfairly.
7) He revealed his character to Moses and

his deeds to the people of Israel.

8) The Lord is compassionate and merciful,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

9) He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.

10) He does not punish us for all our sins;

he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

11) For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

12) He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

13) The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

14) For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

15) Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

16) The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here.

17) But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.

His salvation extends to the children’s children

18) of those who are faithful to his covenant,

of those who obey his commandments!
19) The Lord has made the heavens his throne;

from there he rules over everything.
20) Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans,

listening for each of his commands.

21) Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

22) Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Psalm 103:1-22, NLT

The word “bless” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word “barak” which means to kneel. Psalm 103:1 could be read this way, “Kneel to Yahweh, O my soul”. Worshipping the LORD involves the bowing down of our hearts, minds, and bodies in reverence to Him.

Spend time today meditating over this Psalm. Read through it several times. Begin committing it to memory. Kneel before Him in spirit and body. Really think with your heart and in your mind through how King David describes the LORD. What are the earthly benefits the LORD bestows on all those who believe in Him? What has the LORD done for the sinner? How great is the LORD’S mercy toward us? How long will the LORD’S mercy last for those who fear Him?

Praise the LORD, Beloved, because He Is.

Word Filled Wednesday- Sure Footing

2009-11-18T08:01:00.008-05:00

He is my Confidence.

He is my Sure Footing.

He is my Rock and He is my Strength.

He, the Lord God Almighty, who will keep me safe from the enemy

who desires to destroy my life.

He is.

Christy from Critter Joy is hosting Word Filled Wednesday.

Join us there for more inspiration through the Word.

At the Well... The All-Sufficient One

2009-11-16T13:45:00.005-05:00

"Our society as a whole is always in pursuit of more. More stuff. More money. More clothing. More food. More, more, more. When is enough enough? When will we be satisfied with what we have been given? We are going to spend today looking at how God, because He is El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One, is all we will ever need..."

To read the rest of today's devotion and to join in on our discussion of the

"The All-Sufficient One", join us over At the Well.

See ya there!!!

Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway Winner for Day 5

2009-11-14T18:56:00.007-05:00

I do hope each of you have enjoyed the Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway. I have had a BLAST!!! What ever will we do around here next week!?! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get back into the Word with you all. *smile* Until then...

Are you ready to find out the winner of the handmade "Free Indeed" earrings from Susan Designs?

Drum roll please.................. the winner of the "Free Indeed" earrings is............................... Lauren from Living By Faith. Congrats girl!!!!!!!!

Lauren, contact me here within the next 48 hours giving me your address and I will get your earrings on their way to you.

Well, my friends... it's been real and it's been fun. In fact, it's been REAL FUN, but the time has come when I must sign off for the weekend. May each of you have a blessed Lord's day tomorrow worshipping with your church family.

See you next week!

A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway- Day 5!

2009-11-13T06:00:00.003-05:00

***12:00 AM- November 14, 2009- Comments are now closed***

Drum roll please.............................the winner of Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today by Kay Arthur is................................Victoria from Let the Son Shine!!!!!

Congrats Victoria!!! Contact me within the next 48 hours here with your address and I will get your signed copy of Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today on its way to you!!! May you come to see His grace in a whole new light and may that freedom energize you to do the work God has called you to do!!!

Are you ready for today's Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway treasure? I am BEYOND excited about this giveaway. When Susan from Susan Designs sent me the picture of this treasure, that she handmade especially for one you gals by the way, I was floored on SO many levels by the beauty of it AND the message behind it. As I sat and stared at the picture of her creation tears streamed down my cheeks because in her creation, I think, she has captured so many of our stories- having once been slaves to sin but now living in the freedom Christ hung on that cross to freely give to us. This is a treasure inside a treasure and you are going to LOVE it!!!

Today I will be giving to one of you….well….um….well…. I’m not gonna tell you or show you just quite yet. *Smile* First, I want you to read some of Susan’s story.

Susan and I went to high school together. I think it's fair to say that neither of us were living our lives for the Lord back then. But, praise the Him... much water has passed underneath our bridges and God has chosen to bless both our lives more than we deserved. I have been so excited to talk with Susan and hear how the Lord has blessed her and her husband Chris. It has been a true joy to see her excitement for our Savior and her willingness to serve Him with all her heart.

Several months back I asked Susan to share her story with my readers- today, I’m only going to share with you a few snippets from it, but you are more than welcome to read her story in its entirety here.

