"Vibrant Demonstration"

Am I just a "do-gooder" or do I have a "vibrant demonstration of God's Love"? This scares me, I never want to be the person who is filled with doing good because it is the right thing to do.

I came across this prayer in my quiet time with the Lord and it says,

"Lord of my life, transform me from the inside out by Your love. Create in me a pure heart that is continually washed and cleansed by Your Word. Develop within me a good conscience and a sincere faith as I live out Your truths by the power of Your Spirit. Jesus, I want my life to be a vibrant demonstration of Your love, so that others will be drawn to You and receive You as their Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, amen." 

A "vibrant demonstration", let us just rest on those 2 words for just a minute.  The Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines vibrant as "pulsating with life, vigor or activity" and demonstration is defined as "an outward expression or display". When looking at our lives, so many times we have the demonstration part down pat. All day long we have an outward display on life, whether good or bad, but when it comes to vibrant, a life that is pulsating with vigor we tend to fall short. We get caught up in life and we demonstrate or "display" by doing the right things, but is that display "pulsating with life, with vigor"? I hate to admit it, but so many times I do not hit the mark.

Saturday, Jenny Beth, Tyler and Courtney and I traveled to Orlando to visit with Sara Lynn. We attended church on Sunday, then went to eat lunch with Sara Lynn and some of her friends. As we sat in the restaurant completing our afternoon, I couldn't help but feel whole as a mom. We had all "demonstrated" by doing our church thing, and nothing is better than going to church and watching your children worship...just saying. We all walked out of the restaurant with our bellies full, our hearts full from the sermon, yet most of us did not even notice Will. 

Will, a 32 year old homeless man, addicted to drugs was sitting at a table outside of the restaurant. His blond hair was just above the shoulder, dirty and in all honesty probably had not seen a comb or shampoo in weeks. His shirt was tattered and dirty, his face distraught, aged more than his 32 years. His eyes were filled with nothing but despair, loneliness, hunger and most likely hazed over from the high he experienced during the night.  His life was not a "vibrant demonstration" of hope, but one of hopelessness. I am positive that as a little boy, Will's dream was not to become a homeless man addicted to drugs. 

Tyler my son, bought Will some lunch, sat with him and conversed about life. It was evident that Will was not ready to change his ways and ask for help from his addiction. He by no way was indignant or haughty to Tyler, but had not reached that point of brokenness. Tyler made sure that Will had enough to eat and drink, he prayed protection over him and encouraged Will to seek help. Although Tyler was a little rattled by Will to say the least,  I believe that by taking the time to shake Will's hand, meet a physical need and listen to him was a "vibrant demonstration" of God's unconditional and unfailing love.

I cannot help but think how many times we miss the outward display or expression that is pulsating with vigor in our lives about God's love. Goodnight, our life should be such a reflection of what God has done for us that we do not miss the opportunities to share God's love with the "Will's" we encounter.

Find a "Will" today that can help you have a "vibrant demonstration" of God's Love.

Love Never Fails

 “You are the answer to every prayer I've offered. You are a song, a dream, a whisper..."
Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

If you have ever watched or read The Notebook, you will know exactly what I am talking about when I say, my precious Mom and Dad are the couple in this love story. My brothers and I have had the awesome opportunity to grow up with parents who are selfless when it comes to one another, they love unconditionally, they encourage one another, their display of love is so incredible. It is one that keeps a person watching them in AWE, wondering if they too can have that kind of relationship. 

I never really get the opportunity to go off with both of them at the same time, but at Christmas I DID! I love being around them. They have that kind of love that every girl dreams of. Our time started with Dad helping Mom in and out of the truck, opening the store doors, carrying her bags, just the fact that he went to our Town Center in Jacksonville during Christmas was enough, but all of the extras....I am swooning even now. On July 26, 2016, they will celebrate 58 years of marriage and I truly believe they are more in love today than they were their 1st year of marriage. If we could take and bottle this love, this type of selflessness up, our divorce rate would be nonexistent! 

I believe the key to their love is the fact that they both love God with all of their hearts. They have lived out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS." Their love for one another doesn't stop with each other, but it overflows into my brothers and I, our spouses, the grandchildren and anyone else they come in contact with. 

Talk about being blessed! Why is it that God chose Jr. and Bea for my parents? I am not sure, but I am oh so glad that I call them "Mama and Daddy"! December 17th, 48 years ago, I was the surprise little girl that my Dad kept telling my Mom she was going to have! The doctor came out and told my dad he had a healthy baby boy and responded by, "NO, I am having a little girl"! My heart is overjoyed. I am the lucky girl that gets to call them my parents, my friends, my role models, my children's Nanny and Paw Paw! 

I John 3:18, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

INHALE....I Dare You!

I think we can all agree that oxygen is needed to sustain life. Our bodies were created with the mechanism to inhale oxygen without us even having to think about it. During this process of inhaling there are certain fragrances that we love and some, well, NOT SO MUCH! Have you ever walked by a bakery and inhaled....oh my, the sweet aroma! For me, I always want to stop and get something, but yet for some reason when walking by the trash can that has been sitting in the sun for hours, even days, I do not have that same eagerness!

