Because He Chose To Be Different

You chose to be different. You chose Jesus. You chose to walk according to the Word even when others and the world said differently. You have led men young and old. Through your love and actions you have taught many of them who Jesus is. You are one of the most respected men because of your love for Christ. You chose to raise your babies in the Word of God and teach them the importance of being men of courage, love, and men of integrity who are passionate about Jesus. There are many men, many dads, but you my love are a rare one. You are amazing. Your love for Jesus is contagious. Your love for us is astounding, breath-taking and marvelous. Thank you for choosing Jesus. Thank you for teaching our boys the most important things, to love Christ first, your family second, and others third.

Ladies

Ladies, is your relationship with Christ at a point,  if you were completely alone you would still know who you are in Him?

Is your relationship solid enough, you can stand in confidence because of it?

My Description of Christ in Flesh

If I were to describe Jesus in flesh, I would describe you. You are a man of integrity, honesty, love, devotion, faithfulness and compassion. 

You have shown me why serving Jesus is the greatest and best joy of my life.

You have taught me how to be a woman who loves and respects my husband. Your love for us can't be explained. 

You have shown and taught us the importance of serving others and how that is one of the greatest ways to reflect and point others to Christ.

Your love for mama is indescribable. 

There is not a person on earth that does not love and respect you. 

You have been the most loving, comforting and merciful daddy. 

My words will NEVER be able to express how amazing you are and how much I love you. 

Thank you, daddy for showing me Jesus. Thank you, daddy for always encouraging me to grow in my walk. Thank you, daddy for never giving up on me. Thank you for teaching me the importance of a personal relationship with Christ. 

You are the perfect picture of my Heavenly Father in flesh and I am ever so grateful to be your baby! 

I will always be your baby who is passionately in love with you. 

Thank you for the countless hours you have spent in prayer for me over the last 34 years. 

You are extremely loved and adored. Every day I get with you here is an absolute treasure and gift. I am better because of your daily love.

Choose the High Road

"Those who are short-tempered do foolish things, and schemers are hated." Proverbs 14:17

Do you attack others because they aren't doing what you want or saying what you want them to say, OR have they truly done something that has offended you?

This is a question that requires real honesty before The Lord, all of which not many will admit.

More times than not we turn our selfishness and frustrations onto others to try and ease the convictions of our own downfalls. 

Before you react to someones short temper and harsh remarks, take a moment and evaluate the situation. Then ask them, "Are you frustrated because I am not responding or doing what you want or have I truly offended you in some way."

If it's because of their own selfishness, don't respond any further. If you have truly offended them, let the Holy Spirit confirm it, and then apologize immediately. 

This will produce a peacemaker within you rather than one who stirs up more dissension by fighting back. 

Remember, Jesus chose the higher road and so should we. Be the bigger person and hold your tongue and create peace. 

A New Day is A New Oppurtunity

This morning I had the choice to either  sleep in or get up and meet with Jesus. I chose Jesus.

Today I will have many choices. 

Some of these choices I am given every single day. 

I am given the choice to choose...

Jesus or self

Love or hate

Forgiveness or bitterness

Kindness or ugliness

Peace or dissension

Trust or doubt 

Faith or disbelief 

Joy or grumpiness

Encouragement or discouragement

To serve or not to serve (or demand to be served)

Humbleness or pride

Obedience or disobedience

Heaven or Hell

Hope or defeat

Jesus or the World

His promises or Satan's lies

Righteousness or sinfulness

Healthy eating or unhealthy eating

Self control or no control

Listen or not to listen

Respect or disrespect

And the choices go on and on. 

Every SINGLE DAY I am given these choices, and every NEW day God gives me, is another day He is giving me the opportunity to  make the right choice. 

And in order to make the right choice I have to allow the Holy Spirit to be in complete control, without Him, I am unfit to choose what is right. 

I Can't Change Yours But I Can Change Mine

Jesus I can't change the choices others make, but I can change the choices I make. Help me through the power of the Holy Spirit to make wise choices that are aligned with Your Word. For then, my choices will produce godly outcomes. Amen

Altar Sunday

Today let Jesus be the reason you go to Church. 

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Our garden 

Jalapeños! G makes the best homemade salsa and to be able to get all the ingredients from your own garden...superb!

Green onions! One of my childhood and adult favorites! 

Our backyard has become our sweet sanctuary. It's absolutely beautiful, this picture does not do it justice.

Chickens=fresh chicken + fresh eggs-we LOVE our chickens. They were camera shy this morning. We have 8 of them. 

Miss thing-Zoey!

Our front porch-simple but oh so cute

Altar Sunday

Jesus open the flood gates of heaven and let Your loving mercy fall upon us. 

We long for Your presence. Overwhelm us in a way that leaves in awe. 

We come anticipating Your arrival. May we be prepared! 

