Gender: Female
Status: Married
City: Southern
State: Idaho
Country: US
Signup Date: 9/14/2006
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Sunday, December 06, 2009
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What would happen if a group of churches and individuals decided to be radically different during Christmas?
What if this year we substituted compassion for consumption? Interested? Take a moment and check out the Advent Conspiracyhttp://www.adventconspiracy.org/
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Wednesday, December 02, 2009
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In Harry Kraus’ book, Breathing Grace, he shares the story of missionaries, Mark and Gloria Zouk and their ministry to the Mouk Tribe in Papua, New Guinea. Mark taught the tribe the Bible beginning chronologically and culminating with the crucifixion of Christ. Upon hearing the good news, “the entire tribe stood up and confessed their belief in Christ. Then in a spontaneous celebration of joy knowing their sins had been forgiven, they began to jump together. The entire tribe yelled for joy, hugging and jumping in an explosion of rejoicing that went on for two hours!”*
What a precious outward expression of the inward changes that Christ brings!
Back in October of 2007, I posted the story of two children who were baptized in our church. During the baptism, friends and families are invited to stand in honor of those being baptized.
The two rows in front of us stood, including three young girls probably no older than three or four. The girls watched with great anticipation, tiny hands clasped to hold in their excitement as the preacher explained who was being baptized and their faith walk. Then, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the preacher immersed each child. Much to the delight of those of us close enough to watch, the little girls clapped, jumped up and down, and squealed in glee. I couldn’t help wondering if the angels in Heaven were doing the same. “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10 NIV).
I want to be like those little girls and the tribe in New Guinea, living joyful lives. I want to be like our dog who cranes to stick his head out of the car window and wags as he goes through life. I want to walk with childlike faith knowing everything will be okay because God is in control.
May I never forget to celebrate that God is the One who takes a sinner and makes them whole, He takes the past and renews and restores, He gives hope for the future, and that forever In Him, we find joy.
Oh Father, help me always choose joy.
Anyone want to join me in a jumping, praise session?
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11 NIV).
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NIV).
“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I, whom you have redeemed” (Psalm 71:23 NIV).
*Harry Kraus, M.D., Breathing Grace, (IL: Crossway Books, 2007), pp 103
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Saturday, November 28, 2009
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We had a wonderful Thanksgiving which included a signed contract on our Texas house! If all goes well, we should close by the first of the year. Woooooo hoooo!
Praising, praising, praising!
God is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!
Thank You, Father. Thank You!!!
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy” (Psalm 107:1-9, 21-22 NIV).
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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Rotten things happened in my past, but I have to be honest, I’ve made some terrible, sinful mistakes. Sharing my story isn’t so someone can feel sorry for the bad stuff or to justify my sins.
I want to tell others so they can see that God does heal, God does restore, God does take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it into something good.
If we aren’t honest with one another, if we hide what Christ has done for us, we miss the opportunity to help a hurting world and to model redemption.
Today, and every day, let’s be honest enough to show the world what grace has done.
