The Best Gift-The Perfect Gift

"Don't be afraid! He said. I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!" Luke 2:10

The best gift you could ever give is the gift of Christ. 

Wrap Him up and send Him out. 

There will never be a more life changing gift.

It's the one gift that will always keep on giving from generation to generation. 

It's the gift that brings joy, love, hope and peace.

So stop searching for the perfect gift, Jesus is the perfect gift!

Remember the Reason

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." Luke 2:14

Father, it's so easy to get caught up in the list making, the shopping, the wrapping, even the decorating. So much so, we begin to lose sight of why we even celebrate Christmas.

How have we fallen so far away from you?

How have we gone from what is all about You, to being all about ourselves, our wants?

Slipping You in doesn't suffice.

For some, this time of year brings a mixture of joy and deep sadness. It's a reminder of the emptiness they feel for their loved ones.

Yet in the midst of their sorrow, may they lift their eyes to You and realize that You fill the void, You heal their brokenness, You restore their joy.

Remind us of the price You paid. Remind us of the reason You came.

Jesus draw us back to You, now and forever.

Fill us with hunger pains that only subside when we feed on Your very Word.

Father it seems we have made this Season about the worldliness, the getting rather than the giving. Oh yes Lord, their are many who give of themselves for Your sake. Bless them with spiritual blessings.

Ignite a fire within the Body of Christ that cries out Your holiness to the nations. Ignite a burning passion within the Body of Christ that brings unity, boldness, and proclamation of Your first coming and second coming!

May we not gather around the tree to open the presents of materialism. May we gather around the tree on our knees to open the present of life-Your life.

 Jesus slow us down to savor this time, this occasion. May all our preparing be for You. May our focus be on doing for the least of these rather than for the selfishness of our flesh.

Show us how to honor You in a way that brings millions to the Cross.

Altar Sunday

As you make your way to the altar, may your heart be full of praise and little of self.

Happy December!!

Before It Ends

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8

Isn't it amazing how fast time flies? It seems like yesterday we were celebrating our first Thanksgiving in Jasper. 

Now here we are almost two years later and oh, how our lives have changed.

I can remember that moment when G came home and sat me down and said he felt like God was calling him out of football. I remember my response, "Well maybe you should go visit with Him again."

And he did, not because I told him to but because he felt it to. It was not but two weeks later he came home, sat me down and said, "Babe, God is calling me out of football. He has confirmed it several times."

And at that point I knew. So we prayed, took a huge step in faith and here we are today.

God has been so faithful. We are thankful 

and beyond blessed for His sweet blessings and presence in our lives.

He has opened the door for us to serve and minister to others together. 

 

He has opened up so much time for G to be home, be involved, to travel, and to be by my side as I teach. That alone is very dear to me.

I didn't want to let November run out and I not share all that we are thankful for.

So here is a few things we as a family are thankful for.  I had lots of help with this :)!

1. We are thankful to be used by God.

2. We are thankful that God's plans are greater than ours.

3. We are thankful for our new home.

4. We are thankful for Dax's continued healing.

5. We are thankful to have more time together.

6. We are thankful to be able to take trips.

7. We are thankful for our Church home and the oppurtunity to serve.

8. We are thankful that both boys are saved and baptized!!!!

9. We are thankful for our sweet new friends.

10. We are thankful for this new profession that provides and blesses others.

11. We are thankful for all of our families health.

12. We are thankful to be near family.

13. We are thankful for what God has planned for us each day.

14. We are thankful for each new day.

15. We are thankful for God's Word.

16. We are thankful to be able to spend Christmas in New York.

17.  We are thankful for our patients.

18.  We are thankful for each of you!!

And many many more! 

I am thankful for my precious women that God has so graciously allowed me to teach and learn from.

And I am so thankful to be able to share His word with you and many others. 

Praying your hearts overflow with thankfulness and joy! 

Captivated

When was the last time you were truly captivated by Jesus' love and beauty that it moved you to songs of praise?

"Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise him, you who serve the Lord, you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his wonderful name with music." Psalm 135:1-3

Altar Sunday

Sometimes remaining silent at the altar heals more.

Do You?

He was the second of two. A twin. He came out grasping the heel of his brother.