Susan says,…
“I grew up going to church every Sunday. When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I accepted Christ and was baptized. I’m not sure I really understood what was happening, but I did know that Jesus had died for the bad things I had done and would do. As I grew older, church became somewhere I went because that’s what I was supposed to do. I still believed in God and what Jesus had done for me, but I thought I could live how I wanted, and then come back to Jesus in my own time.

While I was in college, I never went regularly to church except for when I came home on the weekends. After college, I moved to the Outer Banks, and married my husband, Chris. We never attended a church regularly there either. I was good at talking about it though!

It’s not that I didn’t believe in God anymore—it’s just that, that’s all I did! I believed there was a God. He made us, He loves us. For a while, I thought that was good enough. But something inside me was just not right. I felt guilty. This lingering guilt would not go away. I’d go out with my friends, have fun, feel guilty, and then go out and do the same thing the next weekend. God was working on me. He was weighing on my heart, convicting me of my sins. I just kept pushing Him further and further away. My pride and independence was more important to me than God.

I had drifted away from God, and I was now feeling the effects. God never left me, but I left Him- halfway promising to come back after I’d done what I wanted to do. All the while, I knew the consequences of choosing my own will. I was being selfish, choosing the world over Him. It was easier for me and more fun.

On May 27, 2007 we were both baptized, Chris for the first time, me for the second. This time I understood, we both understood. It was an awesome feeling. My heart was running over. I made the commitment, and this time I wasn’t afraid. I was excited! I finally knew what it meant to be FREE. It’s not always easy. In fact, Jesus promised a life lived for Him would be difficult, but the rewards are immeasurable! My life is not always a fairy tale, but I take great comfort in knowing how my story will end.”

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be FREE INDEED.”
John 8:36, NKJV (emphasis added)

Oh precious ones, in Christ is FREEDOM. Freedom from the bondage of sin; freedom from those past mistakes that weigh us down. In Christ there is freedom to be and do ALL that God has called us to. FREEDOM. FREEDOM.

In Christ, we are FREE INDEED!!!!!

Today, I am offering you these- a pair of handmade earrings from Susan Designs that say, “FREE INDEED”. May you wear them with great pride, knowing that in Him, YOU ARE FREE INDEED!!!!

You can enter to win today's treasure by...

1. Leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

2. Connecting with By His Grace Ministry by subscribing to receive us in your email inbox. You can do this by entering your email address in the box under the "Let's Connect" heading in the sidebar to your right. Once you have entered your email address click on the "subscribe" button. You will receive an email asking you to activate your subscription. Activate your subscription, then come back and tell us you are subscribed= 1 entry.

3. Connecting with us through Networked Blogs on Facebook and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

4. Connecting with us as a BHG Friend and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will also find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

5. Placing our button, which can be found in the sidebar to your right, on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

6. Linking to this post on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

There you have it my friends, 6 ways you can enter to receive a pair of handmade earrings from Susan Designs.

***If you are already a subscriber, already follow us through Networked Blogs on Facebook, have already connected with us as a BHG friend, and have already placed our button on your site, leave us a comment letting us know each of those things and you will be entered into the giveaway accordingly.

***Entries will be received up until midnight tonight, Eastern Standard Time, November 13, 2009. The winner of a pair of handmade earrings from Susan Designs will be selected at random and announced November 14, 2009. Giveaway is open to those in the US and Canada only.

***Please make sure to leave your name and an email address with your comments so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of the post announcing the winner to respond; otherwise another name will be selected at random.

I do hope you have enjoyed our Happy Fall Y’all Giveaway!! It has been a delight!!! Please visit with us again real soon. Blessings to you all. And remember, in Christ…YOU ARE FREE INDEED!!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!

A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway- Day 4!

2009-11-12T06:00:00.004-05:00

*** 12:00 AM- November 13, 2009- Comments are now closed***

Drum roll please.............................the winner of the Custom Name Vinyl Overlay from Stick It To Me Vinyl is.............................. Nicki from ThreeGirlyGirls!!!!!

Congrats Nicki!!! Contact me within the next 48 hours here and we will get you going on creating your Custom Name Vinyl Overlay!!! Consider your walls beautified my friend!!! Enjoy!!!!

Are you ready for today's Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway treasure? This is another one of those treasures you will DELIGHT in; it's a treasure that will change you from the inside out.

Today I will be giving to one of you a signed copy of my most recent favorite Bible Study, Lord, I Need Grace to Make It Today by Kay Arthur.

I have done many Bible studies over the years, but ladies, this one has rocked me to my inner core. I thought I understood the concept of grace, an undeserved gift freely given from our gracious Father, but I’ve come to realize that I really had NO idea the magnitude of the depth of God’s grace. This study has challenged me to dig deeper into God’s Word and is teaching me how to live every moment in the power that God’s grace grants His children.