Just as oxygen is needed for life, the Holy Scriptures as Paul wrote to Timothy are needed. In 2 Timothy 3: 14-17, Paul is giving last  instructions to Timothy to carry him through the ministry. "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Although I enjoy technology, I am a firm believer that turning the pages of God's Word daily provides more spiritual oxygen for me than scrolling on my phone.....it might be that there are too many distractions, I guess you could say that I have ADD!  At that moment when spending time with God through scripture, I want to INHALE, breathe in what God has breathed out! Scripture provides life, IT IS LIFE, it allows me to breathe even when I am drowning under waters of life. Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is living and active!" With all of the garbage that is being set out in our lives to cause distraction, we do not have to inhale that grotesque aroma. God's Word is our shield, it is that sweet fragrance...it provides peace, understanding, hope and a confidence that "ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM"!

Louie Giglio's illustration using scuba gear is spot on. While an oxygen tank is used to provide air while scuba diving, a person must first open the valve to the tank in order to breathe while under water. God's Word is no different, we must open up the Holy Scriptures to receive Holy air! Just sit back open up God's Word and INHALE. Go ahead, I dare you......BREATHE IT IN, INHALE!

Tupos 2015

"Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within...Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin!" What powerful lyrics! How do we look at God's grace? I am so thankful for grace, for without it, my eternity doesn't look very good. Lately I have been trying to wrap my pea brain around it. One thing I know is that I do not want to live my life only because I have received grace, I want to live my life to reflect God's grace. Thank you God for oh so gently reminding me of this on the 2015 Extreme Whitewater Middle School Rafting Trip!

This past week I had the privilege of going with our youngest daughter on her last mission trip as a middle schooler....give me a few minutes as I wipe my tears. Over the course of the years I have gone 5 different times, 2 times with my older two and 3 with Jenny Beth. The purpose of the trip is to teach the middle school students the importance of becoming a servant, to develop a heart for missions, learn to LOVE ALL SERVE ALL and get them ready for the mission trips out of the country. The trip begins with 2 days of hard work serving people in the mountains of Ducktown, Tennessee and then two days of EXTREME Whitewater Rafting.

We began Monday, with helping a Veteran by building a room on his house and repairing a screened in porch for his 82 year old neighbor. Tuesday, the boys went back to the Veteran's home and the girls....well, let's just say we went and found something to do. When you have 24 people working on a 10 x 10 room it gets a little crowded. But God is so faithful and good, He allowed the girls to learn a life lesson on Tuesday. We were not sure what we were going to do, but we knew that 12 girls from the ages of 11 to 14 had to be entertained for at least 8 hours....Holy Cow! I think even the chaperones were doubting Thomas' at this moment. We loaded the girls up, went into town and began stopping at churches, needless to say there aren't any churches in the area who have full time staff available and when you call, you get a voicemail. We regrouped at our local Dollar "Gentral" as some of our girls would say, made more phone calls and FINALLY got a sweet little lady from the Copper Basin Crisis Center....ONE MILE FROM OUR CAMP! 

Martha was her name and she was elated that a group of young girls wanted to serve in any way. She had a list that was a mile long.... no joke! She and her husband serve this community every Monday and Tuesday by giving out food, clothes, furniture...you name it, they give it out! I honestly could not believe the amount of traffic that came through there. I have been to many places, but have never seen the influx of people that I did here. We began by sorting clothes, food, unloading trailers and then we ended the day by painting and cleaning the amphitheater they use for Vacation Bible School.

While we were eating lunch, we invited Mrs. Martha and her husband to eat with us and what a sweet moment for God to reveal His faithfulness. Mrs. Martha began by saying what a blessing the girls were and how she appreciated their willing hearts, but then she went on to say what an answer to prayer. They knew the amphitheater needed cleaning and possibly painting, but did not know how it would get done. Little did she know that there were chaperones of 12 girls that had also been praying that God would allow for these girls to have the joy of helping someone in need! I know this is cliche', but our God is so ON TIME as the kids would say He is "ON POINT" (and did I mention that we called her on Tuesday not Wednesday, remember they are only there on Monday's and Tuesdays)! We all learned that day that you cannot sit idle and wait for something to happen, you have to GO! After all, God commands us to go, Matthew 28:19, "Therefore GO and make disciples".

Let me just say, how blessed our youth are to have a Youth Pastor and his wife (Todd and Robin Carr) who exemplify what it means to Love the Lord your God with all of your heart! He planned sessions each night for the students to learn about "Becoming a Person of Impact.....Tupos"! We all impact others whether it is in a positive way or a negative way and these kids impacted a lot of people this week with their willingness to work and their display of God's Grace in their lives. This particular study challenged each of us in the areas of speech, life, love, faith and purity. I believe many times in the life of a Christian, we excuse ourselves from these areas because we live under the umbrella of grace.....What a tragedy! Our lives should reflect these areas in a positive way because we live a life that portrays grace. 