His mother learned of the blessing he would receive before he was even born. 

Rather than waiting on God's timing she chose to take things into her own hands, thus setting the example for him to follow, and he did just that.

He lived up to his name "He deceives".

As a young man his first deception came when he stole his brothers birthright. Then later on stealing his blessing and deceiving his very own father.

We too can be guilty of these very things.

We can deceive others by pretending to be followers of Christ, yet never live as one. Deception can come in the form of appearance, money, a "friend", authority figure, even self. 

We can also ignore God's will and timing by acting to quickly. We are known for our impulsive behavior. There is a reason God does not tell us our futures, could you imagine?

Have you deceived others, your family, your children, your friends. Have you pretended to be someone your not? 

Maybe like Jacob you have deceived others to gain more for yourself. 

What about ignoring God's timing and stepping outside of His will? 

Whether it be a job, a relationship, family, etc, trust God and His timing for your life.

Most importantly, as a parent, make sure you are not deceiving your children.

Either be all in for Christ or not. You will do more damage and confuse them more by living one part in the world and the other part as a Christian.

To read more about Jacob head on over to Genesis 25-50! 

Altar Sunday

As you gather together may your praises be sweeter than they have ever been.

Inside Out

She was a woman of beauty, a hard worker, and a servant.

And though those things are wonderful traits to have, it's the heart that holds the most beauty.

Though her outward appearance was eye catching, her heart revealed something quite different. 

It revealed deception, lies, a "I need right now" impulse. Her heart was full of what her flesh wanted. 

She knew God's plan, but rather than waiting on Him, she chose to take matters into her own hands.

Her decisions affected not only her, but her husband and both of her sons.

She managed to deceive her husband, teach her younger son to lie and deceive his brother and father, and to act on impulse.

It's amazing how quickly her outward beauty began to change, when her heart began to be revealed.

What does your heart reveal about you? 

Jesus reads you inside out, the world reads you outside in. Let your inside define the beauty on the outside. 

To read more about Rebekah, head on over to Genesis  24-27

Time

Building a relationship with Christ requires time.

Are you taking the time?

Missing You

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

I am missing you terribly. The process of my blog update abruptly came to a stop, but hopefully it will be finished at some point. 

So until then, we will just stick with this one. 

There has been a lot happen within these last two weeks (has it been two weeks?) and all of it amazing, some of it hard, some heart breaking, but all in all God is teaching me, using me, working in me  showing me more of who He is and guiding me, all of which I desire from Him daily.

This morning I was visiting with The Lord about the month of November and how it seems to spur people on to share what they are thankful for. It's a GREAT thing, but today I asked Him why just November, why not all year, every day for 365 days? 

It's the same reason with Christmas. It roles around and it motivates us to give more, serve more and even attend church. 

But why do we not desire to do that all year?

Some questions are not meant to ponder on, but rather to spur us on. I don't know why you do what you do, just as you don't know why I do what I do.

But I hope that my life will begin to be a reflection of why I do what I do and that He is seen in every movement, every thought, every motive, every action, every word, every hug, everything. For then at the end of my life, He will be known to many. 

Now He is New

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:4-5

When the last rites are given. The last drop of medicine and fluid is administered, and your daddy prays over his daddy for the last time.

When it's your last living grandparent and you feel numb to the reality of it all. 

It's the regret of not investing more time with those you love.

It's the joy of knowing his loneliness, sickness, and desperate need for each breath is now all gone.

It's resting in Jesus that all was well with him and Him.

It's the heaviness you feel in the deepest part of your heart for your daddy.

It's the confident assurance that Christ is present and tending to the things we can't see and the things we are unable to do in the state of sorrow.

In all things rejoice. In life, in death, in sickness, in health, in sorrow... in all things.

He was a man of few words and a man of many words. He loved in unusual ways, loud ways, and sometimes in ways uncharacteristic to many of us. But he loved. 

His laugh was sweet, contagious and always brought a smile to your face.

He was a serious man. A workin' man. A social man. And a hands on man.

He loved tools like no ones business, and he loved them organized. 

If you think about your memories of him, it would be his tools. He was a tool connoisseur. His love for breakfast and his 6 kids. 

