We Live to Serve

I just got home from such a touching sermon about SERVING and there were three examples given about the lives lived by three people or 4 I guess and they were so amazingly touching...and I never knew these people and I was attending this church for the first time.  God wanted me there today because those three people have impacted my life and make me want to SERVE my heart out! 

I miss SERVING and it has been too long since I've SERVED regularly, okay I take that back :) I serve regularly in my home and I do not take that away from SERVING at all for all you wonderful women who stay at home and take care of your kids and home.  That's what I want to do when I have children as well and I have been fortunate enough to work from home for the past three years and what a blessing it has been!  But I want to do more.  I think as we mature in our faith, we become more efficient with our time and ability to bless others.  I think I've reached another level of love and faith and I want to give more and I have a couple opportunities coming up that I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store with them.  Use me Lord, I want to SERVE and show others what a blessing it is to be part of your BRIDE!  The theme of the sermon this morning was Ephesians 2:10.

Have you been prayed FOR lately?

I have been absolutely down in the dumps lately and there are just some people who you know you have in your life that you avoid because they will make you get that yucky attitude out of your system.  For me it's my Mom and a couple Christian friends...well, I'm SO thankful for my friend who slapped me around the other night...okay so maybe she didn't slap me, but she showered me with prayers and what a blessing it was!  I have had a completely different attitude and outlook on what I need to improve upon in my life.  Thank you Lord that my friend was such a Bride to me and let your love shine through when I needed it most.  I love you.  1 Kings 8:37-39

Use my situation God!

Lord, I pray for you to continue using me beyond my comfort level to share about YOU!  I am going through something SO awesome right now and God has given me multiple opportunities to praise Him in front of my family during the process.  The tough part is that these family members are unbelievers so there is never an easy time to share what God is doing, but it is SO obvious right now and I believe it is making an impact!  I can't wait to share more, but will hold off for now:)

Please keep my husband and I in your prayers as we begin an unforgettable journey in life!  Draw us close to you God and all those who end up as part of this process.  We love you, praise you and thank you, in Jesus' name-AMEN.  Matthew 19:14

For all my www friends that I don't see every day...

What would I have to do to get you to see that Jesus Christ is real?

Once you see that Jesus Christ is real, would you be willing to surrender your life to Him?

Jesus died on the cross for our sins, according to scripture...
He was buried and then rose from the dead, according to scripture...
He's alive and living in me and can live in you as well.

What are you going to do with that information?

Please read John 3:16. I love you!

Don't Hold Back if there is even a chance to Plant a Seed!

I am SO proud of my husband and how he has the Lord's touch in helping men and their marriages!  I really think ALL of us have that certain type of somebody or some way we get across best to a certain kind of people...for me, I think I am a good listener and encourager to women who are having a tough time in marriage and for my husband, I think he is good at doing the same thing for men, but in a "Men kind of way" :)...you know, not saying much, but saying enough to make the man think and then checking back in at a later date to see if anything struck a chord. 

We are seeing the Lord's work right now in a married couple that we care so very much for and it is such a beautiful thing.  We feel like we have ridden the roller coaster with them for the last few years and they are back on God's side again, it's so beautiful!  We wish them well and know that with God at the Center, they can do it!!!  Mark 10:27-28

Little Hearts Have Room for Jesus too!

I got some great one on one time with many family members this last weekend, it was so precious!  But one of these moments is unforgettable:)  My niece asked if she could ride home with me from the Pumpkin Patch, only about a 20 minute ride if that.  We were just talking away, like girls have the gift of doing, when God came up in conversation.  I really don't remember how it happened, but it doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned, it happened!!!!!!!!!  She is 6 years old and seemed to be holding very good conversation, so I began asking her questions about.....OH WAIT, I REMEMBER HOW IT CAME UP:)  I was talking to her about my new house and how we have gotten to see dolphins, seals and whales and she said she's afraid of the ocean and all those animals.  We talked more about whales and I asked her if she had heard the "Jonah and the Whale" story (Jonah 1:17), NO, Do you go to Sunday School, NO, Do you know what a Bible is, YES my brother gave me a Bible and I went to Vacation Bible School.  OKAY, so now I knew we were getting somewhere...we kept talking and I finally asked her if she wanted to have Jesus in her heart and she said YES!  She prayed with me and she was so happy, so I told her she needed to share this with her Grammie and what a site to see.  When she shared this news with my Mom, I melted since it is because of my mom and my grammie that I love the Lord so much, so to see this Legacy passed on was so beautiful!  Thank you Lord for such a precious moment. OH, BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER!  I was saying goodbye to everybody later and couldn't find my nephew...when I hollered up the stairs, my niece peeked around the railing and said they were busy because she was sharing with him about God!  YOU GO GIRL! 

I've always been one to not really have Faith that young children really do understand what they are being told and probably don't really accept Jesus into their hearts, BUT now I have solid evidence that they really do GET IT!  Thank you Lord for showing me this beautiful soul and her glow of your JOY!

Submission is KEY, Whether We Like It or Not:)

I have a friend who it has been so BEAUTIFUL to see her transform into such a wonderful BRIDE to her husband. The Lord confirmed His love for her the other day through her husband when He used her husband to tell her...I would never be able to stay home and do what you do, I'm so glad you have chosen to stay at home and be there for our kids! This melted her and it was so sweet to listen to her share it with me:) Thank you Lord for an honest husband that is not afraid to tell his wife how much he appreciates her!

The best part about this is that I remember when they got married, my friend said what is this "Submit to your husband business?" Ephesians 5. And now that she has experienced her awesome husband submitting to the Lord and unknowingly her submitting to her husband, she has experienced the awesome feeling of this "Submitting to your husband business!" What a precious example she has been to her husband, friends, family and now her children...so precious.

I too, have learned how beautiful submission can be with an obvious example recently! I have worked in the Fair Industry for over 10 years now and three of the last five years of our marriage have endured my patient husband at home alone while I'm working away for weeks at a time (one year for months at a time). I love this industry and have had a very hard time distancing myself from it, but during these three years I have always wanted to start a family...which beings I want to be a stay-at-home Mom, you can see how this lifestyle won't work! So, my husband asked me to not spend more than two days away at any given time this next year, which means "Oh brother, I have to turn down three of my best and most loyal clients who have become my friends AND have Faith that the Lord will provide financially somehow someway." I did it, well, the Lord did it because there is NO WAY, I would have been able to call these people alone and every one of them have been so understanding and encouraging!!! Thank you Lord, and the best is yet to come...My husband is ready to look at "this family stuff" now:) My on-going prayers were answered simply by me submitting to my husband. Psalm 37:3-7...hmmm, this just might be my NEW life passage, what a beautiful passage!