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." 

~Brennan Manning~

Launching in the Nantahala for Class
2 Rapids

EXTREME High Ropes Course

Completed Amphitheater
Copper Basin Crisis Center

Team Building Exercise

1 Timothy 4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an EXAMPLE for the believers in SPEECH, in LIFE, in LOVE, in FAITH and in PURITY."

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Today Gary and I celebrate 27 years of wedded bliss....well, not all 27 years were bliss! When you get married at 20 you tend to grow up together and that means you will have ALOT of growing pains.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8, is the epitome of Gary! He lives these verses, this is who he is.  

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

LOVE NEVER FAILS."

To hear Gary, he says that he had his eye on me in Kindergarten. I say yeah, me and every other little girl in our class. A lot of you see Gary as a quite individual, he is, but he hasn't always been that way. He was always the prankster, the flirt, the comedian and always in trouble with a teacher. I even had a teacher tell me our senior year of high school, "Gary Ard is not good for you". I know, for those of you who are active in our life now, that is hard to believe! Looking back at those traits, he still has them, but in a more reserved way. He is still a prankster, get him with the right people and you had better watch out!  He is a flirt....with me and our girls, he wants our girls to look for a spouse who boasts on them, who lifts them up and makes them feel beautiful. He loves to see people smile, he wants them to be happy and he will do whatever it takes to make someone smile. 

I have watched him weep and pray over our children for the ones on earth and the two who are in Heaven. He has wept over and prayed over kids in our youth group. He has a heart of gold, a heart of compassion and a heart for God! I am blessed beyond measure to call him my groom, my husband, my friend. What an encourager he is. I watched him this past Sunday seek out an older couple to check on them and to wish the Mrs. a happy Mother's Day. He always goes above and beyond to serve others...that is my Gary!

The past 27 years I have had the opportunity to see him grow in his faith, to love the Lord with all of his heart! He is my Priest, Protector and Provider! What an example for our son as God will be leading him to his bride in the future. What an example for our girls....good night their future mates have BIG shoes to fill!

Thank you Gary Ard for having your sites on me in Kindergarten, for choosing me as your bride, for loving me unconditionally, for loving our children and being a wonderful Daddy, for loving others...even the unloveable, for being selfless and giving, but most of all for loving God! Thank you for being 1 Corinthians 13, I am truly blessed to call you my husband!

Happy Anniversary!

I Love You!

Just a Little Dueling Dragons!

Do you like roller coasters? I absolutely LOVE them! The more twists, turns and inverted cork screws the happier I am! When my children were younger, we would visit theme parks and it never failed, two of my three children would head right for the largest, fastest, thrill riding roller coaster and the third one would say, I want to ride and then chicken out at the last minute. Okay, okay... so we are those parents that made our kids ride the roller coasters! This one time, after much "persuasion" the entire family was on the coaster and after exiting the ride this child was so enthusiastic and pumped with adrenaline....it was all talk...NON-STOP!  You would have thought this was the child with the roller coaster fetish!

Reminiscing over our trips to theme parks got me to thinking...OH NO! (The smoke is bellowing out right now.) My excitement for the Lord should look  just like that child getting off of the roller coaster with an adrenaline rush! My life should reflect a never ending talk and actions that show my love and devotion to God.

This past week coming home from mid week service at church a new song by Sanctus Real came on the radio. "On Fire" (https://youtu.be/4Y5hLwwW7vM) and boy was I completely overwhelmed by the words in this song! The song is about how our fire for God has been snuffed out and we have lost our zeal and passion to love God with all of our heart, it is as though we do not feel God's presence. We are living a life of disconnect. Nothing in this world makes Satan more happy than for Christians to loose their commitment and excitement to share Jesus with others, to not live a life that is abundant and free, to not live a life that glorifies Him. But wait...isn't that why we were created?

As I am writing this, I am thinking of all that He has done for me! Too numerous to count, but to start off, He rescued me from a life eternal in Hell. God the Son; Jesus, came to earth as 100% man without sin AND 100% God, died a gruesome death for me and for you as well! What a sacrifice! He is a God who is in constant pursuit of me...I still cannot wrap my little mind around that! And all He wants from me is for me to love Him, to glorify Him in all I do, to be "On Fire" for Him.

Hebrews 12:28-29English Standard Version (ESV)

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

"Set me on fire, Turn your eyes upon Jesus"! Need a little encouragement, go to https://youtu.be/4Y5hLwwW7vM and listen.

Awareness

January was a month of awareness. First, we had Sanctity of Human Life. It always amazes me that as horrible as the Holocaust was with killing over 8 million people, we are still facing a Holocaust! One of unborn babies. Each year in the United States alone, there are over 1 million (1,000,000) babies that have their life ended through abortion. Since 1973 when abortions were made legal due to the ruling of Roe vs. Wade there have been over 56 billion abortions, that is 56,000,000,000. Now do you want to tell me that we do not have a Holocaust going on? Just a side note...abortions do not happen to the unchurched population only, 1 out of 3 people in the church have been affected by abortion.