He loved his grand kids and great grand kids. 

He was a blessed man. And now a man at rest, at peace, finally at home. 

He was a loved man. 

Under Construction

Godly Gossip is making some changes. We will be under construction the rest of this week.

See you soon!

Under Construction

Godly Gossip is making some changes. We will be under construction the rest of this week.

See you soon!

It's Not Yours

When you think it's not important to clean out the excess of sin and junk in your body, let this passage change your way of thinking.

"Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Altar Sunday

"With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:15-16

May our churches today be found shouting praises to the Most High. May our hearts be full of love and sincere worship. May there be no more rituals, no more routines, no more going through the motions. Rather may the Spirit be so alive that no even the walls can contain it.

Oh, that revival would start within the hearts of each of us. Go because your love for Christ is greater than your desire to be noticed. Go because the fellowship with the Body is so sweet, not because you have to.

Go with the intention to hear and see God do things beyond your greatest imagination.

He Delights in YOU!

"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

God takes great delight in you. He rejoices over you with singing. 

Let that sink in your heart and consume your thoughts. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Great I Am, takes delight in YOU. He sings over YOU.

Oh brethren you are dearly loved, so lift up your head, take a deep breath in, and walk in that amazing promise and truth. 

There Is Not A Greater Moment Than This

"Daddy what is your purpose in this life?" 

"To make sure you and your sisters go to heaven."

This was a discussion I remember having with my dad when I was younger. I remember the impact it had on me. I thought about it the rest of the day and I still think about it today; especially as a mommy. 

Tonight, my greatest role, purpose and calling as a mommy, came to be, when Dax prayed the most precious prayer, had the most precious discussion with our Pastor. 

Then hearing Avery tell his story, of when Jesus came into his heart. The details that he shared, are forever embedded within me. 

I share this precious news with you, because I know what comes now. I know how much they need you, the Body to pray for them, over them, and with them. I know how important each and everyday from here on out will be, as they grow in their faith.

I know how much they will need to be surrounded by others who seek to honor and please the Lord. I also know now that they belong to Christ and there is nothing that can or will ever separate them from Him. 

I was able to get some amazing pictures of this special moment, and I am so grateful that our Pastor and his wife shared this amazing idea with us. It is something our boys and we will have and remember forever. It will be so very special when they are grown and get to share their story with their children. 

My sweetest boys, as you grow in your relationship with Christ, I pray your love for Him will grow and flourish in a way that only He can do. I pray you will listen to His promises and use them when you need strength, encouragement, help, guidance, and wisdom. They will protect you, always! You are His now and forever. There is nothing that can separate His love from you or for you. Seek His will at all times. Keep your eyes upon Him. Let His Words penetrate deep within you for they will give you a long life and radiant health. Always, be mindful; always be on guard, alert, prayerful, and thankful. Understand that you now join the Body of Christ and together that bond is stronger than any bond. Always be clothed in the Armor of Christ, because Satan is relentless, but he will never be victorious. Christ won the battle, sweet things, and you are covered in His precious blood. May you always walk in His truth, live in grace, love and forgiveness, and may your love and desire for Him be greater than anything or anyone. May your relationship with Christ be the greatest relationship of your life, and one that grows and grows, and produces a bond and love like that fulfills you in everyway.  You are and will always be His. Your daddy and I are so proud of you, and we look forward to serving and sharing Jesus with you. But more than that, we are beyond thrilled to spend eternity in heaven with you forever.

Living It Out By His Grace and Help Alone

I am a firm believer in, if I am going to talk about it and encourage it, then I should be living it.

If I am going to encourage you to strengthen and deepen your relationship with Christ, then I must also be daily strengthening and deepening my relationship.

If I am going to encourage you to be obedient to Him and His Word, then I must also be obedient.

In teaching and writing, the biggest impact that can be made, is when the writer or teacher is actually living out what they are teaching and writing.

Have you ever met someone who talked as though they were such and such, maybe they were a follower of Christ, and they really could be, but their actions never matched their words?

Maybe they spoke on having a godly marriage, yet theirs was completely falling apart.

Maybe they always talked about being healthy, yet their body showed their secret eating habits.