Step Out

 I believe now more than ever, we need to be visible, audible, and able to be felt. Why? Because our computers, phones, and I Pad's are mere barriers that offer only black and white words.

People still need hugs. People still need to feel the love of Jesus. They need to be able to hear every expression, whether it be through laughter, sadness, frustration, etc. They need to see tears, joy, hope, love, kindness, gentleness and forgiveness in the flesh.

Technology can't express those things. Now, don't misunderstand what I am saying. Technology is not a bad thing. When used properly it has many great qualities and benefits.

But Christ made us, humans, in flesh, to bring His love and comfort to those in need. He created us to go out and do and be and love. He created us to be present, available, and in person.

It's so much easier to hide behind a computer or phone, but to actually go out and be visible in the midst of messy, that's hard, uncomfortable and scary, but we should never let that paralyze us from doing what we were put here to do.

Jesus says in 2 Timothy 1:7-"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 

This is just one of His promises He gives to encourage us and give us confidence as we step out to be His hands and feet.

Jesus help us to step out from behind our phones and computers and fellowship with others the way You did, in person. Fill us with the confidence we need to enter the messiest places, the broken places, the unknown places, even the most joyous places. Amen

Please Slow Down

It seems as though I blinked for just a second and when my eyes opened my babies were grown. 

Today I watched my sweet boy walk up on the stage as a second grader for the very last time to receive his award for being on the A honor roll all year. 

He has grown so much within this last year and my heart begs for time to slow down. 

I can't believe he will be a third grader and this sweet little guy

will be in Kindergarten. Be still time, slow down, you are moving quicker than this mommy's heart can handle.

Jesus prepare my heart for each new season that comes with growing boys. Amen

Its's His Birthday!!

"Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."
Genesis 2:22

I am beyond blessed to be from this mans rib. He is our greatest joy, our provider, protector, and he brings so much joy to our home. 

Happy Birthday my sweet love. I am so greateful to have spent the last 11 birthdays with you and pray for many more. 

You are my first and greatest love and I am honored to be yours. 

The Answer to All Things

Are you searching for something to feel your emptiness?
      -God's Word will fill it.

Are you constantly feasting on food or an addiction in hopes it will satisfy you?
     -God's truth and promises will satisfy those cravings-feast on His Word

Are you tired and worn out and in desperate need for some rest?
     -Let God's draw you in under His wing and give you rest.

Is your plate so full you can't hold another thing on it?

     -Seek God's counsel and allow Him to remove the excess. 

God is the solution to all things and the answer to all questions. 

Altar Sunday

Sometimes life becomes so busy, you just need a moment of rest, quietness, and order. If that's you, I have just the place for you.

It's at the feet of Jesus! 

When the Fire Erupts

"The godly think before speaking; the wicked spout evil words." Proverbs 15:28

No matter how frustrating a situation is, we must never let our feelings control our tongue, because when it gains control, fire erupts! And when the fire erupts people get hurt. 

The burns we receive or give, leave a lasting impression. Those burns become constant reminders. 

I have been on both ends. I have been the one to allow the fire to erupt from my mouth and burn others, and I have also been burned as well. 

Neither are enjoyable. Yes venting at the moment seemed like a relief, until you step back and realize the effect it had. 

I have also seen the devastating burns placed upon others, that leaves me broken for them. Their scars might not be visible to the eye at times, but once they are revealed it's devastating. 

Do you know where the fire happens the most?

In our homes and with our families. 

Satan loves to fuel the fire and you can see families and homes where the fire broke out. 

The result from the fire;

Broken families trying to find the EXIT

Divorced homes, which reveals two parents who found the EXIT but left their children in the fire.

Parents and Siblings who set off fires at any given moment because of jealousy, selfishness, pride, and a lack of self control. Most of the time you see where the fire starts, gets repaired, starts again in a new part of the home, and it goes on and on. This is the worst of fires, because in the end all though the fires started then stopped, the burns eventually take over the entire area, it leaves your heart on a ventilator.

Hear is the thing, once you place burns upon someone, you can't take those burns back. Only Jesus can heal those burns and heal you from constantly erupting flames onto others. 

But you have to be willing to let Him. 

For me the burns I have received have come from those I love the most, and they hurt, and not only do they hurt, but once they finally begin to heal, something happens and you get burned again. And remember, if you are spewing fire to someone about someone else, not only does your fire burn the one you are gossiping too, but the fire will also find it's way to the person you talking about. 

After receiving so many burns, there have been times I have fueled fire with fire and spewed them right back, but I KNOW BETTER! All of us in Christ know better. 

Let's be mindful today and allow the Holy Spirit to be control rather than our feelings. Don't let your feelings control you, you need to control your feelings. 

Let's ask Jesus to forgive us for the burns we have spewed on others and to help us see His love through the healing of our own burns. 

 

Dare to Do More, Reach More, and Pursue More

Jesus called us to be pursuers of His Word and the lost. 