Secondly, January is also a month that brings awareness to the epidemic of Human Trafficking. There are well over 27 million people...women, men, & children who are enslaved by force and manipulation to do things that are harsh and unthinkable. Most Americans believe this is happening in other countries, not here in the "Land of the Free". THINK AGAIN! Florida is one of the top states  for Human Trafficking.

God's Word, clearly states in Psalms 82:3-4, "Defend the case of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." If I may be so bold, What are you doing to not only bring awareness, but to prevent these tragedies from occurring? As Christians, God has not called us to sit idle. We have been called to action. We cannot sit by every Sunday, get a "feel good" message and think we have done our job! There are many organizations that you can volunteer at whether your passion is to protect the unborn, protect women and children from domestic violence, feeding the homeless, or rescue those who are trapped as slaves. Find your niche', I know you have one!

Spoon Fed

I had dinner with a sweet friend and as always we get on the topic of our kids! We hash out the why's, the what are they thinking, will they ever get it....and then we ask, "where is the manual"? When you bring your new baby home from the hospital, all is well. So you think! They go through a phase of having their days and nights mixed up, then you finally get them to sleep through the night...(please cue the Hallelujah Chorus)! They begin crawling, walking, forming little personalities; life is good. Then one morning you wake up and some teenager with attitude has taken over your child's body! All the while you are exhausted and have the thought, "will we ever make it through this stage"?

We go through their lives, praying for the next stage in hopes it will be easier than the previous. I can honestly remember the day when I thought, "well now; we have made it"! It is that stage when you can go through the drive thru of McDonalds, hand your children their happy meal and keep moving. They are beginning to be self sufficient. O WHAT A HAPPY DAY! I recall this as though it were yesterday, I didn't have to spoon feed them anymore.

As our children have grown, we as parents seem to struggle with letting go. For so long we have wanted them to be self sufficient and as long as it is the "Happy Meal" we are good, but when it comes to them becoming young adults, we want to continue spoon feeding!

Their whole life we have worked on preparing them for adulthood. We taught character through sharing their toys during play dates, faith through Bible stories and life circumstances, learning to pray for others, thanking God for blessing us with food, to care for the less fortunate and a work ethic through chores. They have been given the tools to become productive, God fearing individuals....BUT for some reason we expect perfection when they become young adults. Why? I still haven't perfected it!

When it comes down to it, we as parents must LET GO AND LET GOD! Okay, there I said it! They must feed themselves. I read once in Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson, "When we pray, we relieve ourselves of responsibility. We let go and let God. We take our hands off and put our concerns into  the hands of Almighty God. And trust me, He can handle whatever we put in His hands."(45) In Luke 11, Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray. He speaks of being persistent and praying with boldness. In verse 8 it says, "I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet BECAUSE OF THE MAN'S BOLDNESS, he will get up and give him as much as he needs." Persistent and bold prayers is what must be done...then LET IT, I mean "THEM" GO! If I were honest, this is SOOO hard for me, I find myself in prayer continually, which isn't that what scripture says...to "pray without ceasing"?

As I reflect on this day of Thanksgiving, I am thankful that God continually guides and teaches me through His scripture. I don't always learn the lesson the first time, but I am thankful for His PERSISTENCE AND BOLDNESS WITH ME!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Being Thankful

I cannot believe it is already Thanksgiving! Turkey, dressing, green beans, corn, greens, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, pecan pie..I feel pleasantly stuffed already! As I sit and reflect on this past year, I am blessed beyond measure. I am so thankful for God's grace and mercy, for salvation! There are those times that I didn't know exactly what God was doing, nor did I like what He was doing, but through it all He remained faithful. Gary and I completed our first year with college students, that in itself was a learning process, AND we survived! I started back to college and a new job all while, still homeschooling our 14 year old...God is faithful! Praying with expectation for 2015.

Be encouraged for another day, God is so faithful! Here is wishing you and your family a 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Be Blessed

With Lots of Love and Prayers,

Gary & Sherri Ard

2014

Psalms 100:1-5

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE; GIVE THANKS TO HIM AND PRAISE HIS NAME.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Rest of the Story

Psalms 139:13-16 (MSG)
Oh, yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God--you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration--what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all stages of my life were spread out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Recently, I was asked to give a devotion at a bridal shower. I am a preparer with lots of notes, scripture references, examples and so forth. I had been working on this particular devotion for over a week. Like always, I prayed on the way up to the church and was trying to review what I had studied, but for some reason nothing was coming...I started to panic! I prayed again, asking God to give me a clear mind, empty me and fill me with you is what I asked. Sounds simple...well it wasn't!