Brethren, it is very easy to fall into the temptation of saying what we "want" to be, to do, or live, yet our actions speak something completely different.

I never want to fall into that trap.

As I always say, I never want anyone to see more of me than what I really am, which is a sinner.

As we continue this process of cleaning out the excess I wanted to share and show you that I am daily doing this. That though you can't see me, you can trust that I am doing the very thing I am encouraging you to do, and that I too struggle.

So, as far as cleaning out the excess in my heart.

This is what I try, always Lord-willing, to do.

1. I cover myself in the Word and always try to memorize a passage a day.
2. I stay fessed' up! This is huge for me, because I fail often.
3. I try to be mindful of my actions, thoughts, and words. This is another hard area for me, especially when things become chaotic or messy.
4. I pray and pray and pray and pray.
5. I take God's grace that He lays out for me daily!!

Cleaning out the excess in my thoughts

This is HARD!

1. I always ask myself, is this a God filled thought or a self focused thought. (This helps me tremendously)
2. I am always grabbing Scripture the Lord has stored within me and saying it over and over.
3. I surround myself with people and things that encourage Godly thinking, and push me closer to the things above and the Cross than the things here on earth.
4. I claim Philippians 4:8-9, like crazy!
5. I take every thought captive and place them under the microscope and light of God's Word and promises.

-Please understand, these are daily choices I choose. Whatever works best for you and the Lord, stick to it!

Cleaning out the excess in my body.

I have never really struggled with junk food, to much caffeine, etc. All due to the problems I have with my tummy. But I do have occasions when I eat more junk than I do healthy. So here are a few of the things that work for me.

1. I pray to have a distaste for things that are not pleasing to the Lord
2. I stick to a pretty regular diet for my GERD (It's VERY BLAND!)
3. I exercise 3 to 4 days a week. Whether running or circuit training. (I literally prayed that God would give me a desire and the ability to run and get stronger. I pray through every workout-NOT KIDDING.)
4. I constantly speak Matthew 4:4 "People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on the very word of God." This is my power verse, my daily snack, and one that I firmly believe in. So I feed myself the Word as much as I can, and still fulfill the other God given roles He has given me.
5. I firmly believe in being the best I can be for the Lord, so I know that taking care of my Temple is extremely important. If I don't, I will be of little use, and I want God to use me to the fullest, so that when He takes me home I will have fulfilled His purpose to the fullest. (This is a daily work in progress, but one I truly desire)

I would love to hear what you do, have done or are doing. What is the Lord teaching you as you clean out the excess in your thoughts, hearts, and bodies?

Be blessed sweet ones! You are loved and adored beyond measure.

It's Not Up To Me To Know, God Knows and They Know!

"He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them." Mark 10:14-16

How do you know when your babies are really ready for Baptism?

This is a subject my husband and I have often. We want this decision to be completely theirs. Nothing forced, just complete love for Jesus, and their desire to be obedient.

Recently, our now 5 year old, hollered from the backseat. "Mama, I want to get baptized right now!"

Of course I was shocked because it was so random, so raw, so real.

I of course being the mom I am said, "Well baby that is fabulous! But we can't do it right now. We need to go home and visit with daddy, and then visit with our Pastor. Okay?"

"Why mama, why can't you just do it?"

I laughed and said, "It just doesn't work like that."

"Well who baptized you?"

"My daddy baptized me."

"Papaw is a Pastor? I didn't know that."

I laughed!!

So of course we preceded to discuss what baptism means, why we do it, and the importance of being baptized.

I asked some tough questions, some deep questions, and not to confuse him, but to see if he really understood the meaning. To see if his heart belonged to Christ.

And to my surprise he says, "Mommy, I know I am a sinner, I sin all the time, and I have asked Jesus in my heart and I know He is there?"

How do you know Jesus is in your heart, I asked?

And Dax said "He just went knock knock, I opened the door and He came in."

SIGHHHHHHHHHHH

 I would have given anything to have been able to record that comment so I could play it over and over and over.

The simplicity God gave us to be saved, yet how often we make it so difficult.

I don't know, but I would say this mama needs to get out of the way and let God keep doin' what He's doin'.

I believe my baby is ready?

"He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them." Mark 10:14-16