There are so many things I adore about Kay Arthur and her Bible Studies, but if I had to narrow it down to just one thing, I would say this, “Never before in my life have I been in the presence of someone, either physically or with book in hand, who has exuded Jesus like this woman does. She doesn’t waiver, in the least, from telling the truth because she stands firm on the Truth. Kay calls a spade a spade and backs it up with precepts from God’s Word. She is a woman who loves the Lord with every ounce of her being and her life is living proof of it.”

Here are a few excerpts from Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today.

"Salvation is not merely salvation from hell and eternal condemnation. Hell and eternal condemnation are the consequences of sin. When one is saved, one is saved from the power of sin." (Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today, Kay Arthur, pg. 51)

"Grace delivers us from sin's penalty and sin's reigning power." (Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today, Kay Arthur, pg. 51)

"Grace frees man from religion and brings him into a relationship with God. Grace brings life, but it is also the means by which we are to live and to please our Father God. Grace is key to our relationship with God." (Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today, Kay Arthur, pg. 63)

"There is no pit too deep, no sin too great but that there is enough grace and more to rescue us and cover all our sins. Where sin did abound, grace did much more abound! That's what God said, and we must take Him at His Word." (Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today, Kay Arthur, pg. 82)

And one more…

“Don’t struggle to be better. Don’t determine that you are going to try harder. Acknowledge your need of His all-sufficient grace and go forward trusting in the grace of God.” (Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today, Kay Arthur, pg. 115)

God’s grace. It’s marvelous! It’s beautiful! It’s abounding!

His grace is AMAZING!

You can enter to win today's treasure by...

1. Leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

2. Connecting with By His Grace Ministry by subscribing to receive us in your email inbox. You can do this by entering your email address in the box under the "Let's Connect" heading in the sidebar to your right. Once you have entered your email address click on the "subscribe" button. You will receive an email asking you to activate your subscription. Activate your subscription, then come back and tell us you are subscribed= 1 entry.

3. Connecting with us through Networked Blogs on Facebook and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

4. Connecting with us as a BHG Friend and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will also find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

5. Placing our button, which can be found in the sidebar to your right, on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

6. Linking to this post on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

There you have it my friends, 6 ways you can enter to receive a signed copy of Kay Arthur’s book, Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today.

***If you are already a subscriber, already follow us through Networked Blogs on Facebook, have already connected with us as a BHG friend, and have already placed our button on your site, leave us a comment letting us know each of those things and you will be entered into the giveaway accordingly.

***Entries will be received up until midnight tonight, eastern standard time, November 12, 2009. The winner of Lord, I Need Grace to Make it Today by Kay Arthur will be selected at random and announced November 13, 2009. Giveaway is open to those in the US and Canada only.

***Please make sure to leave your name and an email address with your comments so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of the post announcing the winner to respond; otherwise another name will be selected at random.

Come back tomorrow for our last Happy Fall Y’all Giveaway treasure-

you DO NOT want to miss this one!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!

WFW & A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway Day 3!

2009-11-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

****12:00 AM- November 12, 2009- Comments are now closed for the Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway****

Happy Veteran's Day!!!

Thank you so much to all the men and women in our Armed Forces and their families who sacrifice their lives so that we might enjoy freedom!!

May God bless you all and keep you safe in His arms.

******************************************************

Drum roll please............................. and the winner of the one year subscription to Proverbs 31 Magazine is................................Linda!!!!!

Congrats Linda!!! Contact me within the next 48 hours here with your address and I will get your subscription started for you. I pray your heart will be blessed by the words contained within those pages! Enjoy!!!!

Are you ready for today's Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway treasure? This is another one of those treasures you will DELIGHT in. One of those precious finds that can be enjoyed by all those who enter your home; a treasure that will beautify your walls and make your heart smile every time you look at it.

Today I will be giving to one of you a Custom Name Vinyl Overlay from Stick It To Me Vinyl. This overlay will be personalized with your family’s name and a saying of your choice.

Stick It To Me Vinyl has been in business for a little over a year. And, I am proud to say that this is a home based business owned and run by my VERY creative aunt. Summer is the proud, busy mother of three kiddos- two growing boys who are very active in sports and one precious girl who God has blessed with Epilepsy- and the wife to her hard working husband of over 18 years.

Stick It To Me Vinyl provides Summer the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with Grace, since as a family, they always seem to be at baseball games, wrestling matches, tennis matches, or football games supporting the boys. Their time together is a time to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and be creative all at the same time.