My drive to the church is approximately 20 minutes, but it seemed like a drive you take with a 5 year old going to Disney World for the first time...IT WAS FOREVER! I continued to pray and rehearse...still nothing. I pulled into the church parking lot and I prayed again, in a begging manner; "GOD PLEASE HELP ME"! One thought kept coming up every time I would finish praying. "Tell her about the story I wrote for her". Are you kidding me! I just used those verses at a baby shower, I couldn't use them again.

I apologized to the group for what might take place, but I knew in my heart of hearts I needed to do what God had commanded me to do. I explained my ride to the church, sitting in the car arguing with God and how the whole devotion had completely changed in a matter of 10 minutes and I wasn't even sure what I was going to say. Let me tell you, I love how God uses this stubborn, broken vessel for His glory!

Psalms 139:13-18

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. 

ALL THE DAYS ORDAINED FOR ME WERE WRITTEN IN YOUR BOOK BEFORE ONE OF THEM CAME TO BE. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand, When I awake, I am still with you."

For many of us, our parents started praying for our mates before we were even born. And before conception, God already had our story written. He knew the color of our hair, the color of our eyes, what our personality would be, what our career would be, who our friends would be and yes, he already had that special mate written in our book. BUT, I must say...because of the free will that He has given us, we choose whether or not to step into our story. For many, we have detoured from that precious story, we have added pages that He did not intend on, but because of His mercy and grace, He allows us...even with added pages to step back into the book.

Grace was the bride we were celebrating with on this particular night. I have known Grace forever, and I can still see her running around church in her wrangler's and boots! Although I did not get the opportunity to teach her in youth, I was blessed to watch her grow up loving God with all of her heart. As I viewed from a slight distance, Grace developed and began to live out her own faith. You see she had parents that trusted God with everything...when times were good and when times were bad. They lived their faith out in front of Grace and she took notice!

Even before Grace was conceived, God knew she would go to school for agriculture and that she would meet the man of her dreams...Jacob. God had already written this marriage in Grace's Book, and because of her faithfulness to Him, she stepped right into the pages of the her Cinderella story! I cannot wait to see "The Rest of the Story"!

I know this is long, but would you allow me to provide one more way that God has used this scripture in my life? Recently, I share this same verse with an abortion-minded client. She cried, I cried...she left our center that day as an "intends to carry"client...I rejoiced! A few weeks went by, she did not show up for her next appointment, we tried calling, but because of life choices and situations we were unable to get in contact with her. Prayers were lifted up, she called the center on a Thursday claiming that she needed to go through with an abortion. She stated, "I cannot care for this child. I do not have a place to lay my head, much less this baby." She was told that there were other options, please come into the center so we can discuss them with you and do an ultrasound to confirm that there is a viable pregnancy. She didn't come. Prayers were lifted up, this time through a massive prayer text! It took two weeks, but she called the center wanting to hear the other options, she knew she could not go through with an abortion. Today she is on her way to making an adoption plan! She is not only stepping into the pages of this baby's God story, but for two parents that she doesn't know. When asked what changed her mind, she said one of the things she took from our very first meeting to confirm pregnancy was the verse Psalms 139:16. She stated, "I have marked that verse in the Bible that you guys gave me and I read it every day. It gives me hope and strength when I am having a bad day." In Spring....I hope to bring you "The Rest of the Story"!

What Ground Are You Standing On?

Exodus 3:5

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

Can you imagine going for a walk and coming up on a bush that is on fire, yet it is not burning up?   You step a little closer to investigate and from the bush God calls out to you. Reading Exodus 3, my first thought was how cool would that be to have God speak in an audible voice...HOLY COW, or as my mission buddies would say, "VACA SANTAS"! Not only does God speak, but He spoke through a bush that was on fire! Here is God telling Moses to stop in his tracks, take those nasty shoes off because you are getting ready to get up front and personal with the Almighty God. Good night, I believe this is where God want's us to be, so close that we are standing on holy ground. Taking our shoes off, removing our worries, halting our plans for the day just so we can embrace the One True Living God.

This "holy ground" is not a special piece of land, but a special moment in the presence of God. I am so overwhelmed right now, to think that God would bring me to this very place. I know for me there are days when my quiet time is out of ritual. It happens just so I can put a checkmark by that "task" on my to do list. As I am writing this another verse came to mind and it is found in Matthew 6:6 (MSG), "Here is what I want you to do; Find a quiet secluded place so you won't be tempted to role play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God and you will begin to sense His grace."

Where is your worship? Do you experience the presence of "I AM WHO I AM"? (vs14)

One More Year; Then She Drives

Psalms 46:5

"God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day."

We are BIG on birthdays! Gary and I have always tried to make our kids feel special on their day of birth. Well, it is Jenny Beth's special day, maybe I should say month! She turns 14, September 22nd and it never really dawned on me how old she was getting until she said in an excited voice, "I can drive next year"! What?! Although I do not carry her on my hip physically, mentally I still do. Where in the world did the time go? I can still see her laying on the floor with that curly hair all amiss, her feet propped on the tv stand watching Barney.