We should never be okay with complacency, or sitting back and waiting for others to come to us. Jesus wants more from us. 

We must always be available and ready to be used by God. 

We must be active in our faith and in our quest to reach the lost, those growing in faith, the complacent, and even those within our Churches. 

Let's actively pursue others for Christ. 

Let's always desire to be working where Christ is working. 

Let's stop assuming medocrity is good enough. 

Let's open the door for others to be more involved in the Body of Christ. 

Jesus has not stopped pursuing you! 

Complacency is one of the quickest things to destroy and hinder a ministry, Church, and even our personal walk with God. 

Our efforts to reach and share God's Word should never come to a stop because others have grown content in mediocrity. 

Let's be mindful of our purpose and mission here on earth. 

As followers who have counted the cost, we should be fully aware that reaching others requires us pursuing them just as Christ has, is and will always be pursuing us. 

Through Christ we can always do more, reach more, serve more, help more, encourage more, love more, and grow more.  

Let us not grow weary. Time is fleeting! 

Whatever position you are in glorify Him. Whatever oppurtunity you are given, seek to do more than the minimum. Seek to be more than the ordinary. Seek to be used. Seek to reach more. 

Have you stepped into a role or position and have grown complacent or content in medocrity? If so ask The Lord to refuel you, to ignite you, to fill you with a passion and hunger to step out and do more for Him. 

Let's be brave and confident and willing to go farther in order to reach more for Christ. 

Let's be followers of Christ who desire to grow in the Body of Christ so much so that the edges of the earth become the four walls of the Church. 

Maybe It's His Way of...

"Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

Sometimes when things get hard we seek to find the easiest way out,  whether by just walking away, leaving, ignoring the issue or just simply quitting. 

But it's in those times God wants to teach us, grow us, use us, and develop a strength in us we will need later. 

It's in these hard times, we have to keep our eyes on Christ and trust in His plan for our lives. We must listen to His voice of truth, hold on to His promises, look to Him for comfort and companionship and learn to rejoice even in our hardships. 

God has big plans for us. God has had a plan for each of us before we were even born. 

Sometimes our feeling of loneliness and struggle is God drawing us into Himself. He is simply removing some things and or people from our lives for a little while in order to get alone with us. His intentions are always sweet and always perfect, even if we can't see it at the time. 

His reaching out to us is His way of letting us know He desires us, wants us and loves us. 

As He reaches out, we should be grabbing on. Don't let this time of learning, growing and transforming slip away. 

"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an oppurtunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." James 1:2-3

Just This

Jesus You have given me the greatest honor and role here on earth-mommy.

Thank You for the overwhelming amount of joy these babies bring to my life. 

I pray I live in such a way they see You at all times. I pray Your reflection in me leaves them desiring more of You.

May my words and my actions towards Garrett be ones that teach them to desire a woman who is submissive, respectful, kind, loving, encouraging and most of all God fearing. 

May I never take this role for granted. It is a gift from You that can be taken at any time. 

May I never waste time being selfish but selfless so they can learn to live a life just as You did. 

Jesus You gave me the greatest example to follow, my mama and I pray I become half the woman she is today. 

Thank You for the godly example she set for me. She not only taught it but she lives it. 

Jesus continue to teach me Your ways so I can teach them. Amen

Who Do You Choose?

Look around at those who you surround yourself with. Do they force you to be better for God or the world?

Do they challenge you to go deeper in your faith daily? 

Do they encourage you to fulfill the purpose God gave you?

Do they influence you according to His truths?

Do they commit to holding you accountable in your walk with Christ?

Do they live a life pleasing to The Lord or the world?

Do they live day in and day out God's Word?

Do their actions encourage you to align yours with His Word?

Do you pray together?

Do you serve together?

Who exactly do you choose, those who straddle both God and the world or those who choose to walk righteously? 

Which One Are You?

It's always interesting when I step back and evaluate my absolute joy and excitement for Jesus here on earth all to realize it doesn't even come close to what it will be like in heaven. 

I imagine I will be that crazy woman throwing myself all over the King of Kings, all while crying that hysterical woman cry as I literally place my entire being in his arms. 

What truly astonishes me is the mere fact that a lot of others will be doing the same thing and not one of us will have to compete or wait for His attention. 

With that thought it brings me to this astonishing realization that many of us forget. 

We don't have to compete or try to impress Christ. His love and affection is available to each of us at all times. 

Our minds have been warped with the lie that we have to earn His love, even salvation through our works. Therefore we actually live a life trying to EARN His love, His attention and salvation. So much so we even compete with one another, rather than uniting as one.

If it is about works alone than why did Jesus even need to come?

The most important thing and the one that will last forever is our relationship with Christ. 

If we focus on our own relationship with Him we will actually be investing our time in the one that matters the most and we will spend less time competeing or trying to earn His love and attention through works alone. 

Which one are you? Are you trying to earn your way or do you have a real, personal, and intimate relationship with Him?