Summer says, “Grace is my inspiration and I hope that with this business I can spend more time with her and let her see that ANYTHING is possible. She enjoys working this business with me and it has become our "thing".”

You can enter to win today's treasure by...

1. Leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

2. Connecting with By His Grace Ministry by subscribing to receive us in your email inbox. You
can do this by entering your email address in the box under the "Let's Connect" heading in the sidebar to your right. Once you have entered your email address click on the "subscribe" button. You will receive an email asking you to activate your subscription. Activate your subscription, then come back and tell us you are subscribed= 1 entry.

3. Connecting with us through Networked Blogs on Facebook and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

4. Connecting with us as a BHG Friend and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will also find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

5. Placing our button, which can be found in the sidebar to your right, on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

6. Linking to this post on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

There you have it my friends, 6 ways you can enter to receive this awesome treasure from Stick It To Me Vinyl.

***If you are already a subscriber, already follow us through Networked Blogs on Facebook, have already connected with us as a BHG friend, and have already placed our button on your site, leave us a comment letting us know each of those things and you will be entered into the giveaway accordingly.

***Entries will be received up until midnight tonight, eastern standard time, November 11, 2009. The winner of the Stick It To Me Vinyl Custom Name Overlay will be selected at random and announced November 12, 2009. Giveaway is open to those in the US and Canada only.

***Please make sure to leave your name and an email address with your comments so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of the post announcing the winner to respond; otherwise another name will be selected at random.

Be sure to visit Stick It To Me Vinyl to see what others treasures might find to beautify your home with.

Come back tomorrow for another exciting giveaway!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!

A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway- Day 2

2009-11-10T06:00:00.004-05:00

****12:00 AM- November 11, 2009- Comments are now closed****

Drumroll please............................. and the winner of the Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat Giveaway is................................

Lisa from Blessed with Grace!!!!!! Congrats Lisa!!! Contact me within the next 48 hours here with your address and I will pass it along to Dawn at Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat and she will send you your soap and lotion. Enjoy!!!!

Are you ready for today's Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway treasure? This is one of those treasures you will delight in. One of those precious finds you can curl up in your favorite chair with and enjoy a good cup o' joe while enjoying the words of encouragement contained within its pages.

Today I will be giving to one of you a one year paid subscription to the Proverbs 31 Magazine.

Proverbs 31 Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that seeks to lead women into a personal relationship with Christ. With Proverbs 31:10-31 as a guide, Proverbs 31 Ministries reaches women right in the middle of their busy day through free daily devotions, radio program, speaking events, conferences, monthly magazine, resources, online communities, and Gather and Grow groups. We are real women offering real-life solutions to women who are striving to maintain life’s balance, in spite of today’s hectic pace and cultural pull away from godly principles. Wherever a woman may be on her spiritual journey, Proverbs 31 Ministries exists to be a trusted friend who takes her by the hand and walks by her side, leading her one step closer to the heart of God. (from www.proverbs31.org)

You can enter to win today's treasure by...

1. Leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

3. Connecting with us through Networked Blogs on Facebook and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

4. Connecting with us as a BHG Friend and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post. You will also find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

5. Placing our button, which can be found in the sidebar to your right, on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

6. Linking to this post on your blog and letting us know you did by leaving a comment on this post= 1 entry.

There you have it my friends, 6 ways you can enter to receive this awesome treasure from Proverbs 31 Ministries.

***Entries will be received up until midnight tonight, eastern standard time, November 10, 2009. The winner of the Proverbs 31 Ministries one year paid magazine subscription giveaway will be selected at random and announced November 11, 2009. Giveaway is open to those in the US and Canada only.

***Please make sure to leave your name and an email address with your comments so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of the post announcing the winner to respond, otherwise another name will be selected at random.

Make sure to drop by every day this week for a new giveaway!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway- Day 1

2009-11-09T06:00:00.005-05:00

****12:00 AM- November 10, 2009- Comments are now closed****

It's here!!! I just know you have been counting down the days to the "Happy Fally Y'all Giveaway," right!?! Well, I have and I am so excited to offer to you, my lovely readers, some totally AWESOME treasures.

Today's treasure is from Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat. Dawn and I met about 14 years ago in college. Oh my goodness gracious!!! It's been 14 years since I started college!?!

Wow!!!

Breathe in..., breathe out...

Breathe in..., breathe out...

Oh, man...that means I'm (blank) years old!! Geesh!!!

Ok, nevermind... moving right along, please. *Smile*

As I was saying... Dawn and I were roomates in college and we have recently reconnected through Facebook. It has been so fun catching up with her and hearing how God has blessed her and her lovely family.