She is my artist, my reader, my child when she has had enough of stupid...she let's you know! Jenny is fun loving, she loves hugs and she always tells me, "have I told you how much I love you" or "have I told you lately that you are beautiful"? I know, I know...she melts your heart! Mine too!

I look at her and I am in awe of her character. She is very mindful of others and their feelings, she is an encourager. You see Jenny Beth has a heart for others. It is funny how God uses your children to teach you or remind you of a quality that He wants you to work on. Matthew 22:39, "And the second is like it; 'Love your neighbor as yourself'." 

Happy Birthday

to my 

Brown-Eyed

Girl!

The King is Enthralled

Psalms 45:11

 "The King is enthralled by your beauty"

 Enthrall, to hold the attention of as if by a spell (http://www.merriam-webster.com). Good night, I love this word! God is enthralled with us! Mesmerized, we have His full attention, He is consumed with you, with me! Isn't that a beautiful concept? Can we truly wrap our mind around that? 

As I sat with a client, Psalms 45:11 kept running through my mind. This young 18 year old cannot see how beautiful she is. She does not know that the God of creation, the God who called her by name before she was born (Isaiah 49:1) is completely and utterly enthralled with her. As I listened, she is just one of many who are downtrodden because of a life full of mistakes. She doesn't know that life should and could be different. Feeling trapped, uneducated, being unwed, without a job and expecting a baby, she is overwhelmed. She has never heard the creation story, of Jonah and the Whale, Zacchaeus...the wee little man, the story of Esther or that Jesus loves her so much that He was a willing sacrifice....just for her. 

Recently, God directed me to First Coast Women's Services. FCWS is a faith based pregnancy crisis center and I, of all people get the privilege of working there. I am humbled! I get to share Jesus with girls that have no hope...I share the HOPE that I have, JESUS! Never in a 100 years would I have placed myself in this ministry, but here again scripture does NOT return void. Psalms 139:16, "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." My story has already been written, can you believe it...a story about me! God can use broken vessels after all... for He is the potter and I am the clay! Let's just say there is a lot of molding going on.

Having worked with youth for over 10 years, I have experienced many girls who do not realize their potential through Jesus Christ. They cannot fathom anyone, much less God being enthralled with them. Song of Solomon 4:7, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Not only youth, but adults as well get "hung up" on their past sins, past mistakes and regrets. BUT friend, I am here to tell you that in Isaiah 43:18-19, God says, "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Satan wants nothing more than to defeat, for "he is like a roaring lion, roaming to and fro seeking whom he may devour". We have to claim God's Word as truth, but we must share His truth as well. Be intentional today. I know there is someone who needs to know that God is ENTHRALLED with them.

"Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. He loves  every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken." 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

FCWS is looking for volunteers to love on these girls. We even have a Men's Ministry! If you would like information, please feel free to contact First Coast Women's Center at (904) 259-2585 or visit our website http://www.fcws.org.

Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61: 3

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Circumstances, losses, and even affliction are allowed into our lives so The God of heaven and earth,  our Creator may be glorified! So many times, when we are in the midst of a trial, we struggle to find the beauty in it.  I have to say I love the way  scripture sums it all up.."to give them beauty for ashes".

In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of mourning; as displayed by Mordecai in the Book of Esther, repentance displayed by many prophets for the sins of Israel, and you just have to love Job! Job 42:1-6 states, "Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asks, Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me, My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." How many times have we "heard" of God, but our eyes have not "seen" Him? 

We will never be able to wrap our mind around God. His ways and thoughts are so much more than we can comprehend, but that is where our faith, His grace and mercy steps in. God has taken our sins, our mourning, our depression and has made them into something beautiful! Our inadequacies, our unfaithfulness, our gluttony, our adulterous hearts, our pridefulness, our arrogant spirit, our unwillingness to forgive and He...YES GOD because of His mercy and grace is offering beauty for our ashes! We have to be willing participants in His mercy.

At the Foot of the Cross

At the foot of the cross

Where grace and suffering meet

You have shown me life

Through the judgment you received

And you've won my heart

And you've won my heart, now I can

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown

Coming to kiss the feet of mercy

I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross

Where I am made complete

You have given me life

Through the death you bore for me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EtAiFJDHSAg

(copy and paste the address above in your web browser)

Has God won your heart?

Romans 10:9-10

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Peek-A-Boo

Jenny Beth and I are doing homeschool a little different this year. We decided to be part of a Co-Op, which has turned out to be a wonderful decision. Our Co-op meets every Tuesday. Each Mom has a class that she teaches and then other chores she must complete during the day. My class is Algebra 1, I help setup for lunch and THEN I get to help a very sweet friend in the nursery. The nursery is at the end of the day, so you can imagine how tired these little ones are. Through a small consensus...okay,  it is for our sanity, we decided the kids should go outside for this last hour. They run, play with bugs, expand their imagination with sticks, count leaves...you name it they do it! One of their favorite games is peek-a-boo!