Please listen to “Honestly” by the band VOTA. Honestly By VOTA
Honestly Can I tell you where I'm at Honestly Can I pull the curtain back Will you run if you see how weak I am If you don't see the real me You won't see what mercy's done If you don't see my weakness You won't see what love has won If you don't see the distance from the darkness to the sun You won't see Honestly
Honestly I'm growing sick and tired Honestly It hurts too much to hide Brokeness that's killing us inside
If you don't see the real me You won't see what mercy's done If you don't see my weakness You won't see what love has won If you don't see the distance from the darkness to the sun You won't see
Let the light escape from this hole inside my soul When I start to break then grace begins to flow Let the light escape from this lonely place inside my soul Honestly
If you don't see the real me You won't see what grace's done If you don't see the weakness You won't see what love has won If you don't see the distance from the darkness to the sun You won't see
Please visit VOTA's MySpace page at ... http://www.myspace.com/votaband
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Saturday, November 21, 2009
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Yay! Woo hoo!!! I’ve been blessed today with the Kreativ Blogger Award by Cathy Bryant at WordVessel. Thank you sooo much, Cathy! Here are the rules: ~List 7 of my favorite things ~Send this award on to 7 other bloggers Seven favorite things…
1. God
2. My sweet family 3. Precious God-Given friends 4. God’s amazing, beautiful, incredible, wonderful nature 5. A great, BIG, belly laugh 6. Salsa 7. Dark-chocolate
Passing this award to seven other bloggers (Personally, I’d like to double the list)
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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I am soooo excited and honored! I’ve received permission from John and Stasi Eldredge to share the following devotion based on their wonderful book, Captivating. This devotion touched me deeply. “As large as the role our mothers have played, the word “mother” is more powerful when used as a verb than as a noun. All women are not mothers but all women are called to mother. To mother is to nurture, to train, to educate, to rear. As daughters of Eve, all women are uniquely gifted to help others in their lives become more of who they truly are - to encourage, nurture and mother them towards their true selves. In doing this, women partner with Christ in the vital mission of bringing forth life. “The nurturing of life is a high and holy calling. And as a woman, it is yours. Yes, it takes many shapes and has a myriad of faces. Yes, men are called to this as well. But uniquely and deeply, this calling makes up part of the very fiber of a woman’s soul – the calling to mother.
“All women are called to mother. And all women are called to give birth. Women give birth to all kinds of things – to a book (it’s nearly as hard as a child, believe me), to a church or to a movement. Women give birth to ideas, to creative expressions, to ministries. We birth life in others by inviting them into deeper realms of healing, to deeper walks with God, to deeper intimacy with Jesus. A woman is not less of a woman because she is not a wife or has not physically born a child. The heart and life of a woman is much vaster than that. All women are made in the image of God in that we bring forth life. When we enter into our world and into the lives of those we love and offer our tender and strong feminine hearts, we cannot help but mother them.
“The capacity of a woman’s heart for meaningful relationships is vast. There is no way your husband or your children can ever provide the intimacy and relational satisfaction you need. A woman must have women friends.
“It is here, in the realm of relationship that women receive the most joy and the profoundest sorrows. The friendships of women inhabit a terrain of great mystery. There is a fierce jealousy, a fiery devotion and a great loyalty between women friends. Our friendships flow in the deep waters of the heart where God dwells and transformation takes place. It is here, in this holy place that a woman can partner with God in impacting another and be impacted by another for lasting good. It is here that she can mother, nurture, encourage and call forth Life.
“To have a woman friend is to relax into another soul and be welcomed in all that you are and all that you are not. To know that, as a woman, you are not alone. Friendships between women provide a safe place to share in the experiences of life as a woman.” John and Stasi Eldredge
John and Stasi Eldredge, Captivating, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), pp 176-180)
Thank you, John and Stasi! Please visit John and Stasi at Ransomed Heart Ministries, http://www.ransomedheart.com/
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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Ever wonder about the negative and/or traumatic things that happened during your life? What if we could go back and fix what went wrong?
Loved ones wouldn’t die. Illness wouldn’t exist. Evil couldn’t attack. Mistakes would be undone.
We would all be different.
At very young ages, several of my friends lost their mothers, and that loss affected them deeply. Now I watch as they tenderly nurture their children, family, and friends.
Several of my friends were abused. Through God’s love, they found healing and now reach out to help others.
Other friends struggle with illness. Yet, even with their own difficulties they lift up others to God’s throne.
Some friends took very rough roads, living such wild lives their past would be too extreme to watch on evening television. Through God’s grace, they walk in freedom telling others of God’s goodness and mercy.
There is this marvelous, mysterious, awesomeness that God takes areas of brokenness and sculpts them into something beautiful.
Dear friends, we are not broken; we are beautifully, perfectly sculpted.
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Monday, November 16, 2009
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Ever have times when worry looms like a huge obstacle?
I’ve been working on my focus and my view of God. According to NASA, “Scientists estimate that there are more than 100 billion galaxies scattered throughout the visible universe. The Milky Way is a huge city of stars, so big that even at the speed of light it would take 100,000 years to travel across it.”