Dawn is a very creative and crafty lady. I would say she is a good mix of a Martha Stewart and a Rachel Ray who loves Jesus with her whole heart. She is the proud owner of Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat. Today she is going to be giving one of YOU a 4oz. bar of Handcrafted Goat's Milk Soap and a 4 oz. Goat's Milk and Honey Lotion, both with the beautiful fragrance of "Hangin on the Line"; one of her most popular scents.

And, let me tell you... when she says "handcrafted goat's milk soap" she means "handcrafted goat's milk soap." First of all, she has her very own goats. AND, she milks them!! Have YOU ever milked a goat? No? Me either, sister! Then, get this... once she milks the goats, she mixes all the ingredients together, pours those ingredients into molds, cuts the molds into bars of soap, beautifully packages the soaps, and then sells them. Can't get anymore "handcrafted" than that!

I am so excited to be able to share her products with you; I just know you are going to LOVE them!!!!! Dawn also has some beautiful handcrafted jewerly, purses, and other soaps, lotions, massage oils and facial masks available for purchase. Head on over and check out her treasures- Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat.

Now... are you ready to find out how you can enter to win these great treasures? Ok... here goes. There are several ways you can get your name in the "hat."

1. Leave a comment on this post= 1 entry.

2. Connect with By His Grace Ministry by subscribing to receive us in your email inbox. You can do this by entering your email address in the box under the "Let's Connect" heading in the sidebar to your right. Once you have entered your email address click on the "subscribe" button. You will receive an email asking you to activate your subscription. Activate your subscription, then come back and tell us you are subscribed= 1 entry.

3. Connect with us through Networked Blogs on Facebook and let us know you did by leaving a comment. You will find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

4. Connect with us as a BHG Friend and let us know you did by leaving a comment. You will also find this in the sidebar to your right= 1 entry.

5. Place our button, which can be found in the sidebar to your right, on your blog and let us know you did by leaving a comment= 1 entry.

6. Link to this post on your blog and let us know you did by leaving a comment= 1 entry.

There you have it my friends, 6 ways you can enter to receive this awesome treasure from Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat.

***If you are already a subscriber, already follow us through Networked Blogs on Facebook, have already connected with us as a BHG friend, and have already placed our button on your site, leave us a comment letting us know each of those things and you will be entered into the giveaway accordingly.

***Entries will be received up until midnight tonight, eastern standard time, November 9, 2009. The winner of the Touche Bags and Beads & The Thankful Goat giveaway will be selected at random and announced November 10, 2009. Giveaway is open to those in the US and Canada only.

***Please make sure to leave your name and an email address with your comments so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner. Winners will have 48 hours from the time of the post announcing the winner to respond, otherwise another name will be selected at random.

Make sure to drop by every day this week for a new giveaway!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

I Need YOUR Help!

2009-11-06T07:30:00.005-05:00

** UPDATE**
Thanks so much for the great feedback you all sent me. Very interesting thoughts and views on who God is. If you haven't yet responded and would like to, please go right ahead and do so. You can email your response or leave a comment on this post. Thanks again!!!

Hello precious friends!! I pray all of you are well today.

I am currently working on a Bible Study and I need YOUR help. Would you take a few minutes to answer the following questions? You can answer them by leaving a comment on this post or you can email me your thoughts. You don't have to leave your name if you're not comfortable with doing that, it's totally fine for you to leave an anonymous comment. The more detail you are able to give me behind your answers the better, but any answers, short or long, are welcome!

Ok...here goes.

~When you think of God, what thoughts come to mind? How were the thoughts/ views of God that you have developed/ formed?

~Do you picture God as caring, kind, and compassionate? Why or why not?

~Is God always forgiving, always faithful, always a friend to you? Why or why not?

~Do you feel that you can approach God with anything and at anytime? Why or why not?

~Do you view God as judgmental, full of wrath, and not caring about your struggles? Why or why not?

~Do you view God as only loving you when you do something right or something you feel is worthy to receive His love? Why or why not?

~Who is God to YOU?

Thank you so much for your help with this. Remember you can answer these questions by leaving a comment (anonymously if you'd like) on this post or you can email me your answers by clicking HERE.

"I am the LORD, that is My name."
Isaiah 42:8

Be sure to stop by next week for our "A Happy Fall Y'all Giveaway." Much love to you all! Have a wonderful weekend!!!

WFW- Our Words

2009-11-04T06:33:00.007-05:00

May the words of our mouths be PLEASING to the Lord and

taste of SWEET HONEY to those who hear them.

Penny is hosting Word Filled Wednesday today.

Join her, and many others, for an inspiring and beautiful Word from the Word.