Peek-a-Boo is very mundane with two and three year olds, but it is what makes them happy! Our game is played behind a large magnolia tree. Usually, they will stand behind the tree and we will call out their names..."Where are you"? The game usually starts with one and then the other 3 want to get in on it. It never fails, there will be one who stands on the side of the tree where we can see their little body. They turn their eyes away from us and because they cannot see us, they think we cannot see them! 

HOLY COW! How many times are we that little kid on the side of the tree playing peek-a-boo with God? So often we have this thought process, that just because we cannot see God Himself with our eyes, He cannot see us. It never ceases to amaze me how God uses small things to ever so gently remind me that He is God!  Hebrews 4:12-13 states, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. NOTHING in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." You may not see my heart or even some of my actions, but God does. As Hebrews says, "nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight"!  

As a child in Sunday School, I can remember singing, "Oh be careful little eyes (hand, mouth, feet) what you see, for the Father up above is looking down below, oh be careful little eyes what you see". Wow...and I thought it was just a song to sing when I was little!

Outfit of the Day

Have you ever stood at your closet and said, "I don't have anything to wear"? I know I have... or you go through 5 outfits before you find one and then you still aren't happy! PREACH!! Oh and by the way, the picture above is not my closet. If only I could be that organized. I figure if you cannot see it, it is fine!

As Christians, we should get dressed everyday with confidence. Colossians 3: 12-14, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, CLOTHE yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." It should never be a question as to what I put on in the morning. Just like I choose the right outfit from my closet, I should also choose to get dressed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

If I do not make compassion as part of my daily wardrobe then how do I expect to be kind or show patience to another person? I know for me, I have to continually get dressed with these qualities throughout the day. Look at verse 14 again, "and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity". Love is that final accessory that brings the whole outfit together. 

If you have ever watched What Not To Wear, you know that Stacy and Clinton always talk about bringing the outfit together with accessories...a purse, shoes, necklace or bracelets in a contrasting color. They have said that it finishes the outfit and makes you look like a million dollars! Well, let's just think of compassion as our deodorant, it keeps us from stinking, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience is our outfit of choice, forgiveness is our belt, which tightens the clothing, then it is time to accessorize! We must put on LOVE as our splash of color. ACCESSORIZE...it is what pulls the whole outfit together!

It is just as important to get dressed spiritually every morning, as it is to choose the "outfit of the day"! 

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

As I prepare to write this post, my mind wanders and drifts away to so many other things going on in my life. My baby is in 8th grade, she will turn 14 in a little over a month. The oldest daughter is leaving for college to begin her Junior year, my son just returned from a mission trip in Africa and is working with my Dad and all while I am trying to figure out God's plan and direction for me. The season for me to be a stay-at-home-mom is coming to a close. Tears well up as I think of all the good times we have had, but I am overjoyed by all of the good times yet to come! Gary and I are blessed far more than we deserve.

I am reminded in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God." I will begin a new phase in my life...a job outside of the home and I will be finishing my college degree! Yikes, talk about "don't overwhelm yourself". Although, I know this is a God thing, I am still anxious. Am I doing the right thing? Is this the best thing for my family? God, is this truly your will for my life? I know, I know...I completely overthink things! Thank you God, that you give direction in your love letter to me, words of comfort, words of guidance and most of all words of your love for me.  

As I am experiencing all of these "firsts", I think about the moms who are dropping their child off at school for the first time. There are mom's who are sending their child to school for their last year, some are attending new schools...so many firsts! Yet, God in His infinite wisdom instructs us not to be anxious. I am thankful for a God who directs me to just the right scripture when I need it, whether I like it or not! If you find yourself stressed and anxious, go to the Word...God's Word! He has something just for you!

Ecclesiastes 2:26a states, "To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness...". Aim to please God, embrace the new season and pray about EVERYTHING! 

P.S.

Prayers are graciously accepted for this old gal who is intimidated by change.

Fifty Six Years and Counting

1 Corinthians 13:4-8b

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

LOVE NEVER FAILS."

July 26th, my parents will be celebrating 56 years of marriage! My brothers and I have been blessed with godly parents. They have shown us the true meaning of commitment to one another and to our Lord Jesus Christ. Mom and Dad have lived 1 Corinthians 13 throughout their marriage, even when they did not have Jesus as Lord of their lives and marriage!

The joke in our family is that Daddy raised 4 kids...my mom, my two brothers, and me. They were married when she was 16, YIKES! The phrase "they didn't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of", summarizes the beginning of marriage for the two of them. There were not enough chairs at the dinner table, so Mom sat on Dad's knee to eat. Although she cooks better than Paula Deen now, it was not always that way! A lot of hot dogs, gritty greens and burnt meals, but Dad did not care. Mom was still in high school and Dad made sure she finished and then encouraged her to go on to college. They literally lived from week to week and sometimes the week lasted longer than 7 days. Throughout their marriage they have endured many obstacles, from finances to health. Dad has had stents placed in his heart and underwent open heart surgery. Mom had a partial thyroid removal only to find out it was cancerous, but through each incident it was even more evident of their love and commitment to one another and to God. I am so thankful for the example God placed before my sweetie and I!