When anxiety creeps up and sends me reeling, I need to remember that the same God who created the infinite universe, names every star, knows every sparrow that falls, and counts the numbers of hair on my head, is big enough to handle any problem or obstacle.
May I share a visual?
This weekend, sweet hubby and I drove up the nearby mountains to enjoy the beauty. I had to make my first Idaho snowman and a snow angel. Are you impressed?
Don’t be. My big, fat snowman was only about six inches tall, and my snow angel was made with my fingers.
Perspective. Life is about perspective.
I love what Dr. Harry Kraus wrote in his wonderful book, Breathing Grace, “Anxieties and cares can hide the grace of God. In proper perspective, they are miniscule compared to the riches of God’s grace. The problem is that our focus is on our worries. In effect, we’ve pulled the anxiety so close to our eyes that everything else is blocked out, including God.” *
Dear Heavenly Father, Help me to keep my focus on You – incredible, awesome, wonderful, Holy, marvelous, matchless, magnificent, all-knowing, loving, all-powerful, infinite, merciful, righteous, mighty You!
*Harry Krauss, M.D., Breathing Grace, (IL: Crossway Books, 2007), pp 128-129
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Friday, November 13, 2009
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I’ve been lax in blogging this week. Errands, doctor visits, a torn arm muscle, and general life kept me occupied. To be honest, that wasn’t the only reason—I’ve been sad about the house not selling. Today is the eighth month of the listing.
My focus has been on that one thing instead of the amazing bounty of God-given blessings. I tried Bible verses, quotes, hymns, praise and worship songs, and yet nothing seemed to get rid of the little dark cloud. I still felt like the house was chained to my leg, and I couldn’t move forward. Sniffle, whine, pout….
This morning, I remembered I do have a choice. (Yes, I’m rather slow at times). God’s word says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. I haven’t been resisting, I’ve been a willing partner in allowing the negativity. Instead of utilizing the Sword of the Spirit, I was twiddling toothpicks.
After rebuking my attitude and sending the enemy packing, I figuratively took the house, placed it on God’s altar, and left it for Him. Whew! Boy, I always feel so much better when I do things God’s way.
This world is a tough place and often situations seem overwhelming. Please know that whatever difficulties you face; you are never alone, never without help, and never without a champion.
“Life isn’t measured by how many problems we have but by how we respond to them…. When Jesus informed us that we would have trouble (John 16:33), he did not give us permission to be overcome by trouble, but to accept his help to overcome it!” Max Lucado*
THE ROCK (OF AGES) By Patricia Neely-Dorsey http://www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com/
When troubles and trials come your way, And all your hope seem pale; The comfort found in trusting God; Is one that never fails. He's the first and final answer, In every conflict and every woe; He is the sure and solid rock, The one that you should know. When fear threatens to overtake your life And put you in a bind; God is the number one defense, To clear and ease the mind. Through God's strength you can overcome, Any giant, any enemy or foe; He's the weapon of choice, In this fight called life; If victory you are to know. Patricia Neely-Dorsey 2008 (Poem used by permission. Thank you, Patricia!)
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5 NIV). *Max Lucado, Life Lessons with Max Lucado – Book of Acts, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006, p 39
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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Closing for our Texas house was originally scheduled for November 9th. I’ll admit I’m bummed. We left Texas almost eight months ago with three weeks worth of clothes, our sweet dog, and two laptops. I never would have thought our beautiful, amazingly-priced, home would take this long to sell.
As much as I’m ready to be settled, I can’t help but be amazed at God’s goodness. He hasn’t forgotten us or our housing situation. Goodness, we are abundantly blessed to have a roof over our head and food on the table. Plus, we love living here!
This weekend we toured several college campuses with our son, and my sweet hubby and I hiked to the top of Bogus Basin Ski Resort.  Viewing God’s incredible, mountain creations I can’t help but marvel. God could have created a world without color and without beauty. Instead, His loving touch is displayed throughout the universe.
God is a God of detail and no matter where you are or what is happening in your life, His compassionate, comforting, mountainous love knows every detail. “Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones” (Isaiah 49:13 NIV).
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