In spite of the rough start, they always persevered, trusted, hoped and loved. Couples like this need to do seminars on what marriage truly is.......COMMITMENT!  Love, although the dictionary may refer to it as a noun, it is most definitely an action verb. Love is something an individual must do. A person must choose to love and it is shown in their commitment and actions they do for another person! 

If we were to look at the statistics of divorce in America, we would see that 50% of marriages will end in divorce. There is a divorce every 13 seconds, over 6,000 in one day and throughout the course of the week over 46,500 couples will call it quits! You cannot tell me that we do not have an epidemic! People are not committed. We need to see more examples like Mom and Dad!

Marriage is a commitment! It is a covenant between two people and God that should not be taken lightly. Marriage is not easy, it is a lot of giving. It is so sweet to listen to them, Dad tells Mom how pretty she is and that she is his "sweetie pie"! If you have been lucky enough to know them, you have been able to experience the love and respect that they have for one another.  They always want to make sure the other is happy and content, they go above and beyond what the norm is in today's society....we could all learn something from them!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD!

THANK YOU FOR THE PRECIOUS EXAMPLE 

OF LOVING ONE ANOTHER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY

LOVING GOD!

It's Independence Day!

"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"

The Declaration of Independence signifies our country's freedom. Did you know that on July 4th, 1776 the final draft was approved by the Continental Congress. Fifty six Congressional Delegates signed this document with Benjamin Franklin being the oldest person to sign. A committee of five were chosen to compose the declaration, they were as follows: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman. Although independence was declared on July 2nd, the final draft of the declaration was not approved by Congress until July 4th and it was not signed until August 2nd! 

As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, I do not find it coincidental that my quiet time consisted of 2 Kings 19:30, "Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above." Revival can happen! Our nation has fallen so far from God and it it my duty, our duty to lift this great country up in prayer. Not only do we need to pray for our leaders, our soldiers, but we need to pray for the people of this nation.  It is our responsibility to share Jesus! I have not doubt that revival can happen in the United States of America. We are in desperate need of another GREAT AWAKENING!

Although tomorrow is not the National Day of Prayer, please join me in praying for our country! On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Speech, " Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!" What can we do for our country? Pray for God to tender the hearts of the people, for us to have boldness and intentionality to share Jesus with our neighbors and with people we encounter, lastly pray for us to represent Jesus in every facet of our lives. Sometimes we are the only Jesus that people see!

What's in a Leader?

This past week I had the privilege of going white water rafting with our middle school from church.  Our youth pastor has been doing this trip with our youth for as long as I can remember. It is one that all of the students talk about for years later. I know, I for one am thankful for a youth pastor that pours his heart and God's love into these students, into my children! He truly wants to see them succeed as leaders and he does an outstanding job at providing the tools for them to be leaders in their school, community and at home.

Through out the week, the students are encouraged to  participate  in many challenging  activities. Each activity is a build up to WHITE WATER RAFTING class 4 rapids down the Ocoee River. The first of the week they are provided an opportunity to be servants to an Appalachian family by doing repairs or building an addition around their home site. The middle of the week they venture into repelling and rock climbing a wall that is at least 30 to 40 feet in the air. This my friend is a large feat for this old gal! Once I get the nerve to climb the ladder to repel, I must rest a few minutes because I am so out of breath....I still am not sure if it is from the climb or the aroma (and I use that term very lightly) from our repelling guide who is "one with nature" if you know what I mean. I have been on this trip five time now and each year I think the stench gets a little stronger! BUT, as the week progresses it is important for the students to learn that there are challenges in life and either we meet them head on or we sit back and let life pass us by. 

We studied along with our students the importance of becoming a leader with conviction in this society that we live in. A Christian leader is one who soars like an eagle! One who is not afraid of the storms that life may bring, but one who is willing to fly directly into the storm to make an impact.  

John Maxwell once said, "The first step to leadership is servanthood." What greater example do we have than Jesus! John 13:14-16 states, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him." Humility....being humble, yes that is what it takes to be a leader; a servant-leader! A servant-leader is one who leads by seeking to meet others' needs first. We must remove our pride, insecurities, lack of love, laziness...I could go on and on, but you get the point. When I think about how Jesus humbled himself, first of all to come to this earth as a human, but to live a lowly life while here just to be a sacrifice for me, I am blown away! My prayer is that I do not take that for granted. 

Oh dear parent, it is crucial that you are an example of a servant-leader to your children! Remember they learn by the examples put in front of them....YOU! Be their mentor, encourager and their protege. How can we ever expect our children to be all that God wants them to be, if they do not see us being ALL that God wants us to be!

"The most challenging step of any journey is the first step."